The best Bethesda games that aren’t Bethesda games

With the imminent release of Starfield, people the world over are about to fill their boots once again with Bethesda’s signature style of go anywhere, do anything game. Unless they don’t have an Xbox or a decent PC, that is. But Bethesda aren’t the only studio who have had a crack at that particular style of vast open-world RPG: indeed, they’ve inspired plenty of copycats and homages over the years, and are often namechecked by other developers when talking about open world game design.

So Bethesda aren’t the only studio who create Bethesda-style games. Who, then, aside from them, has made the best one? That’s the question we’re asking our esteemed panel on this, the latest episode of VG247’s Best Games Ever Podcast, the show where we performatively argue about this sort of thing for your entertainment. Or bemusement. Whichever.

Watch the video version here:

You could also simply read the summary below, if you’re the sort of person who skips to the last page of a book (a wrongun, a reprobate, a Bad Seed).

Tom

Tom picked RAGE, which is id Software’s most Bethesda-like game and would be a fine pick for this topic were it not for the fact that it was published by Bethesda Softworks.

Billcliffe

James picked Grounded, Obsidian’s survival game that riffs on ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids’ and definitely isn’t a Bethesda game, so he gets points for that. But it definitely isn’t a Bethesda game, so the same points get reducted from his total, leaving him with

checks notes

Zero points.

Alex

Alex went with Dragon’s Dogma, a fine 360 era RPG that has built enough of a cult following to get a sequel due out soon. Crucially, it was Capcom’s stated goal during development to do something Bethesda-inspired. The studios are so wildly different that it makes for an incredibly unlikely blend of styles, and the end result is as mad as you’d expect. But it is, nonetheless, a brilliant game, and one we’re lucky to have.

“What is the Best Games Ever Show?” you ask? Well, it is essentially a 30-minute panel show where people (Jim Trinca and associates) decide on the best game in a specific category. That’s it. It’s good. Listen to it.

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Come back in a week for another exciting instalment of the Best Games Ever Show.

Pre-order Starfield today or get ready with discounted Game Pass codes

Starfield will be launching exclusively for Xbox Series X/S and PC (Windows) on September 6th 2023. Pre-order your copy of Bethesda’s upcoming action RPG from the links below and get set for the new galactic adventure.

Players who pre-order the premium edition can play Starfield early from September 1st. That’s five days before it lands on Game Pass! PC Players looking to upgrade their PC can also get Starfield for free when you buy select AMD Ryzen processors, AMD Radeon graphics cards, or a gaming system that contains both.

Alternatively, you can play Starfield on Game Pass on day one. Our shop here at VG247 is currently offering a 5 per cent discount on Game Pass codes and Xbox Credit – simply redeem the code “VG247” at the check out. The code is valid until 31st July, so stock up now to save money on a Game Pass membership or discounted Xbox Credit if you’re buying Starfield on the Xbox Store.