Starting Fresh in Starfield

Bethesda Game Studio’s Starfield is a game I enjoy very much, but haven’t covered at all on this blog. It was infamously (and perhaps deservedly) overshadowed in 2023 by another juggernaut role-playing game (RPG), Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3). I played both, and while I think BG3 is objectively the better RPG, Starfield is more my style: Real-time combat, sci-fi, and lots and lots of guns.

Upon release, I played thru Starfield’s main quest and dicked around with side exploration and character customization. However, I shelved the game soon after and many of the game’s main faction quests untouched.

But I love Bethesda’s games: the open world, character progression, and customization. And I always come back. So after taking a break and delving back through Bethesda’s older game catalog (Fallout 4, Skyrim, Oblivion), I returned to Starfield ready to start anew.

And I’ve been having a great time.

Not only did replaying Bethesda’s older titles remind me of their greatness, but it refreshed my appreciation for Starfield. Users and critics have been tearing this game apart since release; Lambasting it for being “derivative” and featuring “stilted exploration.” Some of these criticisms have merit. But given the sheer amount of negativity and polarization, it’s apparent that many gamers have started to take Bethesda’s development style for granted. There’s a saying that “familiarity breeds contempt,” and I think it very much applies here. Hell, we got a taste of it when Fallout 4 released: Despite being Bethesda’s most innovative title yet (expansion of the shoot-and-loot gameplay loop to include building and better crafting), its reception was lukewarm from day-one. It’s safe to say public opinion on Bethesda has soured and gamers are looking to dismiss the studio’s efforts.

Not that they deserve it. Starfield constantly impresses me with its size and scope. From cities to dungeon interiors, these are Bethesda’s largest and greatest environments yet. All of the main quests I’ve played feature heavy amounts of scripting, environmental diversity, and varied gameplay. The gun roster is diverse and immensely satisfying to toy with; AND the largest I’ve seen in any game since Borderlands. Character progression is meaningful and rewarding. Ship-building is the best new addition and endlessly entertaining. I could go on, but I digress.

My new character is a beleagured ex-space hauler who had his piloting license revoked due to a freak accident. In reponse, he relocates to the mines of Vectera to make a living with the Argos mining company, where Starfield’s main quest begins. He’s an older, meek man; Not one for fighting and is terribly gun shy. In gameplay terms, this means I’m restricting him to pistols until he maxes out the Pistol skill tree. After that, he “gains the confidence” to use a larger weapon type and can begin progressing in its associated skill tree. Starfield supports my character vision by allowing me to express these charactertistics thru origin and skill selection choices (Long hauler, Pistols).

Starfield may be rightfully outdone by Baldur’s Gate 3’s master-class writing and story, sure. But I don’t play games primarily for story. I play them to build my own characters and tell my own stories, and Bethesda seems to agree — because that’s exactly what Starfield does and does so well.