No Man's Sky

 PlayStation 4
User Score
4.8

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 5473 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,123 out of 5473
  2. Mixed: 648 out of 5473
  3. Negative: 2,702 out of 5473
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  1. 22chill
    Aug 14, 2016
    10
    Entrancing for the first few hours. Once the novelty of travelling to different planets wears off as they all become the same, the game loses its appeal all at once. Collecting resources is as much fun as vacuuming, and the game gives you a universe-sized carpet.
  2. 998817268
    Aug 14, 2016
    0
    If you hate playing video games and love looking at derivative, glitchy, buggy, crashy, repetitive, humdrum, easy, dangerously boring landscapes, this game is terrific. It's full of that stuff. This game is also not "Chill", as some people describe it. You don't get much time to look at stuff and drift lazily through space since survival is a major aspect of this game - in the sense thatIf you hate playing video games and love looking at derivative, glitchy, buggy, crashy, repetitive, humdrum, easy, dangerously boring landscapes, this game is terrific. It's full of that stuff. This game is also not "Chill", as some people describe it. You don't get much time to look at stuff and drift lazily through space since survival is a major aspect of this game - in the sense that it annoys you even when you're in absolutely no danger, inducing constant, unnecessary anxiety until the exact moment that you realize that there isn't anything dangerous in this game, which is coincidentally when it becomes boring. Space pirates in this game are not dangerous, unless you don't understand how the auto-aim system in this game works - which is apparently the case for a lot of people. That said, a lack of understanding of gameplay mechanics does not make a game fun, or difficult. It just makes you bad at the game.
    P.S. Clearly there are a lot of people who don't like the game, and clearly their input is also considered helpful since most of the 'most helpful reviews' accurately describe the depths of woe you will discover in sony's most advertised release of this year. Just please don't buy the digital version of this game like I did, or else you'll have to contemplate the meaning of your existence after willingly spending $90 canadian on this.
    P.P.S. I do really like the soundtrack, even if it is minced and thrown into your face throughout the game. In my mostly unrelated to this review opinion about the soundtrack, which isn't really a part of this game (unless you count recombinations of the same sounds as a soundtrack), it sounds more like the game that was advertised than the game itself.    … Expand
  3. TheIslancer
    Aug 14, 2016
    4
    If you are looking for well a huge sandbox this is the game for you! It is painfully repeatable. Also the i5-4460 and Msi Gtx 1060 gaming x (O.C.ed +140/ +700) maxing well almost every single game on 1080p atm had fps drops, spikes. Graphics looks quite good but it doesn't make up for empty planets (come on 10 npc met in 2 hours of exploring?). Only thing that does go for me is that IIf you are looking for well a huge sandbox this is the game for you! It is painfully repeatable. Also the i5-4460 and Msi Gtx 1060 gaming x (O.C.ed +140/ +700) maxing well almost every single game on 1080p atm had fps drops, spikes. Graphics looks quite good but it doesn't make up for empty planets (come on 10 npc met in 2 hours of exploring?). Only thing that does go for me is that I wanted to see what is going to be further in the galaxy but even before reaching Atlas (?) I gave up exploring. 4/10… Expand
  4. echobase2002
    Aug 14, 2016
    7
    Yes, this game gets repetitive and there is little to no story. Still, I find it impressive and fun to pass time. I give them a pass because it's made by a small studio. Certainly an ambitious project for them. I agree that it's overpriced as is, however when the price eventually drops it'll be worth it. I don't mind paying $60 to an independent developer if it means we get moreYes, this game gets repetitive and there is little to no story. Still, I find it impressive and fun to pass time. I give them a pass because it's made by a small studio. Certainly an ambitious project for them. I agree that it's overpriced as is, however when the price eventually drops it'll be worth it. I don't mind paying $60 to an independent developer if it means we get more people taking risks instead of the same rehash of FPS' and button smashers. It's a great concept that just wasn't perfected.… Expand
  5. Runfocovah
    Aug 14, 2016
    4
    Solid 6.. Game its fun and original, great sense of being on a universe and make you feel small, its cool to wonder around lush planets BUT after 15-20 hrs in, everything gets repetitive. Theres no real incentive for this grind fest. Fight controls on foot and spaceship are clunky and need to be fixed. Poor inventory design swell as menu interface ala destiny (but worst). Planets can feelSolid 6.. Game its fun and original, great sense of being on a universe and make you feel small, its cool to wonder around lush planets BUT after 15-20 hrs in, everything gets repetitive. Theres no real incentive for this grind fest. Fight controls on foot and spaceship are clunky and need to be fixed. Poor inventory design swell as menu interface ala destiny (but worst). Planets can feel new only the first couple of times... seen one? seen them all. AI its missing, just bland unless characters (aliens and planet creators alike).

