Starfield

Starfield is an RPG set in a sci-fi universe. It was developed by Bethesda Game Studios, the team behind the bestselling The Elder Scrolls series and, since 2008, Fallout. It marks the first entirely new franchise of that studio since 25 years.

Plot

Starfield is set in the far future, in the age of space colonization. In 2310, The Settled Systems (a small part of the Milky Way, located about 50 light years from the Solar System) were shaken by a bloody conflict between two factions - the United Colonies and the Freestar Collective. The war eventually ended with an uneasy truce, though The Settled Systems turned into a hostile, dangerous place as a result.

The game proper begins 20 years later. We start the game as a member of Constellation - an organization dedicated to exploring the Milky Way and discovering its mysteries. During our travels we'll explore nearly the entire galaxy and learn mankind's biggest secret.

Mechanics

Starfield can be played either from the first-person (FPP) or third-person (TPP) perspective. The game starts with an extremely complex character creator; we can set our protagonist's appearance, pronouns and backstory (which determines their three starting skills). We can also select a few traits. These bring us additional bonuses, though at the cost of some weaknesses as well. For example, the house owner trait lets us use a house from the very beginning of the game, but also burdens us with a sizeable loan to pay off. After creating our character the time comes to begin an enormous, downright overwhelming adventure.

The game features over a hundred planetary systems with more than a thousand planets to visit. The available locations include New Atlantis (a giant metropolis featuring a massive space harbor), the city of Neon located on a fishing platform (its economy revolving around a drug called Aurora) or the walled-off city of Akila. Outer space is also home to numerous facilities, such as shipyards and research stations.

The player can travel between different planets and moons aboard their spaceship. Short distances can be covered by hand, while far away areas can be reached through our graviton drive. Though our initial ship is a rather universal jack-of-all-trades, over time we can acquire more specialized ships, ranging from agile fighters to heavy transporters. Planets, moons, ships and facilities can be traversed on foot. Exploration can be made easier in many different ways, such as acquiring a jetpack to reach high places.

In addition to the main storyline, the game features plenty of side quests and optional activities. Apart from the two main factions, there are other, minor ones also operating in the game's world, including the mercenaries of the Ecliptic, pirates of the Crimson Fleet, the brutal rejects or the fanatical House Va'ruun, their interests often conflicting. During our travels we'll be joined by various companions, such as friendly humans or an intelligent robot Vasco. Each companion has a unique personality, backstory and questline. Nurturing our relationships with some of them can gradually develop our friendship into a full-fledged romance.

The game features plenty of combat; during fast-paced encounters against hostile humans or aggressive beasts, the player can wield a wide roster of weaponry, including firearms (pistols, machine guns, shotguns, sniper rifles, grenade laun chers), energy weapons and melee weapons. Some stealth and combat encounters take place in zero gravity. There are also space battles, which can occur during interplanetary or interstellar travel. During outer space battles we must manage our ship's power supply and assign it to specific modules, responsible for such traits as speed or resistance to enemy fire. Once we've on, we can either finish off the enemy ship or board it, get rid of its remaining crew and take it over, adding it to our fleet.

As we progress through the game we develop our character, facing gradually greater challenges. Leveling up rewards us with skill points, used to upgrade our skills and unlock new ones. Each skill has several ranks, unlocked by completing associated challenges.

The game also features an extensive crafting system. It lets us create new equipment, upgrade and modify already owned gear and install various modifications. Players can also build bases and outposts, to which we assign crewmates. Depending on where we've built them, these facilities grant us with various bonuses. Our ships can be extensively modified and adapted to our preferences. It's up to us whether we'll use the quick upgrade system or modify it manually in an advanced ship builder.

Technical aspects

Starfield runs on the Creation Engine 2, a new version of the engine Bethesda Game Studios have been using for years, created specifically for this game. The game's visuals are of high quality. The realistic lighting on visited planets and moons is especially appealing, as it varies based on the globe's atmosphere and distance from its star. The soundtrack was composed by Inon Zur. Just like the studio's previous games, the title offers full mod support.

Last updated on 07 September 2023