cool places to visit starfield

• World of Warcraft
• Baldur's Gate
• League of Legends
• Counter-Strike
• Ethics Policy
• Ownership Policy
• Fact Checking Policy
• Corrections Policy
• Affiliate Policy

The top 10 must-visit planets in Starfield

With around 1,000 planets spread across dozens of star systems in Starfield , it can be pretty overwhelming for new players to know where to get started. After the tutorial mission finishes and you gain access to your ship, the Frontier, you can begin exploring the systems at your leisure. A lot of these systems contain interesting planets that are a must-visit early in the game.

Every star system has certain level requirements, however, so if you start grav jumping to far-off systems, you might meet an untimely demise. To make it easier, we have listed 10 of the best planets across the explored star systems that you can visit. Each planet listed provides something different.

Top 10 planets to visit in Starfield

The planets mentioned here will be listed in order of their usefulness in terms of resources as well as importance to the storyline. Most of these planets will have quests of their own, granting you even more experience and credits as you complete them on your way to level 100.

One last thing to note is that this list is subjective and based on our personal experience with these planets, so we understand if your experience may vary from ours.

10) Anselon

Anselon is one of the planets that you would probably want to visit early into your space exploration journey. While the planet itself is great, the main reason we are here is for its moon, Kreet. Anselon is located in the nearby Narion system and is just a few grav jumps away, which is convenient because this is probably where you will want to build your first outpost.

The reason behind this is the abundance of early game resources that are found on Kreet. Iron, lead, water, helium, and argon are among the best resources to acquire early while silver and neon can be sold for profit. You could save the rarer resources for later when you will need them, but by the time that happens, you should have a fully thriving automated outpost doing the job for you.

9) Leviathan IV

While the Leviathan system is beautiful in its own right, none of the planets in it live up to Leviathan IV. This planet is basically what Earth used to be before humanity took over and, as such, is perfect to colonize. Setting up outposts here will ensure a steady supply of exotic resources such as Ytterbium along with the more common iron and water resources.

The fauna here are no joke either but taking them down can net you some useful mid-game upgrades for your weapons and suits. Just make sure to set up a functioning cargo link between Leviathan IV and any nearby outposts you might have to ensure a smooth supply chain. If you’re ever tired from all the exploration, this planet is not a bad choice to wind down and relax either.

Just make sure to come here when you are of a sufficient level since the recommended level for this system is level 55.

There is one major reason for Nesoi to be on this list. While it is a perfectly great outpost planet in its own right, the main reason why it is so essential to set one up here is because of ease of access. Since Nesoi is located in the Olympus system, it is perfectly set up in between most of the important systems you will be frequently visiting for main missions and supply quests.

In terms of resources, Nesoi offers plenty of iridium, uranium, and benzene for all of your crafting and upgrading needs. Make sure you enlist a few Outpost Management specialists like Lin (from the first mission) to ensure your outpost runs smoothly. The placement of Nesoi also ensures the smooth running of cargo links from different outposts thanks to its close proximity to most systems.

Sumati is a great planet to stop by if you are in the star system and are looking for resources. However, just like with Anselon, our main landing point here isn’t the planet itself, but its moon. Andraphon has no atmosphere or life, but what it does have is an abundance of much-needed resources. The lack of hostile life makes it so that being attacked here is a rarity if it ever happens.

Because of the resources found here, Andraphon is undoubtedly one of the best places to build a starting outpost. Automating the mining process and assigning a few outpost specialists to this planet will ensure a steady supply of resources, especially if you create nearby cargo links to maintain the supply chain. The earlier you start here, the faster you will get rich in the long run.

The first planet that humanity successfully colonized, Mars is the home of Cydonia, a great place to stop by if you want to explore the Sol system in its entirety. Seeing humanity’s vision for the colonization of Mars come to fruition is one of the main reasons why this is a must-visit spot for any explorer looking for sights and resources.

Cydonia also comes with its own set of questlines that will take you all over the star systems. You can find valuable crewmates with starship operating skills that will come in handy once you start acquiring bigger and more powerful ships. You can also find the extremely valuable Heart of Mars resource here which will net you a hefty amount of credits very quickly.

5) Volii Alpha

The first planet in the Volii system has a lot of interesting aspects to it. Not only is it home to the city of Neon, but it is also the base of Ryujin Industries and Xenofresh Corporation that runs this place. Known far and wide as a major entertainment hotspot, Neon is also the only city in the settled systems with the rights to distribute Aurora, a popular psychedelic hallucinogen only found here.

You should first stumble across Volii Alpha during the main quest “All That Money Can Buy”. However, if you are curious explorers like us, we bet you found this place sooner in your playthrough, probably through a certain mission board. Any planet with a major city is also a good choice to build an outpost on, so feel free to harvest your resources here.

The home base of the Freestar Rangers is one of the best planets to visit and build an outpost on. While the close proximity to Akila City helps a lot, the resources found on this planet are quite abundant should you choose to set up an outpost here. Beware of the local fauna since most of them tend to be quite aggressive, however, especially the Ashta.

Make sure your outpost is well-defended with turrets and crew members with levels in the Outpost Management skill. You should not run out of resources here since you can find several sources of water, aluminum, and argon among others. If you still feel like you’re short on resources or weaponry, feel free to hit up Akila City nearby to get everything else you need.

The first major planet you land on is the location of New Atlantis, the home of the UC Vanguard, and the base of Constellation. If those aren’t enough reasons to highly value the planet of Jemison in the Alpha Centauri system, maybe the abundance of resources outside is. With all of the raw resources, including flora and fauna, you can flex your creative mind on this planet.

And by that, we mean Jemison can be used as a focal point for building your first outpost. This especially holds true if it is your first playthrough and you aren’t familiar with the building process since you can build the outpost in close proximity to New Atlantis. Hauling resources back and forth shouldn’t be too much trouble either so get to exploring.

2) Porrima II

There is a reason this planet is way up on this spot. While the resources you can find on Porrima II aren’t exactly unique, they are quite useful when it comes to outpost building or as components for your industrial workbench. However, the main attraction of this planet is undoubtedly Paradiso, the luxury resort that is touted as one of the must-visit hotspots in the game.

Porrima II is located in the Porrima system which lies a few grav jumps away from Alpha Centauri. The Frontier may not have the fuel required to jump all the way here, so make sure to stop at a system like Olympus before you make your way there. If you choose to build an outpost here, make it close to Paradiso so that you can easily gain access to a safe haven in this system.

The place where it all began. Planet Earth in the Sol system was the home for humanity since the dawn of time, that is, until the collapse of its magnetic field in the 22nd century. If you have read the lore of Starfield from the UC Vanguard introductory mission, you will know that the survivors of humanity were evacuated from Earth in 2199 before the magnetosphere collapsed in 2203.

Cut to 2330 (present-day Starfield ) and the planet is now a barren wasteland bearing no signs of life or an atmosphere. Landing here will lead to some interesting discoveries from the past as well as some easter eggs if you look around long enough. Earth is definitely at the top of our list of must-visit planets for a dose of sweet nostalgia and a quiet place to reflect upon the nuances of life.

DualShockers

Starfield: 20 best planets in the game, ranked.

Your changes have been saved

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

With 1,000 planets to explore in Starfield, it's hard to pin down the ones you want to visit. Check out this list of the 10 best planets in the game.

A lot of games undergo the pursuit of having their game's map be open-world. However, some take it a step further by making incredibly vast expanses between centralized points . This creates a sense of scale and leaves players looking off into the simulated distance to take in their awe and wonder.

Starfield takes this to a true extreme by having over 1,000 different planets to explore, as well as the vastness of space that lies between them all. This creates a scale comparable only to some games of a similar nature to Starfield . Such a high number allows for plenty of activities for players while they enjoy the game. Not all resources are equal, some of them will offer you some significantly better crafting options and allow you to perform better in the game.

Updated by Chad Thesen on November 20 , 2023 : This article has been updated for the purpose of bringing this article up to a higher standard of quality for its readers. This includes reformatting where information is presented, as well as identifying which system each planet or moon can be located.

20 Leviathan IV

Most valuable resource: ytterbium.

Reasons to visit Leviathan IV In the Leviathan System:

• Has a total of 7 resources for outposts to harvest.
• Ytterbium is required for many weapon mods.

A lot of planets are great destinations for many reasons. However, some planets are brilliant purely because of the resources you can gather from them. Leviathan IV is a phenomenal one for getting your hands on many exotic resources that can be used to make mods for your weapons to take down some of the hardest foes that cross your path. Be wary, though, this planet has a lot of deadly creatures on it, and the environment has ended the lives of many players who dared to tread upon it.

Head on over to the Leviathan System and place an outpost on this planet to start getting your hands on Water , Chlorine , Aluminum , Copper , Iron , Fluorine , and Ytterbium .

19 Maheo II

Reasons to visit Maheo II In the Maheo System:

• Has a total of 8 resources for outposts to harvest.

Maheo II is located in the Maheo System, but it does not appear on a lot of people’s radars when they think “Best Planets”. Players want to see lists with some of the hardest materials to come by, special resources, and other such features. What Maheo II offers is a nice blend of resources to give you a boost of the ones that you may be lacking in. Maheo II is rich in Water, Helium-3 , Copper, Iron, Lead , Alkanes , Tetrafluoride , and Ytterbium.

A lot of people take Alkane for granted and find themselves not having enough when they need it. Tetrafluoride is a rare resource and ytterbium is exotic. This means the planet gives you a nice spread of resources you may not be getting enough of from other well-known “best planets”.

Most Valuable Resource: Carboxylic Acids

Reasons to visit Codo In the Cheyenne System:

• Carboxylic Acids are required for many consumables offering various properties.

Not every waking moment of your playthrough is going to be intense battles and space-faring journeys to mine all the resources you can. Sometimes you just want to kick back and take it easy with a brilliant view. Codos is a moon that orbits around the planet Akila.

You can find this planet in the Cheyenne System. This is one of the places you can just go for a walk in the game and admire all the time and effort the developers put into making the game look the way it does — and then drop an outpost for collecting its Carboxylic Acids , Alkane, and Beryllium .

Most Valuable Resource: Vanadium

Reasons to visit Zamka In the Alpha Centauri System:

• Vanadium is required for many weapon sights and the Medium Scope.

Zamka is a moon that orbits the planet Olivas — which is located in the Alpha Centauri system. This planet has a lot of resources you will usually find yourself needing more of — making it a great outpost planet to help you stay stocked up.

There are no deadly creatures on here, so you are free to explore and gather all 8 of these resources. They include Water, Helium-3, Copper, Nickel , Iron, Uranium , Cobalt , and Vanadium . Among them, Cobalt is the only uncommon.

Most Valuable Resource: Dysprosium

Reasons to visit Voss In the Alpha Centauri System:

• Dysprosium is required for many reactors and power generators.

One of the biggest selling points for giving Voss some of your attention is how much you will want to put an outpost on this planet. This is mostly due to Dysprosium — an Exotic Tier 3 resource. This will be vital for building the best structures, researching projects, and crafting powerful mods.

This is also a great source of Tungsten, another resource you will always need. The full list of resources you can get here includes Water, Nickel, Lead, Uranium, Cobalt, Tungsten , Vanadium, and Dysprosium.

15 Porrima III

Most valuable resource: lithium.

Reasons to visit Porrima III In the Porrima System:

• Has a total of 5 resources for outposts to harvest.
• Lithium is required for Large Batteries and Tactical Batteries.

Porrima III has some great lore to explore and is worth placing an outpost on, making it a great candidate to check out. This planet is known for hosting the Red Mile. This planet is also related to your journey in getting accepted into the Crimson Fleet through one of the game's many missions, "Deep Cover".

There are a whopping 24 resources available in this system, so putting down outposts will help you cover a lot of your bases. These resources include Aluminum, Argon , Gold , Beryllium, Benzene , Chlorine, Caesium , Copper, Europium , Fluorine, Iron, Water, Helium-3, Alkanes, Lithium , Neodymium , Neon , Nickel, Lead, Plutonium , Carboxylic Acids, Antimony , Chlorosilanes , Uranium . Some of them are seen as very rare pulls such as Neon and Plutonium.

Most Valuable Resource: Ionic Liquids

Reasons to visit Niira In the Narion System:

• Ionic Liquids are required for making Isotopic Coolant.

Niira is a great place to go if you are on the hunt for a looting adventure. A large portion of the game will be spent building ships , engaging in dogfights in space, and establishing outposts. Sometimes, however, players just want to explore and get some loot.

This planet so happens to provide two of these experiences. The Abandoned Muybridge Pharmaceuticals Lab and the Gravity Farm are a great way to break away from other tasks and the planet has some Flourine Liquids and Benzene making it a good place to put up an outpost.

Most Valuable Resource: Chlorosilanes

Reasons to visit Jemison In the Alpha Centauri System:

• Chlorosilanes is required for many different Optics.

Jemison serves as a pinnacle point in the game, as it is where you will find New Atlantis. It is also home to the Jemison Mercantile. This store will be able to keep you stocked up on plenty of useful supplies you will need and will be easily accessible from where you dock your ship. It is also very beautiful and modern-day Earth-like.

If players feel homesick for a world like our own while in the game, this is the perfect one to just go for a stroll on. You can find this planet in the Alpha Centauri System.

Reasons to visit Gagarin In the Alpha Centauri System:

• Has a total of 4 resources for outposts to harvest.
• Chlorosilanes are used for many different Optics.

Gagarin is named after the real-life cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. Yuri Gagarin was the first human being to ever make it to outer space. This is a very Earth-like planet, with similar gravity and sustaining various lifeforms on it. It is close to Jemison and well worth heading to.

You can do a lot of scanning of plants and animals to get your science skills up while also taking in the wonder and splendor of this gorgeous world— but you won’t find exotic tier-3 resources here like on other Planets. Just like Jemison, you can find this planet in the Alpha Centauri System.

Most Valuable Resource: Heart of Mars

Reasons to visit Mars In the Sol System:

• Heart of Mars is a unique item with a value of 28,000 credits.

Mars is another source of Chlorine, Chlorosilanes, and water. This planet is also where you will find the largest concentration of humans in the game. Mars will have you returning to it throughout the game for story missions and various events. You will also find the Heart of Mars — which has a value of 28,000 credits.

If you paid attention in class, you will know that Mars is located right in our very own Sol System. It is also one of two planets that are closest to our own Earth.

Most Valuable Resource: Mercury

Reasons to visit Earth In the Sol System:

• Mercury is required for performance-enhancing consumables.

Speaking of Earth , it is now a floating wasteland in Starfield. According to the lore of the game , the planet became uninhabitable and forced humanity to seek new lives elsewhere.

This planet is great for those who want to just explore and uncover lore. It is not that impressive, resources-wise, but you can get some Iron, Water, Chlorine, Lead, Chlorosilanes, and Mercury while you’re there. There are plenty of landmarks to visit and snow globes to pick up on Earth. Earth, like Mars, is located in the Sol System.

