Best Starting Traits

As much as it’s about exploring the cosmos, Starfield focuses as much on different builds and backgrounds. You can choose specific traits that will shape your character in unique ways and start skills to gain an early edge, but the “best” options can often be subjective. That said, you can’t go wrong with traits like Alien DNA, which increases your max health and oxygen (don’t worry too much about the reduced healing from items), and Isolation, which massively buffs weapon damage and resistance if you’re solo.

Recommended Early Planets

The new pre-built outpost module in Free Lanes makes it easier than ever to create a home away from home, but you’ll still need Aluminum, Iron and Argon to craft it (at least according to the deep dive). Head to Andraphon for the first two and Kreet for the third. More importantly, these locations – alongside Linnaeus IV-b – are home to multiple elements. Once you’ve got some bases going, start working on those extractors ASAP to reap the rewards.

That Asteroid Won’t Pay for Itself

If you’re the type to see a base on an asteroid and decide that you immediately want it, then congrats. On top of not knowing when it becomes available (at least for now), it’s likely the cost will be exorbitant. One method to quickly farm Credits is to clear out PoIs with enemies, stealing their weapons, and then resting at your ship to reset the instance. When your cargo is full, sell them all off at a vendor. Alternatively, you can survey planets, especially those in high-level systems, or take on missions to hunt down ships. Whichever route you take, the Credits will follow.

Mine Much Faster

If you’re not the type to buy all your minerals wholesale (or can’t afford them), then expect to occasionally use the mining laser. But if it feels a little too slow, try zooming in and waiting for the white part of the reticle to align with the red. It effectively concentrates the laser’s power, making it much faster to mine materials.

Side Hustle

While it’s encouraged to play through the first few main missions, some side quests should be tackled as soon as possible. These include Mantis, which you’ll get after defeating Spacers anywhere. We won’t spoil the rewards, but they’re very much worth it. Groundpounder becomes available as soon as you enter the Altair system, which requires level 15, and it’s one of the more enjoyable combat-heavy scenarios (which also awards a nice weapon). There’s also Juno’s Gambit, which can kick off as early as Tau Ceti and depending on your choices, it can award a nice amount of credits. But more importantly, all of these side quests are some of the most standout in Starfield, and should be prioritized whenever they become available.

Anti-Robot Armaments

Free Lanes adds the ability to reroll Legendary effects with the new X-Tech (earned by completing anomalies, points of interest and dungeons). It also includes new Tier 4 effects, including Saboteur, which has a chance to instantly kill (and explode) robots on damaging them. Pretty good for those picking up Terran Armada, but if you don’t have the resources for it just yet, try picking up the Disassembler perk first. It increases damage dealt to robots by 20 percent, making it a solid choice in the early going.

Create a Posse

Of course, if the Terran Armada is content with fighting dirty, then why not bring some more backup? Starfield usually lets a single companion accompany you throughout every mission, but some will bestow temporary followers. If you don’t complete these, then that follower remains with you throughout. Some examples include Emma Wilcox from the mission “Deputized,” which is part of the Ranger faction questlines. However, you can discover more and have up to three temporary followers (at the cost of progressing certain stories and the occasional bug or three).

Disable Dialogue Camera

If you’ve played a Bethesda game before, then you’ll be familiar, perhaps uncomfortably so, with the dialogue camera. Zooms in close, stays locked on an NPC’s face in first-person, no deviation whatsoever – it’s exhausting. So head into the Accessibility options and turn it off, if you’re so inclined, thus creating a more traditional camera angle that showcases the world around you.

Run Rabbit Junk

When sprinting, you’ll notice a little meter denoting your O2/CO2 levels. When O2 depletes, CO2 starts building up, and your health begins to drop. You could keep sprinting in this state, but instead, try jumping in between sprints, since this will cease O2 consumption. A boost pack further aids in this and will also help you travel further.

Improve Your Piloting Skill

Among the many skills that you should look to improve is Piloting. The former unlocks thrusters, improves maneuverability and eventually lets you pilot Class B and C ships. Leveling it up requires destroying ships, but there’s a Piloting Simulator in the MAST Building on New Atlantis, where ship kills count towards this, so go ahead and grind that for some time.

