Compare Starfield vs The Last of Us Part II Remastered

Accessibility is a serious weak spot in the most critical take, with one reviewer saying the limited options leave some players shut out rather than merely inconvenienced.

Accessibility options were strongly praised, with reviewers calling the expanded descriptive audio, speech-to-vibration, and broader tools meaningful additions.

Age appropriateness was limited by the game’s mature themes, violence, and emotional weight, with one reviewer saying younger players may not appreciate it.

Enemy and security behavior drew sharp complaints, especially where foes seemed easy to exploit or failed to react convincingly.

AI behavior was praised in combat-focused reviews for swarming, faction pressure, and strong arena behavior.

Aiming precision received specific praise on PC, where mouse input gave reviewers strong control for headshots.

Art direction splits opinion, with NASA-punk praised for a distinctive look in some places and dismissed as bland or ineffective in others.

Art direction was praised as visually striking, though one review also noted the remaster could look too dark in places.

Atmosphere is uneven. Some players miss the expected Bethesda charm, while others are pulled in by the large sci-fi setting.

Atmosphere was praised as masterful, especially for its oppressive tension and survival-horror mood.

Boss design stood out in one PC review, which highlighted major fights as some of Naughty Dog’s best.

Bug frequency varies widely by version and platform, from almost no issues to repeated freezes, broken interactions, and crash-adjacent problems.

Bug frequency was mixed: some PC reviewers reported minor UI or texture glitches, while others found the port clean.

Character creation earns praise for depth, with reviewers liking how far customization and background setup can go.

Companions and character arcs are a relative strength when reviewers spend time with them, though the broader cast is not universally loved.

Character development was praised for its heavy character work and risky perspective structure.

The character roster in No Return was praised for bringing secondary characters forward with different loadouts, traits, and playstyles.

Combat is one of the better-liked systems overall, often described as Bethesda’s strongest gunplay yet, though a few reviewers still find it basic or merely serviceable.

Combat was one of the strongest areas overall, with reviewers praising its brutal feel, polish, resource pressure, and ability to shine in No Return despite a few dissenting takes.

Companions are divisive. Some reviewers enjoy their stories and usefulness, while others complain about chatty behavior, getting stuck, or interrupting the flow.

Content volume is a major selling point, with reviewers pointing to many quests, systems, updates, and activities that can keep players busy for a long time.

Content variety was broadly praised, especially No Return, Lost Levels, commentary, guitar free play, skins, speedrun tools, and modifiers, though some extras were called short or uneven.

Controls were usually described as smooth, responsive, and solid, with PC mouse-and-keyboard support adding precision for some players.

The core loop works best for players who enjoy Bethesda-style wandering, looting, and quest chaining, though it can take time to settle in.

The No Return loop was praised as a high-stakes, rewarding way to experience the game’s encounters repeatedly.

Crafting, outposts, mods, and ship-building depth stand out, but the same systems can feel under-explained or tedious when resource handling gets in the way.

Crafting was praised as part of the game’s excellent survival-combat foundation.

Stability is inconsistent. Some players report only rare crashes, while others describe freezing, repeated restarts, or crashes serious enough to interrupt progress.

Dialogue is polarizing: one reviewer calls conversation trees best-in-class, while others find the writing flat, generic, or dated.

Difficulty earns limited praise where late missions test combat skill without feeling unfair.

Difficulty was usually viewed positively as tense and intentional, with challenge options and survival pressure fitting the game’s design.

DLC and expansion value is mixed. Some reviews like the added content, while others call specific expansions dull or worth waiting on sale for patches.

The economy and resource balance are recurring frustrations, especially around ship costs, resource pricing, inventory clutter, and limited trading fantasy.

Resource balance was praised for keeping ammo and materials scarce enough to make survival tense.

Emotional impact was extremely strong, with reviewers repeatedly describing the story as gutting, heartbreaking, or emotionally shattering.

Enemy variety was mixed: No Return adds faction variety and AI pressure, but one reviewer criticized the limited number of new enemies.

Environmental detail is often praised, especially city detail, planet presentation, and the sense of visual scale.

