Summary

  • The Constellation companion Vasco in Starfield has received mixed reviews, with some players wishing he had a more distinct personality.
  • Vasco stands out among the Constellation companions for his lack of moral qualms or concern about the player's actions, making him popular with players who feel suffocated by the other companions.
  • Bethesda missed an opportunity to inject Vasco with more personality, as other video game robots have shown that there are different archetypes they could have chosen for him.

Players in Starfield remain split on Vasco, as some of them believe the Constellation robot could have been much improved with a more distinct personality. Though the Adoring Fan was Bethesda's first attempt at creating a follower, companions in the Creation Engine have come a long way since. Fallout 4 added a diverse cast of characters, each with their own personal story, likes, dislikes, and even faction. It was assumed that Starfield would expand on the foundation laid by Fallout 4, but the Constellation companions left a lot to be desired.

Not only does Starfield feature fewer main companions than Fallout 4, but the members of Constellation have largely similar morals that skew too strongly towards the goody-two-shoes archetype. Siding with the Crimson Fleet in Starfield earns the ire of every companion, and more often than not, players are blindsided by the sudden disapproval that comes from Barrett, Sam, Sarah, or Andreja. These factors have significantly contributed to an unlikely Constellation star rising from the dust, as Vasco has no moral qualms or hint of apprehension about any dubious action taken by the player, no matter how extreme.

This quality made Vasco popular in Starfield's community, especially in the eyes of players who feel suffocated by the main Constellation companions. However, some fans like SkedPhoenix wonder if Bethesda missed a golden opportunity to inject Vasco with a bit more personality. While his monotone voice and inoffensive character has its charm, other video game robots such as HK-47, Legion, GLaDOS, or even Curie have proven that there are plenty of different archetypes that Bethesda could have chosen for Vasco.

Of course, it should be noted that Vasco does have an archetype of his own, but it's also true that Bethesda did not develop Vasco as a companion to the same degree it did its other Constellation members. Considering the mixed reception to the other main characters of Starfield, had Bethesda assigned a similarly righteous personality to Vasco, it would have ironically removed what made him so popular among fans in the first place.

Ultimately, given the pattern established by Dawnguard and Far Harbor, it's highly probable that Starfield's Shattered Space DLC will add a new companion to the game. With about 250 employees still working on Starfield, Bethesda is determined to provide significant post-launch support to its latest sandbox title. While it remains to be seen if the developers will ever add a new companion to Starfield on a similar level of complexity to Sarah Morgan or Sam Coe, a morally-gray option would likely resonate with players in a major way.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image
Starfield Tag Page Cover Art
10 /10

Starfield
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Action
RPG
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Systems
PC-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 83%
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Released
September 6, 2023
ESRB
M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs, Strong Language, Violence
Developer(s)
Bethesda
Publisher(s)
Bethesda
Engine
proprietary engine
Cross-Platform Play
no multiplayer
Cross Save
no
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Genre(s)
Action, RPG