7 best games like Starfield to play before launch, from Destiny 2 to No Man's Sky (2023)

We have outlined all of the best games to play like Starfield, while we wait for the launch of Bethesda's latest role-playing game (RPG). Starfield is so, so soon, but it is also incredibly far away. In truth, we can't wait, and the desire to just take to space and experience a deep and intricate story is so strong we have found some games that may scratch a similar itch.

This will be the first time we have had a new, single-player game, from Bethesda Game Studios in five years. In that time, we have had Fallout 76 and Elder Scrolls online, but they're very different to the single-player experiences we have come to expect.

The rich worlds, captivating characters, and sights that intrigue around every corner. Bethesda RPGs capture all of that and more, so here are some other games that we think do a similar job, at least until Starfield arrives.

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The best games like Starfield in 2023, ranked

7 - Destiny 2 

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Destiny 2 details 

• Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC
• Developer: Bungie Inc.
• Key features: 
  • Great shooting mechanics 
  • Rich world 
  • Deep lore 

Destiny 2 may be closer to an MMORPG than an RPG, and it can only be played online, but it's still worth a look to slake your thirst for spacefaring ahead of Starfield. Destiny 2's Guardians move throughout exotic locations, using superhuman abilities and incredible weapons to blow away a variety of enemy races.

It's tough to get into (with expansions mounting up), but if you stick with it you'll be rewarded with a bombastic adventure that's even better with friends. With PvE, PvP, and a hybrid of the two in Gambit, there's always something to do, but the best Destiny 2 experiences come in its complex Raids.

These mix frantic combat and puzzles to create unforgivable experiences with great loot, and while it's a lot more action-focused than Starfield's RPG stylings, customising your attributes through gear is crucial for success.

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6 - Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

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Image via Respawn Entertainment

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor details 

• Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series, PC
• Developer: Respawn 
• Key features: 
  • Lightsabers
  • Compelling Star Wars story 
  • Interesting cast of characters 

As the newest game on this list, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor certainly has you covered if you want to go to space. While it may be one of the more linear games on this list, it captures all of the charm you'd expect from a game set in the deepest reaches of space, whilst also telling a very compelling story. 

Instead of focusing on shooting as the other games in our list of games like Starfield do, here, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will have players using the iconic lightsaber - which is enjoyable to use but difficult to truly master. While we think there are some other games on this list that should be more in line with what you can expect from Starfield, there is no denying the quality of Respawn’s space adventure, which also boasts a healthy dose of RPG systems throughout. 

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5 - Fallout 4

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Image via Bethesda Softworks

Fallout 4 details 

• Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC
• Developer: Bethesda Softworks 
• Key features: 
  • Massive open-world 
  • Lots of freedom in exploration 
  • Can have a dog companion 

Sometimes, the only way you can get close to the real thing is by experiencing what came before. Bethesda games always have a certain charm and humour that is hard to find anywhere else, so if that’s what you’re crying out for, going back to a game like Fallout 4 will be just what you need. 

The Fallout games have always used their post-apocalyptic settings well, offering the players near limitless things to explore in the wastelands left by nuclear war. If you’re wondering if Starfield is for you, then trying a previous Bethesda game may be a great way to figure it out too. 

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4 - Cyberpunk 2077 

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Image via CD Projekt RED

Cyberpunk 2077 details 

• Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC
• Developer: CD Projekt RED 
• Key features: 
  • Intricate story 
  • Great shooting and gameplay variety
  • Keanu Reeves

Very few games capture the richness and depth of the world’s Bethesda builds. They feel real, lived in and offer something interesting around every corner - at times they can almost be overwhelming. Cyberpunk 2077 offers all of the above, as well as a fascinating story to pursue, with a cast of well-written characters (including Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba in the upcoming Phantom Liberty expansion) and gameplay that supports it all. 

Cyberpunk 2077 is set in a dystopian future, where you play as a mercenary in a world dominated by corporations exploiting workers. In this world, cybernetic body modifications have become the norm, and are at the very centre of the game's story. This game may not be set in space, but it pretty much covers everything else we are expecting from a Starfield-like game. 

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3 - No Man’s Sky 

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Image via Hello Games

No Man's Sky details

• Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC, Nintendo Switch
• Developer: Hello Games 
• Key features: 
  • Exploration on an unprecedented scale 
  • Still receiving updates 
  • Procedurally generated animals

The very moment you hear procedurally generated planets in Starfield, you'll likely think of another game somewhat like it: No Man’s Sky. After a rocky launch, Hello Games has delivered on the promise of seamlessly exploring an enormous amount of planets. 

The key to success in No Man’s Sky is exploration, where you'll create your own story and embark on an adventure all of your own choosing, stocking up on resources along the way. If Starfield delivers on everything other than going to space, No Man’s Sky is the game that delivers on the promise of space. 

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2 - The Outer Worlds

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Image via Obsidian Entertainment

The Outer Worlds details

• Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC, Nintendo Switch
• Developer: Obsidian Entertainment 
• Key features: 
  • Dialogue options allow you to talk your way out of conflict 
  • Unique world 
  • Multi-dimensional characters that feel real 

The Outer Worlds is an RPG set in space, from Obsidian Entertainment that relies heavily on player choice and exploration. It may not be as long as, or as grand as Bethesda's upcoming RPG to some, but it will act as a bite-size version of a Starfield-like game until it releases later this year. 

What will draw players in most with The Outer Worlds is once again the in-depth narrative on display, it gives the player a lot of choice with how they decide to tackle the game. Obsidian also made a Fallout game, and their style has been compared to Bethesda’s in the past, so we are certainly on the right track. This will no doubt have something to offer for anyone yearning for a space RPG game like Starfield until it arrives later this year. 

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The best game like Starfield: Mass Effect Legendary Edition 

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Image via BioWare

Mass Effect Legendary Edition details

• Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC
• Developer: BioWare 
• Key features: 
  • The best way to experience one of gamings ultimate sagas
  • High stakes adventure 
  • A complete story accompanied by upgraded visuals and mechanics

Coming in first on this list of games like Starfield is, possibly unsurprisingly, Mass Effect.

If someone says an RPG set in space, the first thing that will come to most people's minds is likely the Mass Effect series. With the first three games now in a handy collection - Mass Effect Legendary Edition - remastered for current-gen consoles, you're able to experience this epic tale in the best way possible. 

Including the Mass Effect Legendary Edition may be cheating ever so slightly, as we'd consider these to be three of the best games ever made, but the trilogy is a complete set that should absolutely be experienced together. 

If you want something to play whilst you wait for Starfield, Mass Effect is arguably the definitive RPG franchise set in space. There are great characters, strong writing, and plenty of dialogue options, while also asking the player to make some incredibly tough choices. 

So, those were our top choices of the best games to play like Starfield while you await its launch (or, uh, liftoff?). If you still have some Starfield-related questions, be sure to check out everything we know about Starfield so far.