Bethesda is back with thrilling new updates. The team treated us with a fresh gameplay trailer and unveiled an extensive showcase video spanning almost an hour! Get a quick overview of all the new eye-opening details.
Bethesda’s “Skyrim in Space” is taking shape. In a 45-minute gameplay showcase, the game flexes its muscles while giving you intense insights into character creation, skill trees, quests, ships, combat systems, base building, and more.
Character creation in Starfield
More than 1.000 alien planets in the galaxy await you, but your adventure of course starts with character creation. Here you can get down to the smallest detail, from age to body shape to tiny tweaks like piercings or scars. For the faces, Bethesda has scanned various real people, which you can select as a preset and then adjust accordingly.
Who do you aspire to become? This question can be answered by selecting the suitable “Background” for your character, allowing you to shape your desired identity within the game. This equips you with three essential skills and directly impacts your gameplay, who you will interact with, and what tasks you will perform.
In addition, you can optionally modify your character build later in Starfield via three traits, each with benefits and disadvantages.
Starfield sticks to realism
Without a doubt, the Starfield gameplay looks incredible. However, Bethesda uses a design language they call “NASA Punk.” Spaceships, settlements, and all the technical content are modern, but they should also reflect the Golden Age and the wonder of the early spaceflights. The title balances fun and realism, which flow closely together.
Your spaceship is your pivot point
You can admire this charming, slightly retro analog style especially in your spaceship. In Starfield, you can buy ships in Spaceports and upgrade and customize every imaginable component. There are two ways for customizations: You can quickly upgrade individual components such as shields or weapons or dive into the Shipbuilder Mode and completely customize your spaceship’s design and equipment.
Have a good flight
To optimally prepare your ship for space combat, you can upgrade its power system to fly faster. You’ll want to tweak everything because, you know, you’re not alone in space. Always be on your toes.
Besides gunfights and taking down opponents, you can dock with enemy ships, kill the crew in close combat and take over the enemy vessel. It will be yours afterward. But now, let’s focus on the many planets around us.
Properly plan your next adventure
Your ship is the starting point for your next expedition, which you begin via the Starmap. You’ll get all the information about the planet you’re currently on, and you can navigate to different landing spots.
Or take a step back, zoom out, and get an overview of all the planets in the system. They can have missions, key locations, and life or be barren but rich in resources. Zoom out even further to see all systems in this galaxy section, or use the “Grav Drive” mechanic to jump to other solar systems.
Exploring the different alien planets
Before you head for a planet, you should scan it carefully for its characteristics to profit optimally from its conditions, such as resources or quests.
All the alien planets offer procedurally generated landscapes and handcrafted elements, such as various creatures, plants, and interesting places for the player to discover. The scanner helps you identify foreign wildlife. What do you want to do – explore new areas, harvest resources, or enjoy the beauty of the sunrise on your actual planet? It’s up to you. The light in Starfield is calculated in real-time, giving the game its exceptional cinematic look and feel.
Building your base and outpost
On the planets, you can build bases and outposts almost everywhere, expand and equip them individually with modules. Build extractors to collect resources, assign companions or crew to work for you, or set up a home and furnish yourself with all possible decorations. You always have the choice of what to focus on. A flying cam helps you to get a clear overview of your base camp.
Numerous skill trees are waiting for you
You’ll also get to know Starfield’s skill system during your adventures. Each level-up grants you a point, which you can use to unlock countless skills. You can rank them up by completing challenges related to each. The game offers you five skill trees with five ranks per skill.
This field has so much to discover; it’s almost dizzying! You can look forward to exciting skills like the “Xenosociology skill,” which allows you to mind-control aliens.
The skill system enables you to fully live out your playstyle, whether you want to be a sneaky stealthy assassin, a flying gun-blazing combat veteran, or a brutal melee fighter. Because, besides exploration, you’ll always have to challenge opponents and let your combat skills do the talking.
Starfield comes with many weapons and combat options
Bethesda stays grounded in this area, focusing on a balance between realism and a Hollywood feel. Prepare for many firearms that you can modify individually: larger magazines, better grips, different scopes, and various weapons sights. Whatever weapons you’re looking for, you’ll probably find them in Starfield. The developer says that they’ve never put so many weapons in one game. Considering all the different planets’ conditions, the many weapons and mods are also necessary for successful Starfield gameplay. When you fire a gun in Zero gravity, it throws you back. This requires direct rethinking in combat situations. You better go for energy weapons here.
The #1 place in the galaxy
Starfield’s highlight is the capital city “New Atlantis,” the first major human settlement in the galaxy. The implementation is mind-blowing regarding scale, design, population, and quests. New Atlantis reveals itself to us as a gigantic pulsating metropolis full of NPCs who lead their own lives and have captivating dialogs in store for you.
Here you will also meet the infamous “Constellation,” the last group of space explorers who want to answer humanity’s biggest questions while coming across strange, powerful artifacts. Some of the members of the Constellation can also travel with you, bringing individual questlines on board.
Bethesda’s plans
Starfield feels like more than a game; it’s a playable galaxy. According to Bethesda, that’s what it truly wants to be. The freedom you have in terms of gameplay is just ridiculously incredible. Experience many breathtaking adventures in space, from the design of your ships, the base building, and individual character creation.
To make it a stable experience on console, though, Bethesda has decided on a limitation: The game is only supposed to offer a maximum of 30 FPS on Xbox Series X|S, contrary to many fans’ expectations. However, given the game’s scale, we should remain relaxed and not classify this aspect as a flaw. Or play it on PC.
The Starfield release date remains set, with its launch on September 6 2023 for Xbox Series X|S and PC. On Xbox Game Pass as a day-one release. Check out the official Starfield gameplay trailer and the 45 min Deep Dive showcase video below.
Purchase the game in three editions
You can get the game in the Standard or Premium Edition via the Xbox Store and for PC via Steam. There is also a Constellation Edition available through Bethesda’s official website. In the following, we have listed the key differences.
Standard Edition – $69.99
- base game
Premium Edition – $99.99
- base game
- “Shattered Space”-Story expansion (as soon as published)
- Up to 5 days of Early Access
- “Constellation” skin package
- Access to “Starfield Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack”
Constellation Edition – $299.99
- base game
- “Shattered Space”-Story expansion (as soon as published)
- Up to 5 days of Early Access
- “Constellation” skin package
- Access to “Starfield Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack”
- Steelbook-Display
- Constellation-Patch
- Credit stick with laser-engraved game code
- Starfield Chrono Mark watch and case
You can upgrade from your Standard Edition to the Premium Edition anytime in the Xbox Store for $34.99 (or $31.49 if you have Xbox Game Pass).
The universe calls you, take off today
Games like Starfield or Star Citizen revolutionize the sci-fi genre and take it to a new level. In the meantime, you can dive into other great galactic titles like Star Wars Jedi Survivor waiting to be discovered. If you’re looking for a hardcore sci-fi challenge, we recommend reading our Returnal Review.
Right now, all hell is breaking loose with Blizzard’s new RPG title. Check our 12 Diablo 4 tips for the best start on your journey.
What will you do first in Starfield? There are so many gameplay possibilities. Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
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