Good grief, I'm like James Bond in Skyfall's highlands scene right now, clumsily securing Push Square Towers from inevitable impending attacks. There's always been a little bit of crazy in this industry, but Hello Games' hotly anticipated space sim has garnered such a staunch fanbase that it's becoming increasingly impossible to criticise the game; Jim Sterling's website, incredibly, is still offline.
So, here's the thing: I don't care for No Man's Sky much at all. I don't think it's a bad game by any means, but I do think it's a disappointing one. In fact, I'd argue it's probably the biggest let-down of the year thus far – and I've played Street Fighter V. That's an interesting comparison, actually: Capcom's brawler plays like a dream, but doesn't have enough content to take advantage of its mechanics; Sean Murray's magnum opus has a limitless selection of sandboxes, but fails to offer anything interesting to do in them.
Before you lazily inform me that I went into this game with my expectations misaligned, though, maybe go back and read/watch some of my preview coverage for this game. I was anticipating No Man's Sky to be a relatively basic craft-'em-up all along, and that's what it's turned out to be. What I wasn't counting on is the game actively trying to stop me from having fun.
This is a game that makes the mere act of walking a chore, because an abundance of systems force you to micromanage every aspect of your being. Hot temperatures? Better keep your suit's resistance up. Want to jet off into space? Refuel your launch thrusters. Life support low? Go and grab some carbon quick. Hyperdrive? You're going to need to set aside an hour or so to craft a dozen different elements to shoot through the stars. Not got enough inventory space to do that? Time to grind out some cash so that you can afford a (slightly) bigger ship.
It sucks for the first few hours, and your progress is measured by gradually mitigating major irritations. And for what? So that you can further your ambiguous quest to the centre of the universe? Apparently a few lines of poorly written text is all the encouragement that I need to work my socks off for Atlas Stones and Warp Cells. It absolutely stinks.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if the mining itself was actually fun, but it's not. All of the aforementioned issues play a part in the tedium of collecting elements, but they're not the only issues. The ever-presence of Sentinels represent the intergalactic embodiment of the 'No Fun Allowed' forum meme, while the landscapes themselves are devoid of anything interesting at all. This is supposed to be the most epic voyage of all time, yet each planet is constructed from identikit parts; strongholds are so similar that you'd think there's only one employable architect in this universe.
For all of the promise of endless variety, No Man's Sky is hours upon hours upon hours of the same. Earlier trailers teased giant sand creatures and dinosaurs; in reality all that you'll meet are Lovecraftian nightmares constructed from common parts. I get it – the title's been made by ten or so people. But you'd think at least some of the best bits from the marketing would have made it into the game.
Of course, I could live with the disappointment if the game was fun to play, but it's just a major chore. And I'm the kind of person that genuinely, earnestly enjoys Farming Simulator, so I'm no stranger to virtual busywork. What's here feels like the foundations for a much more interesting experience, and the hope is that Hello Games will have the time and resources to build upon it. But as it stands right now, it's just a clever piece of mathematics masquerading as a game. It's perhaps a reminder that, yet again, size only matters if you know how to use it.
Now look, this isn't a final review, so take it as you like; reviewer Stephen Tailby's writing our "official" verdict, and he doesn't fully agree with me. That's fine – it's probably fitting that a foray this divisive should get two disparate write-ups in a short span of time. But yeah, for me, this is the biggest disappointment of the year so far.
And that's not because my expectations were out of sync with what was delivered – it's because Hello Games made a boring game.
Have you already said goodbye to No Man's Sky, or are you in complete disagreement with Sammy and loving the game? Try not to get too hostile in the comments section below.
What do you think of No Man's Sky? (237 votes)
- It's truly amazing
- I think it's good
- Meh, it's okay
- It's disappointingly bad
- It's absolutely crap
Please login to vote in this poll.
[source bit.ly]
Comments 125
Its an indie game with good idea but Sony make gamers believe that this is a triple A title and start selling it for 60$...what a rip-off
I agree with you, Sammy, but I'm only about 6 hours in. I'll give it some more time, but my biggest complaint at this point is that I'm really not even sure what the point is. I guess that's the point, right?
Ridiculous that a lot of known reviewers are getting attacked for dissenting opinions. I completely agree with you...would rather play Firewatch or The Long Dark.
Funny, but all the negatives, tedium for survival, sound like reasons why I don't like Monster Hunter, but I doubt anyone would ever compare those 2.
Actually this sounds like a lot of games I don't like, Minecraft, those staying alive games. I'd still like to give it a go myself to see, but maybe after 4 or 5 more updates.
I have to say, I do love it so far. And the paragraph above the second photo in the article, while it seems like a complaint from the author, is the entire point of the game. Grind, look after the little details, take your time, feel rewarded after so long. It can't possibly be a disappointment if you have invested time researching what it is. But this game is definitely not for everyone! Slow burners come, actioners flee!
It's very early days, the game WILL be built upon.
@daveofduncan I've no doubt about it, but this is the product that we have now. Will happily revisit when Hello Games has created some content worth caring about.
Thanks for the honest opinion Sammy. As if I needed more reasons to avoid this one. I hate grinding and micromanagement, only enduring it when the game is fun.
I think this game seperates gamers into two groups basically: those who can make their own goals and accomplish them, or blow them off entirely, and those that need a point to play a video game and want that rewarding feeling of accomplishment or a preset goal already in place to achieve. It doesn't help that the first few hours are pretty rough, and it takes a while to find out how you want to play the game.
