Starfield is one of 2023‘s most monumental video game events. As Bethesda Game Studios‘ first new franchise in 25 years since The Elder Scrolls, its vast and unexplored sci-fi universe offers incredible promise. However, as an open world roleplaying game, parents will want to review the content to determine if their budding space cadet is ready for the journey. This comprehensive guide examines all aspects of this hotly anticipated title.
A Next Generation Journey Among the Stars
Release Date: June 2023
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Genre: Open World Single Player RPG
Similar to: The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Mass Effect
Starfield thrusts players into the year 2330, when humanity has begun to settle the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As an explorer for the adventurous faction known as Constellation, you use your own starship to travel between populated systems and distant star clusters off the beaten path. Both a main storyline and seemingly endless side adventures encourage free form exploration across over 1,000 unique planets.
Fans eagerly await Starfield because it‘s the acclaimed Bethesda Game Studios developer‘s first new franchise since 1994‘s The Elder Scrolls: Arena pioneered its open world roleplaying design philosophy. Known for ambitious and beloved RPGs like Skyrim and Fallout 4, expectations are massive for this spacefaring production. Early impressions suggest it captures Bethesda‘s talent for environmental storytelling and freedom in character progression.
Bethesda Legacy of Open World Design
| Game | Year | Major Accolades |
|---|---|---|
| The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion | 2006 | Game of the Year (GOTY) |
| Fallout 3 | 2008 | GOTY |
| The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | 2011 | GOTY |
| Fallout 4 | 2015 | GOTY Nominee |
| Starfield | 2023 | Potential GOTY Contender |
What Age Rating Does Starfield Carry?
ESRB Rating: Mature – 17+
Content Descriptors: Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs, Violence
Starfield‘s sci-fi setting pits players against dangerous factions like pirates, renegade militants, and hostile alien species. Gun and laser based combat is a core gameplay element across both ranged and melee weapons. While not overtly graphic, the action contains blood, injury detail, and occasional dismemberment.
The Mature rating also accounts for light sexual themes and innuendo around relationships and romance options. Some missions involve the player character undercover trying to romance NPCs. Dialogue choices allow directing conversations down more suggestive paths.
A few plotlines revolve around developing and taking illicit substances like alcohol and a fantasy drug called aurora. One mission has the player recover stolen aurora vials in a lab. Strong language also occurs situationally from hostile groups.
Compare to Other Bethesda RPG Ratings
| Game | ESRB Rating | Key Factors |
|---|---|---|
| The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | M 17+ | Blood/Gore, Sexual Themes, Use of Drugs/Alcohol, Violence |
| Fallout 4 | M 17+ | Blood/Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Drugs/Alcohol |
| Starfield | M 17+ | Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs, Violence |
While intense at times, most mature teenagers can reasonably handle Starfield‘s action and themes with proper guidance. However, parents are still advised to use discretion with young children under 14.
Customizing Your Spacefaring Adventurer
Character creation allows players to fully define their avatar‘s backstory, identity, skills, and aesthetic before launch. As a recovering war veteran or exiled nobility, the decisions shape NPC interactions. Customization offers deep flexibility:
- Appearance – Gender, Facial Features, Hair, Body Type
- Backgrounds – Colonist, Diplomat, Explorer, Scoundrel, Scientist
- Attributes – allocated points impacting health, stamina, defense
- Skills – Upgrade Builds Like Combat, Engineering, Science
- Traits – optional bonuses and weaknesses selected
Beyond influency dialogue and opening missions, these choices provide gameplay bonuses. A high engineering background, for example, reduces starship modification costs. Invested points in hacking open electronic locks faster. Traits like Fear of Heights hamper mountain exploration.
During adventures you can develop relationships culminating in romance and even marriage. While limited details are available, found partners offer combat aid and storyline reactions to player decisions. Spousal interactions likely involve sharing living quarters aboard the player‘s starship.
Sample Relationship and Marriage Details
- 5 Possible Romance Options Among Prominent NPCs
- Shared Living Quarters Accessible on Spaceship
- Reactions to Player Decisions During Key Missions
- Combat Aid Against Hostile Factions
- Unknown Degree of Physical Intimacy
How Does Progression and Advancement Work?
Like Bethesda‘s past open world RPGs, players freely explore handcrafted environments completing quests and unlocking new equipment and abilities. Discovery remains essential to advancement. Your crew must locate new star systems via celestial maps, gather rare crafting resources from planets through mining, and salvage lost human and alien technologies.
