Summary
Underwater exploration is not a part of the total package inStarfield, and that is probably for the best.Starfieldwas an ambitious title for Bethesda, and the sheer scale of the game proves that. Players can spend hours upon hours exploring without touching the main story. Of course, longtime fans of Bethesda titles would expect nothing less. However, for all thatStarfieldstrived to reach new horizons, not every potential terrain ended up being explored in the final game. Upon further inspection though, it should be clear whyStarfield’s did not dive into every possible level design.
The opportunity toexplore planets inStarfieldis one of the game’s big selling points. While players could explore dungeons inThe Elder Scrollsand abandoned cities inFallout, planets areStarfield’s main source of discoveries. Players can even design their own custom spaceships to use when traveling among the stars. Considering that Constellation, the group that the player joins during the story, is dedicated to exploring the galaxy, it only makes sense that exploration would be a major focus of the game. In a good playthrough ofStarfield, the player will be able to have a long list of discovered planets to their name.
Underwater Exploration Isn’t a Part of Starfield and Doesn’t Necessarily Need to Be
Players Cannot Go Exploring Underwater in Starfield
While players candiscover watery planets inStarfield, actually exploring underwater is impossible. The player is capable of walking across the surface of planets for miles, and obviously, flying starships is another major aspect of the game. However, actually diving underwater is out of the question. Admittedly, this does make some sense. Most of the time, the player will be wearing a bulky spacesuit when outside of their ship. It’s not hard to imagine that exploring underwater might be difficult in such a suit.
Players can still swim on the water’s surface, but there are no underwater adventures to be had inStarfield.
Underwater Gameplay May Not Have Meshed With Starfield’s Design
Underwater gameplay probably wouldn’t have added much to themany playable quests inStarfieldin the first place. If anything, gameplay underwater would likely have been slower in order to mimic the feeling of moving in the water. After all, no change in physics would raise the point of why underwater gameplay would be included in the first place. Even if the player used a submarine or other watercraft, it would have likely just come off as a more limited version of the game’s starships. Exploring underwater probably wouldn’t have offered much importance to theStarfieldexperience as a whole.
Underwater Graphics Could Have Proven Taxing For Starfield’s Engine, Affecting Performance
Performance is another area that should be taken into account. There’s little question thatStarfield’s art direction is striking, but the presentation also has the potential to become a downside. Attempting to undertake a visual design that mimics underwater exploration could prove taxing on the game, dragging down performance during such sections.
It would be cool to see a shimmering, wavy world underneath the waves, but unless a game’s engine is specifically designed with that in mind, it could prove more trouble than it’s worth. For the sake ofStarfield’s performance, underwater exploration was probably best left out of the final game.
Players may not be able to go diving inStarfield, but all things considered, it’s not a major loss. Fans canplayStarfieldfor a long time, exploring planets and setting up outposts for far longer than the main story of the game would run. Players can already explore plenty of planets inStarfieldwith the tools at their disposal. While underwater exploration would be cool, it isn’t something that the game necessarily needs, especially if not fine-tuned. As it stands,Starfieldis just fine even without the ability to send the protagonist underwater.
Starfield
WHERE TO PLAY
Starfield is the first new universe in 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery.The year is 2330. Humanity has ventured beyond our solar system, settling new planets, and living as a spacefaring people. From humble beginnings as a space miner, you will join Constellation – the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy – and navigate the vast expanse of the Settled Systems in Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest and most ambitious game.