    NMS needs to be patched ASAP; Crashing every time I warp, creatures half trapped on the ground, need bigger stacking on every slot on inventory, better spaceship handling, better space fights, and the most important of all KEEP MY SAVED FILES ALIVE!!! i have restarted this damn game twice because my save file its "corrupted".

    Its a must buy don't get me wrong, but like in 5-6 months once its cheaper and everything gets fixed.    … Expand
  6. comanderklieve
    Aug 14, 2016
    10
    I will start by saying I gave it 10/10 to try and offset all the unfounded 0's.

    The game does what it was advertised to do, it is a massive beautiful game with totally free exploration with the option to follow a couple paths but you by no means have to. The controls are a bit odd but after just a few minutes of playing you get used to them and find they work very well. The    I will start by saying I gave it 10/10 to try and offset all the unfounded 0's.

    The game does what it was advertised to do, it is a massive beautiful game with totally free exploration with the option to follow a couple paths but you by no means have to.

    The controls are a bit odd but after just a few minutes of playing you get used to them and find they work very well.

    The survival aspect is there for those who want to venture off away from their ship and is avoidable enough to be a background feature for those that don't want it with room for everything in between.

    Space combat starts off all fingers and thumbs but, again, once you have played it for an hour or so and have accumulated more than 5 minutes of space combat you get the feel for it and it is a very enjoyable experience.

    Graphics wise it is excellent! Bar a view-drawing distance that can't be changed I cannot fault the visuals especially considering the variety. Though it is obvious that it is like lego with set pieces that can be put together by the procedural generation and that more parts are needed to help stave off the feeling of "this looks similar".

    The game has its issues, glitches, bugs, crashes and balance issues in some areas. But this was to be expected. Since the days of games spending 5 years in development are gone, with most if not all the of the made up time being spent on QA this is just the way of things now and we have only ourselves (the consumer) to blame. Hello Games has responded by hiring a massive support team and new head of QA with a new ticketing system starting Monday the 15th of August and are already hard at work on patches and workarounds along with FREE DLC.

    In conclusion:
    This game is a simple, chill game that I have already sunk 20 hours into and I don't see me slowing down anytime soon. It is an uncomplicated game that allows the escapist in me to zone out from my world and just fly, shoot, mine, explore and even try and discover the story...its there, just hidden a bit too deep for most people to be bothered to find.

    The game was over hyped and those who feel disappointed have to realise that the speculation of some fan blogs and even the odd periodical could never have been realised by a developer this small.

    Well done Hello Games, now fix those issues, get me my DLC!    … Expand
  7. FL24365
    Aug 14, 2016
    2
    Please do not pay full price for this game. While I would have been happy to pay $15 for the content provided, at $60, I feel like calling the local police and reporting a robbery. The content is extremely basic, and the gameplay simply trash.
  8. dentyone
    Aug 14, 2016
    9
    A beautiful game that satisfies a lifelong love of sci-fi. It rewards patience and requires engagement with your imagination. These two factors alone make it a very polarizing game. It asks a lot of the player, but for those who are willing, it is an amazing and rewarding experience.

    The algorithmically generated planets are alien in the truest sense. I have a profound sense that I am    A beautiful game that satisfies a lifelong love of sci-fi. It rewards patience and requires engagement with your imagination. These two factors alone make it a very polarizing game. It asks a lot of the player, but for those who are willing, it is an amazing and rewarding experience.

    The algorithmically generated planets are alien in the truest sense. I have a profound sense that I am alone and that I am walking a very dangerous path. Dashing to caverns for shelter during snow storms, fighting off angry sentinels and desperately seeking materials I need. All of this in a world smeared with jaw-dropping colors and gorgeous sound design.

