Starfield has been shouldering enormous expectations from both longtime fans of Bethesda’s open world RPGs and devoted Xbox players desperate for a hit exclusive. Now, initial reactions to the sprawling sci-fi shooter are finally here, and the early reviews are mixed. Some critics are championing Starfield as the dream of “Skyrim in space” many had hoped for, while others are calling it bland and disappointing.
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Fans have been waiting for Starfield ever since it was first teased at E3 2018. The Xbox Series X/S console exclusive goes live as soon as August 31 for those who pay for early access, while everyone else will get the game on September 6. Microsoft and Bethesda have been promoting the open world RPG as a “NASA-punk” space adventure where players can create their own ships, explore hundreds of planets, and navigate rival colonial factions as a war brews on the horizon.
How does it measure up to those lofty ambitions? It depends on who you talk to. So far, reviews for the successor to Skyrim and Fallout 4 are mixed. There are plenty of perfect scores, but some more muted reactions as well. The game currently has an 86 on Open Critic and and an 89 on Metacritic. Destructoid gave it a 10 out of 10, while IGN gave it a seven.
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The Washinton Post’s Gene Park was positive, calling Starfield’s central storyline the best Bethesda quest yet, and lauding the game for making the right sacrifices to balance its overwhelming scope. Others were less impressed. Paste Games’ Garrett Martin lauded the game’s exploration but found its writing lacking, writing that Starfield lacks the memorable characters or compelling mysteris of past Bethesda games. It sounds like the game is mostly bug-free (yay!) but also suffers under the vastness of its possiblities.
Kotaku’s review of the massive game won’t arrive for a couple weeks. We’ll be playing the game at launch along with everyone else due to an ongoing blacklist by Bethesda. This time we’re not alone, however. Several other high-profile sites were denied early review copies as well, including Eurogamer and The Guardian. Like any giant open world RPG, it’ll take a long time to comb through everything that Starfield has to offer, and it’s real legacy won’t be cemented for months, or perhaps even years. In the meantime, here’s what the current reviews are saying about the game.
IGN
GameSpot
Polygon
Digital Trends
Paste Games
Gamesradar
PC Gamer
Destructoid
Game Informer
The Verge
VGC
Motherboard
Forbes
VG247
Mashable
Inverse
Update 8/31/2023 2:54 p.m. ET: Added more review excerpts.
Update 9/1/2023 12:24 p.m. ET: Added even more review excerpts.
