Reused Starfield character model leaves players feeling déjà vu

Starfield has been out for a while now, giving players adequate opportunity to immerse themselves in the Settled Systems. The game has been praised for being the most polished Bethesda-developed title to date, and for its clever twist on its New Game+ mode.

The space game is a ridiculously massive one with over a thousand planets and moons to explore. With a world this large, it is no surprise that developers had to employ some tricks to create this vast universe and fill it with content. This has been done by procedurally generating some aspects of the various planets and providing ambient quests to ensure there’s always something for you to do.

Bethesda has also reused some character models. Most of the time, you won’t notice it, as you’ll pass hundreds of NPCs. There is one instance of reused character models that gamers have noticed, in part because it is done with a central character, leading to some confusion.

There’s Cora… and there’s Cora again

Early on in Starfield, you’re introduced to Constellation member Sam Coe. His ancestors are the founders of Akila City, and he has a daughter named Cora Coe. She’s pretty smart, and she loves exploring the universe with her father. You’ll spend quite a bit of time with Cora, and if you travel with Sam, she’ll tag along in your spaceship.

Later on in the game, if you travel to the planet Cassiopeia I, you’ll encounter a girl named Sona. Seeing her for the first time raises many questions, as she looks identical to Cora. In a game like Starfield, it’s not weird to consider whether you’re speaking to a clone or if some time-travel tomfoolery is going on. In reality, Sona and Cora are unrelated, and they just happen to have the same character model.

The problem gets worse when you learn that a character named Annie Wilcox also uses the same model. You’ll find her in Akila City. I’ve noticed an identical girl in The Well in New Atlantis as well.

These aren’t the only sightings, as Reddit user /u/D_Banner spotted the character model again in the UC Vanguard Orientation Hall. This has caused confusion among some players, as seen in posts in the r/Starfield subreddit, though those who are familiar with Bethesda are simply writing it off as a quirk.

Fortunately, you won’t have to look like any NPC if you don’t want to, as there are facilities available to alter your appearance in Starfield. You can also hit up one of the various clothing stores to change your look.