Most Valuable Resource: Tungsten & Titanium

Reasons to visit Titan In the Sol System:

• Tungsten is required for a very lengthy list of weapon mods.

Don't leave the Sol System just yet. You may have just checked out Mars and Earth, but do not pass up the moon called Titan . You will need Tungsten and Titanium throughout your playthrough and this moon delivers on both these sought-after resources.

Do yourself a big favor and place an outpost here to extract them. You will be very glad you did whenever you realize you need a large amount of these resources for research and crafting projects and don't have to spend all your credits at Jemison to get them.

Reasons to visit Pluto In the Sol System:

• Titanium is also required for many weapon mods, research projects, and spacesuit mods.

For those of you who say Pluto is not a planet, Starfield begs to differ. Pluto is regarded as a planet on the star map in the game, which is most likely to keep things simple as there are so many classifications for celestial bodies based on a very complicated list of criteria.

Either way, do not miss putting down an outpost on Pluto as it is very close to Titan and gives you the same resources, Tungsten and Titanium. This can significantly increase your extraction of these resources and speed up your research projects and crafting progress.

7 Volii Epsilon

Reasons to visit Volii Epsilon In the Volii System:

• Ionic Liquids are required for the production of Isotopic Coolant.

Volii Epsilon is not the easiest of planets to survive on, but it has valuable resources that you should not pass on. On this planet, you will be able to get your hands on Copper, Chlorine, Chlorosilanes, Fluorine, Water, Lead, and Ionic Liquids . Having many planets that offer Ionic Liquids can help you see a steady supply of upgrades thanks to the Isotopic Coolants you can make with it.

RELATED: Starfield: Where To Get Adhesive

Placing an outpost here is a good call as it can give you a large supply of these resources when you need them. Volii Epsilon can be found in the Volii System and is one you should mark for putting an outpost on sooner rather than later — as well as its neighboring planets and moons.

Most Valuable Resource: Tantalum

Reasons to visit Nesoi In the Olympus System:

• Tantalum is required for several specialty weapon mods.

Nesoi will be a much better resource pool than Earth or Mars. This is a great place to pop down an outpost to get your hands on Water, Iron, Uranium, Argon, Benzene, Iridium , Carboxylic Acids, and Tantalum . This planet is very abundant in these resources, and its atmosphere is neither toxic nor irradiated.

Head here early while your sense of wonder and awe for exploration is still fresh, so you can explore its surface while collecting these resources. If you are interested in this planet, you will be able to find it by heading on over the Olympus System. Tanatlum will offer access to mods such as Amplifier, High Powered, Focus Nozzle, Short Suppressor, and Stealth Lasers.

5 Porrima IV-d

Most valuable resource: plutonium.

Reasons to visit Porrima IV In the Porrima System:

• Plutonium will be required for producing Fuel Rods and Security Robots.

Porrima IV is a great place to familiarize yourself with due to the abundance of resources across its various moons you will find numerous different resources, but pay close attention to one of its moons in particular — Porrima IV-d .

This moon is worth placing an outpost on for the following resources you may find yourself struggling to get your hands on Water, Nickel, Lead, Uranium, Argon, Carboxylic Acids, Plutonium, and Neon. A lot of players struggle to find good sources of Neon and Plutonium, making this a great find. This planet can be found in the Porrima System.

Most Valuable Resource: Neon

Reasons to visit Kreet In the Narion System:

• Neon is required for 3 precise scopes that include Laser Sight and Red Dot Sight.

Kreet is where you will learn a lot about some of the basic features and mechanics Starfield has to offer. This is due to how early you will be exploring it. It will give players a throwback feeling to playing one of Bethesda’s other properties, Fallout, due to its wasteland-like nature.

RELATED: Starfield: Best Backgrounds, Ranked

However, it also gives something new, a sense of new frontiers calling out to be explored, and a sense of adventure. Different players will experience different emotions and senses of awe as they experience some of the truly foreign landscapes. Kreet can be found in the Narion System.

Most Valuable Resource: Strong Early Start

Reasons to visit Akila In the Cheyenne System:

• Has a total of 6 resources for outposts to harvest.
• A great blend of early resources for many research projects and weapon mods.

Akila has both civilization and dangerous wildlife. The most fearsome of said wildlife resembles that of an alien-like rhino known as an Ashta. Setting up an outpost here early in the game will give you a big head start by opening the doors for numerous research projects, outpost structures, and weapon mods.

Be sure to pack a very heavy-hitting weapon with the Exterminator weapon mod and something to patch yourself up if you want to go out exploring Akila, because this beast is no joke. You can find Water, Aluminum, Nickel, Argon, Benzene, and Cobalt as resources, and you will be able to find this planet in the Cheyenne System.

2 Andraphon

Most valuable resource: europium.

Reasons to visit Andraphon In the Narion System:

• Europium is required for the Long Scope, Recon Scope, and Overclocked mods.

​​​​What puts Andraphon so high up on this list is how well it can help kickstart your playthrough — just like Akila. This planet will give you a lot of great resources you will need early on and keeps paying dividends of success as you use them to progress through the game.

These resources include Iron, Helium-3, Aluminum, and Beryllium. Besides its resources, it doesn't have much going for it, but It is still highly recommended putting an outpost on this planet early — you can find it over in the Narion System.

1 Procyon III

Most valuable resource: neon and ionic liquid.

Reasons to visit Procyon III In the Procyon ASystem:

• It has Tetrafluorides, which are required for Isotonic Coolant and Explosive Rounds.

It may be a little confusing at first, but the various Procyon planets are spread out among two different systems — Procyon A and Procyon B. Of all the Procyon planets, Pyrocyon III is the clear winner in terms of the value it provides. This is enough to easily make it a top-priority option for putting an outpost down.

This planet will allow you to get your hands on Water, Copper, Argon, Fluorine, Tetrafluorides, Ionic Liquids, and Neon. Out of all of these, Tetrafluorides and Neon are some of the rarer resources to come by — the Tetraflurides will be a component you need for all that Ionic Liquid you've been gathering. You can find this planet in the Procyon A system. Remember, you can always check around the game's many shops if you're not getting enough of the resources you need.

NEXT: Starfield: How To Dock With Ships

9 Best Planets In Starfield, Ranked

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Starfield Backend Changes Suggest A Huge Update Is Coming Soon

The 10 best items in paper mario: the thousand-year door, ranked, 10 underrated mario games.

• Starfield's planets offer a wide range of diversity and usefulness, from sentimental favorites to resource-rich mining locations.
• Eridani II, Zamka, and Jemison are among the best planets for building outposts and finding valuable resources in the settled systems.
• Nesoi, Porrima II, Syrma VII-a, Volii Alpha, Freya III, and Zeta Ophiuchi I are all unique and beautiful planets with different advantages and attractions for everyone.

Starfield ’s planets vary enormously in just about every conceivable way, especially with a large amount of their details being procedurally generated. As such, their usefulness varies. Whether it's the sentimentality of our Sol system, the cities on Jemison, Akila, and Volii Alpha, or those planets whose resources make them valuable for mining, they all have something to offer.

Related: Starfield: The Best Spacesuits, Ranked

Depending on your needs, each planet’s usefulness is not necessarily set in stone, but some are definitely better than others. Nobody would argue that Barnard’s Star’s sole planet, Frost, is better than Paradiso’s Porrima II, for example. Whether you’re looking for a holiday or somewhere to set up camp, here are the best planets in Starfield’s settled Systems, ranked.

9 Eridani II

The star system Eridani may be a familiar name to fans of sci-fi video games, as might the second planet from its sun. Starfield’s Eridani II was also the planet known as Reach in the Halo series, where the game of the same name took place. The planet shares many similarities across these two games, with a rugged but earth-like landscape full of mountains and forests.

Although Starfield’s version of the planet has none of the Titanium that fuelled Reach’s industry, it has a number of useful common metals in addition to gold. With these factors in mind, Eridani II makes for an interesting planet to build an outpost on and deserves its place amongst the game’s best planets, even if Noble Six is nowhere to be seen in its caves.

In the orbit of Olivas, a frozen gas giant in the Alpha Centauri system, sits the diminutive moon of Zamka. A rocky tundra whose landscape deals mostly in shades of beige, Zamka nonetheless offers several useful resources in Helium-3, Copper, Nickel, and Iron, alongside the more valuable Vanadium.

As a result, good outpost placement can make Zamka a farm for producing many resources key to expanding your outposts, both on this moon itself and further across the stars. Be prepared for trial-and-error, however, as the first spot you find might not contain everything you’re looking to farm.

No planet in the settled systems is afforded quite as much significance as Jemison, the capital of the United Colonies. In New Atlantis, you’ll find Bethesda’s biggest-ever city, which, although admittedly a low bar, is nonetheless impressive in its scale and opportunity. It is also home to Constellation’s Lodge and your parents' apartment, should you choose the Kid Stuff trait. The city can become your home too through the Vanguard questline, which will grant you United Colonies citizenship.

Related: Starfield: Secrets And Hidden Details In New Atlantis

Venture outside the confines of the city, and you’ll find that Jemison is a verdant, earth-like planet with no shortage of hostile and friendly wildlife. Decidedly lacking in terms of rare resources, this planet’s value comes from the care put into it by Bethesda and the amount of content it houses.

The planet Nesoi will be familiar to anyone who selected the dream home perk, which lands you a nice house on the planet, as well as a sizable mortgage at GalBank. Located conveniently in the Olympus system, Nesoi is also notable for the now-defunct zero-G casino ship, The Almagest, which sits in orbit around the planet.

Its central location, breathable atmosphere, and varied resources make Nesoi a great place to set up an outpost early in the game, and its varied flora and fauna further add to a world equally functional, beautiful, and one that will stay useful even as you reach higher levels.

5 Porrima II

Located in the Porrima system is the planet of Porrima II, home of the famous Paradiso Hotel. This place is built with wealth and opulence in mind, and affordability is not even considered. The resort is a rare part of the settled systems where galactic concerns seem insignificant. This allows you and your fellow guests to enjoy the wealth you’ve accrued safely away from the common rabble in your deluxe penthouse suite with two balconies.

With a decent range of flora and fauna on show on this tropical planet, and both Lithium and Caesium amongst its admittedly limited resources, Porrima II is a beautiful planet that has more value than simply its resort. And if you’ve earned a lifetime pass from the First Contact mission, your guilt will wash away with the tides while you relax on the beach.

4 Syrma VII-a

Vladimir Sall is a valuable ally in your search for the Artifacts, providing reconnaissance by using the Eye to locate these mysterious relics. Constellation’s eye in the sky is also a former Crimson Fleet pirate who amassed a great deal of wealth during his days pillaging the blackest sea.

As a result, when he invites you to visit his house on his behalf, as he never has time to go himself, perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that you find Vlad’s villa is a comfortable, remote home tucked away on the moon Syrma VII-a. Quite unlike Earth’s own, this moon is vibrant, full of forests, swamps, hills, and oceans, and boasts Platinum and Lithium among its resources.

3 Volii Alpha

An ocean planet with stormy weather and harsh waves, Volii Alpha doesn’t exactly sound like it would house the settled systems’ premier city of sin, but first impressions can be very misleading. Thanks to the hallucinogenic properties that its native Chasmbass have been discovered to contain, what was once a mere rig has been built vertically into a high-rise city of business and pleasure under the careful, controlling watch of Administrator Bayu.

Related: Starfield: Best Places To Use Photo Mode

Although you’ll have to turn elsewhere for base-building, as this planet lacks a single speck of natural dry land, Neon’s aesthetics and the fact it uses lightning as its energy source are among the most innovative in the game, cementing the planet as a deserved inclusion on this list.

2 Freya III

The Freya system is a remote one on the frontier of space, and Freya III epitomizes this. A beautifully wild planet with a range of multicolored flora, you’ll visit this planet with Constellation on your main quest, during which you’ll get well acquainted with some of the local fauna, the scorpion-like Cataxi.

If you’re feeling brave, this temperate planet has everything you need for an outpost, with its wide variety of resources supplemented by its impressive wildlife. Just don’t head there before investing in outpost defense, or you might find yourself at the mercy of some less-than-friendly creatures.

1 Zeta Ophiuchi I

Though the star system Zeta Ophiuchi is a level 50 area, the planet closest to its sun is one that shouldn’t be overlooked. Despite its proximity to its star, the climate is temperate, and water is abundant. With a variety of biomes, from tropical forests to mountains and a wide range of flora and fauna to discover, Zeta Ophiuchi I is an ideal planet on which to build a home.

Additionally, with a range of eight resources from Ytterbium to Tantalum, the planet is no slouch regarding resources, making it a useful location for practical outposts. Whether you visit Zeta Ophiuchi I to settle down or merely to see the sights, the turquoise skies of this tropical paradise are certainly worth a visit.

Next: Starfield: The Hardest Achievements, Ranked

• Triple-A Games

• Baldur's Gate 3
• Dreamlight Valley
• Lethal Company
• Monopoly Go
• Jujutsu Chronicles
• UGC Limited
• Call of Duty
• Legend of Zelda
• Ethics Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Review Policy

10 Best Planets to Explore in Starfield

The universe is yours for the plundering as you explore in Starfield. There are moons and planets to plunder for resources, creatures to hunt, and plants to study while you wander the desolate and strange worlds. With so many places to explore or build an outpost upon, you might get overwhelmed with the choice. With that in mind, we have put together a list which offers you ten of our favorite planets in Starfield to land on, each rich with resources, flora, and fauna.

They all have similarities, so they are in no particular order — though personally, the last entry is a definite favorite!

Leviathan IV

Volii epsilon, schrodinger iii, celebrai ii, procyon iii.

This planet may not look like much but it is a good source of seven basic resources and is home to a sentient microbial community. Leviathan IV is, perhaps unsurprisingly, found in the Leviathan star system situated to the east of Alpha Centauri and south of the Cheyenne system. This Starfield planet is one of the best habitable planets to place an outpost and has plenty to mine and collect. The resources available are:

• Aluminium (Al)
• Chlorine (Cl)
• Copper (Cu)
• Fluorine (F)
• Ytterbium (Yb)
• Water (H2O)

As you explore the land at Leviathan IV it may seem like a sandy wasteland in some areas but if you venture into the mountains you’ll find fascinating flora and fauna. A special feature existing on Leviathan IV is a nutrient-rich structure of roots and biotic materials which extends into the sky and is surrounded by gold sparkles. Build your outpost nearby to mine for iron as you explore the amazing structures.

Volii Epsilon is a crater-marked planet full of resources ready for the taking. Find it in the Volii system which is situated east of the Alpha Centauri and Olympus systems. It is a pretty hostile planet with zero plant life and very few creatures so I wouldn’t set up a home there! It is perfect for a quick visit to empty your outpost stores, though, and worth a quick run about to see what else it has to offer. Volii Epsilon’s resources are:

• Chlorosilanes (SiH3Cl)
• Ionic Liquids
• Water (H20)

This planet is neighbors with Volii Alpha, home of the city of Neon, but it is not as habitable so you are unlikely to find any friendly settlers here. If you love exploring caves or ransacking abandoned labs and outposts, Voii Epsilon has exactly what you need, just watch out for Spacers and Crimson Fleet pirates!