They may not seem all that important early on, but with Cruise Mode offering threats like Interdictions and anomalies, not to mention Starborn ships having a chance to drop Quantum Essence, you’ll want some ship skills fairly quickly.

Quickly Level Up Starship Design

In the same vein, upgrade Starship Design immediately. It will allow for installing better ship modules. Best of all, it can be leveled very quickly (provided you have a decent amount of Credits). First, head to a place where you can purchase several different components, like the Red Mile on Porrima 3 in the Porrima system. Install as many unique modules as possible, which will count towards the skill, then remove them and repeat this process until it’s fully leveled. Again, this is something that will aid you in the mid-to-late game, so it’s better to have it maxed out early.

How to Get the Rover

As nice as the Moon Jumper looks to control, you can get another ground vehicle, the Rover, early on for quicker planetary exploration. All you need to do is visit a Ship Services Technician – you’ll find one in New Atlantis, the earliest major city – and pay 25,000 Credits. Voila – a faster way to traverse land masses, at least until you find the Moon Jumper for some serious hops.

Fast Traveling With the Scanner

It’s a good thing the scanner is tied to the DualSense’s touchpad, because it’s going to get a workout by identifying all the flora, fauna and resources that make up planets. However, you can also use it to quickly fast-travel to any points of interest that were previously discovered (or even your ship). Simply hover over it with the scanner active, and off you go.

Where to Find Muria

Model G may be the one new companion that players will want to recruit pronto, but there’s also Muria. She’s not technically a “new” character, but following years of requests from players on other platforms to make her recruitable, Free Lanes is finally making that happen. But when and where do you find her? Fortunately, it doesn’t take long. She’s located on New Atlantis in Jemison, which you’ll visit fairly early on in the story, specifically the lobby of the GalBank. You can beeline to her location and see what all the fuss is about.

Gameplay Options

Last but not least, tweak the experience to your liking with gameplay options, which include modifiers for enemy damage, player damage, carry capacity – you can even increase the weight of ammo. While you can dial things down for an easier time, certain settings can confer XP bonuses if you opt for something challenging. It’s win-win, and could be an excellent way to level up quickly.

For example, ever felt disappointed when opening Expert and Master level locks? Their loot has now been improved, and should better align with the challenge of obtaining them. Bugs with inconsistent weapon damage and the accuracy bonuses for the CombaTech magazine not applying correctly have also been fixed.

However, you can now properly interact with bounty targets, which may or may not have fixed an issue where they would infrequently appear in cities. It’s also possible to now jump while reloading Livingstone’s Pistol, the Old Earth Pistol, and the XM-2311. Of course, there are also fixes for quests such as “Friends Like These,” “Guilty Parties,” “One Giant Leap,” and so on that should be appreciated. Various bugs with the Ship Builder have been addressed, and it should now be easier to place Weapons Workbenches in houses and ships.

Check out the patch notes below for more and the full details here. You can also read our reviews of the PS5 version (Free Lanes included) and Terran Armada in the meantime.

Starfield Update 1.16.236

General

• Steam – Disabled DLC will no longer re-install when launching the game.
• General crash and stability fixes.

Gameplay

• Improved loot found in containers with Expert and Master level locks.
• Reactive Equipment – Resolved an issue with the sound effects for the Reactive legendary effect.
• Addressed an issue that could cause NPCs to calculate weapon damage inconsistently.
• Fixed an issue with CombaTech magazine accuracy bonuses not applying consistently.
• The player can now jump while reloading the XM-2311, Old Earth Pistol, and Livingstone’s Pistol.
• Bounty targets in cities should now be properly interactable.
• Resolved an issue that could potentially cause non-combat background music to no longer play.
• Photo Mode – Addressed an issue that could cause issues when entering photomode while also entering an interior.
• Photo Mode – Addressed an issue that could cause the player’s right foot to display awkwardly.

Quests

• Friends Like These – Players should now be able to return the Terrormorph data at the end of the quest.
• Guilty Parties – Addressed an issue where this quest could possibly not start after completing “Background Checks”.
• Missed Beyond Measure – Addressed an issue that could cause the player to be locked with an invalid companion.
• One Giant Leap – The player’s helmet should now be visible.
• Refurbished Goods – All weapons required by the quest should now be able to be found.
• Refurbished Goods – Turning in this quest will no longer take incorrect items from the player’s inventory.
• The Hammer Falls – Addressed an issue that could cause the player to not receive the Star Eagle ship upon completion.
• Two Tales, Two Cities – Addressed a situation where the player could potentially be control locked if choosing to arrest Tahir.

