10 Video Games You Play For HOURS Before Starting

Starfield may be breaking Steam records for Bethesda, but the AAA sci-fi epic isn't without its many glaring issues, perhaps the most-cited of which is the game's lumbering, clunky first few hours.

The game doesn't truly begin until players complete the main quest "Into the Unknown," which concludes with them investigating an anomaly which unlocks their first supernatural ability - an Anti-Gravity Field.

This completely flips the script, fundamentally changing the way players interact with the game, as they can begin scouring the galaxy in pursuit of almost two-dozen additional powers of varying utility.

It's at this moment that Starfield feels like it actually opens up and becomes something approximating the expansive space opera Bethesda promised.

Yet even if you stick to the critical path, you'll likely need at least five hours to reach this point, and if you spend a while exploring and digging into Starfield's many side quests, you can easily avoid unlocking any powers at all for 10-15 hours.

Up until then, there's a strangely underwhelming air about Starfield, that it's just missing that special something.

And so, many critics have actually advised players to stick to the critical path for those opening hours, ensuring they're not left waiting around longer for things to finally get interesting.