The release of less-than-stellar reviews, but could be the start of a new direction for the RPG. Expanding on an unknown section of Starfield's universe, introducing new locations, NPCs, and additional combat mechanics, Shattered Space had the makings of success but missed the mark on what fans expected in a major DLC. Despite this, with all the patches and content additions since its release, Starfield is starting to realize some of its untapped potential.

One of the biggest complaints from fans is the lack of overall content in Shattered Space, with many Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty expansion, providing drastically more content at a similar price. While Shattered Space may not be enough to bring players back on its own, the overall changes in Starfield since launch could still convince some players to make a return.

How Shattered Space Fixes (Some) Of Starfield's Problems

A Rocky But Promising Start For The Future Of Starfield

One of the biggest changes to Starfield's Shattered Space is how the enemy AI reacts to the player and their overall level of intelligence. The new Phantom and Horror enemies provide players with a surprising level of challenge compared to standard enemies, zipping around combat while being capable of flanking and ambushing tactics that were unheard of in the base game. The combat encounters themselves take place in the beautifully hand-crafted environments of planet Va'ruun'kai, having a strong visual identity both on the surface of the planet and its underground facilities, taking inspiration from sci-fi horror films.

There's also plenty of new gear and weapons to collect that have interesting and unique effects, especially with the addition of Vortex Grenades. These craftable grenades let players unleash a variety of different effects based on which of the five they use, from standard AoE blasts to sending enemies into another plane of reality. Many elements from the main story and significant side quests also have solid foundations, with the concept of the phantoms and events leading up to Shattered Space offering an intriguing sense of mystery while offering player choice to affect story outcomes.

Why Fans Aren't Completely Happy With Shattered Space

Not Enough Content To Satisfy Disgruntled Players

While these additions seem great on paper, many fans were still disappointed with the amount of new gear, unsatisfied with the seven new weapons and assortment of armor given their similarities to pre-existing items from Starfield. Fans also criticized the overall size of the planet and city of Dazra, not being large enough, or having enough points of interest needed to match up to the expectations of a full DLC expansion. These complaints led to the general sentiment that Shattered Space failed to deliver on the promises made by Bethesda, undermining the potential fans saw in Starfield since its release.

The story itself, while having an interesting premise, also lacked elements players expected from a long-teased section of the game. Despite being a cult-driven society bordering on the edges of space, many of the NPCs and locations are similar to what players have experienced on other planets in the base game, with some aspects only having small variations. Lacking the rich culture expected of such a bizarre sci-fi society, many players were underwhelmed in their short time playing Shattered Space.

Shattered Space Is A Good Start For Starfield DLC, But Not Enough

Room For Improvement In Bethesda's Newest IP

One of the biggest changes to Starfield's gameplay experience was launched weeks before the actual release of Shattered Space, which could've substantially boosted review scores for Shattered Space if released alongside it. The drivable REV-8 buggy is something fans have wanted since the very release of Starfield, revolutionizing how players explore different planets across the stars. While there's a chance it was added earlier to get players familiarized with the vehicle and drive up excitement before release, it likely did more harm than good for the outlook on the current expansion.

Starfield still has a long way to go to achieve the full vision of an immersive Bethesda RPG set in space.

Alongside the release of Starfield's Shattered Space came a plethora of general bug fixes and minor improvements, all aimed at streamlining the gameplay experience for returning players. From fixing broken quests to a wide array of HUD elements, many of the changes have slipped the notice of fans, with the negative perception of Shattered Space taking the spotlight. While Shattered Space has managed to bring the experience closer to the expectations fans had upon its initial release, Starfield still has a long way to go to achieve the full vision of an immersive Bethesda RPG set in space.

What Features Do Fans Want To See Most In Starfield?

Starfield Could Still Reach Its Ambition

One of the immediate criticisms of Starfield on its release was the lack of immersive takeoff and landing animations, with players instead stuck on loading screens between travels. Despite being a simple change, it can go a long way in creating an immersive experience for players, letting them feel engrossed in exploring the world around them. For the ships themselves, while Shattered Space did introduce a few bug fixes and a flip option in the creator, it's still a bit barebones when it comes to offering more player freedom in making unique ships.

Another problem fans had with Starfield was the lack of cohesive worldbuilding, with many of the factions feeling completely separate from one another, unlike previous Bethesda titles where the various storylines feel more interconnected. Adding additional encounters or a galaxy-spanning threat to the base game would go a long way toward fostering meaningful player choice while providing significant consequences for the story. Aside from larger scale changes, smaller ones like better map functionality and continued mod can allow dedicated players to get even more enjoyment out of their time playing Starfield, keeping it alive until the next major expansion.

While Shattered Space may not be enough to bring players back on its own, the overall changes in Starfield since launch could still convince some players to make the journey back through the stars.

Sources: Bethesda Softworks/YouTube, Reddit