Locations

• Resolved an issue that could cause some beds in Akila City to not grant Rested Bonus as intended.
• Characters should now correctly sit in chairs in the Explorer’s Refuge.

UI

• Improved and issue that could make Weapons Workbenches difficult to place in houses or ships.
• Added visual improvements to the Ship Repair UI.
• Ship Builder – Addressed an issue that could prevent unique or stolen ships from being renamed.
• Ship Builder – Resolved an issue that could cause a duplicate model of a ship to persist on the landing pad after modifying it.
• Ship Builder – Hopetech All-In-One Berth 2×2 furnished version is now accessible in game.
• Ship Builder – Improvements to UI in Large Font Mode.
• Outpost – Improvements to UI in Large Font mode.
• Players can now use the escape key to back out of renaming an item in a workbench. (PC)
• Fixed a typo with the Scan Jammer’s description.

Shattered Space

• The Oracle has updated music.

Creations

• A Perfect Recipe: Resolved an issue that could prevent the Ashta from spawning.
• Updated the description for Plushie Andreja.
• At Hell’s Gate: Plushies can now be placed in Plushie cases.
• The “Plushie Case – Mount” can now be placed closer to the “Plushie Case – Stackable” variant.
• Allied Winter Camo Skins will now show up on the Creation menu when installed.

While this marks the first time that PlayStation owners can dive into the space-faring RPG, long-time fans have plenty to look forward to with Free Lanes. It adds Anchor Point Station with new quests and characters, new companions to recruit, base-building improvements such as pre-built habitat modules and cross-outpost storage, and even a Database to look up everything. Heck, if you’ve become a venerable billionaire, why not dump those Credits into a new asteroid base?

Terran Armada offers a new storyline for $10, with players battling against the titular faction and its army of robots. Besides engaging in Incursions, looting new weapons and commandeering new ships, it also introduces a new companion in Delta. You can check out what may be its origin story here.

For more details, check out our reviews of the PS5 version and the Terran Armada expansion. Bethesda hasn’t really outlined what’s next for Starfield, but it’s keen on supporting it for the long haul.

At the same time, many have thoroughly enjoyed Starfield’s expansive sci fi offerings, from its intricate lore and engaging faction quests to its addictive ship-building and more. Personally, I fall in the latter camp. When I reviewed Starfield upon is original launch close to three years ago, I absolutely adored it, so it’s no surprise to me that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with it on the PS5 as well.

"Going into the game expecting Skyrim in space is, in some crucial ways, a mistake, primarily thanks to how its world is structured."

For anyone familiar with the Bethesda RPG template, Starfield is, in many ways, a familiar experience with a new wrapper. Players take on the role of a custom character who gets wrapped up with Constellation, an organization looking to unravel the secrets of space, early on in the game after coming in contact with a mysterious alien artifact.

In typical BGS fashion, along the way, you cross paths with a variety of different factions, each with their own questlines, histories, and characters, all of it allowing you to dive deeper into Starfield’s expansive setting. Player agency is placed above all else, in the specific way that Bethesda RPGs have been known for, prioritizing complete player freedom, even if it does come at the cost of frustratingly inconsequential choice and consequence mechanics.

BGS’ RPG formula has mostly stuck to its roots over the years, and though that doesn’t always work in Starfield’s favour – especially when contrasted with other AAA RPGs who have tried to take that further in interesting ways – the core strengths of the formula, at least to me personally, are still strong enough in the most important ways. A lot of that is down to how strong the Settled Systems are as a setting, especially where lore and backstory are concerned. Learning more about the history and conflicts of the setting never loses its charm, a lot of which is also down to how engaging the faction questlines are.

Of course, you have to acknowledge the fact that Starfield doesn’t completely stick to the Bethesda RPG framework. Going into the game expecting Skyrim in space is, in some crucial ways, a mistake, primarily thanks to how its world is structured. Starfield’s world is far from a seamless open world, instead being split into multiple maps that are separated by loading screens, not to mention large expanses of space that you can pilot your ship through.

