Summary
ACyberpunk 2077developer has defendedStarfieldfrom critics saying that the animations in Bethesda’s RPG are inferior to those in CD Projekt Red’s game.StarfieldandCyberpunk 2077are two of the most talked about games of the moment that present players with different fictional versions of humanity.
Starfieldis a sci-fi RPG where players take on the role of one of the last space explorers searching the galaxy for artifacts. Meanwhile,Cyberpunk 2077players have returned to Night City with the release of thePhantom LibertyDLC, which adds new content and a story featuring actor Idris Elba. Although the games follow different premises, this isn’t stopping players from feeling thatCyberpunk 2077does better thanStarfieldin certain respects.Starfieldhas been the target of more criticism, and the defense has come from an unexpected source.
Cyberpunk 2077senior designer Patrick K. Mills defendedStarfieldfrom criticism saying that the game’s animations don’t match up toCyberpunk 2077. On Twitter, user SynthPotato has said that going back toCyberpunk 2077showed them how outdatedStarfield’s animations are. In response, Mills explains that Bethesda and CD Projekt Red have different ways of dealing with cinematics. The designer says that this isn’t Bethesda’s focus, which instead concentrates resources ongivingStarfieldplayers a high level of freedom. Mills also argues thatStarfieldhas more scenes with a rotating cast of characters and a “mind-boggling number of possible locations.” As such, working on more elaborate animations would makeStarfield"be in development forever."
Mills also says it’s fair for players to wantStarfield’s scenes to be more cinematic, but “that it comes at a cost.” He recalls gamers saying thatBaldur’s Gate 3should have DLC to “be real-time,” or that all RPGs should offer the gameplay and narrative of Larian’s game.Starfieldhas been heavily compared toCyberpunk 2077,putting extra pressure on gamers' expectations ofStarfield. Mills finishes by saying that a game can’t have every feature executed at the same level as the best in the field, but this has little to do with the engine used.
Comparisons between famous games happen on a daily basis, and it’s no different withCyberpunk 2077andStarfield. The two games are at distinct moments, however, withCyberpunk 2077bringing its redemption saga to a close with the release of thePhantom LibertyDLC.Starfield, meanwhile, is at the beginning of its journey to make a name for itself. While the base game already provides hours of entertainment for players, theupcomingStarfieldDLC has high potentialto add even more to the game.
Cyberpunk 2077is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.Starfieldis available now on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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