Starfield offers a vast space adventure, giving the usual Bethesda formula a hard sci-fi makeover. When it comes to Bethesda titles, there are core features to be expected. One of these connecting aspects is the developer's embrace of many side missions and quests for players to experience. Starfield continues this tradition, with one of the most notable of these being Run the Red Mile.
Although the initial reception of Starfield was a mixed bag, updates have helped the RPG feel more realized. Now that the game has its first vehicle with the REV-8 and its upcoming first DLC with Shattered Space, the future of Starfield looks brighter. When it comes to Bethesda's next game, looking to Starfield's Run the Red Mile would serve as a great source of inspiration for increasing player interaction with side missions.
Run the Red Miles' Incentive Needs to Inspire Future Bethesda Titles
Rewarding Players for Their Persistence Brings a Satisfying End-Game
The objective of Run the Red Mile is simple. When at the Red Mile casino, players must beat local celebrity Donovan Rhys and his 28 successful attempts at running the dangerous Red Mile. The path is overrun with Red Mile Maulers, making it a harrowing challenge. However, if players complete the task more than the record 28 times, they are handsomely rewarded. The prize for beating the Red Mile record is the Desperation rifle. This rare unique variant of the AA-99 is a fantastic gun to get one's hands on, and Bethesda challenges need more side missions that offer similar rewards after repeated attempts.
There are some great rewards in Starfield's side quests, but the Desperation rifle is one prize that is most worth the time. Doing the same side mission over and over may not be every player's cup of tea, but it can offer a fun challenge that tests the persistence of specific players. Missions like Run the Red Mile are seemingly vanishing from open world RPGs, but Starfield makes a good case as to why they should continue.
- The Desperation rifle is pre-equipped with six attachments and the Cornered weapon effect that deals more damage when the player has less health.
Instead of happening across rare weapons randomly, working for weapons like the Desperation rifle is ultimately more rewarding. Hiding special weapons behind repetitive challenges is a simple, but effective, way to increase the challenge of getting these types of weapons, because not every player is willing to put in the time. As Starfield begins to hit its stride a year after its launch, Bethesda will likely be looking to the sci-fi title to get inspiration for future projects.
Starfield Rising From Its Divisive Launch
The REV-8 has been a game changer for the game's traversal, and Shattered Space promises to be a large upgrade as well. Despite the exciting new content, Run the Red Mile is an example of some of the base game's strong qualities. Not every aspect of Starfield was great at launch, but this side quest was a challenging and intriguing task for players to jump into. Thanks to such a great incentive, Run the Red Mile is one of the stronger side missions in a game filled with them.
Starfield's upcoming Shattered Space DLC is set to launch later this month on September 30.
As Starfield's Shattered Space DLC brings a horror-themed chapter to the gam e, it will be fascinating to see what side quests are added to the base game. Getting a new cult-centered story is compelling enough, but there will likely be a variety of new items and weapons potentially brought with Shattered Space. If this is the case, Run the Red Mile's influence will hopefully be felt in this expansion and future Bethesda titles to come.
Starfield
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 83%
WHERE TO PLAY
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- How Long To Beat
- 20 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 101 GB (September 2023)