The game is about the experiences you get from wandering around a ridiculously, insanely huge galaxy. If you are looking for some kind of end game you are going to be disappointed simply because endings are often disappointing.
To each their own! I really enjoy the game and even found large dinosaurs, giant cactus slimes, and a massive horde of vicious crab monstrosities that that looked like they came straight out of Stephen King's Dark Tower series.
I also get an absurd amount of crashes. I think the inventory system is horrible (Upgrades take up slots!? What!?), cataloguing animals can be a real pain (Are you kidding me with these birds), and, aside from a few rare memorable instances were a misplaced shot resulted in me accidentally hitting a young dinosaur creatures only to have a ten foot tall mother shamble ever so awkwardly in my direction in a blind rage, the enemies are very boring. I cut swathes through them.
Not everyone has to like everything. People should calm down.
As for Jim Sterling it doesn't really help that he is kind of an arrogant jerk. At that's my perception of him anyway. Still DDOSing his site is a tad extreme. Just a pinch.
I'll never understand the internet and the need for so many people to attempt to force their own opinion on anyone who disagrees, especially when it's about something so unimportant as a video game. But apparently it's the world we live in. Sammy, I'm sure you don't need to hear it from me, but it's okay to disagree. Anyone who spits venom is someone who's opinion is probably worthless.
No Man's Sky is fantastic in my opinion, and definitely better than that other game that consumed hundreds of hours of my time (it begins with Destin and ends in y). But I can definitely see why some people dislike it. Personally, I think this sort of game is much better than the bland, try and please everyone approach games we see virtually everywhere else. The gaming industry needs some controversy, and that doesn't come from EA, Activision or Ubisoft any more. Love it or loathe it, No Man's Sky is a good thing for the gaming industry. Hopefully we can all agree on that!
@Iraqyboy So indie can't be full priced titles now?! I think you'll find many (myself included) will be happy to pay that amount for this.
I wonder if this is the beginning of the "victim complex" across the web from people who don't like it.
As for Jim Sterling, well he was bound to have trouble due to being the first to put up a review, not to mention he was never fussed on the game to begin with.
And that's on top of his imo questionable reviewing scores, this is the same man that admitted that he doesn't finish games before reviewing them. He even gave Mad Max 4 out 10! No way in this world is Mad Max a 4, a 4 would have to have significant game breaking moments and poorly implemented gameplay. Ever since that review I felt his reviewing skills aren't as good as his punditry ones and doubt I'm the only one. No doubt he'll be doing a Jimquisition on it called "fanboys trying to silence critics" or some such rubbish.
I cannot be dissapointed about No Man's Sky because I never bought the hype... I always knew it was an average indie game that people fool themselves into thinking of as a major AAA release... I don't even blame Sony or the developers... they never lied about the game they just presented the game and people got all hyped for no discernible reason
Couldn't agree less with you! And it's like the first or second time since I started reading your stuff like 2 or 3 years ago (maybe less dunno).
Ok, I admit the constant mining/refueling is boring...but it's the sense of discovery that makes want to keep playing the game! The animals and plants are so different from planet to planet...at least in my game it's been happening like that.
Besides, the fact that the game will keep getting updates makes me very excited
I respect your opinion, but I just enjoy the game maybe one day you can give it a second chance?
Oh and the most disappointing game was obviously Fallout 4 lol
Not my kind of game, but do i like to play a demo, just for the stich.
Interesting. When I voiced my doubt (a doubt that turned out to be spot on) on a push square post on Facebook, I received so many negative comments in such a short amount of time that I deleted it. All I said was I suspicious of the review embargo and I was waiting to pick up my pre order. At least I can derive a bit of satisfaction in knowing I was right...
@Bentleyma Same, I spent 7 hours just walking around my starting planet.
@Greenlightracer deleted my comment as I didn't see your Facebook post and what it said, so realised quickly it wasn't right for me to comment on it
I respect Sammy's opinion, this is the definitive divisive game. Personally, I think it's incredible. And I actually enjoy the survival and resource management aspects. Whether I still will in 20 hours, or 50 hours time, I can't say. What I can say is that the first time I opened the galactic map, my jaw dropped. The SCALE of this game, if nothing else, is unarguably ground breaking.
Of the 5 planets in my starting system, I saw real diversity. 3 planets were dead, barren wastelands, but were still distinctive and unique. One was overflowing with bioluminescant plant life, and my starter planet was a vividly coloured, lush, tropical Eden filled with wonders and cave systems that begged to be explored. The very fact that NO ONE else may ever see what I saw, makes this game special in a way no other game has ever been.
And if you do stumble across that planet, Pople 7... watch out for the Tiger Crabs.
They're bastards.
I knew all along this was going to be a love it or hate it kinda game. I'm loving it myself but can easily see how someone could hate it.
Good to see some people finally talking about this. I have said months in advance that this was gonna be a disappointment because it got so over-hyped. Hope my second prediction that I will pick this up for under 20 bucks within the year turns out to be right too
I, like many others, am enthralled with the game! I'm about 10 hours in and have visited 6 planets, with the first 4 hours on my starter planet cause it was so lush and relaxing! Forbes has a great article/review about this game, essentially saying it's a change from the status quo of the normal shoot-me-up and related games, allowing the player to relax and explore at their own pace. Admittedly it won't be for everyone, but having it as an option amongst the sea of similar games is a breath of fresh air. For the issues PS4 (and now PC) are experiencing... It sucks, but it's a launch that's not gone great but these issues should be resolved before long as the team is dedicated, albeit small, and I am confident in what they'll do. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some relaxing exploring to do!
