# Starfield - November 11, 2022. How excited are you?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Tags:** video-games-e-games\
**Created:** [August 22, 2021, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328 "2021-08-22T21:23:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 8

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**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2023, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/141 "2023-08-29T17:47:39Z")

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I’ve seen enough good signs that things that appeal to me that I pre-ordered. I played Oblivion and Skyrim on day one and was not at all disappointed. I very rarely buy new games, I wait for big sales. Like Fallout 4, I wasn’t that hyped for it and waited until it was $10 or so. It was a good game, and supposedly Starfield will be the most bug-free Bethesda release so we’ll see.

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**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/142 "2023-08-31T18:16:07Z")

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Watched reviews from IGN and Gameranx and both had a verdict that the game is essentially “Okay I guess”. Not super encouraging.

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/143 "2023-08-31T18:20:18Z")

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I’m hearing positive reviews mostly, with IGN being the lowest review year.

Meatcritic has it at 87 right now.

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**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/144 "2023-08-31T18:26:24Z")

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> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> Meatcritic

Mmm, meat.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/145 "2023-08-31T19:59:14Z")

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I predict this will be another case where a bunch of people pretend Starfield was supposed to revolutionize the genre and create new standards for gaming, and then call it a disappointment because it failed to meet those impossible fictions.

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**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/146 "2023-08-31T20:08:45Z")

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Whenever there’s a thread that extends for years before something actually comes out and then comes out, I suggest we make a new thread for it to make it easy on the newer people and focus the discussion. If no one else wants to do it I will in a bit.

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/147 "2023-08-31T21:50:19Z")

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Here is a 50 minute review of the game. He has put over 100 hours into the game.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/blQjbbF7HlQ/hqdefault.jpg "Starfield: Review After 100%") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blQjbbF7HlQ&t=2774)

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**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/148 "2023-08-31T22:20:33Z")

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I saw the same review and ended up getting the game based on it! I think it will make a good couch game even while I continue playing BG3. And I think I will hold off on repeat BG3 playthroughs for now.

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**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/149 "2023-08-31T22:51:40Z")

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The review I read today was somewhat mixed.

> **[Starfield presents a vast world with a sense of wonder — and frequent...](https://www.cbc.ca/radio/day6/starfield-game-review-1.6951396)**
>
> The new sci-fi exploration game offers a near-unimaginable scope of content that will take hundreds of hours to uncover — if they grab the player's interest for that long.

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/150 "2023-08-31T23:21:07Z")

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Is this game delivered full, or does it contain microtransactions? I don’t count future expansions/DLC. I’m asking if it has microtransactions like so many major games today.

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**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/151 "2023-08-31T23:46:47Z")

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> [@hogarth](#):
>
> The review I read today was somewhat mixed

When a reviewer complains that a game in a genre I like is too complex, that usually means that I will like it.

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/152 "2023-08-31T23:54:08Z")

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> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> I’m hearing positive reviews mostly, with IGN being the lowest review year.

I’m seeing mostly good reviews. IGN seemed the worst review of the major review sites.

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/153 "2023-08-31T23:56:14Z")

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> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> Is this game delivered full, or does it contain microtransactions?

I have not seen or heard of any mention of these in reviews so far. That said, they may come later:

> **Yes, it’s possible Starfield may contain microtransactions as the game’s ESRB rating includes a reference to “in-game purchases.”** With this in mind, these purchasable items will seemingly be making their way the game much like they did in Skyrim and Fallout 4. It’s currently unclear, though, whether it will be similar to Bethesda’s Creation Club system that they included in both of the previously mentioned games. - [SOURCE](https://www.videogamer.com/guides/starfield-microtransactions/)

If anyone cares here is the [official ESRB entry for Starfield](https://www.esrb.org/ratings/39293/starfield/) and it does mention in-game purchases (with no other detail on that).

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**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/154 "2023-08-31T23:59:52Z")

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2 minutes for Premium!!

