Starfield: A Perfect Bethesda Title
Starfield. Image by FFP.
Starfield is a great game if you allow it.
The online forums across social media have been particularly harsh about Bethesda’s latest space RPG. Everything about it is being torn down for no reason other than it, “is not as good as X, Y, or Z.” In order to have fun with any video game, you must embrace it.
Starfield is not Skyrim or Fallout, it is its own thing. There is no reason to assume that Starfield will be anything like these legendary titles, and no one should be making these assertions. Set aside your assumptions and avoid the critics; Starfield is a blast.
Greetings from deep space.
As I am writing this review, less than 8% of the Xbox community has even reached level 10, but I have. There is no way the harsh reviews are coming from those who have gone through the game. What you need to know about Starfield is simple: it is as much fun as it looks. The only reason people are hating on this game is because they are rushing out into space without understanding how anything works. Skill trees unlock in-game abilities; everything from using a boost pack to thrusters on your ship are locked behind skill trees. As a result, the character you create, and their specializations, affect the game play in every way. The size of the open world is also daunting if you think you can simply bound around aimlessly.
Procedurally generated worlds are not a crutch, and they do not ruin the game. Bethesda relied on this mechanic in order to populate space with a believable number of planets; and realistically, there are a ton of planets in our galaxy that have nothing on them. At least in Starfield, there are resources to gather from these barren rocks. The hate is misplaced, and the online throngs that want to ruin your enjoyment of Starfield are just looking for like-minded wet blankets to call “friend.”
Starfield is ripe for insane role playing…who will be the next Starfield grandma?
Space exploration is an aspect that very few games can execute well. No Man’s Sky had a terribly buggy start but was cleaned up by tons of updates and patches. Mass Effect is a stellar example of space adventuring done right; balancing a great story and world with polished mechanics. Starfield is no different, Bethesda’s take on the world of space is not nearly as bad as the reviews bomb make it. What really surprised me was the lack of game-breaking bugs. After fifteen hours in, across two characters, Starfield is the least glitchy Bethesda launch to release.
You will enjoy this game if you abandon your expectations for Starfield to be like Skyrim/Fallout in space. After you do that, the game blooms like an interstellar rose. The entire experience is rewarding, and the gameplay sucks you in like a neutron star. Gamers who can’t help but complete every side quest are going to find themselves up until three in the morning on the weekends. There is so much to do in Starfield that it is overwhelming; but in the best possible way.
Starfield will drive you to make multiple characters. There is no uber stealth archer class that will dominate each character you create. The only way to be a proper space pirate is to level up the appropriate skill tree. A jack of all trades sounds like fun but broad skills will send you into a quagmire of boredom. If you want to become Han Solo, then you better invest in the appropriate skill tree. How you play is what your character will become, and what your character is will shape the story accordingly.
Photo mode produces stellar moments.
You can be whoever you want to be in Starfield — a scientist, a smuggling space pirate, or even a merchant. There is no limit to what you can do unless you listen to the critics.
You can be whoever you want to be in Starfield — a scientist, a smuggling space pirate, or even a merchant. There is no limit to what you can do unless you listen to the critics.