Starfield Guide: 15 Things PS5 Players Need to Know Before Starting

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The highly anticipated game Starfield is almost here for PlayStation players, bringing with it the Terran Armada expansion and a significant update called Free Lanes (along with earlier improvements). Launching on April 7th, it can be a lot to take in if you’re new to the game’s universe, but don’t worry! We’ll cover the best ways to get started, which planets to explore first, and how to get ready for all the new content. Let’s begin…

Best Starting Traits

Starfield isn’t just about space exploration; character customization is a huge part of the game. You’ll choose traits that define your character and starting skills to get a head start. While the ‘best’ choices depend on your playstyle, some are particularly strong. Alien DNA is a good pick, boosting your health and oxygen, even though it slightly reduces healing from items. If you prefer playing alone, Isolation is excellent, significantly increasing your weapon damage and defenses.

Recommended Early Planets

Free Lanes’ new outpost module simplifies building a base, but you’ll still need Aluminum, Iron, and Argon to construct it. You can find Aluminum and Iron on Andraphon, and Argon on Kreet. These planets – along with Linnaeus IV-b – are rich in resources, so once your bases are set up, prioritize building extractors to start gathering them quickly.

That Asteroid Won’t Pay for Itself

If you’re eager to claim land on an asteroid as soon as you see it, be prepared for a challenge! It’s currently unclear when these bases will be available, and they’ll likely be very expensive. A good way to earn Credits quickly is to explore Points of Interest (PoIs), defeat enemies, take their weapons, and then return to your ship to reset the area. Once your cargo hold is full, sell everything at a space station. You can also earn Credits by scanning planets – especially those in dangerous systems – or by completing missions to find and eliminate ships. No matter how you choose to earn them, Credits will come with effort.

Mine Much Faster

If you don’t buy minerals in bulk, you’ll probably need to use the mining laser from time to time. If it feels slow, zoom in and wait for the white circle in your aiming sight to line up with the red dot. This focuses the laser, making mining much faster.

Side Hustle

Although the main story is great, don’t wait to start some of the side quests! Keep an eye out for Mantis, which unlocks after you defeat any Spacers – the rewards are fantastic. As soon as you reach level 15 and enter the Altair system, start Groundpounder; it’s a really fun, action-packed mission with a great weapon as a reward. Juno’s Gambit can begin early in Tau Ceti and offers a good amount of credits based on your decisions. Overall, these side quests are among the best Starfield has to offer, so jump in as soon as they become available.

Anti-Robot Armaments

The new Free Lanes update lets you change the effects of Legendary items using X-Tech, which you get from completing anomalies, points of interest, and dungeons. It also adds powerful new Tier 4 effects, like Saboteur, which can instantly destroy (and explode) robots when they’re damaged. This is especially useful if you’re playing the Terran Armada expansion. If you’re not quite ready for that yet, the Disassembler perk is a great starting point – it boosts your damage to robots by 20 percent, making it a strong choice early in the game.

Create a Posse

If you’re willing to fight using any means necessary in Starfield, consider getting some extra help. The game normally lets you have one main companion, but certain missions can give you temporary followers. If you don’t finish those side missions, those followers will stick with you for the rest of the game. For example, completing the “Deputized” mission with the Ranger faction will bring Emma Wilcox along for the ride. You can actually gather up to three temporary companions this way, though it might mean missing out on parts of certain storylines and dealing with a few glitches.

Disable Dialogue Camera

If you’ve played games like those made by Bethesda, you probably know the close-up dialogue camera – it can be a bit much! It zooms right in on a character’s face and stays there, which can be tiring. Luckily, you can easily turn this off in the game’s Accessibility settings. Doing so will give you a more standard camera view that lets you see more of the surrounding environment.

Run Rabbit Junk

While sprinting, you’ll see a meter showing your oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. If you run out of oxygen, carbon dioxide builds up and your health decreases. Instead of continuing to sprint when this happens, try jumping between bursts of running. Jumping stops you from using oxygen, and a boost pack can help even more, letting you run further and recover quicker.

Improve Your Piloting Skill

Improving your Piloting skill is a great idea! It lets you use thrusters, move ships more easily, and eventually fly larger Class B and C ships. You can increase your Piloting level by destroying enemy ships. A helpful place to practice is the Piloting Simulator in the MAST Building on New Atlantis, where those simulated ship destructions do count towards your skill level, so it’s a good spot to spend some time training.

Ship skills might not feel essential at first, but they become valuable when you start using Cruise Mode. Things like Interdictions and anomalies can appear, and Starborn ships sometimes drop Quantum Essence, making ship skills a worthwhile investment soon after you begin.

Quickly Level Up Starship Design

Also, prioritize upgrading your Starship Design. This lets you equip more powerful ship modules and can be leveled up surprisingly fast if you have enough Credits. A good place to do this is a location with a variety of components for sale, like the Red Mile on Porrima 3. Install different modules – each one counts towards leveling the skill – then remove them and repeat the process until you reach maximum level. Getting this done early will be a big help as you progress through the mid and late stages of the game.

How to Get the Rover

Okay, so the Moon Jumper looks really cool to drive, but honestly, I grabbed the Rover pretty early on and it’s made getting around planets SO much faster. You just need to find a Ship Services Technician – there’s one in New Atlantis, which is the first big city you hit – and spend 25,000 Credits. Seriously, it’s a game changer for exploring the land until you finally unlock the Moon Jumper and can start doing some proper jumping around!

Fast Traveling With the Scanner

Luckily, the scanner is connected to the DualSense controller’s touchpad, as you’ll be using it a lot to identify plants, creatures, and resources on planets. You can also use it to quickly travel to places you’ve already found – even back to your ship! Just point the scanner at the location, and you’re instantly transported.

Where to Find Muria

Players are excited about the new companion, Model G, but don’t forget about Muria! She’s been a popular request for a long time, and now Free Lanes is finally making her available to recruit. You can find her fairly early in the game on New Atlantis, in the Jemison district, specifically in the GalBank lobby. Feel free to head there right away and meet her!

Gameplay Options

Finally, customize your gameplay experience with a variety of options. You can adjust things like how much damage enemies and the player take, how much you can carry, and even the weight of your ammo. These settings let you make the game easier or harder, and choosing a more challenging difficulty can actually earn you extra experience points – it’s a great way to level up fast!

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2026-04-08 17:13