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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. jim109109
    Aug 26, 2018
    9
    I liked the concept of this game but personally, have never given in to the hype. Perhaps it is experience but I knew it would turn out to be feces on launch. It caught my attention though, after I learned that the developers were still updating it two years later. Maybe they were sincere in wanting it to reach their initial vision.

    Now with the NEXT update it has, and the game is    I liked the concept of this game but personally, have never given in to the hype. Perhaps it is experience but I knew it would turn out to be feces on launch. It caught my attention though, after I learned that the developers were still updating it two years later. Maybe they were sincere in wanting it to reach their initial vision.

    Now with the NEXT update it has, and the game is incredible, it took me entirely by surprise. If you still don't like it, it was never meant for you to begin with. It has an extremely large scope and a lot of variety. Every space game component you can think of is there and then some, trading, combat, farming, base building, fleet management, multiship freighters, customization, missions, alien diplomacy, endless worlds. Even a decent story. Just keep in mind that as a whole, the game is astonishing but it doesn't delve deeply in all of it's individual components, so don't buy it if say, only the combat is what interests you.

    I'm addicted and just scratching the surface. I couldn't in good conscience have asked for more. It's not for everybody, but if you do love this kind of game, it might be the one you've always waited for.    … Expand
  2. GumBoy
    Aug 15, 2016
    9
    You either love No Man's Sky, or mostly hate it. It's definitely not for everyone. I love the harshness, I love the solitude, I like the procedural generation, although some creatures might look silly. Basically, Robinson's Requiem meets Frontier for me. But I would definitely switch R3 and L3 buttons mapping. Running is a standard for L3 in FPS, and makes a difficult transition.You either love No Man's Sky, or mostly hate it. It's definitely not for everyone. I love the harshness, I love the solitude, I like the procedural generation, although some creatures might look silly. Basically, Robinson's Requiem meets Frontier for me. But I would definitely switch R3 and L3 buttons mapping. Running is a standard for L3 in FPS, and makes a difficult transition. Especially when you take a break from the game and play different one… Expand
  3. AcePowney
    Jun 25, 2020
    8
    No Man's Sky is one of those games you'll love or hate, I've given a generous score here because it seemed like when I started playing at 6 pm, 5 minutes later looking at the clock, it was 10 pm. Really one of those games where is not necessarily grinding as every planet and character is randomly generated, but you lose yourself and really become a collector of language, guns, ships andNo Man's Sky is one of those games you'll love or hate, I've given a generous score here because it seemed like when I started playing at 6 pm, 5 minutes later looking at the clock, it was 10 pm. Really one of those games where is not necessarily grinding as every planet and character is randomly generated, but you lose yourself and really become a collector of language, guns, ships and resources. The drawbacks of this game when I played was it felt lonely and some times the graphics would appear shaky. Other than that it's a game they are continuously improving and I will not be trading in or selling my copy as it just might continue that way!… Expand
  4. haztee
    Aug 12, 2016
    8
    Early Access, a term used for describing a game that is playable but not complete content wise, is what comes to mind while playing this game. I can't help to think that this is nowhere near what the team had visioned that their game would be like. Early interviews talked about multiplayer, and describe a more intriguing vision all together.

    Despite all this, there are much to like    Early Access, a term used for describing a game that is playable but not complete content wise, is what comes to mind while playing this game. I can't help to think that this is nowhere near what the team had visioned that their game would be like. Early interviews talked about multiplayer, and describe a more intriguing vision all together.

    Despite all this, there are much to like about MMS even in its current state. The gathering of resources and upgrading of the suit and getting new ships, a bit of a grind if approached with the wrong mind set, is a nice part of the game. And I for one really enjoys this part. The Atlas quest lines is also a fine and intriguing part of the game.

    While this is nowhere near what many had envisioned, player wise - obvious when looking at the review scores, had there not been so much hype this game would have score A LOT higher - but also developer wise. It's hard to ignore the feeling that PlayStation rushed the release - as where the case with Driveclub, which also tanked at release.

    Perhaps developers should be more careful when choosing Sony as publishers in the future.    … Expand
  5. HyphMingo
    Aug 31, 2016
    8
    Absolutely stunning looking game, and one of the most ambitious mainstream titles in a LONG time. Everyone I know who has watched or played it agrees broadly on this.

    Floating around, discovering, playing; It really is quite beautiful and easy to absorb yourself in, and the first time you land on a lush planet is quite something. I'm enjoying taking everything at my own pace, and its    Absolutely stunning looking game, and one of the most ambitious mainstream titles in a LONG time. Everyone I know who has watched or played it agrees broadly on this.

    Floating around, discovering, playing; It really is quite beautiful and easy to absorb yourself in, and the first time you land on a lush planet is quite something. I'm enjoying taking everything at my own pace, and its quite refreshing not to have everything handed to you on a plate.

    That said, as someone who has followed a development of the game for a long time, it is frustrating to see a lack of some of the features that were trailed in the build up. YET. The bug fixes are done, and I'm hoping to see some of them be added over the next few updates.

    Unless you are absolutely sure I would wait a few weeks before buying this: it isn't yet finished, but what is there is amazing.    … Expand
  6. hugosocool
    Jun 19, 2017
    9
    I'm gonna start this review by saying one thing, YES all the critique this game has received it does deserve, but I feel like people seem to completely ignore all the amazing things about it. It's infinite, atmospherical and extremely aesthetically pleasing. All the story objects offer beautiful poetic texts that are interesting and complex. This game is GREAT as an escape and exploration.I'm gonna start this review by saying one thing, YES all the critique this game has received it does deserve, but I feel like people seem to completely ignore all the amazing things about it. It's infinite, atmospherical and extremely aesthetically pleasing. All the story objects offer beautiful poetic texts that are interesting and complex. This game is GREAT as an escape and exploration. I have to agree before the updates it was lacking, but I played it back then too and liked it. So I feel like we need more fresh reviews here, the ones from august 2016 don't really hold up anymore and only show the negatives. I think it's important to mention though, this is not a game for everyone. it requires patience and a want to spend time on exploring. A big flaw with the game was that it was advertised as a game for everyone when actually, it's not. But if you like exploring and just escaping into this (almost) infinite universe, then I'd say this game is for you.… Expand
  7. ocramcan
    Oct 26, 2016
    9
    The game for me seems to be great. Initially though it is a little slow as you get enough experience on managing resources and space. Once you leave your first planet things start to get interesting.

    I love the random generation and the fact that you have to learn everything from zero. No maps, guides nothing. Probably thats why a lot of people don´t like it. You make your own way and    The game for me seems to be great. Initially though it is a little slow as you get enough experience on managing resources and space. Once you leave your first planet things start to get interesting.

    I love the random generation and the fact that you have to learn everything from zero. No maps, guides nothing. Probably thats why a lot of people don´t like it. You make your own way and the speed of your further development is set by you and only you.    … Expand
  8. Ishi123
    Sep 8, 2018
    8
    It took two years, but Hello Games has finally started to deliver on their massive promises that they so gleefully broke on release. Give them a bit of credit, though. EA and Activision would've abandoned this game right from the outset after failing so hard, but Hello Games stuck with it and with the NEXT update, it's finally looking like the game that everyone was clamoring for. AsideIt took two years, but Hello Games has finally started to deliver on their massive promises that they so gleefully broke on release. Give them a bit of credit, though. EA and Activision would've abandoned this game right from the outset after failing so hard, but Hello Games stuck with it and with the NEXT update, it's finally looking like the game that everyone was clamoring for. Aside from about 20 trucks worth of bugs and crashes that the developers are thankfully releasing patch after patch for constantly, the game is a good bit of fun with lots of stuff to do and explore, even if the planets and gameplay can get repetitive.

    If you were waiting for No Man's Sky to get good to finally get it, now's the time to do it. It's only going to keep getting better as the bugs are worked out and the system becomes more streamlined, and Hello Games continues to keep adding more content completely free over the course of only weeks. If you already were burned, however, I can't really convince you to come back if you don't want to. I didn't buy into the hype to begin with because I'm one of about three people on the planet who has long-term memory and pattern recognition, so I knew from the announcement that the game was going to crash and burn just like 99% of the others do.

