Ex-Starfield Artist Explains Cut of Graphic Violence

Summary

• Starfield's lack of graphic violence was an intentional choice largely due to technical issues.
• It also wouldn't fit Starfield's tone, said Dennis Mejillones, a character artist who worked at Bethesda on Starfield and Fallout 4.

Starfield was initially envisioned as a much more violent game, according to a former Bethesda artist. While Bethesda's first-person shooters are known for their gore, Starfield, their latest sci-fi adventure, deliberately chose to steer away from graphic violence. This decision, though not always planned, was ultimately intentional.

Bethesda did not completely avoid violence in Starfield; gunplay and melee combat are integral to the game. Many players have praised the combat system, noting significant improvements over Fallout 4, with thoughtful design in shooting and melee mechanics. However, the studio decided to tone down some of the more graphic elements.

Dennis Mejillones, a character artist who contributed to both Starfield and Fallout 4, discussed the game's approach to violence in an interview with the Kiwi Talkz podcast on YouTube. He revealed that early plans included decapitations and other kill animations, but technical challenges prevented their inclusion. The variety of suits and helmets in Starfield made it difficult to animate such violent actions without compromising realism or introducing bugs. Given the persistent technical issues Starfield faced even after several major updates, avoiding additional graphical complications seems to have been a wise decision.

Starfield Cut Decapitations for Technical and Tonal Reasons

The decision to remove graphic violence wasn't solely based on technical difficulties. Mejillones also pointed out that the humor and gore characteristic of Fallout didn't align with Starfield's intended tone. While Starfield occasionally nods to Bethesda's more whimsical and violent titles—like the recent addition of Doom-inspired content—it aims for a more subdued and realistic sci-fi experience. Over-the-top executions might have disrupted the game's immersion.

Fans have expressed desires for more realism in Starfield, criticizing elements like the nightclubs for feeling tame compared to other gritty sci-fi games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Mass Effect. Adding humorous violence could have exacerbated these issues, making the game feel less grounded. In the end, Bethesda's choice to tone down the gore, even if it diverged from their previous shooter trends, appears to have been the right call.