Initial release date: September 30, 2024
Genres: Role-playing video game, Adventure game, Shooter game, Fighting game
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Engine: Creation Engine 2
I loved Starfield, but it was one of those games where I could see why it received so much criticism. 70 hours in, and I still had a lot to complete before even hitting Shattered Space. But after playing Shattered galactic, the rest of my galactic adventure may be postponed till later notice.
Shattered Space does not require a complete playing of Starfield to begin. As long as you’ve joined Constellation and earned your own spacecraft, simply sail to any star system with no objective markings and a mysterious-looking space station will await you. It is recommended that you be at least level 35 before starting, however I went in at level 29 and had no problems.
The Oracle, a strange space station, advises you not to board it ahead of time, but if you do, it will be a relatively short DLC. However, after boarding, you understand why you were told not to. Strange apparitions of humans appear and disappear, and there is a blue substance on the walls that reacts weirdly when you enter. I would advise against it, but you’ve already come this far…
It is time to return to Starfield with Shattered Space
Later on, this space station will return to the orbit of Va’ruun’kai, the home of House Va’ruun and the sole setting for the Shattered Space DLC. You will quickly discover that an experiment gone horribly wrong has blown a hole in the city of Dazra. And, despite the fact that the world is inaccessible throughout the main campaign, and the unfortunate time of your entrance, you appear to be welcomed in with open arms, even being allowed to fully convert to their religion at the first chance. Again, doing so is required to continue through Shattered Space, and the religious “mumbo jumbo” is prominently included in the DLC. Remember, this is the sect that believes the Great Serpent will appear from space someday, and they will not entertain any other view of the future.
However, it appears that even the Great Serpent is unable to bring together the diverse factions of the larger House Va’ruun. Each house has its own strategy for dealing with the catastrophe, and there is only one person who can bring them together: You.
One major issue I had with Starfield: Shattered Space was that the destruction of Va’ruun’kai did not appear to be believable; whether this was due to the fact that we had not seen the city of Dazra before to the explosion, or simply a lack of debris surrounding the terrain itself.
And, while everyone is eager to tell you everything they know about the explosion, I found it difficult to get into their stories. That’s because there never seemed to be one. You do get to explore the location, but everything feels logically placed: convenient roads to your destination, convenient zero-gravity bubbles that lead to a penthouse office or residence of some kind. I just battled with world-building, which never occurred to me in Starfield. Or any Bethesda game, for that matter.
Everything feels convenient.
Given that Shattered Space takes place on the Va’ruun’s home planet, I decided to bring Andrea along as my partner. That, and the fact that we had some type of ceremony involving a knife and a skull, implying that we are now officially married.
I was expected to be able to get the most out of the DLC with someone who had grown up on this world beside me. However, other from the occasional criticism, I could have taken any other friend and had an almost comparable experience.
If you’ve played a Bethesda game, you’ve had a similar experience. Not necessarily a bad thing, but if you were expecting Shattered Space would be the thing to make Starfield tick, you may be disappointed.
What follows is a series of missions to placate each house while piecing together what happened here. There will be plenty of battle, some dungeons to explore, moral quandaries to resolve, and new weapons to acquire. All part of Bethesda’s normal operation. However, Shattered Space feels incomplete when compared to Bethesda’s prior DLCs.
And, whisper it, I miss the ability to fly around the galaxy in search of the next hint or objective marker. Shattered Space takes set entirely on Va’ruun’kai, and although it’s nice to see a fully realized city and landscape being used to its greatest capacity, keep in mind that this is a space RPG.
Not the DLC that Starfield is seeking for.
The new weaponry in Starfield: Shattered Space are great, feeling incredibly otherworldly yet packing a powerful punch. Most new foes will be carrying one of the new weapons; the brutish Redeemed are typically armed with a Schimaz, which is a melee weapon that should not be passed. Other Vortex foes will usually have a new weapon on them, but keep a look out for the Starshard pistol. In a roundabout way, it’s quite the beast. It uses Light Particle Fuse ammo, which you will find throughout Shattered Space, and I doubt I will ever need to use another weapon in Starfield.
That is, when I return to it, as it is time for a vacation from Shattered Space. Shattered Space is a perfectly fine DLC for Starfield that never deviates from the norm. It’s typical of a Bethesda DLC, but even as someone who enjoyed the main game of Starfield, it’s not what the spacefaring RPG needs right now.
Review Overview
Gameplay: 87%
Controls: 85%
Aesthetics: 92%
Content: 89%
Accessibility: 80%
Value: 90%
Overall: 87%
EXCELLENT
Summary: “Starfield: Shattered Space” builds on the foundation of the original game, providing players with an even more expansive experience in the huge world. With updated gaming mechanics, visually stunning planets, and improved space combat, the game elevates galactic exploration to new heights. The universe’s enormous size is both its strength and weakness; while the freedom is thrilling, some players may find it intimidating or overpowering. Despite a few UI glitches and repetitious tasks, “Shattered Space” is a content-rich, engrossing experience that space exploration lovers will find well worth the investment.