    tl;dr, if you were waiting, get it now, but only when it's on sale, and if you were already burned, feel free to never touch it ever again unless you're generous and feel like giving them a second chance, because to their credit, they HAVE worked their asses off for the last two years to try to make up for Sean Murray's blatant lies.    … Expand
  9. El-Stresso
    Nov 5, 2016
    8
    I did not watch a single trailer or jumped on the hypetrain so I started the game with no expectations, and that was maybe the smartest thing I could do. This game is perfect for me, because I love exploration games. And being able to name whatever you want is pretty nice. The game can be harsh to players who are new, but after a few minutes into the game you start to get a grip on things.I did not watch a single trailer or jumped on the hypetrain so I started the game with no expectations, and that was maybe the smartest thing I could do. This game is perfect for me, because I love exploration games. And being able to name whatever you want is pretty nice. The game can be harsh to players who are new, but after a few minutes into the game you start to get a grip on things. Being able to take off from your first planet is an incredible feeling. When I first got into space I used a few minutes to shoot at everything I saw, got killed a few times. This game gets very repetitive, so if you don`t like games where you have to grind I can not recommend this, but if you like grinding and exploration like I do I recommend this.… Expand
  10. Tallulah
    Nov 29, 2016
    8
    I'm going to keep this brief. When I played NMS I got exactly what I was expecting. Now that HelloGames is releasing the content they said they would it just got better...and will continue to do so. I did not expect everything at once. I read what HG and SM said about more content in the future. Again, I got what I expected.
    The only negatives I'll mention is the tedious nature of trying    I'm going to keep this brief. When I played NMS I got exactly what I was expecting. Now that HelloGames is releasing the content they said they would it just got better...and will continue to do so. I did not expect everything at once. I read what HG and SM said about more content in the future. Again, I got what I expected.
    The only negatives I'll mention is the tedious nature of trying to get to the center. The map and distances were often unreliable. The route to center should take into account your max warp distsnce. Guessing and extrapolating the best place to go got old...fast. That's my only negative.
    I will never understand the hate for this game. To me people bought into the hype without knowing a damn thing. This isn't supposed to be Star Citizen or Elite Dangerous. From what I've read and seen those have plenty of issues as well. NMS's problem was hype. I personally blame Sony, and Sony deflected it back to HG when they know they (Sony) rushed HG for release. Sony is also responsible for most of the hype.
    I've been let down by a lot of games like so many have and I cannot fathom the hate train here. And I don't want to.    … Expand
  11. NescafeUser
    Mar 20, 2017
    10
    With patch 1.13 this is a perfect game for me. Everything is in its place and as developers said to us - this is a exploring game. I'm really exited about 1.22 patch and new game features.
  12. jotade14
    Apr 10, 2017
    8
    En lo personal es muy bueno este juego, los planetas que descubres son maravillosos, tiene un contenido por realizar que es brutal, entre conseguir unas buenas naves expandir tu inventario del exotraje, de la nave conseguir carguero hacer las misiones de los NPCs andar en tu coche por un planeta descubrir todas las tecnologias viajar para ver que es el atlas y llegar al centro de laEn lo personal es muy bueno este juego, los planetas que descubres son maravillosos, tiene un contenido por realizar que es brutal, entre conseguir unas buenas naves expandir tu inventario del exotraje, de la nave conseguir carguero hacer las misiones de los NPCs andar en tu coche por un planeta descubrir todas las tecnologias viajar para ver que es el atlas y llegar al centro de la galaxia es practicamente infinito.
    Eso si no defiendo las mentiras de cuando se lanzo el juego pero no merecia tanta critica destructiva, hay que reconocer que es bueno el juego en comparacion de otros titulos peores menos criticados.    … Expand
  13. pokegod11
    Jul 28, 2020
    10
    Amazing game after all of the updates that hello games added to the game post launch
  14. dandjent
    Nov 6, 2018
    10
    My favorite game of all time. And has been since its release. It's not perfect. But there just isn't anything else like it. Truly a unique and special game that everyone should at least try once if they're into space/sci fi.
  15. andybock
    Jun 20, 2020
    8
    I have played this game from the beginning, and wow has it changed. The additional vr support is extremely emersive, and makes for a great time. Thanks for keeping up with the title Sean Murray.
  16. altair77
    Feb 10, 2020
    10
    Greatest comeback in the history of comebacks. Thanks for not abandoning this game, 11/10 would recommend
  17. tygoro
    Feb 11, 2020
    10
    I love this game, it's the best on the planet. Had a rough start but the dev's REALLY do care and they are constantly improving the game.
  18. Fridi08
    Apr 27, 2020
    9
    It's very fun, the story is cool and the gameplay is good. But when I'm in a shuttle, the camera sometimes glitches down
  19. karay123
    Jun 20, 2020
    8
    After many updates and patches finally is a really good game. There is still a lack of diversity on the planets, too many times animals are the same and the plants also. We need more variety and types of planets.
  20. Dillonstone450
    Jul 19, 2020
    10
    I've been playing this game since day one. At that point I probably would have given it about a seven, it was still pretty wonderful and didn't deserve all of the hate that it got. But over the years they have added on so many features and basically everything that was promised and so much more. I absolutely love this game
  21. Samfi
    Sep 8, 2020
    8
    This game was an absolute let down when it first came out but they managed to fix it with free updates, now it has a lot of possibilities to explore, space fights and trading aside from the beautiful and different worlds, really worth the money right now
  22. Breisenberg
    Aug 9, 2016
    8
    Have played ~ 6.5 hours and I'm still having a great time. I'm personally a huge fan of exploring, and while I'm sure it will eventually get repetitive, I've yet to feel a shortage of places or things to discover. Space combat is decent, not much to say for the ground combat really. Definitely some framerate issues when you're flying low over a planet, and low res textures on PS4, but thatHave played ~ 6.5 hours and I'm still having a great time. I'm personally a huge fan of exploring, and while I'm sure it will eventually get repetitive, I've yet to feel a shortage of places or things to discover. Space combat is decent, not much to say for the ground combat really. Definitely some framerate issues when you're flying low over a planet, and low res textures on PS4, but that personally never bothered me in any game, as long as the gameplay is good, which I do think it is. I think the problem with a lot of folks it that they're following the 'tutorial' too strictly which tends to take you on a quick, repetitive path. I ignored the initial planet jump when instructed and ended up spending 4.5 hours on my starting planet just exploring, and was pleased with the progress I made there alone. Like I said, I can see this getting repetitive, but for me personally, it's a great experience. I'm sure once they add base building (which they said might be in the next patch), people will find better ways to utilize the resources instead of constantly recharging/refueling items. Overall, a great game IMO.… Expand
  23. Celonius
    Aug 9, 2016
    10
    If you like the feeling of loneliness among the stars, the breathing of each different planet and the mystery of reaching every new star system, this is your game. Don't trust the negative reviews, probably written by those who never understood what is this game about, which its core is not action, neither the online, just an exploration game which allows you to jump into the stars toIf you like the feeling of loneliness among the stars, the breathing of each different planet and the mystery of reaching every new star system, this is your game. Don't trust the negative reviews, probably written by those who never understood what is this game about, which its core is not action, neither the online, just an exploration game which allows you to jump into the stars to discover the greatness of the huge universe in all its creation adn greatness. Hello Games and Sean Murray have done what they promised, this game is exactly what they said it would be, even much more that we, the ones who understood what they aimed to, could expect.… Expand
  24. brainygamerdude
    Aug 9, 2016
    8
    Please note that this game is definitely not for everybody. Gathering resources and managing various systems can get a little tedious. However, this game has a great art style and inspires a unique sense of wonder and discovery. If you like exploration games, especially if you like space exploration, and if you like adventure games like Minecraft, then you will probably like this game.Please note that this game is definitely not for everybody. Gathering resources and managing various systems can get a little tedious. However, this game has a great art style and inspires a unique sense of wonder and discovery. If you like exploration games, especially if you like space exploration, and if you like adventure games like Minecraft, then you will probably like this game. More than enough content to be worth $60.… Expand
  25. FilippoAD
    Aug 10, 2016
    10
    Its not a 10 my vote is between 8 and 9 but its absurd to see so many zeroes. Metacritic should ban those accounts. Game is s lot of fun and gave me in my first day a lot of emotions that it was long time that i didn't feel in the game industry. Survival and exploration ftw. A must have for sci-fi lovers
  26. Tarekderbas
    Aug 12, 2016
    10
    First and foremost, procedural generation of planets and environments works very well and produces extreme variation in planets, landscapes, resource abundances, and flora. The variation in Fauna could be slightly better but it's mighty good already. As for gameplay, it's a very immersive experience with very little to no hand-holding. You can choose to follow certain scripted narrativesFirst and foremost, procedural generation of planets and environments works very well and produces extreme variation in planets, landscapes, resource abundances, and flora. The variation in Fauna could be slightly better but it's mighty good already. As for gameplay, it's a very immersive experience with very little to no hand-holding. You can choose to follow certain scripted narratives or ignore them temporarily or indefinitely. The gameplay is fairly addictive for those who like exploration, gathering resources, and unlocking mysteries.

    Above all that, the game achieves what it sets out to do by creating a sense of awe and giving the player the feeling of single-handedly exploring a vast universe. It also has just enough elements and NPC's in play to keep you interested for a long time. All that with promised FREE future patches and update adding even more features which players are now anticipating. This game is a 10 for me both in premise and execution. WELL DONE HELLO GAMES. P.S. I spent about 7 hours on my first planet and wasn't bored for a second of it!    … Expand
  27. SpiderJeruselam
    Aug 10, 2016
    8
    No Mans Sky is not for everyone but for those that it is, it is an awesome gaming experience. I am about 20 hours in and cant wait to continue my journey. If you liked subnautica you will love this game.
  28. jacksonreynolds
    Aug 10, 2016
    10
    Definitely worth it if its your cup of tea, the game is amazing for those who want to sit back and relax the survival elements are brilliant and i recommend it to people who love exploration games and are into sci fi
  29. terrybd
    Aug 10, 2016
    8
    Is this the best game ever made? no. Is this a fast paced space-sim? no. This, as Sean Murray has put it is "chill". If, from all the videos and media that has been released about this game over the past two years you had landed on a solid picture of what this game was, you're going to be disappointed because it won't be what you had pictured. I myself flip-flopped many times over thatIs this the best game ever made? no. Is this a fast paced space-sim? no. This, as Sean Murray has put it is "chill". If, from all the videos and media that has been released about this game over the past two years you had landed on a solid picture of what this game was, you're going to be disappointed because it won't be what you had pictured. I myself flip-flopped many times over that time period as to whether I was interested or not in what this game had to offer. I didn't even know until I booted it up what this game was really offering me.

    You begin on a planet with a broken ship you have to find resources to ultimately get your ship up and running. This could take you a couple of minutes, it could also take you a couple of hours if you get lost in the process of finding plants and animals. It will all depend on you.

    You collect resources, you improve things, you meet nondescript aliens, you explore. You name things. You sell things. Rinse and repeat. And that's where people are getting stuck, they expected more story, they expected bigger and better things. But a lot of fun can be had from navigating to planets, exploring them to find stones that teach you new alien words, new blueprints for weapons, multi-tool attachments etc. Sometimes you'll fly towards the stars and pirates decided they want what is up for grabs. Is this Elite Dangerous, no. But it's not trying to be a space combat sim. It's trying to be a game about exploring, about trying to find your way in the way you choose to the center of the galaxy. You can avoid everything, or explore everything.

    I truly look forward to what Hello Games do to this game in the days, weeks and months to come. Maybe a more involved trade system, maybe a more refined map so you can call a place home. Although with the goal being to get to the center of the universe, I'm not sure they want you to call anywhere home.    … Expand
  30. stupidget
    Aug 12, 2016
    10
    I get the distinct impression that a huge amount of negative posts are from people who have clearly NOT PLAYED THE GAME!! There is far more to this game than simply mining for materials and upgrading things. Or some people just don't 'get' the game. It's not a space battle, FPS, all action fest. It's a very clever, deep and somewhat emotional game. How would you feel if you were theI get the distinct impression that a huge amount of negative posts are from people who have clearly NOT PLAYED THE GAME!! There is far more to this game than simply mining for materials and upgrading things. Or some people just don't 'get' the game. It's not a space battle, FPS, all action fest. It's a very clever, deep and somewhat emotional game. How would you feel if you were the only one of your race in the galaxy with the slightest 1 in a million chance of seeing anybody again?

    For those of you of a certain age, NMS is the glorious child of Captain Blood and Elite!! I've been playing for a couple of hours now and I've already discovered loads of new species and different flora and fauna and uploaded them to earn some units. I've learnt a tiny amount of an alien language. I've become a friend of a particular race of aliens which means I get info from them. I've built my hyperdrive and visited a new start system. I've bought and sold stuff on the intergalactic market, I visited a space station and I've just broken into a disused plant to steal some blueprints. I had to 'blow the bloody doors off' to get in which alerted the sentinels which meant I had to hide in a tunnel until they disappeared!!

    From what I've seen so far this game is simply amazing and looks fantastic (if you landed in the middle of the Sahara desert you'd think earth was pretty dull!!). Each planet I've visited has looked and felt completely different. Some have just been rocky with very few animals, where as some have had huge areas of plants and trees, with bizarre hopping creatures, massive caves to explore and loads and loads of materials to mine. For me I think this is going to be my next Elder Scrolls On-Line which I spent over 100 hours playing!

    I've given it 10 to hopefully boost the score because this game deserves it. No game should get a 10 as no game is perfect. So I'd probably have given it a 9 if there weren't so many morons about.    … Expand
  31. BetamaxDisco
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    This game is brimming with wonder and delight. It is both an unparalleled technical accomplishment and a noteworthy feat of human endeavour, given the very modest team behind its staggering scope. Aside from the tremendous craft involved, it provides a comprehensive realisation of the escapist fantasies of my childhood. It is a unique and special thing. I am glad it exists. I wouldThis game is brimming with wonder and delight. It is both an unparalleled technical accomplishment and a noteworthy feat of human endeavour, given the very modest team behind its staggering scope. Aside from the tremendous craft involved, it provides a comprehensive realisation of the escapist fantasies of my childhood. It is a unique and special thing. I am glad it exists. I would recommend it without hesitation.… Expand
  32. ThereIsNoSpoon
    Aug 17, 2016
    9
    After 60+ hours with No Man's Sky, despite all its faults, I have lost taste for most other games. They seem so predictable now--static, and even annoying. They hold your hand, spoonfeed you exposition, and put up invisible walls to prevent you from wandering too far. They distract you every second with scripted event after scripted event, cinematic after cinematic, XP notifications forAfter 60+ hours with No Man's Sky, despite all its faults, I have lost taste for most other games. They seem so predictable now--static, and even annoying. They hold your hand, spoonfeed you exposition, and put up invisible walls to prevent you from wandering too far. They distract you every second with scripted event after scripted event, cinematic after cinematic, XP notifications for everything and GPS that you follow like a drone to and from each destination. There's nothing new to discover in them, you're just a rat going through the maze the developers have built for you. With the possible exception of Minecraft, there's nothing quite like No Man's Sky.

