Summary
Starfieldwas billed as a Bethesda game about the era of interstellar discovery, but as one of its players found out on the surface of Numitor and its moon, this discovery can also mean running into an eerie alien hatchery. While the topic ofprocedural generation inStarfieldremains contentious in its community, Bethesda seems to have sprinkled in quite a few unique planets in the Settled Systems. Jungle biomes may share some flora and fauna, and the grass may always be green on worlds that support vegetation, but when it comes to barren worlds, the developers weren’t so constrained by maintaining a realistic visual identity.
Starfieldfamously has a purple planetin Muphrid I, albeit absent of any retinal-based lifeforms, and its uniqueness does a decent job of breaking up the monotony of planetary exploration. However, the world of Muphrid I inStarfieldisn’t alone when it comes to unique barren worlds, as both Numitor and its moon Romulus happen to hide a secret on their infernal surface.
Located in the Lunara system, Numitor and Romulus are considered to be unsuitable for life due to high temperatures and lack of an atmosphere. Both celestial bodies have aluminum, helium-3, and beryllium dotting the surface. However, as noted byStarfieldplayer sterrre, these worlds also have a very pronounced version of the Charred Ecosystem trait. In addition to flora, fauna, and resources, someStarfieldworlds can also have Planetary Traits. Usually, a Charred Ecosystem inStarfieldequates to a cluster of geysers or hot springs. However, in the case of Numitor and Romulus, these pools also have an abundance of alien eggs.
WhileStarfieldhaving alienswas hotly debated among fans prior to the game’s launch, with the sole exception of terrormorphs, the Settled Systems do not have any non-human lifeforms approaching the concept of sentience. Even in the case of terrormorphs inStarfield, it remains a contested point about whether they can directly communicate with the player, or if their communication is just a byproduct of terrormorphs releasing pheromones. The nests found on Numitor and Romulus most likely belong to a non-sentient species that needs high temperatures to incubate its young.
Putting aside the obvious parallel withAlien, players can’t help but wonder if an alien invasion could be in Starfield’s future. After all, even theFalloutfranchise has aliens appropriate for its “apocalyptic Americana” setting. Though it remains to be seen what Bethesda has in store for its fans with Shattered Space, it would probably be a missed opportunity if one ofStarfield’s DLCs and expansion packsdoesn’t deal with sentient alien life.
Starfield
WHERE TO PLAY
Starfield is the first new universe in 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery.The year is 2330. Humanity has ventured beyond our solar system, settling new planets, and living as a spacefaring people. From humble beginnings as a space miner, you will join Constellation – the last group of space explorers seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy – and navigate the vast expanse of the Settled Systems in Bethesda Game Studios’ biggest and most ambitious game.
