Summary
One weapon inStarfieldcan dominate the game’s early chapters, and players are virtually guaranteed to have it on hand when they need it. When the player first startsStarfield, they only have the bare minimum on hand. They have basic clothes, a basic spacesuit, and whatever they manage to mine during the tutorial. Thankfully, players will get their hands on their first gun just before their first encounter with space pirates, so the game makes sure they aren’t underequipped. However, players have a far better option than that initial pistol, and they won’t have to look far.
One could say thatStarfieldisFallout’s spacefaring successor, considering the amount of similarities between the two. Each is a Bethesda property that lets players guide their own created character through a sci-fi journey. The main difference being thatFallouttakes place on Earth long after a nuclear war ravaged the planet, whileStarfieldtakes place across various star systems in space.Starfielddoes not inheritFallout’s signature V.A.T.S. combat system, but it instead features a second layer of gameplay with its space travel and starship battles. For this reason,Starfieldis a pretty easy game to get into for longtimeFalloutplayers. To give themselves a good chance early on, though, these players may want to use the Cutter instead of the starting pistol.
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Starfield’s Cutter Is Better Than Most Guns in the Game
Players receive their first weapons duringStarfield’s introductory gameplay sequence, picking up a pistol before their first encounter with space pirates. However, their actual first weapon comes in the form of the Cutter. The Cutter is a tool designed to mine mineral deposits with concentrated lasers, which the player will use it for throughout the game to gain resources. In addition, the Cutter can also be used as a weapon, even though it was not specifically designed as such. Its beam is not particularly strong, but focusing it on an enemy will drain their health as effectively as bullets will.
There are a few advantages to using the Cutter inStarfield’s approach to combat. For one, the Cutter has unlimited ammo. It is limited by its own battery, but said battery regenerates quickly when not in use. In addition, while the beam itself is weak, it hits rapidly, and can cut down early enemies in mere seconds, especially if the player lands a headshot. Even better, the Cutter can benefit from both the Lasers and Heavy Weapons Certification perks to increase its damage. Even though it wasn’t designed for combat purposes, the Cutter can outshine a lot of actual guns with its performance.
Another point in the Cutter’s favor is how easy it is to get one. Whenever the player needs tosell anything inStarfield, there’s a good chance that the vendor will have one as long as they’re a general goods vendor or arms dealer. Of course, players probably don’t even need to go that far to get one, since the game hands them a Cutter mere minutes after starting, before anything remotely dangerous happens. As long as the player never drops or sells their Cutter, they’re guaranteed to have one on them. As a result, the player should be well-armed from the start.
The Cutter’s low damage and short range hold it back, but players can play for hours without needing to touch another weapon. The Cutter can be considered one of thebest weapons inStarfielddue to how effectively dominant it is during the first few planets. Players can save ammo and credits by not needing to worry about other weapons, as well as selling early firearms like Grendels and Maelstroms for extra profit. Once significantly better weapons come along, players can start changing up their strategy, but for the first few hours ofStarfield, nothing beats the Cutter.
Starfieldis available now for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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