    The possibilities of finding something no one else has found, or ever WILL find (including the developers), is infinite. The experiences and stories that YOU create are infinite. What do YOU want to do? That's the question you have to ask yourself when you play this game, because short of some initial objectives the first few hours, you're pretty much left on your own to explore and do whatever the heck you want. Maybe you want to survey a new planet and discover its unique inhabitants? Or mine some minerals to upgrade your ship? Blast off to space seamlessly and kill some pirates? Do some trading at a space station? Learn more of an alien language? Create your own cave system? Find a new weapon? Try to reach the center of the galaxy? Roleplay as an amphibious octopus with parkinson's disease? It's up to you.

    And sadly, a huge wealth of people just aren't going to know how to handle that sort of lack of direction. Their reason for hating the game will be "the gameplay is basic and repetitive" and then they'll proceed to go prestige in Call of Duty for the 10th time, or grind the same bosses over and over again in Destiny. What they really mean to say is they lack the imagination and patience to enjoy this kind of freeform sandbox. And that's okay; not everyone is going to "get" this game, but that doesn't mean they have to crap all over it on review sites and try to dissuade people from checking it out. Just go about your day, shooting 500 zombies in the head or whatever else you do.

    For us imaginative explorers, this is the game we've always wanted to play, to be able to stare up at the night sky and see a far away planet, and know that you can actually go off and explore it seamlessly. It's a game for those of us who've grown tired of smacking our faces into invisible walls or mountains for 20+ years. And did I mention it's often beautiful, has a nice soundtrack, and that it's all been created by less than 20 people? No Man's Sky is an amazing accomplishment however way you look at it.

    It has plenty of room to grow though, and it has stability issues at the time of this writing, and that's why I've given it a 9 rating. With future updates and a dedicated and passionate community though, the sky is the limit. Sure, I could list every negative aspect of the game and take the rating down a notch, but the fact of the matter is, this game has done more for gaming than any game has or will this year. Its procedurally generated universe will be referenced and studied for years to come. And years from now, I'll probably still be popping in it from time to time to see what kind of weird planets and creatures I can find, because no one will ever discover them all. If all that doesn't warrant a high rating, I don't know what should.    … Expand
  33. MrQbit
    Aug 12, 2016
    9
    Here is the deal, I was NOT hyped at all for this game, because my expectations where (as other have stated) big & shallow, won't keep me engaged.
    Now, for a few years to be honest almost no game has kept me engaged for more than a couple of hours, then I get bored and drop it, I am not what you would call a "serious" gamer (although I do end up with quite a large collection).
    Second    Here is the deal, I was NOT hyped at all for this game, because my expectations where (as other have stated) big & shallow, won't keep me engaged.
    Now, for a few years to be honest almost no game has kept me engaged for more than a couple of hours, then I get bored and drop it, I am not what you would call a "serious" gamer (although I do end up with quite a large collection).
    Second disclaimer, I own an Xbox One, it is my family system, we all use it, I bough a PS4 recently because I want to try out PSVR when released and I got it very cheap, not with any game in mind (except maybe Battlefield 1 later in the year). The PS4 is hooked up to a large monitor and no one else uses it, just me.
    So, finally, to the game, as I said, pretty much first PS4 game, not hyped much, but then I start seeing lots of negative reviews around and I though, you know what ? ,I am sure this game does not deserve these reviews, I know Devs have worked very hard on it and should get some unbiased reviews that don't come from fanboys (PS4 or XBO).
    I got the game from PS Store (deserves another review, how is it possible that the same credit card I JUST used to pay Playstation Plus now is not valid ?), installed fairly quickly, reported size is even less than what I had been reading (3.6GB I believe was the download).
    I started the game in a random planet, did not see much of interest, walked around a bit, got attacked by bunch of animals, started getting bored, fixed the ship and took off.
    Space Station helped me build hyper-drive, so I started planet hopping, I have been following clues, I am hooked on the "ruins" thing, but I also know now how to be efficient with resources, I basically spend most of the time jumping back to or looking for new planets with gold, once I figured out what to look for I fill up my ship with gold and take off, I am able to get huge amounts of credits by trading it and buy everything I need (I would say I have pretty much become a trader).

    Is everything good ?, absolutely no:
    I have seen the issues, fish swimming in one inch water, a ruin located 1 mile underwater, clearly related to random generation, potentially fixable. I have also had crashes, twice, I do not like that (and the reason I took 1 point from the score), this should not happen at all in a controlled environment like PS4, also, I am sure, quite possible to patch.
    I do not like that I have 2 "trading" menus instead of 1 to buy/sell, also that I can only trade my exosuit content, that's a minor annoyance.
    Opposite to many of the other reviews I have walked quite far form my ship and there IS always a marker that shows you the way back, I guess it can be a bit trickier to find if you are underground, but I have never lost my ship nor do I see how you could at all.
    Still could not get the atlas pass, not that I have focused much effort on it.
    I wish I could get (maybe later in the game) some sort of bot built that will continue mining for me, even if I have to return to orbit to pick up the resources, even if the bot took a slot in my ship I think it would still be worth it.
    I would like to see some sort of multiplayer added, if I do happen to find other players I would like to be able to interact with them better (trade, maybe travel together from that point, even if fighting is not an option I would not mind that terribly)

    I like the atmosphere overall, I like the music, It has kept me engaged for longer than any other game I can remember since God Of War 3 (I really think I have only spent more time in CIV right now).
    Maybe the fact that I did not have a PS4 and I did not get over-hyped helped, but I am truly enjoying the game and I hope devs will continue supporting it, adding content, etc.
    Others have focused in the resource gathering aspects, I have found it be easier to manage than other games I have played, and not so boring.
    Graphics are interesting, I like the palette, quality is adequate, better than you would get on an MMORPG, but not photo-realistic, you should not get the game if high-end graphics are key to your gaming experience.
    I have heard some complains about FOV, I think it's fine, but I also notice the PS4 struggles sometimes to render everything as I fly over.
    It seems the price was another pain point, it was not for me, not because I have a lot of money, I do not, but the fact is I don't buy that many games, and as I said, other games do not keep me that engaged, so in the end if I have invested 50 or 60 dollars in a game and it only keeps me entertained for 10 hours I have wasted the money, on the other hand this game, I can see putting in a lot more hours (I am sure I am well over 30 hours already), so, in my case, I am fine with the price.
    I do suggest if you are on the edge that you wait, I am quite sure price will drop in a couple of months and I do not think starting first will give other players any kind of insurmountable advantage

    Overall, fun game, interesting, great looking, I am quite happy with it :)    … Expand
  34. Jarhead335
    Aug 11, 2016
    9
    About 4 hours in it has become increasingly clear to me that No Man's Sky isn't the game we expected. I wanted the multiplayer and the space battles and the exhilaration. What I got was something a bit different.

    No Man's Sky is, first and foremost, beautiful to look at. It may feel redundant at times, but each new planet is unique. Flora and fauna, the sunsets and moons, oceans and    About 4 hours in it has become increasingly clear to me that No Man's Sky isn't the game we expected. I wanted the multiplayer and the space battles and the exhilaration. What I got was something a bit different.

    No Man's Sky is, first and foremost, beautiful to look at. It may feel redundant at times, but each new planet is unique. Flora and fauna, the sunsets and moons, oceans and valleys and blizzards and toxic storms are each gorgeous in their own right, and delightful to experience. Upgrading is easier than people are making it out to be- if you're short on money, just mine some useless rock and trade it in for cash. There is easy access to progression even on the most inhospitable planet.

    I have yet to enter a true combat sequence in space, but encountering massive frigates and space stations is equally fantastical. The sheer size and scope gives you time to reflect, appreciate, and consider your next steps. Do you really want to warp away from the planet with the trading outpost and that nice ship you could buy? Will that space station hold friends or foes? Do I have enough equipment to make it out of the system, even if I have to shoot my way out?

    Really, I've found No Man's Sky to be an existential monument. It forces you to be patient, confront solitude, and contemplate what it means to be alone discovering the universe. Repetitive isn't the word I'd use- reflective is. I'm treating my playthrough like a choose your own adventure Sci-Fi novel of my youth, and each new alien landscape I slog across is a reminder of the wonders of discovery that I personally haven't felt since I was a kid. It moved me, deeply, and I have a feeling that as I inch my way toward the center it will continue to make me think about my actions and the journey I'm taking in a way I haven't considered in a long, long time.    … Expand
  35. Darknorm
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    How can you be upset about a game that has tried to push the boundaries and do something different. No Mans Sky is absolutely breathtaking and a fantastic experience all round.
  36. DLikens3
    Aug 9, 2016
    8
    This game Is an awesome open universe game and its not for everyone at times it will be very slowly paced however I find games like this enjoyable plus a lot of people don't take into consideration that only 10 people made this game and for what its worth I think that it is a great game but there are a few problems one of which is sentinals, I mean I like the survival aspect of it but itThis game Is an awesome open universe game and its not for everyone at times it will be very slowly paced however I find games like this enjoyable plus a lot of people don't take into consideration that only 10 people made this game and for what its worth I think that it is a great game but there are a few problems one of which is sentinals, I mean I like the survival aspect of it but it messes with gameplay when every 30 seconds on a planet you start getting atacked by sentinals because you were mining resorces and its really unforgiving. I think that this game has the potential to be the next minecraft and I think that as they keep updating it ,it will turn into a masterpiece. This is just the start of great game.… Expand
  37. ipaTcH_HUN
    Aug 10, 2016
    10
    Currently i stopped playing with every other game... this is just a masterpiece. This game fills all my expectations. The only thing a miss is the online part, maybe just adding the feature to see others makes the game much more fun... discovering new planets together. Hope they make this step too :)
  38. VindicationDay
    Aug 11, 2016
    9
    No Man's Sky is a lonely game. To me, that's what makes it so brilliant.

    There's no multiplayer in No Man's Sky. The universe you'll get to explore is truly universe-sized, which means the odds of running into another player are practically slim to none. There are creatures that roam the planets, but your presence is largely inconsequential to them, as it is the ecosystem as a whole.    No Man's Sky is a lonely game. To me, that's what makes it so brilliant.

    There's no multiplayer in No Man's Sky. The universe you'll get to explore is truly universe-sized, which means the odds of running into another player are practically slim to none. There are creatures that roam the planets, but your presence is largely inconsequential to them, as it is the ecosystem as a whole. The various alien NPCs you'll occasionally encounter speak in languages that, at least initially, are impossible to understand. You have to survive on your own. There's no map to tell you where you are, and nobody will come to rescue you if you get lost. You're completely alone. And if the thought of any of this unnerves you, then this may not be the game for you.

    But there's something amazing about being alone in this universe that Hello Games has created. Personally, I find it amazing that the planets I've discovered and the species I've encountered have never been seen by any other player. There's something almost trance-like about flying your spaceship over a mysterious new world, finding a spot to land, and trekking through caves and valleys in search of your next adventure. While some may be disappointed in the lack of base-building (and an overall lack of high-level interactivity with the world,) I find that this actually helps with immersion. You are a stranger in this universe, and your only place of refuge is your ship. It's your only lifeline; it's your shelter during a massive dust storm, your escape plan when you're outnumbered and outgunned, and your only true companion on your journey to discover just what lies in the center of the universe.

