Something that a lot of fans are hoping is improved for Starfield is the companion system that features in so many Bethesda games. For many, despite the extra quest options and depth of character within them, the companions of Fallout 4 fell flat, unable to really make their mark on the world without the Sole Survivor’s guidance. There are plenty of ways in which Bethesda could make the companions of Starfield stand out, but rather than just looking on features it hasn’t included yet, the key to creating memorable sidekicks might be in the games of the company’s past.
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Why Lydia Stood Out as a Companion in Skyrim
Lydia, the housecarl players can ask to join their adventures once they’ve saved the Western Watchtower by Whiterun, might be one of the most memorable companions in gaming. She doesn’t have an intricate or tragic backstory that the player can explore, nor does it even seem like she wants to adventure alongside the Dragonborn at times, as Lydia’s “I am sworn to carry your burdens” remark often comes off as sarcastic. Yet, Skyrim’s Lydia is still fondly remembered by fans of the game even today, and there are a few reasons for that.
While Skyrim is still fresh in a lot of gamers’ minds thanks to its seemingly endless re-releases, Lydia still deserves some praise for being a stand-out companion in The Elder Scrolls 5. A lot of players might remember Lydia because she is somewhat of a universal experience. As she is tied to Skyrim’s main quest, and gifted to the player very early on in that endeavor, it’s quite hard to miss Lydia and not bring her along in one form or another, and so this has created a common bond among the majority of those who have played the game, as almost everyone can relate to the mountain of Lydia memes found online.
However, Lydia isn’t just a popular character because of the memes associated with her. While there have been multiple cases of videos showing Lydia in all sorts of odd Skyrim situations due to bugs and glitches, when she’s not floating in the air and can actually get a chance to help out the Dragonborn with her sword, bow, or whatever she’s equipped with, the housecarl can be quite useful.
Lydia doesn’t deal the most amount of damage, but she does scale with the player throughout most of the game, meaning she’ll still be of great help even as the player looks towards their fight against Alduin. Unlike the adoring fan in Oblivion, who is only remembered due to his association with memes and his general annoying presence, Lydia is known for being a companion almost everyone has had tag along at some point. She can help out a great deal in a fight, and also provide some funny content for the internet.
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How a Companion Like Lydia Could be Implemented Into Starfield
It wouldn’t make immediate sense for a Nord to be dropped into the middle of the sci-fi universe of Starfield, and though it might make for an incredibly interesting dynamic to literally see Lydia in the upcoming game, instead the RPG should look to include a companion that fits into the title like Lydia does. One of the ways Bethesda could make a companion like Lydia in Starfield is to gift the player a sidekick through the game’s main questline. This would again create that sense of a universal experience, which could help players relate to each other and each have a shared part of Starfield. Considering the scale of the game, it’s likely that a lot of players are going to have vastly different experiences, but a companion like Lydia could change that.
With the main story of Starfield reportedly taking around 40 hours to complete, giving players a companion early on in that journey would grant them something to care about besides saving the galaxy. This would especially be the case if Starfield improved on the Lydia format, and developed its companions to have depth that goes beyond the sidekicks of Fallout 4. To just put a character like Lydia into a 2022 release wouldn’t create the same experience; even with all the companion’s positive features there would need to be some adaptations to better fit Starfield. Therefore, Starfield’s version of Lydia could not only join the player in their main quest, but they should also have their own reasons for setting out among the stars.
Starfield needs its own version of Skyrim’s Lydia to avoid the possibility of it having a multitude of unmemorable companions that can join the player, as was the case in Fallout 4. However, it cannot just copy and paste the formula that worked with Lydia into the new game, and instead should work towards creating a character that is as useful in Starfield as the housecarl was in Skyrim. In and outside of combat, Lydia shines as a memorable character, and the same should be the case for whatever Starfield companions Bethesda drums up.
Already, one companion for Starfield has been revealed in the form of Vasco, a robot who already looks as though he could carry the burdens of the player. Hopefully, Vasco and the roster of other companions in the new game can improve upon the sidekicks of old, while evoking the same sense of connection players got with characters like Lydia.
Starfield releases for PC and Xbox Series X/S in 2023.
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