Last year I said to a friend of mine "man, minecraft isn't good, minecraft space is worst" and now I was right, this game sucks for my style. It's not particularly bad, it's just out of my range of quality and has almost nothing that I think a game should have.
I absolutely love the game. Goty for me.
Pathetic
@get2sammyb wow I would of thought you of all people would've liked it out of anyone on this site quite shocking.
This game is not for everyone, while I do know that the resource management is a chore (even the act of mining resource need resource) but it's the search of unknown that drive me to next waypoint. What I expect is what I see in sony promotional video (explore, fight, trade, survive), and the game will get better at that with many of the upcoming patch.
Street fighter 5 is another story though, it's a sequel so I know what I should get from the game, that's why I preordered it, hell I even preordered digital because I'm sure it will be great game. And here I am, unable to sell the game..
I hate virtually all of Sammys articles. I cannot be the only one.. Can I? Lol. Im beginning to question if he's a mole or something (As ludicrous as that sounds). He takes waaay too much advantage of the whole "click bate" journalism. So much so, I can clearly spot his posts without even opening up the article to view the author. Sammy, is the only cancer I have with this website.
(And for the record my distaste for Sammy doesn't come from different opinions... But stems from the manner in which he decides to regurgitate them. It's all to obvious hes just trying to be "that guy")
There's hundreds of boring games on PS4, not sure this deserves an article.
Sammy, obviously as as prior contributor to this site I will always have an acknowledgement for its writing, unbiased reviews and grounded perspective.....
.....but releasing this article without having first let the review from your colleague at Push Square take stock is completely unexpected - as much as reviewers within the same sites differ in their individual assessment of games, it's slightly concerning I'm reading your thoughts on this game without first seeing a proper, detailed review from your colleague.......which should have preceded this article by a distance.
Surely your colleagues' review will now lose much of its lustre as a result. Would it not have been more professional to release this a week after his review?
I imagine his own Sky caved in when he read this and its impact on his imminent review - which I'm still looking forward to reading, but now less so.
It's kinda like saying 'hey, this Jim dude's site is down as a result of negative verdict / forums re NMS...lets do the same, as Editor here's why the game is rubbish, but don't forget to read our review - which will be out soon'!
I'm not expecting Deus Ex, Elite etc, so managing my own expectations for this game as a gamer of 30 years has been fine - I already know what it IS and what it ISNT.
I'm not sure the growing clickbait accusations at Push Square Towers will be nullified by this article, mainly because of its definitive negative judgement on the game as a whole, which is something that should have been incorporated into the review to describe it's systems and exploring.
I'm debating whether the game is as near as disappointing as seeing this article appear before the sites' own review, which will now see its impact greatly diminished, a massive pity for the reviewer and confusing to the audience.
As for the game itself, I respect your opinion even if we end up disagreeing - I'll be playing it today / tomorrow - but it's a notable gaming release and deserved better...
Galvatron is NOT amused 😒
👎🏽 Back to Hitman again
I just can't imagine why someone would want to spend 60 hours exploring samey planets when they could spend the same amount of time exploring lovingly crafted worlds in any number of other games.
People saw different gameplay elements in the trailers and expected the game to be what THEY wanted it be. I saw a space exploration game, where I could fly from planet to planet, observing, collecting, enjoying each as it was created. And that's what it turned out to be IMO.
Others wanted Destiny style combat, or Star Wars style dogfighting, or hardcore RPG trading and upgrading. Who knows what the future updates hold? Maybe they'll tighten the controls and add improved combat mechanics, or ship customisation, or NPC missions and quests.
Yes it's repetitive, but so is COD, most RPG'S, and Mario games. Destiny is one of the most repetitive games there is. Everyone has the same few guns, new enemies are just old designs with new colours, and you rinse and repeat the same missions. Every game is not for everyone.
This is my favourite game this year. I'm intrigued by space, planets, etc, in real life and this game fulfils the space explorer in me. Its not perfect but I didn't go in expecting everything I seen in the trailer. They did say this is a procedural game and everyone will see something different.
The game isn't disappointing. Those that are disappointed expected too much.
It's strange because for the most past @get2sammyb is absolutely correct and there have been several moments where I have felt exactly the same but as @Neolit says I still love it.
I suspect what is happening is I'm playing half the game in my own childhood imagination where I'm captain of the Enterprise and exploring the universe. Last night for example I'd almost fully explored the planet of identikit buildings and grown slightly weary when I stumbled upon a crashed ship, the Gek pilot had long since gone but he'd left behind a new blueprint for upgraded shields. Upon checking his now derelict vessel I realise it's much better than mine so after a quick swap I'm now marooned on this planet and I couldn't be more excited. A quick look through my inventory tells me I can get the launch thrusters online but the pulse engines and hyperdrive are non functioning (where's Scotty when you need him) also my weapons systems are offline, though not a big deal if I'm not going anywhere. It's at this point I have the realisation that the planet I can see in the sky that until recently was a couple of minutes flight away, could now be a few days away. I even use my communicator to report my discover to my friends.
I'm rambling now but you get the point, I can see the limitations of this game but I love it, would I recommend it to a friend? Probably not but I wouldn't swap it for any other game either
I kind of feel like anyone thats just going to critical path this game to the centre of the universe. Probably so they can move on to the next big thing (as is the gaming trend these days). Is going to have your experiance.
But if you are in no rush and you find pleasure in just exploring space, you pay attention to the little details. If you want to discover the alien artifacts and space stations. You will find a real hidden jem under that "objective" but the point is not to play that "objective".
