Starfield: 10 Best Side Quests to Complete

Starfield is one of the biggest games of 2023, and it’s packed with quests upon quests. Literally speaking, you could spend 100 hours traipsing through the universe and not even touch the main story. The side missions here come in all shapes and sizes, with different themes, wild characters, and intense combat encounters to explore. If you’re ready to venture out on your own, here are the 10 best side quests to complete in Starfield.

10 Best Side Quests to Complete in Starfield

• Juno’s Gambit
• In Memoriam
• Groundpounder
• Tourists Go Home
• The Red Mile
• The Mantis
• Operation Starseed
• First Contact
• Crimson Fleet
• UC Vanguard

10. Juno’s Gambit

Juno’s Gambit is a random event that can happen at any time during your space travels. In classic sci-fi fashion, an A.I. has taken over a spaceship, and you’re tasked with either destroying or helping it. It’s an interesting mission because the A.I. itself, Juno, has some very compelling arguments for why it should be allowed to live.

In a time where A.I. has become commonplace in our world, it’s an intriguing look at the type of moral dilemmas we might one day find ourselves in. Depending on your choices here, you’ll come away with a variety of rewards. It’s a short mission, but it’s a snippet of what this interesting universe has in store for players and stands as one of the best side quests in Starfield.

9. In Memoriam

Sarah Morgan is the first companion you get in Starfield and easily one of the more interesting ones you’ll take with you on your adventures. Each companion has a sidequest to embark upon, and Sarah’s is a particularly memorable one.

In Memorium involves you learning about Sarah’s past, finding out where she’s from, and eventually, unlocking the ability to romance her. It’s not the most involved quest out there, but it’s a great way to learn more about a character that will likely be with you for a large portion of Starfield‘s story.

8. Groundpounder

Groundpounder delivers the action fast and without pause. Visiting Aranae IV-A will unlock this quest as a freighter approaches and sends you on your way. Before following this waypoint, make sure that you stock up on boatloads of ammo. The firefights begin the second you touch down, and the action doesn’t let up for a long, long time.

This is a lengthy sidequest that involves fighting back a siege, taking on countless Spacers, infiltrating a research lab, and brokering peace between the Freestar Collective and the UC Marines. It’s a surprisingly in-depth mission that will net you a ton of equipment and a nice reward at the end of it.

7. Tourists Go Home

Some of the best Starfield sidequests to complete have the tendency to draw from movies at times, which can make them so fun to play. Here, you’ll be visiting New Homestead on Titan in the Sol system. Here, there’s a tourist attraction that involves people looking at Earth’s past.

Fortunately, Dr. Giuliana Lakota doesn’t love tourists, and she tasks you with acting out the plot of The Village. It’s not the best movie, for sure, but here, donning a stupid monster costume to scare people from attending the exhibit is just good fun. It’s also replayable, with new rewards each time. It’s addictive to keep scaring the various gawking tourists, and it’s a fun sidequest that is fulfilling without any combat involved.

6. The Red Mile

For those seeking some good old-fashioned gore and bullet-filled sidequests, I suggest you seek out the Red Mile casino in Porrima III. Here, you’ll take on a challenging mission that involves you running through a ton of dangerous enemies on your way to reach the goal.

This is what the universe considers entertaining, and you know what? They’re right. It’s entertaining as hell, and the rewards are worth it. Taking on this quest early in the game is a great move, as it can net you a ton of credits in the process, and it’s replayable as many times as you’d like. We’ve got a guide on how to survive it if you need help.

5. The Mantis

Early on in Starfield, you’ll encounter a whole lot of Spacers, particularly during the quest called The Old Neighborhood. Here, you’ll need to loot everyone on site to find a special datapad, telling you the location of a hidden outpost. You should follow it immediately because it leads you to some of the best gear you can find in the early game.

The Mantis is a superhero of sorts, a legendary bounty hunter of the stars. Fighting your way through this mission will take some guile and a whole lot of ammo. These enemies are tough and armed with some very dangerous weapons. It’s recommended you wait a bit to fight them fairly, but if you’re feeling up to the task and have found some powerful gear, you might be able to fight your way through.

The reward at the end is the Mantis Spacesuit and, most importantly, his ship. It’s an outstanding vessel to have early in the game and can be a massive help when it comes to some of the tougher spaceship battles.

4. Operation Starseed

Some players have complained that Starfield doesn’t quite have the same sidequest magic that Fallout and Skyrim have. To them, I’d say: “Have you played through Operation Starseed?” This is a wild mission that involves traveling to the planet of Charybdis III. When you get there, you’ll find a settlement with quite a quandary.

See, there are three societies here called the Believers, the Renegade, and the Pragmatists. The unique thing is that each society is led by a different historical figure. The issue is these historical figures are long, long dead, so what exactly is going on? I won’t spoil the fun, but unraveling this mystery is both hilarious and interesting. It feels like an episode of Futurama. Bethesda still has that quirk in them.

3. First Contact

For those looking for the most thoughtful side of Starfield, I implore you to make your way to Porrima II in the Porrima system. Here, you’ll find a ship called the ECS Constant, and you’ll need to hail it to start the mission. For fans of games like Disco Elysium, this mission is for you.

The majority of it is talking, but you’ll be unraveling a tale unlike any other in the game. If you ever wondered what happened when everyone had to evacuate Earth, this tragic and beautiful sidequest will shed some light on the facts. The concept behind the quest is not that original, but the events that took place on board and the ultimate fate of the ship is a can’t-miss story to discover.

2. Crimson Fleet

The Crimson Fleet is one of the first factions you run into, and eventually, you’ll get a chance to go undercover shortly after and see what they’re all about. This is a classic undercover cop story in the vein of The Departed, and despite its clear influences, it’s a fantastic journey.

You’ll constantly be reporting on your findings to the UC Sysdef, who are basically the space police, as well as taking on missions for the Crimson Fleet, who are less threatening than you might imagine and more just people trying to make it in their own way in a lawless galaxy.

The back and forth, betrayals, and incredibly fun missions will last you a good six hours or so, and it all culminates in a finale that tests your allegiances and can be quite tragic, depending on your route. Easily one of Starfield’s best side quests, the Crimson Fleet set could be its own game. It’s that good.

1. UC Vanguard

The scope of some of the missions in Starfield is enormous, and no sidequests encapsulate this more than the UC Vanguard plot. You can sign up with the Vanguard in New Atlantis, and it’s a somewhat lengthy initiation involving a training mission and a whole lot of space military jargon. Once it gets going, though, you’ll get thrown into a war against the Terrormorphs, which are the game’s most terrifying creatures.

There are some genuinely shocking moments throughout, making this Starfield‘s best side quest. Just like the Crimson Fleet, it feels like it could be its own game at points. Discovering the source of the Terrormorphs, who’s responsible for their existence, and deciding on how to take care of the problem is an interesting dilemma in itself.

These are just the 10 best side quests in Starfield. There are hundreds more to discover and play. There are likely quests that we haven’t even found yet, so keep on scanning the galaxy for more amazing sidequests to discover, and check out our guides section for everything Starfield.