Starfeld is a parody of space opera RPGs such as the Mass Effect series, especially their formulaic approach of conversations, missions and romances mixed with space battles.
Designed in a low-res visual pixel style with a minimalist soundtrack of beeps, the gameplay consists of two parts. The first plays out aboard the spaceship. The player’s main character, shown from a top-down view, can talk to other crew members (when they are recruited) and then start a mission. The second part is the space mission itself, designed as a side-scrolling shooter where the ship needs to survive for 30 seconds. After completing missions the ship is often upgraded with lasers, shields or a different hull.
The genre’s mission design is parodied through trivial quests such as visiting a nephew or rescuing a puppy, which the characters have serious conversations about. Completing missions is often rewarded with the option to start relationships and this is mainly determined through simplified moral options to pursue a good or evil path (“Return the puppy - Yes/No?”). Based on these choices different endings can be discovered.
