No Man's Sky

 PlayStation 4
User Score
4.8

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 5473 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,123 out of 5473
  2. Mixed: 648 out of 5473
  3. Negative: 2,702 out of 5473
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  1. Mickael486
    Aug 14, 2016
    7
    This game is for a certain type of person that likes to chill and just collect things and who doesn't get entirely upset if something that seems a little unfair kills you and all that inventory you collected and what's more the inventory that you discard just to FIT the inventory that you've found because of such small inventory space...may get people annoyed. This game was changed at theThis game is for a certain type of person that likes to chill and just collect things and who doesn't get entirely upset if something that seems a little unfair kills you and all that inventory you collected and what's more the inventory that you discard just to FIT the inventory that you've found because of such small inventory space...may get people annoyed. This game was changed at the last minute to be more of a survival game but I think they went a little bit too far in that direction. And what's more is the fact that this game BEGS to be online with friends in space to find and yet there's none of that and yet they took what would have been a $20-$30 indie game and made it a full priced game at $60 was just plain wrong. Read all the reviews, not just the numbers and if you're still on the fence, I can recommend this game when it goes on sale at $40, tops. The game is a 6.5 right now and potentially can become an 8 with the right patches but who knows what they'll do. It's just a humble team of 10 developers.… Expand
  2. athorist
    Oct 20, 2016
    7
    Maybe not the game some people feel they were promised (I pretty much ignored the hype), but it's still worth a look, and the soundtrack is excellent.
  3. Ahlgreenz
    Aug 15, 2016
    7
    While this game had potential to be more than it is, it managed to hook me even though I've been down on survival games since the early days of Minecraft. I was initially hesitant to buy the game, even though I had been extremely hyped for it. The 60$ price tag seemed to steep for what I thought I was getting (mind you, I had watched almost no newer trailers because if I was going to playWhile this game had potential to be more than it is, it managed to hook me even though I've been down on survival games since the early days of Minecraft. I was initially hesitant to buy the game, even though I had been extremely hyped for it. The 60$ price tag seemed to steep for what I thought I was getting (mind you, I had watched almost no newer trailers because if I was going to play the game, I wanted to know as little as possible about it), but when my brother told me he had pre-ordered I jumped on the wagon too and I do not regret it.

    The sense of wonder this game offers you for the first 10-15 hours is astonishing. While it all is procedurally generated, some moments manage to stand out and leave you in awe, motivating you to push further into space to see what's next. Coming back to the procedurally generated nature of the game, it also sometimes leaves you with something that feels undercooked. A few times I tried finding and outpost that had no doors, or a marker leading me to something that apparently hadn't been generated at all. Moments like these take you out of the fantasy and makes it apparent to you that you are playing a procedurally generated game.

    If only there was something that could make up for that - and there is. The transition going from a planet and into space is seamless - you just get up into your ship and dart off, and it's amazing. When you warp to another solar system there is a pseudo loading screen where you'll see some yellow colors from the cockpit of your ship, simulating extremely fast space travel, when in reality you are not moving, but just loading the new solar system - but the illusion isn't broken and therefore it doesn't take you out of the space fantasy.

    The space combat is very simplistic, but that is 100% the way it should be in my opinion. Putting layers upon layers on top of steering the starship as well as operating the weapons system would add unnecessary hindrance to traversing the galaxies.

    The game has technical issues though. I don't know how many hours I have played the game for, I am guessing upwards of 30, but during those hours the game has crashed on me more times than Trump has gone back on his word (okay maybe that's an exaggeration, but you get the point) - I estimate somewhere in the late thirties/low forties.

    This game could have been more, and what's there may not be enough for the majority of people. but despite the shortcomings this game still has me hooked and I've spent a multitude of hours flying through space so far, and I definitely won't stop until I get the platinum trophy on PlayStation 4 (which I am close to).

    7/10    … Expand
  4. goliva
    Aug 16, 2016
    7
    This game is exactly what I was expecting, an exploration game. In the first hours I could find different aliens, learn words from their language, gather resources, sell and trade them making money to get more slots in my inventory and purchase a new ship plus creating different improvements that make my life exploring this universe easier.

    There are not loading screens and you can just    This game is exactly what I was expecting, an exploration game. In the first hours I could find different aliens, learn words from their language, gather resources, sell and trade them making money to get more slots in my inventory and purchase a new ship plus creating different improvements that make my life exploring this universe easier.

    There are not loading screens and you can just land in and land off anywhere, but in the negative side I have to admit randomization is not coherent... most things are weird or even ugly and hard to believe they could be real (not to mention physics) so I think a more controlled randomization would have helped to trust what I see.

