As a hardcore space explorer who’s spent countless hours navigating the cosmos in Bethesda’s Starfield, I must say that the latest expansion, Shattered Space, has left me both enthralled and slightly disappointed. The art direction is breathtakingly beautiful, making every corner of Va’ruun’kai feel like a dreamy, otherworldly wonderland.
“All must serve.”
In the fictional universe of Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield, the phrases form the foundation that guides each member of House Va’ruun, a lesser-known faction. These individuals choose to venerate a divine entity called the Great Serpent as their deity. These words are also pivotal in Starfield: Shattered Space, the game’s initial story expansion.
Currently, as I compose this text, Starfield: Shattered Space is receiving a mix of mediocre to negative reviews. However, based on my experience with the expansion, I must respectfully express that I don’t entirely share these sentiments, despite having certain reservations.
I really enjoyed my time Starfield at launch, and that’s continued in Shattered Space, which changes gears from hopping between solar systems to instead focus on one world. The beautiful art direction and some fun quests are well worth spending time on, though I wish this DLC had leaned in on the horror atmosphere further and added more than a tiny handful of new enemies to take down.
What is Starfield: Shattered Space?
Starfield: Shattered Space is the first story expansion for Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield.
This expansion adds a new solar system for players to explore, including the moon of Va’ruun’kai, home of the reclusive faction House Va’ruun. The main story in Shattered Space kicks off when you pick up on a mysterious distress signal originating from a space station that’s not on the charts. From there, things spiral out as you discover House Va’ruun has suffered a horrifying catastrophe, with the survivors reluctantly accepting the help of an outsider to try and save their people.
The storyline, approximately lasting eight hours, deviates from Starfield’s usual approach of random events, focusing instead on a substantial portion within and near Dazra’s capital city. Consequently, playing this DLC in Shattered Space resembles the experience of Elder Scrolls or Fallout games, with less frequent travel through space as compared to the typical Starfield gameplay.
Starfield: Shattered Space review — What I liked
As a researcher immersed in the digital universe of Shattered Space, what truly captivates me is its stunning visual aesthetics that surpass even the most impressive art direction found in games like Starfield. The ethereal beauty of moonlit worlds and icy planets in Starfield are undeniably mesmerizing, but Shattered Space takes this to an entirely new dimension. This DLC is a visual masterpiece, leaving me spellbound as I found myself compulsively snapping screenshots during my gaming experience. The light on Va’ruun’kai seems almost otherworldly, with a bleeding effect that underscores the alien nature of this extraordinary realm.
The atmosphere of this expansion maintains an otherworldly feel, filled with ominous experiments and underhanded politics that deeply intertwine the storyline. As you navigate through the surviving members of House Va’ruun, you’ll encounter situations requiring difficult choices. Although I aimed to strike a delicate balance by resolving tense moments when feasible, Shattered Space encourages you to give in to your darkest instincts and behave brutally, which was seldom an option during Starfield’s initial quests.
In the primary storyline, I tied the knot with Andreja. Her presence undeniably added value to my life. Being a representative of House Va’ruun and a follower of the Great Serpent, she offered insightful perspectives about the folks, customs, and circumstances on Va’ruun’kai.
In contrast to the primary game, Shattered Space focuses its action on just a few distinct locations. This allows for all the spaces to be meticulously designed by hand rather than featuring randomly generated points of interest. The change is noticeable, offering unique and engaging level designs that make exploration feel purposeful and rewarding.
One particularly fun section, exploring an abandoned space station utilized the lack of gravity for some clever firefights that required thinking vertically, as opposed to the horizontal shoot-outs I was used to. Combined with the plot’s eerie tone, it felt like something straight out of Arkane’s criminally underrated Prey (2017).
In the armories of House Va’ruun, you’ll find some freshly minted weapons. Among them, I particularly admire the Starstorm – it operates like an energy version of a gatling gun. By collecting specific resources, you can create new Vortex grenades as well. These weapons are essential when dealing with the recently appeared Vortex Horrors, a formidable enemy tearing through dimensions. As their name suggests, these peculiar creatures have caused most of my deaths throughout this DLC expansion.
Starfield: Shattered Space review — What I disliked
Unfortunately, despite the intense terror currently plaguing the people of Va’ruun’kai, there seems to be a lack of new adversaries to further emphasize their dire situation. The Horrors are indeed an impressive addition, but I was hoping for more variety in encounters, even if it meant facing them rarely and having to adapt my combat strategies. Considering the theme and emphasis of this DLC, introducing just a few horror-themed enemies is quite noticeable.
As a devoted fan, I can’t help but bring up the topic of cost. Everyone has their unique financial situation, and I firmly believe there isn’t a universal formula for justifying the price of an item, especially with inflation persistently causing disruption. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that Shattered Space is a DLC priced at $30. This figure becomes more significant when considering the original game launched at $70. Fortunately, you can usually find the base game for less than that now.
Should you play Starfield: Shattered Space?
As a researcher exploring the realm of space games, I can confidently say that if you found Starfield captivating, Shattered Space offers a more immersive and concentrated gaming experience. If you appreciated the core gameplay but felt weary about frequent planet-hopping, this title is still worth investigating. The centralized location for all action recreates some of the charm reminiscent of older Bethesda Game Studios titles, providing a space strategy experience that is hard to resist.
In a nutshell, Shattered Space isn’t flawless; I can’t help but yearn for a wider variety of terror-infused adversaries to battle, emphasizing the chaotic atmosphere that dominates the DLC expansions. Still, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my journey back to the Settled Systems and its serpent-worshipping allies, and I eagerly anticipate more content from Bethesda Game Studios in this corner of the galaxy.
Starfield and Shattered Space: Starfield are now playable on the Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC. Similar to other Xbox exclusive titles, Starfield can be found in the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass libraries.
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2024-10-04 15:09