Found in the Schrodinger system, south of Kryx, Schrodinger III is a great location for an outpost due to its habitable surface being rich with many resources, flora and fauna. The terrain is interesting and varied but we recommend setting an outpost down in the hills to mine for nickel while you hunt down Foxbats for their expensive furs. The mountains are also perfect if you are looking for iron to mine. You can gather the following resources from all over Schrodinger III:

• Cobalt (Co)
• Nickel (Ni)

This planet has no cities or POIs but makes up for it with plenty of alien animals, plants, and rich veins of resources. Just like Leviathan IV, this planet has cool hive structures to discover, as well as glacial remnants for budding scientists to scan and record.

Gagarin is another excellent choice when thinking about setting up an outpost somewhere. It is located in Alpha Centauri, the same system as Jemison. Unlike Schrodinger, you will find humans all over the place thanks to the livable conditions. The Ecliptic can be found scavenging abandoned labs, and there are people in Gagarin Landing to visit. If you are after resources you can find the following at Gagarin:

It is worth visiting Gagarin Landing but it is better to explore elsewhere on the planet if you want to set up an outpost. Gagarin is a rough-and-ready type of settlement so is great for picking up extra activities by speaking to the locals. You can also explore mines nearby if you prefer the dark and dank areas of a planet.

If the hustle and bustle of Gagarin was too much, we have a peaceful place for you to land on. Andraphon is a moon orbiting the planet of Sumati. Sumati is situated in the Narion system north east of Alpha Centauri. It doesn’t have any flora or fauna but it is a great place to set an outpost if you are looking to gather Helium-3, among other resources. This moon is rich with the following:

• Benzene (Be)
• Europium (Eu)
• Helium-3 (He-3)

If you start to miss the excitement you can seek it out by finding POIs or mines. There is a deserted mineral plant to explore while you are there, and on your first visit it will be full of Spacer scum to take down. If you like a good scrap then scan around for ‘Structures’ to discover any abandoned mines. These are usually taken over by the Ecliptic. If you are lucky you will find some of their valuable contraband!

Celebrai II is in the Celebrai system, situated northeast of Kryx. Don’t let the dusty areas of this planet fool you, it is actually rich in flora, fauna, and multiple resources. We recommend checking out the mountainous areas first. A few of the creatures want to kill you , but it’s an easy fight and you come out of it rich in hallucinogen and spice. The main resources you can gather from Celebrai II are:

• Alkanes (HnCn)
• Chlorosilnanes (SiH3Cl)

This is my personal favorite planet to gather resources from flora and fauna. It has such diversity in life and environment that I don’t find it boring to boost pack about on the surface. We recommend setting an outpost to mine for iron, or whatever you need, and go out hunting creatures while you wait for the store to fill.

Mars is situated in our very own star system, Sol. The planet itself is full of great resources but not much in the way of interesting creatures (humans aside, of course). The best place to go is Cydonia, an industrial-looking human settlement full of shops and extra missions. If you are after some bonus XP then we recommend a visit to Cydonia when you land on Mars. If you prefer wandering the wasteland then the following resources are available:

The best thing about Mars is visiting the Opportunity Rover. When you have read the display at the NASA Launch Tower on Earth you can unlock the location of the now-inactive Rover. It’s strangely bittersweet seeing little parts of reality in the game!

Our former home, Earth, is located in the Sol system. The atmosphere isn’t completely hostile but it is clearly not a livable planet anymore. For many players, exploring Earth is more for the personal interest due to it being our home planet, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t useful! There are still plenty of resources to gather:

• Mercury (Hg)

The best thing about Earth is landing at the sites of former cities. You can visit the Empire State Building in the USA, The Shard in the U.K., Shanghai Tower in China, and even the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt! We recommend landing on Earth, setting up an outpost and exploring to see how many of the eleven available landmarks you can find.

Nesoi is situated in the Olympus star system just east of Alpha Centauri. It has a decent amount of flora and fauna, and is rich in resources. If you’re looking for just one planet to set your outpost on this could be for you. These are the eight resources available to find in Nesoi:

• Iridium (Ir)
• Uranium (U)
• Benzene (C6H6)
• Carboxylic Acids (R-COOH)
• Tantalum (Ta)

Aside from resources, there is plenty to see and do at Nesoi. Scattered about the planet are deserted relay stations, mines, caves, and other structures to discover. If you like an exciting adventure on a new planet then we highly recommend Nesoi. Just land your ship and within a 20 meter-square area you will find useful resources from the ground, plants, and creatures!

Procyon III can be found in the Procyon A system north west of Alpha Centauri. It is a lush planet but has vast swathes of icy land towards the north. Unless you like it freezing cold, we suggest landing at the Wetlands and scavenging for all you can find. The extensive list of available resources on Procyon III are as follows:

• Fluorine (Fl)
• Tetrafluorides (xF4)

This planet has bizarre looking egg-shaped mounds, giant insect creatures wandering around, and intriguing fungus-filled groves. If more planets looked like Procyon III, the exploration side of Starfield would be a bit more interesting for many players. Procyon III has a lot of resources to plunder, but it is also the absolute epitome of an ‘alien planet’.

Those are our favorite planets in Starfield, but if your choice didn’t make our list then let us know! For more tips and help surviving in Starfield, read more guides in the list below.

Starfield: Every Landmark on Earth (& How to Unlock Them)

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Starfield Player Recreates General Grievous' Ship from Star Wars

Starfield player points out exciting similarity between shattered space and oblivion's shivering isles, starfield fans are still venting their disappointment with one part of the game.

The main story of Starfield takes place a few hundred years from now, at which time, humanity's home planet has become little more than an inhospitable wasteland. Players are still able to visit Earth in Starfield though, and amidst the endless craters and caves, will be able to find some small remnants of the past civilizations that once called the blue and green planet their home.

RELATED: Starfield: How to Build Outposts

Sadly, finding all of Earth's landmarks in Starfield is not quite as simple as just landing on the planet and walking around, as doing so would be akin to searching for a needle in several thousand haystacks. Instead, players will need to find special prompts that will add new landing sites to their map of the planet, most of which are tied to books and literature found in some of the game's larger settlements.

The Shard (London Landmark)

In order to unlock the London Landmark , players will need to get their hands on a copy of Oliver Twist, which can be purchased from Sinclair's Books in Akila City. Doing so will unlock the London landing site, where players will find what's left of the Shard reaching up into an empty sky. They'll also be able to find the London snow globe sitting on a rock near the base of the once-iconic tower.

The Pyramids (Cairo Landmark)

Before they can visit the Cairo Landmark , players will first have to find a copy of The Ancient Civilization of Egypt, which can again be bought from Sinclair's Books in Akila City. This will add a new activity to the player's mission list and allow them to land at the Cairo landing site on Earth. It's here that the remains of two pyramids can be found, as well as the Cairo snow globe, which is on a slab of rock near the base of the furthest pyramid.

The Empire State Building (New York Landmark)

To find the New York Landmark , players will need to get their hands on a book called Our Lost Heritage. The easiest way to achieve this is by heading to the office of President Abello, which can be found on one of the upper floors of the MAST building in New Atlantis. Once they've picked up the book, players will find that the New York Landmark landing site has been added to their map of Earth, at which point, they'll be free to travel to the Big Apple and see what's left of the Empire State Building for themselves. They can also find the New York snow globe on a rock to the right of the iconic Earth Landmark.

The US Bank Tower (Los Angeles Landmark)

Those who wish to visit the US Bank Tower in Los Angeles will need to find a copy of the Hope Family Tree. The only known location for this is on Ron Hope's Desk in Hopetown, which is on the planet Polvo in the Valo system. Players should grab this during the Where Hope is Built faction quest if they're able, as if they fail to do so, they'll need to wait quite a while until they get another chance. Thankfully, Hope's office should be accessible again once players have completed the Accidents Happen quest for Ryujin, after which, they'll be free to grab the book, visit the landmark, and pick up the Los Angeles snow globe from the rubble surrounding its base.

The Gateway Arch (Saint Louis Landmark)

Before players can visit the Gateway Arch in Starfield , they'll first need to get their hands on a copy of The Price of Destiny, which can be found in Benjamin Bayu's penthouse in Neon. To access the penthouse, players will need to find Bayu in Booth 4 of the Astral Lounge's VIP area and pickpocket the key from him. After accessing the penthouse and finding the book, they'll then be able to travel to the St. Louis Landmark, where they'll find the St. Louis snow globe directly beneath the iconic arch.

The Shanghai Tower (Shanghai Landmark)

To find the Shanghai Tower in Starfield , players will need to procure a copy of a book called Essentials of Modern Macroeconomics. One can be acquired by visiting Porimma II in the Porrima star system and boarding the unidentified ship there. If players then make their way to the classroom on one of the ship's upper floors, they'll find the book sitting in front of the whiteboard. After reading it, they'll be able to land at the Shanghai Landmark landing site, where they'll find both the tower and the Shanghai snow globe.

The International Commerce Center (Hong Kong Landmark)

The International Commerce Center in Hong Kong may not be quite as well-known as some of the other Earth landmarks that players can visit in Starfield , but anybody who has ever visited the country will definitely recognize this iconic structure. Before they can head there in-game though, players will need to read Maurice Lyon's Journal, which can be found on a metal shelf in the museum at the New Homestead settlement on Titan. Upon reading it, they'll unlock the Hong Kong Landmark landing site, which is where they'll find both the building and the Hong Kong snow globe.

The Abeno Harukas (Osaka Landmark)

Finding the Abeno Harukas landmark in Osaka requires players to procure a copy of the Diary of Kyosuke Nagata. To do so, they'll first need to join the Crimson Fleet by getting arrested in UC territory and then completing the Deep Cover mission. After that, they'll be free to explore the faction's base, The Key, which can be found in the Kryx system to the right of Alpha Centauri. Once there, they should head up to the command center and make their way up the stairs and through the door that leads to Delgado's quarters. There, on a nightstand to the left of the bed, they'll find a copy of the diary. They'll then be free to fast travel to the Osaka Landmark landing site, where they'll find both the Abeno Harukas and the Osaka snow globe.

The Burj Khalifa (Dubai Landmark)

Those hoping to find the Burj Khalifa in Starfield will need to get their hands on a book called Race to the Heavens. It just so happens that there's one in Larry Dumbrosky's suite on the Siren of the Stars luxury liner, which players will need to visit as part of the Breaking the Bank faction quest. This is part of the Crimson Fleet questline and becomes available after players have completed Deep Cover, Rook Meets King, and Echoes of the Past. After finding the book, they'll unlock the Dubai Landmark landing site and will be free to travel to the Burj Khalifa and pick up the Dubai snow globe.

NASA Launch Tower (Story Related)

Players will visit the NASA Launch Tower in Cape Canaveral as part of the Unearthed main story mission . Whether or not this really classes as one of Earth's landmarks in Starfield is perhaps debatable, but players will be able to find the NASA snow globe on one of the desks not long after making their way to the upper levels of the facility.

Other Man-Made Landmarks in Starfield

In addition to the aforementioned Starfield Earth landmarks, there are a few other key man-made landmarks for players to track down. These are typically in the SOL star system, and, much like the aforementioned Earth locations, each one contains a snow globe for players to add to their collections.

The Apollo Lander (Luna)

Players will be able to find the Apollo Landmark on Earth's Moon, Luna, though only after they've found a special book. In this case, that's Sir Livingstone's Second Journal, which is on the desk in Matteo's room at The Lodge in the MAST District of New Atlantis. After reading the book, the Apollo landing site will appear on the player's map of Luna, and it's here that they'll find the Apollo Lander and the Apollo snow globe.

The Opportunity Rover (Mars)

Players who want to find the Opportunity Rover on Mars will first need to interact with the MER Program exhibit at the NASA Launch Tower in Cape Canaveral. They should be sure to do this on their first visit to the facility, as, at the time of writing, they won't be able to return to the exhibit hall after progressing through the Unearthed main story mission. Reading about the exhibit will cause the Opportunity Rover landing site to appear on the player's map of Mars and players can head there to find the aforementioned rover as well as the Opportunity snow globe.

Starfield is available now for PC and Xbox Series X|S.

How to Visit Earth

Starfield: complete guide & walkthrough, how to find the well in new atlantis.

All Starfield cities and what you'll find there

Every major Starfield city and their locations for you to find

New Atlantis

You'll be visiting Starfield cities a lot as you play the game since they're some of the most important locations with unique shops, quest, characters, and more to find. There are settlements across the stars in Starfield , ranging from dusty outposts to luxury hotels and corporate-owned company towns, but major settlements like New Atlantis, Akila City, Neon, and the Key serve as central locations around which major aspects of the plot revolve. The main story will take you to these cities, but you could always visit them before that if you fancy exploring. I've found all the major cities in Starfield and have explained what they're all about below!

All Starfield cities and settlements you should visit

There are four main Starfield cities and some other, lesser settlements that we've listed below, including what you can expect and their locations.

• New Atlantis (HQ for United Colonies and Constellation on Jemison, Alpha Centauri System)
• Akila City (HQ for the Freestar Rangers on Akila, Cheyenne System)
• Neon (HQ for Ryujin Industries on Volii Alpha, Volii System)
• The Key (Space Station HQ for the Crimson Fleet Pirates in orbit around Suvorov, Kryx System)
• Cydonia (Shady mining town on Mars, Sol System)
• New Homestead (Museum-like settlement dedicated to humanity's past on Titan, Moon of Saturn, Sol System)
• Hopetown (Company town formed by starship-manufacturing corporation Hopetech on Polvo, Valo System) 
• Gagarin Landing (Depressed manufacturing town on Gagarin, Alpha Centauri System)
• Paradiso (Large hotel on Porrima II, Porima System)

How to get to Paradiso in Starfield Starfield flight simulator Starfield survey data Starfield Beautiful Secrets

As you can see, the major cities each serve as your main point of contact for one of the major Starfield factions , though you can find representatives and members of those factions all across the galaxy - it's just that if you're planning on joining them and getting missions, you'll need to go to the locations marked above.

Beyond those there's further settlements that players can discover, certainly less extensive than the major cities in size, but spread all over the explorable planets. Starfield star systems with settlements in of any size are marked with a little white symbol of several rectangles (i.e., a little skyline), which you can use to home in on populated worlds.

With that in mind, we'll cover the four major cities you need to find out about below:

• Faction(s): United Colonies, Constellation
• Planet: Jemison
• System: Alpha Centauri

New Atlantis is the headquarters for both Constellation, the main story faction of explorers, as well as the United Colonies. You'll come back here a lot over the course of the main plot, and you might notice that it's not just the biggest city in Starfield, it's the biggest city that Bethesda has put in any of the games at time of writing.

Things to do in New Atlantis: Aside from being a focal point for many major story quests in the Starfield Constellation questline , New Atlantis is also where you can sign up for the UC Vanguard, a faction of peacekeepers, and effectively become a space cop, if that's what appeals to you.

