No Man's Sky

 PC
User Score
4.0

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 2694 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 819 out of 2694
  2. Mixed: 284 out of 2694
  3. Negative: 1,591 out of 2694

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  1. Lambo442
    Feb 20, 2020
    10
    This game finally delivers on the original hype. I've been playing it for a couple of hours and it's utterly entranced me. The exploration element is done so well, it feels like there's just so much to discover.
  2. Mansel
    May 23, 2019
    10
    For a game dev to receive so much criticism at launch, but to continue on to improve the game through free major updates, is commendable.

    Think Elite Dangerous meets Sub Nautica. Fun times
  3. JunkmanUK
    Oct 20, 2018
    10
    Relaxing, and enjoyable. The developers genuinely love this game and after 40 hours I'm still finding new things
  4. vesperdem
    Aug 13, 2016
    10
    First off, I want to state that I am not having any of the problems that were reported minutes after the games release yesterday (8/12/2016). I am seeing a few stutters in the frame rate, but that's really about it.

    I love exploration games. Flight Simulator, Train Simulator, Minecraft, Creativerse, 7 Days to Die, Fallout 4 the GTA franchise even Starbound. I can spend hours just    First off, I want to state that I am not having any of the problems that were reported minutes after the games release yesterday (8/12/2016). I am seeing a few stutters in the frame rate, but that's really about it.

    I love exploration games. Flight Simulator, Train Simulator, Minecraft, Creativerse, 7 Days to Die, Fallout 4 the GTA franchise even Starbound. I can spend hours just wandering around looking at what the game or developer generated for me to explore.

    No Man's Sky is pretty much the ultimate version of that type of game. With 18 Quintillion world in just one (of possibly many) galaxies, there is just no limit to my exploration bug.

    World generation is crazy, making Minecraft look tame, The creatures and plants that live on these worlds are straight out of 1960's SciFi book covers and comic books.

    There is even an underlying story to the four major races in the game (if there are four, I have only found one so far).

    If I had any complaints, it would be inventory management or the early lack of inventory space is a pain. However I could say the same for pretty much every game I mentioned above. You can fairly quickly start increasing those spaces by finding objects on the planets that will increase your suits inventory.

    A nit pick would be that planets usually don't bunch up together like they have here. There should be planets all around their star. I should have to fly past the star to get to planets that might be on the other side. Not the case here. They are all pretty much bunched up together. Physics wouldn't allow this, but hey. It's a game not a true simulator.

    That's really it. The fact that there is probably one one "hand drawn" object in the game, the main alien races mentioned earlier. Everything else is put together by the game, Ships, Multi-tool guns, plants, animals, planets, everything. So far, they all look fantastic.

    If you are into Minecraft, Creativerse, 7 Days to Die, you will be dropping those games in favor of No Man's Sky for quite some time. I absolutely recommend this one!    … Expand
  5. Trade60
    Aug 23, 2016
    10
    Im running the game at 1440p with Maxed settings the game just looks amazing. I have over 45 hours on steam at the time of review and about 20 hours on PS4 which is a mistake cuz PC graphics vs PS4... ya, enough said.

    After you get about 7-10 jumps out from your start location, the game starts getting more challenging. Around the same time you'll most likely have mastered the skills    Im running the game at 1440p with Maxed settings the game just looks amazing. I have over 45 hours on steam at the time of review and about 20 hours on PS4 which is a mistake cuz PC graphics vs PS4... ya, enough said.

    After you get about 7-10 jumps out from your start location, the game starts getting more challenging. Around the same time you'll most likely have mastered the skills needed to finish the trip to the center or whatever you choose to do in the game. The more you explore the more unbelievable discovery's you will make.

    Despite all the negative crap this game does NOT deserve, you can endlessly explore to your hearts desire. There is always something new to see that other ppl have or will never see but that you can share your discovery's with others. The ships are all different, you will always find new ships, new planets, new animal life, plant life. Iv learned over 800 words across 3 different alien races so far. Iv named 4 planets out of the 30 plus I have discovered and look forward to discovering thousands more, Named sol systems, Animals, Plants whatever I want or you can choose to upload your discovery's without naming them yourself and keeping the name that NMS gives them. Iv Seen sunset and sunrise on alien worlds that stimulated my imagination. I fought Pirates in space and I swam with monsters in pink oceans, Iv explored endless caverns. Iv found monoliths from ancient alien civilizations and spoke with a space stations sized Atlas. The universe is endless yet somehow I dont feel the need to rush to end it, but the end feels within reach, the scale alone is mind blowing.

