Info about Starfield - Shattered Space:

Official game description:
Shattered Space is a new story expansion for Starfield, Bethesda Game Studios’ epic role-playing game and first new universe in more than twenty-five years. A mysterious power stirs in the city of Dazra on House Va’Ruun’s hidden homeworld. Investigate a frightening cosmic threat, explore a new planet, and find unique weapons, spacesuits, and gear in this all-new adventure.  
When a distress signal from a derelict starstation sparks a journey to Va’Ruun’kai, the veil of secrecy surrounding the worshippers of a deity known as “The Great Serpent” is finally lifted. Immerse yourself in the dark and complex world of House Va’Ruun, as you navigate a tense political landscape, uncover the history of the Va’Ruun people and help decide the fate of the faction in the wake of a cataclysmic event.

Release date: Sep 30, 2024

Categories: Action RPG, Open-World Exploration, Space Exploration, Faction Management, Single-player Story, Story-driven Gameplay, New Game Plus

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 35; verdict: Overpriced DLC with minor microtransactions; summary: The Shattered Space DLC is widely criticized as overpriced and containing content that feels cut from the base game, with one explicit mention of microtransactions for cosmetics and mini-quests. While not extremely predatory, the monetization shows a clear pattern of value extraction via incomplete base content and additional paid items.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: Performance across all VRAM cohorts is predominantly negative, with reports of low frame rates, crashes, and instability.
  - Sample size: 46 (8% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
  - Windows 8-11GB VRAM (negative, 14 reports): Players report severe frame drops and poor performance, with average FPS as low as 25 in some areas.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (negative, 13 reports): A player reports the DLC is very laggy, dropping to 40 FPS at 1080p high settings.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (negative, 9 reports): Multiple reports of regular crashes and a buggy, laggy map.
  - Caveats: 46 of 585 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews explicitly state the DLC is overpriced at $30 and suggest fair values between $5 and $15. The lowest mentioned fair price is $5 (one review says the content 'screams $5'), while several others say it's 'not worth more than $10' or recommend waiting for a sale at $10. These quotes indicate the community perceives the base price as too high and would consider a range of $5–$15 as fair for the amount and quality of content offered.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 30.0h
  - Story completion: 10.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews provide estimates for story completion ranging from 5 to 22 hours, with common figures around 8-12 hours for the main campaign. Game completion (including all exploration and side content) is consistently cited as approximately 30 hours, based on a German review and others. No specific session length or endgame playtime data was reported.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The DLC begins with a tedious, dialogue-heavy intro but becomes more engaging after the first hour when gunfights increase and the main quest unfolds; however, a substantial number of players found the entire experience boring.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: After the first hour of gameplay
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: tedious intro; boring dialogue; fetch-quests; repetitive environments
  - Unlock drivers: completing the introductory segment; increased gunfights; interesting main quest unfolding
  - Conditions: tolerate the slow start; enjoy the base game; reach main quest progression
- Player Archetypes:
  - Loyal Starfield Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoying more of the same Starfield universe and lore, especially faction content and handcrafted locations
    - Playstyle: Casual exploration and quest completion, accepting the game's design as an extension of the base experience
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: casual
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Disappointed Veteran (no buy)
    - Motivation: Expecting a substantial and polished expansion but left deeply unsatisfied by lack of content, high price, and technical flaws
    - Playstyle: Critical analysis of content depth, performance, and value relative to expectations from Bethesda
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Terran Armada
  - Roleplay Purist (no buy)
    - Motivation: Seeking genuine roleplay agency and impactful choices in an RPG expansion
    - Playstyle: Immersive roleplaying with character-driven decisions and expectations of meaningful narrative consequences
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Self-aware Hardcore Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: Personal attachment to Starfield's unique charm, engaging with it despite acknowledged flaws
    - Playstyle: Tolerant and self-deprecating play in short bursts, with a humorous acceptance of the game's quirks
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: hardcore fan; lobotomy
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- New weapons and gear (weight 0.18): The DLC introduces a variety of new weapons, armor, and items that are powerful and visually appealing. Players appreciate the unique designs and the enhancement to combat options.
- Beautiful and striking visuals (weight 0.18): Players consistently praise the game's visual presentation, describing the environments as beautiful, stunning, and immersive. The graphical quality enhances the exploration experience.
- Story is compelling (weight 0.17): The narrative is frequently highlighted as interesting, gripping, and immersive, with depth that keeps players engaged. Reviewers appreciate the story's quality, noting it exceeds expectations.
- Lore expansion for House Va'ruun (weight 0.13): The DLC greatly expands the lore of House Va'ruun, providing depth and intriguing backstory. Players find the additional lore and story development for this faction to be a highlight.
- Abundant side quests and content (weight 0.12): Players note the main quest is dense and accompanied by numerous side quests, offering variety and multiple solutions. The DLC adds a substantial amount of content, including a new planet, making it feel expansive.
- Seamless integration with base game (weight 0.06): The DLC feels like a natural extension of the base game, resembling the design of Bethesda Fallout titles. Its seamless synergy with the main game contributes to a cohesive experience.
- Improved quest design (weight 0.05): Quests in the DLC, especially side quests, are considered better than those in the base game, with enhanced design and narrative quality.
- Fun and engaging gunplay (weight 0.05): The shooting mechanics are described as fun and enjoyable, adding to the overall enjoyment of the DLC's combat encounters.
- Good value when purchased on sale (weight 0.05): Players recommend buying the DLC on discount, stating it is a good value for those who enjoyed the base game. The price point is seen as fair when on sale.

