Starfield Review: A Slow Liftoff, but the Ride’s Worth It

21.09.2023 - 13:05 / gadgets.ndtv.com / Todd Howard / Bethesda Softworks

It's no secret that Starfield — out now on PC and Xbox Series S/X — is hands down one of the most monumental game launches of the year. For Bethesda, it's a gamble in uncharted territory as they undertake their first new universe in 25 years, set across the stars in a futuristic civilised corner of the Milky Way galaxy. For publisher Xbox, it's an opportunity to bounce back from a lacklustre 2022 slate and dominate the gaming conversation for a long time — probably years, given the staying power director Todd Howard's RPGs are notorious for. With over a thousand planets to explore, dashing factions to align with, and cosmic mysteries bubbling with political intrigue, Starfield aims to be the most complex spacefaring adventure of our generation. As such, it soars gracefully, but not without some turbulence.

The year is 2330. Earth, what was once known as the ‘Blue Planet,' lost its atmosphere and turned into an uninhabitable barren wasteland, causing humanity to leave and settle in other star systems. And so, our story begins in the cosmos, from the humble beginnings of a nameless space miner who's unearthed a cavern and found a mysterious piece of shiny debris. Touching the shard pulls us into a bizarre trance of celestial visions and sounds that speak to us on a spiritual level, before blacking out. Open your eyes, and Starfield hits you with the classic RPG amnesia trope where one must remember who they are through in-depth character creation. It's got all the hallmarks of a standard Bethesda game, sticking close to its role-playing blueprint of exploring, scavenging, and killing, albeit on a much grander scale that feels overwhelming a lot of the time.

Fair warning though: Starfield is extremely slow to start, restricting you to some bland exposition hunt for the first few hours, before opening things up and granting the freedom to explore any planets at will. I admit that the game soon becomes irresistible to put down, but that opening stretch could easily make or break the experience for many, as you mindlessly go from point A to point B or try getting attuned to its unorthodox menus. Personally, it took me over 10 hours for the game to finally get going, forming doubts in my mind if I'll ever end up enjoying it. And it's not like I hate passive openings either — most of my favourite movies are slow-burn dramas that spend a chunk of the runtime establishing their characters and the setting. Sadly, video games are a different beast altogether. They could easily go beyond 60 hours of playtime and thus demand 100 percent engagement.

Character creation in Starfield is quite detailed, with swappable traits that make you feel like a blank slate
Photo Credit: Screenshot/ Rahul Chettiyar

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