- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks , Microsoft Corporation
- Release Date: Apr 7, 2026
- Also On: PC, Xbox Series X
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
-
Apr 28, 2026Despite its many foibles, I still found it hard to put Starfield down. It’s a Bethesda game like no other, in that it’s actually best experienced by sticking to the main path rather than picking a direction and seeing what trouble you get into. The fragmentation of its narrative and structure over dozens of small maps robs it of the same spirit of manifest destiny that Fallout and, to a lesser extent, The Elder Scrolls. You’re not drawn to towers in the distance, to dragons on the horizon; it’s more a case of I wonder what Earth is like now, or if that ship in the distance will open fire on me, and is there anything worth stealing in its hull? It’s this fractious nature and the sheer drudgery of space travel that make it a tough sell to even fans of other Bethesda RPGs. But if you’re a sucker for secret sects and a cosmological mystery, chances are Starfield will be a trip into the bleak emptiness of space you’ll want to take.
-
Apr 29, 2026The PS5 version is technically shaky, and the DLC is quite disappointing, but the free update still adds a decent amount of new content. For Starfield to truly become a good game, it would need a level of transformation similar to what Cyberpunk 2077 or No Man’s Sky went through. But let’s be realistic - it’s hard to imagine Bethesda putting in that kind of effort for a project that never fully won over its audience.
-
Apr 29, 2026There is a ton to do in Starfield, from building outposts, to designing your own ship, to crafting and cooking. Overall, I think Starfield is just okay, and while it does have some shiny spots, it still has a lot of rust on it too. I like the game’s story, and it grabbed my attention and held on tightly enough where I just wanted to do the main quest, as everything else was just noise to me. I was not a fan of the non-space combat but both flying, and ship-to-ship combat was quite fun. Overall Starfield just didn’t hold my interest like past Bethesda games did.
-
Apr 16, 2026I have been enjoying Starfield, but that's in spite of the game's systems and features rarely combining into a cohesive whole. As an interstellar role playing experience, it appeals to those that want to be bounty hunters, space cops or pirates, but offers little to traders and other fantasies. What it really needs is a sequel, taking this first attempt as a proof of concept to create new technology and improve, but we aren't going to see that any time soon.
-
Apr 7, 2026Starfield is bigger and better than ever on PS5, but it still crashes against the roadblocks of old. A complete lack of exploration leaves the RPG in an awkward place where it can feel like an objective ticking exercise with little to distract you. Its faction questlines are the highlight, and the improved combat systems and new gameplay capabilities make the experience worthwhile. However, two and a half years later, there is considerably more Starfield. Only some of it makes it better.
-
Apr 29, 2026So would I recommend Starfield? It depends on what you want out of it. If you’re chasing that perfect, seamless space fantasy, the kind where you lose yourself in the stars and never see the boundaries, this won’t get you there. If you’re here for the Bethesda loop, the busywork, the side quests that turn into five more, the slow creep of “one more thing” turning into another hour, this might help pass the time, though there are far better games for it. It barely gives me enough reason to keep going. It almost works, and then it crashes again.
-
Apr 15, 2026Starfield feels like a game that has come a long way but never quite reached its intended destination. The Free Lanes update significantly improves pacing, the technical state on PS5 is excellent, and some systems rank among Bethesda’s best work. Yet it never shakes the feeling that beneath layers of unnecessary activities lies a game that could (and should) have been something more.
-
Apr 7, 2026The PlayStation 5 release of Starfield was the game's second chance, one where it could have been shaped by player feedback, kept out of Baldur's Gate 3's shadow, and shown to a whole new audience in a fresh light. That chance has been wasted, as what's here isn't that much different from the 2023 release. Starfield is somehow bloated and yet empty, overly complex and yet lacking. It's a universe of wasted potential, one that struggles to get the player invested in its reams of content. It's not a bad game by any means, but it's definitely lacking in substance, and anyone seeking an experience with the same level of depth and engagement as Bethesda's previous outings will want to look elsewhere.
-
May 11, 2026Starfield is a broad and ambitious game that falls significantly short of the mark whether compared to previous Bethesda efforts or other entries in the space RPG landscape like No Man’s Sky. There are some competent gameplay pieces, but they feel like they were built in the vacuum of space without radio contact, and never really came together when everything got wired up. Some die-hard Bethesda fans might be able to find the fun I was looking for, but I’d recommend tempering expectations at the very least. If you’re a PS5-only player who missed out on the 2023 release, tread with caution. The PS5 version lured me back like a toxic ex who promised they’d changed, and what I found confirmed what I’d already known. Starfield is easily the weakest single-player game in Bethesda’s catalogue, and a sour glimpse into what we might have to expect out of The Elder Scrolls 6.
-
Apr 7, 2026Starfield plays as you would expect an RPG to play in the sense that the inputs do what you want them to do. Performance also works well enough, particularly for a Bethesda game. Odds are, however, that you won't want to play for very long anyway. In this game, you get nothing but residual information about the world around you and humdrum experiences for you to play. Even in Dark Souls, you receive a challenge that faces you head on and you get rewards for surmounting that challenge. Whether it's the plot or the gameplay, Starfield puts any interest you may have on the back burner for something much more mundane to take its place.