Space travel in Starfield is something that has drawn criticism from many since the game’s launch, with many having felt that it’s too uneventful and monotonous, though Starfield does attempt to fix that with its new Free Lanes update, which accompanies the game’s PS5 release.

"Starfield’s space gameplay still doesn’t feel massively different from what it has been since the game launched."

With the addition of Cruise Mode – which lets you freely cruise around in space within a star system while you go about other business in your ship – as well as additional points of interest in space and more combat encounters, with its newest update, Starfield does try to address the issues that many players have had with its space gameplay.

They work to some degree- there’s a noticeable jump in the frequence of dogfights and things to check out, and Cruise Mode is certainly a neat new addition, though it shouldn’t surprise you to know that even with all of the new changes put together, Starfield’s space gameplay still doesn’t feel massively different from what it has been since the game launched. It takes longer for things to get monotonous, yes, but the expanses of space are still not where Starfield’s strengths lie (though ironically, I still find the game’s ship building and customization mechanics among the best that it has to offer).

That’s not all that Starfield’s Free Lanes update adds. The update brings a new layer to the game’s progression systems with the addition of a new currency in the form of X-Tech, which allows for deeper build variety, as well as new late game progression options in the form of new quality tiers, ship customization options, weapons, and more.

"If you enjoyed the base game in its original form, then, the Free Lanes update refines it and polishes it quite a bit."

Then there’s new quests and locations, outpost building improvements, New Game Plus options, and more- all of which is to say that even though the Free Lanes update doesn’t significantly overhaul many core game systems in the way we saw with, say, Cyberpunk 2077’s overhauls, it does still add to the base experience in a meaningful way.

If you enjoyed the base game in its original form, then, the Free Lanes update refines it and polishes it quite a bit, which will, of course, mean a stronger experience right off the bat for those jumping into Starfield for the first time with its PS5 launch. Many will probably be disappointed that the game hasn’t undergone a more comprehensive reworking, but as someone who already enjoyed Starfield’s offerings in its base form, I find the Free Lanes update’s changes and improvements quite solid on the whole.

Along with the base experience, Starfield’s PS5 launch also brings with it all of the updates and DLC the game has received since its Xbox and PC release in 2023. Of course, for starters, that means that, on a technical level, the sci fi RPG is in a much more stable place than it was upon release.

Don’t get me wrong, you’re still going to run into plenty of run of the mill Bethesda RPG glitches – from jerky animations and clipping objects to dead eyed NPCs and more – but in my time with the game on the PS5, I haven’t experienced nearly as many game breaking glitches or hard crashes as I did in my dozens of hours with the game on the Xbox Series X (though it has been a while since I played Starfield on Xbox, admittedly).

"For PS5 players who enjoy the genre or the sci fi aesthetic, Starfield is well worth looking into."

In addition to those updates, Starfield’s PS5 version also has the benefit of launching right out the gate with things such as land vehicles (with one of them being a new addition), Creations, and a long list of quality of life improvements, not to mention two expansions in the form of Shattered Space and the newly released Terran Armada. In short, for those jumping into the game for the first time with its PS5 release, which I imagine many will be doing, Bethesda’s space faring RPG is a more polished and rounded out version of its original self with a substantial amount of content to tackle- which in particular shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with BGS’ formula.

Whether or not Starfield stands toe to toe with Bethesda’s past genre defining offerings is a question that answers will vary to from person to person, but if you’re looking for a massive, engaging sci-fi RPG that lets you loose in a space setting, you’re in luck- that’s exactly what Starfield delivers. Though the game is not without its faults, thanks to a compelling setting, engaging lore, strong faction questlines, and a bevy of content – among other things – Starfield has more than enough going on to keep players occupied for long, long stretches. For PS5 players who enjoy the genre or the sci fi aesthetic, this one is well worth looking into.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

At its core, the second expansion doesn’t deviate from the approach that Bethesda Game Studios took with Starfield’s first DLC, Shattered Space, in that it is very much more of the same- though the content it does deliver has a lot going for it.

