Gaming companies usually tend to hype their AAA titles often to ‘oblivion’, as was the case with Fallout 76 and several other games that failed to deliver. With Starfield though, the story is completely different. With just three months to go until release, the preview at the Xbox showcase left only one impression on everyone’s mind: that Bethesda, of all companies, has been underselling its flagship project.
Starfield Direct’s deep dive revealed that it has all the makings of the greatest space game ever. The initial impressions of Starfield character creation alone are evidence enough of the effort put in by Bethesda. Considering it is still the same Creation Engine with updates, Starfield is a giant leap ahead of Fallout 76 which was not too long ago.
What we learnt from the gameplay deep dive about Starfield character creation
Starfield by far has the best character creation options of any Bethesda game so far. That is saying something considering how comprehensive Fallout 4 and Skyrim were, regarding character customization options. There are a multitude of well thought out options that are thoroughly customizable.
Biometric ID in Starfield character creation
This is a menu featuring character presets. So far Bethesda has revealed that there are over 40 of these preset designs to choose from with unique character designs. Each of these presets is fully customizable just as you would with a new fresh character.
This is a useful option since you can choose a character of your liking and customize particular elements without getting too bogged down by the details. Each of these presets also comes with a unique ID number. The significance of these numbers is yet to be revealed. The perk here is that these characters are fully customizable even after starting the game. All you have to do is visit a genetics facility and change your character’s appearance any way you like.
Body in Starfield character creation
Body customizations in Starfield character creation are quite detailed right down to the physics of movement. Shape and size of the body can be adjusted using an interactive wheel slider. This allows you to decide how muscular, thin or heavy your character is going to be. There is an option to choose body type with both feminine and masculine options, making it possible for players to express them fully in the game. A third slider determines your walking style which offers a few options to choose from. The final slider here determines your skin tone which again is quite diverse and rich in texture.
Face in Starfield character creation
Fans of the Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises will be familiar with Bethesda’s classic face customization options. The character creation screen in Starfield is pretty much the same but with major updates to the facial detail, texture and color. Starfield is without a doubt Bethesda’s most visually updated RPG and the level of realism is enough to cope with modern day standards.
The attention to detail is quite remarkable. You can customize pretty much everything from skin tone to head shape, hair color, various facial bones, complexion and more. Scars and blemishes are much more detailed with a dedication to realism. The expressions are also optimized to complement all your choices quite well.
Background and traits in Starfield character creation
Other than all the appearance customization options above, you can flesh out your character much more, thanks to the addition of Starfield backgrounds and traits. Up to 20 different options are available to choose from, all of which have gameplay consequences. Traits are also designed to both complement your character’s background as well as offer a healthy challenge. One of these traits also allows your character to have alien DNA.
The Starfield release date is September 6, 2023, for Xbox Series X|S and PC, and you can already pre-order Starfield on the platform of your choosing.