    And while the trek to the center is the ultimate goal of the game, there's no narrative to tie you to that. If you want, you can spend all your time exploring without any purpose at all. At the beginning of the game, you are offered a choice--would you like occasional objective markers to help guide you through your journey? Or would you like to abandon all guidance and find your own way? The latter option makes the opening hours of the game much more difficult, as you must figure out how to repair your craft and venture out of the solar system on your own. But for players who want to take their time and avoid any hand holding (of which there is very little in the first place,) the option is there.

    The gameplay ultimately boils down to mining for resources to keep you alive and upgrade your craft so you can continue further and further into the universe. Each planet has it's own ecosystem, making certain elements difficult to come by in certain areas, which ups the stakes and encourages preparation. Do I have enough fuel to venture to this new planet? What will I encounter when I get there? If it's barren, will I have enough fuel to liftoff again? Maybe it's a lush planet--perhaps I should stop at this space station and trade some of my goods afterwards. Is my suit capable of keeping me warm once night falls on this frozen planet?

    In addition to all of that, this is a game about discovering the lore of the universe. While there isn't much of a traditional narrative, bits and pieces of history and inklings of alien languages can be discovered at mysterious structures dotted around the universe. That's all I'll get into about that, to prevent heavy spoilers.

    It helps that the presentation is absolutely jaw-dropping. Every randomly-generated galaxy, planet, cavern, ocean, forest, and animal shares a high-contrast, highly color-saturated design that never gets old. I've visited about 10 planets so far, and all of them have been beautiful in their own right. One planet I visited was full of snow-tipped mountaintops that glimmered in the light of the setting sun. Another was almost completely barren, yet there was something beautifully haunting about it's mysterious purple surface that spurred me to investigate. The soundtrack also deserves special mention--it's a moody and contemplative score that ups the ante at just the right moments. It hasn't grown stale and adds an immense amount of atmosphere to an already incredible game. And of course, if you don't like it, you can always turn it off, or opt to listen to your own music (on PS4 via Spotify) instead.

    The only things that didn't wow me were the lack of variation in planetary outposts, as well as the less-than-stellar design of some of the NPC Aliens you speak and trade with at these outposts. But considering the massive scale of this game and the high level of quality throughout, these are relatively minor issues.

    No Man's Sky is a game about you, your starship, and the universe. It's a game about discovery, atmosphere and immersion. It's unlike anything I've ever played before. If you want to take a break from the fast paced AAA shooters and lose yourself in a gorgeous, essentially endless universe, you'll be hard pressed to do better than No Man's Sky.    … Expand
  39. MikeMenkes
    Aug 9, 2016
    9
    4 hours in, you have to understand what this game is to understand its potential. Its a sandbox exploration game. No, it has not been perilous, although I've died once when overdoing farming and attracting the attention of drones. There have been tense moments as my environmental shield depleted or in the one dogfight or when breaching a security wall and having to fight my way in. If4 hours in, you have to understand what this game is to understand its potential. Its a sandbox exploration game. No, it has not been perilous, although I've died once when overdoing farming and attracting the attention of drones. There have been tense moments as my environmental shield depleted or in the one dogfight or when breaching a security wall and having to fight my way in. If a planet is dull, move on. They won't all be spectacular. If you were expecting an action go play an action game. This more like Minespacecraft. As we go deeper, I expect we will be seeing more and more mystery. If you can't play a game which gives you breathing space to be what you want in the game, don't play this one. It is exactly the game Hello said it would be.… Expand
  40. psgamer4
    Aug 9, 2016
    10
    The scores of zero are just absolutely ridiculous. I wouldn't rate this a 10/10, it's a 8/10, but potentially better as I've only sunk 10 hours into the game and my impressions of it are improving every hour as I learn more about the game. At the end of the day, I wouldn't be surprised if this game crept into the 10/10 category after I sink 30+ hours into it.

    Let's clarify one thing...    The scores of zero are just absolutely ridiculous. I wouldn't rate this a 10/10, it's a 8/10, but potentially better as I've only sunk 10 hours into the game and my impressions of it are improving every hour as I learn more about the game. At the end of the day, I wouldn't be surprised if this game crept into the 10/10 category after I sink 30+ hours into it.

    Let's clarify one thing... A lot of the 0/10's are either:

    A. Xbox trolls. No explanation needed.

    B. PC gamers that are heavily invested in Elite and other space games, not sure why they even care. It's obvious, because they say they played the game for hours, but decided they would go back to Elite. Yup... you have a powerful PC, but decided to get this game on PS4? Sure ya did. Doubt they even played it.

    C. People who didn't understand what they were getting into. You don't buy Super Mario Bros and complain that it's not a FPS, then rate it a 0/10 on Metacritic.

    It delivers what it promises: Explore. Fight. Trade. Survive. If you expected something different, then that's your own fault. If you take the game for what it is, you will enjoy it. Just don't buy it and expect to hop in a deathmatch with your friends. This game is not that and I'm glad it's not trying to be that, we already have a lot of those games. This game is a work of art, very unique, and beautiful at it's core. There is nothing out there that you can compare with No Man's Sky.    … Expand
  41. AlexPixels
    Aug 9, 2016
    8
    The start is confusing in terms of what to do and how to do it, but after a while it becomes extremely fun and adventurous wondering what lies on the next planet you can see silhouetted in the night sky of the currently planet sized planet your on. This game is a fun relax game which is a breath of fresh air with all the competitive games coming out (Over watch, Battlefield 1, Call ofThe start is confusing in terms of what to do and how to do it, but after a while it becomes extremely fun and adventurous wondering what lies on the next planet you can see silhouetted in the night sky of the currently planet sized planet your on. This game is a fun relax game which is a breath of fresh air with all the competitive games coming out (Over watch, Battlefield 1, Call of duty) coming out, this is a nice sit down after a long day and exploring space and it's mysteries.… Expand
  42. SovereignJerk
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    After a little more time with No Man'S Sky I decided to rewrite my review. I originally gave it a 9/10, but I've decided it's earned it's 10/10.

    First of all this game simply isn't for everyone. That's ok, I get that. But for the people that I know will absolutely love this game, this review is aimed at you. If you have any passion for astronomy, or science fiction the likes of which    After a little more time with No Man'S Sky I decided to rewrite my review. I originally gave it a 9/10, but I've decided it's earned it's 10/10.

    First of all this game simply isn't for everyone. That's ok, I get that. But for the people that I know will absolutely love this game, this review is aimed at you. If you have any passion for astronomy, or science fiction the likes of which you find in pulp magazines or obscure online communities, this game is for you. If you loved Noctis IV, Star Control 2, Elite, the X series, this game is for you. If you love Starbound, RimWorld, Terraria, MineCraft, this game is for you.

    It's an accomplishment that few others have managed to rival, let alone come near to rivaling.

    Not everyone will agree with this, but those people aren't who this game was meant for. Hello Games and Sean Murray had a vision, that they laid bare since he beginning. That vision has come to reality and it is magnificent. I am excited to see where they take it from here.    … Expand
  43. ahdavies6
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    It's as simple as this: do you like the idea of spending lots of time exploring, by yourself, just for the sake of exploring? If the answer is yes, buy this game, STAT. If the answer is no, you're probably not going to enjoy it very much. Users (and many critics) are comparing it to their own hopes of what it could have been, but if you hold this game to exactly what the developers said itIt's as simple as this: do you like the idea of spending lots of time exploring, by yourself, just for the sake of exploring? If the answer is yes, buy this game, STAT. If the answer is no, you're probably not going to enjoy it very much. Users (and many critics) are comparing it to their own hopes of what it could have been, but if you hold this game to exactly what the developers said it would be, you see it for what it is: a masterpiece of procedural generation, and a strikingly beautiful indicator of where gaming may head in the future.… Expand
  44. jasonsalley
    Aug 10, 2016
    10
    This game is not for everyone. If you need combat, and constant action this game is not for you. If you like exploring and grinding this game is for you. That should have been very apparent pre-release.

    The bizarre hostility towards this game from, probably **** is likely largely from people who haven't played it, aren't going to play it and just think they know they hate it. There is    This game is not for everyone. If you need combat, and constant action this game is not for you. If you like exploring and grinding this game is for you. That should have been very apparent pre-release.

    The bizarre hostility towards this game from, probably **** is likely largely from people who haven't played it, aren't going to play it and just think they know they hate it. There is absolutely no way you can play this and give it anything less than a 6.

    That being said you have to take what has been said about this game on both sides with a grain of salt. It may be breathtaking in scope and size but as far as I have seen it's mostly the "same" on the planets (I've only been to about 5 so far.). But that doesn't mean it isn't a fantastic game.

    I believe they will add more as time goes on (because they said they would)    … Expand
  45. LukaasMarx
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    this game is so good, and unique.. but it's not for everyone.. i always love the universe.. and i got so imersive into this game, i love how the game works and makes me wanna discover all different planets.. i think i play 70+ hours and i still into this,, the review is 50/50 i think half of people gets whats is the meaning of the game
  46. TempestLight
    Aug 10, 2016
    10
    Ten years in the making. An (almost) overly ambitious change in environmental story telling, with proceduraly generated planets; taking the assembly of which away from artists and leaving to the computer system you are using. A huge amount of media coverage and hype. Set backs, delays, hear-say, rumor and speculation.

    Now it is here. No Man's Sky available on the PS4 and by the 12th of    Ten years in the making. An (almost) overly ambitious change in environmental story telling, with proceduraly generated planets; taking the assembly of which away from artists and leaving to the computer system you are using. A huge amount of media coverage and hype. Set backs, delays, hear-say, rumor and speculation.

    Now it is here. No Man's Sky available on the PS4 and by the 12th of August, for PC owners too; and, so, what are we left with? An experience that can be conveyed as simply 'outstanding'.

    All games, to different degrees, use the virtual environments within them to help tell a story, or more accurately to create an experience. Since virtual environments became a viable option for the home computer game market; some games have, in the past, demonstrated that even when other elements that we have come to expect in many genres of gaming (such as story-telling, characterization, clear plot progression) fail, those games have still held the attention of many players who find something in the experience that overrides those components.

    Well, let us not jump to the conclusion that there is no story or plot here! However, like the best open world rpgs; that story is largely created by you and your interaction with the most immense playing area that we are ever likely to see. The main thread that acts as a form of direction for the general player. is the simple objective of reaching the center of the universe. However, don't be fooled by that; as even that task is not a small feat and the sheer enormity of this mega-verse comes in to sharp focus.

    No Man's Sky is a game that can just keep on going and going. Although certain elements of game-play will become repetitive (this is a capitulate of all games); the possibilities for exploration, creating in-game player items; combat; and soon multi-player interaction mean that even if the 'end' of the game is reaching the center of the universe, that is not really an end; but, potentially, just a beginning. Perhaps, as if only just having completed the Introduction to a huge epic book that you will write for yourself.

    We recently saw a huge influx of open world games (Fallout4, The Witcher3, MGS5, GT5, Mad Max, etc.), but as it stands; No Man's Sky could easily declare itself as an open Universe game.

    This game really is something quite unique; it hits you with completely immersive atmospheric and environmental story-telling and then gives you enough trinkets on top to keep you entertained and curious enough to just want more. That is the essence of gaming, the basics; and on that solid base we have a gem. A masterpiece that is pushing the boundaries; and not everyone will be intelligent enough to understand why.

