The Dark Brotherhood questline in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is widely considered a high point in the series, particularly for its "Whodunnit?" mission, which offered a complex, multi-outcome scenario within Summitmist Manor. This mission is often cited as a miniature immersive simulation, providing a contained environment for players to engage in creative assassinations.
However, following the release of Starfield, a critic has expressed doubt about Bethesda's current capacity to produce another questline of similar quality and creativity. The observation is that no quests in Starfield possessed the distinctive flavor of the Oblivion Dark Brotherhood experience. Coupled with reports of increasingly restrictive development constraints within the studio, there are concerns that the unique elements required for a compelling Dark Brotherhood storyline may be beyond Bethesda's present capabilities.
This perspective suggests that a successful Dark Brotherhood questline necessitates a certain level of peculiar creativity and dark humor, qualities that the author believes modern Bethesda may struggle to implement. While hoping to be proven wrong, the assessment is that the studio's current trajectory does not align with the demands of such a narrative.