Common complaints:
- DLC is poor quality and overpriced (weight 0.62): The vast majority of feedback criticizes the DLC as low quality, buggy, short, and not worth its price tag. Many players feel the content does not justify the full price and is not a proper expansion.
- DLC is technically buggy and unplayable (weight 0.32): The DLC suffers from bugs and glitches, and in some cases cannot be accessed or even installed for some players. These technical issues further increase the negative impression of the DLC.
- DLC lacks meaningful new content (weight 0.24): Reviews repeatedly state the DLC adds very little new or valuable content to the base game, often just a few quests or minor systems. It is seen as forgettable and unimpactful, offering almost nothing for players who already finished the main game.
- Quests are boring fetch quests (weight 0.18): A significant portion of feedback highlights that the DLC quests are primarily boring fetch quests. Side quests are described as bland, uninspired, and uninteresting, making them a chore to complete.
- Main quest is short (weight 0.13): The main storyline is repeatedly described as very short, with one player noting it can be finished in about three hours. The story also is lacking depth, and the overall experience feels cut short with an abrupt and unsatisfying ending.
- Writing is poorly executed (weight 0.1): Players report consistently poor writing with lazy, overly simple, and child-like dialogue in the DLC. The writing quality is considered poor, which detracts from the overall experience.
- Content should be in base game (weight 0.1): Many players believe the DLC content feels like it was cut from the base game and should have been included at launch. The DLC is seen as a waste of time since the base game is superior.
- Characters are boring and flat (weight 0.07): The writing quality is heavily criticized with characters repeatedly described as boring, flat, and bland. The overall scenario is considered hollow and tedious, further reducing the game's appeal.
- Choices are shallow and meaningless (weight 0.07): The DLC has no real player choices, and the few outcome choices that are shallow and have zero consequences. Players feel forced into a predetermined role, particularly only meaningful decision at the end perhaps.
- No new ship parts added (weight 0.07): The DLC advertised as having new ship parts, but these are absent from the actual content. Players were expecting new ship habs and parts, then they did not receive these additions at all.

Gameplay feedback:
- Story-driven quest-heavy DLC (weight 0.3): The DLC is heavily narrative-focused, with a main quest, side quests, and dialogue trees. It emphasizes story arcs, choices, and world-building, making it a linear, story-rich expansion.
- New single-planet setting (weight 0.25): The DLC is set on a new, single planet (Va'ruun Kaï) in a new system, offering substantial new content. This planet is densely packed with quests, exploration opportunities, and unique features.
- Exploration and open world (weight 0.15): The DLC offers open-world exploration with a large map and multiple points of interest. It retains the base game's exploration-driven gameplay with handcrafted and procedural elements.
- New weapons and combat (weight 0.12): The expansion adds new weapons, armor sets, and enemies, enhancing the combat with fresh gunfights and action elements. It includes new game plus mechanics, adding replayability beyond the core content.
- Side quests as fetch quests (weight 0.11): Many side quests are fetch-and-kill style, sometimes described as simple fetch quests. They are lower quality compared to the main questline, with some being dungeon crawls.
- Expansion of base game (weight 0.09): It is expansion for Starfield, offering more of the same content found in the base game. It serves as add-on to enhance the original experience with similar world and gameplay.
- Faction-based conflict (weight 0.09): The DLC introduces a third faction and expands the existing faction, focusing on the Va'Ruun. The story often revolves around faction dynamics and the conflict among three competing factions.
- Roleplay and decision-making (weight 0.08): The game includes dialogue options, character traits, and decisions that affect interactions. This enhances roleplay elements, building on the narrative-driven RPG foundation with faction choices.
- Space travel mechanics (weight 0.04): The game retains space travel between star systems, featuring flight with takeoff, landing, and piloting mechanics. This includes both world as a space game, contrasts with planet-bound DLC.
- Horror-themed enemies (weight 0.04): The DLC features horror-inspired atmosphere with teleporting ghost enemies. This introduces a new creepy element, creating a distinct tone from the base game.

