Cyberpunk 2077 compared to Starfield as the 'better' game, how the turntables have turned

It was only a matter of time before conversations about Starfield turned sour. In truth, there’s been quite a bit of hate even before its official launch day (today), but now plenty of people have experienced the game for themselves thanks to Early Access, criticism is mounting against Bethesda’s sci-fi baby. Chiefly, when comparing Cyberpunk 2077 to Starfield, Cyberpunk is the “better” game.

We know, it’s a shocking turn of events, with one of the Cyberpunk devs commenting “how times have changed”. What was once deemed as one of the worst games ever, to the point it ended up in the New York Museum of Failures, has now clawed its way back into the hearts of gamers. Especially now, with Phantom Liberty on the horizon and already exciting fans with what it’ll add to the base game.

Excited for Phantom Liberty? Wait until you watch this!

“If you dissect them [both games] and strip away the setting, they are incredibly similar in terms of how they feel and play — even when you view gameplay footage side by side,” argued one Redditor before continuing, “But if we indulge in this comparison, the reality is that Cyberpunk outshines Starfield in nearly every aspect.” Again, we are in awe at how the tables have turned.

Yet, while some are quick to compare and draw definitive lines in the sand about which sucks more, others are eager to defend Starfield because “it actually works”; Cyberpunk was pretty broken when it launched, whereas Starfield works fine. It might not be deemed optimal by many, but the fact that it’s playable and enjoyable surely demonstrates that these two games are not the same.

It isn’t just some players who believe these comparisons are unhelpful, CD Projekt Red’s Patrick K. Mills is also not a fan. “This fake criticism is actively harmful to the way the audience interacts with the medium and I hate it, but it's very funny to see after how many hundreds of these were made to ridicule Cyberpunk 2077,” they said in response to countless videos highlighting Starfield vs Cyberpunk issues.

We have no particular horse in this race – both of these games have merits and flaws – that being said, pitting games against one another is all too similar to the fanboys and girls who wage console wars for no other reason than sheer boredom. It’s unnecessary. Obviously, criticism should be given when it’s due, but if it’s just to poke fun for the sake of it, it has no impact other than discourse and disruption.

Starfield is out now on Xbox and PC, while Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty will release on 26 September.