Terran Armada focuses on the new titular faction, a breakaway group comprised of former Freestar Collective and United Colonies soldiers who mysteriously disappeared from the Settled Systems during the Colony War. Now, they’ve reappeared with a substantial, robotically enhanced military force, announcing themselves the true children of Earth and humanity as a whole, and in turn declaring everyone in the Settled Systems to be their enemies. Investigating the Terran Armada’s attacks and uncovering their motivations, then, is a central part of the expansion’s storyline- and it works quite well.

One of Starfield’s greatest strengths has always been its intricate, engaging lore and the stories it weaves around it, especially with its faction questlines, and just as it was with the game’s first expansion, that still very much stands true with Terran Armada.

Not only does the new expansion boast a strong central narrative premise, the new faction it all revolves around helps keep things interesting as you progress further. Learning more about the Armada, their robotics, their motivations, and their history since the Colony War remains consistently engaging, even if it’s a little disappointing to see the proceedings being kept largely separate from the base game’s story.

"The expansion does try to inject enemy variety, but there’s only so many different ways you can find robot enemies before it starts wearing thin."

Along the way you’ll also cross paths with Delta, a reprogrammed Terran Armada robot who joins your crew and becomes a squadmate. The morally ambiguous companion is very much cut from the same cloth as similar robotic sci fi allies in sci fi stories, but though he’s not unique in any way, Delta does serve as a solid addition to Starfield’s cast. Conversations with him are always fun, learning more about what makes him tick and where his allegiances truly lie never loses its appeal, and best of all, Delta also serves as a great vehicle for the game to reveal more about the Terran Armada and its robot-heavy military force.

Delta is, however, probably the most interesting element where Terran Armada’s new robots are concerned. That is, on the one hand, a good thing, because that means a solid new companion joining the cast, but where the enemies are concerned, things can sometimes get a little repetitive and you find yourself fighting against robots over and over.

The expansion does try to inject enemy variety, but there’s only so many different ways you can find robot enemies before it starts wearing thin. Thankfully, the core combat mechanics in Starfield remain enjoyable, so firefights (should you choose a more aggressive approach) are at least consistently fun on a fundamental level.

Another major new addition in Terran Armada is the Incursions system, which sees the titular Armada randomly attacking different spots across the Settled Systems. Spanning varying objectives across both land and space and being tied to both story related quests and optional activities, Incursions encompass feel like they encompass the entire game- which can be both a good and a bad thing.

"It’s also a little disappointing that the Terran Armada DLC makes Incursions its centerpiece rather than introducing another major new location to the Settled Systems."

When they work, Incursions work really well, combining exploration and combat, throwing in unique new hurdles, and rewarding players with solid new gear. Story related Incursions in particular are often really well crafted, and experiencing them tends to feel like going through well stitched together set piece sequences. At the same time, Incursions also serve as solid repeatable late game content for players looking to farm valuable loot- especially X-Tech, a currency newly added by the Free Lanes update that expands progression and customization options.

However, Incursions can also quickly overstay their welcome. It doesn’t take long for them to start feeling repetitive, and often, the restrictions they place on players – such as not being able to fast travel within a star system until you’ve dealt with all present Terran Armada threats – can often feel more like an annoyance than anything else. Thankfully, the game does allow you to set the frequency with which optional Incursions show up, so if they do start to wear you down, you can at least address that directly.

It’s also a little disappointing that the Terran Armada DLC makes Incursions its centerpiece rather than introducing another major new location to the Settled Systems the way the Shattered Space expansion did. Sure, there’s Anchorpoint Station, a new location that does have plenty of new things to see and do, but though there’s a lot here that is directly tied to the Terran Armada storyline, Anchorpoint Station isn’t necessarily just a DLC location.

It does sort of scratch the itch of a brand new area to explore and get familiar with, but if you were hoping for a massive new map serving as the centerpiece of a major new story arch, that’s not what you’ll find here. The threat of the Terran Armada in this expansion is spread out throughout the Settled Systems rather than being concentrated in a single new map. That doesn’t mean there aren’t new locations to explore, of course, but you shouldn’t go in expecting something on the same scale as Shattered Space’s Dazra city.

"All told, with the new story content, side quests, and what have you, there’s a healthy chunk of new gameplay content on offer here."

