The video tests the playability and stability of basic mercenary missions in Star Citizen patch 4.2.1, revealing significant bugs such as missing mission markers, enemy spawns, and mission completion issues that hinder the overall experience. Despite impressive environmental effects and some successful mission completions, the creator highlights the need for improved reliability in these core gameplay elements to enhance accessibility and enjoyment for players.
In this video, the creator focuses on testing the playability and stability of basic mercenary missions in Star Citizen’s 4.2.1 patch, with an eye towards the upcoming 4.3 update. These mercenary missions, along with other foundational gameplay elements like bounty hunting, courier tasks, hauling, and salvaging, are crucial for new players as they form the core gameplay loop. The video begins with the acceptance of several mercenary missions, including security contracts such as high-risk bounties and expel loss missions, both located at the same distribution center, offering a combined reward of about 100k credits.
For the missions, the player prepares by loading a Starlander tank equipped with medical bags and various vehicles, including an MTC and a smaller PTV for maneuvering tight spaces. The player appreciates the immersive weather effects, particularly the rain, which adds a dramatic atmosphere to the gameplay. Upon arriving at the mission location, the player encounters enemies and allies, but soon discovers issues such as missing or incorrect mission markers, which complicate the completion of objectives. This leads to the realization that some missions are bugged, forcing the player to abandon them and try others.
The player attempts multiple missions, but encounters significant bugs: some missions have no enemy spawns, missing boss markers, or fail to register mission completion despite successfully eliminating targets. The size of vehicles also affects mission navigation, with larger vehicles getting stuck inside the distribution center, necessitating switching to smaller vehicles like the STV. Despite these issues, some missions do work as intended, allowing the player to complete objectives and engage in combat scenarios under realistic weather conditions.
However, the overall experience is marred by inconsistencies in mission functionality. Out of six missions attempted, only two were fully playable and completed successfully, highlighting ongoing stability and playability problems within these core gameplay elements. The player expresses disappointment that such fundamental missions, which could provide a great gameplay loop for new or solo players, are still unreliable. The video emphasizes the need for these basic missions to work consistently to improve the game’s accessibility and enjoyment.
In conclusion, while the video showcases some impressive environmental effects and the potential fun of mercenary missions in Star Citizen, it underscores the current challenges with mission bugs and stability in patch 4.2.1. The creator hopes that future updates, including 4.3, will address these issues to ensure that basic mercenary missions can be played reliably. The video ends on a hopeful note, urging the developers to prioritize fixing these foundational gameplay aspects for the benefit of all players.