    For some of us, 'No Man's Sky' just clicks... like crazy... like a geiger counter. I love this game. My advise is this, don't let a critic with his own set of likes and dislikes tell you something isn't worth your time. You could wind up missing out on a very profound personal experience.    … Expand
  9. RhymingRoses
    Aug 14, 2016
    7
    The fact that the game contains lots of bugs shouldn't be such a big deal. The studio who made this isn't that big and improvements can still be done. The somewhat empty world perhaps would be a bigger issue as your progress more and more. I have had people compare this to Minecraft, but they are not the same. No Man's Sky allows its users to engage in a massive universe, and althoughThe fact that the game contains lots of bugs shouldn't be such a big deal. The studio who made this isn't that big and improvements can still be done. The somewhat empty world perhaps would be a bigger issue as your progress more and more. I have had people compare this to Minecraft, but they are not the same. No Man's Sky allows its users to engage in a massive universe, and although mining is a common factor, this game give a different feel to it as it involves trades and finding your way around the universe given to you. I have to give props to Hello Games for delivering something new to us. It's not action-packed like shooters, nor is it fast-paced like racing games, it's the type of game the gives you a break. No Man's Sky is a game that gives you relaxation, a pause of short breath in the midst of all the organized chaos in gaming. You have to understand that this is something else in order to comprehend the beauty of this game. Otherwise, you'd just see an empty shell. Nevertheless, I think if you're thinking of getting this game, wait for a price drop.… Expand
  10. Przemyslavitz
    Aug 14, 2016
    10
    If you are looking for explosive gameplay and fast action, don't even bother playing NMS. People are blaming devs and spilling all the hate on it because it did not fulfill their made-up expectations. For me it is exactly what I expected - game made for pure exploration and chill. I really enjoy finding and discovering all those species on planets, harvesting resources and visitingIf you are looking for explosive gameplay and fast action, don't even bother playing NMS. People are blaming devs and spilling all the hate on it because it did not fulfill their made-up expectations. For me it is exactly what I expected - game made for pure exploration and chill. I really enjoy finding and discovering all those species on planets, harvesting resources and visiting different places. OK, gameplay is a bit repetitive, but which exploration/survival game is not ? DayZ, Terraria, Minecraft, Subnautica, ARK, etc. are repetitive as well.… Expand
  11. Andi17
    Aug 14, 2016
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I feel like this game has lied to me in all those trailers and info that they gave me. They said you can travel to 18 billion planets or something but what they didn't tell us is that its 18 billion copies. When i enter a new system i feel like i just went around in a circle and ended up in the same area, every system contains the same old same, just a few planets a space station and some other things. Its just very boring, i don't mind grinding in a game but when i feel like there is no reward or purpose to grind for its just a waste of time. I feel like this is absolutely not worth 60 bucks. I think people with a lot of imagination might find some fun in it but for me its just not at all what i hoped for. The game also does not explain anything in the beginning so you basically don't have any idea what it is u gotta do. After 20 hours you're doing exactly the same as in the first hour and probably at the end of the game u pretty much have been doing the same all the time. The planets don't feel different at all, some planets might be a bit different but the only thing that is different is the colours and some animals. I probably won't be playing this game anymore because it just feels like a waste of time. Overall i think people that expect a huge game with all kinds of different worlds are going to be disappointed.… Expand
  12. Peptide
    Aug 14, 2016
    3
    IGN's review by Dan Stapleton says it best. "No Man Sky’s biggest failing, though, is that after more than 25 hours played I’m effectively doing the same things I was doing in the first hour."
    The amazing thing is that this is exactly what I heard about this game 6 to 9 months ago. I am blown away that any hype was ever generated at all. This spells doom for the PS4.
  13. Mickael486
    Aug 14, 2016
    7
    This game is for a certain type of person that likes to chill and just collect things and who doesn't get entirely upset if something that seems a little unfair kills you and all that inventory you collected and what's more the inventory that you discard just to FIT the inventory that you've found because of such small inventory space...may get people annoyed. This game was changed at theThis game is for a certain type of person that likes to chill and just collect things and who doesn't get entirely upset if something that seems a little unfair kills you and all that inventory you collected and what's more the inventory that you discard just to FIT the inventory that you've found because of such small inventory space...may get people annoyed. This game was changed at the last minute to be more of a survival game but I think they went a little bit too far in that direction. And what's more is the fact that this game BEGS to be online with friends in space to find and yet there's none of that and yet they took what would have been a $20-$30 indie game and made it a full priced game at $60 was just plain wrong. Read all the reviews, not just the numbers and if you're still on the fence, I can recommend this game when it goes on sale at $40, tops. The game is a 6.5 right now and potentially can become an 8 with the right patches but who knows what they'll do. It's just a humble team of 10 developers.… Expand
  14. Bobraie
    Aug 14, 2016
    1
    Extremely repetitive. Same planet pattern, no story, no feeling of progression, lame space battle. The game isn't optimised for PC so even with a good computer there is a lot of lags.

