Starfield’s highly anticipated Shattered Space expansion is finally here, and early feedback suggests it hasn’t swayed many opinions on Bethesda’s cosmic RPG. According to reviews on Steam, if you’re already a fan of Starfield, you’ll likely enjoy this addition. However, a lack of significant new features and a story that falls a bit flat have left it with a “Mixed” rating so far.
The most praised aspect of Shattered Space is the new hand-crafted planet, Va’ruun’kai, and its capital city, Darza. Both are being well-received for their striking visuals, with many players showing off scenic landscapes on Reddit. While these new locales are a visual improvement over the more generic worlds of the base game, some players feel there’s little reason to stick around beyond a quick visit.
One reviewer remarked, “It’s no wonder they marketed this the way they did, focusing only on the narrative and world space. Outside of that, there is almost zero new content. If you stack this up against any of Bethesda’s prior DLC, this is by far the worst value for your money.” Many negative reviews echo similar sentiments, comparing it unfavorably to the more robust expansions Bethesda has released for games like Skyrim and Fallout 4.
While the main quest is generally seen as higher quality than the base game, players were hoping for more transformative content. Even some positive reviews acknowledge that while Shattered Space is enjoyable, it doesn’t bring much that will change the overall experience. One player described it as “a thoroughly mediocre, self-contained DLC, at a time when Starfield desperately needs more depth.” They praised the quest design and Darza but criticized the lack of new features for outposts and ships.
For those who already enjoyed Starfield, the expansion is worth playing. But as one review puts it, “If you enjoyed Starfield, you’ll enjoy this DLC. If not, it won’t change your opinion of the game.”
Some comparisons to Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty have skewed expectations for what DLC can achieve. While Phantom Liberty transformed Cyberpunk’s reputation, it was also released three years after the base game, with a massive overhaul. Bethesda never promised Shattered Space would be as transformative.
In the end, while Shattered Space brings some welcome additions, many players feel it’s a “missed opportunity” for a game that could benefit from deeper improvements. Perhaps future expansions will offer the more substantial changes that some fans are hoping for.
