Many people have mixed memories of No Man’s Sky’s initial conception. It promised something great: a nearly infinite universe with an endless number of unique planets, all procedurally generated. After release, people realized the game wasn’t quite what it was advertised to be, as the game had no strict goal: infinite space.

But in the years that followed, No Man’s Sky underwent one of the biggest turnarounds in gaming, continuing to release updates for over six years after its initial release. As a result, the game is completely different from when you started, and probably completely different from when you last picked it up.

Review

In addition to the video version, we have added some more opinions on No Man’s Sky to share, and also added a quick comparison with other space games. Perfect for you.

Although there are no specific reviews for No Man’s Sky, many of our editors have shared their opinions about the game over the years. In 2022, Senior Features Editor Jade King shared her thoughts on how the game has changed since its release. While acknowledging how incredible the game was and how truly amazing it has become, she said that there was a certain level of loneliness that was intentionally present when it was first released, but is now absent in No Man’s Sky.

We are insignificant beings in an endless sea of ​​stars, hoping that one day someone will stumble upon us.

Elsewhere, Features Editor Andy Kelly talks about how various updates have made the game what they wanted it to be, even if it’s not how most people play it. For them, the fun of the game comes in the creative mode after launch. The gameplay loop of constantly mining and recharging your ship distracted them from what they enjoyed most: seeing strange planets and their alien inhabitants.

Another key aspect of No Man’s Sky that was revealed after launch was the VR mode and, more recently, the updated PSVR2 mode. Mike Drucker has spoken in surprisingly eloquent terms about No Man’s Sky in VR being the game for him. Just the little things, like the infinite space seeming real and the paths you have to go through paralleling your movements, created a completely different experience.

At their best, motion controls remove a layer of abstraction and make you feel like you’re pretending to do what you’re doing physically. In this case, No Man’s Sky would be a completely different game if it weren’t.

With such a wealth of opinions, it’s clear that after years of updates, No Man’s Sky has something to offer everyone and is quite free in its approach. The game can be boring at times and success isn’t guaranteed, but it’s all part of the game, really.

Time Expenditure

No Man`s Sky is not a game with an end point. Your main goal is to reach the center of the universe. However, this quickly becomes a repetitive objective without giving too much away. There is no guaranteed route, even if it’s your first time reaching the center. Each planet presents its own challenges when it comes to refueling your ship and life support systems. And due to the procedural nature of the game, the experience will be different for each player, meaning it could take hundreds of hours to accomplish.
The game also has many side stories, with many new ones added with each update. They are all very different and usually revolve around the update that comes with it. Some are short, require you to jump from planet to planet, and can be completed within a few hours. Some require you to wait days to progress to the next level, or are triggered randomly. In many ways, this game is meant as a hobby, to be enjoyed as much as possible in the few hours or time you have left.

The only exception to this are Expeditions. Expeditions act as a separate game mode with their own storage, offering a more curated experience. Players are transported to a specific point in space and are given tasks that they must complete as a community. These are timed events, so you will need to invest time while they are active. Tasks can be very different. Exploring one planet might take an hour or two. Traveling across the galaxy might take hours or even days.

Cost

Since its release in 2016, No Man’s Sky has been priced roughly the same across all platforms at $59.99. At launch, the game had relatively few features, making this a tough buy for many. However, the price is now much more reasonable; the game also often goes on sale for 50% off if you’re willing to wait, which happens frequently, and it may also be available on various services like Xbox Game Pass, saving you the upfront cost entirely.

The game also explicitly does not include microtransactions, and Hello Games promises that they will never add microtransactions to the game. The game also does not have paid DLC, which means that the price you pay for the game is probably the only price you pay for the game.

The only other quirk to note is that you need PS Plus and Xbox Live Gold to play online. Without these, you won’t be able to see other players in the shared space, but you will be able to encounter planets they’ve discovered and bases they’ve built.