Environmental detail drew strong praise for scenery, foliage, world texture, and dense visual craftsmanship.

Exploration is the biggest fault line. Some players love the scale and city discovery, while many criticize empty planets, fast-travel dependency, and repeated points of interest.

Exploration was generally valued for scavenging, optional environmental stories, and player choice, though one reviewer found it sometimes too guided.

Facial animation and conversation presentation feel dated to several reviewers, even when voice work is praised.

Facial animation was praised as industry-leading and central to the emotional performances.

Fans of space RPGs and Mass Effect-style adventures may feel at home, but this is not framed as faithful to an existing Starfield franchise.

The gifting comments are positive, but the reviews do not give a detailed family-suitability analysis.

Family friendliness scored low because one reviewer explicitly described the game as gritty, intense, and extremely violent.

Fast travel is convenient but also one of the most repeated complaints, with many reviewers saying it fragments the space fantasy.

Ship flight and space combat can be fun, especially after updates, but several reviewers say travel still feels limited or merely good enough.

Frame rate impressions depend on platform. PS5 and PS5 Pro comments range from smoother performance to fluctuating modes that still need work.

Frame rate stability was mostly praised, especially in performance mode, with some caveats around 30fps fidelity mode and certain PC scenes.

Overall fun is sharply split. Many players are hooked or having a blast, while others find the game boring, underwhelming, or only fun for a narrow sandbox audience.

Fun factor was strongest in No Return and combat-focused extras, though the main story’s grim tone made it less relaxing for some reviewers.

General gameplay draws both praise and disappointment: it offers a huge Bethesda-style RPG framework, but some reviewers find the actual moment-to-moment play bland.

Gameplay mechanics drew mixed responses: several reviewers liked the remastered combat tools, but one felt the core stealth-loot-shoot loop had aged poorly.

Visuals are usually a strength, with praise for gorgeous graphics and presentation, though some reviewers call the look dated or bland.

Graphics were widely praised as excellent or stunning, but reviewers often stressed that the jump over the PS4/PS5-patched version is modest.

Handheld suitability was praised in one PC review because the Steam Deck version ran well enough to deserve verification.

Haptic feedback integration was strongly praised for bows, weapons, bandaging, traversal, and added immersion, though one reviewer found extended use tiring.

Horror tension was praised for causing anxiety, dread, and memorable scare sequences.

Innovation was limited in one review, which found No Return fun but not especially unique as a mode.

The learning curve is steep. Several reviewers say Starfield has many systems and does not explain enough up front.

Level design criticism focuses on repeated arenas and spaces that do not support the scope of the world.

Level design received strong praise from one reviewer for making linear spaces feel flexible and meaningful.

Loading screens are one of the most consistent complaints. A few note short load times, but many say frequent transitions and menus make the universe feel chopped up.

Load times were consistently praised as much faster and a clear quality-of-life upgrade.

Map and navigation design drew one notable complaint about unclear progression paths in naturalistic environments.

Menus and inventory are repeated pain points, with reviewers calling the UI clunky, slow, or shockingly poor for a game with so much item management.

Mission design is uneven: some missions and factions are memorable, while others feel short, repetitive, or underdeveloped.

Mission variety in No Return was praised for randomized objectives and encounter types, with some caveats about uneven encounters.

Mods and Creations are a meaningful plus for some reviewers because they can improve rough edges and deepen the experience.

The main story is one of the most mixed areas. Some reviewers find it surprisingly interesting or a useful guide, while others call it weak, flat, or forgettable.

Narrative quality remained divisive but mostly positive, with many reviewers calling it profound or masterful while others criticized its structure, bleakness, and execution.

Onboarding is a weak spot because important systems can be under-explained, leaving players to figure out menus, building, and progression on their own.

The open-world structure disappoints reviewers who expected seamless discovery, with empty terrain and repeated outposts undercutting the sense of a living galaxy.

The limited semi-open Seattle section stood out positively to one reviewer, who wished more of the game pursued that feeling.

Originality gets some credit for the space RPG ambition, though several reviews also call the formula familiar.

