Starfield: Shattered Space Review – a scientific space work that failed to launch

Diving into the violet atmosphere of the mysterious Varuun’kai should have seemed like something truly special, but Starfield: Shattered Space The DLC feels more like a scientific space project that never got off the ground, rather than a groundbreaking new entry in history. Developed by Bethesda Game Studios, it envelops a fairly linear plot marred by a lack of risk-taking or anything new and exciting. leaves first addition to epic space adventure a disappointing effort and a reason to pause for anyone who doesn’t already own the deluxe edition.

Immersion in the world of Varuun will show where Star field weak Traveling to a random star system, players will encounter an abandoned spaceship called the Oracle, which is sending a distress signal. Throughout the entire passage Players will have to navigate between Varuun’s three leading factions: House Weth’aal, Dul’kef, and Ka’dik. in something of a rather tired and redundant Bethesda image that fails to capture the magic of the company’s previous DLC.

The first Starfield expansion doesn’t bring anything new or innovative.

Shattered Expectations

Starfield: Shattered Space reveals one of the base game’s biggest mysteries: the mysterious Varuun faction. There were many encounters with religious fanatics in the main game. Star fieldbut it was the only major faction that did not have its own base. WITH Destroyed spaceThe faction is introduced through the reveal of the planet Varuun’kai and the capital of Dazra – (somehow) a hidden home planet and capital for the worshipers of the Great Serpent.

From the point of view new items, quality of life changes or even memorable characters, Destroyed space really doesn’t deliver. Early teasers that promised an improved melee system didn’t materialize beyond a few added weapons and levels (which perhaps should have already been in the base game). While there are some cool Void grenades and Varuun weaponry, there’s nothing truly groundbreaking or even new about them since similar Bornstellar abilities are already in the game. What Destroyed space features new and unique hand-crafted environments, many NPCs, and missions revolving around Varuun.

Unfortunately, since not much has changed in the base game and the narrative drags in places, Destroyed space ends up feeling like any other quest chain in Star field. The narrative is not Really answer any burning questions about the Great Serpent, and the investigation of religious fanatics will seem superficial. The worst thing is that continues the trend giving a false choice Otherwise it’s a fairly linear experience..

Starfield: Shattered Space could be interesting for Starfield fans

It depends where you are

Those who are fans Star fieldespecially those who already own the deluxe edition should not miss out on the expansion. In many ways the main criticism Destroyed space present in Star fieldmain missions, so those who liked it Star field gotta enjoy Destroyed space. The game itself and improvements in graphical fidelity have made it a visual treat compared to its original September 2023 release. There’s also fun side quest content like “The Duel” that forces players to make a final choice. after all, it has a lasting impact on the narrative.

The story itself, which never pretended to answer the burning questions in Star field knowledge, really falls flat because it doesn’t address the larger topics in a particular way. Details about Varuun’s origins are detailed, with some backstory detailed in audio logs and computer console messages, but the core questions of truth about the Great Serpent and larger overall themes are still left rather ambiguous after the campaign ends. Conflicting information from Anasko Varuun and audio logs still leaves the entity a mystery.

Instead, the storyline revolves around tensions between three different factions of Varuun – a common Bethesda trope at the moment. The setup is too typical, which makes the DLC feel even more disappointing. For the truth Fall out And Star field fans may find it a familiar, warm blanket, but most longtime fans will find it dated and tired.

Bethesda seems afraid to take risks

Best described as milk toast

Starfield: Shattered Space It’s not a great DLC by any means, nor is it anything but terrible. While there are still a few persistent bugs in the base game, the expansion commits one of the worst sins in gaming: just not interesting. The problem lies in the major decisions made in the narrative. Even though the plot is a twisted and creepy tale, the game never goes that far—that is, it never takes any risks.

Throughout the DLC, the dialogue feels like a narrative dump, and the science behind the sci-fi is presented through an overly wordy snore with complex terminology at almost every corner. String theory, multiverse: the same outdated stereotypes that have gained popularity over the last decade. Although the religious fanaticism of the deviant Varuun is present, it never seems extreme enough, reducing them to a joke. Joining a cult should feel uncomfortable, but Destroyed spaceVaruun feels just like any other faction. This misses the opportunity to create real fear or feelings of paranoia, creeping doubt or dread.

And unfortunately, this illustrates a problem with the game as a whole. IN star field, each faction more or less feels the same, except for one or two things that make each city or town different. New Atlantis is a clean corporate city, Neon is a cyberpunk city, and Varuun is a religious city. Star field microsocieties themselves tend to lack the nuances of fully fleshed out, living, breathing places.and the new Varuun’kai lacks anything to make it truly memorable.

Shattered Space is not a horror game

The trailers were misleading

One of the most peculiar aspects Destroyed space The launch was deliberately positioning the game as DLC in the space sci-fi horror genre. Although the game has some creepy moments, to say that it embraces the horror themes present in the trailers would be a lie.. In some ways this was one of the most disappointing aspects of the whole experience. Although the plot of the game is almost a direct copy of the 90s film. Event Horizonits overall tone and aesthetic is very different from that film.

There aren’t that many new enemies, although they may all be horror related in some way. The Void’s enemies include a new ugly alien and glowing space hypocrites, but they’re not as monstrous as what’s already out there. Star field. Nether Horrors, designed to intimidate, lose their effect after the second or third encounter.

The initial quest to investigate the Oracle is scary in some respects: corpses float in zero gravity, but beyond that there’s little scare and they’re rare. There was an opportunity here to make the player character question their sanity or even plane travel, as in the mission “Entangled”, but none of these routes were ever explored.

In a world of constant comparisons, Starfield: Shattered Space loses

It’s not terrible, but it’s not good either.

In another universe, if Destroyed space was made by a less infamous company than Bethesda, it could be considered quite fun, albeit with overpriced DLC. However, it’s not just its own, established DLC such as Dragonborn For Skyrim or Far Harbor For Fallout 4 we need to fight this. In 2024 Star field now has many competitors in the field of narrative science fiction, and many of them are of greater value than Destroyed space retails for $30.

The truth is Starfield: Shattered Space less like a revolutionary expansion that grants the wishes of believers Star field fans and more like what should have been free DLC adding another quest chain that probably should have been included at launch. While the content isn’t as anemic as recent Trackers Alliance missions, it’s definitely not what everyone was hoping for or expecting.

Maybe one day Star field will finally be what everyone was hoping for, with more emphasis on mechanics that people enjoy. Starfield: Shattered Space It’s not the worst DLC in the world, and fans of the base game may enjoy it, but it doesn’t live up to the reputation Bethesda has earned for making great expansions.