Starfield's Dialogue is good, but Fallout 5 can go further

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Dialogue systems are often the backbone of Western RPGs, which is why they're in games like Star field. While Star field may be an improvement over Bethesda's past games in terms of a robust dialogue tree, it's also woefully limited and shallow in many ways, and future BGS titles should work a little harder to push the envelope.




When talking about dialogue systems in Bethesda titles, it cannot go without mentioning it Fallout 4. For many players, the shortened and simplified dialogue features are fourth Fallout they were emblematic of the game's most fatal flaws: dialogue is rudimentary, undermines player choice, and doesn't function as a meaningful role-playing device. CRPG predecessor Fallout 4like Planescape Torment or even older games in Fallout series, show how crucial a good dialogue system can be. They allow players to shape their character to their whim while interacting with a world that feels alive; advanced, multifaceted dialogue trees that lead to impressive consequences can be the difference between a mildly entertaining game and an unforgettable, endlessly replayable experience. Star field can come closer to that ideal than a game like Fallout 4but Bethesda Game Studios still has a long way to go.


Figure of the star field as seen from the planet

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Fallout 5 needs to double down on good dialogue

Starfield is moving in the right direction, but its dialogue is still shallow

One of the biggest criticisms Fallout 4Dialog options allow you to reduce the selection to one-dimensional options. More often than not, talk to the NPC inside Fallout 4 it may be a matter of deciding whether the player character will be nice, rude or inquisitive rather than discussing more subtle and believable approaches. Instead of having to actually think about what they want the protagonist to say, taking into account variables such as the NPC's personality and their relationship to the objective at hand, players are guided to a specific outcome and their only real choice is what “flavor ” “the conversation they want to have, not the content of the conversation itself.


It would be nice to say that Star field's dialogue reverses these stunning design choices, but the reality is sadly far less satisfying. While Star field removes the four option dialog system Fallout 4and removing a voiced protagonist allows players to use their imagination when it comes to basic aspects of conversation like tone and inflection, the decisions the game brings are still rather simplistic. In particular, dialogue options still lack the impact of the game Disco Elysium or Baldur's Gate 3: what players choose to say often has no real consequences on the outcome of a particular quest or interaction, but only on the next line of dialogue with the NPC in question. Again, it's about choosing what “flavor” the player wants the conversation to have, not influencing what the conversation actually is.

Fallout 5 desperately needs a more revolutionary dialogue system


in a word Star fieldDialog options can be considered obsolete. At best they resemble Skyrim's, but never their evolution. Bringing back Baldur's Gate 3 By comparison, RPG players have come to expect dialogue that meaningfully and unexpectedly changes the outcomes of interactions, story moments, and character relationships—something that cannot be said about. Star fieldless important system. Dialogue takes up a lot of real estate in Bethesda games, so Fallout 5, The Elder Scrolls 6and God willing Star field 2it will have to be a bit more ambitious and experimental to justify such extensive inclusion.

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