    No Man's Sky is readily welcomed by this reviewer, who strongly feels that he will continue returning to this game long after I have achieved any goals that I set mid-term.    … Expand
  47. True__Fiction
    Aug 10, 2016
    10
    It looks good, it's fun to play, there is a lot to explore, the dev's WILL add more. The developers at Hello Games have done an incredible job with the hand they've been dealt. The release version is not a perfect 10/10, but I trust that by the time they are done with this game it will be. While it may not be perfect right now, if this was the end product I still think it would have beenIt looks good, it's fun to play, there is a lot to explore, the dev's WILL add more. The developers at Hello Games have done an incredible job with the hand they've been dealt. The release version is not a perfect 10/10, but I trust that by the time they are done with this game it will be. While it may not be perfect right now, if this was the end product I still think it would have been worth every penny. Don't listen to the people giving this game a low score. It may not be what you were expecting, but it is still a great game.… Expand
  48. foofiders
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    easily best game i have ever played, incredibly, massive, tons to explore, even more to do. I have never been amazed by a game this much in years. 10/10
  49. Ikenda
    Aug 3, 2017
    9
    I understand people nagging about the boredom of No Man's Sky. What they don't understand is that they simply don't like survival-exploration games. I love them. And No Man's Sky is the biggest and most ambitious. Imagine if they put more things in the future as the trend is today with dlc, free or not. I love it. 40 hours in since launch and infinity awaits.
  50. dunnyone
    Aug 18, 2016
    8
    All these negative reviews. Did everyone here who gives this gem a low score, actually play the game? Did you even experience it? After coming off Dark Souls series, FTL and a hundred other games that just want to face f--k you, No Man's Sky is a pleasure. I did not follow the hype, and I hate survival games, but I love this.

    A little preface: my father recently passed away and of    All these negative reviews. Did everyone here who gives this gem a low score, actually play the game? Did you even experience it? After coming off Dark Souls series, FTL and a hundred other games that just want to face f--k you, No Man's Sky is a pleasure. I did not follow the hype, and I hate survival games, but I love this.

    A little preface: my father recently passed away and of course, there is a lot of guilt and regret that follows the death of a parent. When I discovered that I can name planets, animals, galaxies and so on, I started naming everything after my dad or, "is he here?" "Planet Dad" and so on. In a sense, my trip through the galaxy becomes an epic journey to connect with my father on some level, even though I can't. In my mind, he is literally one planet or galaxy ahead of me, and since the game is "endless" I can continue to mourn and play.

    Besides this unforeseen positive effect, the game is marvelous. You can't die (well, you can, but it's highly unlikely), the music is a delight and it runs like a polished game should (even though it has many rough edges). Besides, when was the last time you took a moment to relax and just stare into the distance once you've ascended a giant mountain. No game has kept me this captivated and content.

    10/10 would play for therapy again.    … Expand
  51. Cmdrsabre
    Aug 12, 2016
    8
    The Game is a controversy itself. It depends on what you expect.
    It is not:
    - Master of Orion (Diplomatics and technology) - Elite Dangerous (trading and fighting) - Star Citizen (everything) - Multiplayer But it gives a great experience if you love to roam a around in strange new worlds, explore thins, be the first to see something and name it. Gather resources by trying to avoid    The Game is a controversy itself. It depends on what you expect.
    It is not:
    - Master of Orion (Diplomatics and technology)
    - Elite Dangerous (trading and fighting)
    - Star Citizen (everything)
    - Multiplayer

    But it gives a great experience if you love to roam a around in strange new worlds, explore thins, be the first to see something and name it. Gather resources by trying to avoid to destroy the nature (or you will be punished be drones). You will learn about technology and culture of a galactic race, trade goods with them to earn credits to buy other goods or even new ships. to have more capacity or better weapons, etc. But that's just a tool for you, to explore more und more. You can spend days exploring just one planet and will not even know half of the planet.
    If you love what you read here, you will love No Man's Sky. If you want more or something different, well then the game is not for you.
    I'm very curios what the developers bring with add-ons. As far as they announced, they don't know it and want too see what people like and want...
    Well for my part: Much bigger ships for interplanetary mining and trading
    And yes, multiplayer could be much fun, but I don't know how to fit it in, not to destroy the lonely-explorer feeling. Maybe a option for friends to start on the same planet...    … Expand
  52. DeviMon1
    Aug 12, 2016
    8
    This is exactly what I was hoping for. Space Opera science fiction is my favorite genre for movies and novels, yet I have never found a space flight game that could really pull me in. After only 6-8 hours with this game, I am happy to say I have found one for me. This game has a ton of depth, a very interesting universe to explore and decent combat mechanics. I was surprised that theThis is exactly what I was hoping for. Space Opera science fiction is my favorite genre for movies and novels, yet I have never found a space flight game that could really pull me in. After only 6-8 hours with this game, I am happy to say I have found one for me. This game has a ton of depth, a very interesting universe to explore and decent combat mechanics. I was surprised that the masses were as interested in this game as they were when it was announced, it seemed like a pretty niche game. I can't help but feel like a lot of the negative reviews are people who the game quite simply wasn't made for.

    If you are an action game junkie or someone that only ever plays AAA games, be wary, this is an independent game that got its scope blown up because of hype. It may not be your cup of tea. However, if exploring space and experiencing the scope of the universe while surviving in hostile environments and just enjoying the immersion of it all, sounds like your cup of tea, you should definitely pick it up.    … Expand
  53. dave307
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    great game not what I was expecting but still a joy to play. the game has a beautiful art style which is surprising in a procedurally generated world. it's the most fun I've had in ages

    it's a crafting survival and exploration game the kind of game I love.
  54. Carsers
    Aug 12, 2016
    9
    For me this game is everything I hoped it would be from when I first heard about it. At the start the game does a good job at pointing you in the right direction for the basics such as crafting. The feeling of loneliness and overall atmosphere is spot on. Graphics up close are a bit poor however on the scale of things look breath taking. Ever being able to look up I wanted to see whatFor me this game is everything I hoped it would be from when I first heard about it. At the start the game does a good job at pointing you in the right direction for the basics such as crafting. The feeling of loneliness and overall atmosphere is spot on. Graphics up close are a bit poor however on the scale of things look breath taking. Ever being able to look up I wanted to see what space would be like, this is the closest you can get to that for now. Planets dwarf you ship on approach and and overwhelm you as you break through the atmosphere. Each planets have so much for you to do and look for, you can spend hours lost inside the caves of a toxic planet, discovering new wildlife or interacting with alien races. The only reason I'm not giving this a 10 is because I would have liked a fully customisable character and the in flight combat is a bit annoying.… Expand
  55. Mycatrules
    Aug 9, 2016
    10
    This game has been on my watch-list for a long time and i have to say, it may not have lived up to its over-hype, but it did leave a lasting impact on me due to it's amazing soundtrack, art, and worlds. Thank you Hello Games for making this wonderful game. :^)
  56. ProxyNomine
    Aug 9, 2016
    10
    So I have seen some really bad reviews on here and if you have played the game at all you will know right away that they are lies. Some talk about Micro-transaction but the problem is there are NO micro-transactions in the game. They talk about it being empty and only playing for 4 hours on one planet! These are people that are either fake reviews from people that have never played orSo I have seen some really bad reviews on here and if you have played the game at all you will know right away that they are lies. Some talk about Micro-transaction but the problem is there are NO micro-transactions in the game. They talk about it being empty and only playing for 4 hours on one planet! These are people that are either fake reviews from people that have never played or morons that didn't do ANY research before buying and it's not fair to blame the game when the player is to stupid to read.

    The game is great, if you love survival/crafting and space this is for you. And remember there next update will have base building. Check there official patch notes on there site it's at the bottom where Sean says "base building and owning giant frieghters" so play on everyone!    … Expand
  57. HatakeKakashi55
    Aug 10, 2016
    8
    This is the first review I have ever written on Metacritic, and I feel that with all of the hype and controversy surrounding No Man's Sky, it is a good place to start. Let me simply begin by stating that I intend to be completely honest with this review. Contrary to the multitude of extremely negative reviews, this game is NOT a bad game. It is by no means perfect, and has a multitude ofThis is the first review I have ever written on Metacritic, and I feel that with all of the hype and controversy surrounding No Man's Sky, it is a good place to start. Let me simply begin by stating that I intend to be completely honest with this review. Contrary to the multitude of extremely negative reviews, this game is NOT a bad game. It is by no means perfect, and has a multitude of flaws, however, overall it is a fun and unique experience unlike anything currently on the market. The biggest problem with the game is not the game in and of itself, but more so the way that the game was perceived by the gaming community. When No Man's Sky was first introduced to the public several years ago, hype went through the roof. The beautiful setting, a promise of billions of varied planets, and new and unique game elements such as naming discovered planets and creatures as well as seamless planet surface to orbit spaceship travel all seemed too good to be true. While the trailer did an excellent job of amazing us, it was also rather vague and mysterious. This led to people interpreting the game in all sorts of different ways. Some people imagined massive planetary shoot-outs. Others imagined roaming the stars with friends. Some imagined encountering massive alien cities and deep, complex character side quests within these cities. Because of an initial lack of clarification with what this game actually was meant to be... this game became all things to all people, and our expectations exceeded what was ever even possible or meant to be. Hello Games did try to tone down the hype, explaining that their would be no giant cities, multiplayer would be nigh impossible, and procedural generation would prevent any "scripted" story line. However, this came a bit late, and at this point people's imaginations had taken over. No Man's Sky had become more than an upcoming game, it had become an idea. The idea that a small studio, which actually cared about it's fans, could create a masterpiece that would out-do even the richest of AAA developers. A game that would have everything. A game that would redefine gaming as we know it. Their was no way that this game could ever live up to such lofty expectations, and now fans are faced with the reality that this wasn't the game that "they" as individuals had imagined. While Hello Games tried to tone down the hype and explain that this was primarily an exploration game, people already had their own views of what this game "would and should be" stuck in their heads. When I began playing, I too had my lofty expectations. I really did hope for an infinite space Skyrim/ Minecraft of sorts. However, when I was able to take a step back, and play this game the way that developers had intended for me to play it, rather than the way I had imagined it would be, I found that the game was actually rather good. It may not have been what I wanted or expected, but that didn't mean it was bad. I enjoy being able to go down to a planet and not know what to expect. When you do find other intelligent species (NPC's) scattered sparsely throughout the galaxy it's a cool and rewarding experience. Their are A LOT of things to do, some more in depth than others. The complaint that their isn't enough to do is a rather silly one in my opinion. I've spent hours of fun exploring just one planet, and never getting bored. I've searched caves for rare materials, looked for outposts where I've come across some very interesting NPC scientists, found a distress signal pointing to ruins of an ancient civilization, searched ancient glyphs to learn a new alien language, found chests filled with ship, suit, and weapon upgrade blueprints, documented mushroom deer, come across outposts that had been abandoned hastily in response to what appeared to be experiments gone wrong, Found giant Alien Monoliths which have... done.... something.... cool? and more. And that was all on one planet. This game may not be what you imagined, but it is not bad. Not bad at all. So for now, I'll be drifting among the stars looking for my next planetary adventure.… Expand
  58. mvid
    Aug 10, 2016
    9
    I think this game is brilliant for an indie studio! It may be that the price a slight bit too high right now for what it is, but for people that like the idea of a sandbox space exploration game, the price is still definitely worth it. For everyone else, just a wait a while as I predict it will be going on sale fairly soon (surely will be considerably cheaper by the fall). Is gameplayI think this game is brilliant for an indie studio! It may be that the price a slight bit too high right now for what it is, but for people that like the idea of a sandbox space exploration game, the price is still definitely worth it. For everyone else, just a wait a while as I predict it will be going on sale fairly soon (surely will be considerably cheaper by the fall). Is gameplay repetitive? Sure, but it's kind of addictive, wondering what the next planet will be like. For example, I know there are huge creatures on some worlds, and even though I've been to about 20 planets already I have yet to see any. I only found 1 planet so far with water (and a lot of it!). There was plenty of gameplay to watch before this game officially released. Go watch some gameplay now! If you think it's cool, get it!… Expand
  59. bilferty
    Aug 9, 2016
    9
    I think it is unfair for anyone to give the game a 0 or 1 because they think it is boring. This game was NEVER sold as anything more then an exploration game. All of those trailer NEVER showed anything besides exploring, naming, basic shooter combat, trading, and space combat. What were people expecting? The Devs never lied about anything (to my knowledge) that is missing. It is exactlyI think it is unfair for anyone to give the game a 0 or 1 because they think it is boring. This game was NEVER sold as anything more then an exploration game. All of those trailer NEVER showed anything besides exploring, naming, basic shooter combat, trading, and space combat. What were people expecting? The Devs never lied about anything (to my knowledge) that is missing. It is exactly what It looked like. You find cool trippy looking planets, befriend cool trippy looking creatures who you give trippy names, and you harvest trippy plants and minerals. Then there are also cool little word puzzles to solve to get you better gear to get closer to the center. I love this game. Meditative fun exploration and survival. If you are looking for grand space sim or a grand story look elsewhere, but even still the game does not deserve a 0. What is has it does well, a 0 would be a broken game. I can't give it a 10 based on the same logic, a 10 is a perfect game, and no one thing in this world is perfect, but No Man's Sky is damned close.… Expand
  60. nicevir
    Aug 9, 2016
    10
    Brilliant game! I love the exploration and mechanics of the game. This game is not for everyone but for anyone with an open mind and a love for exploration, then this is for you!
  61. DiarrheaKing
    Aug 10, 2016
    9
    Gaming has come along way. From appealing to super nerds to becoming an incredibly popular source of media consumption. With mass media consumption, sometimes the most popular things can get reduced to the lowest common denominator. Thankfully, the gaming industry, in particular indie developers, can still take risks and produce unusual, creative video games that happen to also to beGaming has come along way. From appealing to super nerds to becoming an incredibly popular source of media consumption. With mass media consumption, sometimes the most popular things can get reduced to the lowest common denominator. Thankfully, the gaming industry, in particular indie developers, can still take risks and produce unusual, creative video games that happen to also to be marketed to the masses.