There are, however, new weapons, ship customization and building options, gear, and more brought to the table by the Terran Armada DLC. For players who have already invested a substantial amount of time into Starfield and are looking to further optimize and min-max their builds, the new content on offer here opens up plenty of room for further progression and build refinement, especially with the repeatable content and late game options available with Incursions and the new Free Lanes update additions. All told, with the new story content, side quests, and what have you, there’s a healthy chunk of new gameplay content on offer here.

Since Starfield launched in 2023, many have hoped for significant overhauls to allow the game to fulfil its potential and make good on all of its lofty pre launch promises, and though Terran Armada is definitely not that (even with all of the improvements that come with the Free Lanes update), it is, at the very least, a solid additional chunk of more of the same.

That means that it’s unlikely to capture those who weren’t enamoured by Starfield’s base or post launch offerings, but if you are like me and have found plenty of enjoyment in the space faring RPG’s vast expanses, it’s safe to say that you’ll find enough to like about the Terran Armada expansion, even if it doesn’t fully stick the landing with all of the things that it tries.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

For Bethesda Game Studios, their reputation has never tumbled as low as CD’s. But, for a studio once untouchable in the RPG space – the developer behind genre-defining staples like Fallout 3 and Skyrim – they’ve spent the better part of the last decade navigating uneven ground. In an era marked by development missteps and shifting priorities, there’s a sense that BSG has lost its touch.

And this is what makes Starfield’s impending PS5 launch so significant. Whilst the game has fans (there’s a lot to like, after all) it’s fair to say Bethesda’s space-faring RPG didn’t fully land. In some ways, it’s still riding through turbulence despite Bethesda’s post-launch support.

The issue, perhaps, is that BSG no longer commands automatic trust like they once did. Maybe Starfield is just the symptom of a wider problem on how the studio is perceived. The PS5 port, then, isn’t really a second chance for the game, but an opportunity for Bethesda to show the world they still understand what made their genre-definers great in the first place.

Now, to be clear, Starfield has never been a disaster. Critically, it performed well, and for many players it scratched the particular freeroaming itch only a Bethesda sandbox could. But, despite a sprawling, systems-driven experience loaded with the quests, factions, and freedom that Bethesda has built their name on, something crucial still felt missing.

The most common complaint centres on the game’s structure. Exploration, you see, felt fragmented; unnecessarily broken up by interstellar loading screens, connecting a galaxy that seemed vast in scale but oddly disjointed by the time you catapult out of low orbit. Instead of seamless discovery, you were hopping between isolated, sometimes eerily similar looking spaces. The sense of immersion the game’s marketing promised was woefully underdelivered.

Elsewhere, repetition fatigue crept in, with your choices – usually a cornerstone of Bethesda’s design – not as reactive or meaningful as you might have expected. The result is a game where the stars only partially align. So, whilst not a bad game at all, for a studio of Bethesda’s pedigree “not bad” was never going to be good enough.

But, Bethesda has shipped flawed games before. You could argue, in fact, that they’ve built their identity on imperfection, and historically the community has been willing to embrace jank in exchange for agency. So what’s changed?

Well, much of the eroded goodwill can be traced back to Fallout 76, with its troubled launch fundamentally shifting how Bethesda is viewed as a studio. Questions around quality control, direction, and monetisation strategies began to dominate, and even though 76 has improved greatly in the years since, the reputational damage is proving harder to repair.

Long development cycles, leaving Bethesda unusually quiet in the years since The Elder Scrolls VI’s announcement, has only fuelled uncertainty. Elsewhere, decisions around paid content, subscription models, and live-service elements have deepened the sense that the studio is chasing trends to remain sustainable. Whether you agree or not, there’s an undeniable narrative emerging: modern Bethesda leans more on the weight of its legacy than forward-thinking design. And, perhaps, this is another reason why Starfield landed the way it did.

However, all this context could yet become background noise as an entirely fresh audience on PlayStation also represents an opportunity to reset. See, there are potentially millions of players within Sony’s console ecosystem who are ready to dive in free from the original launch’s baggage. And hopefully, there should be no day-one disappointment, with Starfield arriving in what Bethesda and Sony frame as its definitive version, complete with fresh gameplay updates, story DLC, and a suite of PS5-specific features like weapon and ship-specific adaptive triggers, a fully integrated light bar (indicating health and ship integrity), and DualSense speaker comms.

