After years of cryptic teaser trailers and a fair few delays, Bethesda Game Studios’ latest sprawling open-world RPG, Starfield has finally arrived. Taking players to the vast regions of space, the latest adventure from the minds behind Skyrim and Fallout 4 is a monstrously big intergalactic journey with plenty of planets to explore and celestial sweet rolls to steal.
However, if you don't have an Xbox or a powerful gaming PC, that glorious field of stars is likely out of reach for you. Below, we’ve put together a list of some of the best games similar to Starfield that scratch that same interstellar itch. So, without further ado, let’s run through of the best games like Starfield you can play in 2023.
No Man’s Sky
With Starfield boasting over 1,000 unique planets to explore, it didn’t take long for players to begin comparing it to one of the most expansive space sandboxes ever conceived: No Man’s Sky. Although Hello Games’ procedurally generated online sci-fi adventure didn’t get off to the best start, over the years, it’s developed into one of the most ambitious, content-rich cosmic explorer simulators on the market today.
Dropping you into an endless galaxy filled with planets to explore, fauna to chart and derelict ships to plunder, No Man’s Sky is a survival game with a twist. Every planet you explore is randomly generated and you need to chart it. But that’s merely scratching the surface of how you can interact with No Man’s Sky’s universe. Whether you want to travel with friends, build bases, trade cargo, tame creatures, custom-fit ships or command freighters, No Man’s Sky aims to accommodate all your spacefaring needs.
The Outer Worlds
Coming from the minds behind Fallout: New Vegas, The Outer Worlds is essentially Fallout in space, making it a perfect warm-up for Starfield’s promise of a giant open-world RPG set in the final frontier. Taking the role of a frozen colonist that awakens in a sardonic future where mega-corporations control the galaxy, you’ll be tasked with exploring the Halcyon star system in the hopes of awakening your fellow colonists and thwarting a faction known as The Board.
Along the way, you’ll create a character, engage in tense gunfights, make moral choices that drastically alter the outcome of the story and level up your stats. In essence, it’s everything you can hope to expect from Starfield, but with a hearty helping of black comedy and a fair few Firefly references mixed in for good measure.
Read our review of The Outer Worlds.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Although its fantasy setting is the furthest thing from Starfield’s endless galactic world, if you want to get back into the swing of playing a distinctly Bethesda-style open-world RPG, Skyrim really is your best bet. Not only is it the defacto Bethesda Game Studios game, but in an interview with Launcher, Starfield director Todd Howard went as far as to describe his latest project as being “like Skyrim in space.”
But regardless of how similar it’ll be to the team’s upcoming sci-fi adventure, you should revisit Skyrim purely to get yourself back in the mood for journeying across a vast, unknown world. Setting out into the plains of Skyrim to defeat the dragon god Alduin, it doesn’t take long for this fantasy epic to let you off the leash and encourage you to explore, allowing you to sculpt your character, embark on perilous quests, learn ancient magic and weave your legend. It’s a huge RPG that’s easy to sink countless hours into and an ideal way to pass the time while you wait for Starfield’s launch day.
Read our review of Skryim.
Fallout 4
For similar reasons to Skyrim, you can’t go wrong revising your Bethesda Game Studios history by diving into another of the team’s highly-revered open-world RPGs. The latest single-player entry in the Fallout series, Fallout 4 appears to share more similarities with Starfield than you might expect for a game set in an alternate-history post-apocalyptic America. It has a massive world to explore, companions to recruit, tense gunfights to partake in and a frankly alarming number of killer robots that will stop at nothing to tear you limb from limb.
Frozen in a vault and waking up two hundred years later, Fallout 4’s main campaign sees you crossing the wasteland in search of your son. Along the way, you’ll battle various monsters, investigate synthetic robots posing as humans and side with one of the major factions attempting to rule over the Commonwealth, all while picking up side quests and completing odd jobs. Fallout 4 is a great way to hone your combat and exploration skills while waiting to adventure through Starfield’s galaxy, but more importantly, it’s worth revisiting to feel the pure satisfaction of taking a Super Mutant’s head clean off its shoulders with one bullet using V.A.T.S.
Read our review of Fallout 4.
Elite Dangerous
One of the core mechanics at the heart of Starfield is space flight, with players able to engage in dogfights and soar through space at light speed. If you’re looking to brush up on your flying skills before taking the helm of Starfield’s various space cruisers, there’s no better game to get you into the aviating spirit than Elite Dangerous.
Slotting you behind the wheel of various starships, the core crux of Elite Dangerous’ gameplay is travelling to star systems, taking on missions, raiding ships for cargo and trading with merchants. Along the way, you’ll play whatever character you want, whether that’s a space pirate raiding vessels for valuable loot or a mercenary shooting down ships for a pay cheque. Although the game has since added on-foot missions, it shines brightest when you’re manning a starship and carving a path across the galaxy, making it a perfect tone-setter for Starfield’s promise of an endless intergalactic journey.
Read our review of Elite Dangerous.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
If you’re looking to sink into another giant sci-fi RPG while counting down the days until Starfield hits shelves, Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is a great pick. Containing revamped versions of Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3, this bundle allows you to play three of the most revered space-based role-playing games of all time, complete with new visuals, almost every slice of DLC and plenty of quality-of-life updates.
Taking on the role of the fearless Commander Shepherd as they attempt to stop a mysterious group of ancient aliens known as The Reapers, you’ll be tasked with crossing the galaxy aboard your trusty ship in search of answers, allies and action. All the while, you’ll have to deal with squad-based gunfights, meaningful decisions that shape the story and dialogue options that further your relationship with your friends and foes. The Mass Effect trilogy is the gold standard for what a space RPG can be, and one well worth investing some time into before Starfield monopolises your life.
Read our review of Mass Effect Legendary Edition.