    The game is amazing. It is worth the $60 price tag not just because its a great game, but because you know the game is worth it when the reviewers on steam are getting (20+ hours)!? Most ppl spend $60 on a game they get less than 10 hours and they give it a good review... If any reviewer has less than a 2 hours Dont even bother reading the review.

    To many people jumped into No Man's Sky thinking they would get something out of it that was never really their and/or They cant run the game, cuz they are a bunch of NOOBS! "My Pc cant run it..."    … Expand
  6. Fielke
    Aug 13, 2016
    10
    I get 90 fps with an i7 2600, gtx 980 and 8gb of ram. Been loving this game. landing on a new planet feels like creating a randomized world in minecraft. I immediately want to run around and see what it has to offer. This is a specific game for a specific kind of gamer.
  7. molaram
    Aug 14, 2016
    10
    8 hours in, having an awesome time. If you like exploring and collecting, this game is for you. Emphasis is on exploration and discovery, not on realistic physics. I bought this game for the visual style alone, its great.
  8. Black-Templar
    Sep 26, 2020
    10
    Don't mind me, I'm just here to change my review from a 3 to a 10 to give the overall score a lil boost and to show my support to the devs.

    The last time a studio put that much efforts to bring major updates to a game was Rainbow Six Siege.
  9. nitro912gr
    Feb 20, 2022
    10
    It is sad to see that nobody bother to bring justice to NMS after all those years of great free content updates and even more promised on the way.
    Yeah it was not what was promised back at the beginning but this score here in metacritic is not what the game is now
  10. themidgardknigh
    Sep 9, 2019
    10
    Exploring is the name of the game, and space travel is all I care for. People rib the game for being "pointless," but I'd argue it was a true space sim when it first came out. The universe is an empty place, why would it be filled with countless species?

    This game is SO much fun and I will admit I love playing with my buds now, but I always understood and appreciated the game's original vision.
  11. OnlyOneWing
    Aug 15, 2016
    10
    At first I was a little disappointed about the whole multiplayer thing. But after playing the game for over 30 hours so far I have yo sau, I love this game. It is not perfect, but nothing in life is. No Man's Sky is a one of a kind experience, in some ways itnis revolutionary and will change gaming forever. Thr procedurally generated universe is awe inspiring, with unlimited beautifulAt first I was a little disappointed about the whole multiplayer thing. But after playing the game for over 30 hours so far I have yo sau, I love this game. It is not perfect, but nothing in life is. No Man's Sky is a one of a kind experience, in some ways itnis revolutionary and will change gaming forever. Thr procedurally generated universe is awe inspiring, with unlimited beautiful worlds to discover. The plot is not the strong point, but compared to Elite Dangerous, at least No Man's Sky has a plot!
    Sure the flight controls are a little bit awkward on PC, I wish there was joystick support, but still, it is a good time. I wholeheartedly recommend this game. It had a few glitfhes but nothing that makes it unplayable for me. No doubt the devs will fix these things soon.    … Expand
  12. Yoshihito
    Apr 18, 2020
    10
    The game has truly improved by leaps and bounds. I wish Metacritic would delete all the reviews for this and start over since the game has completely changed and is much better than what it used to be.
  13. BemaJinn
    Jul 24, 2018
    10
    Beware of reviews from the old version of the game!!

    The game on launch 2 years ago was rocky, to say the least. It a put of people of people off from trying the game since. Which is a shame, as the subsequent updates added a lot to the game, and refined much of the gameplay. Now the 'NEXT' update has landed, the biggest one yet, it overhauls a lot of gameplay that people weren't    Beware of reviews from the old version of the game!!

    The game on launch 2 years ago was rocky, to say the least. It a put of people of people off from trying the game since.

    Which is a shame, as the subsequent updates added a lot to the game, and refined much of the gameplay.

    Now the 'NEXT' update has landed, the biggest one yet, it overhauls a lot of gameplay that people weren't happy with, and adds a ton of new and awesome content.

