Absolutsen

I’ve spent around 160 hours in Starfield. I bought the Premium Edition and even picked up the Collector’s Edition - haven’t even used the included game code, just kept it sealed as a collector. So I’m definitely not someone who’s just casually dropping in; I really wanted to love this game.

The main story is fine, but Starfield really made me realize how important immersion is between the main quests. In games like Skyrim or Zelda, just wandering around feels meaningful - the world draws you in, you stumble upon things, and there’s a rhythm to the exploration that feels alive.

With Starfield, that magic is missing. There are so many different planets, but because of that scale, the game struggles to make any of them feel truly alive. You land, walk around, and not much really happens. That sense of immersive wandering — of being pulled into the world - just isn’t there.

Honestly, it would have helped a lot if Bethesda had been more upfront about the game not being “Skyrim in space.” If that expectation had been set more clearly, I think I would’ve had an easier time accepting the game for what it is, rather than constantly comparing it to what I hoped it would be.

It’s not a bad game. But after 160 hours, I’ve realized how much the little, in-between moments matter - and how much I miss them here.