I've recalibrated my expectations forScreen Rant that most of the environments in Shattered Space will be intentionally designed, so the prospect of hand-crafted environments paired with a superb story is something I look forward to.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Starfield.]With the release date of Starfield: Shattered Space right around the corner on September 30, however, doubts have certainly crept into my mind. After all, I've been following the game closely since it was released in 2023, and while some wide-ranging QoL and performance updates have significantly improved upon what was released initially, much of the updates have come at a fairly slow pace. As the first major expansion for Starfield, Bethesda has a lot of pressure to live up to whatever expectations gamers now have for the company.

There Are Still Many Unanswered Mysteries

Shattered Space Should Get Super Weird

A ton of hidden lore and content can be found in different logs and dialogues within Starfield. That said, Emil Pagliarulo, Starfield's lead writer said in a Q&A that he did on Discord (reposted to Reddit) that the current Va'ruun lore within Starfield is merely based on rumor, stating, "So, in the game, you're not really sure what the complete truth is" which gives the writers open license to change "existing" lore and opens the possibility for a lot of unexpected things to be revealed in Shattered Space.

In that Q&A, Pagliarulo also fleshes out the origins of the green ones, which is explained in further detail in logs and dialogue within Starfield itself. Va'ruun originated from a lost colony ship and a enger named Jinan Va'ruun, who communicated with what the religion now calls The Great Serpent. This would lead to the Serpent's Crusade in 2240, in which Va'ruun went from primarily spreading the religion of The Great Serpent to eventually making a drastic turn and setting out to destroy all non-believers.

In the current Starfield timeline where the game takes place, there are just remnants and whispers of the faction, but they don't actually have an explorable planet or faction headquarters. On top of this, there are still a ton of unanswered questions, like whether Jinan Va'ruun's experience was real or a result of being lost in space and what exactly The Great Serpent is. As there is Unity and the Starborn, it's more than possible that the being is an actual celestial being and could tie into one of the many multi-dimensional elements of Starfield.

House Va'ruun's Storyline Is The Most Compelling

I Am An Andreja Stan

I'll it it. The one and only companion I actually took the time out to romance was Andreja. I typically prefer anti-heroes in any media, so she was perfect. Although her "secret" identity was painfully obvious from the jump for anyone paying attention, it was still arguably the most interesting narrative that Starfield has to offer (though becoming Barrett's best friend was also interesting and rewarding).

While it seems preposterous that the game's main Va'ruun character wouldn't be a core part of the DLC dedicated to her faction, stranger things have happened.

Run-ins with the Va'ruun Zealots and other NPCs were always fun encounters with the added benefit of some of the best item drops in the game. However, unless one is paying close attention, it's easy to miss all of the Va'ruun backstory and relegate the faction to religious fanatics talked about in hushed whispers. Shattered Space hopes to change all this by fleshing the faction out more, and I'm hoping that the game becomes stronger for it.

Most Current Va'ruun Content Lies With Andreja

Possibly The Most Compelling Companion

A lot of House Va'ruun content can be found within the game, usually hidden behind dialogue trees and logs. Andreja and her personal quest "Divided Loyalties" has the player searching for her two lost friends, Jaeda and Eren. After a few dead ends, it eventually leads to an encounter with Tomisar, Andreja's with House Va'ruun's High Council. Here, it's possible to choose to kill Tomisar or spare him, with another option that enables players to let Andreja kill him. Metaphorically, it represents Andreja shedding her past, and gameplay-wise, it can lead to marriage.

However, what's probably the most curious and related to Shattered Space is that Andreja is now hated by House Va'ruun — and not just any regular fanatics; the High Council is now gunning for her head. How the writers plan to reconcile this in the Shattered Space is probably the biggest question I have.

One path could see the expansion as a revenge mission with Andreja by our side as a mandatory companion, while another world could see her excluded from the Va'ruun activities altogether as she's now technically exiled. It's made clear by the end of the quest that Andreja can never return, though I suppose that's not relevant anymore if we're planning on taking them down. While it seems preposterous that the game's main Va'ruun character wouldn't be a core part of the DLC dedicated to her faction, stranger things have happened.

I'm Looking Forward To The Horror Twist

It Feels Appropriate For Shattered Space

As a horror fan, Bethesda couldn't have picked a more perfect genre for me. Combine this with my iration for Andreja and Starfield: Shattered Space is basically developed for a person like me. I'm not a big stickler about "canon," and I don't really care where they take the story, but what I am hoping and wishing for is that it's quality and keeps me glued to my seat either way. Bethesda has a pretty good track record of making solid DLC and expansions, so regardless of the company's other weaknesses, it's looking good for Shattered Space.

That said, I'm going to keep my expectations right now to a medium, so there's a greater chance of me being pleasantly surprised rather than let down. Only time and the release of Starfield: Shattered Space on September 30, 2024 will determine whether the DLC and expansion live up to my and other fans' expectations.

Source: Reddit