I'm Not Sure If Starfield Is Good or Not
Also, fundraising updates and information on Friday’s Crowd Control steam
In past newsletters, I’ve discussed my limited gaming time, how huge open world games sometimes backfire, and why I continue to avoid one of the biggest gaming releases in 2023. Yet, here I sit, writing about another one of the biggest releases in 2023, Starfield, a large, open-world game trying to hit similar levels of RPG engrossment as Baldur’s Gate 3 with my limited gaming time.
Normally, I would’ve avoided Bethesda’s latest release, but Microsoft’s PC Ultimate Game Pass has a way of convincing me to dive when something like this is “free” (read: already paid for).
I’ve had some folks ask me if it’s worth playing. Here’s the best answer that I can give a few hours in, and it’s similar to something I heard/read and forget where/by who: it’s a Bethesda game with all the good and bad that comes with it.
I’ve already seen some hilarious bugs, typically when talking through NPCs in populated areas. I’m sure I’ll see more as I proceed. After all, it’s a Bethesda game.
I’ve already cursed the encumbrance system as I have in every Fallout and Elder Scrolls game I’ve played. Bethesda loves giving you the ability to pick up any and everything yet only carry a fraction of it. For someone like myself that plays RPGs like a pack-rat because you never know what is important, it drives me bonkers.
Thankfully, Bethesda’s obsessions with even the mundane details in world-building does lead to some laughs:
Circling back to the post title, I still have no idea if this is a good variant of a Bethesda game or not even a few hours in. I’m still very much in what I’d consider the tutorial phase of the game, despite the fact that I’ve already made a few jumps across the galaxy.
The old man in me will, at times, long for the good ‘ol days where I had an instruction book that provided rather decent insight into what a game had in store for me, and even if I’d like it. As time passed, so have the complexity of games. Instead of providing a book for players, these tutorial phases of games were introduced instead.
Regardless of how well a studio implements their tutorial, it will always fall short (or, in some cases, you’ll flat forget), leading to a content cycle like this for any major gaming release in a massive world:
Learning by doing and experimenting comprises a lot of the fun in any game, but it also sets a game’s learning curve as well. A game massive in scope like Starfield will do its level-best to pace itself to not overwhelm. The downside to this is a longer tutorial phase and revelations of new systems that you didn’t even know existed.
I can hire crew for my ship and for outposts. I can also build outposts. I can also craft and manufacture equipment for outposts which then, I think, can automate gathering of resources and manufacturing for future outposts. I think these outposts are wide-open for attack while I’m galaxy hopping. I think the crew hiring ties into the survivability and repair of these outposts. I’m assuming this is a part of the game I need to learn because it’ll be useful.
I have no idea though. I’m still exploring a mining colony on Mars and waiting for an HR lady to leave her PC so I can hack into it and delete application records. This will let me be the lone applicant for an executive assistant position. I applied for this after working for the mining company off the books to exceed their quota. The mining boss that roped me into this hopes this grand scheme cuts through red tape to get him equipment that isn’t busted and a higher headcount so he can stop refusing work to people desperate for jobs and money.
That entire last paragraph has nothing to with any part of the game that will teach me anything. It’s just a random sidequest (I think). When I’m done with it, I will have no better understanding of this game.
I will absolutely spend hours getting distracted by another similar silly quest. I will continue to have no idea if Starfield is actually good or not.
But I have a feeling that I’m going to have a fun time figuring it out.
Fundraising Update
I’ve spent so much time thinking about topics to write about, I’ve done a pretty piss poor job of updating everyone on the whole reason I’m doing this. This week starts the track to getting better.
Year to date, y’all have helped me raise $8,775 for cancer research at the Children’s Health Foundation of Oklahoma City. That brings me to a staggering $77,416.83 all time.
Since I’ve started playing Tears of the Kingdom, I’ve raised almost $2,700 alone. The Triforce Tracker currently looks like this:
The Triforce of Power needs $296.93 to fill. That will lead to the consumption of the related shot that includes Goldschlagger, Fireball, and 151 rum—lit on fire.
Please share the word of what I’m doing and get someone to donate to gamin4aven.org today!
This Week’s Schedule
It’s a little lighter after being under the weather last week, but I’m coming back with a vengeance this week as Friday will be my monthly Crowd Control stream.
Did I mention I have a whole case of Hard Mtn Dew that’ll be a part of the festivities?
