I clench my teeth as I give Starfield a positive review.

Starfield is a shining beacon of mediocrity, which I do not believe is something to condemn. It is absolutely serviceable in most areas. You can do all of the Bethesda 'things'.

The biggest downfall of Starfield is how devoid of wonder the world is. There is some intrigue to be had, but the medium of delivery (a Bethesda RPG) actively serves to undercut the potential of this world.

You will likely find yourself skipping dialogue before too long; cursing the lack of map functionality to friends and coworkers; apologetically claiming the game is underwhelming; and begrudgingly accepting the trash your companions define as "gifts". But, you will likely still boot it up. You will remember what star system Neon is in, despite it infuriating you there is no list of explored/notable/favorite locations. You will load down your companions just to pick up another item you will sell for nearly-useless currency.

This is a Bethesda RPG, after all. I continued to describe this game as the feeling of running into a long-lost classmate. You start the conversation with who you believe to be a stranger, but you will soon blurt out, "wait...I know you."