@Constable_What I support this point of veiw. Like saying this game sucks cause I dont like rpgs. Havent played it myself and probably wont , but freinds are enjoying playing the crap out of it , and telling me all they do. So for me that tells me the game is really good for those it was made for.
Spore 2.0 turned out to be disappointing? Color me shocked.
It still seems like it might be an interesting little novelty, but $60 is way too much money to spend on a novelty.
To much hype about this game. But still fun to play after I am doing it 40 hours now. And I am only in my second solarsystem.
I totally disagree with the title of this section. It isn't a disappointment to me at all. In fact I'm enjoying it more than expected.
It makes such a change to be able to roam around at your own leisure without being shot at from all angles. Its a very in depth rpg/survival game to me which leaves you to find out how it works, without being told everything in the first few minutes.
As for the story, at the moment I don't care. I'm just enjoying being an adventurer and making my own story. I dare say at some stage I may drift to the story, but not yet.
Yes, there is a lot of time spent in your inventory but that's no problem with me.
A lot of people say its boring and repetitive but I find games like COD and Battlefield repetitive, shooting, dying, respawning and little else.
There is also more to come from the developers in future, updates like base building etc. so the game is going to get even larger and better.
I think more games like this will come in the future, and Hello Games should be given the credit they deserve for trying to break the mould.
The game does have issues, every game does, but its not at all bad. It is just a question of taste. Marmite springs to mind.
@Ralizah And here we have a clear case of confirmation bias.
You thought that it would be bad, you see some comments arguing that it's bad and ignore everyone else who is saying that they're loving it.
The game is clearly divisive.
So, some advice from someone so lucky to love the game (nothing against those who don't like it):
Hope this helps. The game is not without faults, but in my opinion in immersion and exploration is masterful.
The reactions to this game and the reactions to the reactions aren't all that surprising, though some people definitely need to calm down and get a life. I'm enjoying the game but I can see how many people would disagree and in some cases disagree strongly and there's nothing wrong with that.
A big part of the problem with the game industry today is that, at least as far as big AAA publisher game releases go, we've gone from a world where developers were free to create all kinds of niche games that appeal to all kinds of different gamers to a world where every major $60 release is expected to try and please everybody and if it doesn't then that's some kind of major betrayal. Personally I'm happy that No Man's Sky is the game it is, though I am looking forward to future content updates to add more to do in the game and hope that the interface and basic gameplay get some streamlining to to improve combat, space combat especially and to automate some of the more tedious tasks like constantly having to micromanage to keep your various systems fueled and ready.
Now then, for good or ill there are certain expectations that come with a game being a $60 retail release and while I think the game is worth every penny, I still wonder if it wouldn't have been better served as a $20 or $30 downloadable release. I feel like that might have mitigated some of the outrageous hype and sky high expectations somewhat and we might not have seen the over the top reaction we have, especially stuff like the death threats over the game being delayed a few weeks or the DDoS attack on Jim Sterling's website.
@get2sammyb It is better than I though it would be.. Actually your dislike of it kind of made me want to try it more since you seem to dislike games I like (Not sure you thought much of Doom, Dead Nation, Destiny etc?) and love games I detest (Life is Strange, ugh!!). Horses for courses n all that haha
I played Spore a decade ago and that turned me off on procedural generation entirely. I've seen plenty of gameplay by now, but it's still the same. Planets look the same, it's just all a different colour, different trees and another weird monstrosity that calls itself an animal; most literally look like creatures that come straight out of Spore.
I would loved to see what a developer could do if they were limited to a smaller ''universe'', not even a galaxy, but maybe just a cluster of solar systems. A maximum of 100 planets for example. But instead handfully created, each realistic, yet unique. Giant water planets, barren deserts. With wildlife that actually makes sense. Some populated with intelligent life. Engaging gameplay, etc.
Ooh Sammy Sammy Sammy, where's your sense of wonder and imagination?
I never was hyped about it, but got the game and I'm enjoying immensely its something different in a market full of action and shooters.
I agree however I like it. It's relaxing and to be honest it's easy. Apart from the space battles which sometimes get a bit difficult. I like renaming things, discovering planets and moons.
However I've been to about 6-8 star systems and most of the things on the planet is the same and differ a little, I've seen a creature with crab legs on different planets lots of time and the only difference is the head.
Overall I'm happy with it, probably not worth the £45 I payed for it, perhaps it could've been £28-£35 I would have appealed to more people. I'd like to see updates and have more buildings on planets because the amount of ships in the star systems you'd think they would have somewhere to live.
People also like to say it's minecraft in space... Yes a little but i prefer looking at it as an 'adults minecraft'.
I do hope Hello Games are working on some free content full of things that will spice it up.
Overall I'd give it a 7/10.
This is what I feared and why I didn't pick it up.
Glad I didn't waste €60 on it. Might pick it up for €15 or less in time though.
If people don't like it, that's absolutely fine. And people should have the opportunity to express their opinion fairly. This is just where we part ways Sammy!
Whilst the game isn't perfect and does have its flaws, the things it does do well feel really great. One of the main things is just about getting fun from exploring and discovering. Whether it's learning an alien language, learning the history of the universe and the races that inhabit it, fighting off enemy pilots in deep space, f*cking up the sentinels or using the pulse thrust - I find myself just enjoying the journey.
The idea of it having a "point" (or no point) I think is more illustrative of how arbitrary gaming has become in some circles. Why should someone collect a bunch of flags just so they can get a non-existent trophy or achievement? What's the point there?