    It is been taking a while to see planets different from the one I started, but seems it is possible, somehow, from what I could see in other player's media. I had no luck yet but I'm curious. Seems like I need to travel further by improving my ship.

    This game has a lot of potential but many people are complaining about it because they expected more combat, action, maybe even quests and a fast paced progress. It is not and was never expected it to be. You explore a vast universe, it takes time, it is slow… and rewarding.

    Hello Games already announced they will allow you to build things in future patches so, as always in XXI century, this game will never be finished and in continuous evolution.    … Expand
  5. rtkiii
    Aug 11, 2016
    7
    I want to LOVE this game but in the end it is just OK. The planets, to me, look fantastic. There is something to say about flying into a planets atmosphere and not knowing what you are going to see. Some truly cool moments.

    But the creatures lack that same randomness. Sure they are procedural generated and they are different...but only so slightly. I have seen the same dog/deer    I want to LOVE this game but in the end it is just OK. The planets, to me, look fantastic. There is something to say about flying into a planets atmosphere and not knowing what you are going to see. Some truly cool moments.

    But the creatures lack that same randomness. Sure they are procedural generated and they are different...but only so slightly. I have seen the same dog/deer type creature a ton of times and the only difference maybe the width of the creatures legs, or a fin on the back but 95% of it is the same. No lizards? No insects? I understand the creatures on the same planet could be similar...but I have been to 12 different planets in 4 different systems and this creature is on 75% of the planets. But I have seen like 4 or 5 truly unique creatures and when they come along it is a neat site.

    Then the gameplay loop of the planets. Land, scan, find "?", then create override key, scan for the four things everything. Goto sites...learn some words, create warpdrive...and go on to the next planet. The only variable in that process is if you will get attacked by 4 pirates at once or 5 :)

    I do enjoy this game...but I do not LOVE it like I was hoping.    … Expand
  6. Kaniya
    Aug 10, 2016
    7
    It is pretty obvious that the hype around this game was all about the scale that it offers to players. and yes it does deliver the scale Hello games was talking about. Its varied, huge, endless and it gives you the feeling that you are actually travelling the endless space.

    However when it comes to gameplay aspect it pretty much lacks lots of things and it is mainly due to the fact that    It is pretty obvious that the hype around this game was all about the scale that it offers to players. and yes it does deliver the scale Hello games was talking about. Its varied, huge, endless and it gives you the feeling that you are actually travelling the endless space.

    However when it comes to gameplay aspect it pretty much lacks lots of things and it is mainly due to the fact that after a couple of hours the game feels pointless. You start as explorer, only quest you can officially squire is to find center of galaxy. other than that you are just another traveler. There are no other quests that you can obtain. The game is all about exploring planets, gathering material and upgrade yourself in outposts through the galaxy. This feels good for a while as you start to feel more powerful through your journey but in some point it comes to mind what is the point of becoming powerful when there are not any obstacles on the way ? such as small quests, boss battles and so on. Or even some story related quests. Atlas pass and star battles are interesting for a while but they become boring as there are not story and questing aspect in them. So it all comes down to a lonely pointless game! and the reason behind that is that 1. It is a single player but it doest set itself as survivor or an action game, its lost in between because from both of those genres it lacks relevant content! (e.g no quest, no building houses and so on) 2. second reason is that it seems it was not a good decision not to have multiplayer ! you cant complete with others, you cant explore with your friend, you cant do anything with your friend. Only because of this two reason it is easy to understand how much the game is missing in terms of gameplay content.

    just imagine if you could have build space outpost, houses on planet, meet your friends and so on. It would have been amazing. and I hope Hello Games think about updating game with this sort of content. NMS is such a gorgeous game, fantastic visuals, amazing variety and huge scale that is overwhelming at first. but shortly after you will realize its a small game.

    Finally, I believe that NO MAN SKY is a product of technology, a test engine that shows you what future games can hold and how big they can be in scale. other than this unfortunately NMS falls into category of a average game and it is shame to see this has happened to a game that holds an amazing potential in itself.    … Expand
  7. ulukaj
    May 18, 2020
    7
    Edit 05/2020: Much much better game now. Hello games has done a good job repairing the damaged mechanisms and listening to fans feedback. Although the game is far from perfect, it is finally very playable and as a paying customer you no longer feel scammed. Well done!

    Old review: Very similar case to Elite (which I still take as a scam and thus a clear 0/10). I understand what might    Edit 05/2020: Much much better game now. Hello games has done a good job repairing the damaged mechanisms and listening to fans feedback. Although the game is far from perfect, it is finally very playable and as a paying customer you no longer feel scammed. Well done!

