Starfield character smiles are creepy and a game developer explains exactly why

Going further than simply explaining the "Duchenne smile", King expounds on the mechanics involved with the facial muscles in order to produce a realistic human smile (or a reasonable facsimile) with computer generated models:

This smile probably bugs you for some reason you can't put your finger on as will. Allow me. This is the zygomaticus major muscle. It contracts when you smile, pulling the corners of the mouth up towards the Zygomatic process.

King also gave visual examples of the fake smile in real life, including those by Homelander (played by Anthony Starr) and the familiar face of Hungarian electrical engineer András Arató (who became the picture of the "Hide the Pain Harold" internet meme).

András Arató is famous for his smile. It appears his orbicularis oculi doesn't contract very far even with a genuine smile, resulting in that classic "dead inside" meme. The crow's feet suggest the muscle is tense, but it just doesn't seem to go as far as your average joe.

But it does not end with just the smiles of Starfield's character models. The NPCs in the game also have a problem with their eyes, having a look that would fit right in a survival horror game, but for all the wrong reasons.

This examination by a game developer and character artist such as Delaney King is fascinating in and of itself. But while it is an objective look at the flaws of the CGI models for Bethesda's new scifi RPG franchise, it does highlight what some players who have been very critical of the end product are saying about Starfield.

A growing number of fans have found Starfield boring, lacking a compelling motivation to keep playing after a certain point, despite the massive options available. Some have pointed to the barren planets and locations that one can go to. Others have emphasized the bland NPC and unmemorable NPC interactions. This latter criticism seems to fall in line with the lack of polish to how the character models and their expressions were designed for Starfield.

While the so-called uncanny valley remains a problem with any CGI model that tries to emulate human emotions, there are degrees of success and failure with its execution in modern video games. Larian Studios' Baldur's Gate 3 and Rockstar Games' Red Dead Redemption 2 are two recent examples where the character models are done well. Plus, fans of these games can name multiple memorable character interactions in the course of the gameplay. Apparently, the same cannot be said for Starfield.

It certainly won't help Starfield's low reviews on Steam and Metacritic. Is this simply another indicator that Starfield is "undercooked" for a AAA game? Should additional time in development have been dedicated to fix these eerie smiles that leave an unsettling feeling with some Starfield players?

About Starfield:

Starfield is the first new universe in over 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.

Developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks, Starfield is available on Windows PCs and Xbox Series X/S platforms.