Starfield is almost here; early access for Premium Edition owners begins tomorrow (depending on location), September 1.
Starfield's reviews are currently embargoed, meaning gaming publications cannot yet reveal what they think of the game.
If you want to learn when the Starfield embargo time will be lifted and what these initial reviews are saying, we have all the information below.
We will also keep track of the game's reception with our Starfield review roundup, which will be updated as more scores are published. We will also update the overall Starfield Metacritic and OpenCritic scores as they settle over the coming days.
So, that said, remember to preload and let us take a look at when the Starfield review embargo ends.
When Do Starfield Reviews Come Out?
The Starfield embargo ended on August 31, at 5 PM BST / 12 PM ET / 9 AM PT. Which was 8 hours before premium edition got access the game.
Often, video game developers allow reviews to be posted well before the game launches; when a window of time is so close to the general public playing, it can often cause doubt about the quality of the game. For Bethesda, this is common practice with their titles; they like to keep things under heavy guard to keep spoilers to a minimum.
Starfield Review Roundup
This Starfield review roundup will be updated when the scores are published, and we will also update the overall Metacritic and OpenCritic scores as they settle over the coming days.
This is what major outlets had to say about Bethesda's title
- PC Gamer (75): “I don’t love Starfield, but I’m happy to say that I do like it. Those first 90 hours I played were far from perfect, but I’ve got plenty of reasons to play 90 more.”
- GamesRadar (5/5): “Starfield isn’t really a game you play to complete, it’s more about living whatever sort of life you want in the literal universe Bethesda has created. Whatever you’re thinking of doing, you almost certainly can do it, and the scale is almost a release in a way – you’ll probably never see or do it all, so just enjoy the moment. There’s months, if not years, of discoveries buried away in here, and even after 80 hours I can’t wait to see more.”
- Touch Arcade (review in progress): “If you enjoy Bethesda Game Studios’ games, and more importantly love exploration and space, I think you should prepare to experience your new obsession with Starfield. I’m looking forward to spending more time with it, and seeing how it improves over time on both Steam Deck and Xbox Series X.”
- VGC (5/5): “Starfield is undoubtedly a game that players will explore for years. It’s content-rich in a way that’s rare in modern gaming, but it’s exactly the experience that people who’ve been buying different versions of Skyrim for years wanted. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel with any of its mechanics, but almost everything it does, it does so well, that it’s a truly engrossing experience.”
- The Verge: “Starfield is another huge experience with an almost overwhelming amount of things to do and see, coupled with some great character development, role-playing features, and so-so action. But it also smooths over many of the rough edges that have defined past releases from the studio while introducing a new theme and narrative that match the grand ambitions that Bethesda has always strived for. War never changes — but it’s a lot more thrilling in space.”
- Game Informer (8.5): “It took me a long time to fall in love with Starfield, and even after I did, certain aspects didn’t work for me. But the things I didn’t enjoy are vastly outweighed by my enthusiasm for this new, original science fiction universe, the breadth of its adventures, and the appeal of its many interwoven stories. Go in with the expectation that it will take some time to find your footing in such a vast gameplay space, and there’s a universe well worth discovering here.”
- Destructoid (10): “I wasn’t sure if it could be done, but Bethesda has managed to raise the bar for sandbox games even higher. In the end, Starfield is an epic sandbox open-world RPG with a beautifully immersive universe, a captivating story, and fun and compelling gameplay the whole way. I’m so happy to have experienced Starfield organically, and I really hope you get to as well.”
- Videogamer (9): “Starfield is the enchantment and wonder of space bottled and fleshed out into something grand and ambitious, thoughtful and attentive, janky at times, often funny, but always charming.”
Starfield Metacritic score
- Xbox - 86
- PC - 87
We will update this score as it moves up or down.
Starfield OpenCritic Score
- 88
We will update this score as it moves up or down.
Starfield Review Scores
- PC Gamer: 75/100
- GamesRadar: 5/5
- VGC 5/5
- Game Informer: 8.5/10
- Destructoid: 10/10
- Videogamer: 9/10
- Digital Trends: 7/10
- Forbes: 9.5/10
- Screen Rant: 4/5
Our Starfield Review
Full disclosure - Bethesda did not provide us with a review code at the same time as some other outlets, an issue that affected many publications outside of the US.
As unfortunate as this may be, we will have a Starfield launch review for you in time for the game's full release. However, we have something better in mind for special coverage going forward.
Allow us to introduce to you - 'The Living Breathing Review'. Sure, that is a mouthful, but hear us out. Having two weeks to push out a review for embargo would be doing Starfield a massive disservice. We plan on providing you with the ultimate Starfield review.
So how will this work? I hear you ask; we plan to evolve our review as we experience the game. A collaborative shared effort to bring you the internet's most comprehensive look at Starfield.
We feel no Bethesda game can ever be fully appreciated on a first play-through of the main story and a few side quests; instead, they need to mature, sit with you and be allowed the time to live and breathe to allow you to soak in the entire experience truly.
This will be a true 'for the fans by the fans' review, and we hope you will join us as we share our Captain's Logs and musings as the review expands. Starfield, like its other Bethesda brethren, is more than just a game; it is more than just a piece of media to cover and move on from. Starfield is a journey; sharing our stories as we make pathways through the cosmos will be an experience like no other.
For all, into the Starfield.
While you are here, why not get ready to explore all the planets within Starfield, or even learn about the Wild Wild West in Starfield?
We also have extensive guides and builds to suit every player, which will evolve and change with time.