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Having too much choice can be scary. What if I choose the wrong option? What if I do the missions in the wrong order? There's a lot to do in Starfield—too much to cover in one article, really.
Even if you've been playing the game since its launch, there's a chance you've missed some great missions—mainline, side, and more. If you're stuck in choice paralysis, this list will give you something concrete to work with.
We've played a lot of Starfield—over 100 hours at this point—and while we can't promise you'll enjoy it (because it's subjective), these are meaty missions that take in all of the galaxy and give you tons of fun. Things to do.
While we won't give away any major storylines, there will be some minor quest spoilers in here.
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Toggleamong the stars
Yes, you must engage with the main mission—at least for a while. If you engage with the main quest line that Fallout 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 taught us, you'll reach a point where you permanently cut yourself off from other quest lines due to the game's ending. As a result, many players put the main mission on the back, they are ready to do anything and everything not to engage with it.
Here's the thing: this main quest line, in addition to being a way into Starfield's cool and innovative new game+ system (once you do Complete) also introduces you to one of the main mechanics of the game – space power.
A constellation of explorers will send you into the galaxy. Something (metal? rock? We're not sure). Eventually, you'll be tasked with hunting down mysterious, long-abandoned temples. Each temple you find rewards you with new power. You can make nearby enemies float in zero gravity for a few seconds, slow down time, or knock everyone out in Starfield's equivalent of Skyrim's “Fus Ro Dah.”
Many of these are important in battle and are very useful to pick up. You can still commit crimes and save planets later. This quest line won't suddenly surprise you with ending the game, so don't be afraid to dive in and become a space wizard.
Mantis compound
If you're rooting for a hero, look to Mantis. Head to Starfield early, “Secret announcement!” You pick up a tablet titled From Spacer Corpse. The tablet adds a log line. Pick up a few levels and some satisfying equipment and then go on this mission.
You'll go through a fun and silly story that takes you deep into a cave, where you'll find some great sights to see, as well as a collection of armor and a ship to get inside. Game—all for shooting a set of spacers for a lower, lower price. We don't want to twist the truth here, but this is a fun Starfield legend to follow.
Above and beyond
They said join the army. Look at the galaxy, they said.
This questline pays off big if you take it to the end. Go to the main MAST building and talk to Commander Tula, the UC recruiter there. First, you have to go through a museum and pass a flight simulator test. Protip: You can play this flight simulator as much as you want, and there are some in-game cheats you can use to get more into the simulator. This is a great way to satisfy levels that require you to destroy a certain number of ships – without ever risking your life.
Once you pass the challenge, however, Tuala sends you to a deserted planet, initially as a mute messenger. When you get there, however, you quickly notice that something is terribly wrong, and you're stuck in one of the game's meatiest lines of inquiry. This Aliens-inspired questline takes you deeper into Starfield lore than almost any other mission, and can take a lot of time.
But even better are the rewards. In addition to a great storyline, you'll also get lots of money and new Atlantis citizenship. Even if you don't care about decoration, though, this quest line is still worth doing just for the story – rewards aside. You'll still get over 60,000 credits and tons of experience, but that's just a bonus.
Associated missions
The game's main companions – Sarah, Barrett, Andreja, and Sam – all have friend quests that you can trigger by increasing their affinity (by moving the way you want) and by talking to them and exhausting their conversation options.
You don't need to love characters to get their companion quests. For example, I fell in love with Andreja and befriended Sarah, and was able to do both of their escort missions. Andreja's mission reveals her loyalty to the Great Serpent and the cult-religious people of House Varuyu. The legend behind House Varun is either a little immature or so true Well-hidden, this is the heartwarming story of Andrea's journey of leaving home behind and exploring her own faith.
Sarah, meanwhile, has a troubled history with UC Vanguard, and once she trusts you enough, she'll ask you to tie up the loose ends that lead you to her story. They aren't as consequential or useful as other quest lines, but the companion quests are still fun each in their own right – and give some much-needed life to companions who can feel a little wooden.
Deep coverage
Some enemies are very evasive, very secretive. You have to think of them. The Crimson Fleet is Starfield's pirate fleet. They have really cool red armor and live on a space station with lots of shops very close to each other.
As you progress through the quest line starting with Supra Et Ultra, you'll take on a quest line called Deep Cover. This introduces you to UC SysDef, the Vanguard sub-division you just joined that specializes in taking down Crimson Fleet. If you accept this mission, you will join the pirates as a mole, ultimately forcing you to choose between sticking with your new pirate comrades or surrendering to SysDef.
It's a long string of quests that allow you to go stealth, visit new systems, and explore several sprawling dungeons before making a decision. You'll meet some fun characters and earn a lot of money in the process. But the rewards are many. If you stick with the pirates, you get a ship that can last the rest of the game. If you decide to become a narc, you still get some good things, including enough money to roll your eyes back.
First contact
When Starfield first hit, there were news stories saying that Bethesda thought about linking Starfield to the hit Fallout games. That didn't happen in the end, but the first line of contact quests feels a lot like finding a Volt-Tech vault floating among the stars. In the Porima system, you receive a distress call from a planet called Paradiso, asking you to contact a mysterious ship hovering in orbit. The occupants of this ship are for… well, a so long time.
The rewards on this mission aren't amazing—a few thousand credits and a very good (but not great) gun—but it's an interesting idea that feels different from most missions in Startfield. You don't even need to draw your gun once. Well, unless you want to.
Earthquake
If you pop up in the Altair system, you'll receive a distress call from a research station surrounded by Spacers, the Starfield versus Fallout's Raiders. This is not a stealth mission, Snake. You have no choice but to go in guns blazing, but this is a fun mission that puts you in the middle of a Starfield fight. You'll have spacers on both the inside and outside, and you'll have plenty of opportunities to engage with the (poor transfer) coverage system.
It's not a very story-heavy mission, but you get to interact with some fun and well-written characters. The prize at the end is the Peacekeeper, a great gun that can last you long into the game. Depending on how you handle yourself, you may accidentally meet some of the characters from this mission later on.
Tourists go home
Sol System – Be sure to stop by Saturn's moon Titan when you visit the very different looking basement. You should be able to easily find a quest called Brownout by talking to Joyce in New Homestead. Take care of that quest and then talk to Guiliana in the clinic.
Listen, the civilian clothes at Starfield suck. There are very few costumes in this game that most people will see and think: “I can't wait to dress up my character. It is what he said. Clothes.” But the clothes you get in this mission are special. Just scare some tourists for a while, and they're all yours. Just look at them. And then after you get this clothes, go to Neon, apply for Ryujin's job, and wear this clothes to the interview. Leave a reply.You're sure to be noticed!
Operation Starseed
This is a quest you will encounter much later in your Starfield adventure, most likely. The Charybdis system is so far away from other systems that you need a spacecraft full of bull to get to it in the first place.
But that's the game's other downfall: a distant space settlement was a weirdly fun experiment idea. The twist here is so funny and weird that I won't dare spoil it, but you'll meet some very memorable people and get to be friends with the legendary pilot.