• Faction(s): Freestar Collective
• Planet: Akila
• System: Cheyenne

Akila City is the home of the Freestar Collective faction, and represents the "space western" fantasy, a dusty settlement on the plains and the final frontier where individual liberty is prioritised. Historically the Freestar Collective and United Colonies have not gotten along, though there's seemingly a wary, arm's-length peace as players enter the game. Which is good, as Akila City is already busy trying to defend itself from the prehistoric predators that roam the planet, wolfy monsters called the Ashta.

Things to do in Akila City: The main draw of Akila City is the Freestar Rangers, a group of space cowboys that the players can join as part of the Starfield Freestar Collective questline in order to hunt pirates in space and on other worlds. There are also missions closer to home, dealing with the threat of the Ashta and working on both sides of the law.

• Faction(s): Ryujin Industries
• Planet: Volii Alpha
• System: Volii

Neon is in Freestar Collective space, but is really its own entity, a glitzy pleasure city run by the various corporations and industries that financed it - the main two being the Xenofresh Corporation (who initially built it as a big fishing platform) and Ryujin Industries, who since turned it into a proper settlement after the discovery of a drug called Aurora.

Things to do in Neon: Neon is Starfield's foray into cyberpunk, and players here can expect everything you'd associate with the genre and the idea of the "megacorporation". The main draw for players is probably Ryujin, who have their headquarters here and who players can join to start a career in industrial espionage - this is via the Starfield Ryujin questline , which features the Starfield Guilty Parties and Starfield Sabotage missions. There's also a broad array of shops and stores that are pointedly and notably not very regulated, so players with a lot of credits can burn them up on a variety of high-end or rare goods.

• Faction(s): Crimson Fleet Pirates
• Planet: Space Station in orbit around Suvorov
• System: Kryx

The Key is a former UC prison space station taken over by the Crimson Fleet Pirates that now acts as their headquarters, and serves as a good-sized settlement to trade, share tips and work out their nefarious plans. Unlike the other cities, they're not likely to welcome outsiders - if you want some help, check out our guide on how to join the Crimson Fleet Pirates in Starfield . Once they see you as a friend, they'll let you in.

Things to do in the Key: The Key serves as a place to gain missions from the pirates in the Starfield Crimson Fleet questline , whether you're there legitimately or as an undercover agent. It also serves as a means to gain rare ship components needed for Starfield contraband smuggling , as well as being where you can pawn any contraband or stolen goods you obtain along the way.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and raconteur with a Masters from Sussex University, none of which has actually equipped him for anything in real life. As a result he chooses to spend most of his time playing video games, reading old books and ingesting chemically-risky levels of caffeine. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at USgamer, Gfinity, Eurogamer and more besides.

• Leon Hurley Managing editor for guides

Praise the Sun! Dark Souls is getting an original manga, and unlike the Elden Ring manga it's actually a serious horror fantasy story

New Genshin Impact character Emilie revealed for update 4.8 – the first Dendro character to come to the RPG in over a year

Maleficent star to lead new Predator movie from Prey director

Most Popular

• 2 Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 review: "Nothing short of video game sorcery"
• 3 Lorelei and the Laser Eyes review: "Totally engrossing, effortlessly stylish, and one of the best puzzle games of 2024"
• 4 Dune: Imperium - Uprising review - "An elegant mix"
• 5 Homeworld 3 review: "Brings the series safely into the modern era"
• 2 Sasquatch Sunset review: "An eccentric concept makes for the best Bigfoot film yet"
• 3 The Beast review: "An elegant but ultimately unwieldy sci-fi drama”
• 4 Sting review: "Alien’s influence resonates in this playful creature feature"
• 5 Atlas review: "Netflix's new sci-fi needs more flesh on its AI-themed bones"
• 2 Star Trek: Discovery season 5 review - "A spectacular but uneven final voyage"
• 3 Doctor Who season 1, episode 5 review: "'Dot and Bubble' is like a family-friendly Black Mirror"
• 4 Doctor Who season 1, episode 4 review: "A horror tour de force that will stay with you for years to come"
• 5 X-Men ’97 episode 10 review: "A near-perfect ending to an exciting and tumultuous season"

• Category: Starfield

Starfield Starters: 10 Things to Know as You Begin Your Journey

Starfield is finally here. The game launches on Xbox Series X|S and PC (with Game Pass) today – and we at Xbox Wire have been lucky enough to play it early. This is an enormous game, full of overlapping systems, mysteries, and mechanics. We’re sure you want to know more and, in the spirit of getting you ready to play it yourself, we’ve put together a series of articles focused on getting you out into the galaxy prepared for what’s to come. Allow us to present Starfield Starters, a four-part, spoiler-free guide to some of the game’s most important, complex, and lesser-known features – and how to succeed with them.

For more Starfield Starters, make sure to check out our guides on character customization, planet hopping, and space combat :

• Starfield Starters: Space Combat 101
• Starfield Starters: An Explorer’s Guide to Planet Hopping
• Starfield Starters: Customizing Your Perfect Captain

Welcome to space. Like… a lot of space. As you’ve started to step out into the final frontier you may just be starting to get a handle on all the things Starfield has started to throw your way – and some of it you may have just flat-out missed because you were too busy taking in the scenery of Neon to realize that you just picked up a half-dozen side quests, or that your inventory is full of spacesuits and coffee cups, and oh yeah, you have this huge starship to take care of.

Yes, there’s a lot to unpack in the early hours of Starfield and much of it will come in time. To help close that gap a bit, we’ve assembled some of what think are the more important things to know as you begin your adventure in Starfield . Is this all-encompassing? Hardly. But we feel these “things to know” will steer you in the right direction should the vastness of all that space feel a little overwhelming.

1: Invest in Yourself

Character progression is a bit different than previous Bethesda RPGs like Skyrim and Fallout 4 . You still get XP for actions, like a successful persuasion, but you need to focus on Skill Challenges to really unlock those benefits for your characters. For example, if you want to play as a Stealth-based character, you need to invest in Stealth to “unlock” the Stealth meter for your character. If you want to then upgrade Stealth further, you’ll need to complete specific challenges to unlock the subsequent ranks. This applies to many skills. You’ll also see in the UI which ones are ready for a progression upgrade, as they’ll be flashing for you from the in-game menu.

While there are a bunch of areas you’ll want to dive into, some of the first we think you should unlock (if not already done so from your initial character build) would be Stealth (gives you a Stealth meter), Wellness (increases max health), Commerce (better prices at shops), Boost Pack Training (allows you to use Boost), and Persuasion (helps with conversation bonuses). You could also invest in Medicine (more effective healing) and Surveying (unlocks a zoom feature on the hand scanner).

2: You Can’t Take the Sky from Me

Perhaps you’d like to postpone your search for mysterious artifacts and the possible meaning of all life in the universe. Then you’re in luck, because Starfield pretty much lets you run wild after you get your starship in orbit. Following the “critical path” of the story will net you some companions and crew members, and progress the overall story of the game, but it’s not strictly necessary should you wish to explore this wide-open universe yourself.

Some of the many features that unlock for you early on, and will get you out into the universe, would be looking over the Mission boards dotted around port cities (which can allow you to hunt bounties, transport goods, or ferry passengers), or taking on one of the many Faction quests, each with their own standalone storylines. That said, our recommendation would still be to get a few of the core story missions under your belt first so you can get your bearings, and then really decide where to go from there. It’s a big game.

3: My Cargo Runneth Over

We like looting. Grabbing items from containers, cargo holds, lockers, and yes, even bodies. You can pick up pretty much everything in Starfield , and before you know it you have 37 pens, 17 coffee cups, and seven space helmets. Opening the Ship menu, and then hitting the button to see the cargo hold will let you shift items from your inventory to your ship’s (much larger) cargo hold — and you only need to be near the ship to transfer your accumulated wealth; you don’t have to be on board. Now you’ll have even more junk to sell at your next location! One recommendation – regularly empty the Resources section of your inventory into your ship’s cargo hold, as many of these items are a) heavy, and b) come in large numbers.

If you do find yourself maxing out your capacity far faster than you’d like, one trick we found – other than unloading surplus inventory on your companions — is that you can throw excess items from your inventory on the ground of your ship as a temporary solution. It will remain there and doesn’t incur a penalty for being in your ship’s cargo hold. But be warned, if you play around in Ship Builder and start to modify any components of your ship, those items will automatically go into your cargo hold, maxing out your ship’s capacity to take on anything more.

You can also play around in Ship Builder and tack on a few cargo containers to help build up your ship’s inventory. Just make sure to compensate with some additional thrusters so as to not impact your maneuverability too significantly.

4: You’re All My Favorites

To cut down on how often you’re cycling back and forth between your inventory and the game world, we recommend you get acquainted early on with the Favorites bar, which can be accessed far more easily. You have three items you can store in each major direction of the D-Pad (or if you’re playing on PC, these can be assigned across the number rows on your keyboard; pull up the radial dial with the Q key).

The Favorites bar can vary on what you’d like to put in there, and everyone will approach this in their own way. For us, a good overall set up will have you assigning one bar of key weapons, one bar of throwables, and one bar of aid. This leaves you with three more slots you can use to hot-swap equipment, which can be very useful when you’re in the middle of a firefight with some Spacers, like equipping a helmet that provides a -15% reduction in ballistic damage, for example.

5: Fun with Factions

As we mentioned earlier, you get a lot of freedom in the game very early on. To help focus that effort a bit, it wouldn’t hurt to take on some Faction Quests to not only start making some money but to help orient yourself a bit more in the universe. These Faction Quests can also lead you into discovering a variety of side quests as well (and some of these can be very involved!).

The way you find these missions varies a little. In many cases, you’ll be alerted to the beginning of a quest by overhearing conversations in the game’s major cities; New Atlantis, Akila City, and Neon — these will automatically land in your Activities tab in your Mission menu. Once you’ve started the quests proper, they’re assigned to a specific Faction section in your Mission menu. You can join the UC Vanguard, keep the peace with the Freestar Rangers, commit corporate espionage for Ryujin, and much more. We highly recommend checking them all out.

6: Resource Hunting

While you can go out into the wild and scan just about everything looking for that one precious resource, a much easier way for you to look for what ingredient you’re missing is by buying up the resources from the kiosks at starship ports and many other vendors you come across. Even tiny citizen settlements will have merchants with a wide array of goods.

Alternatively, upping your Surveying skill will let you detect the locations of harder-to-find resources from orbit, letting you know exactly where to land and scoop up what you need. And if you’re looking for a particular ingredient for a crafting recipe, make sure you utilize “Track” from the Resource menu — this little option will add an icon to any item you’ve designated while exploring.

7: Dress for Success

Clothing in Starfield isn’t just designed to make you look cool. Many of these outfits also carry with them stat bonuses to help improve your character. It’s very useful for swapping in and out as needed (see Favorites bar), whether you want an improvement to Persuasion, Stealth, or Oxygen consumption.

For example, early on you may come across some scientists wearing research uniforms, which… let’s just say they won’t be needing them anymore. Wearing them while conducting research holds a great perk: increasing the chance your player will have a Sudden Development. When contributing items towards research, like a new medicine, weapon mod, or starship part, Sudden Development allows for advances in research even if you don’t yet have all the necessary materials.

Just be sure to switch into that outfit before engaging in research and honor the memory of NPCs who paid the ultimate price for your convenience. So, make sure to check out all the apparel you find — you never know how it might help you.

8: Leave Your Friends Behind (if You’re Up to No Good)

There are many different quests and quest types that you’ll get a chance to explore. One of the more precarious are Stealth-based missions in which you’re tasked with breaking and entering areas where, if you’re caught, guards will shoot to kill.

To help ensure you’re not setting off alarms or drawing any unneeded attention, make sure you ask your followers to “wait” or simply dismiss them. If you ask your follower to wait, remember to come back for them before you head off on your next adventure – you’ll get a handy quest marker to track them down if you stray too far.

9: Get a History Lesson

Getting dropped into 24 th century spacefaring may be a bit of a shift for us earthbound folk. Who are these Factions? What happened to Earth? Terrormorphs, you say? Here’s a great way to catch up on Starfield ’s lore the old-fashioned way: in a museum!

If you take up an early offer to join the UC Vanguard on New Atlantis, you’ll gain access to an interactive orientation which shares a lot about what’s been going on these past few centuries, as well as the UC’s view on other factions such as the Freestar Collective and House Varu’un, including major conflicts, and (one perspective on) why things are the way they are in this brave new world.

10: Don’t Leave Home Without Them

If you’ve completed a few of the story missions thus far in Starfield , you should have four to five Companions tagging along now on your adventure. They each have something useful to bring to the table on your adventure and it’s vital for you in the early going that you ensure you have one accompany you on a majority of your journey.

Not only are they all wicked shots when you find yourself in a firefight with some Spacers, but bringing them along on these adventures will unlock their own unique story arcs for you to play out. This is vital if you’re hoping to build any meaningful relationships with them.

They also have a knack for finding useful things for you to use on your journey. Kinda like when Dogmeat would fetch ammo for you in Fallout 4 , but now it can range from gigantic space minerals to an alien sandwich (it’s quite tasty). Just walk up to any of your Companions and ask, “Do you have anything for me?” and they will bestow their offerings upon you.

Bonus: Additional Tips from the Stars

On top of all the other fun things we’ve shared with you here today, we also have some quick tips to help you along the way.

• Sort your weapons by ammo types so you can see where you’ve doubled-up on weapon and ammo capacity. We recommend keeping one weapon per ammo type to maximize both your carrying capacity and ammo.
• While in space, you can quickly jump to your next mission objective by bringing up your Scanner and locating the blue nav beacon, selecting it, and then jumping away. Saves you a few clicks going in and out of the galaxy menu.
• Disoriented on a planet or in a building and not sure where to go next? Bring up the Scanner to have a zipper arrow trail appear on the ground leading to your destination.
• Pay attention to system levels. To have the best playing experience, make sure these align closely with your current player level.
• Building your base and not understanding why you don’t have any power to anything? You need wires connected to your structures. Highlight your power generator, hold A, and then select “Wire” and tether it to what you want to power.
• Make sure you create Output Links from your harvesters to your Transfer Container to store your resources. It’s not an actual component you have to craft; it’s a feature found in the Build menu tied to RT on your controller when highlighting your Transfer Container or Harvester.
• Use the game’s Photo Mode! Not only is it fun to find that perfect shot, but your gallery will begin to be cycled onto the game’s loading screens, which is always a nice surprise.

Play Starfield Exclusively via Samsung TVs – No Console Required!

For those with an active Xbox Game Pass membership, you can start playing Starfield on September 6 through the Samsung Gaming Hub on supported 2023 and 2022 Samsung TVs, monitors, and the Freestyle 2nd Gen portable projector. You can also play Starfield  through the Xbox app on eligible 2021 TVs worldwide and – starting today – 2020 Samsung TVs in the US – no console required! Samsung exclusively offers players a new way to discover and stream Starfield instantly on  devices they already own . 

