Starfield may not be the masterpiece some fans hoped for from the first new game universe of Bethesda Studios in 25 years. However, MeinMMO author Maik Schneider and some fans explain why this sci-fi RPG is still a hit.
My Starfield story began back in 2008. I got my hands on the GOTY version of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion and squeezed the game on the PS3 for every last drop of content. Ok … a friend played many of the dimension portals for me. They were too scary for me.
To this day, hundreds of hours of Elder Scrolls and Fallout have added up. As a sci-fi and space fan, Starfield was somehow the fulfillment of a dream. Accordingly, I was very excited about the game.
After the first few hours, I want to present you with a little conclusion, along with some comments from the community who had the exact same experience as I did: If you have fun in the first few hours, then Starfield is just your thing!
Starfield has an acceleration like ketchup
What does that mean? Starfield is, at its core, a game from Bethesda Game Studios. There is:
- … more to explore than one can see
- … more to collect than the inventory can hold
- … more dialogue lines than we will ever hear
However, right after the tutorial mission, we do not find ourselves on a large, cohesive map like in Fallout or The Elder Scrolls. Starfield offers a whole universe with 1,000 more or less exciting planets.
Unlike Skyrim, we don’t see dragons right from the start and we are immediately in the story. It isn’t like Fallout, where there are usually dungeons ready to explore or wasteland survivors waiting for solutions to their problems right after leaving the vault.
Although you can fly in all directions relatively early, Starfield signals to the player to follow the story first. And that can take a while.
At that point, here’s my conclusion: Even though the introduction progresses at ketchup speed – I was immediately captivated.
The familiar feeling of enthusiasm and freedom, for which I appreciate Bethesda games, was immediately back. When I was allowed to collect my first crate of purple glowing loot, my mouth corners turned up. Of course, I first had to clean up my inventory to empty the crate.
At that moment, the game wasn’t really starting yet; I even had introductory missions in the log.
Starfield has its flaws, is far from perfect, sometimes a bit slow, and certainly not an action fireworks display. But it’s a loving adventure that will enrich my coming weeks.
So my advice to all aspiring space travelers: If you like the game feel of the first hours, then you are exactly right with Starfield. If you found the beginning somewhat appealing, then stick with it.
If you are absolutely unsure, play Starfield starting September 6 in the Xbox Game Pass. One month costs 10 euros on PC and 11 euros for the console. You can also get 14 trial days as a gift from a friend.
If you want to read an extensive test, check out the colleagues at GamePro: Starfield test from GamePro.
’12 hours in and I love it’
What do players say about it? A large thread has formed on the discussion platform Reddit on this topic (via reddit.com). Over 650 comments express and discuss first impressions of Starfield, and many players apparently had a similar experience to mine.
The thread creator even draws a comparison to Skyrim: “It feels like I’m playing Skyrim for the first time like back in 2011.” The comment with the most upvotes explains that he spent a full 3 hours on the tutorial moon because he wanted to scan everything right away.
Often there is the note that it’s not a “space sim”. That’s a problem because some players expected exactly that. The space gameplay, however, is rather meager, which is often criticized in the thread. Players of Elite Dangerous or Star Citizen are in the wrong place here.
It’s a typical Bethesda game. “Skyrim in space,” although current comparisons see it more as “Fallout 4 in space.” If you are looking for that kind of experience, then try Starfield.
User “Open-Let-1014” sums it up for some players: “Ok, I’m 12 hours in and I love it. I have only scratched the surface so far. There’s an overwhelming amount to do. Disappointed with space travel, but everything else is top-notch – we’ll see you out there, space cowboys!!!”
Typical Bethesda issues such as a too-small inventory can be resolved: Here’s how you resolve your weight problem in Starfield once and for all