As for the needing to refuel things, I like that element. It makes you work for something, and makes you realise that if you don't keep those things stocked up, you will be stranded or eventually die - and that's the reality for any form of explorer.
I think the important thing to remember is that Hello Games have tried to do something different and ambitious. And regardless of how people feel about it now, it was a title that held a lot of intrigue and generated a lot of buzz and discussion. It's still doing that now, and I think it's important to have games that fulfill that.
Just my two pence.
As an FYI I saw a brontosaurus crossed with a kangaroo last night it was huge... And I saw a penisworm thing like the sandworms out of beetlejuice. True story.
It's entertaining, relaxing (apart from the crashes) and a couple of ooooo moments which I won't spoil. Yes it's over micromanaging but not to the extent where it's 'boring'. A friend of mine hit the nail on the head it's basically what he's wanted from Elite all those years ago mixed with a good sci-fi novel.
The fact you find it boring and it's disappointing I'm afraid DOES mean you had some expectations of the game which is understandable, since you have wrote almost as many articles about it as there are planets in the game.
Won't be for everyone, but it's pretty much what I expected from the get go. It's the media who misinterpreted a lot of what would and wouldn't be possible, but to be fair that mystery had helped sales.
I was happy to part with £50 for the digital version and support hello games as it'll mean more updates hopefully.
I read a lot of opinions about No Mans Sky that all echo sammies opinion in one way or another, No Mans Sky survival game go and play Don't Starve and you'll found out what a true survival game is. What i find very funny and ironic is people say, well No Mans Sky is very different to all the games out Action games & Shooters (i guess its only me that plays adventure/RPG's games then) the mining tool acts like a gun and can be upgraded into a gun. Yeh very different and original, go and play Don't Starve and you'll find out what different and original is all while not costing £49 RRP-£55 on the PSN store.
NMS was always going to be one of those games that polarised opinions.
I pre-ordered the game and was hyped for it - hell, NMS was one of the reasons I decided to upgrade to a PS4 in the first place.
I'm absolutely loving this game - I have no regrets about purchasing it and one I can see myself putting many hours into.
Hats off to Hello Games for having a vision and seeing it through.
I can understand how some people have an issue with the price at launch - I personally do not, but then again I personally take issue with paying £40-50 for a game which then expects me to pay an additional £40 for a "Season Pass" - I just hope that Hello Games stay true to their plan to add additional features via patch updates and not look to premium DLC...
Article articulated what I am feeling.
Ignoring the vagueness on meeting other players in the game (unlikely doesn't mean not possible) the game is a gorgeous tourism simulation with a kind of crappy resource management system superimposed onto it.
Some reviewers have said after a lot of planets the uniqueness becomes a little samey. Endless creatures made up of the same elements. I haven't found that yet. However why no planetary map, why no way to travel a little faster than at the beginning? The thought of this same slow slog where I can't go back to see interesting sights because they are lost makes me think I will tire of this game.
The bases all look the same too.
So for me NMS lived up to the hype as far as seeing planets but it is mediocre at best for regular gameplay elements. Without a purpose or story the bad design is very obvious and "chill" obviously actually means not much fun.
I think after a few more planets I will want to wait for upgrades if there are any. I've spent hours wandering happily through modded Oblivion, Skyrim and the (unmodded) Witchier 3 world and been just as wowed by world creation and not at all bored as I have been in this game.
@get2sammyb To be honest, the game always gave off the whiff that there wasnt actually much to do. I would have bet my house that it was nothing more than a 7/10 game at best. Like you say it seems to have attracted rabid fan boys also who defend it to the hilt which is odd. It appears to be an idea that some people and it would seem Sony, have bought in to without consideration for anything else. The radio silence on details should have been the giveaway for everyone to be fair.
Surely with the money they make off this due to the advertising gives scope for a fully fleshed out experience for NMS2.
There is a difference between an immature gamer and a gamer with the heart of a kid. Immature gamers will NOT like NMS. They will get frustrated, and aggravated and, inevitably, will return to CoD, Destiny or whatnot. The gamer with the heart of a kid will smile in anticipation every time their ship lands on a new, undiscovered planet. What will they see this time? What challenges will they need to overcome? Hostile sentinels? Sub-zero temperatures? Oh, maybe acid rain? Or maybe they will emerge from their ship onto pleasant terrain with tolerable temperatures, low sentinel activity and wait!...Is that Emeril?? A huge freaking chunk of Emeril? And there is another one over there!!! And there is a terminal right here?!! Well, better settle in, because you are not leaving this planet ANY time soon. And this gamer might stay on this planet for hours, days, weeks even because, hello!...it's a PLANET! There is so much that can be seen accomplished and appreciated about this game. You either love it, or you don't. And, if you don't, that's OK. Just don't cry so much on your way out. The rest of us are having a ton of fun frankly, couldn't care less whether or not you would rather be playing Farm Simulator.
Language -Tasuki-
@BellaNora That post is just a lot of condescending nonsense. "If you dont like NMS then you are immature." What a complete pile of drivel. Yet again NMS fanboys unable stand their precious game being constructively criticised.
I will sum up what I feel about NMS in a few words...I AM GOLAN TREVIZE.
Thanks for the great comments section, guys! We have the best community here!
No Man's Sky is a game where for the past week has been getting 259 articles a day. Of COURSE some people will talk crap about it. It was even mentioned in a news channel here in Greece, and Greece is a country where video gaming is synonymous with being a loser with no life and no friends (most Greeks do not appreciate - or are aware of - geek culture).
