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 originally envisioned to feature much more graphic violence, but this element was intentionally scaled back due to both technical challenges and a desire to maintain the game's intended tone. Bethesda's previous titles, such as the Fallout series, are known for their gore, but the studio chose a different path for their latest sci-fi adventure, Starfield.

While Starfield does not shy away from violence entirely, with gunplay and melee combat playing central roles, the game's combat system is widely regarded as an improvement over that of Fallout 4. Despite initial plans to include more violent elements like decapitations and kill animations, these were ultimately cut from the final product. Dennis Mejillones, a character artist who worked on both Starfield and Fallout 4, revealed in an interview with the Kiwi Talkz podcast on YouTube that the diverse range of suits and helmets in Starfield posed significant challenges in animating such violent scenes realistically. Given the persistent technical issues the game faced even after several updates, this decision appears justified.

Starfield Cut Decapitations for Technical and Tonal Reasons

The decision to remove graphic violence from Starfield was not solely based on technical difficulties. Mejillones also noted that the humor and gore in Fallout don't align well with Starfield's more serious and realistic sci-fi tone. Although Starfield includes nods to Bethesda's more lighthearted and violent games, such as recent Doom-inspired content, the overall atmosphere is more subdued. Over-the-top executions, while potentially thrilling, could disrupt the game's immersive experience.

Some fans have expressed a desire for greater realism in Starfield, criticizing elements like the game's nightclubs for feeling tame compared to those in other gritty sci-fi titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Mass Effect. Adding humorous, exaggerated violence could have further undermined the game's grounded feel. In light of these considerations, Bethesda's choice to reduce the level of gore in Starfield, diverging from the trend in their previous shooters, seems well-founded.