Sometimes in Bethesda RPGs I am a stealth man. I am the dweeb who spent 200 hours of Oblivion crabwalking by way of within the shadows, dispatching enemies with sneak assaults and poisoned arrows. Hell, I used to be so stealthy I as soon as pickpocketed a scroll from an murderer’s butthole by way of a jail cell door with out him noticing. I did not even need to take his pants off.
However in Starfield I am not a lot about stealth. I want a straight-up battle. And the most effective place to seek out these fights is not in deserted analysis labs or pirate-controlled mining services and even huge orbiting area stations. The perfect place for firefights is aboard enemy ships.
I do know it is tempting while you’re in a dogfight in outer area to maintain on firing till your enemy explodes and leaves a little bit of loot hovering amidst the wreckage. However restrain your self. Be discriminating together with your missiles and lasers. Disable that ship, do not destroy it. You may thank me later.
Disabling ships is not all that straightforward at first, however even with out sinking a talent level into the Focusing on Management System talent, it is achievable. Blast away at a ship with missiles and lasers till its shields are down, after which womp on it solely with EM weapons. You may often disable it earlier than it is fully destroyed, after which board it.
When you do have the Focusing on Management Techniques talent, it is even simpler. Hold a goal in sight whereas the meter fills up, faucet R when it does, after which time slows down (virtually VATS-like) and you may solely goal your enemy’s engines. As quickly as they go purple, you may cease blasting and begin boarding.
I am going to admit that in the first place the ships you tackle early in Starfield will not be all that a lot enjoyable to board and raid as a result of they’re going to be small. Climbing a single ladder, strolling down a lone hall, and rapidly murdering a pair spacers hunkered down within the cockpit is not notably thrilling.
However maintain at it. As you stage up you will begin dealing with off in opposition to a lot, a lot greater ships, ships with a number of ranges, with ladders and doorways and hatches to navigate. Some ships are an enormous, sprawling community of modules to stalk by way of, usually with nicely over a dozen enemies simply ready so that you can stick your head across the improper nook. Starfield’s spaceships really feel like massive videogame ranges, with tight corridors that really feel a bit claustrophobic however sufficient wider hab modules that you simply wind up with a little bit of elbow room.
Better of all of your radar is sort of nugatory, as a result of on a ship 4 or 5 ranges tall, these purple enemy pips might be proper in entrance of you or three ranges above you. Climb up a ladder right into a module and you haven’t any thought if enemies can be ready, or what route they’re going to be attacking from. So, neglect your HUD and embrace the chaos. Go from room to room like a commando, clearing the ship module by module, dropping spacers and Va’ruun cultists till you are the one one standing. Then climb a ladder to the following stage and do it once more.
Boarding ships is the most effective a part of Starfield, at the least in relation to fight. Some ships even have automated defenses like turrets that may blast away as you try and slink down a hall, actually making you are feeling such as you’re invading a flying enemy stronghold.
And whereas these frantic firefights are their very own reward, you are additionally gonna stroll away with a whole lot of further loot. Assist your self to the cargo, all of it, as an alternative of what will get parceled out while you blow a ship up. And do not forget that each ship in Starfield has a captain’s locker in or close to the cockpit: it is a particular container separate from the primary cargo maintain that is often received a pleasant stash of credit, ammo, and different goodies. Assist your self! You have earned it.
Since you have cleared the ship it is now yours, offered you have received the talent to fly it. Whereas commandeering ships is not actually a moneymaker—you will need to spend cash to register it, and promoting will solely internet you a couple of grand on prime of the registration charge—it nonetheless feels badass. Or you may maintain it and add it to your fleet, similar to an actual pirate would. Good looking, and keep in mind: do not blow ’em up. Board ’em.
