Starfield‘s character creator is almost as expansive as its open-ended space setting, and players have already created an impressive array of custom characters from pop culture and real life.
Custom characters have been associated with the game before its release. Marketing material showing the face of Bethesda, Todd Howard, being created in-game initially made fans skeptical. But since its release, character creation has quickly become one of Starfield’s most beloved features.
Early adopters have been quick to embody some of media’s most iconic characters on their spacefaring adventures. Starfield’s sandbox approach to gameplay allows for tons of player-made stories to be made and the imaginative implementation of characters adds to the storytelling potential.
The best pop culture custom characters in Starfield
Ellen Ripley – Alien
Twitter user K3v8az created the protagonist of one of the biggest and most influential sci-fi movie series.
Ellen Ripley shows incredible amounts of ingenuity learning about and surviving against the unknown alien race known as the Xenomorphs. Her strength against adversity and the unknown are traits perfectly suited to the harsh environments of Starfield.
What’s more impressive is that K3v8az created four different variations of Ripley that represent her looks throughout each of the mainline movies. The difference mainly comes down to the hairstyles, though the Aliens 3 depiction also adds a layer of dirt to her face.
Buzz Lightyear – Toy Story and Lightyear
Randomprof1 on Reddit decided to create a realistic version of Buzz Lightyear that looks strikingly similar to the 2022 movie based on the Astronaut behind the toy.
Buzz always has his ambitions set high, which complements the worldview of Constellation. While his ambition sometimes sets this character up for failure, his stories and charisma inspire wonder in others, which is great for socializing.
As one commenter pointed out, Buzz is a name that companion bot Vasco will actually say, as Buzz Aldrin was one of the first astronauts to land on the moon. Lightyear is loosely based on this real-world star, but with a few more built-in features
Leeloo – The Fifth Element
For those that haven’t seen this cult classic movie, Leeloo is essentially an alien trapped in the body of a human. Redditor Brodieking brought this interesting character to life in the world of Starfield, allowing fans to play Leeloo in a game that’s better than her own.
Interestingly, the role of the protagonist in Starfield could be used to develop the character. In the original movie, Leeloo constantly needed to be saved following unfamiliar human situations. In Starfield, the protagonist is recruited by Constellation through their natural skill level and adaptability—and possibly even their alien DNA, one of the starting traits players can begin the game with.
Chris Hadfield – Astronaut
Starfield‘s attention to astronomy is astounding, and much of the game’s lore includes terms, figures, and research carried out by space agencies. A real-life astronaut would fit perfectly within this fictional universe, and it seems Reddit user pizzaknight69 agrees.
Canadian crusader Chris Hadfield spent 166 days in space over the course of three expeditions from 1995 to 2013. Chris’ openness surrounding these missions and his related research had made him one of the most socially conscious and relevant astronauts in recent history.
Tony Soprano – The Sopranos
If you’re looking to track down a wise guy, Tony Soprano has both the experience and weaponry to handle any tough situation. Ashdaddy10 on Reddit provided a screenshot of the iconic mobster alongside a set of traits that perfectly fit the role.
A couple of examples include “Hero Worshiped” which allows you to embody fake friends that are scared to be on your bad side, which happens a lot to Tony. And “Kid Stuff,” a trait that forces you to send money to your parents, relates directly to Tony’s parents who cause stress due to money and shaky relationships. HIs mother lives in a care home that must be paid for, and his father is Tony’s boss early on in the series.
Mike – Breaking Bad
One of the most effective ways to make money in Starfield is by selling Aurora, a hallucinogen made from fish. The security system in the game is surprisingly deep, which makes smuggling an exciting but dangerous prospect with a lot of things that can go wrong.
Eroynss, on the Starfield Reddit, decided to cast a perfect match for that role. Mike is an experienced henchman that often acts as the middleman between drug lord Walter White and his customers. This fan favorite character always has a plan and a getaway vehicle, which is ideal for smuggling Contraband across planetary lines.
Doom Slayer – DOOM
Doom Slayer is a very fitting and unique last choice, as this Bethesda-owned character is made from spacesuit parts rather than the character creator. Echolog cleverly put together two rare items and recolored them to fit the color scheme of the hit 1993 PC classic.
One interesting similarity between Doom Slayer and the Starfield protagonist is that neither character talks within their respective games. This could give some much needed context to the dialogue-free character in Starfield.
