First reviews for Starfield are in and they are good but not great

Rory Cashin

The most talked about game of 2023 is finally here!

We are days away from Starfield launching for gamers, and anticipation has reached fever pitch. Coming from Bethesda Studios, the folks behind the Fallout series and the Elder Scrolls series (including the legendarily brilliant Skyrim), this is their first original intellectual property in 29 years.

For those not in the know, Starfield is an epic sci-fi action RPG, in which players freely switch between first-person and third-person modes. The games official synopsis is as follows:

“Set in an area that extends outward from the Solar System for approximately 50 light-years called the Settled Systems. Around the year 2310, the two largest factions in the game, the United Colonies and Freestar Collective, engaged in a conflict called the Colony War. The game takes place 20 years after the war, with the major factions enjoying an uneasy peace. The player assumes the role of a customisable character who is a member of Constellation, an organisation of space explorers.”

Starfield reviews are positive, but not overly so

With the review embargo now up (at the time of writing, JOE has yet to receive a review code for the game), here are some of the first reactions to the game:

Forbes – “I really do love this game. Yes, Bethesda doesn’t match some of its peers in many places, but in part that’s because it’s trying to do everything, all at once. But if you wanted a giant Bethesda RPG set in space with better combat and a whole lot of time to level and build things and explore and find secrets, yeah, this is it. They did it. Enjoy. 9.5 out of 10.”

Polygon – “Starfield exists in the push and pull between a carefully crafted world and the vastness of procedurally generated planets. Bethesda embraced the idea of more, and in turn, watered down the parts of space exploration and discovery that are most compelling to me: how humans relate to it. The expanse of Starfield’s world leaves gaps unfilled, and Bethesda has opted instead to simply spread further, rather than flesh out what’s already there.”

IGN – “Has a lot of forces working against it, but eventually the allure of its expansive roleplaying quests and respectable combat make its gravitational pull difficult to resist. 7 out of 10.”

The Verge – “Another huge experience with an almost overwhelming amount of things to do and see, coupled with some great character development, role-playing features, and so-so action. But it also smooths over many of the rough edges that have defined past releases from the studio while introducing a new theme and narrative that match the grand ambitions that Bethesda has always strived for. War never changes – but it’s a lot more thrilling in space.”

Available for those who paid extra for early entry from tomorrow, Starfield gets its full release on Xbox Series X|S and PC on Wednesday 6 September.