Player Progression Elements
- Spaceflight Between Star Systems and Planets
- Over 1000 Unique Planets Across Star Systems
- Constellation Faction Missions
- Side Quests for Other Groups and Individuals
- Artifact Hunting, Gathering Resources
- Engineering Spaceship Upgrades
- Character Skill Tree Advancement
- Weapon and Equipment Crafting/Looting
- Base Building/Settlement Improvement over Time
The volume suggests players can progress for over 200 hours without exhausting content. Focus on engineering could build an impressive fleet while extroverts befriend entire systems. Settlement development provides passive resource income to fund other goals.
How Does Combat and Violence Factor In?
As an epic space opera, hostile encounters feature prominently in the main storyline and side adventures. Pirates, smugglers, mutinous rebels, and occasionally aggressive alien species all force players to defend themselves. Most equipped weapons consist of ballistic firearms like pistols and assault rifles alongside plasma/laser technology.
Core combat gameplay allows players to tailor preferred styles. Upfront assault, careful stealth, sniper cover, and dialogue deescalation all remain viable against humanoid groups. When overwhelmed, tactical withdrawals prevent frustrating death penalties. Spaceship battles require skilled piloting and weapon use but avoid excessive complexity.
Violent scenes depict blood splatter from injuries alongside occasionally heavy themes like betrayal and murder investigations. While not to the graphic extremes of games like The Last of Us Part II, parents should preview some gameplay to judge appropriateness for their child‘s sensitivities.
Injury Detail Severity
- Limited Gore – More Blood Sprays Over Dismemberment
- Player Injuries Feature Prominently
- Headshots Elicit Explosive Particle Effects
- Death Animations Show Pain and Injury Reactions
- Aftermath Investigations Into Violent Crimes
Situational use of plasma and laser energy weapons adds sci-fi charm without feeling uncomfortably violent for most mature players. Ultimately combat remains a core aspect of gameplay and narrative for heroes traversing a dangerous age.
What Risks Exist Around Potential Mods?
On PC and possibly Xbox, users can download free community mods altering character models, visuals, content additions, and gameplay tweaks. These range harmless improvements to inserting adult objectification.
Bethesda accepts modding as an expression of player creativity but has always limited outright adult content hosting through its platforms. Still, sexually suggestive mods existed around games like 2015‘s Fallout 4 especially around character models and romance options.CONSOLE
Provided children play Starfield through a correctly configured parental control environment, modding risks remain low. However, parents should specifically discuss expectations around avoiding inappropriate mods and other multiplayer interactions. Open communication channels give kids a chance to ask questions rather than hide newly introduced concepts.
Are Language, Sex, and Drugs Prominent Throughout?
In addition to the Mature rating‘s cited content descriptors, parents may wonder to what degrees profanity, romance activity, and drug use feature during adventures. Here again Starfield generally reflects the genre franchise standards avoiding extremes on these fronts.
- Language – Situational Strong Profanity Among Criminal Groups
- Sex/Romance – Innuendos But No Graphic Immersion/Nudity
- Drugs – References Both Recreational and Medicinal Substances
One side mission has the player infiltrating a gang facility growing illicit plants. Another requests recovering stolen medication. Core storyline progression avoids emphasis on vice and addiction. Because relationships remain optional, players desiring less mature flirtation need not engage.
Ultimately content situationality and lack of visceral focus make these elements palatable for most older teenagers. Genre sophistication deserves parent preview and discussion rather than outright restrictions in context.
Content Severity by Hours of Gameplay
| Theme | Mild | Moderate | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violence | 60+ Hours | 30-60 Hours | ~5 Hours |
| Language | 20-30 Hours | 5-10 Hours | <5 Hours |
| Sex/Nudity | ~5 Hours | N/A | N/A |
| Alcohol/Drugs | 15-20 Hours | ~5 Hours | N/A |
Is Starfield‘s Universe Right for Your Child?
While Starfield‘s violence may give some parents pause, maturing teenagers are likely equipped to process its thematic sophistication. As always, use discretion based on demonstrated behavioral and emotional maturity over age alone when deciding on permission.
Provide involved guidance around narrative decision-making, relationships, and conflict resolution. An open dialogue builds trust by giving kids room to ask questions without judgment. Only with thorough understanding can parents reach sound verdicts on media appropriateness for youth still practicing adult discernment.
For younger audiences, brightly colored alternatives like No Man‘s Sky or Astroneer offer compelling interstellar exploration free from combat pressure. Their base building and survival emphasis also avoid mature themes present here. Starfield clearly targets older players prepared to lose themselves among billions of stars and endless possibility.
The Final Verdict?
With modern teens facing so much complexity anyway, Starfield‘s alien diversity could resonate beautifully. For willing voyagers, few journeys promise as much payoff for those who board ready for astounding new frontiers. Just take care that youthful enthusiasm navigates safely alongside adult wisdom.
