Virtual boundaries within video games have been getting larger as time has passed. Now, “No Man’s Sky”, developed by Hello Games, has given players a bigger playground than most games could offer. However, does it offer enough to keep players interested?
“No Man’s Sky” is a sci-fi survival game. It is about space exploration and item crafting. The game begins with a crashed ship that needs repair, and to repair it, you must collect the appropriate materials. Once completed, players fly into space and explore different planets and solar systems. The only limits being fuel and the capabilities of the player’s engine.
As the game progresses, your spaceship, suit and multi-tool can be upgraded by building technology out of the materials found out in space. It’s a necessity to gather materials to progress. Spaceships require plutonium for fuel. Your suit’s life support system requires isotopes to keep you healthy. The ability to play the game comes down to acquiring the components necessary to keep flying, but how you gather these materials is not specified.
“No Man’s Sky” is also about player freedom. If a player wants to slave away and gather all the materials by hand, they may. If a player wants to sell items to make a profit, they can. If a player wants to shoot down ships in the vicinity and steal their loot, they are welcome to do so.
What truly sets “No Man’s Sky” apart from other games is it’s sheer size. Very few games feature a universe sized map, but this game does. Every planet in the game is the actual size of a planet. Every star a player can see on the map is a solar system a player can discover and rename. Few games have managed to tackle a playable map that large.
Some may think that “No Man’s Sky” is nothing but a giant survival sandbox. It is that, but it is also more. Players can interact with alien races that they can barely communicate with and slowly learn their languages or investigate ruins and Atlas interfaces to learn more about the mysteries of the universe. There’s more here than just technology crafting. There are minor storylines players can follow if they so choose.
However, these storylines are not earth-shaking narratives. In fact, even hours into the game, players will not know where the narrative is going, if they choose to follow the narrative in the first place. There are no gripping stories, well rounded characters or massive piles of lore to read. “No Man’s Sky” is surface level entertainment. Players looking for a deep, immersive gaming experience need to look elsewhere.
Is this superficiality bad? Not necessarily. It appears to be designed to be a chill game: the equivalent of aromatherapy candles and chamomile tea. There is no intellectual heavy lifting, no adrenaline pumping, unavoidable, action scenes or emotionally draining narratives. It is just a fun game to play. However, in the weeks to come, it may be easily pushed to the side in favor of something with more narrative substance.
All in all, gamers that enjoy sandbox games and exploration should give this title a shot. If you are a gamer that seeks depth and narrative, do not expect “No Man’s Sky” to satisfy your craving.