Plus, Game Pass members can save up to 10% on the Starfield Premium Edition Upgrade and to receive the Shattered Space Story Expansion upon release, the Constellation Skin Pack, and access to the Starfield Digital Artbook and Original Soundtrack.

Hang Out with Friends While Playing Starfield

The new Play Together widget on Windows 11 Game Bar powered by Microsoft Teams (free) lets you see your friends’ videos overlaid directly on top of your game. Friends can join from any device for free to connect, chat, and more while playing Starfield along with many of your favorite games on this new widget. Download the Play Together widget here for free or click here to learn more .

Bethesda Softworks

Starfield Premium Edition

Starfield Premium Edition Upgrade

Follow Polygon online:

• Follow Polygon on Facebook
• Follow Polygon on Youtube
• Follow Polygon on Instagram

Site search

• Dragon’s Dogma 2
• Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Baldur’s Gate 3
• Summer Game Fest schedule
• PlayStation
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Magic: The Gathering
• Board Games
• All Tabletop
• All Entertainment
• What to Watch
• What to Play
• Buyer’s Guides
• Really Bad Chess
• All Puzzles

Filed under:

• Starfield guides

The best planets for your first outpost in Starfield

Base your choice on resources and the climate

Share this story

• Share this on Facebook
• Share this on Reddit
• Share All sharing options

Share All sharing options for: The best planets for your first outpost in Starfield

Choosing a location for your first outpost in Starfield can be daunting — 100 systems! 1,000 planets! — but it’s a critical part of the process. If you want to build a helpful and, eventually, profitable base, you’ll need to find the ideal planet to build your first outpost on.

In this Starfield guide, we’ll show you the best planets to build your first outpost on. For those prefer to chart their own part, we’ll also offer some advice on how to find the best planet to build an outpost on in Starfield .

Below, we’ll give you a planet-by-planet rundown of the places we think you should make your first base, and the things you want to look for when making that decision for yourself. But, for your convenience, we’ve also created this table, which lists out seven great choices for your first outpost in Starfield at a glance.

Best early outpost planets in Starfield

For more details on why these are the best planets to build your first outpost on in Starfield , see our explanations below.

Callisto or Io

Callisto and Io are both moons of Jupiter in the Sol system .

We’re looping these moons together because it’s really a “dealer’s choice” situation here. You can’t go wrong with either of them. Both have excellent helium-3 and iron deposits, making them perfect for a first outpost. If you’re new to base-building, these are the simplest places to get started on, as you’ll almost certainly find an area where you can easily grab both resources in one outpost.

Pontus is a small moon orbiting Erebus in the Olympus system .

It has a relatively low number of resources to offer, but it’s got the two that count: helium-3 and aluminum . It also has beryllium , which is great, as it’s a rare resource. Because there are so few resources here, it’s easy to find a location that includes helium-3, aluminum, and beryllium. This helps elevate Pontus as one of the best starting locations to cut your teeth in Starfield , as you can get everything you need without overwhelming yourself.

Maheo II is absolutely packed with resources. You can find it in the Maheo system . It’s got:

• alkanes (rare)
• tetrafluorides (very rare)
• ytterbium (legendary)

So why don’t we just suggest that you land here, and call it a day? If this is your first outpost, it can be a little overwhelming to land on a planet like Maheo II. Not to mention that it can be tough to find a location where your desired resources overlap in the way you want them to.

Still, of the planets/moons we’ve listed here, this one is one of the most beautiful, making a great candidate for your first real home base.

Zamka is another beautiful, resource-packed moon. You can find it orbiting Olivus in the Alpha Centauri system . It has:

• cobalt (rare)
• vanadium (very rare)

Like Maheo II, the sheer number of resources on Zamka makes it both very appealing and a little overwhelming. There are tons of resources to mine here, but that also means that finding the perfect sweet spot with all the stuff you need can be tough. Where we’ve landed on Zamka has also been quite foggy, which may or may not bother you.

Voss is Zamka’s neighbor, and is also a moon of Olivus, a gas giant in Alpha Centauri . And like Zamka, it’s loaded with resources. Here’s everything Voss has to offer:

• tungsten (rare)
• dysprosium (legendary)

Zamka is great for an early-game iron farm — something you’ll need if you want to do a lot of building — but Voss has something Zamka doesn’t have, which is equally important: tungsten.

Tungsten is a major building block in Starfield, and it’s very tough to find it on a temperate planet. Tungsten’s easy availability and Voss’ temperate nature make this place an easy recommendation; all of the other elements are just gravy.

Vega II-B only has a handful of resources on it, but it’s one of the few early game planets that has titanium and a temperate environment. You can find it in orbiting Vega II in the Vega system . It has:

• titanium (very rare)

Vega II-B isn’t a planet we’d normally recommend — water is surprisingly common out there in space, and lead is very easy to find. Titanium, even more so than tungsten, is very, very difficult to find on a planet without an extreme environment. This makes Vega II-B suprisingly unique, and a great place to set up if you want to start generating titanium as quickly as possible.

Choose your Starfield outpost planet based on resources

The most important qualifier when selecting a planet in Starfield is the resources it has available on its surface. When you hover over a planet or moon, you’ll see what resources it has that you can mine. (These display with their abbreviations from the periodic table of elements, but you can hover over the icons to get the real names if you can’t remember them from chemistry class.)

You can only see which elements you can gather from nearby planets and moons if you’re in their same solar system, so you’ll need to spend quite a bit of time grav jumping to different systems if you want a good look at the planets. You’ll also only be able to scan a planet — where it shows you the exact location of its resources — when you’re in orbit around it.

Early on, you’re really looking for a combination of two resources: one of the major building resources ( iron or aluminum ) and helium-3 . With that combination, you can keep your base harvesting 100% of the time.

Once you find a combination of resources you like, it’s time to see if the planet is actually habitable or not.

The best planets for outposts in Starfield have mild environments

Some planets have “ extreme environments ,” which limits what you can do with them — at least early on in the game. These planets or moons are normally particularly close or far from their star, leading to extreme heat or extreme cold.

Mercury in the Sol system is a great example of this in Starfield . Mercury has both aluminum and helium-3 on it, which would allow you to build a self-sustaining aluminum farm very simply. However, it’s very, very close to the Sun, which unfortunately marks it with an extreme condition — it’s very, very hot.

You cannot build outposts on planets or moons with extreme conditions until you unlock the Planetary Habitation skill in the Science tree (and level it up, depending on the type of hazard you want to circumvent). This is a shame, as elements like tungsten — crucial for building more complex machines — are often found on planets that have hazards.

• What to do first
• Beginner’s guide
• Best backgrounds
• Best traits
• Best side quests to do first

Starfield walkthrough and guides

• Your biggest Starfield questions, answered
• 21 things to know before starting
• What to do first in Starfield
• What traits should you choose?
• Which background should you pick?
• Why you should play the campaign ASAP
• How long is Starfield?
• Is the Dream Home trait worth it?
• Starfield achievements list
• ‘One Small Step’ walkthrough
• ‘The Old Neighborhood’ walkthrough
• ‘The Empty Nest’ walkthrough
• ‘Back to Vectera’ walkthrough
• ‘Into the Unknown’ walkthrough
• ‘All That Money Can Buy’ walkthrough
• ‘No Sudden Moves’ walkthrough
• ‘High Price to Pay’ walkthrough
• ‘Unity’ walkthrough
• ‘Unearthed’ walkthrough
• ‘Entangled’ walkthrough
• ‘Revelation’ walkthrough
• ‘One Giant Leap’ final quest walkthrough
• The best Starfield side quests
• Romance options and relationships
• All factions and how to join them
• Companions list, and how to recruit them
• Trade Authority locations list
• How to build an outpost
• ‘Tapping the Grid’ walkthrough
• ‘Alternating Current’s walkthrough
• ‘Mantis’ and ‘Secret Outpost!’ walkthrough
• ‘Top of the List’ quest, how to survey a habitable planet
• ‘First Contact’ walkthrough and choices explained
• How to hit the Almagest jackpot
• ‘Operation Starseed’ best choice
• ‘Burden of Proof’ evidence locations
• ‘Eye of the Storm’ walkthrough
• How fast travel actually works
• How to increase carry capacity
• How to cure Afflictions
• How to smuggle contraband
• Where to sell all your stuff
• How to wait and pass time
• How to equip multiple weapons
• How to change your appearance
• What happens when you commit a crime
• How to use console commands (PC-only)
• Where to find Neon
• Where to find Jemison Mercantile
• Where to find The Den in the Wolf System
• How to remove an outpost
• Where to buy resources
• Where to store resources
• How to get adhesive
• How to get tungsten
• New Game Plus, explained
• The best skills to get first in Starfield
• The best weapons in Starfield
• The best armor in Starfield
• How to get a boostpack
• How to pass Persuasion checks
• How to master Starfield’s ‘lock-picking’
• Where to buy and find digipicks
• How to get credits quickly
• How to level up quickly
• How to get rid of the Adoring Fan
• How to change your FOV (PC-only)
• How to hide your helmet and spacesuit
• How to holster your weapon and surrender
• The best ship for every Starfield player
• How to dock your ship
• How to view your ship’s inventory
• How to power up grav drive
• How to assign crew to your ship
• How to use the Ship Builder
• Where to get new ship modules
• How to assign a weapon to a group
• Where to buy Ship Parts and repair your ship
• How to disable and loot ships
• How to board and steal ships
• How to register and sell ships
• How to change Home Ship and rename ships
• What happens to your old ship when you get a new one?

The next level of puzzles.

Take a break from your day by playing a puzzle or two! We’ve got SpellTower, Typeshift, crosswords, and more.

Sign up for the newsletter Patch Notes

A weekly roundup of the best things from Polygon

Just one more thing!

Please check your email to find a confirmation email, and follow the steps to confirm your humanity.

Oops. Something went wrong. Please enter a valid email and try again.

Loading comments...

Starfield: All Major Cities And Their Locations

Quick links, where is new atlantis, where is neon, where is cydonia, where is akila city, where is paradiso, where is the key.

In Starfield, you’ll have a seemingly endless amount of things to do, loot to gather, and places to discover. As you are exploring the galaxy, you’ll eventually come across a handful of larger cities, each with its own unique personality and opportunities.

Related: Starfield: How To Use Your Spaceship

After visiting each city and heading back out into the galaxy, it can be surprisingly easy to forget how to get back to them. In this guide, we’ll show you where to find all major cities and what you can expect when you arrive.

Almost certainly the first major city you will visit , New Atlantis was the flagship city for humanity when they first began settling throughout the galaxy. It is home to the United Colonies government and UC military branches and serves as the headquarters for the three major religious groups.

You can find New Atlantis by first traveling to the Alpha Centauri system , located in the lower left area of the galaxy map. Once inside the system, you’ll find New Atlantis on the planet Jemison .

Neon is the home of many megacorps such as Ryujin Industries , and is the only place in the galaxy where it is legal to use the otherwise illegal drug Aurora. The entire city is powered by gathering energy from the constant lightning storms. It also serves as one of the best places to shop since the main street has several vendors, each offering unique items.

To find Neon, you’ll need to head east from Alpha Centauri until you reach the Volii system . Inside the system, you can find Neon on the planet Volii Alpha .

Related: Starfield: All Trade Authority Locations

If you are feeling a bit homesick and want to visit a city built within our very own solar system, then you might want to head to Cydonia. Functioning primarily as a mining colony, Cydonia exists almost entirely under the surface and is a great place to purchase resources for research and crafting.

To find Cydonia, head north from Alpha Centauri until you find the Sol system . From there, Cydonia can be found on the surface of Mars .

If you have ever wanted to play the role of a space cowboy, you’ll find no better place in the galaxy than Akila City . Serving as the home to the Freestar Rangers, Akila City is a dusty town full of great shops where you can purchase weapons, ammo, and gear. You can also join the Freestar Rangers here and serve the citizens throughout the system.

Akila City is a great place to go early in your playthrough and can be found by heading far to the northeast of Alpha Centauri until you find the Cheyenne system . Inside the system, you’ll find the city on none other than the planet Akila .

Related: Starfield: How To Upgrade Weapons & Spacesuits

Paradiso is probably one of the least useful of the main cities in Starfield. It primarily serves as a resort for wealthier individuals, offering a place to kick up your feet and enjoy some rays on the beach. While there aren’t many places to shop here, you can always spend your time exploring the hotel and beachside rentals in search of good loot. You’ll just need to be ok getting your hands dirty to claim it.

You’ll find Paradiso in the Porrima system , further east from Volii. Inside the system, Paradiso can be found on the planet Porrima II .

While the Key isn’t technically a city, it isn’t far off from one. Serving as the home to the Crimson Fleet, this reclaimed space station is full of shops where you can buy unique weapons and gear, as well as sell any contraband you find. However, you can only visit the Key if you have already joined the Crimson Fleet, so don’t head there before doing so unless you want to be blasted into a million pieces.

To find the Key, you’ll need to head north from the Porrima system. Here, you’ll find the Crimson Fleet-dominated Kryx system . Once inside the system, you’ll find the Key orbiting the planet Suvorov .

Next: Starfield: How To Join The Crimson Fleet

Screen Rant

Starfield player discovers the one planet everyone wanted from bethesda.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Starfield Player Discovers Rare POI After Nearly 300 In-Game Hours

A well-known starfield inside joke actually reveals a huge missed opportunity, one hidden starfield update helps make the game much more immersive.

• A Starfield player may have just discovered the game's most beautiful planet.
• The player showcases breathtaking images of Nemeria 4-a, sparking hope for more unique worlds.
• Bethesda plans updates to improve the exploration experience with land vehicles.

1,000 individual planets populate the galaxy of Starfield so it's rare that a player comes across a world that's genuinely a sight to behold . One of the most common criticisms leveled at Bethesda's sci-fi RPG is that while it does offer many destinations most of the locations players can visit and explore are barren wastelands devoid of anything interesting to see. It doesn't help that so many of the game's planets have such generic landscapes that it quickly becomes difficult to differentiate between different worlds, which isn't ideal for a game built upon the idea of discovery.

As it so happens, one incredibly lucky player by the name of Aravinda_Deva shared their exception to the rule by posting images of a planet they discovered which may just be the most beautiful world in the whole of Starfield .

The user confirmed that the photos were snapped in the Swamp Coast biome of Nemeria 4-a and they truly are magnificent. The player is seen standing around a massive body of water surrounded by mountains, sandy beaches, and lush vegetation while a gas giant idly floats overhead; it's the sort of discovery that Starfield players had hoped would be more common.

One Starfield player came across a fascinating POI after nearly 300 hours in-game, making other players lament about what the game could have been.

Starfield's Procedural Generation Isn't Great

If everything is random, then nothing is.

It's undeniable that while Starfield manages to get many things right it also drops the ball on several occasions and it's perhaps most glaring when it comes to exploring the galaxy. The vast majority of the game's planets are constructed with procedural generation meaning that while no two worlds will be identical, they also lack a sense of uniqueness or variety . Landing on a world is usually just a task of running through an open expanse lightly populated by some planets and creatures but with very little substance to the actual gameplay.