What I'm trying to say is, that people are desperate to hype this game, not to the extent of Pokémon Go (because it's not as cheaply accessible), but it gets A LOT of coverage throughout the world.
Now I don't know if the game's worthy of the hype - people will always find things to cry about in everything - but I was never interested in it, because I always considered it a glorified walking simulator.
I am however, increasingly annoyed at the continuous attention the media are so desperate to gather in this game.
Language -Tasuki-
@MadAussieBloke haha!
Still can't believe there's no multi-player. Where's the fun in playing with a whole universe with only you in it??? Gotta be the lamest thing I've ever heard of. Very disappointing for me. And they show you flying with others in the trailer.
@get2sammyb Whereas I am thoroughly enjoying this game myself, I am happy to see Indies arent being exempt from the same critisicms as "AAA" titles.
A nice objective look at the game, and even though I disagree mostly, I see why many are feeling the same way.
I think the game is great. It is what I thought it would be with a little more micromanagement then I would have liked, but not a game killer that it is for some. This is a game I will come back to often to relax in.
I think the mistake here is that developers try to build success later in the game. What I mean by this is, developers will release a game with the intentions on adding all the cool stuff that really should've been added before to make the game so popular rather than waiting till months after it's release of a barebones game that really doesn't do anything at all but make you grind for hours on end. This, I believe, is the biggest mistake any developer could make.
Games need a great launch. if it's a boring game at launch, but then the developers decide to say "well we are going to do this and this later", they just failed the launch and completely dorked any positive execution of the game.
Developers around the world really need to understand that word of mouth and computers makes all this information travel to everyone within only a day or two. For me, I won't get this game because of the fact it's a grindcore game, all you do from what I'm reading everywhere is grind, grind, grind, and grind.
@get2sammyb "the Biggest Disappointment of 2016"
I think the FFXV delay now gets that honour.
To be honest, Street Fighter V definitely takes that honor of biggest disappointment of the year.
Want to play an incredibly boring space game where the controls are confusing, you have abolutely NO objective and space is literally wasted space?
Play Space Engineers. That game was a giant waste of my money.
If you play Space Engineers, you will have more appreciation for what Hello Games did with No Man's Sky, that I can guarantee.
interesting comments and fair points made from everybody. I myself didn't buy into the hype as it looked interesting and different enough to pique my interest. I am enjoying myself and yes it has issues and the inventory system is a bit of a hassle but this is my chill out game. the lack of online multiplayer is not an issue for me and to be honest having nearly a half million credits in my ship hold and then being wiped out by space pirates is no way as annoying as somebodys 8 year old mungbean of a child taking me out...I think this is a very niche game that is never going to appeal to everybody but that's life..
So it's like Mighty No 9 without all the train wrecks leading up to its release. When will we learn not to overhype the crap out of games?
With that said I'm so hyped for the new Zelda game!
As always I really do appreciate the honesty from Pushsquare. Must admit, when they announced this game would be full price retail, I was wondering if the game would have enough content to justify that price point.
And yes, I appreciate the very large number of places to visit, but when so many are so similar, that very large number does feel a bit meaningless. I think I might wait a while for this one. When the price is a bit lower and they've added and tweaked a few bits.
@naruball No. If the game was getting generally good reviews and I cherry-picked the small number of bad ones to confirm my preconceptions, that would be one thing. The game is not getting a generally positive critical response. It's getting a very mixed response from both critics and users.
Also, Spore was not "bad," it was just disappointing. This seems to be the same sort of scenario.
Keep up the armchair psychology, though.
@hadlee73 With respect, that's what the volume button is for, but feedback noted.
@Ralizah Sure, as long as you keep up the confirmation bias, though.
@ToOGoodOfAPlaya
No man's sky is not your average indie. Had it been, it would have been praised to death by reviewers and gamers.
It is perceived as an AAA game, especially because of the hype surrounding it and the fact that it's a partnership with Sony. For some reason people keep forgetting that it was made by a tiny team which can only do so much in a such short time.
The most obvious thing to notice is the complaints about its graphics. When was the last time you heard reviewers or gamers complain about an indie game's graphics. They always get a free pass.
First of all I wanted this game really badly. But held off. Then I watched the stream of Sean Murray playing the game on Twitch and he managed to make it look not that interesting to play. Thank you for the article you make a lot of interesting points and have definatly comvinced me not to buy this game.
@KingofSaiyanZ Not really, but if you are near a major outpost/station you can call it to you using the, um, "little parking pylon thingy with lights that let's you call your ship." I don't know what it's actually called, but it's where you are automatically parked if you land and there is already a ship on the landing pad.
These can come in VERY handy. Last night, after wandering for a long time collecting a huge amount of gold to fill my suit's 37 slots....my ship had disappeared. The icon showed up on my "compass," but it wasn't there. If I had reloaded my last save, not only would I have lost an hour+ of effort, it would also have cost me ~$600K (units or whatever). I wandered around some more until I found another station with a parking pylon and called my ship there.
@Bliquid I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Maybe it makes sense; I just don't get it.
More on point, after playing about 30 hours I don't think that NMS is a great game. It's a bit buggy, there isn't enough variety in what you can do, the planets look pretty samey for the most part, just with different palettes and environments (hot, cold, radioactive, nice), and the worlds are mostly empty. I named one Planet Kansas, which will make sense if you have ever driven across Kansas.