Performance notes:
- Frequent crashes and instability (weight 0.15): Multiple players report the game crashing frequently, being unstable, and having severe stability issues that make it unplayable. This feedback appears in several clusters.
- Poor optimization and performance (weight 0.12): Many reviews highlight poor optimization, causing bad performance even on high-end PCs, with statements that the DLC runs atrociously and has horrendous performance in specific areas. This is a widespread concern.
- FPS drops and stuttering (weight 0.11): Players note significant frame rate drops, stuttering, and lagging both in the DLC locations and during general gameplay, impacting the overall experience. This occurs across different hardware configurations.
- Progress-blocking bugs (weight 0.07): Several players experience bugs that block main story progression or critical missions, requiring external solutions or console commands to continue. This can render the game unplayable for some.
- Negative visual quality and performance (weight 0.06): Reviews criticize the game's outdated and old graphics, questioned outdoor appearance, and pixelation, with some comparing it to older titles. This negatively affects the overall reception.
- Mixed overall optimization feedback (weight 0.04): While some praise the game's compatibility and smoothness, others cite constant stutters or improvements in some areas but drops in others, showing uneven optimization.
- Frame rate varies by location (weight 0.04): The DLC map shows variable FPS, with drops to about 25 FPS outside the city but about 75 FPS within specific situations. The performance is strongly location-dependent.
- Impact of DLC performance (weight 0.03): Reviews criticize the DLC for being poorly optimized and for having worse performance than the main game, citing horrendous execution in various locations.
- Steam Deck compatibility issues (weight 0.03): Players find the game's launch and running on Steam Deck challenging and not straightforward without manual fiddling, while Lossless Scaling app can help. This niche compatibility issue is noted.
- No major issues on high-end systems (weight 0.03): Some users report the game runs smoothly on powerful hardware, like AMD Ryzen 7 3800, 32GB RAM, and SSD, and that it functions well with improved visual effects.
- Sound and lighting issues (weight 0.02): The lighting has a dominant red tint and strong black shadows that breaks visibility, likely detracting from gameplay. This is a specific visual annoyance.
- Hardware requirements are high (weight 0.02): The DLC's optimization demands extremely powerful hardware, aligning with other feedback about harsh performance and high system requirements.
- DLC pricing concerns (weight 0.02): A player perceives the DLC as overpriced compared to another title, suggesting a value-versus-cost issue, though it remains a minor point.
- Mod-related performance issues (weight 0.02): Performance with mods can be problematic, as one player reports the game becomes super laggy until a restart after using a mod. This suggests compatibility issues with custom improvements.
- Loading screens are frequent (weight 0.01): One review points out that loading screens are common, possibly adding interruptions to gameplay and decreasing overall seamless experience.

Recommendations:
- DLC not recommended overall (weight 0.23): A large portion of reviewers advise against buying the DLC, citing poor value, short length, glitches, and boredom. Several explicitly state 'do not buy' or recommend skipping it entirely.
- Not worth its price (weight 0.18): Reviewers frequently state the DLC is overpriced relative to its content. Some say it's only worth a few dollars or a low discount.
- Only for Starfield die-hards (weight 0.16): The DLC is frequently recommended only for players who already enjoy the base game. Those who dislike Starfield likely won't change their opinion.
- Buy on discount (weight 0.16): A common recommendation is to wait for a sale and purchase the DLC at a reduced price. Some suggest it's only worth it at a 20% discount or more.
- Skip unless Star Wars fan (weight 0.09): The DLC is only recommended to Star Wars fans or those interested in the Star Wars Genesis mod. Others should avoid it.
- Not for non-fans (weight 0.07): The DLC is not recommended for players who didn't like the base game; it does not improve the experience. It's only for those alReady attached.
- DLC adds little value (weight 0.05): The expansion is described as nearly worthless, especially for those who already disliked the base game. It adds little to the overall game experience.
- Bugs and crashes (weight 0.03): The DLC contains bugs and crashes, advising players to save often. Technical issues contribute to the poor recommendation.
- Skip even with discount for some (weight 0.03): Some reviewers say to avoid the DLC even at a steep discount due to low quality and minimal content.