    While I am not too far in the game yet, No Man's Sky has been an experience that is rather unique. It borrows ideas from many open-ended, exploration games (like Minecraft), but has a clear direction of the type of game it wants to be ~ a game for explorers, not achievers, or multiplayer show-offs, or min-max competitive gamers. People often forget that other people not only have different tastes but also have different personalities, and these different personalities will want different types of experiences. Because of mainstream gaming trends over the past two decades, gaming has produced a certain mainstream audience. This mainstream audience creates a cultural dogma that expects certain characteristics to qualify a game as a "good" game.

    If you want to go in expecting some crazy AAA title experience, don't get the game. If you are expecting deep systems such as complex yet derivative crafting and battle systems that you can get in hundreds of other games, then don't get this game. If you want another linear yet rich experience just like Journey or Abzu, be careful about getting this game. Watch videos and read critic reviews when they come out. The game is pretty much what I expected from previews and I am not disappointed as a whole. Yes, there are many issues in the game, but I've also had many moments of wonder, moments I would not have in most other games.    … Expand
  62. Kenwalker
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    This game was for me, and it's everything I expected it to be. Hello Games took a huge exciting leap in game creation. This was a great beginning to a new type of experience in gaming.
  63. SenatorKelley
    Aug 9, 2016
    10
    It's exactly as I expected. Game is extremely vast and overwhelming at first. Your basically crashed on a planet, you vacuum up resources and craft items for your suit, ship, and items all while your trying to survive. There's a lot of depth here and I haven't even begun to hit the surface with 5+hrs of play. I'm enjoying the extremely uniqueness of all the planets and can't wait to buy aIt's exactly as I expected. Game is extremely vast and overwhelming at first. Your basically crashed on a planet, you vacuum up resources and craft items for your suit, ship, and items all while your trying to survive. There's a lot of depth here and I haven't even begun to hit the surface with 5+hrs of play. I'm enjoying the extremely uniqueness of all the planets and can't wait to buy a new ship. I've played a hour or two and taken breaks in between and while i'm not playing I can't stop thinking about NMS. It has that same addictiveness as Minecraft when it was new, and if that's the case it could be a 10/10 with some minor features and tweaks in the future.

    Games are meant as an escape for us, and NMS delivers on that escape!    … Expand
  64. god_of_chuck
    Aug 9, 2016
    9
    I will preface this by saying that this is not a game for everyone. It doesn't hold your hand at the start and the mundane tasks get repetitive quickly. That being said, I struggle to think of a word that can accurately describe the size of the in game universe, except, maybe, universe. If you have my imagination and are as fascinated by exploration as i am then this game holds untoldI will preface this by saying that this is not a game for everyone. It doesn't hold your hand at the start and the mundane tasks get repetitive quickly. That being said, I struggle to think of a word that can accurately describe the size of the in game universe, except, maybe, universe. If you have my imagination and are as fascinated by exploration as i am then this game holds untold hours of content. Bugs and glitches are surprisingly few, especially considering the small development team. The naming feature offers frequent hilarity, though im doubtful anyone will ever find my discoveries. (let me know if you see the planet Optimus PEEN). Overall ive enjoyed this game, and likely will continue to. its a constant sense of mystery… Expand
  65. Madkracker84
    Aug 9, 2016
    9
    It's definitely not for everyone, but exactly what i expected. It's a survival adventure game based on space exploration. Good functionality, awesome scenery and I've only seen one solar system. Inventory is a little small to start and keeping up with life support and fuel is a minor nuisance, but other than that no complaints. People hyped themselves up to much for the game and made theirIt's definitely not for everyone, but exactly what i expected. It's a survival adventure game based on space exploration. Good functionality, awesome scenery and I've only seen one solar system. Inventory is a little small to start and keeping up with life support and fuel is a minor nuisance, but other than that no complaints. People hyped themselves up to much for the game and made their own assumptions, but that's their fault. For an indie studio of about 10 people, amazing job.… Expand
  66. italoipo
    Aug 10, 2016
    9
    it's uncharted 4 all over again. bad hater reviews.
    it's a interesting game, not for everyone with a quit high learning curve.
    but it is that what i like about it.
    kind reminds me of early minecraft. it will improve alot over time...basebuilding on its way etc...
    only thing is the lack of coop
  67. Malooga
    Aug 11, 2016
    8
    No Man's Sky borrows a little from Wing Commander and a little from Minecraft and makes an awesome hybrid that will fare differently for most people, and therefore is bound to see mixed reviews. The core of the game is its ability to deliver an almost entirely procedural generated universe. That's not an easy trick to pull of between the 10 or so people who worked on this game, but itsNo Man's Sky borrows a little from Wing Commander and a little from Minecraft and makes an awesome hybrid that will fare differently for most people, and therefore is bound to see mixed reviews. The core of the game is its ability to deliver an almost entirely procedural generated universe. That's not an easy trick to pull of between the 10 or so people who worked on this game, but its where the game shines brightest.

    The problem (for me) with Minecraft style games is that they pull you back to a central location. There's this big huge world to discover, but you have this invisible tether to the place you begin (or home base). No Man's Sky alleviates this problem by nearly forcing you to explore the vast, endless space expanse before you.

    Here's where it gets tricky. All mindless and repetitive tasks aside the gameplay holds up to genre standards as far as a survival/sim goes, no more no less. You need several things to survive: fuel, resources, and environmental protection to name a few. There are ways to upgrade your mining tool/gun, your ship and your suit, and there are a good amount of them. However, the heavy emphasis on procedural generation means there's always a chance you come across boring, mundane planets and run of the mill gear for hours on end. This broke the experience for a few of my friends, as discovering new and exciting things IS the main draw to this title, and they just weren't having that experience.

    If you stick with it though, No Man's Sky is incredibly rewarding. You'll get to say things like "HEY I just found a half cow/half gecko hybrid that swims in circles and poops out Carbon!". Yes, that exists. This kept me coming back for more in the first few days, and now I've sunk a good 20 hours into the experience.

    Technically speaking. there is a LOT of pop in the game. Textures take some time to generate and the player moves quickly in flight, so it creates a lot of jarring imagery. Overall a small price to pay for no loading screens and seamless planet-planet jumps.

    It has its quirks, but seems to be receiving a very harsh response in the community. In my opinion, if you like space/aliens/adventure then its a tough title to ignore. It definitely scratches all those itches and more, worth checking out.

    8/10.    … Expand
  68. Meshen
    Aug 12, 2016
    8
    Not the game many thought / hoped it would be, but this is a very enjoyable survival game in a unique and spectacular setting. Yes, much of it has been done before, but the exploration and discovery elements stand out and have kept me engrossed for the 15 hours I've played so far. The extreme negative scores seem to mostly be people with preconceptions of what this game would be, orNot the game many thought / hoped it would be, but this is a very enjoyable survival game in a unique and spectacular setting. Yes, much of it has been done before, but the exploration and discovery elements stand out and have kept me engrossed for the 15 hours I've played so far. The extreme negative scores seem to mostly be people with preconceptions of what this game would be, or people who really bought into the ridiculous hype that has plagued this game during development. There was no way it could ever live up to that, and going into this game with no preconceptions and middling expectations is the best way to approach it. If you do that, you'll have a very good time.… Expand
  69. GrandDaddyLL
    Aug 10, 2016
    9
    Oustanding game,I love the planets,ships,little puzzles,and little story. I am hooked. I give it a nine for some texturing phisics,and release slight bugs I am sure will get patched. Like you tired cant sprint words staying on the bottom of screen. No game breakers. Been playing bout 22 hours. Im doing the Atlas trail. For me I have been waiting for a game like this for Console. Thanks forOustanding game,I love the planets,ships,little puzzles,and little story. I am hooked. I give it a nine for some texturing phisics,and release slight bugs I am sure will get patched. Like you tired cant sprint words staying on the bottom of screen. No game breakers. Been playing bout 22 hours. Im doing the Atlas trail. For me I have been waiting for a game like this for Console. Thanks for all the work on it , well worth the price. Haters are gonna hate half on this critic site have not even played it.Nintein Trolls.… Expand
  70. Loki_motion
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    I don't understand why people are giving this game such bad reviews. It's a game that is meant to be played periodically, not 20 hours straight. Of course you are going to get bored of a game after playing it for hours on end. Any game becomes boring. You just have to appreciate how much effort hello games put into this wonderful game.
  71. destinytower
    Aug 14, 2016
    10
    Simply an incredible attempt. Is it multiplayer FPS? Definitely NOT (hence the disgruntled negative reviews, and the PC launch had problems--this review is for the PS4 version).

    Does it come close to giving you a world where the sky belongs to no singular human? HELL YES. There is so much packed in this game, exploration, trading, inventory management, upgrading inventory, "recipes," a    Simply an incredible attempt. Is it multiplayer FPS? Definitely NOT (hence the disgruntled negative reviews, and the PC launch had problems--this review is for the PS4 version).

    Does it come close to giving you a world where the sky belongs to no singular human? HELL YES. There is so much packed in this game, exploration, trading, inventory management, upgrading inventory, "recipes," a slightly linear story possibility, but it allows you freedom to do what you want.
    Do you want to find a story? Cool, do that.
    Want to search for a planet with cute animals? Go for it!
    Like flying around in space? Check, we got that B-Roll!
    Want to find against dinosaur-looking animals, killing them on exotic locations? Yes, you can!
    Want to fund Donald Trump to try to win the 2016 US Presidential Elections? NO! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOO! NO! That is TOO SPECIFIC. This game won't do that.

