Something that the game lacks
I love Starfield, but after almost 500 hours, I couldn't help but notice one oddity or inconsistency in its tone. Perhaps someone here has noticed this too.
The main theme of Starfield is undoubtedly exploration. Of course, you can do many other things in the game, but this is exactly what permeates the main story, art direction, music, lore, etc. The promotional materials often asked the question "What's out there?" - and all this created an exciting, charming and infinitely dreamy atmosphere, hinting that anything could be in the vastness of space.
And the main quest really confronts the player with the unknown! Temples, artifacts, Starborn, Unity - this is a cosmic force beyond our comprehension. Something ancient, great and, most importantly, encouraging you to ask endless questions and explore it.
However, there is practically no such thing in the rest of the game. On planets and in space, you can find only the semi-usual natural phenomena, resources, animals and other people, in short, nothing supernatural and unexpected. Personally, I want more from the space exploration game.
An example of the feeling I want to get can be found in Skyrim. In the main quest, the player descends to Alftand, which is initially an ordinary Dwemer ruin. However, it ends with a passage to the Blackreach. Its look and atmosphere are so different from what you're used to seeing in the game that it's incredibly breathtaking. When you come to the surface, you get the tired feeling that you've seen something you shouldn't have. It feels like the other characters won't believe Dovahkiin if he tells them about it. It's an experience, an adventure that leaves an impression.
I think these kinds of adventures should be widespread in Starfield. Grandiose and seeming inexplicable, strange, bold, dreamy and inspiring. Cosmic nebulae, light and space distortions, mirages, sounds of unknown origin, meteor showers, rare crazy landscapes and so on. Something that will make you ask questions, feel like a real discoverer who has seen something previously unseen by anyone. I think this would greatly diversify the exploration, especially if such events took place more often in certain remote systems. It will also help to enhance the contrast between humanity, whose technology and aesthetics are mundane and realistic, and space, which feels unexplored and therefore mysterious. Of course, outright magic should be avoided - these phenomena should look as something that can be scientifically explained, but maybe not with current technologies.
To be fair, sometimes I manage to get a similar experience when I land on lifeless foggy planets. There's something mysterious and exciting about them, but again, it would be much more interesting to see more variety. Some of the concept art also reflects what I mean quite well.
Hopefully, future updates will bring more of such things to the game. I was very happy when Tim Lamb said that Free Lanes would add new POIs, but unfortunately, they are all some buildings. I'm not arguing, shooting and action are cool, but exploring nature, in my opinion, also needs attention.
I will be glad to read your comments.