Brought to us by Bethesda Game Studios, the next-generation RPG Starfield is launching on September 6, 2023, for Xbox Series / PC (Steam), which will also be available on Xbox Game Pass upon release. At the Xbox Games Showcase 2023, a new gameplay trailer for the game was unveiled, followed by a 45-minutes Gameplay Deep Dive during the Starfield Direct livestream.
The game employs real-time global illumination to accurately simulate lighting effects, taking into account the characteristics of stars and the composition of planetary atmospheres. In Starfield, anywhere within sight is within reach. The game’s gigantic map means that there’s seriously a lot you can do in-game: from collecting resources, doing missions, to fighting unexpected enemies and discovering impressive locations. The remarkable level of detail extends to the vast array of interactable objects, providing the opportunity to pick up and inspect nearly everything you come across.
Also featured in the showcase is the city of New Atlantis, the first major human settlement in space. Located in the Alpha Centauri system, the city is dubbed by the developers as the “biggest city” they’ve ever made, not just in terms of size, but also “the amount of custom arts, crowds, and quests”. The city is also where you’ll meet the Constellation — the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy.
For those who would spend hours on character creation, it seems like Starfield isn’t going you make it any easier for you. Other than the highly detailed customization of your character’s appearance, you’ll also get to choose a Background and three additional traits. All of these would not just affect your gameplay, but also influence your interactions with the game's environments and NPCs. Interestingly, it seems that these traits are not fixed and can be added or removed as you progress through the game.
Starfield also features a robust skill system with five distinct skill trees, each offering unique benefits for combat, traversal, and social interactions. As your character levels up, you'll earn skill points that can be allocated towards unlocking and advancing these skills. Additionally, skill points can be utilized to increase the rank of specific skills. To achieve this, you'll need to undertake challenges associated with each skill, with the difficulty of these challenges increasing as you progress through the ranks.
Moreover, the extensive level of customization extends beyond your character to include your very own Ship, which serves as your home in the vast expanse of space. Impressively, nearly every visible component of your Ship can be modified or replaced according to your preferences and needs. Much like a standalone spaceship simulation game itself, the game’s ship-building system has really blown me away.
Companions that join you on your adventure will also call your Ship their home, each providing unique skillsets that could aid you through your journey, as well as presenting their own side quests for you to explore. Who knows? You might also meet the love of your life among the stars.
It's plain to see that Starfield places a strong emphasis on providing players with a sense of control in nearly every aspect of gameplay. For example, traveling through space is far from a simple "click and go" experience. Instead, the game offers a hands-on approach to piloting your ship, whether you're engaging in casual travels or intense ship combat. If you feel like you’re a bad pilot, docking with the enemy’s vessel and boarding their ship is also an alternative to space combat. The game’s combat is also enriched by a plethora of customizable weapons to choose from, as well as Boost Packs and the realistic gravity system that would affect the way you approach different combat scenarios on distinct planets.
Other gameplay elements showcased by the developers include the exploration gameplay where each individual planet would yield different materials for you to harvest, as well as having their own unique creatures and perilous environments that you must overcome. Outpost construction also plays a significant role in the exploration gameplay, enabling you to personalize and establish your own mini settlement on a planet, while assigning your crew members to gather resources from that specific location.