    Old review:
    Very similar case to Elite (which I still take as a scam and thus a clear 0/10). I understand what might have been the purpose, yet the actual game.. Well it's not a game. It is an interesting and maybe promising concept alas absolutely out of the reach of a present technology. Such project requires enormous computing capabilities to deliver a truly playable and enjoyable experience. In vast future filled with quantum computers NMS may be given as an example of what our generation had wanted to create but was limited by very ancient technology (simple Turing machine principle). Therefore one simply cannot appreciate NMS as a computer game. I also dont agree presenting this "technological concept" to a broad public as a game. And there is absolutely no excuse for that in creating a "very sophisticated algorithm" for a full price. If an engineer wishes to create and design complex algorithms his place is either at a uni or private company willing to pay him for such activities. But to cover his programming ambitions for high complex algorithms with a creating and selling a computer game it's an inexcusable deception and should not be tolerated. Awarding this weird 'procedural generation algorithm' project 1/10 is therefore a completely and utterly deserved in my opinion.    … Expand
  8. mhay78
    Aug 12, 2016
    7
    7 out of 10, so far.....

    I've put 13-14hrs in so far so not a lot by any stretch of the imagination. Do you like fast paced shooters, lots of RPG elements and interactions with NPC's with branching dialogue? Yes? I do as well but No Man's Sky doesn't exactly have much if any of these elements. After my 3 days of gameplay I'm still in my starting solar system, yet to venture out    7 out of 10, so far.....

    I've put 13-14hrs in so far so not a lot by any stretch of the imagination.

    Do you like fast paced shooters, lots of RPG elements and interactions with NPC's with branching dialogue? Yes? I do as well but No Man's Sky doesn't exactly have much if any of these elements.

    After my 3 days of gameplay I'm still in my starting solar system, yet to venture out into the wider galaxy, so what are my impressions....

    Planets I've visited in the main are varied (hot to freezing cold, empty to packed full of life). As I'm still in the same solar system I'm not expecting to see massive variation in animals but I have been surprised by a small world I'm on now and how much life and variation of life there is.

    NMS has very little if any hand holding, you are on your own in this universe after all and the game (for the most part) leaves it to you to decide what to do when, in what order and to work out how to do it.

    Sunsets, vistas etc can look stunning,

    The day night cycle in my opinion comes around to quickly but I guess that may vary dependent on planet and spin speed?

    The lights (for night time exploration) on your Exo suit are naff and light up about half a meter in front of you .
    So far I've established that one of the NPC races hate the sentinels which are AI/robots that patrol the universe, there's lots to do if you want to farm minerals, trade, explore planets, learn alien languages.

    However as much as I'm enjoying it I would say....

    If you only have 30-60min to play this is not the game for you. you need at least a couple of hours to get anywhere per game play.

    While I'm enjoying the exploration and options to do what I want, trade, steal cargo etc. at the moment from what I've experienced this could become repetitive further down the line.

    I'm not sure what this universe has in store for me but I'm eager to find out.

    Recommended but it's not for everyone ( I prefer this to Fallout 4 though)    … Expand
  9. FogCityRoller
    Oct 27, 2018
    7
    My original review is 2 years old and based off the disastrous release this game had. I am impressed by how steadfast Hello Games has stuck to a title that was so mercilessly critiqued as No Man's Sky. They have continued to improve the game, add substantial content that players actually wanted, and released it all for free. It's admirable in that respect. I have played it since then andMy original review is 2 years old and based off the disastrous release this game had. I am impressed by how steadfast Hello Games has stuck to a title that was so mercilessly critiqued as No Man's Sky. They have continued to improve the game, add substantial content that players actually wanted, and released it all for free. It's admirable in that respect. I have played it since then and found it vastly more enjoyable than the first iteration. I still think it has some of the same flaws centered around procedural generation, but I consider those realities of technological limitations rather than a failure on Hello Games' part.

    The lesson to be learned here is do not boast about a technology before realizing it's pitfalls. Procedural generation is not an engine for creativity.    … Expand
  10. TheTastyPotato
    Aug 23, 2016
    7
    No Man's Sky gets so much hate but not all of that is deserved. To be honest the game is great in the first 10-20 hours but then it gets meh... I think it is a good game but it can be a lot better. If u have a lot of expectations then do not buy it. At least wait for major updates of the game or even a sequel.
  11. johnnymnec
    Aug 22, 2016
    7
    "A mile wide but an inch deep." Most widely used and most unfair criticism for this game. No Man's Sky is a galaxy sandbox with countless planets, that you can go anywhere that you set your eyes on. And it is developed by an indie company, about 10 people. Lets appreciate that for a moment... Whether this game justifies its asking price or lives up to the hype, that's another story."A mile wide but an inch deep." Most widely used and most unfair criticism for this game. No Man's Sky is a galaxy sandbox with countless planets, that you can go anywhere that you set your eyes on. And it is developed by an indie company, about 10 people. Lets appreciate that for a moment... Whether this game justifies its asking price or lives up to the hype, that's another story.