Furthermore, the incoming Free Lanes update looks to address one of the game’s persistent criticisms too. Now, the ability to freely travel between planets within a single star system might not sound transformative, but it smoothens the fractured interstellar travel which defined the original version. Starfield’s universe always had scale, but now it has cohesion even if it’s only between neighbouring planets. It may only be one small step and not quite a giant leap, but it’s a refinement which ultimately brings Starfield more in line with player expectations.

Even with these new content and gameplay improvements in place, Starfield – and Bethesda at large – still face the challenge we alluded to earlier: perception. Because, for all Bethesda’s controlled refinement, the studio has far less influence over how the experience is received, especially when narratives tend to stick long after the core has evolved.

If you spend any time around comments sections, forums, or social media, you’ll see the tone surrounding Starfield’s PS5 launch feels, at best, muted. There are pockets of excitement, sure, but the overarching mood is subdued, sceptical, or outright dismissive. Indeed, there are players over on the PS Blog who are actively discouraging PlayStation users from jumping in.

But, fully engaging with this sentiment is haphazard; online discourse has a habit of amplifying the loudest voices. In other words, this mood isn’t necessarily representative of the zeitgeist. Console allegiances muddy the waters further, while the broader culture around game releases occasionally labels anything short of exceptional – an 8 out of 10, for instance –  as a failure.

Ordinarily, you can look at online conversation from a binary lens, and depending on your point of view you can sit happily on either side of the argument. For Starfield on PS5, you might assess the lukewarm response as a genuine reflection of the game’s quality, or perhaps you’ll instead explore the possibility that these opinions were formed early and haven’t shifted in tandem with the game’s sweeping updates. Arguably, neither side is wrong; ultimately, if you enjoy something then it shouldn’t matter which way the discourse goes. It’s just a shame that perceptions can influence reality.

However, for Bethesda this distinction may prove irrelevant anyway. Starfield currently sits at the top of the PS Store’s pre-order chart, indicating that the title is poised to find a substantial audience, regardless of the negative noise that’s orbiting online spaces.

So, if the ultimate question this feature poses is if players will give Bethesda another chance, then looking at projected sales you’d have to say yes. We’re still in a guesswork phase, however, but what we could surmise from this discussion is regardless of whether Bethesda has momentum or whether they’re on the decline, their games still have relevance.

Starfield on PS5 is not about redemption, after all. It isn’t about whether it’s good now, or whether it’s a failure. For PlayStation players, it’s a first impression, and one the silent majority appear to be embracing.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Admiral Ode Balewa is present throughout, and while seemingly pleased with its progress, another high-ranking officer demands more, pushing the bot to be more brutal. Cut back to the present, where it goes down to a mysterious electric shock. An individual, identified in the description as a “brilliant roboticist”, appears and starts fiddling with the machine’s wiring while it’s deactivated.

Of course, it’s not long before the rest of the robot squad arrives and kidnaps her. But what about the one they abandoned? It may just be Delta, the new companion that players can recruit during the expansion, who’s not quite hostile but also not your friend (at least at the start).

Starfield’s Terran Armada expansion drops tomorrow alongside the new Free Lanes update, which adds several new features (including Model G and Muria as a recruitable companion). It’s also launching on PS5 with the base game costing $49.99. Head here for more details on PS5-exclusive features and how the game performs on PS5 Pro.

The highlight, of course, is Cruise Mode. Players can now travel between planets in the same star system by actually flying rather than enduring numerous loading screens. They’re still present when landing and taking off – you can’t win ’em all – but there’s new content to discover in the Free Lanes, including new points of interest, Anomalies and Interdictions, which can include enemy attacks.

But that’s really only the tip of the iceberg, as the update also brings new Legendary Ranks, X-Tech for rerolling them and upgrading ship systems, the ability to bring items through the Unity to New Game Plus – the list goes on. You can check out our feature for all the juicy details.

Starfield’s Free Lanes update and Terran Armada are live on April 7th for all platforms, including the PS5 version, which launches on the same day. Head here to learn more about how it leverages Sony’s hardware (especially PS5 Pro) to deliver an immersive experience.

