As Todd Howard pointed out in the recent gameplay demo,Starfieldis Bethesda’s first new universe in 25 years, and with that lengthy amount of time between new IP comes astronomical expectations. It is set to release in 2023, and will hopefully add toBetheada’s long history of quality RPG titles. It’s also the closest that the studio has ever dabbled into the science fiction genre, as players will be hopping between planets as they make their way through the story.
Mass Effectis undoubtedly the top of the RPG pile when it comes to space settings, as it presents a distant future where humanity has found a way to coexist with other races to stop a giant galactic threat. It’s a race against time to put an end to the Reapers, but that tale takes Commander Shepard in a number of different directions. There are a few noteworthy nightclubs in the series, andStarfieldshould look to mimic what they do well, as BioWare provides an excellent blueprint that Bethesda could use to further flesh out the worlds of its latest blockbuster game.
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Mass Effect’s Clubs Are Dense in Atmosphere
On the surface,Mass Effectmay look like a run-of-the-mill sci-fi story, yet it explores interesting themes in some unexpected places.Commander Shepard can be as morally good or bad as the player wants them to be, but along the way, they will encounter some seedy personalities in questionable locations.
There are plenty of nightclubs in the series, from the overt criminality and dubiousness of Afterlife on Omega to Chora’s Den in the first game that players will run into in the first few main quests. Each is not only a fun area to explore that offers a break from the heavy science fiction story, but they contribute massively to the tone of each chapter of the wider tale.
Afterlife is the chosen rest spot for Aria T’Loak,the Asari ruler of the criminally-rife Omega, and interactions with them always feel like Shepard is begrudgingly going to a place that they never truly feel in control of. Nightclubs inMass Effectare where characters can be seen at their most authentic, away from their jobs and responsibilities and letting their hair down. Having somewhere to see the other side of the galaxy elevates not just the story, but the world in which it exists, especially when they are visually and atmospherically different from most of the other squeaky-clean locations that can be found in citadel space.
It would be a huge mistake forStarfieldto not truly capture the full potential of its nightlife and clubs, asMass Effectunderstood what they can bring to the story, even when the first game was released way back in 2007. Bethesda’s new game has been a long time coming, and any RPG that demands dozens of hours to see all the sights has to be backed up with a setting worth exploring.Starfield’s planets look amazing, but good character development comes from the trenches, and nightclubs that litter the land are a perfect catalyst to see all sides of a person.
Starfieldreleases September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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