The United Colonies and the Freestar Collective are some of the most prominent factions in Starfield, and their histories are deeply intertwined with one another. Not long before the events of Starfield, the United Colonies and the Freestar Collective were in a conflict known as the Colony War.
While both sides faced heavy casualties, the Freestar Collective eventually ended the war after a decisive win at the Battle of Cheyenne in 2311. Now, in the aftermath of war, you have the option to join both of these factions as they journey through the Settled Systems. While each faction offers their respective benefits and story, only one side can come out on top.
9 United Colonies – Space Thriller
The United Colonies questline starts off with nothing out of the ordinary. After signing up for the UC Vanguard at the MAST building in New Atlantis, you'll be taken through a museum detailing the history of the Colony War, put in a space combat flight simulator as a test, and then you'll finally receive your first assignment to go to a quaint farming planet known as Tau Ceti 2.
However, a grand conspiracy slowly unravels from the moment you set down on Tau Ceti 2. Without spoiling story details, the plot for the United Colonies questline is filled with political intrigue and plenty of action. From start to finish, the United Colonies questline has some of the best storytelling to offer in Starfield.
8 Freestar Collective – Space Western
The Freestar Collective storyline begins with a classic western storytelling trope — a good old-fashioned bank robbery. After landing at Akila City in the Cheyenne system, you'll find the Freestar Rangers in a standoff with bank robbers. After dealing with the bank robbers, Marshall Blake, leader of the Freestar Rangers, suggests for you to inquire about becoming a ranger.
From there, you become a Freestar deputy and are sent out on your first assignment to a farm on Montera Luma. Like the United Colonies questline, the Freestar Collective storyline sees you investigating crimes and unraveling a mystery. While the questline has some predictable moments, the Freestar Collective story is still entertaining and comes to a satisfying conclusion.
7 United Colonies – Locked And Loaded
The United Colonies is the oldest governing body in the Settled Systems, having been founded in 2159. As such, they have a well-established military presence, and that military presence comes locked and loaded with bushels of tactical gear and weaponry.
From the start, the United Colonies will supply you with a decent spacesuit and armaments. However, towards the of the questline, you're rewarded with a legendary quality spacesuit and some extremely powerful weaponry. This gear is fantastic if you're looking to upgrade your equipment, and it’s good enough to last many more hours into a playthrough after it’s acquired.
6 Freestar Collective – A Badge and a Revolver
The Freestar Collective is chock-full of space cowboys, so they ought to look the part. Marshall Blake is seen sporting his duster with his Freestar Ranger badge proudly attached to his lapel, and many of the other rangers are wearing cowboy-like outfits as well.
After joining the Freestar Collective, you'll get a cowboy makeover, receiving a Freestar deputy’s outfit and a beautiful revolver to match. After completing the questline, you're also rewarded with some weaponry and a spacesuit, but it falls a bit flat compared to the gear rewards in the United Colonies.
5 United Colonies – Red Tape Bureaucrats
The United Colonies is not without its drawbacks. Being a well-established government, the United Colonies are filled with paper-pushing bureaucrats who won’t give anyone the time of day unless there are some tasks they need to complete.
As such, plenty of characters you have to interact with in the United Colonies questline can be rude and annoying. While the UC questline has a few of the more interesting characters in Starfield, most of them are difficult to like, and most of the government environments are sterile and devoid of personality.
4 Freestar Collective – Space Cowboys
The Freestar Collective is considerably more free-spirited than the United Colonies. It’s not without its government or regulation, but the people of the Freestar Collective are more laid back and earnest. The rangers wear their hearts on their sleeves and aim to do what’s right.
It’s not uncommon to spot a ranger sitting at the bar at The Rock, the headquarters of the Freestar Rangers, and Marshal Blake doesn’t mince words and is straightforward, as are the other rangers. In short, the people are more genuine and easier to deal with. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to the bureaucracy of the United Colonies.
3 United Colonies – A Penthouse Pad
The capital of the United Colonies, New Atlantis, is home to some of the most beautiful real estate in all the Settled Systems. However, only United Colonies citizens are eligible to purchase property in New Atlantis. People can earn their citizenship by joining the UC Vanguard, but it can take a decade or longer of service before citizenship is granted.
Luckily for you, upon completing the United Colonies questline, you'll be granted a UC citizenship complete with a swanky penthouse apartment overlooking New Atlantis. It’s a sizable living space, having multiple bedrooms and great amenities, making it great for decorating. It might not be the most practical reward, considering the amount of time you'll be spending in space during a playthrough, but it’s nice to have as a home base in between adventures.
2 Freestar Collective – A Stellar Spaceship
Spaceships in Starfield can be expensive, especially towards the beginning of the game, and as the game progresses, it becomes more apparent how important they are to the gameplay loop. Plenty of cargo space is needed to store supplies for upgrades, and as you level up, so do enemy spaceships. If you don’t have the credits to spend on ship upgrades, you’ll fall behind.
However, the Freestar Collective won’t let its rangers go out into the Settled Systems without having a ship that’s up to snuff. After completing the Freestar Collective questline, you'll be rewarded with the Star Eagle, a class A ship outfitted with plenty of cargo space and strong weaponry. This will help you collect a lot of resources if you still need to improve your carrying capacity or if you've put off upgrading your ship's defenses. While the United Colonies might be able to hand out fancy apartments, the Star Eagle is the best and most practical reward you'll receive between the two factions.
1 Winner – United Colonies
The United Colonies have a slight edge over the Freestar Collective. While the Freestar Collective reward of the Star Eagle is the best reward between the two factions, the legendary quality spacesuit, fantastic weapons, and the penthouse apartment in New Atlantis all add up to be a better deal.
The United Colonies questline does lose some points for having some annoying characters, but it makes up for it by having a thrilling plot that remains engaging throughout the questline. The Freestar Collective has some interesting characters and moments to be sure, but the United Colonies plot has some wider implications for the world of Starfield that make it stand out. It’s close, but unlike in the Colony War, the United Colonies come out on top.