The long-awaited game Starfield is finally available for some players, but it’s notably an Xbox Series X/S console exclusive. That means console-only players who don’t own one of Microsoft’s latest systems are out of luck and will have to look for some alternatives. Thankfully, there are some other viable options on Sony’s own PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscription service.
From previous Bethesda Game Studios titles that will provide a similar RPG experience to other games set in space or about exploring a galaxy of planets, there are seven ones that we think those without an Xbox, PC, or cloud gaming connection to play Starfield with should check out. While the price of an annual subscription to PS Plus is going up soon, all of these games are playable for no additional cost if you have a PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium subscription.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
If you’re looking for a choice-driven RPG to play, there’s nothing shameful about replaying Bethesda Game Studios’ The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. First released in 2011 and rereleased many times, Skyrim is one of the best fantasy RPGs ever made, with an expansive world, lots of character classes that add to the game’s replay value, and tons of interesting lore and stories for the player to discover. There’s a good chance you’ve already played Skyrim at this point, but if you somehow haven’t or just really need something to scratch that Western RPG itch because you can’t play Starfield, it’s impossible to go wrong with one of the best games of the 2010s.
Prey
Prey comes from Arkane Studios, which, like Bethesda, is also owned by ZeniMax Media. It’s a much more intimate game than Starfield, but that doesn’t mean the game lacks content or depth. As a compelling horror game and immersive sim, Prey is a sci-fi adventure that scares, but also gives players a lot of varied gameplay tools to deal with whatever challenges the game throws at them. The game even got a roguelike mode in an expansion that adds to its replay value. If the reactive, sandbox potential of Starfield is what is most appealing about the game to you, then you might enjoy the space horror playground that Prey provides.
Starlink: Battle for Atlas
There are actually a few spaceship combat games in the PS Plus Game Catalog — I tried Rogue Galaxy and Chrous during my search — but Starlink: Battle for Atlas stuck out as the most similar to Starfield because of its galaxy-exploring gameplay that actually has players flying around space and the surface of many planets. While this was originally a toys-to-life game that flopped upon its release, you don’t need any of those to play the game through PlayStation Plus Extra. If Starfield is whetting your appetite for space exploration and you don’t mind a game that keeps you in your customizable spaceship the entire time, then Starlink: Battle for Atlas is an underrated title you should give a shot.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
If you don’t mind playing a game that’s a bit older, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter provides the space bounty hunter fantasy that you might have wanted to get out of Starfield. This LucasArts game, which was first released for PS2 and GameCube in 2002 and remastered for PS4 in 2016, stars Jango Fett and explains what the bounty hunter was doing prior to Attack of the Clones. While its camera and combat are a bit dated by modern standards, the game still provides that space bounty hunter role-playing experience that surprisingly few games can muster. If that is how you were planning to play Starfield, then you’ll have a good time giving this older game another shot.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
If you’re looking for a more recent sci-fi RPG in PlayStation Plus’ game catalog, we recommend checking out Eidos Montreal’s underrated Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy game from 2021. It’s a much more linear game than Starfield, but it’s an expertly written RPG that will satiate those looking for a compelling sci-fi narrative, It’s sometimes difficult for RPGs like Starfield to make you care for an entire party of characters, but Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy does so spectacularly while still having solid action gameplay as a backbone. You’ll be extremely invested in the fates of these cosmic superheroes by the end of the adventure.
Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds is the thinking man’s Starfield. It’s a game that tasks players with exploring an entire simulated solar system in a repeated 20-minute time loop. The game taps into the childlike joy that comes from exploring the unknown, is full of entertaining puzzles, and relies on players to piece its compelling story together. The game’s spaceship navigation controls and puzzles are deeper than what Starfield offers, so those looking for a sci-fi game that digs further into those elements will enjoy Outer Wilds. The less you know about this game’s secrets before playing, the better, so I recommend you just go and play it now through PS Plus and then pick up the Echoes of the Eye expansion if you really enjoy it.
Fallout 4
Finally, you can always play the last big single-player game from Bethesda Studios: Fallout 4. This postapocalyptic RPG was released in 2015, and while it’s not quite as good as Skyrim, it still provides everything you’d want from a Bethesda Game Studios RPG. It has a large world with lots of secrets to discover, and there are plenty of odd characters and powerful factions to interact with or side with throughout its postapocalyptic Boston. It even allows players to build bases with materials from a lot of the junk they collect, establishing the base-building systems that Bethesda would go on to expand on in Fallout 76 and Starfield. As it’s likely the last single-player Bethesda RPG that will come to PlayStation consoles, it’s worth checking Fallout 4 out if you have a PS Plus Extra or Premium subscription.
