SPOILERS AHEAD
There are plenty of factions inStarfield, including the one the main quest revolves around (Constellation), but there are four major factions outside that. Achievements, storylines, and more are tied to the UC Vanguard, the Crimson Fleet, the Freestar Collective, and Ryujin Industries, unlike other pseudo-factions like the Ecliptic or Ebbside Strikers. In other words, it’s likely players will check out these first, and generally speaking, each one is better thanStarfield’s main quest.
However, when it comes to eachmain faction quest inStarfield, there’s still a clear hierarchy. Perhaps surprisingly, the best faction is the one that’s least assuming on the surface. Ryujin Industries is about corporate espionage on a Cyberpunk-like planet, Freestar Collective lets players become space cowboys, Crimson Fleet lets players become space pirates, but the most direct military faction, the UC Vanguard, takes the cake.
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S-Tier: UC Vanguard
What makes the UC Vanguard special is that there are two storylines here, in a way. One leads players to join the Crimson Fleet as an undercover agent, letting them choose how to proceed through that narrative, but the core UC Vanguard storyline is top-notch. In it, players undergo an investigation intoTerrormorphs, which are akin toFallout’s Deathclaws, and into their origins. Players discover how Terrormorphs spread throughout the galaxy (with a genuinely shocking twist), how one individual has coordinated Terrormorph attacks across the galaxy, and the associated missions are some of the most fun inStarfield.Players can also get their UC citizenship and a house through this quest line, which is just icing on the cake.
A-Tier: Crimson Fleet
In the Crimson Fleet, players get a history of piracy in the Settled Systems, while being torn between the UC and the Crimson Fleet. Whatever players choose, the missions are pretty straightforward as players find a way to collect on Jasper Kryx’s legacy. The missions are fun, if not as surprising as the UC Vanguard, and the endgame reward is aneasy way to get a ton ofStarfieldcredits. It also grants players access to The Key, one of the best faction hubs in the game with a plethora of shops. Plus, just being a space pirate is a great way to roleplay inStarfield.
B-Tier: Freestar Collective
The Freestar Collective is a great faction storyline, but under a microscope, it’s just not as good as the UC Vanguard or the Crimson Fleet. In it, players investigate The First, a mercenary group of folks who were arrested during the Colony War. It’s an intriguing tale of politics in the Settled System, as well as some insight into the backdrop of the Colony War, but it’s incredibly formulaic despite having a few fun missions. The twist behind it all is pretty easy to see coming too, taking away any real element of surprise to the storyline. There’s no special hub associated with it, there’s no huge monetary reward, but there is afree ship forStarfieldplayers.
C-Tier: Ryujin Industries
In a race among greats, Ryujin Industries comes in last. While a tale of corporate espionage sounds like a lot of fun and the story is set up well, the pacing is incredibly off. It features more missions than otherStarfieldfactions, but the first five or so (the big difference in number) feel like filler. And while there are some cool moments, the final mission of the Ryujin Industries questline can be best summed up as “this could have been an e-mail.” The big boon of the quest can come in handy in later persuasion checks and for some fun roleplay/stealth gameplay, but it’s entirely situational, unlike the other quests.
Starfieldis available now on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
