Shattered Space: A Mixed Reception for Starfield’s First DLC
Starfield’s inaugural DLC, Shattered Space, launched yesterday but met with a lukewarm response despite high anticipation. This expansion was eagerly awaited, primarily because it aimed to tackle many of the game’s initial shortcomings. Shattered Space promised a meticulously crafted map—one of the first of its kind in Starfield—and a horror-infused storyline to invigorate the sometimes mundane universe.
However, the initial enthusiasm seems to have dwindled since its release. Currently, Shattered Space holds a “Mixed” rating on Steam. This platform collects user ratings, allowing players to simply indicate whether they recommend the game or not, while encouraging them to provide detailed feedback. A “Mixed” rating signifies a blend of positive and negative reviews among the 584 submitted, each potentially stemming from a variety of reasons.
Why Starfield: Shattered Space’s Steam Rating Is So Low
Bad Bugs & Great Expectations
One significant factor contributing to the mixed reviews of Shattered Space is the presence of several frustrating bugs at launch. Many players who downloaded the DLC alongside a comprehensive Starfield update on its first day found themselves unable to access the new content. Additionally, numerous mods, including those available through Starfield’s official Creations marketplace, became inoperable. Some players experienced issues with initiating the starting mission, while others faced problems loading their saved games. Moreover, the planetary textures of Va’ruun’kai and the associated NPC dialogues were often replaced with placeholders and subtitles indicating “LOOKUP FAILED!”
Starfield Dev Reveals Why Shattered Space DLC Feels So Familiar To Bethesda Fans
A review by Steam user Naerumi highlights this issue, stating, “Another game-breaking DLC brought to you by Bethesda.” This comment reflects the developer’s reputation for releasing buggy games, which can become even more problematic with subsequent DLC releases. Naerumi primarily expressed concern about how the update affected their mods.
Mods, which are independently developed, often face downtime when a new game update is released, as developers can’t predict all the changes to the base game. Given this backdrop, the reception of Shattered Space isn’t entirely surprising, especially since the base game itself received a “Mixed” rating on Steam. Starfield’s core issues include lackluster exploration due to its procedurally generated map, absence of real-time space travel, and inconsequential story choices. While Shattered Space attempts to address these criticisms, many players feel it falls short. Steam user Toop succinctly notes, “Shattered Space changes none of this. It’s just more Starfield.”
The underlying problem is that, despite the new content, Shattered Space doesn’t resolve all the fundamental issues with Starfield. Once players step away from the DLC, they encounter the same problems: empty planets, repetitive points of interest, and limited space travel. It offers only a brief respite from Starfield’s pervasive issues.
Moreover, numerous negative reviews of Shattered Space critique the DLC on its own merits, questioning its value for money. User Sealthief provides a detailed analysis, arguing that for $30 USD, the DLC adds “0 new companions, 0 new gameplay features, 0 new ship parts,” and “over 100 new loading screens.” Compared to Bethesda’s previous DLC offerings, this is perceived as a poor investment.
Shattered Space: A Step Forward
The First DLC Of Many
It appears that Shattered Space did not quite meet fan expectations. While many of these expectations were reasonable—a $30 DLC should offer substantial expansion and be largely free of game-breaking issues—expecting it to address all the base game’s problems was perhaps overly optimistic. At best, it should build upon the stronger aspects of its foundation while introducing fresh elements.
Nevertheless, Shattered Space marks a positive step in Starfield’s ongoing development. Its handcrafted environment and eerie narrative indicate that Bethesda is paying attention to player feedback. Although it hasn’t yet rectified all the game’s flaws, there’s potential for future DLC to continue addressing these gaps. If the developers remain responsive to player input, Starfield may eventually realize its full potential.
Sources: Steam (1,2), Naerumi/Steam, Toop/Steam, Sealthief/Steam