    Otherwise, the world is big enough, destroyable terrain, nice ambiance. Not worth 60$ but 20$.
  15. powergeek
    Aug 14, 2016
    0
    This game is overhyped. No content, no story, repetitive game play, quant trillion slightly different color of the same planet. Bollocks!
    Clunky game mechanics, low frame rates. What a waste of money!!!
  16. chicoche666
    Aug 14, 2016
    0
    after playing the game for two hours I had enough. This is without a doubt the most boring video game I have ever played. There is literally nothing to do besides gather materials. Your inventory is so small that even doing this is hard and tedious. I was so excited to play NMS but the game is an empty shell. It's inmense and yet it gives you the feeling of being much smaller than otherafter playing the game for two hours I had enough. This is without a doubt the most boring video game I have ever played. There is literally nothing to do besides gather materials. Your inventory is so small that even doing this is hard and tedious. I was so excited to play NMS but the game is an empty shell. It's inmense and yet it gives you the feeling of being much smaller than other RPGs. **** no man's sky, overhyped ****… Expand
  17. vreynauld
    Aug 14, 2016
    2
    No Man's Sky is a shining example that procedurally generated content is only as strong as the gameplay elements around it and cannot, with its current limitations, be the core gameplay in and of itself. Exploration wears thin after only a few hours once it sinks in that each planet is very similar to the last and there's almost no diversity in design. There's no rhyme or reason to how theNo Man's Sky is a shining example that procedurally generated content is only as strong as the gameplay elements around it and cannot, with its current limitations, be the core gameplay in and of itself. Exploration wears thin after only a few hours once it sinks in that each planet is very similar to the last and there's almost no diversity in design. There's no rhyme or reason to how the system designs planets so you may just stumble across a planet that's listed as Extreme Heat, suffers from periodic fire storms that pushes the temperature over 250C, and has not a single bit of water, yet somehow has more animals and plant life than a temperate water world. I'd like to say this is an exaggeration but it isn't.

    The other AI lifeforms in this game are stereotypes: greed driven trader race, mindless warrior race, advanced electronic race. They don't do anything of consequence except sit around in various huts waiting for you to stumble by to solve their ridiculously easy puzzles. Your existence as a player is solely to go from planet to planet, destroying the natural resources to build more fuel and materials in order to go to another planet and do the same thing. Over and over again. In a quest to... well, do nothing really. There's a quasi-goal of getting to the center of the galaxy but nothing ever explains why this is meaningful.

    This is probably one of the most shallow games I've had the misfortune of playing. The survival elements barely exist because the game almost never puts the player in dire situations and is guilty of giving the player all the tools necessary to avert any crisis early in the playtime. The exploration is just dull and unrewarding and the items you can learn to craft are so few that you'll have learned them all - with exception to the damned Atlas Pass v2 and v3 - in less than 10 hours if you explore an entire system or two.

