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From customizing your appearance and outfitting your starship to constructing your own base, Starfield gives players plenty of ways to customize their experience. One of these involves Vasco, the robotic companion who joins the player at the beginning of the main quest. Vasco is programmed to recognize certain names. Depending upon what name the player chose, Vasco may address them with that instead of just “Captain.” In a game about high-stakes adventure and exploring the endless expanse between the stars, sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference. This small touch ranks among the most immersive Starfield features and helps it outclass similar sci-fi RPGs.
Codsworth And The Legacy Of Fallout 4
Vasco recognizes over 1,000 names. While that obviously means that many didn’t make the cut, there’s a decent chance that Vasco can say whatever you picked. Yes, that’s even true for players who think it’s funny to name their character something profane. Vasco comes prepared to utter a list of mild obscenities. Some of the more ridiculous examples on the list are pretty immersion-breaking, but that’s okay. Players chose them, after all, and it’s pleasantly immersive to hear him say a real name. Some of Starfield’s other companions unfortunately feel flat, especially in comparison to this metallic ally, but who really needs anyone but Vasco?
Starfield isn’t the first RPG in which Bethesda has pulled this name-recognition trick. In fact, Vasco isn’t even the first robot who could do it. Codsworth from Fallout 4 could do it too. Players who aren’t prepared for the character to address them in this way are in for a bit of a shock the first time it happens, but after that, it serves as a gentle, persistent reminder of the identity the player has chosen to adopt. Does this immersive Starfield feature revolutionize the game? No, but it makes Vasco a more endearing character and immerses the character in the world that much more. While it’s true that many RPGs insert the player’s chosen name into written dialog, there’s a special magic to hearing one’s name spoken.
Enhance Clinics and Vasco’s List of Names
Even if the player chooses a name that Vasco recognizes, the robot won’t use it all the time. Sometimes he’ll default to the generic “Captain.” That means it might take a few interactions before the chosen name comes up in conversation. Bethesda’s writers intelligently avoided making this feature too obtrusive. Instead, they left it as an easter egg for players to stumble upon. That’s part of what makes it one of the most immersive Starfield features. Determined players can force Vasco to address them by name by speaking with the robot repeatedly, so when in doubt, just keep bugging him. If you make him part of your crew but he isn’t actively following you, he can be found guarding the ship.
It’s unfortunate that many common names don’t appear on Vasco’s recognized list, but if you choose a name that Vasco doesn’t recognize and want to switch, you can do so by visiting an Enhance Clinic. These genetics shops not only allow the player to redo their character’s appearance but also change their name. It can be fun just trying out different names to see which ones Vasco will acknowledge. Bethesda surely understood that once word of Vasco’s special talent spread, players would want to experiment with it mid-save. Being able to pop into an Enhance Clinic and switch to a recognized name at will is also further incentive to play Starfield in a more immersed way.
Vasco and Immersion in Starfield
In terms of small but immersive details, Vasco’s name-recognition trick is one of Starfield’s best. Unlike the heroes of some RPGs, Starfield’s protagonist is silent. The player selects their dialog options but remains free to imagine the character’s voice however they want. This creative decision leaves the character as a blank slate upon which the player’s imagination can write. The game doesn’t shoehorn players into a pre-baked role. The resulting tales of adventure, heartbreak, and villainy feel more immersive. Letting Vasco address the player by a variety of names immerses the player even more, whether they’re playing a self-insert or a character who’s nothing like them.
Starfield is available for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