Starfield players quickly realized that planets largely served as a means of passive resource gathering rather than a hook for exploration. Aravinda_Deva confirmed that Nemeria 4-a boasts a decent amount of Water, Aluminium, Copper, Lead, and Argon , prompting many to plan the creation of their next outpost on those pristine beaches. Hostile creatures are also seemingly absent, making it an even better option for constructing a large base or outpost.

Not All Planets Are Built The Same

Outpost placement is the key to wealth.

Starfield players wanting to make the most out of the game's crafting system will want to quickly become familiar with the galaxy and all that it has to offer. While individual maps may be procedurally generated, everyone has access to the same planets which also share similar states and resources. With this in mind, certain worlds are significantly better to land upon and set up shop than others , but when starting up a new game it can be difficult to figure out which planet is worth one's time.

When setting up one's first outpost, it's almost universally recommended that players make a beeline towards Andraphone in the Narion System . This world is littered with Aluminium, Beryllium, Helium-3, and Iron, all of which are essential components for most recipes. What makes Andraphone even more desirable that many of its resource nodes are located almost on top of one another, meaning that building a single base is usually enough to maximize gain from several different sources; It's always better to worker smarter, not harder .

Don't be afraid to spread you Outposts across the galaxy , there are always plenty of opportunities to make more bases and fast travelling between planets is (generally) fairly quick.

Speaking of which, Starfield players looking to create optimized production facilities instead of outposts should head to Linnaeus IV-b , a moon in the Linnaeus System. It's littered with most of the basic resources one might come to expect from a decent outpost planet but it also features healthy amounts of Alkanes and Ytterbium. It's also so dense that it's often enough to simply build one outpost that's able to collect up to five different resources at once, making ut one of the most efficient means of gathering materials in the entire game.

A throwaway joke in Starfield provides an opportunity for major gameplay implications. Here’s how it could fix some of the game’s biggest issues.

Starfield Is Improving But It Still Needs More

At least bethesda is listening to the community.

Starfield may have struggled to impress with its massive scale but Bethesda is currently in the process of overhauling several aspects of the game to make it a more streamlined experience for the community. The most recent major update added functional maps that actually allow users to navigate through denser environments. A future patch will also introduce some kind of land vehicle to make planet-side exploration faster and more fun.

Whether or not these improvements will be able to elevate Starfield up to the status of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4 remains to be seen but it's a good sign that Bethesda is working with the community to improve the experience. A major turning point will likely be the launch of the game's Creation Kit which will allow users to easily design, build, and add their own custom features. Thousands of mods have already been developed for Starfield , but the addition of some kind of official support will make them significantly easier to implement.

When the Creation Kit will arrive in Starfield remains a mystery but Bethesda has promised that the community can expect more major content updates in the coming months. Aside from these patches, users can also anticipated the arrival of the Shattered Space DLC , a massive piece of content set to offer an original story and new gameplay mechanics. When exactly the expansion will arrive remains a mystery but the developer has confirmed that it will be in players' hands before the end of 2024.

Source: Aravinda_Deva/Reddit

Starfield cities: all the major hub locations in the galaxy

Settled Space is a pretty big place.

New Atlantis

Minor cities.

There are four key Starfield cities to visit in Bethesda's grand outer space RPG. As expected based on Bethesda's past games, these main cities are hubs where we'll pick up quests, shop, and encounter big parts of the story; discovering and returning to each of them drives the games narrative and many of its ambient side quests.

Each Starfield city has a distinct style, and some are closely tied to specific Starfield factions that you'll encounter throughout the game.

What are the major locations in Starfield? 

Starfield has four main cities :

Each main city is the home territory of a particular faction, very thematically tied to the different aesthetics of space westerns, space piracy, and so on. 

Location: Jemison, Alpha Centauri system Faction: United Colonies

New Atlantis is the hyper-modern capital city where the United Colonies has set up camp on the planet Jemison in the Alpha Centauri system. This is the Trek-like, glossy and high-tech vision of space where glass architecture meets curated green space. It sure does seem like everyone around here is carrying a briefcase though. You'd think we wouldn't need those in the techie future. 

Location: Planet Akila Faction: Freestar Collective

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

This is the home of the Freestar Collective, another of the main factions. Of course it's home to the space western aesthetic, where the roads are dirt, saloon signs are wood, and power lines cross one another in the sky. This planet is also home to extra terrestrial hunters called the Ashta, a cross between a wolf and a velociraptor. If you look closely at Akila City's front gates, it says "est. 2167 by Solomon Coe," putting its founding a whole 163 years before the present day of Starfield's story in 2330. 

Location: Vol II system Faction: Ryujin Industries

This suspended, aquatic spectacle is a "pleasure city" called Neon. Xenofresh Corporation workers felt an urge to set up a dock and catch fish (who doesn't), and built a space-dock in the middle of a large body of water. Surprisingly, they caught a fish with mind-bending psychedelics, and they decided to produce that instead of just catching fish. Some of these Neon-exclusive critters produce substances that can be refined into a drug called "Aurora," that has limited legality across the stars.

Above its more cyberpunk-looking streets, Neon is also the home of cybercorp Ryujin Industries which maintains a much more austere vibe than the rest of the city. Its streets are packed with retail, nightclubs with psychedelic dancers, warehouses of Aurora shipments.

Location: Suvorov, Kryx System Faction: The Crimson Fleet

The fourth major city in Starfield is actually a space station. The Key is a labyrinthine station that's home to the Crimson Fleet space raiders. Be warned: they'll attack on sight if you jump there without prior invite via a quest sending you to the area. So don't go jumping into pirate territory unprepared.

In addition to the main cities of Starfield, there are plenty of other minor outposts and towns you can find. Here are a few that we can call out so far:

• Red Mile - A dark outpost on Porrima II home to a group by the same name.
• Cydonia - A mining operation on Mars controlled by the United Colonies.
• UC Vigilance - A giant starship that you can visit the interior of.

Starfield guide : Our hub of advice Starfield traits : The full list, with our top picks Starfield companions : All your recruitable crew Starfield romance options : Space dating Starfield console commands : Every cheat you need Starfield mods : Space is your sandbox

Fūnk-é is a Black, non-binary artist and writer+ who loves covering cyberspace communities and the ever evolving culture of videogames. At PC Gamer, Fūnk-é is an SEO contributor who whips up a slice of nice word pie. They never miss the opportunity to emphatically tell empathetic tales. Their favorite games are Mirror's Edge, Disco Elysium, and League of Legends. They will also crush anyone in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

• Lauren Morton Associate Editor

Diablo 4 plans to celebrate its first birthday with a festival of free stuff

A new mod aims to remaster 5500 voice lines from cult classic RPG, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, cleaning up the audio and fixing volume levels 'with extreme care for the source material'

Today's Wordle answer for Sunday, June 2

Most Popular

• 2 Best ultrawide monitor for gaming in 2024: the expansive panels I recommend for PC gamers
• 3 Best wireless gaming keyboard in 2024
• 4 Best gaming laptops in 2024: I've had my pick of portable powerhouses and these are the best
• 5 Best gaming chairs in 2024: the seats I'd suggest for any gamer
• 2 MSI MPG321URX QD-OLED gaming monitor review
• 3 Capes review: This excellent turn-based strategy game turns superhero combat into a brain-twisting tactical puzzle
• 4 OneXPlayer X1 handheld gaming PC review
• 5 Netgear Nighthawk RS700S router review

15 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions & Things to Do in Moscow

Written by Diana Bocco Updated Dec 23, 2023 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

Moscow is one of Europe's most enigmatic destinations, home to a fascinating history and colorful, awe-inspiring architecture you won't find anywhere else in the world. Moscow might be one of the most populous cities in the world with over 11 million inhabitants, but this hasn't changed its strong cultural and social traditions.

Walk the cobblestone streets of the Red Square or the banks of the Moskva River early in the morning, and it's hard to tell what century you're in.

Tsarist architecture, must-see churches, and glamorous shopping opportunities blend together for a visual experience you won't forget. For ideas on what to see and do while visiting Russia, here's our list of top tourist attractions in Moscow.

1. Marvel at the Size of the Kremlin

2. catch a performance at the bolshoi theatre, 3. shop at the luxurious gum, 4. make your way into lenin's mausoleum, 5. spend an hour (or three) at red square, 6. discover history at the museum of cosmonautics, 7. ride the stunning moscow metro, 8. explore the moscow state integrated museum-reserve, 9. spend a rainy day at the tretyakov gallery, 10. walk up and down arbat street, 11. stop by the vdnkh all-russian exhibition centre, 12. wander around gorky park, where to stay in moscow for sightseeing, map of tourist attractions & things to do in moscow.

Moscow's most recognizable structure is without a doubt the Kremlin, a 15th-century fortified complex that covers an area of 275,000 square meters surrounded by walls built in the 1400s.

The Grand Kremlin Palace -which has over 700 rooms- was once home to the Tsar family and is now the official residence of the president of the Russian Federation, although most heads of state choose to reside elsewhere.

The massive complex also includes many other buildings, some of which are open to the public and can be visited regularly. Aside from three cathedrals (including one where the Tsars were once crowned) and a number of towers, the Kremlin is also home to the Armory building, a museum holding everything from the royal crown and imperial carriages to the ivory throne of Ivan the Terrible and Fabergé eggs.

The Bolshoi Theater is home to the largest and one of the oldest ballet and opera companies in the world . While the theater has undergone several major renovations over the past century-including a recent one in 2011 to restore some of the imperial architectural details-it still retains all of its Neoclassical grandeur.

The Bolshoi Theater you see today opened in 1824, after several older versions burned down. Inside, red velvet, a three-tiered crystal chandelier, and gilt moldings give the place a Byzantine-Renassaince grandiose feel like no other.

Catching a show from the resident ballet and opera troupes is a treat, as the theater often presents a number of classic performances, such as Tchaikovsky's Mazeppa and Rachmaninoff's Francesca da Rimini, both of which originally premiered here.

Moscow's oldest and most upscale shopping center is an architectural marvel. GUM (short for Glávnyj Universálnyj Magazín or "Main Universal Store") was built in the late 1800s in neo-Russian style to showcase a beautiful mix of a steel skeleton and 20,000 panels of glass forming an arched roof.

This was a unique construction at the time, since the glass had to be strong enough to support the snow-heavy Russian winters. The building is just as impressive outside, with all three levels covered in marble and granite.

While GUM is no longer the largest shopping center in Moscow, it's still by far the most beautiful. Home to brands like Gucci and Manolo Blahnik, this might not be the ideal destination for most budget-conscious visitors, but the beauty of the building itself is worth a visit.

On the third floor, there are also great dining options, including a Soviet-style canteen that serves traditional Russian food, and a stand selling ice cream made by hand using an original 1954 recipe originally approved by the Soviet government.

Lenin's Mausoleum, the final resting place of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin, occupies a central spot in Red Square. His body has been in the mausoleum since his death in 1924-and although the original plan was for him to be buried after a short period of public display for mourning, the plan quickly changed.

After over 100,000 visited the tomb over a period of six weeks, it was decided that a new sarcophagus and a more permanent display space could actually preserve Lenin's body for much longer than expected-and Lenin's Mausoleum was built.

Over the years, the mausoleum and its marble stairs also became the main spot from where Soviet leaders would watch parades and events happening in Red Square.

Lenin's embalmed body can still be seen today, lying down in a bulletproof glass sarcophagus as if he's sleeping. While a visit to the mausoleum is certainly unusual, it has become a must-do for history buffs looking to understand how Lenin's legacy truly changed the nation. Come ready to wait, though -there are usually lines to get in.

All of Moscow's main streets start at Red Square, so it's easy to see why this is considered the heart of the city. A massive space of 330 meters by 70 meters, the square is flanked by the Kremlin, Lenin's Mausoleum, two cathedrals, and the State Historical Museum.

In 1945, a massive Victory Parade was held here to celebrate the defeat of Nazi Germany by the Soviet Armed Forces.

St. Basil's Cathedral , one of the most recognizable buildings on the square, was built in 1555. The unique cathedral has architectural details inspired by Byzantine and Asian design, as well as details that resemble those found in famous mosques. There are nine individual chapels inside the church, all decorated with colorful mural art.

Both the square itself and the Kremlin are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites . On weekends, there are sometimes stalls selling souvenirs and traditional items here, such as matryoshka (Russian nesting dolls), at the entrance of the square.

At one point, Russia and the US were toe-to-toe when it came to space exploration. While that might no longer be the case, the museum's amazing collection-which includes over 85,000 items-is still awe-inspiring.

Main exhibits include the space capsule used by Yuri Gagarin , the first human to travel into outer space; a USSR flag with moon fragments; a Soviet spacesuit; and a rocket propulsion unit from the 1960s. A special two-story hall showcases sections of the Mir space station interior, and there are also models of the first sputniks and a replica miniature spaceship.

English-language tours are available, and there's also a Cinema Hall showing subtitled short films about the history of space exploration programs and the first manned space flight.

The museum is located inside the base of the monument to the Conquerors of Space, which was built almost 20 years before the museum opened.

Riding the Moscow metro is an experience all in itself, but even just heading underground to walk through the stations is something no visitor should miss. With 223 stations and 12 metro lines crosscutting through Moscow, however, this can be tricky, so visiting at least a few of the most impressive ones is a good start.

Arbatskaya station was designed by a skyscraper architect, so it's no surprise that it features multicolored granite slabs and impressive bronze chandeliers.

Park Kultury station , located next to Gorky Park, is covered in marble and features reliefs of people involved in sports, while Teatralnaya station is decorated with porcelain figures dancing and wearing traditional Russian costumes.

The metro is open between 5:30am and 1:00am but it's very crowded in the early morning and after 4pm, so it's better to visit in the late morning or early afternoon to really appreciate the architecture without the crowds.

The Moscow State Integrated Art and Historical Architectural and Natural Landscape Museum-Reserve is a cultural open-air museum complex comprised of four different historical sites.

The most important site, the Kolomenskoye Estate, was once the summer residence of Tsars as far back as the 14 th century. The complex, which covers almost 300 hectares, is home to fairy-tale wooden palaces; a tent-roof stone church built in the 1500s; a water tower; fort towers and structures; and the 24-room Museum of Wooden Architecture , which includes the restored dining room of Tsar Alexei I.

Beautiful manicured gardens , riverside picnic areas, and a massive collection of both artifacts and structures make this a great destination to help you see what medieval Russia looked like. English-language tours are available, but you're also free to wander the grounds on your own.

The largest collection of Russian art in the world sits here, with over 180,000 paintings, sculptures, and religious art dating back to over a millennia ago. The gallery, built using beautiful red and white colors from classical Russian architecture, is located near the Kremlin and it was built in the early 20 th century.

Significant art pieces include the Vladimir Mother of God; a Byzantine icon of the Virgin and child dating back to the 1100s; Andrei Rublev's The Trinity icon from the 15 th century; and several works by Ilya Repin, the most famous realist painter in Russia.