Originality was mixed, with one review finding No Return strange and unusual but artistically awkward.

Pacing is uneven. Reviewers describe slow openings, rushed-feeling story beats, and stronger stretches once the game finally clicks.

Pacing was the most consistent structural complaint, with multiple reviewers saying the campaign felt long, bloated, or uneven despite strong moments.

Performance varies by hardware and mode, from smooth PS5 impressions to inconsistent PS5 Pro behavior and demanding PC requirements.

Performance optimization was generally strong on PS5 and many PC setups, though one PC review reported stutter and texture issues.

Platform-specific support is mixed: PS5 features and smoothness are praised, but the physical-disc/download and internet requirements frustrate some buyers.

Platform-specific support was praised for PS5-native upgrades such as load times, DualSense features, and 3D audio.

Polish is better than many expected for a Bethesda-scale RPG, though it does not eliminate bugs, crashes, or rough UI.

Polish was a consistent strength, with reviewers describing the package, presentation, and bonus modes as well-crafted.

Progression is a relative strength, with skill trees, outposts, and build growth giving players multiple ways to shape their playstyle.

Progression in No Return was praised for unlocks, challenges, and longer-term rewards that kept runs moving.

Protagonist appeal was mixed: Ellie was praised as carrying the sequel by some, while one reviewer found her harder to relate to.

Puzzle design receives limited but strong praise through the lockpicking minigame.

Puzzle design was a weak point in one review, which complained that environmental puzzles were too few and underdeveloped.

Side quests and faction quests are among the most praised parts, even when the main story disappoints.

Remaster quality was generally praised as a definitive or worthwhile edition, though the visual upgrade was often called modest and content-focused.

Replay value is positive for players who like long RPGs, new game plus, and self-directed builds.

Replay value was one of the strongest remaster arguments, driven mainly by No Return, daily/custom runs, unlocks, and added extras.

Sandbox freedom is one of Starfield’s main attractions for the right player, with reviewers praising the ability to wander, build, survey, and pursue your own goals.

No Return’s sandbox-like setup was praised as a fun way to experiment outside the campaign’s narrative constraints.

Skill trees earn praise for meaningful perks and challenge-based progression that gives builds structure.

Skill systems were split: one reviewer liked the upgrade satisfaction, while another felt No Return upgrades did not meaningfully change play enough.

Sound design is a high point in the strongest audio-focused review, especially ship and ambient effects.

Sound design was praised for 3D audio, directionality, anxiety, and stealth-tension cues.

The soundtrack earns strong praise where discussed, with orchestral and sweeping music fitting the space setting well.

The soundtrack was praised as atmospheric and emotionally effective.

Stealth mechanics were widely praised as tense, flexible, and improved, especially when No Return encouraged new approaches.

Tutorial quality is a complaint when players want more help; several reviews say the game leaves too much unexplained.

Interface design is a regular drawback, especially with maps, menus, and navigation that feel awkward for a game this large.

User interface design had one PC-specific criticism, where mouse-related UI elements could hurt frame rate.

Value depends on taste and edition. Fans can get a strong price-to-playtime ratio, while skeptics may find the full-price or DLC value harder to justify.

Value for money was strongly positive for the $10 upgrade, with more mixed views for first-time or double-dip buyers at full price.

The REV-8/vehicle addition helps planet traversal, but user reports also connect surface driving with freezes.

Visual effects were mostly strong, but one PC review noted distracting upscaling artifacts around transparencies.

Voice acting is often praised, sometimes even when the writing or facial presentation gets criticized.

Voice acting earned unanimous praise from scored reviews, especially for the main cast’s performances.

Weapon balance is only lightly addressed, with one review saying the combat tools get the job done.

World-building is divisive: some admire the sci-fi scale, while others find the vision of humanity and space underwhelming.

World-building was praised for Seattle’s detail, environmental storytelling, and the way the sequel frames grief and factions.

Writing quality is one of the weaker areas for critical reviewers, especially in main-quest dialogue and characterizations.

Writing quality was polarized: several reviewers praised the ambitious, intentional storytelling, while one criticized the script as unsubtle.