    Pop on some acid jazz, triphop, or some ambient music in the background, put this game on, and enjoy your travels, Space Cowboy!    … Expand
  72. WillMchardy
    Aug 12, 2016
    10
    Time fly's when I play NMS, I'd say the best part about it is meeting new NPCs and learning their language, but I also love the survival aspect of it. Depending on how you play (I can play it slow, but I usually play it fast) it can be steady and rewarding, or fast and dangerous. I also love the exploration, most planets are barren or have scarce life (about 7/10 of them) and the ones thatTime fly's when I play NMS, I'd say the best part about it is meeting new NPCs and learning their language, but I also love the survival aspect of it. Depending on how you play (I can play it slow, but I usually play it fast) it can be steady and rewarding, or fast and dangerous. I also love the exploration, most planets are barren or have scarce life (about 7/10 of them) and the ones that aren't have great planets that you'll spend ours on trying to find monoliths, ruins, stations etc. I'm giving it a 10/10 because It's my kind of game, and although it's had a lot of crashes recently, it's beautifully made, the gameplay is great and I love the art style!… Expand
  73. J0eeeH
    Jan 26, 2018
    8
    I think No Man Sky is a great game but depending how you went into to it, and what you were expecting, will make a big impact whether you like it or not. I personally think the UI is a bit slow. It takes its time moving to one item to another as well as switching inventories (Exo, ships, and your multi-tool). I do feel like I spend more time in these menus then exploring the planets II think No Man Sky is a great game but depending how you went into to it, and what you were expecting, will make a big impact whether you like it or not. I personally think the UI is a bit slow. It takes its time moving to one item to another as well as switching inventories (Exo, ships, and your multi-tool). I do feel like I spend more time in these menus then exploring the planets I visited. For anyone who is looking for realistic, sharp graphics No Man Sky does not have them. However, the art style they use in the game makes it forgiving. I have put in over 15 hours into this game and I already found it becoming very repetitive within the first 3-6 hours. The things the I think it does well is the feeling of discovering something that may not be discovered by other players will keep on pulling you back. As well a plant life and animals that you find along your way. The first few hours are very slow, but it's worth it because all the small little items you find will help you build better parts for your ship. Most of the planets I landed on have been very dry and bleak, but the audio and the sense of discovery help build an atmosphere making worth your while to check the planets. Is this worth your time? If you want a hybrid of Destiny and Minecraft and 18 quintillion planets to explore I would recommend this game to you. Keep in mind that you have slightly awkward controls, a very slow start, up to 4 or 5 hours, and a clunky and slow UI. Overall I would give this a 7.9/10.… Expand
  74. TerribleTerrio
    Aug 13, 2016
    8
    I like this game because I enjoy the things that happen to be in this game. What? Ridiculous, the fact that my OPINION is able to be different to the masses, i know. Terrifying.

    Note: the Meta score is 69, it sucks the User score isn't. If it can't be, at least make it 42(0), because as the internet has proven over and over that's very possible.
  75. Dunedain29
    Aug 15, 2016
    10
    I remember when I first picked up a Gameboy at my Aunt's house and stated in wonder at the oversized marvel while booting up Super Mario for the first time. The glorious monochrome scale of black on a translucent with a hint of green took me from the buzz of relatives around me and for the first time I was taken into another world with a few black 8-bit pixels.

    Now I'm almost 30, and I    I remember when I first picked up a Gameboy at my Aunt's house and stated in wonder at the oversized marvel while booting up Super Mario for the first time. The glorious monochrome scale of black on a translucent with a hint of green took me from the buzz of relatives around me and for the first time I was taken into another world with a few black 8-bit pixels.

    Now I'm almost 30, and I pushed off from a planet surface after mining it for plutonium. I looked for a distant moon to set up to see what structures could be on its barren landscape, but was set upon by space pirates interim. Space pirates guys.

    NMS is a departure from the relentless bludgeoning the AAA industry has given us with FPS and adventure game ad naseum. It's something I didn't even think was possible as a kid, and it's a little frustrating to read so many negative reviews from kids who don't understand how lucky they get to grow up with this level of gaming at their fingertips. We could put some of you COD fans on a real space ship with NASA and you would be bored.

    No Mans Sky has flaws. It does. Environments don't fully pre-load fast enough. It needs more diversity of life forms. The water graphics look like N64.

    But No Man's Sky makes you the captain of a ship that's rendered in beautiful pop-art style and creates a gaming experience that could re-angle the gaming industry in a direction many of us have hoped it would go for sometime.

    For all of you who reviewed this 0-5: Call of Duty 17 - More Kill-Kill Soldier, is coming out soon. For the rest of us, let's enjoy a game that's a mix of art, poetry, exploration, and freaking Space Pirates.    … Expand
  76. BillaryClinton
    Aug 17, 2016
    10
    This game was too hard! Whenever I tried to play, the screen just stayed completely black! My friend recommended turning the TV on and said it would fix the problem, but I think he's just a fanboy. In conclusion, I'm hungry.
  77. MechaMan
    Aug 9, 2016
    9
    No Man's sky isn't a game for everyone, but for those who enjoy exploration, trade and survival you would enjoy the game. If you prefer combat, story driven missions, the game isn't for you.
  78. Dehelix
    Aug 12, 2016
    10
    Love it and hate it. It's probably the hardest game I have ever played and persevered with. It's not about skill or bring fast with a controller it's about learning what works and what doesn't. Its about managing limited inventory space in sometimes very hostile environments. Yes there is a lot of repetition. The same buildings on every planet. The very limited interaction with the alienLove it and hate it. It's probably the hardest game I have ever played and persevered with. It's not about skill or bring fast with a controller it's about learning what works and what doesn't. Its about managing limited inventory space in sometimes very hostile environments. Yes there is a lot of repetition. The same buildings on every planet. The very limited interaction with the alien races who are never ever seen outside. However the environments are stunning and so immersive. It's down to me facing down the hazards of weather, atmosphere and wildlife. It's like a game version of The Martian and I am playing Mat Damon and I will get through this come hell or high water. Awesome game. Awesome.… Expand
  79. vggrandpa
    Aug 10, 2016
    10
    Its unfortunate that unrealistic expectations cause people to look down on such a unique game. This game isn't perfect by any means, but It sure is interesting. 20 hours in and flying around space still feels terrifying and exhilarating. Exploration on planets could get repetitive if you're used to constant explosions and shooting. Its not for everyone
  80. clendatu
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    Ill make it **** quick .
    You like exploring space and thousands of very well generated planets ? - Buy it
    You like mining and trading stuff ? Buy it You like to spend hundreds of hours in a game - buy it This game does exactly what is was made for and it works very very well . The planets look outstanding and you can easily spend hours and hours on each of them . The Spaceships look    Ill make it **** quick .
    You like exploring space and thousands of very well generated planets ? - Buy it
    You like mining and trading stuff ? Buy it
    You like to spend hundreds of hours in a game - buy it

    This game does exactly what is was made for and it works very very well . The planets look outstanding and you can easily spend hours and hours on each of them . The Spaceships look cool and the controls are very easy to learn for this kind of game . This game easily provides 40+ hours of gameplay without any special effort . How someone can give it 0 of 10 is beyond me . Id give a solid 8 of 10 (some bugs) but for all this stul give a 10    … Expand
  81. Ecto1
    Aug 9, 2016
    8
    The game is what I thought it would be, its a fun, large and arty minecraft style game where you explore, find, craft and upgrade stuff. I wasn't over-hyped, nore did I expect it to have more than what was advertised and revealed by the devs. That being said, it is rather sad that there is little point beyond the goals given from the start of the game... As much as people say that theyThe game is what I thought it would be, its a fun, large and arty minecraft style game where you explore, find, craft and upgrade stuff. I wasn't over-hyped, nore did I expect it to have more than what was advertised and revealed by the devs. That being said, it is rather sad that there is little point beyond the goals given from the start of the game... As much as people say that they want emergent games with stories written out by players actions, I think we still long for something to be happening narrative wise to draw us in after the initial splash wares off and it slowly loses its charm as another minecraft for $80.

    But again, I knew what the game was before buying and am happy with the game. If you expected more than what was shown or advertised, then you will be disappointed.    … Expand
  82. Extrarius
    Aug 9, 2016
    9
    No Mans Sky is a universe sim heavily focused on exploration and discovery for gamers who want to unwind and not be forced into a linear story line. I've been following the development, the interviews, the hype, the delays, the videos and finally had the chance to play it for a few hours this morning. It's a beautiful game that's living up to what Sean Murray has said in his interviews.No Mans Sky is a universe sim heavily focused on exploration and discovery for gamers who want to unwind and not be forced into a linear story line. I've been following the development, the interviews, the hype, the delays, the videos and finally had the chance to play it for a few hours this morning. It's a beautiful game that's living up to what Sean Murray has said in his interviews. No, it isn't for everyone but not every game is or should be designed with that in mind. Hello Games has created the game I've been dreaming about for a long time and I'm very pleased with the results so far.… Expand
  83. VikkituFX
    Aug 9, 2016
    10
    O jogo esta fenomenal, há varias coisas a serem feitas logo de inicio, a exploraçao e crafting do jogo é fluido e enorme ha varias coisas e serem descobertas
  84. kris2fur
    Aug 14, 2016
    10
    Jeese there's some sad people in the world today, I don't know what to say to you.
    I think nms is a victim of the hype train, it stopped at your platform and you got on.
    The exploration is high in the game, new planets animals, places people etc. You have to grind materials to leave move from planet to planet or system to system, which is fine because it encourages new discoveries.    Jeese there's some sad people in the world today, I don't know what to say to you.
    I think nms is a victim of the hype train, it stopped at your platform and you got on.
    The exploration is high in the game, new planets animals, places people etc.
    You have to grind materials to leave move from planet to planet or system to system,
    which is fine because it encourages new discoveries.
    The graphics are fine not the best not the worst, it has a particular art direction.
    Everyone complaining about bugs, most got fixed day 1 patch, let alone day 2.
    I don't understand what people wanted from this game or what they were expecting, space games weren't ever for everyone.I'm giving it a ten it deserves the critics review of a seven but it definitely doesn't deserve a 5.
    To everyone enjoying no mans sky, continue too. I will see you in the stars.    … Expand
  85. yogiman600
    Aug 11, 2016
    8
    This is a game for those who seek the euphoria of being truly lost in space and admiring the beauty of the cosmos. It is more a simulator than anything, but the music, atmosphere, and mystery of the universe make it all the more interesting. It is not perfect, but it is a huge stepping stone forward for gaming in terms of what can be done with procedural generation. Those that lackThis is a game for those who seek the euphoria of being truly lost in space and admiring the beauty of the cosmos. It is more a simulator than anything, but the music, atmosphere, and mystery of the universe make it all the more interesting. It is not perfect, but it is a huge stepping stone forward for gaming in terms of what can be done with procedural generation. Those that lack imagination and wonder will not enjoy this game, because it isn't truly a video game. It is something so much more. To be honest, this isn't the game for the majority of gamers, but it is a fantastic experience for anyone who is stirred by the vastness of space.… Expand
  86. jamsdean
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    The game brings up memories of Elite(80s/90s), Frontier and Freelancer. addicting gameplay. Obviously not for everyone, based on the polarizing ratings. Promised updates should only make the game even better. If you have been following the development of this game, you would've known what to expect. I did and the game delivers in just about every way.
  87. Spartacus83
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    incredibly wonderful game for anyone who likes space exploration and crafting, lost for hours in endless worlds, this is more the kind of game you need rather shooter
  88. RobMcCall
    Aug 13, 2016
    10
    Those disappointed in No Man's Sky simply lose the point of the game. That point is that there is no point. There is no hand holding, no narrative, no story line, no focus. It's open. You can be a trader, you can be an explorer, a linguist, an archaeologist, pirate or anything else. You define how you want to experience the game. Sure, there is some repetition but that is solely in howThose disappointed in No Man's Sky simply lose the point of the game. That point is that there is no point. There is no hand holding, no narrative, no story line, no focus. It's open. You can be a trader, you can be an explorer, a linguist, an archaeologist, pirate or anything else. You define how you want to experience the game. Sure, there is some repetition but that is solely in how things are done. It's a beautiful experience filled with amazing music.

