Starfield New Game Plus: Should you skip the main campaign or not?

Starfield is a huge game that spans several star systems and even more planets—but with a standard 20-hour main campaign. Following this, you have the option to go into New Game Plus and skip the main campaign after entering the Unity.

But is skipping the campaign in New Game Plus worth it? Let’s take a look at our options, with the knowledge that there will be some serious spoilers ahead for Starfield.

Should you skip the main campaign in Starfield‘s New Game Plus?

We would like to say yes, but there are merits to saying no as well. There is no right answer to this question because there are a few factors to consider before we get to this point. First off, completing the main story will give you a choice to either step into the Unity, or dismantle the Armillary and continue the game without doing so.

If you choose the latter, you can continue playing the game by doing side quests and faction quests or leveling up your character. If you’d rather step into the Unity, you will enter New Game Plus with a new Starborn outfit, powers, and ship. Doing this will also allow you to skip the main quest line when you first talk to the leader of the Constellation.

This is where you choose whether to skip the main quest line in its entirety or redo the story from scratch. Before you decide whether to do it or not, it’s prudent to know the advantages and disadvantages of each choice you make.

Reasons to skip the main campaign in Starfield New Game Plus

There are a few reasons you would want to skip the main campaign when you get to New Game Plus.

1) No need to replay the same story

The first advantage that immediately comes to mind is skipping 20 hours’ worth of content that you previously completed in your first run. This allows you to avoid the storyline in its entirety in favor of a more free-roaming, open-world playstyle where you gather the artifacts on your own time. If some of the main quests seemed tedious, this is your chance to opt out of doing them again.

2) Focusing on your Starborn powers

Now that you don’t have to play through the story again, you can focus on finding ancient temples. Since you go through a universal reset after entering the Unity, every temple location resets as well. You can either collect the powers that you missed during your first run or upgrade the powers you already have by activating the temples again.

This will also benefit the power you get after turning into a Starborn, upgrading it even further.

3) Playing the main campaign on another New Game Plus cycle

So you’ve gathered all the powers and the artifacts again, but maybe you missed out on something you wanted to do or got a companion killed (in the “High Price to Pay” quest) that you didn’t intend to. Starfield has over 10 New Game Plus cycles where you can attempt quests again if you so choose.

This means that you won’t be missing out on much if you decide to skip the main campaign on your first New Game Plus cycle. You’ll have nine more cycles after this to get what you want.

Reasons to replay the main campaign in Starfield New Game Plus

Similarly, there are a few reasons you might want to replay the main campaign in New Game Plus.

1) More XP and credits

So you’re on your first New Game Plus cycle and you’re tired of attempting monotonous activities like grinding XP to level up. One alternative to the variety of XP farming methods in Starfield is to repeat the main campaign because of how much XP each mission in the quest line gives you.

Certain quests in the main campaign can give you multiple levels upon completion as well. The credits are no joke either, making this reason lucrative enough to replay the main campaign after the first time you enter the Unity.

2) Making different decisions

Another major reason to play the main campaign again would be to make different choices. In missions like “High Price to Pay,” one member of Constellation will meet their demise no matter what. It isn’t always clear which one will perish, but your decisions do play a big part in who gets chosen. This can sometimes lead to the death of someone you didn’t expect, so what do you do?

This is where resetting the main campaign comes in handy. If you were perhaps trying to pursue a relationship with a certain character and they ended up dying, now is your second chance.

3) Variations in the multiverse

As mentioned earlier, Starfield allows you to reset your universe up to 10 times. This makes every New Game Plus cycle take place in a different instance of the multiverse. Due to this phenomenon, each time you enter a new cycle, you will probably notice variations in several aspects of the game. The most common variations you notice will arise with Constellation and its leadership.

The first time you step into the Unity, you might find Sarah at the head of Constellation. The next time, it just might be Barrett instead. The variations are quite random, but each instance allows for fresh new interactions and flavor text when you converse with potential companions. These variations can also change the flow of the story quite a bit, so settling down in a cycle that benefits you is ideal.

Final verdict: Replay or skip the main campaign?

In our opinion, we recommend skipping the main campaign if you are satisfied with everything you have achieved in your first run before entering New Game Plus. If not, there are enough incentives listed above for you to replay Starfield‘s main campaign.

One final thing to note is that nothing except your levels and skill points carry over to a New Game Plus cycle. If you feel like a new legendary suit and a powerful Starborn ship are worth the loss of your credits, survey progress, quests, relationship progress, and other owned ships, then step through the Unity and make your final decision.