    Make no mistake, this game isn't getting hate because people dislike the genre, it's getting hate because it's a terrible game. It tries to do a bunch of different things and fails at all of them (and frequently reminds you of these failures with crashes to the dashboard and a frustratingly clunky UI).    … Expand
  18. omega501
    Aug 14, 2016
    9
    I personally haven't really had any problem with this game. I don't care about graphics and textures unlike some people because graphics alone do not make a good game. This game is about survival and exploration, and that's exactly what you do. And it delivered well on that. It might be a bit repetitive, but what game isn't? Plus the rewards feel great and you feel very accomplished whenI personally haven't really had any problem with this game. I don't care about graphics and textures unlike some people because graphics alone do not make a good game. This game is about survival and exploration, and that's exactly what you do. And it delivered well on that. It might be a bit repetitive, but what game isn't? Plus the rewards feel great and you feel very accomplished when you finally make a new product or find something you've been looking for. Is it the best game ever? No. Is it a good space exploration game, and if not the best space exploration game in my opinion? Yes. I recommend this game to anyone who actually has imagination and likes a good bit of sci fi. If you just like COD and think every game should have amazing graphics and fighting, then this game isn't for you.… Expand
  19. 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
  20. lightyears
    Aug 14, 2016
    9
    After reading some negatieve reviews I doubted to buy the game. But I am happy I did. This is what exploring the universe is like. Going where nobody has gone before and discover new worlds and lifeforms. Altough it isnt a game for anyone. Probably only for science fiction freaks.
    The good news: It's visuals and music are better than I expected and add to the mysterious gameplay. I am    After reading some negatieve reviews I doubted to buy the game. But I am happy I did. This is what exploring the universe is like. Going where nobody has gone before and discover new worlds and lifeforms. Altough it isnt a game for anyone. Probably only for science fiction freaks.
    The good news: It's visuals and music are better than I expected and add to the mysterious gameplay. I am especially impressed by the variation in landscapes. In the real universe also everything is more or less a astronomical random gamble. This game simulates that. The environments and fauna give you plenty of awe moments.
    The bad news: At some point the game gets repetitive. It is basically 1) finding resources 2) create a warp drive 3) fly to next solar system 4) explore planets. And that loop repeats itself. On the other hand every game gets repetitive at some point. Isnt FIFA or DOOM repetitive after 15 hours? It is also basically doing the sam all over again.
    Things to improve: I would like to see a better combat experience on planets. I also want to see more intelligent life (where are the alien cities?). And by example a war between several intelligent life forms, where you can decide to join a side or to stay neutral. Or give the possibility to take tasks in alien cities that you can complete. Afterwards you get money (units) from it. That would also decrease the repetitiveness.
    My conclusion is that the game is a success. And gives a lot of awe moments the first hours. For true science fiction freaks this game is a must have. But I think that Hello Games should feel obligated to make things better with -free- updates given the heavy price tag of 60 euros. Especially in terms of planet combat and tasks to complete for alien cities.    … Expand
  21. josedebastos79
    Aug 14, 2016
    10
    No Man's Sky is a very special game, is not for everyone, is about to feel that you area a small being in an infinite and strange universe, it is about the discovery and survive, is about to reach a new planet and for the first time heard the sound of a new creature, is about following clues to know more and more about each of the civilizations, and does so in a very philosophical wayNo Man's Sky is a very special game, is not for everyone, is about to feel that you area a small being in an infinite and strange universe, it is about the discovery and survive, is about to reach a new planet and for the first time heard the sound of a new creature, is about following clues to know more and more about each of the civilizations, and does so in a very philosophical way like in the great science fiction novels of the 60s and 70s I would describe No Man's Sky as the Space Odyssey 2001 of the videogame. You hate it or you love it. Plus there is a incredible technology of procedural generation without loading screens between planets and space. It could improve in many aspects especially in the use of the inventory, the mechanics are simple but satisfying and also the developer Hello Games has said that they gonna adding more content and all for free, including the next update will be base and space freighters building.No Man's Sky is not a perfect game, and sometimes it can become repetitive, but is a increible and unique experience that I recomend to all old school fans of science fiction.… Expand
  22. AtticusFinch-
    Aug 14, 2016
    8
    (No spoilers) I really like the game, but I see how it isn't for everyone. There are some terrible reviews on here, but if you already made it to the center of the universe in a week, the game clearly isn't for you... It's like going to Yellowstone & trying to make it to the other side of the park as fast as possible. Why bother going if you aren't interested in seeing the sights?

    And    (No spoilers) I really like the game, but I see how it isn't for everyone. There are some terrible reviews on here, but if you already made it to the center of the universe in a week, the game clearly isn't for you... It's like going to Yellowstone & trying to make it to the other side of the park as fast as possible. Why bother going if you aren't interested in seeing the sights?

    And there is a good story- you just have to eek it out. I learned over 100 words (as you don't understand alien languages of course) before even bothering leaving my first system- which meant hours and hours of slowly learning a species history through visiting various locations etc. And that changed the shape of the game for me, and my goals. it is slow though, and the resource grind is repetitive, but that should be known to everyone already, it's a little like Minecraft. Only different.