    Most of the disappointment comes from the fact that some important features are nonexistent, that were either implied or mentioned by the devs. These include lack of multiplayer, faction space battles and most importantly; lack of variety, action (by the NPCs) and unfulfilled space physics (planetary rotation etc.).

    If these features are somehow added to the game, this game would become one of all time favorite for me, despite its repetitive nature. But still in its current state, the game has decent graphics, very few bugs (my experience with ps4) and a mystery solving vibe on top of exploration, so it is definitely due some credit.    … Expand
  12. pithing_needle
    Aug 9, 2016
    7
    The game delivers exactly what I thought it would deliver: a slow-paced romp across as vast universe. It's aesthetically pleasing, has an easy learning curve, has an outstanding soundtrack, and has a decent crafting system. It is quite repetitive, as most exploration games are. But I don't mind. I find it quite relaxing. I spend most of my gaming hours these days on DCS World A-10C WarthogThe game delivers exactly what I thought it would deliver: a slow-paced romp across as vast universe. It's aesthetically pleasing, has an easy learning curve, has an outstanding soundtrack, and has a decent crafting system. It is quite repetitive, as most exploration games are. But I don't mind. I find it quite relaxing. I spend most of my gaming hours these days on DCS World A-10C Warthog simulator, so it's nice to shift into low-gear and just go space trucking for a couple hours at a time instead of engaging in a labor-intensive and often nerve-racking bomb and missile spree while trying to remember every function of my Thrustmaster HOTAS.

    I read the reviews, positive and negative. I certainly can't give any merit to the 0's simply because it's not that bad of a game, no matter what some unenlightened and non-objective players may say. On the flip side, it's not a 10, either. Combat, while fun at times, has nowhere near the depth of, say, ELITE: Dangerous. And, as I mentioned earlier, it's quite repetitive. But the term 'procedurally generated' should have clued you in long before your purchase.

    I do agree with the price point criticism. 60 dollars is steep for a game of this nature. It's more like a 40 dollar title, or 30 if you're a cheap-skate. So I took a point off my rating on price alone.

    For all it's short-comings, No Man's Sky is quite addictive. I'm sure I'll tire of it at some point, but I can also foresee myself revisiting it's vast universe after a hiatus or two. Follow the advice of other wise reviewers and watch at least an hour or so of game-play streams before you buy.

    Make no mistake, however, this is a pretty good effort from a modest-sized studio. It's not pretentious at all, unlike some indie 8 bit platform style games that flooded the market in the last few years. It delivers EXACTLY what the developers promised. If you find yourself displeased with the experience, it's not because it's poor title. It just means that No Man's Sky just isn't for you. Learn to separate your feelings from objective criticism. I personally detest Minecraft, but I acknowledge that it's a great game. Try doing the same for No Man's Sky.    … Expand
  13. MFK863
    Aug 10, 2016
    7
    The following is my first impression of the game after day one and playing about 8 hours. First off the lack of inventory space in the early going was a huge pain. I was constantly being alerted about no inventory space and it was extremely annoying. I realised very quickly that this is not a game meant for hoarders and even if you think its a good idea to hold onto that rare materialThe following is my first impression of the game after day one and playing about 8 hours. First off the lack of inventory space in the early going was a huge pain. I was constantly being alerted about no inventory space and it was extremely annoying. I realised very quickly that this is not a game meant for hoarders and even if you think its a good idea to hold onto that rare material at the start of the game, don't, as you'll be able to find plenty more when you actually need it. One of the first things I did was start working towards upgrading my inventory space. I explored some planets, found some suit upgrades, and gradually sold all the things I could find along the way which allowed me to buy a new ship with more inventory slots as well. After eight hours my inventory space had almost doubled and it made the game much more enjoyable when I did as you spend less time trying to organise your stuff. Otherwise the pros and cons so far for me are:

    PROS
    Vast open world with plenty to explore
    Ability to upgrade to a wide variety of different ships and multi-tools
    Transitioning from planet exploration to space exploration is always fun
    Landscape looks amazing on some planets from afar
    Different puzzles to solve to earn rewards is nice
    Wide variety of different alien species is pretty cool

