Gaming Starfield - XB / PC

After racking up 20 hours in the game, along with probably half that in viewing reviews and podcasts about Starfield, it's clear there's lots to say about this game.

While it shares some things in common with both Elder Scrolls and Fallout, Starfield is also distinct from them. It looks, sounds and plays differently.

It won't be to everyone's liking, the first few hours can be rough going then it takes off. How many of the 10 million players made it to the good stuff?

https://www.videogameschronicle.com...ion-players-is-bethesdas-biggest-launch-ever/

We'll probably never know but the biggest variable factor in this game is the individual experience. What you do and how you do it and where, in a vast galaxy.

 

No idea how many hours I've played, but I've played it pretty solidly since it came out.

Barely done any of the quests. Just been going around exploring planets, getting resources, upgrading my gear etc.

 

Found anything that's particularly good, either gear or locations? I've started getting some legendary drops that I've yet to try out.

 

You can get a really good set of gear in the basement of the Lodge:


I don't think it's been patched out yet. If you want something more legit then the Mantis side quest gives you a good set of gear, along with a really good ship.

 

Heard about the Mantis rewards, how difficult are they to get?

Will check out the Mk 1 suit.

 

Your mileage may vary, but it was one of the first missions I did so it's not like you need a ton of upgrades or the best gear. Just be prepared for a fair bit of combat.

I've been enjoying photo mode. The game's not the prettiest, but it has it's moments.

Spoiler

 

I'm not great at combat, would like it to get a snap to target assist as the enemies are pretty agile.

Going to try the Mk1 trick tonight, looks like the kind of thing they may not patch out.

 

How is the exploration in the game compared to other games such as Oblivion and Skyrim. Are many of the planets in Starfield as interesting to explore as the planets in that game or are many of the planets pretty bland? I have heard some mixed things about that aspect of the game.

Given that exploration was pretty much my favorite thing to do in Skyrim if the exploration is as good in Starfield I might decide to get it. If not I might pass as the stories in games like this generally aren't much to get excited about.

 

By its nature it can't really work the same way as those games - you don't have an open world to explore, you have a couple of hundred plus space itself. But, due to it being what it is, space exploration is limited. Exploration is more mission directed than in either Oblivion or Skyrim.

Starfield is a very different game from Bethesda. Your best option with either XB or PC is to try it via GamePass, as there's no way to know how it'll work out for you.

Meanwhile, the Mark 1 bug? Patched out.

 

NASApunk 2330 was my working title when considering making a thread for Starfield.

Anyway, I’m on the Crimson Fleet quest line (undercover for the UC Vanguard) right now, haven’t picked it up in a few days thanks to Mortal Kombat 1. It’s definitely lost some steam for me since the opening hours. I think I started the best quest line in the game early (UC Vanguard), so everything since then has kinda paled in comparison. Though I’ve heard good things about the Ryujin story, and bad things about its stealth.

 

I decided to just fly around and explore systems. Found some interesting things:

• A pirate-infested abandoned weapons plant, where I did far better on the combat, was locating enemies, shooting them and all their friends
• Fixed a colony's gas leaks
• Boarded a space station and met the Va'Ruun fanatics, but was loaded up from the previous pirate massacre so had to leg it and sell some stuff
• Paid a visit to a couple of space stations, got warned off another and did some surveying on Gagarin.

Gagarin's a good planet for a first outpost, so have an initial version set up, with Lin and Heller assigned to it.

Got some ship upgrades, it's starting to fly - and fight - a lot better.

 

30 hours in...

And I have not progressed the story, instead doing missions, exploring planets and the starting systems, surveying, ship upgrading, skills upgrading.

You can really combine skills well to get better effects, like boosting both your carry ability and commerce. You can get more stuff and sell it for me. Up the ballistics skill and shots do more damage, which reduces the ammo usage and, with commerce, restock is cheaper. In the early game it does feel like missions exist to drain your resources - and they do - it only changes gradually as your skills improve. You can be strategic with that too, got level up, skill point to use, but was close to accessing a master rank, so got that then spent the point.

While the game is better described as being more mission-directed, it's not fair to say there is no exploration. There is. Even on missions, you can explore the planetary location, you can explore the system. And there are benefits to doing that, you can get a nice chunk of XP.

Bought my first place and this is weird. Go there and it has nothing in it! First inclination is to kill the lying realtor, then looked up the answer online, because the game is not saying anything, and there is this generic wall panel, not drawing attention to itself. This is the build panel for the apartment! So crafted up a bed, couch, pair of chairs and a coffee table.