On the grounds of the museum, there is also an 86-meter-tall statue of Peter the Great, as well as a number of Socialist Realism sculptures.

Moscow's one-kilometer-long pedestrian street has been around since the 15 th century. Originally a trade route in the outskirts of the city, Arbat Street is now very centrally located, home to posh buildings and lots of places to eat and shop.

Beautiful street lamps and two significant statues-one of Princess Turandot (from Puccini's last opera) and one of Soviet-era poet Bulat Okudzhava-adorn the street, which fills up with both locals and tourists on evenings and weekends.

A great place to pick up souvenirs or sit down at an outdoor café, Arbat Street also offers a chance to visit the former home of poet Alexander Pushkin and the café both Anton Chekhov and Leo Tolstoy used to visit.

Although it was originally designed as a general-purpose trade show venue, this park complex now houses amusement rides , ice rinks , and a number of galleries and other attractions for all ages.

The park's most famous landmarks are the Moskvarium, a marine biology center home to over 8000 species of marine animals, the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, and a shopping center selling traditional products from former Soviet countries.

There's even a film museum showing Soviet cartoons or even a full-length film (for an extra fee) and an education center offering masterclasses on everything from becoming a barista to video montage (call or write in advance to find out which ones are English-friendly).

Soviet-era pavilions, sculptures, and fountains abound here as well, including the famous Friendship of the Peoples Fountain, which features statues of women dressed in costumes from different former Soviet countries.

Named after the famous Russian writer Maxim Gorky (who was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature five times but never won it) and sitting right across the Moskva River, Gorky Park covers 120 hectares of beautiful ponds and green spaces.

Popular with both locals and tourists, the park offers a variety of things to enjoy-from sunbeds, hammocks, and drinking fountains to free yoga classes and children's playgrounds. There's free Wi-Fi and sockets for charging your phone, as well as many food stands and plenty of wild animals, including deer, rabbits, and pheasants.

Visitors can rent paddle boats and bicycles to explore the park-and from May to October, there is also an open-air movie theater, as well as scheduled presentations by street performers, musicians, and artists. Gorky Park attracts the young and old, so don't be surprised to see a mix of people exercising, playing chess, and sunbathing.

Luxury Hotels :

• Lotte Hotel Moscow is one of the top 5-star properties in Moscow offering the largest Royal Suite in Russia. The trendy rooms and suites here all have contemporary style and great city views. On-site amenities are plentiful. There are two restaurants: one serving contemporary Italian fare, and the other Japanese. There is an impressively lit indoor swimming pool, a well-known spa, and a state-of-the-art gym.
• Another excellent luxury hotel is the Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow . The residential-style property is in the heart of Moscow just next to the Bolshoi Theatre and within walking distance of the Kremlin and Red Square. The rooms and suites have been opulently designed by Tony Chi. The on-site restaurant serves a mix of European and Armenian specialities. There is also a Japanese sushi bar and a rooftop lounge with fabulous city views.
• The St. Regis Moscow Nikolskaya also has a central location just a few minutes from the Kremlin and Red Square. The 5-star property has a mix of elegant rooms and suites, including interconnecting room options for families with kids. There are multiple restaurants on-site including an Italian bistro. Other amenities include the fabulous Iridium Spa, which does a full range of treatments and has an indoor swimming pool, sauna, and steam room.

Mid-Range Hotels :

• Palmira Business Club is a top mid-range choice. The contemporary lifestyle hotel offers well-appointed rooms and suites, including options for families. Suites are quite spacious and have kitchenettes. Amenities here include a complimentary breakfast at the on-site restaurant, a hot tub, sauna, and spa. There is also a fitness center.
• The trendy Mercure Moscow Baumanskaya offers a mix of rooms and suites with contemporary decor. The mid-range hotel can arrange airport transportation and offers baggage storage. Other amenities include a restaurant and room service. The front desk is open 24 hours.
• Boutique Hotel Brighton is about 10 minutes from the city center in a leafy park area. It offers excellent value for money and has charming rooms and suites with sound-proof windows and doors, as well as blackout curtains. A complimentary breakfast is served, and there is also an indoor swimming pool.

Budget Hotels :

• Hotel Ibis Budget Moscow Panfilovskaya is about a 15-minute drive from Moscow's downtown, and it's within walking distance from a metro station that will take you there. The soundproof rooms at this budget property are clean, comfortable, and can sleep up to three people. The hotel is pet friendly, has paid parking available on-site, and also has a salon.
• If you just need a budget hotel near the airport then check out Aviator Hotel Sheremetyevo . Located right at the airport, it has soundproof rooms, including options for families. Amenities include an indoor play area for kids, a sauna and swimming pool, and a free breakfast.

More Related Articles on PlanetWare.com

Exploring Russia: Whether you are interested in history, nature, or architecture, there's much to see in Russia. For a good introduction to some of the most fascinating spots in the country, take a look at our article on the Best Places to Visit in Russia . For more on Russia's second-largest city and all it has to offer, check out our piece on the Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in St. Petersburg .

No products in the basket.

The best things to do and places to visit in Moscow, Russia

Updated On 14th October, 2021

While Moscow isn’t always at the top of everyone’s Europe bucket list , it’s certainly one of the best places to visit in Europe if you’re looking for a more alternative adventure! In this blog post I plan on sharing some of the free things to do in Moscow, as well as the best places to visit in Moscow, so that you can enjoy some of the best things to do in Russia! 

Moscow, the capital of Russia, sits in the European part of the country. It’s an incredibly beautiful city, which I personally found to be more beautiful than Saint Petersburg (which is often people’s preference). The capital is certainly a lot busier, and less laid back than Saint Petersburg , but it’s a much more colourful and vibrant city, full of stunning and unique architecture.

Visiting famous landmarks such as The Kremlin and St Basil’s Cathedral, enjoying some of the green space in Gorky Park, watching a ballet in the Bolshoi Theatre… these are just a few reasons that you should visit Moscow! On top of that, because of visa restrictions (we’ll get onto that later), it’s also one of the most unique destinations in Europe. 

There is a common misconception that Moscow is a dangerous city, but now that I’ve visited, I don’t believe this to be true. I would say the same rules apply here as to other large cities: avoid walking in dark areas alone at night, keep an eye on your belongings on public transport, and be streetwise. There’s no reason to avoid visiting this energetic city and miss out on these amazing things to do in Moscow! 

It would take months if you wanted to truly explore Moscow because it’s a huge city, but I’m going to share some of my favourite things to do in Moscow and places to visit in Moscow so that you can prepare for your upcoming adventure! Even if you’re only there for a few days, you should be able to fit in these highlights from my trip. 

Other blog posts you might be interested in...

• The best things to do in St Petersburg
• A 2-week Norway road trip
• A complete guide to Helsinki
• A complete guide to Tallinn
• Europe: the ultimate travel guide
• The best capital cities to visit in Europe
• The best things to do in Europe: the ultimate Europe bucket list

Where is Moscow?

If you’re wondering ‘Where is Moscow, Russia?’ then you’ve come to the right place! Moscow in in west Russia, the European part, and it’s the capital city. 

How do you get to Moscow?

Getting a visa for moscow:.

To get into Russia, you need to get a visa. The processing time is approximately 20 days, and you’ll need to have your fingerprints taken at a visa centre in London , Edinburgh or Manchester. You can find out more about getting a visa for Russia here.  

Getting to Moscow:

Once you’ve got your visa, the easiest way to get to Moscow from the UK is by flying. Direct flights between London and Moscow take just under four hours, and with an airport layover you’re looking at a 6-7 hour trip. You can also fly in from many other major European and international cities. 

Top tip: Check out flights to and from Copenhagen on  Skyscanner here.

Check out how to pack a weekend away in a carry-on suitcase here.

16 best places to visit in Moscow...

1. st basil’s cathedral.

The most iconic building in Russia and one of the most iconic buildings in the world. St Basil’s Cathedral is one of the best places to visit in Moscow, if not the best! 

St Basil’s is situated on Red Square, where you’ll also find many other popular places to visit in Moscow. In my opinion this still stands out against them all. There’s something about the multi coloured domes against the Moscow skyline that I found quite spectacular. 

Although I’d already been in Russia for several days, it wasn’t until I was at this amazing piece of architecture that I really felt I was in Russia.

The cathedral was built by order of Ivan the Terrible, and apparently after the architect completed it, Ivan blinded him so that he could never build anything more beautiful. Whether or not this story is true, it certainly adds a bittersweet feeling as you stand admiring the beauty of St Basil’s Cathedral.

Inside is a museum displaying many historic items once used at the cathedral, which costs 700 rubles to enter. In my opinion it’s worth the entry fee, as simply seeing the ornate interior walls is a spectacle in itself.

2. The Kremlin

This historic fortress that sits on Red Square is probably the largest landmark and one of the most popular places to visit in Moscow. It’s the official residence of the President, although he doesn’t actually live there. It’s been rebuilt many times since it was first constructed in 1147 out of wood, before Ivan III the Great ordered it to be made from stone, which is the Kremlin you’ll recognise today. 

This place is huge, and there’s quite a lot to see. The first problem I had was finding where the entrance was. Even though I had a pre-booked ticket, I was then told I still had to visit the ticket office to exchange it for another ticket. I also needed my passport, so make sure you have yours if you plan to visit the Kremlin. After a lengthy queue I finally had a ticket I could use to enter the Kremlin, and had to go through security. The security here is thorough, so make sure you don’t take too much in with you. I had my pockets full, and it was a nightmare emptying them and explaining each item, before I was finally allowed in. Once inside you can pay for extra tickets to visit the various museums, however there’s also quite a lot to see simply on the grounds if you don’t want to spend too much. 

See more tips for travelling on a budget here. 

There’s so much to see here, including The Assumption Cathedral, Ivan the Great Bell Tower Complex, the Grand Kremlin Palace, the Armoury Chamber and Diamond Fund. There is also the Tsar Cannon (a huge artillery cannon), and the Tsar Bell. The Tsar Bell is the largest bell in the world. An incident with a fire and water being poured over the bell caused it to crack and for a slab to break off from it, which can now be seen propped up next to it.

As you walk around the grounds you’ll hear the sound of whistles. The guards patrolling the area will blow a whistle at anyone walking where they shouldn’t. Even if it’s just on the grass, or towards more restricted areas. This can sometimes be funny to watch, as often the tourists will be in a world of their own whilst a guard is blowing a whistle at them. Sometimes a guard will be stood face to face with a tourist angrily blowing their whistle before the tourist realises they need to get back onto the main path.

This is perhaps one of the more unusual places to visit in Moscow! Gum is a huge department store situated on Red Square. It’s an interesting department store to walk around, with several levels, although the shops inside are certainly quite pricey. It’s a beautiful building when it’s lit up at night, and it seems to fit in nicely amongst the other famous sights on Red Square. Even if you don’t plan to buy anything here, one of the best things to do in Moscow is to take a quick look inside, although bear in mind there are usually security checks before entering.

4. State Historical Museum

The large crimson building on Red Square is now the State Historical Museum. It was originally the first pharmacy in Russia, and later a University before finally becoming the museum it is today.

Unfortunately I didn’t go inside as my time was limited and there was so much else I wanted to see, but if you have the time I think it would be one of the best things to do in Moscow. There are items dating back to the 6th century, and maybe even further. There’s also a library inside storing many ancient manuscripts and the largest coin collection in Russia. 

5. Bolshoi Theatre

Bolshoi means big in Russian, so it roughly translates to large theatre. The Bolshoi Theatre is one of the foremost ballet companies in the world. The exterior of the building is an impressive sight, one of the most beautiful places to visit in Moscow, and it’s certainly worth admiring from the outside. There are guided tours of the interior, but if you really want to experience the theatre, one of the best things to do in Moscow is to watch a ballet here.

I was torn between booking a seat, but the ballets were very expensive. I’d have liked to have seen “Swan Lake”, (as at least I may have recognised some of the music). Unfortunately there were no performances on the days I was in Moscow, so I decided to pass. But if I return to Russia, then watching a ballet will be on my list of things to do.

6. Sparrow Hills

If you want a good view of the city, then Sparrow Hills is one of the best places to visit in Moscow. It’s a bit of a trek outside of the centre, but if you have the time then it offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of the busy city. There’s a viewing platform here which gives you fantastic panoramic views of Moscow.

Nearby you’ll see the magnificent Moscow State University building, which is one of the seven sisters of Moscow.

7. Seven Sisters

Whilst in Moscow, you’ll no doubt notice these magnificent soviet skyscrapers dotted around the city. At the time of construction they were the tallest buildings in Europe, Moscow State University being so until 1997. There are, as the name suggests, seven in total, which are: Hotel Ukraina, Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Apartments, the Kudrinskaya Square Building, the Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya Hotel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Moscow State University, and the Red Gates Administrative Building.

If you visit Sparrow Hills, then you’ll come across Moscow State University, but I’m certain as you explore the city, you’ll see more of these giants against the Moscow skyline. One of the best things to do in Moscow is to see if you can locate all seven as you wander round the city! 

8. Nikolskaya Street

The start of this street is found by Red Square. It’s one of the most prominent pedestrianised streets in Moscow, filled with shops, restaurants and bars, so one of the best places to visit in Moscow if you’re looking for a bite to eat or some souvenirs!

What makes this street extra special are the thousands of bright lights in the sky above. After dark it looks simply magical with the many colourful lights overhead as you walk beneath them. One of the best things to do in Moscow is to visit Nikolskaya Street after dark and see them for yourself. It almost feels like Christmas in London!

There is another street nearby which also features similar lights, “Kuznetskiy Most”, which is also quite beautiful, but I thought “Nikolskaya Street” was ever slightly more impressive.

9. Izmailovo Kremlin and Izmaylovskiy Bazar

Did you know that The Kremlin in Red Square is not the only Kremlin in Moscow? Kremlin actually means a type of fortress, so there are many in Russia.

The Izmailovo Kremlin is a fairly new addition to the city, having been built in 2007 as a cultural centre. With its multitude of colours and historic style, it has a real fairytale feel to it. There are several small museums here for you to explore, devoted to subjects such as Russian folk art, vodka and bread (yes, bread). Visiting these is definitely one of the more unique things to do in Moscow! 

It’s a little way out of the centre, but it’s an interesting place to visit in Moscow to see something a little bit different, and it won’t be as overcrowded with tourists. 

Next to the Izmailovo Kremlin is the best market in Moscow for souvenirs. You’ll find good and poor quality items, but you’ll certainly pick up a bargain if you take your time and haggle for a good price. Many of the items here you’ll get for half the price you would in souvenir shops in the city centre. It’s here that I picked up several Matryoshka dolls for a very good price. I think I’d have paid more than double, or possibly even triple if I’d have bought them elsewhere.

10. Izmailovsky Park

Not too far from Izmailovo Kremlin you’ll find this huge park, one of the prettiest places to visit in Moscow. It’s easy to get lost here, so try to make sure you keep track of where you entered if you plan to go back the same way. There’s a lot to see in this park, a round pond, ferris wheel, playgrounds and sports grounds, shooting galleries, cinemas and a skate park.

