For more than a decade now, Bethesda has been reliant on its Creation Engine, which it's used to make Skyrim, Fallout 4, Fallout 76, and now Starfield. Given how old it is and the fact that some don't consider it to be the best game engine in the world, fans may be a bit concerned about it being used for the development of the upcoming epic sci-fi RPG. However, a recent video analyzes a few aspects of the latest iteration of the software, showing that things have progressed.
YouTuber colteastwood takes a dive into version 2.0 of the Creation Engine, which is being used to make Starfield, and gives some insight into some of the things that have changed over the years. Despite its age, the engine has been updated in line with more modern development technologies, with the ability to implement new ideas that weren't possible in previous Bethesda games. For example, having spaceships in the game that can fly around, not to mention players being able to build their own crew and expand on the world itself, are possible with this version of the Creation Engine.
As well as this, the facial and character model animations in Starfield have also seen improvements. Comparing it to Fallout 4, it becomes clear that the former has much more realistic facial expressions and a lot more detail, while the latter is, as the video's host describes, very much "last generation." Given this and more, it does seem as though there have been a few leaps forward for the engine, and this latest version of it, which is also being used in the development of The Elder Scrolls 6, has come a long way since 2011.
Bethesda showed off some Starfield gameplay footage last month, which demonstrated not only the visual aspects of the upcoming game, but also some of the combat. On top of this, it also showed that players will not only be able to fly their own spaceships, but customize them as well.
It's a shame that Starfield has been delayed into next year, though it does mean it's become one of the most anticipated games of 2023, along with Resident Evil 4 Remake and Street Fighter 6. For many, it looks like Bethesda's new IP will be very exciting, and the fact that it's not an Elder Scrolls or Fallout entry is also intriguing. Here's hoping that the delay is worth it in the end.
Starfield is scheduled to release in 2023 on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: PCGamesN