Other player notes:
- DLC content varies widely (weight 0.35): Feedback describes the DLC as offering a substantial amount of content, including quests, weapons, items, and a unique world, but some reviewers feel it is not worth buying separately. This disparity suggests mixed perceptions of its overall value.
- DLC priced too high (weight 0.22): Many reviewers consider the DLC's price, often cited at $30 or 30 euros, too high for the content provided, with some stating it is overpriced and not worth the cost. The premium edition bundling does not alleviate this concern for separate buyers.
- DLC requires Starfield game (weight 0.21): The DLC is an expansion for Starfield, requiring the base game to play. It is available through the Premium or Ultimate editions, but is also sold separately, with some reviewers noting it should have been part of the base game.
- Star Wars mod is motivation (weight 0.19): A significant reason for purchasing the DLC is to access the Star Wars Genesis mod, which relies on this expansion. Players bought the DLC specifically to enable this mod, diminishing their interest in the base content.
- DLC price compared to content (weight 0.17): Reviewers frequently compare the DLC's price to the amount of content it delivers, often concluding that it is overpriced. The value proposition is weak, especially when considering the length and depth of the expansion.
- DLC viewed as cut content (weight 0.13): Several reviews characterize the DLC as feeling like cut content from the base game, sold separately to generate extra revenue. Reviewers see it as a missed opportunity that does not significantly change how players experience the base game.
- DLC mixed versus Bethesda standards (weight 0.11): The DLC is compared to older Bethesda expansions like Dawnguard and Dragonborn, with reviewers noting it aligns with the studio's recent reputation and expectations. This context influences satisfaction with the content.
- DLC focuses on House Va'ruun (weight 0.1): The DLC expands the lore and story of the House Va'ruun faction, with a storyline set on their home world Va'ruun'kai. This narrative focus is a key feature of the expansion.
- DLC length ranges widely (weight 0.08): Reports about the DLC's length vary from around 4 hours to 30-50 hours of gameplay, depending on player engagement. Some reviewers find it short, while others see it as substantial.
- DLC handcrafted map feature (weight 0.05): The expansion introduces a handcrafted map, unlike the procedurally generated zones of the base game. This is seen as a notable difference and a positive aspect of the DLC.
- DLC supports mod community (weight 0.05): The DLC serves as a base for the Star Wars Genesis mod, which keeps the Starfield community active. This is an important draw for some players beyond the official content.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.22): Players felt the DLC underdelivered in nearly every aspect. The story is shallow, choices are limited with no real impact, and much of the content feels like reskinned assets or cut content from the base game. This, combined with a high price relative to the short amount of content, created a strong sense of unmet expectations even for those who enjoyed the setting.
- Disappointment (weight 0.22): The inability to present the faction as a powerful and unique entity was the main trigger of this feeling. The DLC’s short length and lack of meaningful new offerings, like unique ship parts or new features, further disappointed. This, combined with the fact that the new planet looks like any other settlement, reinforced the outcome of the DLC not living up to its premise.
- Frustration (weight 0.17): Technical issues and design choices frequently blocked progression, including game-breaking bugs, crashes, and forced role-playing paths that contradict player agency. Combat is often tedious with bullet-sponge enemies, and performance issues in various locations further hampered enjoyment. The feeling of being forced into a specific playstyle, along with a lack of meaningful choices, compounded the frustration.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Despite the criticism, a subset of players found the DLC enjoyable for its new environment, the unique atmosphere of the planet Va'ruun'kai, and the expansion of the House Va'ruun faction's lore. The handcrafted world with interesting points of interest and the fun combat with new weapons and enemies were cited as positive highlights. For these players, the expansion successfully provided more content within the Starfield universe.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.05): Some players were satisfied with the DLC, particularly those who engaged with the main quest and found the world-building around House Va'ruun compelling. The handcrafted content, improved quest structure over the base game, and the satisfying final quest payoff were noted as contributing factors. For these players, the DLC was a fair addition, especially when purchased at a discount.
- Boredom (weight 0.04): A significant source of boredom stemmed from the DLC's repetitive quest design, which relied heavily on fetch quests and unengaging dialogue. The lack of enemy variety and a predictable, slow-paced narrative contributed to a tedious experience. The empty and visually bland nature of the planet further amplified these feelings, making the DLC a chore to get through.