There are often festivals, concerts and exhibitions at the park, on top of firework displays and dance parties.

The main reason I chose to visit the park was to find the painted trees. A local artist “Yevgenia Khlynina” has been painting on trees in this park, and one of the best things to do in Moscow is to explore the park looking for them. One of the most famous pieces of hers is the “Hedgehog in the Fog” from a famous soviet cartoon.

11. Gorky Park

The most famous park in Moscow is named after the writer “Maxim Gorky”. Although it’s likely you’ve heard it mentioned in the song “Wind of Change” by “The Scorpions”. 

There’s lots to do and see in the park with sports facilities and exhibitions. During the summer months this is one of the best places to visit if you’re looking for things to do in Moscow; there are often open air concerts and an open air cinema. There are many statues and sculptures in the park, including a small sculpture park area which features many interesting pieces.

One piece of advice: don’t visit Gorky Park or any other parks on 2nd August if you’re in Russia. 2nd August is Paratrooper day, which usually encourages a lot of drinking in the park, which is not always very welcoming.

12. Arbat Street

One of the oldest and busiest streets in Moscow, and the most famous pedestrian street in the city. Arbat is one of the most popular places to visit in Moscow. There are several shops including many dedicated to souvenirs, but although these will have a good range of goods, they will be quite expensive . You may see street performers and buskers, and there are often poets reciting famous works, if not their own works.

It’s within walking distance from the Kremlin, which should only take around 10 minutes.

There are actually two streets with this name, Old Arbat Street and New Arbat Street. Old Arbat Street is where you’ll find the pedestrianised area. New Arbat Street is a separate street which runs alongside a main road, filled with many bars and restaurants.

13. Metro station art

The best way to get around Moscow is by using the metro, and the metro is a tourist attraction in itself.

Although I obviously didn’t visit every metro station, I believe that every single station is unique in its own beautiful way. Many of the stations I passed through were impressive, quirky or simply jaw dropping. You’ll more than likely pass through many of them on the way to other sights, but I’d recommend the following:  Komsomolskaya, Novoslobodskaya, Mayakovskaya, Teatralnaya, Arbatskaya, Prospekt Mira and Ploschad Revolutsii (be sure to pet the dog statue for good luck).

There are of course many others for you to explore, but these are the ones I considered to be some of the most impressive places to visit in Moscow (even if they’re only metro stations!).

VDNKh is an exhibition centre with many monuments and museums. Now that it’s combined with the Botanical Garden and Ostankino Park, one of the best things to do in Moscow is to spend the day at this recreational centre enjoying a mix of nature and culture. The most popular museum in the complex which you shouldn’t miss on your trip to Moscow is the Museum of Cosmonautics.

15. Lenin's Mausoleum

Despite requesting to be buried with his mum in St Petersburg, it is at the foot of the Kremlin on Red Sqaure that you will find Lenin’s Mausoleum, where Vladimir Ilych Lenin has been frozen in time since 1924. It’s only open for a few hours a few times per week. Photography is not allowed, and you should line up on the western corner of the square (near Alexander Garden) to wait you turn to see the embalmed body. 

16. Novodevichy Convent

Novodevichy Convent, on the UNESCO World Heritage List, is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Moscow. Located south west of the centre you’ll find this stunning monastery. Inside you’ll find a cathedral and several churches, surrounded by high walls and 12 towers.

Where are your favourite places to visit in Moscow?

What about the best things to do in Moscow? Anything you’d add?

Love as always and happy adventuring…

I’m Spike! Solo traveller, cultural explorer and world adventurer! With 57 countries under my belt, I live and breathe travel. I never plan to stop exploring new destinations and experiencing new cultures.

Did you find this post helpful? I’d love you to share it for me.

Pin and save this blog post for later…

IT’S LOVELY TO MEET YOU

I’M MOLLIE AND I STARTED THIS BLOG BACK IN 2013 WHEN I HEADED OUT ON MY FIRST BACKPACKING ADVENTURE. 

I’D LOVE TO SHARE THE JOURNEY WITH YOU, WE’VE GROWN A LOT SINCE THEN!

Shop the google map legends

Search by adventure type, active travel, backpacking, budget travel, love and relationships, once in a lifetime, packing tips, solo travel, weekend getaways, where's mollie newsletter, travel shop, search by destination, other posts that you may like....

A 3-day road trip through Normandy, Northern France

Taking responsibility for your own heartbreak

Chiang Mai to Koh Phangan

The best things to do in Newquay, Cornwall

Recipe: Cinnamon Sweet Potato Chips

Sunsail – Day 4 – Freesail (Mystery Bay). Day 5 – (Pighadi). Day 6- Back to Base (Sunsail Regatta)

Where to catch the most perfect sunset in Formentor, Mallorca

10 beautiful villages you must visit in Cornwall

A guide to spending two days in Suffolk, England

Privacy overview.

• Meta Quest 4
• Google Pixel 9
• Google Pixel 8a
• Apple Vision Pro 2
• Nintendo Switch 2
• Samsung Galaxy Ring
• Yellowstone Season 6
• Recall an Email in Outlook
• Stranger Things Season 5

Studio behind one of Xbox’s biggest upcoming exclusives hit with layoffs, studio closures

Approximately 50 people have been laid off from Avalanche Studios Group, the company behind the Just Cause series and the upcoming Xbox console exclusive Contraband , according to the studio.

In an official blog post published Monday, the company also announced that it will be closing two of its five locations: the one in New York and the other in Montreal. It’s unclear of the exact number of layoffs, but the post says “around 50” workers were affected, or around 9% of the workforce.

“This is an exceptionally difficult decision, but we believe it’s necessary to ensure a stable and sustainable future for the company,” the post reads.

• All upcoming Xbox Series X games: 2024 and beyond
• One of the year’s biggest sleeper hits is now on Xbox Game Pass
• Is Baldur’s Gate 3 coming to Xbox?

The studio is currently working on Contraband , an upcoming open-world co-op game published by Xbox Game Studios. It was announced during Xbox’s 2021 E3 showcase , but the trailer teased very few details beyond that it takes place in a fictional 1970s setting and is a “co-op smuggler’s paradise.” Game director Omar Shakir said in a press release that  Contraband would be the studio’s most ambitious game yet. There hasn’t been any other official information on the game released since the announcement, and there was no mention of it during the layoff news.

These layoffs are yet another hit to the video game industry in 2024. Contraband publisher Xbox laid off around 1,900 workers earlier this year, and just last month, Microsoft closed a number of studios , including  Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin. It’s not known if Avalanche’s layoffs are related.

Avalanche is probably best known for the Just Cause franchise, a series of action-adventure and driving shooters. The last entry was Just Cause 4 in 2018, which was published by Square Enix. However, the game didn’t perform up to expectations, and didn’t sell enough to cover development costs , according to Square Enix. Other recent Avalanche titles include Rage 2 and  Generation Zero (under its Systemic Reaction branding). Over 100 developers at the studio unionized last year with the Swedish trade union Unionen.

Editors' Recommendations

• Closed Xbox studios pitched sequels to Hi-Fi Rush, Dishonored
• Age of Mythology: Retold will launch on PC and Xbox at the same time
• Cuphead is getting a free Xbox and Windows exclusive anniversary update
• The impending Xbox 360 Store closure makes me wary of Game Pass’ future
• Xbox and Bethesda’s Developer_Direct is their most important showcase ever

Looking back on 2022 at a surface level, you might be tempted to say that Xbox had a rough year. Halo Infinite struggled to push its initial momentum, major releases like Starfield were delayed in 2023, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) moved to block Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition. All of that left Xbox players with no big ticket exclusives in 2022 and a sense that Microsoft’s plans to rectify that issue may be hitting a brick wall.

However, that would be an outdated read of the situation -- one that’s not reflective of the gaming landscape as it stands today. The truth is that big exclusive games are no longer the sole mark of a platform’s success. While that strategy is still Sony and Nintendo’s bread and butter, Microsoft’s unusual 2022 made it clear that the company is comfortable playing by its own rules.

The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S's second year on the market was rough. While the consoles continue to sell well and Xbox Game Pass is still a great deal, the delay of Redfall and Starfield into 2023 decimated the Xbox consoles' first-party 2022 lineup. While the lack of heavy-hitting AAA titles might initially make a list like this seem frivolous, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S still had quite a few compelling exclusives.

Many of these games are highly experimental, pushing the boundaries of narratives in video games. All of the titles launched on Xbox Game Pass on day one, highlighting the strength of that subscription service. If you have an Xbox Game Pass subscription or are just wondering what 2022 Xbox exclusives are worth playing, these seven console exclusives stand out. Immortality

Fatshark and Level Infinite announced the delay of the cooperative sci-fi shooter Warhammer 40K: Darktide. While it does have a new November 30 release date for PC, no new launch day for the Xbox Series X/S version was shared. As a result, Xbox may have just lost an important console exclusive during a year with a nearly barren Xbox Series X/S exclusive lineup. The announcement was made via a tweet written by Fatshark CEO Martin Wahlund. "Delaying a game is perhaps one of the most difficult decisions a developer faces and one we are not excited about making," Wahlund writes. "Still, we hope this speaks to our commitment to taking the time necessary and doing whatever it takes to get you the best possible game. While we have been humbled by the great feedback on the game so far, we also need more time to improve stability and performance, and to mature key systems. Each is critical to making sure we have the best possible experience for you, the players." While Warhammer 40K: Darktide was originally going to launch for PC and Xbox Series X/S on September 16, now just the PC version will arrive on November 30 with several technical tests happening ahead of launch. Wahlund says the Xbox Series X/S release "will launch shortly after PC, with a specific launch date to come." https://twitter.com/Darktide40K/status/1552685635219210240 As a result of this indefinite delay on console, we are no longer sure Warhammer 4oK: Darktide will release in 2022. If it still does, it'll just barely make it out in December 2022 to round out Xbox's 2022 exclusive lineup. If the Xbox Series X/S version of Warhammer 40K: Darktide does slip into 2023, that's even worse for Xbox. Following the delay of Redfall and Starfield, Xbox has been left with a paltry 2022 lineup. After the release of Forza Horizon 5's Hot Wheels DLC and As Dusk Falls on July 19, the only Microsoft-published exclusive games we can expect throughout the rest of 2022 are the 1.0 launch of Grounded and medieval adventure game Pentiment. That puts a lot of pressure on third-party console exclusives like Warhammer 40K: Darktide to make Xbox's fall lineup compelling. Losing Warhammer 40K: Darktide would make a brutal 2022 even worse for Xbox exclusives as fans can only hope that titles like Scorn, Sommerville, and Slime Rancher 2 actually come out this year. Warhammer 40K: Darktide will be released for PC on November 30. 

As ‘Fallout 76′ Crosses 20 Million Players Amid Success of Amazon TV Series, Bethesda Game Studios’ Todd Howard Talks Franchise’s Future (EXCLUSIVE)

By Jennifer Maas

Jennifer Maas

TV Business Writer

• ‘Dr. Death’ Duo Patrick Macmanus and Kelly Funke’s Littleton Road Productions Hires Lauren Paget as Senior Vice President (EXCLUSIVE) 13 hours ago
• Chip and Joanna Gaines on ‘Fixer Upper’ 10-Year Anniversary Special ‘The Lakehouse’ and Weirdest Things They’ve Found While House Flipping 3 days ago
• Sony Shuts Down ‘The Afterparty’ and ‘Lucky Hank’ Studio TriStar Television, Jennifer Turner Exits 3 days ago

“ Fallout 76″ has found a whole new world of players thanks to the popularity of Amazon’s “Fallout” TV series. The Bethesda Game Studios title, which first launched in October 2018, crossed 20 million downloads and plays as of Wednesday.

That is a jump from the 17 million players “Fallout 76” had totaled in December, ahead of the April 10 release of Jonathan Nolan’s “Fallout” TV adaptation on Prime Video.

Related Stories

Understanding the slow rollout of nextgen tv, 'the story of souleymane' review: a superb lead electrifies a propulsive, compassionate immigration drama, popular on variety.

“Depending on the ‘Fallout’ game, you’re looking at a 4-6x increase in daily players, which is beyond anything I’ve ever seen in my 30 years of doing this,” Howard said. “Having an event that brings that many people into games that you have and who have never played your games before, that’s a big thing. New players who have never played a game or never played one of our games. It’s a really, really unique moment.”

Additionally, the total number of concurrent players have increased across “Fallout 76,” “Fallout Shelter,” “Fallout 4,” “Fallout 3” and “Fallout New Vegas,” while “Fallout 4” and “Fallout 76” currently sit within the top seven first-party Xbox Game Pass games by hours, along with Bethesda’s “Starfield” and “Skyrim.”

Meanwhile, the “Fallout” TV series pulled in 65 million viewers in its first 16 days of availability, according to Amazon Prime Video, with Season 1 dropping in its entirety on April 10. That makes it the second most-watched title ever on the platform and the most-watched title since the debut on “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” back in 2022.

Ella Purnell stars in the series along with Aaron Moten, Kyle MacLachlan, Walton Goggins, Moisés Arias, Sarita Choudhury, Michael Emerson, Leslie Uggams, Frances Turner, Dave Register, Zach Cherry, Johnny Pemberton, Rodrigo Luzzi, Annabel O’Hagan and Xelia Mendes-Jones.

As far as plans on “Fallout” Season 2 at Amazon go, Howard, who executive produces alongside series executive producer Nolan, is able to report the plan is to currently continue to follow the characters from Season 1, rather than shifting to a different iteration of a “Fallout” world for new episodes.

“The one thing about TV that Jonah told me from day one is it’s about finding the characters. And I think it’s really awesome how these characters have resonated with the audience,” Howard said. “And so I think there’s still stories to tell there. There’s so many great characters — I love Norm and Chet, I love the two of them in every scene. And obviously we have the Ghoul and Lucy and Maximus. But there’s so many great characters that have a lot of stories left to tell.”

So what does all this “Fallout” success mean for new games in the universe?

“The TV show, I feel like it took us 15 years from when I first started talking about it — but it was five years since Jonah and I first talked,” Howard said. “And games take a good five-ish years. So we’re in plans for future games in this series, and nothing to talk about right now, but we’re always planning.”

VIP+ Analysis: Gaming Layoff Surge Highlights Disconnect in Job Volume, Success

More from Variety

Oscar winner youn yuh-jung reflects on korean cinema’s early days in academy retrospective, how generative ai has entered concept art creation — and why it’s a slippery slope, snoop dogg, michael bublé join ‘the voice’ season 26 as coaches, pixar key to hdr cinema expansion, more from our brands, epoch times executive charged in alleged $67 million money laundering scheme, jay-z rocked a rare patek philippe grand complication watch at the champions league final, former msg exec lustgarten to lead hudson yards experiences, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, real housewives of new jersey cancels reunion for the first time — andy cohen explains why, verify it's you, please log in.