All gameplay mechanics revealed in Starfield so far

Starfield is one of the most anticipated games this year, and Bethesda has revealed tons of detail about the game in the lengthy Starfield Direct segment of the Xbox Games Showcase. It touched upon features like ship customization, base building, and more that this new IP from Bethesda will offer to fans of space exploration and RPG games.

Apart from the highlights above, Starfield is set to immerse players in a vast universe with varied creatures, factions, a robust narrative, and refined combat mechanics.

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What are the major gameplay features of Starfield?

Base Building

Starfield will allow players to build their base on any planet, enabling them to pick their favorite spot and craft their desired structure. Fans can choose from two camera angles to deploy the structures: a top-down view and the normal on-foot perspective.

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Ship Customization

The ability to pilot myriad ships is the tip of the iceberg since Starfield goes one step further by including ship customization. The video showcases many types of ships that one can create, ranging from bulky cargo ships to quirky ones that resemble a mech or a robot.

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Character Creator

The character creator not only allows one to choose the body type but also the walking style. Fans can spend hours tweaking options like skin tones, hair color, head shapes, facial hair, and more. To add more depth to the character, Starfield also comprises a background that can be assigned to the character to give them a backstory and a set of traits.

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Crew members

Players can even recruit crew members that can lend a helping hand not only on ships but also on outposts. Sarah Morgan, Barret, Sam Coe, and other members can even aid players across on-foot exploration sections in Starfield.

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Space exploration and combat

Avid fans can fly into space besides landing on planets and exploring the various locales. Players can expect to run into enemy ships while cruising through asteroid fields and can defend themselves by using the guns outfitted on their ships. Those inclined to collect ships can do so by stealing, trading, or simply buying them.

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Factions

Bethesda continues the tradition of offering a bunch of factions that players can engage with along their journey. This will allow players to interact with quirky characters, tackle quests related to them as allies, or even rival them. Constellation, Freestar Collective, and United Colonies are some factions one can encounter in the game.

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Skills and abilities

RPG fans won’t be disappointed as there are a plethora of skills to acquire. Players will be able to spend their skill points to obtain any desired ability, which can be ranked further by tackling the associated challenges and spending some more skill points.

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Scanning and cataloging

This title will pit players against a variety of alien creatures which can be hostile. One can catalog them by resorting to the scanning feature. Fans can even perform a scan on planets to know what resources it contains along with the climatic conditions it exhibits.

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Weapons and gunplay

Fans can expect a great variety of guns ranging from silent weapons to firearms that wreak havoc, most of which can be modified. Players can even use melee weapons to deal with foes and creatures. One can use the jetpack on the back of the character to get some elevation, which is beneficial in combat and exploration.

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When is the release date for Starfield?

Fortunately, sci-fi and RPG enthusiasts won’t have to wait longer since Starfield releases on September 6, 2023, on Xbox Series X/S and PC only. Furthermore, the game is set to be available on Xbox Game Pass the same day it launches.

Those excited to delve into it can also pre-order the game now and avail of bonuses like Laser Cutter, Deep Mining Helmet, and Deep Mining Pack.

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Is Starfield 25 years in the making?

Starfield is undoubtedly the most ambitious undertaking from Bethesda, as evidenced by the scale of the world and the interplay between a vast number of gameplay mechanics. It has been touted as 25 years in the making, and the same was said in the recent showcase.

It does not denote the years it took to develop the game, but it is the first new IP from Bethesda in a long time. Thus the 25 years in the making signifies all the aspects ranging from the game’s conceptualization, pre-production stages, and the technological evolution that occurred in the last two and a half decades, which finally led to the game's fruition now.

This game can be considered 25 years in the making in a more metaphoric sense as this is the studio's first new and ambitious undertaking in many years, coupled with the fact that it is set in a sci-fi universe, which is a new domain for them.