- Disappointed (weight 0.04): This sentiment is driven by the failing promise of an expansion that could explore the mysterious Va'ruun faction and its home world. The content is seen as underwhelming, with average storylines, a limited scope, and few new meaningful features. The shallow interaction with new companion and an unsatisfying, expensive package led to feelings of unmet the expectation.
- Anger (weight 0.04): The feeling of anger is linked to a perception of low quality and unfair pricing. Players are angry about the lack of polish, with bugs and performance issues remain unaddressed, and a story considered badly written and contradictory. This is compounded by the decision to sell what feels like cut content at a full price, which is seen as greedy and disrespectful to the player base.
- Frustrated (weight 0.03): This frustration comes from several technical and design failures. The DLC's inability, with bugs and crashes, combined with tedious combat and a forced narrative with no meaningful choices, created a sense of being coerced through a broken content. The lack of new systems and a dissatisfied integration with the base game also contributed to the community disliking it.
- Disgust (weight 0.03): The expansion inspired feelings of disgust due to its very poor quality and morally objectionable narrative themes. The story is described as having repulsive groups and a poorly executed religious plot, combined with the perception of the content being reused and given a high price. This leads to a strong negative reaction and a feeling of waste of time.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): This arises from the repetitive and unlikable aspects of the expansion. The dialogue, NPC interactions, and teleporting enemies are considered annoying, alongside the mandatory, monotonous environment. Forced to engage with poorly developed mechanics and characters create a constant sense of low-level frustration and irritation.
- Excitement (weight 0.02): Some players were excited by the DLC's new content, such as the engaging story, new weapons, and the introduction of challenging enemies. The initial experience of exploring a new space station and the promise of extensive handcrafted level design added to this enthusiasm. This was engaging enough to generate anticipation for future of the game.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Players appreciated the DLC's strengths, like a real attempt at faction storytelling, and the detailed, unique atmosphere of a single new planet. The world design, improved visual detail, and better quests with multiple options were seen as a step up from the base game's other locations. The presence of thoroughly handcrafted content and a good narrative direction is what gave this positive emotion.
- Bored (weight 0.01): The world is vast and dull. It looks the same, and the side quests are straightforward. The main NPC's and dialogue are monotonous and do nothing to break the repetitive nature of the gameplay, leading to a state of disengagement. The lack of enemy variety and the difficulty’s constant state of parsing on the same mechanics also contributed to the feeling.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): The confusion is a result of a disconnect between the perceived quality and the public reaction. Some do not understand the negative reviews (or, conversely, the positive ones), especially after having fun. Others are confused by the lack of narrative depth, unresolved with the design or mission goals that seemed inconsistent to the setting itself.
- Interest (weight 0.01): The main source of interest was the prospect of learning more about the previously mysterious faction and its culture. The storyline, which touches on Starborn and the wider universe, raised curiosity and kept players engaged. The interesting setting and new location are the main drivers here.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.01): Dissatisfaction is caused by a poor price to content ratio, where the expansion is thin for the asking price. This is compounded by the ending being abrupt for many, and the lack of novel ideas or technical fixes (like using a building or container bug) that should have been addressed with a patch. For those players, the content doesn’t match the value and feels unfinished.
- Contentment (weight 0.01): Players content with the DLC viewed it as a positive, though not perfect, addition to the game. They found the world interesting, engaging, and the quests were a joy to explore. The fact that it was worthwhile if purchased on a discount further increased their positive feelings about it being "okay" and not a bad addition.
- Positive (weight 0.01): A positive feeling was generated by the DLC's new features, like the large, new planet and an array of new weapons. The well integrated main story and memorable side quests, coupled with a darker and more atmospheric graphics, were seen as the best parts of the game so far, contributing to a positive review.
- Approval (weight 0): The approval is based on a view that the DLC is a reasonable, commendable expansion. The game’s approval comes from a preference for a single, well-crafted planet, handcrafted play areas, and an improved quest design. This showed a positive, focusing the game on what it does best instead of spreading it thin in a larger area.}