Skip To...
There’s nothing quite as freeing as an open-world RPG. Knowing that you can explore anywhere, talk to anyone, and fight anything is a joyous feeling. It can also be an overwhelming one. With so many choices, where do you even begin? Now that Bethesda’s massively hyped Starfield is finally here, that question is more pertinent than ever. Some early decisions are better than others, after all. Some just add convenience while others unlock important gameplay mechanics the player would otherwise miss. If you’re just getting into the game, here are some things you should absolutely do first in Starfield.
7. Find the Right Difficulty in Starfield
Bethesda games typically strike a good balance in terms of difficulty. Setting aside Morrowind, which was only difficult due to obtuse and unintuitive systems, most games from the developer are forgiving. Skyrim and Fallout 4, the latest games from the developer’s main franchises, both take large steps toward streamlining and ease of access. In general, Starfield follows that trend. Just because the game isn’t designed to be brutal doesn’t mean the player can’t make it that, however. Starfield has five different difficulties, and the player can swap them at any time. There’s good reason to consider bumping up the difficulty. Harder settings spawn enemies with better gear. That means better loot, assuming you live long enough to nab it.
6. Earn Your Citizenship
Anyone who has become the Thane of a hold in Skyrim understands how game-changing membership in a community can be. Bethesda loves to reward its players for membership in various factions and communities. That’s a trend that’s held up throughout the Fallout and Elder Scrolls franchises. To any fans wondering if the same is true in Starfield, the answer is a resounding “yes.” One of the first quests you receive after entering New Atlantis will allow you to become a UC Citizen. Doing so grants you a number of important privileges, including access to features such as purchasing homes and apartments. Don’t miss out.
5. Use the Cinematic Camera
At any time, the player can hold the Camera Change button (the Menu button on Xbox, Mouse 3 on PC) to activate the Cinematic Camera. In Cinematic Camera mode, the player can see themselves or their ship without the HUD cluttering up the screen. Starfield is a gorgeous game, and the Cinematic Camera offers the player an easy and unobtrusive means of viewing it in all its sci-fi glory. From the surface of planets to the cold depths of space, there are plenty of sights to take in. Being able to banish the HUD and take in the sights at the push of a button is an opportunity the player shouldn’t pass up.
4. Friends as Storage in Starfield
Every RPG has a different attitude toward encumbrance, but Bethesda games are pretty consistent. Carrying too much slows you down and might even prevent you from moving altogether. For the loot goblins among us, it’s hard to fight the urge to stuff one’s inventory with every random weapon and piece of scrap you find, even when doing so will slow you to a crawl. Fortunately, there’s a solution: use your companions as storage. Instead of lugging everything around yourself, give your excess goodies to your companions to hold. Doing so will let you maximize your looting while minimizing your equipment load.
3. Mod Some Weapons
Players who enjoy tinkering with their weapons in Fallout 4 will be delighted to know they can do so in Starfield as well. Once the player has found a Weapon Workbench, they can get to work modifying their gear in various ways. Be aware that better mods require Research development, so getting deep into modding is a bit of an investment. Which mods are most desirable depends on your chosen playstyle. For most players, a good suppressor and a sniper scope will go a long way. It’s a dangerous universe out there, after all.
2. Eat It All in Starfield
It wouldn’t be a proper RPG if there weren’t a ton of items that could heal you and provide numerous buffs. Starfield has plenty. From food to healing kits, the player almost always has multiple ways to patch themselves up and get buffed for the battles to come. Furthermore, these buffs stack, which can make you incredibly powerful. Want to fight enemies far above your level? Snack on enough food and you can. Is it realistic that fighting on a full stomach makes you capable of taking down some of the galaxy’s most dangerous beings? Maybe not, but who are we to question a winning strategy?
1. Do the Main Story
Seriously, do the main story. Setting aside its value as a compelling piece of fiction, the main story does a great job of introducing players to the game’s mechanics. It also unlocks a number of advanced mechanics that would otherwise be locked to the player. Like every Bethesda title, Starfield tends to pull the player in multiple directions at once, coaxing them to leave the beaten path, pursue side objectives, or simply explore. All of these things are rewarding, but it’s important not to lose sight of the main story, at least not until you’ve unlocked all the core mechanics. In an open-world game as big as this one, the idea of following the main story may irk some players. Nonetheless, following the main story is absolutely one of the things the player should do first in Starfield.
Starfield is available now for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