    Let me give you an example, after a few hours of play. I decided I wanted to research the alien language. I have been exploring each planet, seeking out the alien wrecks, meeting other aliens and trying to find more words. It's been a blast. Along the way, I have been trying to build my standing. They have given me new items and gifts in this pursuit. A friend of mine is purely interested in gaining cash, he documents every single thing he sees. He goes to the space station, notes prices ans trades to build up a wealth so that he can buy whatever he wants. Another friend is out trying to visit as many planets as possible. He's committed to managing resources and exploring the universe, one planet at a time.

    For those expecting a story, narrative, cinema cut scenes and the like, don't buy it. This is not your same old boring game that everyone else plays. This is about imagination, creativity and pursuing goals. If you need your hand held and you need to "beat" the game, you are missing the point. Hello Games has successfully created a completely open world where you choose how and why to play the game.    … Expand
  89. guyuemuziye
    Aug 12, 2016
    10
    Let's dig deep...Do you want to visit real outer space out there? You probably would say yes, right? And what is essentially the real outer space then? In a short sentence, it is a procedurally generated universe just like the one in NMS but with much more complicated rule and mechanism. BUT in the essence, they are the same. There are rules, and there are infinite possibilities andLet's dig deep...Do you want to visit real outer space out there? You probably would say yes, right? And what is essentially the real outer space then? In a short sentence, it is a procedurally generated universe just like the one in NMS but with much more complicated rule and mechanism. BUT in the essence, they are the same. There are rules, and there are infinite possibilities and probably, out there, in the real space, some plants, may be even a lot of planets will be similar to each other: a lot of them are barren with different "skin color". You can certainly call it boring (in fact,I guess it will be much more boring than the universe in NMS, given there will be much less life forms out there). BUT, most of us would still want to go out there. WHY? because of the unknown nature of the exploring!! And that, is what NMS all about. It is utterly unfair to call the planets in NMS "skin changers". It is probably true if there are 200 planets or so, but with over 18 quintillion planets...come on...dude...it is it, the universe.… Expand
  90. davedrummer88
    Aug 10, 2016
    9
    I tempered my expectations and am still amazed by the final product. A survival game it is indeed. However, the agency over movement and the way it makes you feel the vastness of space through time is sublime. It's not for everyone; little combat and a lot of mining for materials. It's a great combination of urgency of survival and the zen of discovery. Fantastic tech accomplishment thatI tempered my expectations and am still amazed by the final product. A survival game it is indeed. However, the agency over movement and the way it makes you feel the vastness of space through time is sublime. It's not for everyone; little combat and a lot of mining for materials. It's a great combination of urgency of survival and the zen of discovery. Fantastic tech accomplishment that is actually fun to play.… Expand
  91. Bears_Wear_Hats
    Aug 10, 2016
    9
    This is a survival game and should really have been marketed as such from the beginning. It works because there's always something 'just over there'--whether it's a resource to farm, something to fight off, or something awesome and character advancing, like a drop pod or alien base. You just never know what you're going to find when you go. The systems are logical and progressive andThis is a survival game and should really have been marketed as such from the beginning. It works because there's always something 'just over there'--whether it's a resource to farm, something to fight off, or something awesome and character advancing, like a drop pod or alien base. You just never know what you're going to find when you go. The systems are logical and progressive and provide a lot of depth. Be aware of what you're getting into and you can have a lot of fun here.… Expand
  92. iAmJager
    Aug 10, 2016
    9
    This game offers many great qualities. The audio and sound is immaculate, the visuals are gorgeous, and the worlds seem unique. The universe feels great, some planets are dead and desolate others teaming with life. I feel at times I am a super hero with worldly powers and then I can die in nearly an instant. This game is challenging and fun and offers a very different take on game. Its aThis game offers many great qualities. The audio and sound is immaculate, the visuals are gorgeous, and the worlds seem unique. The universe feels great, some planets are dead and desolate others teaming with life. I feel at times I am a super hero with worldly powers and then I can die in nearly an instant. This game is challenging and fun and offers a very different take on game. Its a bleak reality of how alone we sometimes are even if we feel that we are not. Only thing I am holding back on giving this a 10 from is that friends are almost discouraged to be able to find.… Expand
  93. Osaii78
    Aug 11, 2016
    9
    I have been playing this game for a few days and I think it is stunning, intensely immersive. The negative reviews on here i would seriously question the motivations or the mental capacity of those leaving them...
  94. Roagie
    Aug 10, 2016
    9
    I'm having a lot of fun with this game. In reading negative reviews, people are citing how it's the same thing planet after planet. I've played the game for around 8 hours now and have only been on three planets. The latest planet I landed on I kept digging deeper and being referred to more and more to explore. I think people are rushing it... with the idea that there are near infiniteI'm having a lot of fun with this game. In reading negative reviews, people are citing how it's the same thing planet after planet. I've played the game for around 8 hours now and have only been on three planets. The latest planet I landed on I kept digging deeper and being referred to more and more to explore. I think people are rushing it... with the idea that there are near infinite planets, people are rushing to just go to different planets instead of really exploring just one. I've spent so much time on this one planet I can't imagine exploring more than say 10 in total over time.
    I think if anything the game faltered in saying there is an infinite amount of planets, so people ignore the detail offered on each one.    … Expand
  95. Icelotha
    Aug 10, 2016
    10
    When I started No Man's Sky I was immediately sucked in. The scale is huge, you can walk for hours and only see a small portion of the worlds. The best part of my initial experience was stumbling into a cave and getting lost and repairing my ship to take off.

    There is a different level of progression in this game, but what I have experienced so far is epic. I have a feeling others went    When I started No Man's Sky I was immediately sucked in. The scale is huge, you can walk for hours and only see a small portion of the worlds. The best part of my initial experience was stumbling into a cave and getting lost and repairing my ship to take off.

    There is a different level of progression in this game, but what I have experienced so far is epic. I have a feeling others went into this game with the wrong impression. It is supposed to be an explore this, see that kind of game. I would compare it to a larger never ending survival version of Journey.

    If you like space sims, survival games, good artwork, open worlds and crafting/gather. This game is meant to be driven by your interest to explore or make up your own story. Its not going to hold your hand and drive you. Give this game a shot! It is a great game to experience.    … Expand
  96. Dreitan
    Aug 11, 2016
    9
    I waited so long for this game , i waited the the biggest world , i waited normal graphic, this is indi-game , that worth like -AAA- ! Hello - Games is new Ubisoft!
  97. Choobs
    Aug 10, 2016
    10
    Not for everyone. The system requirements should include "imagination". If you need a quest nav to tell you where to go next and a tracker to tell you what to do next, don't even think about about this game. It requires, as I said, imagination, but also an ability to think for yourself and a sense of curiosity about the world around you.

    There's no "pallet swapping" going on. Everything    Not for everyone. The system requirements should include "imagination". If you need a quest nav to tell you where to go next and a tracker to tell you what to do next, don't even think about about this game. It requires, as I said, imagination, but also an ability to think for yourself and a sense of curiosity about the world around you.

    There's no "pallet swapping" going on. Everything isn't all the same. If you're a bit thick you'll probably hate it.    … Expand
  98. mitharus
    Aug 10, 2016
    9
    What can I say, but this is the game I expected and was hoping for.

    It's not perfect by any means, and many people will not like it. The game, as a pure Exploration/Survival game with other elements thrown in, surpassed the expectations I had from the interviews and trailers. The game does not have a story, it starts you off with little hand holding and expects you to make your own    What can I say, but this is the game I expected and was hoping for.

    It's not perfect by any means, and many people will not like it. The game, as a pure Exploration/Survival game with other elements thrown in, surpassed the expectations I had from the interviews and trailers.

    The game does not have a story, it starts you off with little hand holding and expects you to make your own way in the game world. There is an over arching goal of "Get to the center," but you can ignore it if you wish. I spent a total of probably around 9+ hours on my first planet before forcing myself to move on, and I'm sure I didn't come close to finding everything there was to be found.

    There is a ton of lore spread about though. This gives you more insight into the prevalent alien species that is about. The language mechanic, while annoying in some aspects, does give a nice push to continue exploring to find the hidden knowledge portals, and a good way to help interactions as you become tied more with a specific species.

    There's also what appears to be a ton of free-form "quests" that pop up. Say, you're in space and you see a trade convoy being attacked. You can join the pirates or the convoy. If you choose to join the convoy ships and protect them, you'll have a small free-form quest/task pop up after you start attacking giving you what needs to be done (i.e. how many attackers are left).

    There are of course down sides...

    * The PS4 still has very noticeable pop in during terrain generation (hopefully this is greatly reduced, or gone, on PC)
    * If you're looking for it, you can start to see the different parts that make up the creatures
    * Creature animations don't always work 100% for the creature type
    * To much information in the free-form task/quests
    * You will be doing the same thing constantly

    The first three are more technical, and in general art, than anything else and could possibly be fixed over time, the fourth is a personal opinion, so I'll focus on the last of my personal down sides...

    "You will be doing the same thing constantly"

    The main game play loop is basically: Explore, Mine, Upgrade, Move on

    That's it. That is the whole game in a nut shell. If doing that basic game play on procedurally generated worlds doesn't sound interesting to you, then I'd stay away from this game. It probably isn't what you're looking for.

    If it does sound interesting, then I would most definitely suggest checking the game out. So far, in the probably over 20 hours I've played since release, this has met, and exceeded, the expectation I had for it. Being I'm still on my 2nd system, I can see my self spending a huge amount of hours in this game over time.

    This is honestly, the type of game I've been waiting on. I'm sure I'll get bored of it eventually, lose interest, or the next new shiny will come out, but as of this point in time, this is a great game if you didn't have unrealistic expectations about what it would be.

    -M    … Expand
  99. Trylobot
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    All of the wonder of the classic Elite brought to a modern platform. I cannot wait to see what comes next in the universe of No Man's Sky, but the future looks bright indeed.
  100. PeteD6
    Aug 9, 2016
    10
    Stunningly beautiful came for every person who ever found themselves more interested in exploring than riding on the rails of a preconceived story line. The story is loose enough here where you can do whatever and go wherever you want without feeling tied down to it. The game has a few graphical hiccups here and there but all in all is truly one of a kind and very entertaining for thoseStunningly beautiful came for every person who ever found themselves more interested in exploring than riding on the rails of a preconceived story line. The story is loose enough here where you can do whatever and go wherever you want without feeling tied down to it. The game has a few graphical hiccups here and there but all in all is truly one of a kind and very entertaining for those who like to explore.… Expand
Page:

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
  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!
    Read full review
  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
See all critic reviews »