Starfield has always been great but Free Lanes makes it even better

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Starfield was Bethesda’s first completely new game in over two decades, which immediately put it under enormous pressure. The ambitious promises of a huge universe and endless possibilities were quickly overshadowed by overwhelming excitement and expectations.

Let’s be honest, constantly seeing the landing and takeoff sequences every time you traveled between planets got old quickly. Traveling across all those planets felt repetitive, and the map was almost completely unhelpful. And despite the sheer number of worlds, there just wasn’t enough interesting stuff to actually do on most of them.

Even with a few early issues, starting to play Starfield felt amazing. The main story was wonderfully bizarre, and some of the side quests, like the Mantis mission, were truly exceptional. The more I played, the more invested I became. Once the initial frustrations faded, I was completely hooked, and every new item or location reminded me why I’d specifically purchased an Xbox Series X when the game was first announced.

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Despite these problems, many players stopped playing the game soon after it came out. Reviews weren’t great, and it didn’t receive any significant nominations at The Game Awards. However, three years later, Bethesda is still working to improve and support the game.

Bethesda’s recent Free Lanes update and Terran Armada DLC are a welcome boost for Starfield, reaffirming that it’s always been a good game, despite its imperfections. While existing fans will appreciate the improvements to quests, weapons, and exploration, these additions also offer a fresh start for players who weren’t initially impressed with the game’s universe.

Similar to the ‘Shattered Space’ DLC released in 2024, ‘Terran Armada’ adds a new story to the world of Starfield. According to Bethesda, a powerful force called the Terran Armada is invading the Settled Systems with an army of advanced robots, aiming to forcibly “unite” humanity.

This update challenges you to repel an invasion while discovering long-lost secrets. It introduces fresh enemies, gear, technology, and a new crew member to join you on your journey. It’s a significant and enjoyable addition, expanding the already massive Starfield universe – but there’s even more to come!

An infinite frontier

What truly elevates Starfield and delivers on the original 2023 promise is the Free Lanes update. While I enjoyed the game, my biggest issue was always the frustrating space travel – the frequent loading screens and long, repetitive trips between planets. Free Lanes solves this with a Cruise Mode, allowing for seamless travel within star systems.

While traveling between planets, you can explore your ship, customize it with upgrades, and defend against attacks.

The game now includes a system called X-Tech (different from Hextech!). It’s a new way to improve your items. According to Bethesda, you can use X-Tech to change the special abilities on legendary items, unlock even more powerful legendary versions, upgrade items to higher qualities like Superior and Exceptional, and add modules to boost their stats.

One of the most requested improvements since the game launched is a better inventory system, and now it’s here! You can now use shared storage to access your items from anywhere. This is supported by a new system that neatly organizes your items, resources, and where you found them. As someone who used to write down everything by hand, this new feature is a huge improvement.

This is just a taste of what’s new! Free Lanes introduces a bunch of cool collectibles, like classic action figures that any Star Trek fan will love. You can also explore a new space station called Anchorpoint, drive a new land vehicle designed to actually fly on planets with low gravity, and best of all, get a pet Milliwhale for your base!

No Man’s Starfield

Some people will inevitably say that many of these improvements should have been included in the game from the beginning, and I often find myself agreeing with that point.

The game’s map was difficult to use, and it should have included a way to travel across the planet from the start. More generally, regularly finding out what players want and then improving the game with free updates is a great approach. Bethesda can learn from the example of No Man’s Sky, which had a very rough launch but completely turned things around with a constant stream of free updates that ultimately saved both the game and the developer’s reputation.

Unlike No Man’s Sky at its launch, Starfield was remarkably polished and didn’t have many bugs. However, it still had some problems, so Bethesda is taking a similar approach to the No Man’s Sky team: actively listening to player feedback and making improvements. They’re focusing on quality-of-life changes to the user interface and adding content that was initially lacking. Importantly, Bethesda has been careful about what they share with players, waiting until they have substantial updates to announce, like the recent Free Lanes update, rewarding those who stuck with the game.

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The new downloadable content is great, but the addition of Free Lanes is the real reason to jump back into Starfield, particularly if you stopped playing it soon after release.

Despite some initial flaws, Starfield always had a special charm. Its music, unique blend of futuristic and retro design, and thought-provoking story of discovery captivated me, much like classic Star Trek or Star Wars. With the recent updates – Free Lanes and the Terran Armada expansion – the game’s universe feels even more expansive and immersive, making now the perfect time to experience everything Starfield has to offer.

Authors

Matthew Trask

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2026-04-08 19:43