Starfinder is basically Dungeons and Dragons in space. It is based off the Open Gaming License version of Dungeon & Dragons version 3.5. So, if you have played any version of Dungeons and Dragons, or any of its Open Gaming License companions Starfinder should be easy to pick up. Starfinder is published by Paizo.

The default world is based on Paizo’s other IP Pathfinder, just in the far future and a reset McGuffin so it is not bogged down by all the history they have created. Starfinder falls in the realm of Space Fantasy. Science and technology are a large part of the game, but so is Magic. Which it turns out works well in a Sci-Fi setting, and you should be able to use the system for anything above the hardest of Sci-Fi.

To get started in Starfinder, everyone should have a Core Rule Book. In addition the Gamemaster should probably also get the first Alien Archive, this provides simple rules to create monsters. Everything else just adds more, but unnecessary to play the game.