    CONS
    Sprint is mapped to R3 while moving is mapped to L3. Seriously who the hell thought this was a good idea? This was a major issue for me and is totally different from any gaming standard out there and was a terrible design decision. Hopefully it gets patched in a future version as I fail to see why it was done this way.
    While the planets have lots of variety they lack any real depth
    No clear objectives or goals
    No ability to connect with friends to play even as a duo
    Textures are god awful up close (PS2 level textures)
    Draw distance runs into issues when flying low on planets
    No fast travel to previously discovered map markers
    No dialogue or good audio effects make you want to play your own music
    Various outposts and space stations feel small and limited thus far (some doors are locked though so maybe they will expand at higher levels)

    As you can tell I've listed a lot of cons however even with these cons I've been enjoying the game. It is going to be a game that is what you make it to be. The first hump to get over at the start was pretty tough but once you learn to adjust I found it got better. For example I've started to set my own goals, stopped hoarding materials and sell everything, and never stay long on barren desolate planets. I think that is something important to keep in mind as well. If the planet looks like a dump then it is probably going to be as fun exploring as an actual dump would be. Remember there are 18 quintillion planets so if the planet doesn't look like it would be fun to explore then move onto the next one. In the eight hours I explored six planets and I always had the most fun on planets that had everything to offer whereas the barren planets were extremely dull and boring.

    In the end my recommendation would be buy if you really enjoy exploration/survival games, wait for a price drop if you only mildly enjoy exploration or survival, and pass if you don't like those style of games or if graphics and a great soundtrack are really important to you. This game will not be for everyone.    … Expand
  14. Wduarter
    Aug 9, 2016
    7
    The game most tasteless I've ever played. Boring and very sleepy. Graphics poor and weak, estranahas colors. Game crashes all the time, many falls frame rate.
  15. Hogen
    Sep 21, 2016
    7
    Ok, so we all know why you are here looking for a review. The hype and the concept of the game made you want an amazing game but the result have been bashed from here to kingdom come. Can it be true? Is it a bad game? And can it be that bad?

    I think we need to start to talk about the definition of a game first. What is a game (good or bad)? Most people think that a game need to have    Ok, so we all know why you are here looking for a review. The hype and the concept of the game made you want an amazing game but the result have been bashed from here to kingdom come. Can it be true? Is it a bad game? And can it be that bad?

    I think we need to start to talk about the definition of a game first. What is a game (good or bad)?
    Most people think that a game need to have direction… it does not.

    From Merriam Webster we find this.

    Definition of a game:
    activity engaged in for diversion or amusement.
    And
    a physical or mental activity or contest that has rules and that people do for pleasure

    Ok, is No mans sky a game? Sure. it is has a rule set and it is a diversion. The thing that we can take away for the remainder of this review is the part: "…diversion or amusement" and "… do for pleasure".

    This is my opinion. I play No man's sky and enjoy it. I could probably enjoy it a lot more if there were deeper mechanics for trade and crafting… but then again I do not enjoy mine craft for extended periods of time .

    No Man's sky, for me, is all about a sense of wonder. i usually play the game for about an hour at the time before i turn it of. But the game-session stays with me in my mind for days. Last night I entered the atmosphere of a water planet with only small islands here and there, and. When I landed the game prompted me that the planet had abundant fauna. But I couldn't find any animals on the island I was on, and not the three I visited next. I couldn't see any water dwellers or birds either.

    So, since I turned the game of I have been thinking of where they are hiding. There should be plenty, are they all underground? Have I just not found a large enough island? No Man's sky is all about this sense of wonder and mystery. Sure it gets repetitive. I am not chasing the path of atlas anymore, or even try to upgrade my ship. I just walk around, look at things and truly enjoy my self.

    Could No man's sky be more? Sure, and I hope it will. But even when they add I will probably still play sessions for the sense of wonder. And I hope that I never ever get to the center of the galaxy.

    I give this game a 7 because of course there are issues. But this game, for me give me something totally different than any other game I have played for a while. And for that No Man's sky deserve all praise.    … Expand
  16. Loshkosh
    Aug 17, 2016
    7
    "There's nothing in a desert and No Man needs nothing" this quote from Lawrence of Arabia in my opinion precisely explains current condition of the game. Vast, yet blank
  17. Tanvaras
    Jun 15, 2017
    7
    Bought in at the Pre-Release version (To get the extra ship etc) a few dys prior to live. Did not follow the hype train on this game, Since playing through the updates and so forth and being a little disappointed at the beginning, I have come to enjoy No Man's Sky for what it truly is.

    An exploration game, with some side fun of shooting AI pirates and trading. If you enjoy losing    Bought in at the Pre-Release version (To get the extra ship etc) a few dys prior to live. Did not follow the hype train on this game, Since playing through the updates and so forth and being a little disappointed at the beginning, I have come to enjoy No Man's Sky for what it truly is.

