Todd Howard’s ‘Skyrim, in space’ has finally released its first big expansion today, a year after it launched. However, players won't find it included for free on Xbox Game Pass. The new content, titled Shattered Space, promises to deliver a unique experience through a fresh campaign set in a meticulously designed map. But the question remains: does it improve upon Starfield’s lackluster storyline? The answer appears to be no. So, what has Bethesda been working on for the past year? From what I can see, not much at all.
Level Recommendations
Bethesda suggests that players begin Shattered Space at level 35, but I’d recommend leveling up a bit more. My NG+ level 46 character faced a tough time against the early enemies (more on that later). To be fair, I hadn’t touched Starfield in over a year, and my character lacked most of the decent gear from my first run. Andreja is said to be a good choice for the DLC since she’s a native of House Va’ruun, yet I’m not really into companions, so I went through the game solo.
Exploring Va'ruun'kai
The first mission has you battling in zero gravity before jumping to a new galaxy that was previously off-limits. You’re mostly confined to the Va'ruun'kai region, but this isn’t necessarily a downside, as a handcrafted map is certainly more enjoyable than Starfield’s randomly generated landscapes. The capital, Darza, doesn’t compare in size to New Atlantis or even Akila. Shattered Space is filled with typical sci-fi themes, with House Va’ruun acting as overly zealous religious zealots. Naturally, you are their 'chosen' one, tasked with saving their settlement from disaster. It’s a chance to explore a new aspect of House Va’ruun, one of the enigmatic factions in the Settled Systems.
Main Questline Disappointment
As you dive into the primary storyline, you find yourself in a post-apocalyptic version of Darza. There are political tensions involving three major families, and to some extent, you can influence their relationships and uncover or hide some shady truths. At first, it feels like a complex narrative that can unfold in various ways based on your decisions. You can leave the planet and come back at will, which you’ll need to do frequently because the NPCs in the game are sadly low on ammo and supplies.
I won’t spoil the plot, but I left Shattered Space feeling quite let down. The only good point is that melee combat is once again a viable option. Some new weapons are interesting, and there’s a fair amount of exploration with various points of interest scattered around the map. While it may seem small at first glance, there’s plenty to uncover once you start exploring. That said, you can’t call the new buggy to your location, which means you’ll have to fast travel back to your ship every time you want to go somewhere. All I really needed was the booster from my Starborn space suit, which allowed me to easily climb even the tallest peaks with a bit of patience (or a lot of jumping). Surprisingly, my playthrough was free of bugs, but others have reported issues with side quests.
A Question of Impact
I’m unsure if your actions in Shattered Space have any impact on the main campaign. That would require another playthrough of Starfield, which I’m not particularly eager to do. The side quests in Shattered Space include typical fetch quests, tracking down person ‘X’ at location “Y”, gathering samples for quirky scientists, and so on. These are standard tasks, except for one that I found enjoyable because it required some attention to detail. Overall, I logged about 12 hours of gameplay, with some areas still unexplored. If you race through the main quest (and manage not to die as often as I did), you could wrap up Shattered Space in about four hours.
In a previous interview, Todd Howard likened Shattered Space to Fallout 4’s Far Harbor, which now feels like a misleading comparison. Far Harbor had incredible replay value due to its interlinked quests, various endings, and seamless integration with Fallout 4’s main storyline. It tackled profound questions about humanity and Synths. In contrast, Shattered Space doesn’t even attempt to do that. It lacks replayability and fails to expand on the game’s lore. To make matters worse, there's a significant plot inconsistency.
Final Thoughts
Va'ruun'kai was supposed to be a hidden location within the Settled Systems, yet a faction from the main campaign that shouldn’t be there shows up. Ultimately, Shattered Space is just like its name suggests: empty and lacking substance. It feels more like a project thrown together by an enthusiastic modder rather than a DLC-sized expansion from a premier RPG developer. There are no new companions (the two shipmates don’t count), all NPCs are overly dramatic, the city feels lifeless, and my biggest annoyance: stealth remains completely ineffective.
I received Shattered Space at no cost with Starfield’s Deluxe Edition. You can buy it on Steam or Xbox for $30, but I’d say it’s not worth that price and you might want to wait for a discount. I recognize that bashing Starfield has become somewhat of a trend, and although I want to enjoy Shattered Space, Bethesda’s lack of genuine effort makes it unsatisfying overall. I can only wish they rediscover their spark and recapture Skyrim’s enchantment with Elder Scrolls 6. It’s even more perplexing that there are fan-made expansions that provide a better experience than anything Bethesda has produced in recent years. For instance, Fallout London recreates the classic Fallout experience in London, delivering a far superior experience than Shattered Space ever could. Plus, it’s available for free on GOG, though you’ll need a copy of Fallout 4 (and its DLCs) on that platform or Steam.