What it does do is the same thing gambling does...or those old experiments where the pigeon pushes on a lever all day to get an occasional treat to drop. It occasionally rewards you with a new ship/storage slot/suit upgrade/etc. This isn't exactly fun, but it gives little rewarding moments and short term goals to work for. If you are a bit OCD, and I admit that I am, this can be a powerful draw. It's not brilliant game design, however.
For such a giant game, it's surprisingly small. The universe has just stretched out the assets in a way that takes you longer to get to them.
That said, I've played a lot and I will play more. Solitaire is also the most played game on my mobile and I will play it more too, so that's an endorsement but not exactly a ringing one. NMS is a rare bird; a game I don't think is great, but I'm compelled to keep playing none the less.
Really hope the PC version gets some patches and texture upgrades through the community or the devs. It just looks....ugly. Even with everything set to ultra, it looks like an upscaled 720p game with foggy glasses on. I can't even imagine trying to play it on PS4, with the constant dips below 30fps and terrible draw distance. As far as the gameplay, i like it. I was expecting a first person, non building version of starbound, and that's what I got.
@teknium_ Yes!!!
I'm not a fan of Minecraft style micromanagement games. Thanks for the tip. I'll save myself 90$ (CAD conversion rate sucks).
I'll buy this game later for $29 after they beef up the number base/planet/creature/ship designs.
If you have patience you get a better game for less (or you decide at some point not to bother).
@madrox1030
Read push square for years in the background made an account just to say I agree with everything you said about Sam " A Cancer"
considering this is an idie developer, what we are seeing isn't all that bad actually. While this is definitely not a game I would really enjoy playing, it doesn't take away the fact that they added some amazing features within this game. The ability to go from space and gradually fly into a planet sounds absolutely amazing. This could be used in future star wars games if other developers are smart enough to implement such a great feature. It's these types of games that can make future bigger budget games revolutionary.
Watch the language
This is hands down the best game I've played this generation, in my top 10 of all time and easily the best new gameplay experience I've had since Super Mario 64. Every single poor "review" I've ready of this game comes from somebody who just wanted Assassins Creed in space, Fallout in space, Grand Theft Auto in space. This is not a game for those who need their hand held - this is not only by far the largest open world (universe) game to date but really lets you choose your own adventure which I've been doing for over 30 hours n ow. Disappointment? This game is going to influence the industry and game development just like Super Mario 64, GTAIII and FFVII.
@naruball I would argue that while developed by an indie studio I have found the game to be much more satisfying than Halo 5, Killzone: Shadowfall, Quantum Break, Watch Dogs and a long list of AAA games.
I have not played NMS. However from several game play videos i have viewed the game just looks boring. The video Sammy made of his game play looked very boring.
Many games released every year look boring to me. That NMS is one that looks boring is disappointing. I was hoping for many hours of interesting exploration.
@kyleforrester87 I was thinking this exact thing when I read this article. Sammy thought the writing in Life is Strange was good, but poor in this game. Lol. I mean as far as writing goes in NMS it isn't Ibsen sure, but Life is Strange was just, in my opinion, pure cringe! xD
@nightlion76 That's really good to know.
@BladeRider Exactly. Games like this need to be made! Niche titles for a smaller audience are like some kind of travesty now, and I'm a firm believer that certain games just aren't for everyone. Games that try to be feel more like a mass produced mass marketed toy that went through corporate focus tests and had a lot of input from psychologists to get people to buy the game and keep playing.
I try to adjust my paradigm when playing games that might be outside of my comfort zone. It's a fun exercise that often leads to experiences that I wouldn't have been to understand or enjoy. I personally like picking up a game asking myself: Who is this game for? How does the game want me to play? How should I play the game? How long should I keep playing playing?
The end result of that is me enjoying a lot of different games. Some of them, granted, I think are some of those are objectively bad. I didn't have to do that as much with NMS through. It just feels relaxing.
@Bhattiboy cancers awful, if one of your close family or friends died from cancer you wouldn't use the word to describe anyone its frigging horrendous, let alone the editor of the website you have been reading for years. I hope no one in your family dies from cancer, although they all have a 1 in 3 chance so good luck with that.
I've just noticed the reviews up! Get in.
@themcnoisy
Good Evening/Afternoon/Morning themcnoisy perhaps "Awful" and " frigging horrendous" best describe what madrox1030 meant when he condensed it into one meaningful word I would also add conceited.
Please refrain from bringing my Family in on what is yet an incurable disease Sams problem is..............................He just tries to hard.
No Mans Cry
Good video. But I still think it's dumb to be disappointed by games. I just imagine you sitting there with your controller feeling sad. It's not that bad!
@Bhattiboy what a conceited cancer? Well done for reading for years - that's a great choice to read this website. Deciding to only register an account to call the article writer a cancer? That's obviously a terrible choice. Out of all the hundreds of articles and thousands of games you have only just decided to register to show indignation and a complete lack of respect. Why not join in the discussion about something that means something to you, like the fact you enjoyed NMS? Sammys obviously in the minority with the article (see the vote distribution) but I enjoyed it none the less.
@themcnoisy Well said. I was going to comment about the cancer remark and the previous vitriol aimed at @get2sammyb Surely these sort of comments are off topic, intended to either hurt or upset this fine editor and generally not needed on a forum which to me has the best debates and general respect for our fellow gamers. I for one lost my dad to cancer so I personally take offence to this low level of "criticism"
@blakey78 we cant let Sammy know he's got a fan club though mate. That would be funny thinking about it.
My dad died of lung cancer, its just the worst. So I too took offence. But hey ho trolls will be trolls.
