Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield launched back in September to positive acclaim and exceptional player numbers. Regardless of how one feels about the game, even the most hardcore players admit it needs certain options and quality-of-life features. There’s also the demand for new activities, modes of transport, etc.
With story expansions coming in the future and Bethesda promising to support the game for a long time, here are ten things we would like to see implemented in future DLC.
Vehicles and Mounts
Say what you will about procedurally generated land masses, map boundaries, etc, but some kind of transportation to explore a planet would be fantastic for several reasons. First, for a game focused on space exploration and replicating the desolation and loneliness of it, why not replicate the feeling of driving a rover around (especially since there are in-game models for the same)? Second, more storage while running around, which is always good.
Third, it means if you don’t want to invest in Powers for sprinting around more or Perks that increase the Boost Pack’s speed, you don’t have to. Finally, who doesn’t want to tame the creatures on some planets and ride around, causing trouble for the locals or battling other creatures? You could even add special features for some mounts, like gliding, mining, climbing and swimming to encourage their use over vehicles in specific scenarios. There could also be some events or points of interest that specifically require vehicles.
Also, mechs. They’re officially part of the universe, so give us one with full customization.
Underwater Exploration
Speaking of swimming, underwater exploration needs to be in the game since yesterday. There must be ways to build underwater, encounter dangerous new aquatic life forms (which could be used in new recipes), and even add some fishing. Would it be too much to add a submarine that players could use to explore the depths? There is a lot of untapped potential under the sea, whether ancient ruins and seeking out lost treasure or encountering some terrifying entity in the depths.
Co-op Support
Not many are asking for a persistent online world like Fallout 76, but Starfield is a game that practically begs for co-op. So why not implement support for up to four players to venture together? Make each player’s “universe” unique – which, without getting into spoilers, they already are – and open up things like ship battles, exploration, base building, and more.
Could you imagine rolling up with a team into a massive space battle or engaging in corporate espionage in Neon with another player? How about constructing a capital ship with each player managing different aspects, from rerouting power to different gun stations? If untethered multiplayer is possible, you could have everyone off making questionable decisions that can affect your playthrough in chaotic ways.
More Impactful Choices
As enjoyable as some of the Faction Quests could be (specifically the UC Vanguard and the Crimson Fleet), the DLC needs to offer more impactful choices with its story quests. It’s not like that would be something new for Bethesda – look at Fallout 4’s Far Harbor DLC, which featured all kinds of serious choices that could heavily impact your playthrough.
Would it be so unrealistic to have some content locked off based on your decisions if only to reinforce the seriousness of your actions? Regardless of how the developer approaches this, choices with harder-hitting consequences would go so much further, especially if Starfield is going to be supported for the long haul. It just adds that much more to one’s journey.
New Weapon Types
When Bethesda showcased the different types of weapons that Starfield would have in its dedicated Direct, there was anticipation for all the unknown types. While some of the loot can be quite good, it felt like we saw pretty much everything the game had to offer with its weapons. Any DLC needs to add new weapon types, whether it’s Plasma weapons, flamethrowers, etc.
It also shouldn’t be afraid to get imaginative. What about spike launchers or targeting lasers that call down orbital bombardments? How about weapons that can be dual-wielded, like uzis or lever-action shotguns? Most importantly, what about guns that manipulate gravity, Tesla cannons or alien artifacts that can affect reality? There is a lot of untapped potential, and we’re eager to see what Bethesda delivers next.
More Options for Melee Combat
Aside from new ranged weapons and more variety in weapon types, there must be more options for melee combat. It’s the future, but there are no beam swords or laser whips? No sledgehammers or drills for the more industrial settings or even power fists?
A chainsaw sword may garner complaints from Games Workshop, but more melee weapons are needed. On top of that, Bethesda must provide more melee combat options, whether mods, different attack patterns or expanding on the base types with more variety.
Expanded Planet Generation
Wherever and whenever the story DLCs may take us, one thing is for sure: Starfield needs more variety in its planet generation. New points of interest, encounters, events – the works. It wouldn’t hurt to have limited-time world events, say a battle between two giant creatures where you can pick a side, or new dungeons that would take players into the depths of a planet.
Having that kind of content generation apply to the entire game would also be nice, and you could even have tougher encounters appear in New Game Plus to incentivize players further.
New Cities
Neon, Akila City, The Key and New Atlantis are the major cities in Starfield, and while they’re distinct enough from each other, we need more. If underwater exploration ever happens, then an Atlantis-like city seems reasonable. If we’re talking space, then massive Borg-like cubes with inhabitants connected via hive mind seem like an afterthought.
Happening upon cities which serve as throwbacks, perhaps because the population hasn’t technologically advanced, would be great and allow for references and Easter eggs to other games like Whiterun or Solitude. Whichever direction Bethesda decides to go in, we also hope it offers larger-scale cities on top of everything else.
Large Scale Bosses
As janky as the Scorchbeast Queen was in Fallout 76, it offered a larger-than-life boss for players to tackle, something that Starfield desperately needs. How crazy would it be to encounter massive worms on a planet, or even giant space whales in some remote part of the universe, and attempt to fight them for new rewards? How about a sentient robot planet to put your space cruiser of death to the test?
Even if it’s something the average player couldn’t tackle without putting in lots of time, it would make for a fun end-game challenge, if not a super boss to tackle in New Game Plus.
New Backgrounds and Perks
It only makes sense to have new Backgrounds and Perks to encourage players to start a new playthrough, if not explore new options since there is no level cap. If underwater exploration is added, why not have a Diver background with Perks that facilitate the same (along with increased O2 capacity or faster movement speed underwater)?
Maybe an option to become a Borg-like being with all kinds of cybernetic enhancements (which could also feature a quest to either find free will or follow the Collective). If vehicles are added, there could always be Perks associated with the same, not to mention brand-new options like melee finishers.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
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