    Anyway, I dig it.    … Expand
  23. KimballDonald
    Aug 14, 2016
    10
    Is this game for everybody? No, so before you buy it, ask yourself these things:

    1. Are you interested in a game that is primarily exploration? 2. Is combat an integral part of your gaming needs? 3. Do you find fun from slow paced games? If you answered no to these, it's probably not for you. I'm the type of person who loves to run around open world games, ignoring the main    Is this game for everybody? No, so before you buy it, ask yourself these things:

    1. Are you interested in a game that is primarily exploration?
    2. Is combat an integral part of your gaming needs?
    3. Do you find fun from slow paced games?

    If you answered no to these, it's probably not for you. I'm the type of person who loves to run around open world games, ignoring the main missions and creating my own fun or completing side missions. This game is perfect for the adventurer and explorer who doesn't need waves of enemies to have a good time.

    Being able to hop into my ship, peruse a planet for resources, mine what I need and find ancient ruins, other alien traders, then hop back in my ship and fly into the galaxy to see a beautiful moon orbiting a giant planet has been magical for me. But it's not for everyone.    … Expand
  24. Ex2bot
    Aug 14, 2016
    8
    If you love games about space, if you love to explore and if you don't really need your hand held while gaming, No Man's Sky (NMS) may be just the game for you. NMS is an exploration survival single-player game in a vast universe. You'll never know quite what you'll find as you gather resources and explore star systems.

    You'll walk and jet pack, shoot rocks and plants, scan plants and    If you love games about space, if you love to explore and if you don't really need your hand held while gaming, No Man's Sky (NMS) may be just the game for you. NMS is an exploration survival single-player game in a vast universe. You'll never know quite what you'll find as you gather resources and explore star systems.

    You'll walk and jet pack, shoot rocks and plants, scan plants and animals for $. You'll find giant deposits of resources to earn money. Once you fix your starter ship, you'll also fly your starship. Keep in mind there are three speeds: slow (RT trigger) and pulse (O button), and a super fast speed only for space (L1 and R1 aka bumper keys).

    Hints: learn words, explore buildings, ships and space stations carefully, and scan animals and plants for $. There are three inventories (press trackpad and use L1 and R1 to switch between them). And if only there was a way to make the just about everything work better. Some of the deficiencies other reviewers are complaining about (cough exosuit slots) can be upgraded. Look around and try every option. Use those beacons and beams.    … Expand
  25. Kenmei
    Aug 14, 2016
    2
    It takes someone who is extremely patient and can spend long hours just exploring different, but very similar, looking planets in the game. For all others, including myself, this game was extremely boring. The entirety of the game can be summed up like this: Start on a planet, mine it for its resources to build ever increasingly hard to build different items to get to another planet to doIt takes someone who is extremely patient and can spend long hours just exploring different, but very similar, looking planets in the game. For all others, including myself, this game was extremely boring. The entirety of the game can be summed up like this: Start on a planet, mine it for its resources to build ever increasingly hard to build different items to get to another planet to do the same thing over again. There's very little to do in the game beyond collecting things. The big end goal of reaching the center of the universe is barely a goal. The game is meant to be explored and each planet basically mined for everything it has. It's not something I enjoy and I don't know anyone who would enjoy it. I'm sure someone exists out there who would like this game. I definitely did not however.… Expand
  26. SerpentNebula
    Aug 13, 2016
    7
    --Pros--
    - Huge number of planets, moons, black holes, space stations, spaceships, species, plants and aliens to find and explore
    - Visually unique and beautiful - Beautiful sounds and music - Space looks beautiful and there's a number of things to do in it such mine asteroids, steal cargo from freighters or defend it from pirates - There are 3 alien species that you find all over    --Pros--
    - Huge number of planets, moons, black holes, space stations, spaceships, species, plants and aliens to find and explore
    - Visually unique and beautiful
    - Beautiful sounds and music
    - Space looks beautiful and there's a number of things to do in it such mine asteroids, steal cargo from freighters or defend it from pirates
    - There are 3 alien species that you find all over planets or space stations which you can interact with. Most of the times talking to them proves useful.
    - Interesting ways of finding out about the lore of the game (learning alien languages and alien history)
    - The goal reaching the center gives an indirect narrative without pushing you to necessarily follow
    - Surviving can be challenging. The main challenges are surviving harsh environments (heat, cold, radiation, toxicity, various types of storms and extreme night temperatures), your inventory capacity will never be enough so you have to carefully choose what is gonna be actually useful for you and of course, reaching the center which requires ship, exosuit and multitool upgrades as well as money (for potentially buying a new ship or buying a rare item or element)