The most crazy aspect to this was doing a bounty mission. Target is holed up in an abandoned mine. I head in and spot a computer, boot it up and it talks about robot IFF settings. Do I want to change them so the robots protect me? I say yes, exit the system. Suddenly the game says mission complete! As by flicking the IFF setting the robots near the bounty target killed them!

I had no idea that I could do this. It really offers some doors for a more stealth type run. And talking of stuff I didn't know I could do, there ate demolishable walls.

Finally, for what is throwaway, disposable content, the various missions is this game's radiant quests, they are absurdly intricate locations. It is impressive that the game is doing what it is doing.

 

I'm continuing to find this fun, as I take it slow.

Did a rather smart couple of quests today:

• One saw me getting Sam's relationship with Cora's mother, Lillian, to an improved state. This involved locating her then saving her arse in a Syndicate camp, then blowing up a dodgy freighter, followed by an epic firefight. Steering the final conversation to a good outcome was satisfying too.
• The other saw settlers under attack from Spacers. Repaired some satellites, blowing up several Spacer ships in the process. Then convinced the settlers to band together, then hit the main base of the Spacers. First taking out their ships guarding the station and their reinforcements, then boarding the station to kill off the ones that were left. Good times.

 

Just curious.

How frequent and furious are the update fixes?

Bethesda games...they have a reputation.

Considering how long this game was in the pipeline, it should be pretty well ironed out.

But...

So anyway...how frequent are the patches?

 

Can't say it's something I've kept an eye on but I think there's been at least two within the first month of release. Bethseda seem to be well aware of their reputation and the need to show what joining up with MS enables.

 

It's been surprisingly bug free in my experience.

 

My game has only frozen twice so far in the month since. Not bad for a Bethesda launch.

 

Weirdest bug I've had has been a frozen start screen that required a hard reset of the system. Had one or two infinite load screens but across 50 hours this ain't bad. It is also a more ambitious game in terms of what it is keeping track of.

 

Returned to this a bit more.

Did a handful of mini quests, took out a pirate boss, unlocked targeting system for ship combat - it really doesn't explain that well - and did the First Contact quest.

Spoiler

Which did emphasise one of the big flaws of the game, the forced binary choices. In the First Contact one there is this generation ship wanting to settle on an already settled planet, ran by a bastard corporation. And they won't go with any alternative spot on this massive planet.

Was inclined to enslave them to the bastard aussie company, but the chief exec was such an arse I went with buying them a grav drive so they could go elsewhere.

The forced binary choice marres the ending of the Vanguard questline because, logically, you'd deploy both solutions. Instead the game forces you to choose and I got crap from all the companions for "not believing in science". In response I set up an outpost on a frozen moon and assigned them all there for a spell .

Now have a pile of new activities that'll likely lead to new quests.

 

I just did the Main Quest mission: High Price to Pay...

Spoiler

I chose to stay at the Lodge. Man, The Hunter was a complete tanky BAD ************!!! Loved every second of it. Until I got to the Eye. Sarah...

 

Went and nabbed a load of powers, including the personal atmosphere. Took out a couple of outlaw gangs. Went after a Crimson Fleet captain, expected it to be a group of ships, nope, just one. Well, a job's a job - killed his Lv 6 arse fast.

Did a mission to take put some Spacers, destroyed one but for the other I shot put their engines and boarded. That is damn smart, shot the crew then got told my piloting skill is too low! Dammit, next time it won't be. Left, undocked and blew it sky high.

Time to head back to the main / faction quests.

 

I have been playing sporadically since launch and I must say I still really like it. I do agree with a lot of the criticisms, but I think my on and off play style is keeping it from becoming boring. And I believe my enjoyment might be directly linked to the fact that I didn't buy it outright, but instead I went with the Game Pass version. This way I don't feel "cheated" with paying for an inferior product.

 

I started on GamePass, got past the crap opening hours, it became apparent it's a much bigger game so then bought it.

I agree it works better as an occasional game played as and when, with others on the go. Diablo IV feels similar.

 

It’s a game I’ll pick up eventually but I hope to god Bethesda learns from this or at least Microsoft makes them. Probably not. As the game probably sold decently well.

 

I recommend you go the GamePass route as the opening hours are rough. Wouldn't be surprised a lot of players bailed on the game at the start.