    An exploration game, with some side fun of shooting AI pirates and trading. If you enjoy losing yourself in many different worlds exploring for the enjoyment, You will get a lot out of this game, if you impatient and expecting something like a space shooter/RPG look elsewhere.

    For myself and my Kids, we enjoy traversing the galaxy(s) checking out new planets and finding new critters to work out interesting name for. I hope updates continue for NMS, as it has improved out of sight since release. But by now a price reduction I think would help sales a lot more.......    … Expand
  18. Kaprawiec
    Mar 20, 2017
    7
    Well yet another situation like this - I never played this game, but I had a rating of 0 in my profile on "latest low score" - could anybody in Metacritic staff explain to me how did this happened?
    Im giving this 7 only to submit the review and because its near the rating of critic score and Im not really interested in this game.
  19. SuperkenGaming
    Sep 1, 2016
    7
    No Man’s Sky
    vastly underwhelming…
    I went into no man’s sky with low expectations... And at first no man’s sky exceeded these expectations... Everyone starts on a random planet at the edge of the universe, you’re tasked with collecting materials to repair your ship… This is a great tutorial to help you understand the basics of the game… You then go to points in the galaxy you’re in    No Man’s Sky
    vastly underwhelming…
    I went into no man’s sky with low expectations... And at first no man’s sky exceeded these expectations...
    Everyone starts on a random planet at the edge of the universe, you’re tasked with collecting materials to repair your ship…
    This is a great tutorial to help you understand the basics of the game…
    You then go to points in the galaxy you’re in for other parts to give an understanding of the game even more… and the further you go the more intriguing this game gets…
    And once you finally have all of your ship parts, the universe is yours to either explore freely or travel towards the center of the universe…
    To travel towards the center you need materials to craft up to power cells…
    These materials are all reasonably accessible.. some more abundant than others depending on the planet you visit…
    1 power cell will let you travel 100-300 light years at a time to a different planetary system..
    You can also explore these planets for plant and animal species, which is really fun to do initially…
    But it doesn’t take long for the no man’s sky game play loop to get tiring…
    Wide as an Ocean, deep as a puddle…
    I don’t care that animals have different mixtures of body parts or plants have slight variations than plants on other planets..
    Every animal... every plant... they are all the same thing with different skins… that’s it... and the skin isn’t even that different most of the time..
    I find procedural generation to be one of the laziest forms of game design and roll my eyes every time I hear the phrase and no man’s sky is a prime example of why…
    This is 40 hours of the same thing….
    All you do is repeat the first 2 hours of the game 20 times…
    These worlds are not alive... animals aren’t eating, sleeping, fighting, mating… they’re just there..
    walking around looking the animals on earth with parts of other animals from earth…
    doing nothing but occasionally attacking you…
    Don’t get me wrong, I was in a trance for a good 15 hours playing no man’s sky, and 15 hours is well worth $60, but the game was just not intriguing enough to keep me wanting to continue forward…
    I shouldn’t have a planet figured out before I even set foot on it…
    But here I was, I knew what to look for to get certain materials, because again these planets are all the same only differing in color or elemental danger that never really mattered...
    and once you do get sucked into the game, you have to deal with these annoying sentinel creatures that shoot you for mining materials…
    A very unnecessary nuisance that I believe ruins the potential Zen like experience no man sky has going for it…
    you can also find ship and mining tool upgrades on these planets as well as these word stones to help you understand the alien creatures that inhabit a trading station in every star system that you can use to sell valuable materials and purchase materials needed to craft a new item or upgrade…
    These stations also have other galactic travelers that you can sell items to, buy from, or purchase their ship from…
    No man’s sky is a very relaxing and casual experience, simple loop, simple crafting, and may be one of those games you return to every now and then when you’re bored…
    But its uninteresting beyond the first couple of hours and at the end of the day is just another lazy feeling procedurally generated survival game grind fest…
    I give no man’s sky a 7/10    … Expand
  20. MetaRogue
    Feb 10, 2017
    7
    No Man's Sky is truly a wonderous technical achievement in terms of procedurally generated open world gameplay, boasting a seemingly infinite play-space to occupy your time, not to mention the impressive feat of landing on or leaving a planet. The flipside to this gaming marvel is the overall lack of purpose you feel while exploring your 'universe'.

    No matter what you do or how much    No Man's Sky is truly a wonderous technical achievement in terms of procedurally generated open world gameplay, boasting a seemingly infinite play-space to occupy your time, not to mention the impressive feat of landing on or leaving a planet. The flipside to this gaming marvel is the overall lack of purpose you feel while exploring your 'universe'.

