They call this game a Zelda clone, but it completely surpasses all the Zelda games combined. The world that has been created and the unique graphics processed for it, the carefully prepared dialogues, and the variety offered with its gameplay mechanics are at the pinnacle of its genre. There’s a combat system that feels solid and satisfying, a feeling you can’t even get in most Souls games. Wandering aimlessly on the map is enjoyable; it could even be called an odyssey in a fantastical world. Despite the game being so good, because it’s a Ubisoft game, it’s considered bad, but the mud-graphic Zelda from Nintendo, which can’t even handle textures on consoles, is considered good.

Grand Theft Auto games transitioned from the 3D era to the HD era in 2008, and during that time, “Grand Theft Auto IV” was released—a production that went far beyond its time. I don’t recall any other game that pushed the technical capabilities of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles to such an extent. Not only did it need to surpass the 3D era games during the transition to the new generation, but it also set an unattainable benchmark by going above and beyond.

Rather than following a linear path like many other main characters, Niko Bellic in “Grand Theft Auto IV” had choices when faced with different situations. The game’s design of Liberty City, reflecting the illusionist concept under the American Dream, allowed players to experience the appeal from day one, which still holds true today. The story, presented as a pursuit of wealth and money, cleverly concealed an underlying revenge mission. Throughout the game, the protagonist’s past wounds and pain were portrayed in a tragicomic manner, making the storyline one of the best in the series—even to this day. Additionally, the game introduced RPG elements based on player choices, evolving from the character-based RPG features seen in “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.” The memorable and truly original characters played a crucial role in the game’s success. Roman Bellic’s well-crafted character made players feel his connection as Niko’s cousin throughout the game’s progression. Little Jacob’s presence and the friendship formed with the main character effectively captured the absurdity of New York through dialogues. Successfully portraying the attraction between characters who don’t understand each other—completely opposite personalities—was a remarkable achievement that we won’t see replicated in future games.

The game’s semi-realistic and immersive structure laid the foundation for the high bar I mentioned. In almost every aspect, we witness physics quality that we haven’t seen in the series. From the protagonist’s animation quality to the variety of animations and behavior of NPCs, as well as the physical reactions to vehicles and the game world, “Grand Theft Auto IV” remains unmatched. While the game’s vehicle controls have faced criticism, the feedback received suggests that no other open-world game has achieved this level of quality. Unfortunately, some players misunderstood the anti-fun aspect of vehicle physics in “Grand Theft Auto V,” leading to criticism of its physics. Despite that, the game’s legacy endures, and its appeal remains strong even today.

“Starfield” is the game with the most vacuous arguments I’ve ever seen, primarily due to its absence on PlayStation 5. This has ignited an unending fire among PlayStation enthusiasts and general Bethesda haters.

The term “loading screen simulator” sounds so absurd that I struggle to find words to describe it. Bethesda provides players with a vast open world where they can explore various accessible locations. Additionally, about 90% of the objects within the game world move independently. Unlike previous Bethesda games, where you could leave an item somewhere and find it in the same spot 100 hours later, this meticulously designed game is impossible to create using any game engine other than Creation Engine. Furthermore, delivering such a game design to players without loading screens is also practically unfeasible. Trying to explain this to the audience who reveres games like “Red Dead Redemption 2” and “Cyberpunk 2077,” which inundate players with scripted open worlds, is futile—even if you manage to explain it, they won’t understand.

Considering the game’s size, the graphics quality it offers is truly top-notch. It’s an ideal game for virtual photography. You can explore the vast universe, going anywhere your feet take you, and experience exquisite visual quality within the limits of your hardware. On a 4K TV, you can fully appreciate this level of detail. Before the game’s release, they repeatedly emphasized during presentations that “Starfield” would create a new genre with a “NASA-punk” style. However, the audience, accustomed to monotonous thinking, responded with unwarranted negativity. Seriously, what were they expecting? A lunar amusement park on Jupiter? The game’s primary theme revolves around exploration, and it strives to achieve this in the most realistic way possible. Even someone like me, who isn’t particularly space-oriented, found themselves drawn into the game. Not only does it allow free movement within the explored areas, but you can also build your own outpost. I’ve seen some truly dedicated content related to this aspect online.

Surprisingly, instead of an alien theme, “Starfield” delves into parallel universes. Bethesda exceeded my expectations, and they executed this concept beautifully. After NG+, you have over 10 variations to continue playing. They’ve gone beyond side quests; in fact, the main quest felt like a side quest. By the time I started the main quest, I had already spent 100 hours in the game, and afterward, it felt somewhat lackluster. I agree with the criticism regarding the main quest—Bethesda fell short here. People expect at least “Fallout 3” quality, but that level of quality seems to have shifted to the side quests.

“Starfield” might be the first game where Bethesda has genuinely designed weapons. Each weapon feels distinct, and the overall quality is palpable. The combat aspect also bears the mark of id Software—it’s a delightful experience without unnecessary gimmicks like VATS.

Critics who complain about the lack of fast travel in “Starfield” seem to forget that the game’s vastness would suffer if they included it. While interplanetary travel without fast travel is possible, it would significantly diminish the immersive experience. Personally, I appreciate that it doesn’t flow too smoothly—watching a horse run in a cutscene in “Red Dead Redemption 2” was far less engaging than the grav jump in “Starfield.” Given the game’s expansive environment, it’s a reasonable choice.

The space ship combat mechanics are exceptionally well-designed. Customizing your ship and engaging in space pirate mode was enjoyable. Although the fundamentals are straightforward, the space battles provide a satisfying experience, especially when the difficulty increases and puts players under serious stress.

As for those who get anxious during planet landings and takeoff cutscenes, they clearly don’t understand the game design. The situations I mentioned earlier necessitate these cutscenes. Thankfully, Bethesda didn’t simplify the game by sacrificing content. It was a smart move.

Lastly, the game’s vast playable area is ideal for future DLCs. We’ve seen how “Fallout 4” transformed its lackluster map with DLCs, and “Starfield” will likely follow suit, especially with the first DLC, “Shattered Space.”