Highlights
- Starfield offers a wide variety of breathtaking sci-fi locations, from futuristic cities to low-gravity planets.
- New Atlantis and Luna are early fan favorites for their impressive views and unique environments.
- Even space itself is a sight to behold in Starfield, with space stations, nebulae, and asteroid fields offering stunning visuals.
With how many different planets and locations there are in Starfield, players aren't likely to run out of new vistas to explore for a while now that the game is officially out. A good variety of different sci-fi locations can be discovered, from sprawling cyberpunk cities to desolate, low-gravity planets.
With Starfield barely a week out officially, it's difficult to narrow down which locations are truly the most breathtaking, given that many have only scratched the surface of the game. That said, there are a few early favorites among fans that have garnered attention as Starfield's most beautiful locations. As more of the game's universe is explored, new locations will be added in.
9 New Atlantis
- Jemison, Alpha Centauri
The city of New Atlantis has been splitting opinions on social media, but regardless of what players think, it's hard to argue there aren't any impressive views to be seen in the city. It's a highly futuristic, ultra-clean environment that doesn't have the grittiness that many other locations might have. As such, most might not find it quite as homey or charming.
Despite that, the MAST district is breathtaking with its lush gardens, and the view is especially cool when walking down the steps from the Vanguard's headquarters. Those looking for even more exclusive views of the city should finish the Vanguard quest to receive the penthouse apartment for free, with two balconies.
8 Luna (Moon)
- Sol System
Those who have yet to visit Luna absolutely should. The low-gravity environment not only makes traversal with a boost pack fun, but the sights are definitely something to behold, from the bleak, shadowy rocky terrain illuminated by specks of light to its craters.
There's also something reassuring about knowing Luna remains the same as humanity knew it, while Earth has deteriorated. For those cool, astronaut-themed photoshoots, Luna's environment is one of the best due to its incredible lighting.
7 Gateway Arch
- Earth, Sol System
Earth is mostly a disappointment when visited for the first time by the player, with absolutely nothing to see. However, a couple of quests and hints will bring the player here eventually down the line. If they find a specific book, for example, they can visit the infamous Gateway Arch.
It's one of those eerie, cool sights due to how desolate the rest of the planet is. To see just this one thing around with nothing else is almost nostalgic, but most importantly, makes for some great photo mode moments.
6 Paradiso
- Porrima II, Porrima System
The one place in the galaxy where the rich can go have a vacation is Paradiso. While the resort itself is already fancy and quite impressive when players first walk out of their ships, the beach is where the best sights are.
Those looking for a break from the constant questing and bounty hunting may as well kick back and relax by the water, on the sandy beaches of Paradiso. There's also a cool side quest that starts off in orbit of the planet, so make sure to visit at some point.
5 Space
There's no need to actually land anywhere to get a glimpse of Starfield's beautiful environments. Space itself is already quite a sight to behold, no matter where the player decides to travel. There are sprawling space stations, dense asteroid fields, colorful nebulae, and hazardous debris fields that take advantage of environmental storytelling.
So, while adventuring around, keep an eye out for unique-looking planets and take a moment to snap a picture with the ship in view. Chances are, it will appear as the player's next loading screen image.
4 Mars
- Sol System
When it comes to sci-fi as a genre, what could be more iconic than the red planet Mars? In the Starfield universe, Mars has become a major mining planet, with Cydonia as its pulsing heart. That said, wandering out of the gritty mining city into the wilds is where players will really see the planet's beauty start to shine.
It's clear that Bethesda put a lot of thought and effort behind how Mars looks and feels. It's one of the most iconic exploration experiences in the game, one that every Captain should undertake at least once—and photograph accordingly.
3 Red Mile
- Porrima III, Porrima System
Some of the cold planets in Starfield are really something else to look at, but for a concrete example, the Red Mile was chosen as one of the coolest spots. It has that distant dystopian/sci-fi feel with the red neon lights shining through snowfall as players exit their ship to take on the Red Mile.
While it's not an entire planet, nor something grandiose like New Atlantic, it's definitely an aesthetically pleasing place ideal for players who like to role-play as a bounty hunter or smuggler. For those character types, this is a great spot for cool photoshoots.
2 1-Of-A-Kind Salvage
- Niira, Narion System
Mech and robot lovers are in for a treat at the 1-Of-A-Kind Salvage on Niira, a planet ravaged by the Civil War that's now being extracted for parts and ruled by the powerful Siren beasts. This Salvage is a safe haven in a desolate wasteland and is perfect for players who miss that dusty, faded, and mech-heavy aesthetic of some of Fallout's vistas.
Plus, the sight of the giant mechs being worked on is just something to behold and gives hope that perhaps a DLC or the like will let players get their hands on these monstrosities, even if they are outlawed in Starfield.
1 Neon
- Volii Alpha, Volii System
There's something special about the cyberpunk-style, neon-lit city of Neon, and its busy core. Sights and sounds immediately assault the player as they make their way through Neon for the first time, acutely aware that this is both a city of dangers as well as opportunities.
From corporate heights to the lowest slums, Neon is the perfect competitor to Cyberpunk 2077's Night City, even if in scale it's much, much smaller. The city is jam-packed with activities and cool photoshoot-ready locations, so make sure to drop by at least once.
Starfield is available on PC and Xbox Series X/S.