Starfield Shattered Space review: "delivers an intriguing opening and strong ending that bookends a lackluster middle"

The beginning of Starfield Shattered Space set the kind of tone I was hoping for. After arriving on a mysterious space station – and ignoring the advice of a distress message, warning me against boarding – I'm met with the sight of floating bodies, a luminous, warped  blue substance spreading from the walls, and unsettling whispers coming from every direction. As much as I don't enjoy the floaty feel of navigating through a location without any gravity, the lack of it adds to the strange, unsettling atmosphere. As I go deeper into the station, I see something or someone ahead that evaporates out of existence in a puff of blue sparks. I have no idea what's going on, or what to expect next, but my curiosity propels me forward, and the constant whispers framing my exploration keep me on edge. 

When I round a corner and see two people covered in that same shimmery, warped blue substance that bleeds through the space station, it's clear that these people are victims of something terrible. Now tasked with restoring power which will lead me to grav jump to a new star system, the opening of the first Starfield expansion does well to drip feed information to tease what's ahead, and the overall weirdness and feeling of unease also sets the first moments apart. 

The outset of this DLC has a horror-like bite that feels like the perfect introduction to Va'ruun, aka Starfield's most elusive faction. But sadly, as I go on to discover when I land on the homeworld of Va'ruun'kai, my hopes are soon dashed. The rest of the expansion doesn't really follow through on the tense atmosphere that initially drew me in. While you do face enemies literally called horrors later on, you for the most part get caught up in political infighting that pushes the expansion into more familiar territory. I found myself constantly wishing Shattered Space would do more to tap into the unusual nature of the faction, and bring back the on-edge feel of the opener. 

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The Promised 

Upon arriving in the city of Dazra on Va'ruun's homeworld of Va'ruun'kai, I like how everyone is instantly suspicious of me as an outsider; staring after me as I'm escorted through the streets and questioning why I'm here. It's to be expected given that Va'ruun is an isolationist faction governed by their own unique beliefs, but what's not expected is the odd mess they've found themselves in. After a mysterious experiment goes awry, people have been disappearing, hostile blue phantoms have been materializing, and the city itself is fractured by a great big vortex churning up the central citadel tower. Their leader Anasko has gotten caught up in it all, and as the only one who can seemingly communicate with him, I've become a chosen one of sorts. The expansion begins in earnest by asking you to commit to Va'ruun by becoming what the faction calls The Promised – which is essentially a convert who promises to serve The Great Serpent and aid the group. 

Following the creepy space station, the initial intro to the city and Va'ruun starts off strong, leading you through a ritual to join the faction that establishes the curious beliefs of this singular group. But you're then tasked to help the three main governing houses through a series of quests that shift away from the cosmic vortex weirdness to take you to various locations – some of which are quite run-of-the-mill – outside of the city to retrieve objects, or track down people. Nothing you're asked to do feels especially new or unique, and after a strong opening, it all falls a bit flat. But I can see what Bethesda is going for here, with the houses impressing on you the principles and values of the faction as you give them aid. 

While the actual tasks you have to perform in the questlines are quite lackluster, you will be presented with choices that let you determine how each one unfolds. I do enjoy that Starfield Shattered Space constantly asks you how dedicated you want to be to the cause, beliefs, and cultural values of House Va'ruun. Will you, for example, kill someone who's turned their back on the Great Serpent to pursue their own dreams, just because someone of authority believes it's the right thing to do? Or will you try to find a peaceful solution, even if it goes against the principles of a political leader? You may have to join the faction to begin Starfield's first expansion, but as an outsider who's become a chosen one of sorts, that doesn't mean you have to devote yourself entirely to your role as The Promised unless you want to. 

There are some memorable side quests, too, that I in fact enjoyed more than some of the House questlines, and occasionally my path would be entirely diverted by an encounter in classic Bethesda-style. The middle chunk of the main story may not have hooked as much as I'd have liked, but Shattered Space does close out strong in a location distinctly Va'ruun. With a big choice to make at the end not unlike the other faction quests in the base experience, I still can't help but wish the entire expansion carried the tone, feel, and chaos it succeeded to deliver in its beginning and end to make the experience of at last delving into House Va'ruun feel more unique. 

A whole new (home)world  

The quests may not always push the envelope, or make the most of the weirdness of the faction that Starfield did so well to prime, but you will be facing new foes unique to Shattered Space. Vortex Phantoms, for instance, present a challenge since they can phase in and out, changing up their position at will as you try to land your shots. The Vortex Horrors, which look a little like mottled terramorphs, also have this same power and can whittle down your health pretty quickly when they warp right in front of you and attack. With a recommended level of 35 for the expansion, the nature of the enemies does ramp up the challenge for anyone who's looking for tougher fights for their higher level space-farers. 

With the expansion introducing a whole new world and city to Starfield, Shattered Space also provides plenty for those looking to get their fill of exploration. For the most part, Bethesda does deliver a planet that feels more curated, with points of interest visible in the distance that capture Va'ruun's distinct architecture, complete with snake statues. There are some genuinely interesting places to explore, too – such as a tomb and oversized shrine – so it's a shame that several main story quests insist on taking you to locations in the world that wouldn't feel out of place anywhere else. From a depot to a station, the quests at times felt like a missed opportunity to showcase some of the more unique buildings and locations that pepper the planet. 

That being said, there are flashes of more inspired instances, such as traversing through a cave filled with vortex horrors and walls that will warp you back if you come into contact with them. Throughout Va'ruun'kai, you'll also find pockets of the vortex, with phantoms abruptly appearing at any moment to catch you off guard across the landscape. But the majority of the time, particularly through its quests with Va'ruun's houses, the expansion treads familiar ground. The world itself is also beautiful to look at, with the sky infused with streaks of red and orange hues, and creatures roaming the land that makes it feel quite alien. 

Starfield Shattered Space delivers an intriguing opening and strong ending that bookends a lackluster middle. It's certainly a solid expansion for anyone looking to get their fill of exploration, or test their mettle against some tougher enemies that will keep you on your toes. And as an RPG fan, I appreciated the amount of choice it presented me with, but I came away from the story wanting more from Va'ruun and its Great Serpent worshiping ways. At times, Shattered Space feels like a missed opportunity to really capitalize on the most unusual faction in Starfield and go all in on the horror vibes the opening moments captured.