Video Game Review: Starfield

Skyrim in space, Fallout in space, that’s how Starfield is described by Bethesda game studios and you know what? I reckon Starfield is better than both those games combined.

Space, the final Frontier

I’ve put in a lot of hours the last few days and I can safely say I have had fun and enjoyed every second of it. If you want a game where you explore space, planets and embark on adventure this game is for you.  

The graphics are good and a very noticeable step up from Bethesda’s older titles thanks to the new iteration of the Creation Engine. If you’ve played Fallout 4 etc then you know the drill in terms of mechanics, however, Starfield adds to all of them. Want to construct an outpost on a desolate moon, sure go ahead. Want to build a ridiculous looking starship and customise pretty much every detail of it? You can do that too.

Freedom is the word that comes to mind most with Starfield. You’re introduced to this universe and then left to make your own way. Want to follow the main quests? Do it, but I strongly recommend going off course and discovering one of the hundreds of unique encounters and side quests.

Want to be a space ranger and police the stars? You can do it. Want to be a space trucker who hauls cargo between worlds and get rich? You can do it. Want to be a space marine and fight xenos? You can do it! There is so much here that it can be overwhelming but whatever you’re sci-fi fantasy is you can indulge it in Starfield.

The graphics are good and some areas stunning. The lighting is a particular highlight and some of the vistas you encounter are just begging you to utilize the in built photo mode.

Side quest heaven

Easily the best aspect of Starfield is the side quests. Every one I’ve stumbled across has been excellent with one in particular escalating to epic proportions that could’ve been a main quest in itself and saw me fighting a full scale planetary war against space pirates. It was amazing and I loved every moment of it.

Space battles are a new feature of Starfield and it is intense at times. Have a weak ship and you’ll be made mince meat of, but upgrade your ship and you’ll be dogfighting among asteroid belts like a pro. The ground combat too has been improved from Fallout 4 with firefights often being intense affairs and the sound of guns and explosions is beefy and excellent. If you like shooters then you’ll enjoy the combat.

As with any good RPG you can also use charm to avoid violent encounters as well as stealth. Talking down some pirates and then scamming them out of their loot is hilarious and ranks up there with the older Fallout titles.

It’s not perfect

I’ve compared Starfield to older Bethesda games and the one I would most compare it to isn’t Skyrim or Fallout but Daggerfall. The sheer scale, the vast amount of things to do, the characters are a closer to peak Bethesda. However, this being a Bethesda title there is some quirks and bugs. Most are amusing, some are frustrating but surprisingly I have encountered very few. A miracle after the state Skyrim and Fallout 76 released in.

My biggest criticism is the UI. Whoever designed it needs a slap as its pretty awful and I imagine will be the first thing improved upon by modders. Flicking through menus can be a chore and it can be frustrating.

The exploration is another niggle I have with it too. Walking across vast areas to discover new points of interests can take ages and an issue that could easily be fixed if Bethesda included some form of transportation. 

The Rating

Overall, Starfield is a fantastic game and one that I can see myself playing for months and years to come.

I give Starfield a solid 9/10