Summary
ThoughStarfieldhas its fair share of awkward moments, many players still argue that the Red Mile is where the game completely fails to meet expectations. It’s been nearly nine months sinceStarfieldcame out, and though the updates have fixed a majority of its technical issues, it may take longer still to addressStarfield’s gameplay and narrative shortcomings. WhileStarfieldhad some standout quests, such as Entangled or Groundpounder, many of them had a structure that felt lackluster compared to earlier Bethesda titles such asSkyrim.
An argument could be made that theprocedural generation inStarfielddid not allow Bethesda to masterfully blend environmental storytelling and emergent gameplay with the quest itself, as most quests inStarfieldtend to be self-contained fetch quests or elaborate, yet linear missions. Picking up a quest in Whiterun and choosing to make the trip to Winterhold can take players on an immersive journey inSkyrimthat often takes a different shape in every playthrough, butStarfieldhas no such equivalent due to the disjointed nature of its locations.
However, the game sometimes brings out the potential of this format to craft a thrilling, tightly-paced narrative experience, with theStarfieldquest Entangledbeing the most obvious example. By contrast, players such as Cybernetic_Virus believe Run the Red Mile to be Entangled’s polar opposite, from an execution standpoint at least. Run the Red Mile is located in the Porrima system, and promises to setStarfieldplayers up against a dangerous gauntlet that will test their combat skills to the limit. Unfortunately, the Red Mile itself is a rather leisurely stroll that lacks any sense of urgency, and players are greeted by a placid crowd awkwardly clapping for their success upon returning to the casino.
How Shattered Space Could Improve Starfield’s Quests
Though Run the Red Mile is only a side quest inStarfield, what makes it so underwhelming is that Bethesda pulled off a much superior version of the same concept in Nuka World forFallout 4. In addition to First Contact, most players find Run the Red Mile to be one of the weakest quests in the game. However, if thenew map inStarfieldis any indication, Bethesda is very open to feedback on how to improve upon its latest sandbox. With Shattered Space releasing in late 2024, it could be the perfect opportunity for the developers to correct course on some ofStarfield’s less-than-stellar design choices.
As forhow Shattered Space might improveStarfieldand its quests, there are two obvious directions. Bethesda could decide to lean into its biggest strengths, and design a handcrafted open world location that seamlessly connects missions in a new quest hub. Alternatively, it can embraceStarfield’s disconnected approach, and craft more unique mission types that focus on underutilized mechanics from the base game – such as zero gravity combat or ship stealth. Though it remains to be seen what Bethesda will do with Shattered Space,Starfield’s modding community will no doubt attempt to fix the Red Mile once the Creation Kit launches.
