In the vast universe of Bethesda’s Starfield, one design issue has almost every player frustrated: the maddeningly inconsistent walking speed of NPCs.
Starfield’s finally here, as early-access players already have their hands on the game before the official release on September 6. The highly anticipated space exploration title offers gamers the freedom to carve out their own space adventure. But so far, we’ve seen mixed reactions from both players and critics.
While some have praised the game’s complexity and the freedom to explore diverse planets, others are less impressed, particularly with the game’s storytelling and space flight mechanics.
However, if there’s one thing almost every Starfield player can agree on, it’s that Bethesda has absolutely botched the walking speed of NPCs yet again.
In a Reddit post that’s now received over 3,500 upvotes, one player says, “Bethesda has once again managed to make a game where the walking speed is too fast and the slow walking speed is too slow when following someone.”
Another similar post read, “Whoever decided that NPCs should walk slower than you can run, but FASTER than you can walk deserves to endure [8 hours] of this every single day forever.”
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
Players have been quick to highlight that other games have solved this issue. In both Cyberpunk 2077 and Witcher 3, your character automatically matches the walking speed of the NPC you’re following.
Other players pointed out that the problem is more apparent on PC, “It is annoying that the default speeds on KB don’t match up. Controller you have more finesse over speed.”
This issue adds to a growing list of criticisms about the game’s NPCs, who have been described as “robotic” and “hilariously wooden.” Some players have even criticized the facial animations, stating that the characters look like they’re on meth.
While NPC walking speed may seem like a minor issue, it’s a persistent one that has plagued Bethesda games for years. As one player put it, “It’s 2023, why the f*** is this still a thing?”
With the full release just around the corner, players are hopeful that Bethesda will take note of this criticism and implement some kind of fix. If not, players may need to endure this annoyance for the game’s lifespan.
