Is Starfield better now?

star field It got off to a shaky start. In many ways, it doesn't quite live up to what players have come to expect from Bethesda's next RPG. It's a solid open world RPG with some pretty cool sci-fi game mechanics, but it's been overshadowed by many other triple-A titles. That said, Bethesda has remained committed to gaming, and April 2026 is an important time for Bethesda. star field.

With the launch of the PlayStation 5, the console's massive player base can finally jump in and try out the games for themselves. We also received a second story DLC, Terran Armada, and a free update for everyone called Free Lanes. It's too early to tell whether all this new stuff will have a lasting, positive impact on the world. star field Or almost the same, but so far things seem pretty good. Although it's taken some steps in the right direction, some gameplay aspects are still largely the same. Let’s break down what you can expect. star field Now, 2026.

cruise mode

A game-changing mechanism

One of the biggest things you're missing is star field We were sailing through space. You could jump from one system to another and cruise around freely, but the jumps were either immediate or simply short cutscenes. It felt like a missed opportunity to explore the downtime the crew might experience while traveling through hyperspace and encountering strange things.

Now you can do that. Starfield's Cruise mode. It even has its own POI, so it's actually worth exploring rather than just quickly getting from one location to another. Moreover, it is natural for such a mode to exist in a space-themed game. Previously, the only cruising we could do was within star systems. The star system was mostly empty except for a few POIs scattered here and there.

Improved POI and diversity

One of the biggest criticisms has been addressed.

Perhaps the most serious problem in our country is star field The point is that it doesn't feel like it was made by hand. It's a shame. Because Bethesda has always been great at telling mini-stories in the form of unmarked locations and dungeons you can stumble across. in star fieldHowever, all planets are procedurally generated outside of a few unique set locations, so players will encounter the same recycled POIs from one star system to another. Finding another cryogenics lab was quite immersion-breaking.

Early feedback shows this is a significant improvement. A number of new POIs have been added to the mix, and there's speculation that there may be a cooldown system that prevents you from finding the same location right away on another planet. You'll certainly find recycled POIs over dozens or even hundreds of hours in the game, but at least now you won't have duplicate or even triple POIs in your session, which makes exploration much more enjoyable.

Procedural generation still burdens environmental storytelling

The planet still feels empty

Now that we've just discussed POI and how it's improved, it's still important to note that the core of game navigation is the same. That said, planets are still procedurally generated. This is something you will either grow to like or continue to hate.

The planet will still feel empty. This makes sense from a sci-fi perspective, so you may still feel like there isn't much to see. The good news is that traversal has improved a lot since launch. We'll look at this in a moment. Still, the trademark hand-crafted Bethesda-style environments really only exist in some of the larger, more unique locations.

X-Tech, ship modules, upgrade modules, etc.

Another level of customization

There is even better news for minmaximalists and completionists. There is more loot, customization, and upgrades. A resource called X-Tech has now been introduced. This allows you to directly customize the legendary effects of your chosen weapon. There are also upgrade modules that enhance certain characteristics of your weapons or equipment, as well as a variety of weapon skins, ship modules, and something called Colony Wars Action Heroes. fallout stratagem.

That means it's a blast to play if you're a player who wants to collect everything, have the best outposts, and have every unlockable item in the game. star field All these additions are now included. And if you're new, you'll be given a huge pool of weapons and gear to customize to your heart's content.

vehicle

Planet exploration is better than ever.

We've discussed the pros and cons of planetary exploration, but one of the biggest pros, which isn't limited to the latest update, is vehicles. This was something that had to be sent together. star field It was added later at launch.

But better late than never. When you first land, exploring a planet where you often have to travel long, empty distances to get from one location to another is a welcome change. Vehicles can also be painted, so you can make them look as cool as you want as you move on to the next POI or the next quest.

The loading screen keeps showing up

A bit confusing in this day and age.

Sad but true, the loading screen remains the same. It's impossible to say whether this will ultimately be scrapped. The Elder Scrolls 6But one thing is for sure: they are not leaving. star field. Playing the game may feel a little awkward if you're used to titles like: cyberpunk 2077 and Elden RingIt's pretty effective at covering the loading screen without taking away from the task.

star fieldHowever, when you enter a sub-location through a door, enter a ship, or enter a new dungeon, you will see a loading screen. It's a bit unfortunate, but considering the scope star fieldIt's somewhat forgivable, even if stopping too frequently during the adventure breaks the immersion.

The main story is still the weakest part

Following in the tradition of Skyrim's lukewarm plot

That's not surprising. Starfield's The main quest is still the same as it was at launch, and unfortunately it's a little heavier than the main quest. If you're familiar with Bethesda's previous two games; fallout 4 and SkyrimThis might not be a big surprise to you. Luckily, the faction side quests are once again truly amazing. The Ryujin quest line is one of Bethesda's best works to date.

However, the main quest has few moral dilemmas or moments where choices matter, leaving it fairly lukewarm (except for once). The ending is a hate it or love it situation, and while some players love the concept, others think it's the exact opposite of a Bethesda RPG. If you're interested in deep, story-rich games and plan to donate, it's best to keep your expectations low. star field Give it a try.

Loot improvements for Expert and Master level locks

Annoying feature finally fixed.

This may be a minor issue, but it's worth pointing out with the major fixes being loot and lockpicking. My biggest complaint at launch was that too often unlocking containers on Expert or Master difficulty resulted in disappointing loot. These locks can take a while to solve even with a high lockpicking skill that can unlock them automatically, and people tend to ignore these stronger locks because the loot is often not that different from what is found in easier containers.

Myself included. I often didn't even bother with the showcases because the loot I got from enemies or lower tier containers was just as good or better. Thankfully, Bethesda has balanced this out according to the latest patch notes, so lockpicking will feel like you're getting your money's worth again on greater difficulties.

Starborn Power upgrades and NG+ improvements

Say goodbye to pointless temple grinding

When it comes to the main quest, chasing temples to unlock and upgrade all Starborn abilities was a grueling task that would tire people out quickly. star field First released. This is especially true because the temple in question is nothing more than a single room location with a very simple puzzle mechanic. SkyrimYou may stumble across a Word Wall inside a large dungeon or secret location, or even in the wild. star field The same sense of accomplishment was not achieved simply with a system.

Unfortunately, the temples are still the same, but now you can at least upgrade your Starborn powers using Quantum Essence, which reduces the need for temple grinding. We have good news about Starborns, Unity, and NG+. You can now select specific weapons to bring into NG+ using an item called Quantum Entanglement Device. That means you don't have to start completely from scratch if you choose to go that route (which you should do at least once for the cool ships and armor).

Most of my colleagues are still a bit lacking.

Needs more whimsy and edge

majority Starfield's Colleagues received the same criticism upon release. So kind! That was a sure way to kill anyone's dreams of creating a morally gray or even evil character. While the vision is behind star field It was about hope and adventure, but it would have been nice if the constellations had had people with a little more questionable morals.

That said, the Terran Armada has brought a new friend to the table: Delta. Reportedly, he's the first character to be a little more lenient when it comes to doing what he likes, so if you have dreams of growing up as a villain, you might want to consider adding Terran Armada to your DLC list.