    --Cons--
    - Mining and gathering resources can get repetitive
    - Crafting and upgrading can get really painful. For instance, in order to obtain a certain (and vital) kind of fuel, you have to gather certain elements, which then combine them to create an item, which you then combine it with another element to craft another item, which again combine it with two other elements to create your final desired item. And some of these things are really hard to find sometimes!
    - A lot of similarities between planets sometimes give the impression of discovering the same things over and over. For instance, theres a plant that can be found on every planet. It's just different colour each time. All the hate stems from this downside in my opinion, along with the next point, which is..
    - No multiplayer. This is not a game which you meet up with friends and you go destroy a huge freighter or even space stations and get tons of loot. Though I understand Hello Games of not wanting this to be an MMO, they could add at least some element of interaction with other players
    - NPCs prove useful but the animations of them could be better
    - Numerous issues with PC version
    - While ground and space combat is fun, it could be more elaborate.

    It's not as good as we all thought it would be. But I really don't get all the hate. At the very least this game is gonna give you 20-30 hours of fun until it wears down for most people. I admit I was in the hype train for a long time and I let myself get a bit disappointed but No Man's Sky remains a good game. It's just not the hype level of good. One last thing. In the beginning it can be overwhelming for some, just be patient and understand that the game pushes you to find out how to do things by exploring.    … Expand
  27. Champion_M
    Aug 13, 2016
    7
    After sorting through the reviews, hearing a ton about the negativity surrounding the launch (especially on PC), and playing the game for myself, I've come to a conclusion.

    I honestly don't think this game is as bad as some think it to be. The game is repetitive, sure, but Hello Games have promised to fix that with future updates with help from the community. Most of the other problems    After sorting through the reviews, hearing a ton about the negativity surrounding the launch (especially on PC), and playing the game for myself, I've come to a conclusion.

    I honestly don't think this game is as bad as some think it to be. The game is repetitive, sure, but Hello Games have promised to fix that with future updates with help from the community. Most of the other problems people have with the game (multiplayer, performance issues, etc) are going to be fixed with future updates and patches.

    Overall, I'd consider No Man's Sky a proof of concept. Hello Games have promised us updates, and this kind of response from the community is going to drive this game to be something better.    … Expand
  28. StainlSteelRat
    Aug 13, 2016
    8
    This is not a game for everyone. If you expect blowing things up, base building and attacking the wildlife, then it may not be for you. Who knows, maybe it is? I created my own adventure. I traversed the stars, learned new languages, failed at space combat, and finally found a wrecked spacecraft that was better than mine....yet I screwed up and didn't transfer my fully charged hyperdriveThis is not a game for everyone. If you expect blowing things up, base building and attacking the wildlife, then it may not be for you. Who knows, maybe it is? I created my own adventure. I traversed the stars, learned new languages, failed at space combat, and finally found a wrecked spacecraft that was better than mine....yet I screwed up and didn't transfer my fully charged hyperdrive so I had to scour a barren planet for resources.

    The adventure is what you make it. This game will give you certain threads to lead you on easily. Don't take them. Explore. Read the stones, and translate. It's worth it.

    The only thing about the game that sticks in my craw is the repetitive nature of the planets, flora and fauna. It's like they basically used the Lego model to put them all together. I would love to see an earth-like planet with cities and politics. Otherwise, this game is a paradigm shift in what a video game should be,    … Expand
  29. GwionBach29
    Aug 13, 2016
    10
    This game is basically a flawed masterpiece, and most of those flaws are obviously going to get fixed after a few patches. The people dogpiling it ought to be ashamed of themselves.

    Yes, performance is janky. Yes, balancing needs work. Yes, it crashes for some people. Yes, it's repetitive sometimes. Yes, the learning curve is rough and it's unfriendly starting out. But    This game is basically a flawed masterpiece, and most of those flaws are obviously going to get fixed after a few patches. The people dogpiling it ought to be ashamed of themselves.

    Yes, performance is janky.
    Yes, balancing needs work.
    Yes, it crashes for some people.
    Yes, it's repetitive sometimes.
    Yes, the learning curve is rough and it's unfriendly starting out.

