Shattered Space DLC: A Potential Game-Changer for Starfield’s Combat
The upcoming “Shattered Space” DLC, set to release on September 30, 2024, is poised to address Starfield’s most significant combat shortcomings. While it promises to enhance handcrafted environments and delve into the mysteries of House Va’ruun, the most anticipated improvement may lie in the overhaul of the game’s melee combat system.
Unveiling the Combat Overhaul
Bethesda Softworks recently released a “Shattered Space Deep Dive,” a comprehensive ten-minute YouTube presentation where lead creative producer Tim Lamb and other developers discuss the DLC’s new creatures, game mechanics, and story elements. The video, while briefly touching on combat, hints at a pivotal shift: “In the base game, there was a lot of focus around ranged gun combat…In Shattered Space, we’re closing that distance.” This statement, coupled with footage of a character lunging with a sword, suggests a significant revamp in melee combat, though specific details remain under wraps. This development is particularly exciting, given the base game’s need for a more robust melee system.
The Significance of a Melee Combat Overhaul
The Need for Change in Starfield’s Melee System
Despite featuring a variety of melee weapons, Starfield’s approach to close-quarters combat has been simplistic and lacks depth. Historically, Bethesda RPGs haven’t excelled in complex melee systems; even a game like Skyrim offered basic mechanics such as directional slashes and blocking. Starfield follows this pattern, with its melee combat feeling outdated. The Deep Dive video acknowledges the game’s emphasis on gunplay, which has overshadowed melee options.
Additionally, melee combat in the base game is unbalanced, challenging players to create effective builds focused on close-combat. Notably, it was only recently that tiers were introduced for melee weapons, a feature available from launch for guns. Previously, players could find multiple variants of each unique ranged weapon, allowing for progressive enhancement. Melee weapons, on the other hand, lacked this tiered system until the June update.
Enhancements in Melee Weaponry
As of Starfield’s June update, melee weapons have been given three tiers: Sharpened, Honed, and Quantum-Edged. This addition makes melee weapons more viable at higher levels, enabling players to select a preferred weapon and discover improved versions throughout their campaign. The introduction of mods for melee weapons has also made close-quarters combat more engaging since the game’s launch.
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Addressing the Balance Between Melee and Ranged Combat
Despite these improvements, melee builds remain disadvantaged against ranged enemies, primarily due to defensive shortcomings. Players relying on melee combat often face significant damage as they approach enemies. Introducing new defensive options would allow players to close distances more safely.
The Shattered Space DLC might offer various updates to rectify this imbalance. These could include new skills and mods to enhance melee viability, unique weapons with distinctive fighting styles, or balance adjustments to ensure melee fighters can compete effectively. Whatever form these updates take, they promise to make Starfield’s character builds more versatile and address one of its most critical combat flaws.