    One of the best games I've played!    … Expand
  14. bwheatley
    Sep 19, 2016
    10
    I was not on the hype train so I did not have my hopes set unrealistically high. This is a pretty good game for what it is. There will be pop in, repeating textures, and some frustrations but you can still lose yourself for hours in exploration.
  15. twoeazy
    Aug 13, 2016
    10
    I'm giving it a ten points just to help balance the reviews. Don't let anyone fool you, this game isn't bad. Technical aspects aside, it's a meditative, eye-candy relaxation experience for you to spend your tired evenings at. It's full of flaws, it fails to entertain you, but it's got that magic, which brings you back again and again. __________ I suggest you try it before you buy it, butI'm giving it a ten points just to help balance the reviews. Don't let anyone fool you, this game isn't bad. Technical aspects aside, it's a meditative, eye-candy relaxation experience for you to spend your tired evenings at. It's full of flaws, it fails to entertain you, but it's got that magic, which brings you back again and again. __________ I suggest you try it before you buy it, but please, don't hate it just because someone told you to. Try it yourself.… Expand
  16. jesus045
    Oct 26, 2019
    10
    And I really liked the game even on the initial build, I do not care about multiplayer, it is a single-player adventure and endless game, thanks to the developers.
  17. will86c
    Sep 7, 2021
    10
    When No Man's Sky came out in 2016 it was, simply put, not good. I don't usually buy games immediately at release or pre order just for these reasons. NMS was a buggy disappointing mess for many people. However here in 2021 it is a fully fleshed out game, and it is damn good. Hello Games never gave up on their product and have released multiple major game updates over the last 5 years.When No Man's Sky came out in 2016 it was, simply put, not good. I don't usually buy games immediately at release or pre order just for these reasons. NMS was a buggy disappointing mess for many people. However here in 2021 it is a fully fleshed out game, and it is damn good. Hello Games never gave up on their product and have released multiple major game updates over the last 5 years. This game no longer deserves the terrible score you see, give it a try.… Expand
  18. AlfieParanoia
    Aug 12, 2016
    10
    60FPS at 1440 on Ultra (single 980TI).

    Game works great (No stuttering or crushes).

    Gameplay is fun as long as you don't expect "the game to end all games".
  19. DeepspaceAU
    Aug 12, 2016
    10
    What spoilt fools many of us have become. Attacking this game just because it's different. So it doesn't follow some of the conventions. This game is incredible. It's art. I have been playing it for a good 8 hours straight now without a break. I have been hypnotised. I can't remember when I did that last with any title, and I play a lot of games. Even the Witcher 3 or Skyrim didn'tWhat spoilt fools many of us have become. Attacking this game just because it's different. So it doesn't follow some of the conventions. This game is incredible. It's art. I have been playing it for a good 8 hours straight now without a break. I have been hypnotised. I can't remember when I did that last with any title, and I play a lot of games. Even the Witcher 3 or Skyrim didn't capture me this much. This game is unique, strange and atmospheric. So many people are punishing it for not following some of the 'rules' of modern AAA gaming. It isn't an AAA title, and maybe the only mistake Hello Games made was not in the game, but was associating Sony, the epitome of typical gaming, on board. This reminds me of Starflight, Outcast, Elite, Privateer, Escape Velocity and some of the classic PC games of the past (and FTL's inventory system!), before games became mainstream and sanitised. If you 'get it', you don't need to be convinced. If you don't get it, you never will. Go back to Assassin's Creed or something.… Expand
  20. XenoVirus
    Aug 22, 2016
    10
    I loved it, not sure why its getting so much hate. Its a game that rewards your imagination, an there are characters and a story, they are just very subtle. I have played over 40 hours and have loved every minute.
  21. Godfather1980
    Aug 2, 2018
    10
    This game is awesome. TO think there have been 4 different times where I have played this game for over 50 hours. I will give you the release was not that good, but they have made it way better than ever could imagine. Anyone would love to play this game now.
  22. Schoolboy88
    Aug 15, 2016
    10
    So after around 7 hours of No Man's Sky. This is my short review. The game is slow.gathering vital resources can be like a needle in a haystack all be it on a planetary scale. There no real story line and the game tells you absolutely nothing and I mean nothing I only found out I could run from the key bind menu. You might think this is all slightly negative but I'm having so muchSo after around 7 hours of No Man's Sky. This is my short review. The game is slow.gathering vital resources can be like a needle in a haystack all be it on a planetary scale. There no real story line and the game tells you absolutely nothing and I mean nothing I only found out I could run from the key bind menu. You might think this is all slightly negative but I'm having so much fun.couple with exploring new planets/moons, finding new species and naming them. If your ever in the McCheung Star system we welcome you.
    This has to be the game of the year for me you can keep your Witcher 3 and fallout 4.
    OK not everyone will like this game though it like marmite. If you want to go boldly where no one has gone before with resource management thrown in then this is for you.

