The Starfield deep dive video released by Bethesda put many theories and speculation to rest, as not only will players encounter aliens in the game, but one talent tree is specifically dedicated to xeno interaction. The main story in Starfield will revolve around discovering the mysteries of the galaxy as a new member of Constellation, the last true explorers of space. The adventure will take players on a search for alien artifacts, which are speculated to be the gameplay equivalent in Starfield to Dragon Shouts from Skyrim.
The skill system and talents in Starfield are visually represented by uniform patches, and allow players to build their characters from a set of different Physical, Social, Combat, Science, or Tech skills to suit their playstyle. Each category has several rows of subcategories, and each skill has ranks that players can unlock through completing the corresponding challenges. From picking locks to intimidating enemies to crafting chems at a Research Lab, it's a full Bethesda experience set in space that fans are endearing calling it "No Man's Skyrim".
However, the most intriguing part of the talent tree shown in the Starfield Deep Dive concerns the Xenosociology skill, which will allow players to mind control alien creatures and turn them docile. Though the scope and duration of the mind control is yet to be understood, the demonstration made it seem like an extremely useful skill to have when out exploring the wilderness. Starfield will have over a thousand planets, filled to the brim with handmade details and unique locations for players to explore, and not all the fauna will be friendly.
The gameplay of Starfield will combine a completely revamped gunplay familiar to Fallout players, with all sorts of tech and gadgets – such as being able to manipulate gravity in combat, hover in the air with a boost pack, or blow up an entire group of enemies with all sorts of explosives. It will feature a wide variety of weapons, fully-customizable with an equally ambitious set of mods. If Starfield delivers on its ambitious promises, its combat is sure to delight fans of the Fallout franchise, as well as any player who loves first-person shooters.
Though not a live service title, Starfield will have story expansions, with Shattered Space already announced as its first DLC Pack. Coupled with mod support on a brand-new engine, it will likely be supported by the developers and the community for many years to come. All that's left is for Bethesda to stick the landing on September, and it may have a chance to compete for Game of the Year in a very stacked 2023.
Starfield releases on September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.