Space - the final frontier - an infinite playground shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Since the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, mankind has yearned to deepen our understanding of the cosmos - to explore the outer reaches of space. This infatuation with interstellar travel would manifest throughout literature and film in the years that followed but it is arguably the video game that shares the deepest connection with outer space. 1962's Spacewar, one of the earliest video games ever created, was built on this desire to dance among the stars. It was just the beginning. Now, 61 years later, those dreams of electronically powered galactic exploration have reached a new milestone with the release of Starfield.
Starfield is built on the latest iteration of Bethesda's in-house technology - known as Creation Engine 2, an updated iteration of their technology foundation boasting many improvements to facilitate the firm's most ambitious game yet. Featuring more than a thousand planets, Starfield is a rich space exploration RPG that builds on the concepts forged in Bethesda Game Studios' previous works while taking the scope to a new level. You'll travel across countless systems and planets, exploring a wide range of settlements, cities, and desolate plains in the process.
As promised, this is an exceptionally large game. Starfield opens with a sequence introducing players to key gameplay concepts, before introducing Constellation, an organisation united by a desire to unravel the mysteries of the universe. It isn't long until you're handed full control and begin your journey across the galaxy, a process that immediately answers key questions about how the game manages structure and scope. Your ship serves as the central pillar on which everything is built, shuttling you between worlds and serving as home to your crew. You'll access the star map from your ship, plotting courses to various planets across multiple systems. As the game progresses, you can build out your ship to create something far larger, but its purpose remains the same - it's the glue between worlds.