@themcnoisy I'll most likely have hate directed at me for voicing my opinion, but I couldn't say nothing. I have always found this site to be informative, honest and aimed at people like me, a typical Joe Blogs, getting involved with debate and sharing views about a passion we all share. There is no place for pure vitriol and disgusting comments aimed at an individual doing his job but also sharing his own personal feelings about a game. Not everyone will agree, but that's fine, we're all different. @get2sammyb I salute you for your honesty. I agree in part to some of your gripes, but here I am still playing the game unable to put the control pad down lol
blakey and themcnoisy ur right sammy great review and we all live happily after.
He said: Behold what man has done
There's not a world for anyone
Nobody laughed, nobody cried
World's at an end, everyone has died
Forever amen (amen), amen (amen), amen (amen)
@Bhattiboy You're missing the point. This wasn't a review, it was just one persons own views on a game that's been highly anticipated for the past three years. He didn't say don't buy it, he didn't give it a score out of ten. He just vented his frustrations towards a game he feels has let him down. That doesn't deserve the comment by yourself and one other
Blakey by me mentioning the word Cancer you felt the need to tell me about your lost one and how you were offended.
its a word what part of that word is offensive are we not allowed to mention cancer ...
if you feel you need to i dunno bigup Sam then that is your doing but i did not have anything to do with your loss ......
its getting late Sam is like a disease is that better forget we ever mentioned Cancer sheez ive lost close people through Cancer but i don't get upset when someone uses it to describe someone.
@Bhattiboy It's the fact you used it as a derogatory term. Yes, there is a lot of stigma attached to such a word. But you chose to use that word to aim dislike/disgust at a fellow human being. I just think that there are better ways to articulate your feelings. As I said, not everyone is going to agree/like @get2sammyb and his views. But that shouldn't incite the comments he's received.
It is a common disease regurgitated by Editors allover
Blakey you sound like a nice man i bid you Goodnight Sir
@Bhattiboy Surely there is a more constructive way of getting your views across. One that articulates your feelings without causing any offence. If there is something that bugs you about the guy, say something. I have always found him to be approachable and takes constructive criticism well. Just calling him a cancer doesn't express why you feel that way or what your issue with him is. Expression is the key. At least say why it is that @get2sammyb offends you so much.
@Bhattiboy Take care mate, I mean you no ill, just a chap trying to keep things from descending into hate. Have a good night
oh and its incurable.
May the road rise blakey
I like the survival aspect and annoying resource management, it's how I imagine frontier exploration to be; a struggle. I was looking for the 'Explorer' vibe and I've got it.
Agree with the official review put up, though I do love the game. It's pretty much exactly why I imagined, a chance to "boldly go" and fly around the stars, seeing exactly what is there, mundane or not. I've even got excited about weather and temperature cycles!
Haven't got it. I was actually put off by Alex's live stream - the micro management looked too dense and time consuming for me. I love the idea of interplanetary exploration but not the constant resource met. That is just me but I doubt it enough to wait for a price drop.
I do not believe Sammy's article was click bait at all. He has been stating these same concerns for months now, including the podcast. A disappointment is not the same as slating the game. His points are well written and backed up by be examples.
To me, this looks like the Avatar of games right now. Amazing tech but not enough else at this point in time. However I haven't played and I also get why people love something that is very refreshing in console gaming.
Well that escalated rather quickly.
@get2sammyb funnily enough I agree with almost all of your points here. I still like it though. It's a good game to just chill out to and get lost in. I can't put my finger on why, but I'm really enjoying it.
@KingofSaiyanZ nope. Sorry to tell you mate, but it's a case of walking back every time.
@Bliquid Well, yes that makes sense.
@rjejr Wrong. If FF comes out this year it will be the whole game that's disappointing lol
@blakey78 Doesn't matter if he used the word as a derogatory term, the word itself shows no bearing unlike words such as the F word and other such words in that category. this is becoming drama filled for no reason and it doesn't have to be drama filled unless forcebly pushed in that direction. this is getting lame now. I dont' agree with him at all about whoever is a cancer, just pointing out this factor alone and no need to put something into the drama category. o.O that's just me though, whatever.
So u guys give the game a 9, then come out with an article saying it's the biggest disappointment of the year. What? Anyway I completely disagree with this article, this game is not for casuals, I think this game is fun as hell, the micromanagement is awesome, I feel like some people suck at this game and take it out on reviews 9/10 for me
It feels like Spore all over again. Fanboys hyped it so much that it had no chance of living up to our expectations.
I stand corrected playstation lifestyle gave nms a 9 my bad, but still in no way is this game the biggest disappointment
@nightlion76 completely agree sir
@bbauer36 The review was done by one staff member and this article is Sammy's own thoughts.
Crikey. Motd2 time .
in my opinion think that this game needs these things to make it a massive success:
-less receptivity
-bigger ships as well as naming and customising
-better faction battles not just pirate skirmishes
-able to create stations as well as outposts on the planets
-an abillity to retrace your steps to show you your trail trough the universe
if all of these were added this game would be a AAA contender
You might not be happy with the dinosaurs you saw .. but maybe you just had bad luck. There are already videos of huge dinosaurs in MNS.
They are just not common.
The color of the stars have a meaning .. yellow ones have less plants and animals, red have most of both but less minerals ...
If you just follow the atlas-path you only see yellow stars etc.
Are you sure you played the game as intended?
@Bonito I was wondering myself what the different colors were for, for the systems. Still not sure if I am going to keep this game, just doesn't seem to be my style.
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