It's A Trap

Played On PC

Creating a fully-realized open-world space game is a monumental ambition, yet it also highlights the limitations of current technology. This isn't a critique of Todd Howard, who has earned my admiration for decades as the best game designer alive who doesn’t work at Nintendo, or of the Bethesda team, whose dedication is always evident. The point is that creating the perfect open-world space game might require a commercially-infeasible budget even Rockstar wouldn't attempt to allocate. Bethesda deserves commendation for arguably the best effort to date, but the end product still falls short of perfection

While playing Starfield, I kept thinking, "I'd rather be playing Skyrim or Fallout: New Vegas." This sentiment serves as both praise for Bethesda's past triumphs and constructive criticism of their latest effort. When a studio sets a high bar, each new game inevitably competes with that legacy. It's a sign of the studio's success but also an indication that they've previously crafted more compelling worlds

In Space, Nobody Can Hear You Excel

Top-rated space games like Super Mario Galaxy, Halo, and Mass Effect shine with highly instanced mission or planet designs and a limited number of open-world zones. Starfield attempts a broader approach, sacrificing depth for breadth. While ambitious, the game doesn't excel in any one area - Star Wars Squadrons offers better space combat, Elite Dangerous offers better space travel and atmosphere, and a number of other titles outshine Starfield in story and ground combat. Its efforts to include everything lead to compromises like fast travel and uninspired planets, diluting the overall experience

Specifically, Starfield's space travel left me unmoved. The galaxy felt static due to cutscenes and loading screens. The automated travel process lacks excitement and throws off pacing, diminishing a sense of grandiosity. The highly promoted number of planets often came with limited or undifferentiated exploration potential, and there are many invisible walls

As for the game's introduction and subsequent gameplay, they lacked the 'wow' moments I had come to expect from titles like Skyrim. The overall experience was below expectations, missing the high-impact story beats and immersive gameplay that make for a standout space adventure. The game is particularly slow at the start, and I had to push hard through the first 15 hours before things improved and opened up

Graphics, Sound, Controls

The graphics are solid, and the audio environment is immersive, although overlapping dialogues can make conversations hard to follow. Voice and facial animations are a noticeable improvement over previous titles. I'm impressed by how well the game performs on my machine, thanks to its easily scalable graphics. However, it's disappointing that a 2023 AAA game lacks native HDR support and settings; even when enabled in Windows, it falls short compared to other titles. The absence of haptic feedback on my Starfield Xbox controller while playing on PC was also a letdown

User Interface and Bugs

Starfield exhibits both the strengths and weaknesses typical of a Bethesda title. While the game's bugs caused two crashes and various quest and visual glitches, the HUD also leaves much to be desired. Its lack of clear navigation cues often left me lost. Further complicating exploration is the absence of detailed on-foot maps. The game only provides a basic display highlighting key points of interest

Another inconvenience that could be easily rectified is the inventory management system. Although the game dedicates a significant portion of gameplay to inventory management, it does a poor job at it, especially in item transfer

Gameplay and Story: In the Shadow of Giants

The classes and abilities in the game are engaging, but they lack the cohesion and enjoyment found in Skyrim's and Fallout's VATs, Perks, and Skills. The game's real shortfall, however, is in its story and character development. It fails to establish a strong emotional connection, leaving players longing for the compelling narratives typically seen in Bethesda's titles

Starfield is also brimming with quests, but their quality is uneven. The in-game text boxes and computers feel less exciting compared to the engrossing narratives in Skyrim or Fallout 4

Final Thoughts and Rating

In the hierarchy of Bethesda games, I'd place Fallout 76 at a 6, Elder Scrolls Online at a low 7, Starfield at a high 7, Fallout 4 at an 8, Fallout: New Vegas and Morrowind at a 9, and Skyrim as a solid 10. Starfield is ambitious but falls short when compared to Bethesda's own previous hits. Much of this is due to the choice of setting and game design choices, all focused on preserving breadth, sometimes at the cost of depth and quality

The technology required to realize expansive dream-world space game concepts isn't yet available within a reasonable budget. This isn't a shortcoming on Bethesda's part; in fact, they deserve commendation for their unprecedented efforts. Starfield acts as a dual lens, offering both an exhilarating glimpse into the future and a sobering acknowledgment of current limitations. The game should also serve as a cautionary tale for other developers, urging them to think twice before venturing into the creation of an overly ambitious open-world space game

While AI has become a buzzword in the games industry, a title like this could serve as the quintessential example of how this technology might eventually unlock boundless possibilities, such as fully realizing and enriching a thousand planets, ultimately bringing every gamer's cosmic fantasies to life

Is Starfield worth the $70 price tag? Absolutely, given its consistent high quality. However, it doesn't reach the inspirational, all-time industry great heights of Bethesda's past works. Know this before diving in

"Should I buy an Xbox just for this game," some of you asked me. That's not the right question. The real value in buying a Xbox lies in gaining access to Game Pass. It's the ultimate games deal and Game Pass alone should be a sufficient motivator for you to buy a Xbox yesterday. Starfield is a bonus within that package

Finally, for those review-bombing Starfield, please grow up. It’s a good game