This has placed both seasons of Fallout in the top four for all-time viewership for shows on Prime Video. Its second season went on to become Prime Video’s most-watched show in more than 80 countries in its first 91 days. The report has noted that around 53 percent of the audience was from outside of the US, living in countries like Germany, Brazil, and the UK. Head of Global Television at Amazon MGM Studios, Peter Friedlander, celebrated the milestone in a statement.

“Fallout continues to resonate in a powerful way with our global Prime Video audience, and reaching 100 million viewers is a testament to the incredible creative vision of our collaborators at Kilter Films, Bethesda Game Studios, Geneva, Graham, and the entire cast and crew,” he said. “The show’s performance reaffirms this, with S2 now joining S1 as two of our top four biggest seasons we’ve ever launched. We’re thrilled to see the franchise continue to grow as we head into Season Three.”

Amazon’s has also seemingly done quite well with critics. According to reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the show has gotten an average critic rating of 94 percent, and an average audience rating of 96 percent.

This success bodes well for Amazon and the showrunners behind Fallout, since the third season had already been greenlit last year. Back in December, executive producer Jonathan Nolan, along with creator and showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet revealed that the third season will start filming in Summer 2026.

“Well I say with regards to production, we’re hoping to be shooting again next summer,” said Nolan in an interview. “We’ll see if that all comes together. Best laid plans and all, but I’m excited that the scope of the show feels undiminished season-on-season. Geneva and Graham, our incredibly talented cast and crew were able to work quickly enough to get back on the air in a reasonable amount of time.”

“I think what’s happened with television in terms of taking longer and longer from season to season is an unfortunate trend. You don’t want the show to lose any of its scope, but we know that we like to be back on the air as soon as we can.”

Nolan and Robertson Dworet had also revealed a few other details about Amazon’s Fallout, including how they had planned to depict the iconic Deathclaws in the show. Ultimately, they came to the decision to use a combination of puppets for practical effect alongside using CGI for added details.

The second season of Amazon’s Fallout took the story to New Vegas. When this was revealed, many questions were asked about whether the show would pick an official cannon ending, since Fallout: New Vegas featured several different endings based on players’ choices. For more details on that, check out what actor Aaron Moten had to say back in November.

“All players receive a free bundle of Gems and Sigils, so you can enjoy all content Blades has to offer,” reads the in-game message. “Thank you for playing, and we hope you have enjoyed your time in Blades.”

The Elder Scrolls: Blades was released in May 2020 on Android, iOS and Nintendo Switch. While free-to-play on the mobile platforms, the game had a $14.99 price tag on the Switch. It is worth noting that, in light of this announcement, The Elder Scrolls: Blades has been delisted from all platform stores.

In the same Reddit thread announcing the end of service, many commenters discussed its various issues, with most comments criticizing Bethesda’s monetization practices. “I never got into the game because of the monetization but it is a shame it will be unplayable,” wrote one. “I played it and it’s not terrible for a mobile game, but you pretty quickly hit a wall where you are stuck waiting for days long upgrades and the second it was like ‘real money will make this faster’ I stopped,” wrote another.

The Elder Scrolls: Blades was originally announced all the way back in 2018, where Bethesda described its various gameplay aspects, like combat, questing, dungeons, and a customizable town. The company had also mentioned that it would be a multiplayer experience, where players could invite friends to their towns. While the title is now shutting down, initial ambitions were larger, with the company having plans to bring it to PC, PS4, Xbox One, and even VR headsets.

The story of The Elder Scrolls: Blades is set between the events of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion and The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. The title offered three main game modes: Abyss, Arena, and Town. Abyss revolved around players taking on an endless dungeon to see how far they could get. Arena, on the other hand, focused on PvP combat. And finally, the Town is where most of the in-game story is found, with players taking on quests and interacting with various characters.

In our 3 out of 10 review, we noted that the drawbacks of The Elder Scrolls: Blades largely stemmed from the fact that it was never meant to be a full-fledged new entry in the franchise. Despite this, however, we praised the Arena mode and the process of rebuilding the town. However, the negatives far outnumbered the positives, with issues ranging from combat lacking any real depth and dungeons being small and linear, to its grindy nature felt designed to force real-world money spending.