Has Shattered Space reached Starfield’s full potential?

The release of Starfields first DLC expansion, Shattered Spacewas met with less-than-stellar reviews, but could be the start of a new direction for the RPG. Expanding on an unknown section of Starfield universe, introducing new locations, NPCs and additional combat mechanics, Shattered Space Had the makings of success but missed the mark on what fans expected in a major DLC. Despite this, with all the patches and content additions since its release, Starfield is starting to realize some of its untapped potential.

One of the biggest complaints from fans is the lack of overall content in Shattered SpaceWith many disappointed Starfield Fans were upset over the execution of House Va’ruun, citing its lack of a unique identity when compared to other factions. Many players also could not help but compare Shattered Space to the success of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Strawberry Tree Or even Cyberpunk 2077s Phantom Liberty expansion, providing drastically more content at a similar price. While Shattered Space May not be enough to bring players back on their own, the overall changes in Starfield Since launch may yet convince some players to make a return.

How Shattered Space fixes (some) of Starfield’s problems

A rocky but promising start for the future of Starfield

One of the biggest changes to Starfields Shattered Space is how the enemy AI reacts to the player and their overall level of intelligence. The new Phantom and Horror enemies provide players with a surprising level of challenge compared to normal enemiesZipping around combat while being capable of flanking and ambushing tactics that are unheard of in the base game. The combat encounters themselves take place in the beautiful hand-crafted environments of planet Va’ruun’kai, with a strong visual identity both on the surface of the planet and its underground facilities, taking inspiration from sci-fi horror films.

There’s also plenty of new gear and weapons to collect that have interesting and unique effects, especially with the addition of Vortex Grenades. The craftable grenades allow players to unleash a variety of different effects based on which of the five they use, from standard AoE blasts to sending enemies into another plane of reality. Many elements of the main story and significant side quests also have solid foundations, with The concept of the phantoms and events that lead to Shattered Space Offer an intriguing sense of mystery while offering player choice to affect story outcomes.

Why fans are not completely happy with Shattered Space

Not enough content to satisfy disgruntled players

Although the additions seem great on paper, many fans are still disappointed with the amount of new gear, dissatisfied with the seven new weapons and an assortment of armor due to their similarities to pre-existing items from Starfield. Fans also criticized the overall size of the planet and city of Dazra, not being big enough, or having enough points of interest Needed to match up to the expectations of a full DLC expansion. The complaints led to the general feeling Shattered Space Failed to deliver the promises of Bethesda, undermining the potential fans saw in Starfield Since its release.

The story itself, while an interesting premise, also lacks elements that players expect from a long-teased section of the game. Despite being a cult-driven society bordering on the edges of space, Many NPCs and locations are similar to what players experienced on other planets in the base gamewith some aspects only having slight variations. Lacking the rich culture expected of such a strange sci-fi society, many players were underwhelmed in their short time playing Shattered Space.

Shattered Space is a good start for Starfield DLC, but not enough

Room for improvement in Bethesda’s newest IP

One of the biggest changes to Starfields gameplay experience was launched weeks before the actual release of Shattered SpaceWhich may have significantly boosted review scores for Shattered Space If released along it. The drivable REV-8 buggy is something fans have been wanting since the release of StarfieldRevolutionizing how players explore different planets across the stars. Although there is a chance that it was added earlier to get players familiar with the vehicle and accelerate excitement before release, it probably did more harm than good for the outlook of the current expansion.

Along with the release of Starfield’s Shattered Space Along came a plethora of general bug fixes and minor improvements, all aimed at streamlining the gameplay experience for returning players. From fixing broken quests to a wide range of HUD elements, many of the changes have slipped the notice of fans, with the negative perception of Shattered Space took the spotlight. While Shattered Space has managed to bring the experience closer to the expectations that fans had upon its initial release, Starfield There is still a long way to go to achieve the full vision of an immersive Bethesda RPG set in space.

What features do fans want to see most in Starfield?

Starfield may yet achieve his ambition

One of the immediate critics of Starfield On its release was the lack of immersive takeoff and landing animations, with players instead stuck on loading screens between trips. Despite being a simple change, it can go a long way in creating an immersive experience for playersLet them feel engaged in exploring the world around them. For the ships themselves, while Shattered Space Having a few bug fixes and a flip option in the creator, it’s still a little barebones when it comes to offering players more freedom to create unique ships.

Another problem fans have with Starfield was the lack of cohesive world-buildingWith many of the factions feeling completely separate from one another, unlike previous Bethesda titles where the various storylines feel more interconnected. Adding additional encounters or a galaxy-spanning threat to the base game would go a long way to foster meaningful player choice while providing significant consequences for the story. Aside from larger scale changes, smaller ones like better map functionality and continued mod support can allow dedicated players to get even more enjoyment out of their time playing. StarfieldKeeping it alive until the next major expansion.

While Shattered Space May not be enough to bring players back on their own, the overall changes in Starfield Since launch may yet convince some players to make the journey back through the stars.

Sources: Bethesda Softworks/YouTube, Reddit