The Enigmatic Universe of Starfield: Unveiling 7 Mysterious Secrets

Bethesda has a knack for including hidden secrets in their expansive open-world games, and Starfield is no exception. There are numerous secrets to discover throughout the game, as they are often tucked away or difficult to find. These hidden areas and items are unlikely to be encountered during the main or faction missions.

In addition, there are hidden mechanics that can greatly enhance the gameplay experience, despite the game never explicitly revealing them to the player. These secrets are intended to reward players who venture off the beaten path and explore on their own, offering a chance to uncover interesting discoveries in this vast adventure. With Starfield's immense size, there is guaranteed to be a plethora of captivating secrets waiting to be found. Here, we present the very best secrets that players can stumble upon while playing Starfield.

7. Customizable Loading Screens

Starfield has undeniably achieved tremendous success for Bethesda and has garnered predominantly positive reviews from players. However, the biggest issue that many players encountered was the excessively long loading screens. Fortunately, there is a hidden game feature that greatly alleviates this problem - the Photo Mode.

By activating the Photo Mode, players can swiftly capture snapshots of their beloved characters and locations, and even experiment with various lighting effects to enhance the personal touch in their pictures. Each photo taken will be included in an album that appears during loading screens, significantly improving their tolerability.

6. Stealing Credits From ATMs

In the commercial district of New Atlantis, players may come across ATM stations displaying the "GalBank" logo. These stations are often overlooked due to their small size and apparent insignificance. However, it's worth noting that players with a high lockpicking skill can actually steal other people's credits.

Accessing the ATMs requires advanced lock-opening abilities, which may take some time to acquire. Nevertheless, it presents a lucrative opportunity to earn extra Credits for purchasing a new ship or weapons. What makes it even better is that GalBank employees remain unaware of the identity of the credit thief, eliminating the risk of alerting bounty hunters. It is important, however, to avoid detection while carrying out this activity.

5. Hours Without Incident Clock

Mars

The Cydonia Mining Colony, located on Mars, is known for its perilous nature, where workers constantly face the risk of losing a finger or even more due to the dangerous conditions. To monitor this, a colossal counter stands at the heart of the colony, accurately reflecting the "Hours Without Incident." Although it blends seamlessly into the surroundings, this counter operates in real time, serving as a constant reminder of the hazards faced by the workers.

For instance, if the player has not yet explored Mars, the counter could be very high. However, if they were to commit a murder while on the planet, the timer would instantly reset to "0" and gradually increase from there, as long as no further incidents occur. This hidden feature, though easily overlooked, highlights the impressive ability of the clock to monitor the player's misconduct.

4. Lord Of The Rings

Potato

Since Bethesda's Starfield gameplay trailer placed significant emphasis on potatoes, this humble tuber has assumed a meme-like status within the community. Players have engaged in a fun challenge of accumulating as many potatoes as possible aboard their ships. Despite their abundance, the potato's description in the game subtly alludes to The Lord of the Rings, particularly Samwise Gamgee. In a moment when Gollum expresses confusion over the food, Sam assures him of the potato's palatability and even lists various preparation methods, such as boiling, mashing, and incorporating them into stews. This same description is employed in Starfield.

3. Broken Space Helmet

The Frontier Ship

When players initially acquire their personal ship, the Frontier, they may not consider exploring it extensively due to its limited size and primary function of expeditious transportation from point A to point B. Nonetheless, an intriguing discovery awaits within its confines – a Broken Constellation Helmet that features a cautionary message, "Don't Use," emblazoned across the adhesive band that holds it in place.

This is a clear warning to refrain from interacting with the helmet. However, if players insist on picking it up and wearing it during their exploration, they will notice that a bandage actually appears and covers almost the entire visor. In well-lit areas such as The Lodge and the outdoors in New Atlantis, the ink on the tape becomes visible. It is commendable that Bethesda went beyond simply making the broken helmet a mere prop, instead incorporating this subtle detail that only players in first-person perspective could discover.

2. Secret Entrance To House Va'Ruun Embassy

New Atlantis

Unfortunately, the intriguing House Va'Ruun, a nihilistic serpent-worshipping faction in Starfield, does not have its own faction questline. It is disappointing considering the captivating details shared by other characters. Speculations suggest that Bethesda may have had to remove this fully developed faction from the game or might introduce them in future DLC. However, players can still explore their base of operations in New Atlantis, albeit not easily accessible. To gain entry, players must undertake the "Friends Like These" UV Vanguard quest, which will reveal a secret passageway near GalBank. Due to their unfavorable reputation, members of House Va'Ruun have abandoned the building, leaving it covered in vegetation and providing a glimpse into the embassy of this enigmatic group.

1. Planet Names

During most of their playthrough, especially when focusing on the main quest, players will dedicate a significant amount of time to exploring the Alpha Centauri system. This system is composed of various planets, including the renowned city of New Atlantis. While some may consider the names of these planets as mere creative choices by the writers, each one actually pays homage to prominent space explorers from our own world.

For instance, the planet Chawla is named after Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian woman to venture into space. Gagarin is a reference to Yuri Gagarin, the pioneering Soviet cosmonaut who achieved the milestone of being the first human to journey into outer space. Additionally, Jemison bears the name of Mae Carol Jemison, the trailblazing African American woman who became the first of her ethnicity to reach space. These examples are just a glimpse into the many subtle nods that only those well-versed in space exploration would recognize. It serves as a poignant way for Bethesda to pay tribute to those visionaries who inspired the very foundation of the game.

Starfield

Platform(s) PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series SReleased September 6, 2023Developer(s) BethesdaGenre(s) Action, RPG

Editor's P/S

Starfield, the highly anticipated open-world role-playing game from Bethesda, has captivated players with its vast and immersive universe. However, beyond the main storyline and quests, there are numerous hidden secrets waiting to be discovered. These secrets range from customizable loading screens to hidden mechanics that enhance gameplay.

One of the most intriguing secrets in Starfield is the customizable loading screens. By activating the Photo Mode, players can take snapshots of their beloved characters and locations, and even experiment with various lighting effects to enhance the personal touch in their pictures. Each photo taken will be included in an album that appears during loading screens, significantly improving their tolerability. This feature not only adds a personal touch to the game but also provides a fun and creative way to pass the time during loading screens.