    But seriously, people -- this is by FAR the most original game to come out in YEARS, and it's a hell of a lot of fun to boot. There's no excuse for dogpiling this game.    … Expand
  30. SimpleReviewz
    Aug 13, 2016
    2
    If you break a review down to its most simple components, it gets its point across as whether or not you should buy a certain game and why. Typically with my game reviews, I have played a great deal and have collected my thoughts nicely for a, hopefully, well-written review. Let me say that I have played 5 hours tops of No Man's Sky. However, I can fully explain to you why you should notIf you break a review down to its most simple components, it gets its point across as whether or not you should buy a certain game and why. Typically with my game reviews, I have played a great deal and have collected my thoughts nicely for a, hopefully, well-written review. Let me say that I have played 5 hours tops of No Man's Sky. However, I can fully explain to you why you should not buy this incredibly disappointing game. Not only is it so disappointing, it's actually quite horrible.

    Wasted Potential
    No Man's Sky is a sandbox survival game where you are placed in a vast universe of 18 quintillion planets. The main part of the gameplay is exploration. That's great! A game like this should bring back fascinating exploration with unique discoveries that you can actually make. But here's the other side to that coin (it's ugly): EVERY PLANET IS THE SAME. Yes, it is true that the scenery on every planet is different. However, the terrain, materials, surface, and special locations are all virtually recycled. Plus, the stuff you do on every "unique" planet is the same. What do you do on these planets? Well, for the love of God, it doesn't even deserve to be called gameplay. IT'S A WALKING SIMULATOR. There's gathering of materials (like Minecraft), yes, but you know what that goes to? TO KEEP YOU FROM DYING AND KEEP ON WALKING. Not only that, but the movement of your character is painfully slow and clunky. Now that brings me to the only thing in this game that I really, REALLY like. Flying around in your spaceship is awesome. This might be the best spaceship simulator in a video game. It really gave me a true sense of scale and discovery, like I was on the Enterprise. But who really cares about that when the rest of the game is so boring? Let's also not forget to mention that there is absolutely no guidance as to what you're supposed to do in this world. I don't want hand-holding in a game like this! However, I hear there's a "story" in this game. Not in my experience of playing! Nothing pointed me towards a "story" or set goal. There aren't even procedurally-generated quests.

    Inventory Management/Crafting/Trading
    This is a big part of the "gameplay", but this will be fast to say what I think about this. The challenge and possible fun of inventory management is completely wasted since you barely have any inventory slots. I swear, you will hear "INVENTORY FULL" at least thirty times every hour. Also, the crafting is too simple and never feels worthwhile. So does trading. I could never find anything that sparked my interest. It's so stupid to know that a "big" part of this game almost always feels meaningless. Shooting, of course, doesn't fit very well into this part of the game, but it's still worth mentioning that it's terrible. The shooting is so bland and boring.

    What Did I Like?
    TWO THINGS. Two VERY SMALL things that I pretty much forget about by looking at how painfully bad the rest of the game is. As I said before, one of them is flying in the spaceship. The other one is uploading your discoveries to the game's world. However, this gets old fast, mainly because of how there's no way to see what other people have uploaded in the game.

    What Else Did I Hate?
    Allow me to explain how the planets in the game are "procedurally generated". Imagine going to 2 different planets in the game. The scenery and such is different! However, if you just switched the 2 planets' scenery...it would be the EXACT same. It's so pathetic. What really pisses me off is that this game thinks it can charge $60 for the 18 quintillion planets on display. You know what this game is? A non-free tech demo. If I had a physical copy of this game, I would stomp on it like the freaking Hulk. Okay, maybe I wouldn't do that, but if I could sell it immediately, I would.

    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!!!    … Expand
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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.
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  2. BaziCenter
    Feb 10, 2017
    60
    The world of No Man's Sky is insanely vast and beautiful, but there’s nothing to do in it! There’s no goal, no destination, no ending, nothing!
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  3. Easy Allies
    Dec 1, 2016
    60
    While No Man's Sky is engrossing for the first few hours, repetition starts to set in and the proceedings grow dull. The developers stated that they plan to add significant features such as base building which could dramatically change the game for the better. There's a promising foundation present, so it's possible to envision a more substantial game down the line. As it currently stands, though, our excitement to cross the universe faded sooner than we expected.
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