Few can escape its unforgiving grasp of social media, even the behemoths of gaming.
As the internet paved the way for people to connect instantaneously, so did it also allow criticisms from hundreds if not millions of people around the globe to arrive just as fast. These days, games are no longer judged on their merits. The internet will unnecessarily whine and complain about why a game doesn’t have a certain feature when its competition have it. But, while most of the internet finds it so easy to gang up on a game, the developers aren’t above helping each other out.
In an act of solidatority, Patrick K. Mills, a developer over at CD Projekt RED, jumped into the fray to clear the air when a game like Starfield faced critique for its character animations, drawing comparisons to Cyberpunk 2077.
I like starfield a lot, so I'm not getting involved in the core criticism here, but I will say that the way they handle cinematics vs 2077 is not down to engine so much as it is tools and design. Related but not the same. https://t.co/l1rJNFlBoe
— Patrick K. Mills (@PKernaghan) October 2, 2023
Let’s set the stage. Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020 was, let’s say, different. However, thanks to the studio’s relentless updates, revamps, and the noteworthy Phantom Liberty expansion, CD Projekt RED turned the tide. Since then, it has become one of the industry’s foremost success stories. So, naturally, when fans were besotted with Cyberpunk 2077’s rebirth, they couldn’t help but wish Starfield would take a page or two from its book.
Enter @SynthPotato on Twitter, wielding the common criticism of the day: Starfield’s “outdated” animations, compared to Cyberpunk 2077, appeared as if they had been churned out a decade ago. Now, Mills could’ve easily scrolled past to avoid getting into a kerfuffle. Instead, he took a moment to shed light on the matter. Mills explained that when we talk about these two giants of games, it isn’t about engine superiority but design choices and the very tools they employ.
Consider this: Starfield, which uses Bethesda Game Studios’ proprietary Creation Engine, prides itself on offering players an astonishing amount of freedom, scaling it to astronomical proportions. On the other hand, Cyberpunk 2077 and its intricate scenes, which ooze detail and depth, largely due to its use of the REDengine, took years to create – a timeline which, for a game as expansive as Starfield, would translate to an eternity.
Of course, Mills’s defense isn’t just a one-time thing. He’s been consistent in calling out what he dubs “fake criticism,” emphasizing that pitting these two games against each other is not only erroneous but “actively harmful.”
Let’s dig deeper, shall we? Cyberpunk 2077 has its moments of immersive role-playing that have left an indelible mark on fans. From plunging into water depths to the visceral reactions of NPCs when you aim weapons at them, the details are undeniable. And yet, Mills stresses that cherry-picking a handful of features and juxtaposing them without context doesn’t offer meaningful critique.
Simply put, the argument that Mills is trying to make is that the internet shouldn’t try unfairly comparing games, each have flaws and strengths.
Besides, Starfield is no slouch. Its animations are dated by today’s standards, but they aren’t the worst. Just like how The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim went from boasting PS3-level graphics to details that can rival Cyberpunk 2077, things can and will only get better, both thanks to Bethesda Game Studios’ efforts and with the help of its robust modding community.
Already, Starfield is setting new records for Bethesda Game Studios and Microsoft Gaming, which should bode well for any hopes of continued support for years.
Ultimately, Starfield and Cyberpunk 2077 offers unique experiences that cater to different tastes. While Cyberpunk 2077 draws players into the gritty streets of Night City with riveting stories, Starfield offers a vast universe to explore. True, not every expanse of that universe is teeming with unique content, but it’s the trade-off for the sheer scale of it all. As for criticisms of the Creation Engine, the savvy remind us that overhauling an engine isn’t akin to waving a magic wand. It’s not about outdated animations; it’s about allocating time and resources effectively.
Criticisms are always welcome, but, if we can, let’s try to ground them in understanding than fleeting comparisons.
