Starfield Review - Written In The Stars

One Starfield player is having fun with the game’s zero gravity flying, albeit in a chaotically violent way.

I first sat down to play Dave the Diver expecting a few hours of casual fishing fun. 30 hours of game time later, I’m realizing that Dave the Diver goes much deeper than you’d expect from a $20 title. Its writing is hilarious, its art is simple but gorgeous, and its gameplay scratches my exploring/collecting itch in a way that’s supremely satisfying.

players can unlock a skill that is reminiscent of the iconic VATS mechanic. This ability can be a game-changer in heated combat encounters, affording players a better opportunity to line up their shots for a chance at a critical hit. This similarity is one of the many details that highlight the shared DNA of Bethesda’s games and how mechanics evolve or change to better fit the narrative of the title in question. Plus, it’s a convenient skill for players who are well-versed in the combat gameplay of the recent games.

Over on the No Man's Sky subreddit, fans think they've uncovered a little nod to the game in Starfield. Given how similar the two are - what with you flying across the stars to map procedurally generated planets where you can set up shop and gather resources - an easter egg like this makes sense.

After completing the "" quest, you will have unlocked "", which is one of the most pivotal missions in . This mission will take you through heists and action-packed battles before giving you the option of siding with the Crimson Fleet or the United Colonies. The choice you make is critical to the game and will have an impact on the rest of your story and playthrough.

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.

Despite Starfield's popularity, roughly a quarter of Xbox players have yet to actually launch themselves into the game's titular field of stars.

Due to the sheer scale of , there are plenty of activities to partake in, from helping the Freestar Rangers stop bank robberies to participating in blood sports. In the case of the latter, this can be carried out in a particularly notorious and shady gambling den, The Red Mile, on the planet Porrima III. The Red Mile is not the kind of location players tend to just stumble across, with its location in the Porrima system found slightly west of Volii. However, for those who seek it out, there is the option to participate in running its main attraction of the same name.

Games like Chrono Trigger aged well, and Sabotage Studio knows as much. It’s evident in the open-world encounters, ambitious soundtrack, vivid environments, and even a few overarching plot ideas within Sea of Stars, the developer’s latest, classically-inspired RPG.

«Cancelled my subscriptions after playing for more than 15 years, see you around boys and girls,» says sfouggarakhs. «Been playing RuneScape since I was a child and this is the first time I really have a bad taste in my mouth from an update,» says ExileAgent.

It’s a little bit funny to think that, while Starfield features a brand new sci-fi galaxy to explore, it was also almost jokingly a known quantity for gamers well before launch. Bethesda Game Studios has a type of game that they make, and while Starfield’s story is of an adventure to find the unknown, the actual game itself feels immediately familiar.

Xbox’s most anticipated game in years has finally arrived and it’s reaching for the stars… While everyone has been preparing for lift-off, we’ve spent the last week sailing around the universe to discover if Starfield is a small step for games or a giant leap for gaming kind.