    No matter what you do or how much time you invest in NMS, you invariably feel that you're achieving nothing and thus, wasting your time. The problem is that there is TOO MUCH to explore and TOO MUCH to do. The lack of story is sorely felt at every second. Ship and inventory maintenance is tedious in the extreme with a persistent focus on upgrading storage capacity. Even leaving the planet that you're on or just taking off to cruise to somewhere else is ruined by the fact that you need to constantly refuel your landing thrusters. Better yet, if you crash your ship, you're back to square one and need to repair everything like you did at the start of the game.

    I'm happy that I experienced this much touted game, but even happier at the prospect of NOT PLAYING IT AGAIN. Gaming is meant to be fun, but at the same time not feel like a repetitive chore or feel like a seemingly endless task. Hello Games needs to realise this if they want to make another contribution to the industry.    … Expand
  21. goaqys
    Sep 4, 2016
    7
    A game like Godzilla might deserve a score like a 4 or less, but No Man's Sky, albeit far from a great game, is still a decent game. I think exploration is the name of the game by the way of having to craft and craft and craft, and ... Even though the game is procedurally generated, I find the color and the different formations, valleys, cliffs, etc are really beautiful, some more so thanA game like Godzilla might deserve a score like a 4 or less, but No Man's Sky, albeit far from a great game, is still a decent game. I think exploration is the name of the game by the way of having to craft and craft and craft, and ... Even though the game is procedurally generated, I find the color and the different formations, valleys, cliffs, etc are really beautiful, some more so than others. Yes, there is really little if any story to this game and I found the journey to Atlas puzzling, interesting, and lacking of many storybook ideas, which surely was intentional. This game was never meant to be a story as much as it was an exploration. I would have given this game an 8 had I not run into issues with reaching Atlas and the galactic core. But this game deserves a 7 in my view.… Expand
  22. jsnell88
    Aug 18, 2016
    7
    A bit disappointed in this game. It's got a massive universe to explore but can feel a bit empty at times. Inventory management is a pain. But with all that said it has tons of cool moments, lots of variety in planets, and tons of upgrades to be found. Not bad if you're looking for a bit of a laid back experience.
  23. Young_Nacho
    Feb 23, 2017
    7
    Overall, No Man’s Sky was an experience that I’m glad I had. It was an extremely memorable experience in the beginning and it felt truly magical for the first couple hours. Throughout the rest of the game though, it really lost its touch. The lackluster story and gameplay really show as you progress and all the missing features added to the disappointment. Even though I was disappointedOverall, No Man’s Sky was an experience that I’m glad I had. It was an extremely memorable experience in the beginning and it felt truly magical for the first couple hours. Throughout the rest of the game though, it really lost its touch. The lackluster story and gameplay really show as you progress and all the missing features added to the disappointment. Even though I was disappointed with the final outcome, I rate the game on what it is, not what it could have been. So for those who have dreamed of space exploration or just love exploring in general, this is still something I would recommend checking out if you get the chance. But for others who are looking for a more engaging story or characters, you might want to skip it.… Expand
  24. Spidor
    Aug 13, 2016
    7
    This game delivers 95% of what they said it would - the sheer size, the seamless transitions, the mining and survival and combat. It's missing minor features, sure, but overall - it's all there. Seems like everybody else deluded themselves into thinking a very ambitious indie game is going to be what it was never intended to be. That's a damn shame, because underneath there's a decent, ifThis game delivers 95% of what they said it would - the sheer size, the seamless transitions, the mining and survival and combat. It's missing minor features, sure, but overall - it's all there. Seems like everybody else deluded themselves into thinking a very ambitious indie game is going to be what it was never intended to be. That's a damn shame, because underneath there's a decent, if shallow, survival game.

