Starlink: Battle for Atlas Xbox One – A great universe full of potential

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is an open-world shooting game full of potential. The title can be played digitally or with the help of figures such as those found in Disney Infinity and Skylanders. The toy's approach to life hurts its potential on a larger scale because sometimes it feels like the game has been reduced to appeal to a younger population. Instead of mature characters, Starlink portrays bizarre teenagers who joke despite the fact that their lives are in danger. The title could have been a franchise to compete with the biggest sci-fi series because of its expansive environment. Indeed, Starlink is excellent, but it could have been one of the best games of 2018 if Ubisoft had taken some more risks.

Starlink 's inspires such experiences as Mass Effect: Andromeda and No Man' s Sky. Just like Mass Effect: Andromeda, Ubisoft's latest adventure begins with a forced landing and a missing captain. The ultimate goal is to recruit allies to defeat an oppressive force known as the "Legion". Although shooting may seem repetitive, there are many activities on every planet. Some areas have higher level enemies, so you must return once you are strong enough. You can exploit resources, harvest plants, explore ruins, search for animals and participate in other types of activities to develop your character.

The gameplay however looks much more like No Man's Sky.

The gameplay looks like No Man's Sky in some ways. However, unlike No Man's Sky, you can not leave your ship and must perform missions and fight ashore from your ship. The inability to jump off your boat and explore the immediate surroundings is a missed opportunity. Even if you explore unexplored spaces, you feel trapped in Starlink. Instead of providing a rover or other land vehicle, Starlink essentially turns your spaceship into a hovercraft. You must even "jump" to avoid shooting. It's a bit like the developer, Ubisoft Toronto, was running out of time and decided to remove some features.

Visuals and performances

Starlink seems to work at 4K resolution on Xbox One X, but the frame rate is locked at 30 frames per second. It usually keeps its frame rate, except when there are a lot of enemies or explosions on the screen. Since the game does not seem technically demanding because of its graphics, a 60 FPS mode is a strange omission. Starlink offers beautiful lighting, but the textures of the ground are muddy and lack details. Aside from improving the resolution, it does not appear that Ubisoft Toronto has gone to great lengths to make the most of the Xbox One X or PlayStation 4 Pro. The game is strangely similar to that of Nintendo Switch. It is obvious that little effort has been made to improve it for the most powerful consoles.

The game was designed for the Nintendo Switch.

The Nintendo Switch version features Star Fox, which has its own story. The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions do not have such additional characters. As such, it may seem that the game was designed for the Nintendo Switch and that the other versions were taken after the fact. Why could not the Xbox One version get a guest character from a Microsoft franchise? This appears to be an unfair omission, especially given the breadth of additional content available on the Nintendo Switch at no additional cost. Although marketing agreements are an integral part of the gaming industry, publishers must nevertheless aim for parity of content.

Toy-to-life approach

Starlink toys are of the highest quality. The plastics are smooth and each piece fits perfectly in the slots provided for this purpose. You must use a holster to attach the toys to your controller. Unfortunately, they are a bit difficult to attach to an Xbox One controller, and some of the larger ships prevent you from using thumbs or buttons comfortably. They are also quite difficult to disassemble once a driver has been inserted into the cockpit.

The toys are quite difficult to disassemble once a driver has been inserted.

Toys are excellent collectibles, but if you want to play the game without being slaughtered by powerful enemies, opt for the luxury digital edition. It comes with all the spaceships and you will not have to grope when trying to change weapons, vehicles or drivers.

Incredible customization

Customization plays a major role in Starlink. You can change the appearance of your ship and the capabilities of various weapons. For example, you can mount your weapons at the rear during an interstellar fight.

Vessel customization plays a major role in Starlink.

Some extra ship parts increase your attack or defense. Apart from that, you can equip mods that can make you even stronger. Learning how these mechanisms work is an important step in mastering the game and making the game rewarding over time.

Smooth gameplay

Starlink is very fun to play, and even if it's locked at 30 FPS, the fight looks smooth and responsive. Given the upgrade systems, the game can also be quite complex, because you have to customize your workload according to the threat you are facing. The use of a standard Gatling gun on an enemy who is vulnerable only to the anti-ice weapons will not do you much good. Before entering certain combat scenarios, you must scrutinize your opponents. Equipping the right arsenal is essential to success.

The fight is smooth and responsive.

Maneuvering your ship is also an absolute joy. Whether you are hovering over the surface of a planet or taking out pirates in the void of space, the controls never let you down. There is absolutely no learning curve and no matter who can follow it immediately. The orders seem to be designed for all age groups.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas last thoughts

Overall, Starlink is an impressive experience. It is unfortunate that history and limited exploration options retain the title. The game could have competed with some of the world's best space exploration games, but its need to appeal to a younger audience definitely takes it away. More than anything, Starlink needs more characters and an ability to explore your immediate surroundings on foot and interact directly with the worlds of the game. Despite these problems, the game is very fun, especially when you eliminate your enemies in a thrilling space fight. I just wish his real potential was realized.

4
out of 5

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is currently available on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. The price starts at $ 59.99.

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This review was done on an Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro console, with the help of a copy provided by the publisher and purchased by the author.

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