Bethesda’s latest RPG, Starfield, has arrived, and it’s generating a buzz in the gaming community. With a vast universe to explore, the game has garnered a range of reactions from critics. While some have lavished it with high praise, others have found it lacking in certain areas. Despite the mixed reviews, one thing is clear: Starfield is an ambitious project that has captured the attention of gamers worldwide.
Our reviewer, Chris Livingston, spent dozens of hours navigating the cosmos in Starfield, and while he found much to like, he didn’t fall in love with the game. He noted that Starfield shares a lot of common ground with Skyrim and Fallout 4 but doesn’t quite reach their level of excellence. His review, which awarded the game a 75%, pointed out that while Starfield is Bethesda’s most expansive RPG to date, it doesn’t quite hit the mark set by its predecessors.
With Starfield being one of the most anticipated titles of the year, it’s no surprise that there’s a plethora of reviews available. However, some UK-based publications such as Eurogamer and The Guardian received their review codes later than others, meaning more reviews are on the way. Currently, with 97 reviews on OpenCritic, opinions range from calling Starfield one of the most ambitious games ever to criticizing it for being “a mile wide, but an inch deep.”
Here’s a snapshot of what critics are saying:
“Starfield is the best thing Bethesda has done since The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion”
Gamesradar+ gave Starfield a perfect score, with Leon Hurley praising the game’s ability to cater to various playstyles. He commended the game’s rich world-building and the plethora of activities that keep players engaged, from stealthy approaches to creative problem-solving.
“It’s never a great sign when someone recommends a game on the grounds that it gets good after more than a dozen hours”
IGN, on the other hand, gave Starfield a 7/10, with Dan Stapleton criticizing the game’s slow start. He did, however, appreciate the ship building, quests, and companions, despite feeling that exploration could be more engaging.
“A rich palette of activities and missions that tap into the outer space fantasy”
Game Informer rated the game an 8.5/10, with Matt Miller highlighting the game’s dialogue and storytelling. He did note some issues with the star map and UI, as well as the inconsistent difficulty of ship battles.
“The studio’s best attempt to marry satisfying action game mechanics to an open-ended adventure”
The Washington Post awarded Starfield a 4/4, with Gene Park lauding the game’s blend of action and role-playing elements. He did express concerns about the game’s lack of intimacy due to its vast scale.
“For all its reverence for scientific philosophy, its stories and characters paint a rather tame and sterile vision for what our spacefaring future could look like”
GameSpot gave the game a 7/10, with Michael Higham feeling that the game’s formula was too familiar and didn’t fully utilize its setting. He praised the shooting and space exploration but found the dialogue and character interactions lacking.
“The most opulent of patchwork blankets”
RPGSite rated Starfield a 9/10, with Alex Donaldson calling it the best version of a Bethesda game yet. He was captivated by the game’s ability to spark curiosity and provide endless distractions.
“It feels cold, lifeless, and uninspired… less a startling or awesome vision of the future than a hodgepodge of obvious influences”
Paste was less impressed, giving Starfield a 5/10. Garrett Martin criticized the game for making space exploration feel tedious and uninspired, lacking the strong writing and worldbuilding of Bethesda’s previous titles.
| Publication | Score |
| Gamesradar+ | 5/5 |
| IGN | 7/10 |
| Game Informer | 8.5/10 |
| The Washington Post | 4/4 |
| GameSpot | 7/10 |
| RPGSite | 9/10 |
| Paste | 5/10 |
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