    p.s. I'm now on 21 hours and still loving it
    p.p.s make sure you turn the 'GSync' off in the TKGRAPHICSSETTINGS.MXML file to make it run smoothly I'm currently playing on Dell Laptop :)    … Expand
  23. yawen
    Aug 15, 2016
    10
    If those Score 0 reviews from anger people can be consider as acceptable objective and fair , then I guess a Score 10 review from people who are happy with the game(like me ) is also acceptable objective and fair
  24. ImFireblade
    Aug 15, 2016
    10
    It's so good this game.People are overhyped and says "bad gameplay,no multiplayer,low FPS" and they vote 0.
    For me is so smooth and is always around 60 fps.
    For the bad gameplay is normal,this game is not for all...It's all exploration and crafting and for the people that doesn't like this kind of game simply don't buy it and don't vote. For the multiplayer the game on steam was tagged    It's so good this game.People are overhyped and says "bad gameplay,no multiplayer,low FPS" and they vote 0.
    For me is so smooth and is always around 60 fps.
    For the bad gameplay is normal,this game is not for all...It's all exploration and crafting and for the people that doesn't like this kind of game simply don't buy it and don't vote.
    For the multiplayer the game on steam was tagged single player since it was on the market.
    So be informed before buying a game and don't go to vote 0 if you didn't have what you expected.    … Expand
  25. Luckithroe
    Aug 12, 2016
    10
    It's sad so many people are complaining about this game because:
    * It doesn't have a story
    * It has survival elements * It isn't multiplayer etc,, etc, etc.... Everyone is entitled to their opinion but it's sad that this game and developers are being belittled because it isn't like every other AAA game on the market. What makes this experience special in my opinion is that it is    It's sad so many people are complaining about this game because:
    * It doesn't have a story
    * It has survival elements
    * It isn't multiplayer

    etc,, etc, etc.... Everyone is entitled to their opinion but it's sad that this game and developers are being belittled because it isn't like every other AAA game on the market. What makes this experience special in my opinion is that it is unique, and what it does in this category it does in spades. If you are looking for something new, different, and dare I say relaxing. You might very well enjoy this one. I know I do.    … Expand
  26. LucyFox
    Sep 9, 2016
    10
    This game is nearly perfect for me. And I'm sure missing features will be patched in.
    Don't blame Hello Games for missing stuff and so on. It was clearly their publisher who wanted them to release the game before it was really finished. It's always the same...
    Hello Games did a great job so far. So less people and such a great game. It's for people with a lot of imagination, for people    This game is nearly perfect for me. And I'm sure missing features will be patched in.
    Don't blame Hello Games for missing stuff and so on. It was clearly their publisher who wanted them to release the game before it was really finished. It's always the same...
    Hello Games did a great job so far. So less people and such a great game.
    It's for people with a lot of imagination, for people who loves to explore and to discover. This game isn't for everyone though. But it doesn't deserve all this hate!    … Expand
  27. Maxziger
    Mar 7, 2020
    10
    The game is really good, dont pay attention to the negative reviews, no mans sky right NOW is really good, u should try!
  28. VONMANTOV
    Jul 29, 2018
    10
    After the path finder update the game looks great....and more will be relased in the future ....after 200 hours of gameplay i'm still amazed....very good work hallo games!!!
  29. Kaosh
    Jul 25, 2018
    10
    This game has provided me with a unique experience. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it has been completely unforgettable for me. Devs **** up at the beginning, but they stuck with the game and they are releasing huge free updates, which are making it better and better. I have put in more than 300 hours and I don't see myself stopping soon. Next update is unbelievably good.
  30. itsLukeNunn
    Aug 12, 2016
    10
    I don't get why people are hating on it so bad, Sean Murray said what the game entails and it's exactly that! The game is beautiful and just amazing to walk around and explore. Also I can't wait to see what the future holds for this game, I bet the updates are gonna bring some amazing things!

    If you love space, buy it, if you love exploration, buy it, this game really is one of a kind!
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
25
#25 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
61

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 17
  3. Negative: 2 out of 17
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 11, 2016
    67
    No Man's Sky breaks the record in falling short of the hype – which is an incredible achievement in the category of super ambitious space games. The huge universe is a repetitive, lifeless and meaningless place, no amount of random generated creatures can change that. The most unforgivable fail is making the spaceship such a pain to fly, which makes exploring the vast universe simply a chore. However, at its best the game is epic and many of the issues should be easy to fix, so this might not be the end of the journey after all. [Sept 2016]
  2. PC PowerPlay
    Oct 2, 2016
    60
    It's partially broken, shallow, repetitive and aimless, but hang me, I still kind of love it. [Issue#255, p.56]
  3. Edge Magazine
    Sep 27, 2016
    60
    While some poorly designed systems and mechanics chip away at your patience, the feeling of flying seamlessly from space down to a peninsula you spotted from orbit never fails to enthrall. [Nov 2016, p.106]
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