    Given more time, I think they should have added more depth to the plot & the ground/space combat, which requires no skill, only better equipment. Other than that - have fun exploring it while it lasts and, for the love of god, learn to adjust your expectations before getting exactly what you promised and then rating it a 0 in frustration because it doesn't your insane expectations.    … Expand
  25. SuperDuck23
    May 28, 2017
    7
    In my honest opinion, I don't think No Man's Sky is as bad as most people say. Certainly not now that there's been a few content updates. However, it has problems aplenty. Due to its repetitive nature it is best played in short bursts. No Man's Sky is an admirably ambitious title but full of a number of flaws that quickly show themselves. Depending on how lenient you are, you'll either putIn my honest opinion, I don't think No Man's Sky is as bad as most people say. Certainly not now that there's been a few content updates. However, it has problems aplenty. Due to its repetitive nature it is best played in short bursts. No Man's Sky is an admirably ambitious title but full of a number of flaws that quickly show themselves. Depending on how lenient you are, you'll either put up with these flaws or turn off the console and never play it again.… Expand
  26. SamHalls2016
    Sep 7, 2016
    7
    Like CALENDULA, No Man's Sky will get a 7. At first, it feels very impressive that you can visit billions of billions of planets (or simply quintillions of planets). After a few hours of game play, I started to see limitations, we can't even name planets, creatures, and spaceships. And for some reason, we spawn on different plants light-years away, making it almost impossible to meet eachLike CALENDULA, No Man's Sky will get a 7. At first, it feels very impressive that you can visit billions of billions of planets (or simply quintillions of planets). After a few hours of game play, I started to see limitations, we can't even name planets, creatures, and spaceships. And for some reason, we spawn on different plants light-years away, making it almost impossible to meet each other in multiplayer. After about ten hours of game play, it gets very boring.… Expand
  27. Quickstrike
    Aug 11, 2016
    7
    Please don't let the complete lack of nuance of this forum make you overlook this game.
    I'm 20 hours in, most of them spent on a single planet trying to explore it all, If you are into exploration, treat yourself, you won’t regret it.
    This is not for you if you fit in the following: -You are looking for thrills of a shoot em up game -You need the game to hold your hand -You are in a    Please don't let the complete lack of nuance of this forum make you overlook this game.
    I'm 20 hours in, most of them spent on a single planet trying to explore it all, If you are into exploration, treat yourself, you won’t regret it.

    This is not for you if you fit in the following:
    -You are looking for thrills of a shoot em up game
    -You need the game to hold your hand
    -You are in a hurry to finish
    -You hate figuring stuff out for yourself
    -You need instant gratification
    -You have the compulsion to explore everything and open all the doors

    The "story" will not be spoon fed to you
    You choose your path and what you wish to do
    Yes resource management is frustrating
    Not it doesn't have super high end graphics (It's an Indy made game for crying out loud)

    it's an infinite universe! more game need to be made this way    … Expand
  28. jimstallone
    Aug 15, 2016
    7
    It's hard to explain what kind of game No mans sky is and even harder to explain the feelings of discovery and wonder that it offers consistently. The first session of play will confuse you, bemuse you and slowly you will understand the mechanics and you will be off on your adventure. What is the goal, well that's hard to explain, all you really do is fly from planet to planet, system toIt's hard to explain what kind of game No mans sky is and even harder to explain the feelings of discovery and wonder that it offers consistently. The first session of play will confuse you, bemuse you and slowly you will understand the mechanics and you will be off on your adventure. What is the goal, well that's hard to explain, all you really do is fly from planet to planet, system to system discovering and learning more about ancient alien cultures and abandoned structures. If you are expected a tight story and all out action and adventure this isnt the game for you, however if you are after a slow paced often jaw dropping technical milestone in gaming give it a shot. Solid 7 for me… Expand
  29. Gyfaux
    Aug 18, 2016
    7
    Game is enjoyable. Most crashes have been resolved. Sightseeing around the galaxy is pretty cool.

    Sound in this game is superb. Music too. The writing is also excellent.

    Note: This is an amended review. My original score was much lower but with the latest patch the game is a lot more stable and therefore more chill to play.
  30. Rockadial
    Sep 12, 2018
    7
    The game is really fun, If you ever wondered what it was like to venture though space on your own striving to survive them you'll have fun.

    Lots of hate for no real reason at all.
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2016
2
#2 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 96 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 96
  2. Mixed: 54 out of 96
  3. Negative: 1 out of 96
  1. GameCritics
    May 8, 2020
    80
    While I’m sure developer Hello Games is still tweaking things and perhaps even creating more content for No Man’s Sky, the current state of affairs is a strong one. This galactic opus still offers an infinite amount of content for those who want to lose themselves among the stars, but now also contains a concrete throughline that will satisfy a wider array of players. It can be irritating at times, but it’s also full of stunning moments and the satisfaction of building a virtual life among the stars. Four years after launch, it’s finally a journey worth taking.
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  2. BaziCenter
    Feb 10, 2017
    60
    The world of No Man's Sky is insanely vast and beautiful, but there’s nothing to do in it! There’s no goal, no destination, no ending, nothing!
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  3. Easy Allies
    Dec 1, 2016
    60
    While No Man's Sky is engrossing for the first few hours, repetition starts to set in and the proceedings grow dull. The developers stated that they plan to add significant features such as base building which could dramatically change the game for the better. There's a promising foundation present, so it's possible to envision a more substantial game down the line. As it currently stands, though, our excitement to cross the universe faded sooner than we expected.
    Read full review
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