Well, I finally got around to taking a closer look at Starfield. While it's great to get a better sense of what the game is all about, it's frustrating to see Bethesda regurgitate the same old flaws that the game has suffered from for decades now. Nowhere is this more evident than in the companion system.

As soon as Bethesda's presentation moved on to NPC friends, I was horrified. While the studio touts improved animation, Starfield's glassy-eyed characters are miles behind their contemporaries in other big-budget games and sit firmly in the uncanny valley. They're fine if they just offer quests and explanations, but for God's sake, don't ask me to relate to them.

Companions are characters who actually follow you around and have personal quests and such. The bland examples introduced, such as "Sarah Morgan" and "Barrett," seem to be defined more by their skills than by their distinct personalities. Yet not only are we told that we will develop relationships with these people over the course of the game, Bethesda also threatens the option of romance.

The example love scene is brief but instantly unbearable." I don't know if I've ever really loved anyone ...... Except you," says Sam Coe, a space cowboy known primarily for his piloting skills and "rifle qualifications," while the player character stares blankly into the distance. Can you feel the chemistry? No." And rightly so. Bethesda has always struggled to make its companions feel human, and it has never gone as deep as when trying to write a compelling romance.

To be honest, she hasn't even managed to make her companion useful, let alone likable. Horrible AI has turned party members into combat baggage in previous Bethesda games; Starfield's companions look the same this time around, and they don't even have the distinctive looks or gimmicks of their Fallout or The Elder Scrolls counterparts! .

At least the new crew system seems like a step in the right direction mechanically. Crew members can be hired to board the spaceship, and instead of following along on adventures, they stay on board to enhance the effectiveness of the various modules. It may feel a bit like living in a co-ed dorm full of damned mannequins, but it's a smart way to have a sense of community without always being face-to-face.

What I don't understand is why Bethesda is still focusing on this. They built an entire galaxy to explore, why do they feel the need to bring in creepy cowboys? These games are huge, but they don't have to do absolutely everything. Bethesda should focus only on what they are good at and drop everything they are bad at forever.

He can't even be with a robot that can say his name. Because he has been given an array of annoyingly cocky one-liners. If you don't let me take a dog in a space suit instead of these losers, I'm going to have a riot on my hands.