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 with a much higher level of violence, but this vision didn't come to fruition. Bethesda's first-person shooters are known for their gore, yet the blood and guts that characterized Fallout did not make it into their latest sci-fi epic. The decision to tone down the violence in Starfield was deliberate, despite early plans suggesting otherwise.

Violence is still a core component of Starfield, with gunplay and melee combat playing significant roles. Many players have noted that Starfield's combat mechanics are a significant improvement over those in Fallout 4, showcasing Bethesda's careful attention to the dynamics of shooting and melee fighting. However, the studio ultimately chose to dial back the graphic nature of these encounters.

Dennis Mejillones, a character artist involved in both Starfield and Fallout 4, shed light on this decision during an interview on the Kiwi Talkz podcast on YouTube. He revealed that the game was originally planned to include decapitations and other detailed kill animations. However, the diverse array of suits and helmets in Starfield posed significant challenges in animating such violent scenes without them appearing unrealistic or glitchy. Given the persistent technical issues that Starfield faced even after several major updates, the decision to avoid further complications with graphic violence seems justified.

Starfield Cut Decapitations for Technical and Tonal Reasons

The choice to remove graphic violence was not solely driven by technical difficulties. Mejillones highlighted that the humor and gore in Fallout don't align well with Starfield's more serious and grounded tone. While Starfield does occasionally nod to Bethesda's more lighthearted and violent games—like the recent addition of Doom-inspired content—it primarily aims to offer a more realistic and subdued sci-fi experience. Over-the-top executions might have been thrilling but could have disrupted the game's immersion.

Fan feedback has emphasized a desire for increased realism in Starfield. Some have criticized the game's nightclubs as feeling tame and unconvincing, especially when compared to other gritty sci-fi titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Mass Effect. Adding humorous violence could have exacerbated these criticisms by making the game feel even less authentic. Ultimately, Bethesda's decision to moderate the level of gore in Starfield appears to have been a wise one, breaking from the trend seen in their previous shooters but enhancing the game's overall immersion and realism.