Of course for personal responsibility sake I should probably log off now. I think I may be coming down with a case of “feeling bad tomorrow”.

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**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2023, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/155 "2023-09-01T02:45:28Z")

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So I have put about an hour and a half into it. It did have a weirdness in getting the game to acknowledge my pre-play status. After a reboot of GamePass app , and a reboot of the PC it was telling me it wasn’t released to play yet. I went into the MS store and hit play there. It then pretended to download the whole thing again( at about 15 times my max download speed) saying nothing about verifying files. It then completed and launched.

It still feels very much like the standard Bethesda creation engine in most ways \*, but was also very improved in term of Facial and walk animation. I only saw one dude get stuck on an object and do the rapid artifact leg dance for only about 1 second before regaining normality. Nothing else less that perfect in the very limited bit.  
The Part I’ve been through has been very good looking atmospherically, but also very sepia/low saturation because of the environment, so they are obviously saving the “Wow” until after tutorializing things.

\*The first 10-15 minutes had no trays or cups to pick up and I felt naked and uneasy for a bit, but afterword endless crap to pick-up filled the world, and all was right again in the BethesdaVerse.

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2023, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/156 "2023-09-01T02:53:43Z")

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> [@wolfman](#):
>
> So I have put about an hour and a half into it. It did have a weirdness in getting the game to acknowledge my pre-play status. After a reboot of GamePass app , and a reboot of the PC it was telling me it wasn’t released to play yet. I went into the MS store and hit play there. It then pretended to download the whole thing again( at about 15 times my max download speed) saying nothing about verifying files. It then completed and launched.

I wonder if this had anything to do with it? Maybe some glitch to make sure you were a real paying member or something. (Just guessing…I have no idea.)

> Anyone hoping to take advantage of the $1 Game Pass trial offer is out of luck, as [Microsoft quietly erased the offer just ahead of Starfield’s release.](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/1-xbox-game-pass-trial-deal-disappears-ahead-of-starfield-launch/1100-6517244/) - [SOURCE](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/starfield-is-critically-important-for-game-pass-xbox-says/1100-6517376/#:~:text=Anyone%20hoping%20to%20take%20advantage,just%20ahead%20of%20Starfield's%20release.)

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2023, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/157 "2023-09-01T23:55:37Z")

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Players have been playing it and some thoughts are coming in. I haven’t yet, but one thing is:

I think the biggest surprise for everyone is that there is **essentially no space exploration**. Almost all the travel is done “Mass Effect” style, where you choose a planet to go to off a map and your ship takes off and goes there. The only space flight is around planets.

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/158 "2023-09-02T00:09:27Z")

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This is the one thing that bums me out the most. I wanted to fly across a solar system, have jump-gates (or whatever mechanics they use) blockaded by pirates, scan asteroid belts and so on.

Big miss there for me. Not sure it’s a deal breaker though. The advantage to early release is I have a chance to see reviews and other players’ opinions and then I can decide.

It seems more and more it is Fallout in space which is not necessarily a bad thing since I liked most of the Fallout series. I just need to re-jigger my expectations.

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**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/159 "2023-09-02T00:15:36Z")

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I’m a big Bethesda open world game fan.  
I’ve already put scores of hours into EVE Online and No Man’s Sky and Empyrion.

For me, I think I’m ok NOT having to go through the space piloting aspect, but I’m waiting on more reviews.

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starfield-november-11-2022-how-excited-are-you/949328/160 "2023-09-02T00:24:20Z")

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A bit of an aside (but still on topic):

Adam Savage (former host of MythBusters) has a YouTube channel called “Adam Savage’s Tested”.

Savage and some others were tasked by Bethesda to make a real-life filming model model (big one) of the Frontier starship from the game Starfield. Below is the first video. There are two more after that and, I think, at least one more to come.

If you like building models it is fun to watch. This is model building from scratch.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TuM_1xSQCFw/maxresdefault.jpg "Adam Savage Builds a REAL Starfield Starship!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuM_1xSQCFw)

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