Starfield has several large landscapes and cities, which take a lot of effort to traverse. Even if you have an amazing ship that lets you fly to different planets, you still have to explore them. But humans cannot survive without oxygen, and carbon dioxide is also part of our breathing cycle. This is represented by O2 and CO2 meters at the bottom left of your UI. O2 goes down as you perform actions, and CO2 appears when you run out of oxygen. But it’s not apparent what those meters mean and how they affect you during combat. What do the O2 and CO2 meters mean in Starfield, and how do they help you?
What You Should Know About The O2 & CO2 Meters In Starfield
The O2 and CO2 meters in Starfield work similarly to the stamina system in other games. You use O2 when you perform actions such as sprinting, melee attacks, or jumping. Oxygen will automatically deplete while moving if you are encumbered. This isn’t a large problem until you use up most of your O2, and CO2 starts to build up. CO2 will appear as a red bar, which grows if you continue to exert yourself.
Once the red bar reaches its maximum, you will begin losing health with every action that would normally use O2. This means you can’t continually sprint without consequences or any form of healing. It also means excessive action use will come with adverse effects as CO2 builds quickly.
Fortunately, standing still will slowly recharge your O2. This also displaces any CO2 built up, though full recovery will take longer. Encumbered players should be cautious because their O2 will drain rapidly, and even a brief recovery won’t mitigate the long-term problem.
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However, strategic usage of O2 and CO2 can be the difference between victory and defeat. If you manage it properly, CO2 can act as an emergency stamina bar. While it will damage you if it reaches maximum level, it gives you that last burst of strength to defeat an enemy.
It might also help you avoid a difficult situation by running away where other Bethesda games would have you stop. Knowing what the O2 and CO2 meters are in Starfield will be crucial to your long-term success. Plan your usage wisely, and several options begin to open up in combat.
