Summary
Few things have grabbed humanity’s attention like the vast expanse called space, and exploring the cosmos has been a point of intrigue since the moon landing. Several pieces of material on space exploration have dominated mainstream media in the years since, withStar TrekandStar Warsdrawing millions of fans and setting cinematic records along the way. As the search for proof of the existence of aliens and other civilizations continues, traversing the galaxy in virtual spaceships is becoming an increasingly popular theme, withgames likeMass EffectandNo Man’s Skyleading the charge in planet discovery.Starfield, Bethesda’s upcoming RPG behemoth, seeks to revolutionize intergalactic gameplay with a host of expansive mechanics and a wide range of explorable locations, and the game’s dynamic setting could tear down the limits of gaming creativity with a masterful delivery.
Space exploration is one of the most challenging dynamics to nail spot-on in tone and graphic design, as the Sci-Fi genre has created expectations of grandeur among fans of the category. To this effect, while offering players a glimpse at multiple planets in its virtual universe,Mass Effect Andromedahad a far worse receptionthan most anticipated, and theMass Effectfranchise is one of the most experienced in incorporating alien elements into its gameplay. The anticipation forStarfieldis even higher than that ofAndromeda, and Bethesda is under pressure to deliver a game for the ages, but details of the title’s setting, locations, and gameplay are inspiring hope in the gaming community.
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Starfield Gives an Expansive View of its Universe
Bethesda is no stranger to building massive open-ended worlds as evidenced by itsThe Elder ScrollsandFalloutflagship franchises, andStarfieldis getting a similar treatment. Outfitted with over 1,000 procedurally generated planets spread across over 100 solar systems for players to visit on its map,Starfieldmight be the developer’s most audacious project yet - even consideringSkyrim’s remarkable depth.Skyrimis viewed as the developer’s best title in some circles, and it’s interesting to see how the space RPG measures up to the remarkably expansive setting and lore from the title, given the comparisons drawn by Todd Howard.
The wait for the space exploratory game has been a long one, as the title has been subjected to two separate delays in its development - although it’s not uncommon for a title ofStarfield’s sizeto suffer multiple setbacks.Starfield’s events start in 2330 in The Settled Systems, as humanity spreads its wings and goes beyond the borders of its solar system. The Settled Systems are located in a pocket of the Milky Way Galaxy that extends outwards from our home solar system by 50 light years and are dominated by two factions– the United Colonies and the Freestar Collective.
Kicking off in New Atlantis, the capital city of the United Colonies, players will come into contact with an organization described as the last group of space explorers called Constellation headed by Sarah Morgan. This group is seeking answers to the mysteries of the galaxy, on the hunt for clues to their purpose through a splintered alien artifact. ExploringStarfield’s many planets will begin in earnest when players locate a fragment of the relic, hunting for more pieces to assemble the large device, and this mission takes gamers across diverse environments as seen throughXbox Showcases.
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Starfield’s Natural and Political Landscapes Display Variety at its Finest
The variety in scenery and tense political landscape make for an intriguing overall setting for the space RPG, andStarfieldcould present a new beginning for Bethesdain this regard. Fans have seen three planets so far in the wait forStarfieldthrough Bethesda’s artworks, and each offers a distinctly different terrain for players to explore. The first, New Atlantis, is similar in style toStar Trek, dotted with trees sporting lush green leaves, water pathways, and advanced architecture - a sophisticated city with upper-class citizens by all indications. New Atlantis exemplifies the Sci-Fi element with a daunting futuristic city, and the United Colonies' capital is a majestic spaceport defined by flying cars and looming skyscrapers.
TheirColony Warrivals - Freestar Collective - look rural in comparison, with their Akila City capital sporting smaller industrial-looking buildings packed together. The capital city is walled off on all sides to prevent attacks from vicious predators called Ashta, described as a hybrid of a wolf and a velociraptor. The third star giant, Neon, is known as a pleasure city with no shortage of dazzling sights for players to see. Originally built as a fishing platform by the Xenofresh Corporation, Neon has evolved into an elegant haven for tourists and commercial enterprises in 2330, notably housing the headquarters of Ryujin Industries.
The planet owes its development to a native fish with psychotropic effects, which formed the basis of the Aurora self-indulgence drug. With an aesthetic described as NASA-punk,Starfield’s spaceshipsare practical works of engineering as opposed to the smooth futuristic look the Sci-Fi audience is used to, using every surface space as storage. Apart from its visual landscape,Starfield’s political setting is one teetering on chaos, with the two main factions on edge after their civil war.
Smaller organizations of pirates and religious zealots are also represented across the universe, so there’s no shortage of flavor in its gameplay. After the tough times endured byFallout 76andFallout 4, Bethesda is putting all its chips on the table withStarfield, and its landscapes - both natural and political - have something for every kind of gamer. With about 10 percent ofStarfield’s explorable planetssaid to contain alien life, the race is on to discover humanity’s companions in the ever-expanding universe.
Starfieldlaunches September 6 on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
