Starfield and Fallout 4 represent fairly different implementations of Bethesda’s open-world formula, but when it comes to their shortcomings, they both end up falling into the same trap. There’s always a certain level of familiarity to Bethesda RPGs, from the strong points like worlds full of varied possibilities, to the weaker elements like outdated engine design. Not everything has stayed the same over the years, however, and the newer ideas in Starfield and Fallout 4 are exactly why they don’t measure up to the best qualities of Bethesda’s most memorable games.