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No Man's Sky Review Thread: The Scores Have Arrived (read OP)

It's about what I expected. I honestly think this is a title that can really resonate with infrequent gamers, (likely why mainstream outlets like TIME are being more favorable). It's not tremendously deep, but it excels at a simple sense of exploration, discovery, and wonder.
 

D i Z

Member
It's looking like a reasonable spread of reviews. Nothing unusual happening here. Pretty but shallow and oddly static are the impressions that I've always gotten from the hours of preview content and plays I've seen.
 

Tagyhag

Member
Haedox - "A Mile Wide but an Inch Deep"

That is indeed the basic takeaway of most reviews.

If you're someone that was expecting that, and love to just explore, this game is one of the best for that.

If you're someone that fell into the hype train and was expecting everything and anything, this isn't the game for that.

I'm glad the game is finally out for everyone to experience, what a ride it's been (And we're technically still on that ride down at the multiplayer thread).
 
Definitely a mixed bag. World generation is pretty impressive but the games mechanics lack depth and polish. I could see a No Mans Sky 2 with a much larger team doing much better. Ambition is a hell of a thing, we saw this coming. Look at Spore almost a decade ago. I kind of see it like that, but im actually more impressed with this game based on who made it alone. Maxis were very talented and couldn't live up to what they were making all those years ago. Ill probably pick it up when the price is dropped and more content is added. Really hoping a No Mans Sky 2 happens, and I really hop they tackle something like Spore as well, I think they have the chops for something like that.
 
About what I expected, kind of all over the place while falling a bit on the lower side

There's a lot of great things in the game but it is deeply flawed. Those who are able appreciate what it does in spite of its lack of depth will enjoy it but for many approaching it like a traditional game, there's definitely not enough unique and interesting content.
 
Pretty low for a $60 game. Kind of a shame people were ok with the publisher/developer not allowing reviews at launch.
I seem to remember the Division doing the same, there's not even online multiplayer focus here (or at all) as an excuse
 
To me, the reviews confirm my fears. The criticism I hear is exactly what I hoped wouldn't end up happening. Very simplistic gameplay loop, little planetary variety, bad combat and limited interaction with the world around you.

Basically ocean wide but puddle deep.
 
About what I expected. As polarizing as it's always been, with some undelivered promises that will hopefully show up in future updates that help aid the longevity factor.
 

Zophar

Member
Polarized sounds right.

I 100% see and agree with all of the criticism. I am not a fan of crafting/exploration/procedural games like Terraria or Minecraft. But weirdly I keep putting in multiple hours-long sessions into No Man's Sky. By all rights I shouldn't be enjoying it, but I do. I can't really put my finger on why.
 

Septic360

Banned
giphy.gif
 

diaspora

Member
Not going to lie, kinda glad this is $50-51 USD on PC, especially with improved visuals through downsampling alone.
 

Plum

Member
Yep, this is definitely a wait-for-£20 game for me. A game being screenshot-worthy just doesn't make it worth it in my eyes, I need gameplay systems and a story deeper than just "mine planet, go to another planet, trade things, repeat." Like I said in the previous thread, Space Engine is free and offers up much of that same screenshot-fodder appeal that NMS does. Really does seem like a case of quantity over quality, with the quantity being placed in all the wrong, yet more marketable, areas.

EDIT: Oh, and seeing this is a less-than-$60 game on PC in America yet it's a full-priced £40 game here in the UK is quite frustrating. £30 really seems like a better price for this.
 
Reviews are mixed. Sales should be good though based off Amazon Best Sellers.
Well I would hope so. It's the only thing I've seen hyped all summer on Playstation.

Like The Order before it, hype carried it out the gate and now it has fallen flat. Might play my friend's copy on PS4 some more but I didn't like it much either.
 
My takeaway is that the game is very much "look, but don't touch". There are thousands of planets and animals to marvel at but you can't interact with any of them in any meaningful way.
 
I feel like the day one patch and review delays ended up making critics pissed. It gave them time for all the over-promising and under-delivering to sink in.
 

AdanVC

Member
It seems this game is just a big pile of an OK game. Not too bad not too good. Just ok. This kinda reminds me of Destiny. A game that it was hyped to hell and heaven and it simply didn't lived up to the expectations. I haven't played the game myself (No Man's Sky) but I've been listening to it's soundtrack and boy that is a really good one! Love the ambient sounds so much.
 
I think it makes sense for me to wait for patches to add more game design to the game, but it still seems like a framework with a lot of potential.
 

Guevara

Member
This game feels like a classic bimodal distribution.

Bimodal_geological.PNG


Whole bunch of 5/10s, a fair number of 8/10s, average 7/10 but that doesn't tell the full story.
 
Still think they should have just made this Pokemon Snap in space and have you collect different species on fixed hand-crafted planets.
 

Bl@de

Member
Reviews are all over the place. Yet I am so tempted to get the GOG version and play it at 1440/144fps just for the aesthetic. I love the books of Stanislaw Lem and this game reminds me so much of what I imagined when reading the Kyberiade (the adventures of Trurl and Klapauzius are among my favourite books).
 

Tagyhag

Member
Pretty low for a $60 game. Kind of a shame people were ok with the publisher/developer not allowing reviews at launch.
I seem to remember the Division doing the same, there's not even online multiplayer focus here (or at all) as an excuse

The excuse is the day one patch, and it's a pretty good one, it changed a lot.
 

Cruxist

Member
Yeah, reading a lot of the impressions confirmed I need to wait for a price drop. Seems like a super cool, relaxing game to play, kinda the same way I look at Minecraft. Which, I got crazy into for a week and haven't picked up since then. Totally worth the $20 though, because I had a ton of fun for that week. Similar kinda thing here. Bet I'd enjoy it a lot, but for $60 I'll pass for a little while.
 
If it meant reviewers got to evaluate the game based on an unfinished version then I'm fine with them not allowing it.

Agreed.

The lesson continues to be: don't pre-order games, and don't rush out to buy it on day one. It's not going anywhere and you're not missing out on anything if you don't. Wait for the reviews and see if it's something you REALLY feel compelled to drop $60 on or not. Be smart with your money.
 

shandy706

Member
You know, I've never done anything in Minecraft but mine, explore, and build crap...lol. I don't care about end-game or progressing in that game...and I only play it in random spurts..mostly with my daughters.

I'm thinking I'd love the "discovery" and just looking at things part of this game.
 
Five step guide to enjoying No Man's Sky:

1. Get it on PC.

2. Download Cheat Engine.

3. Use Cheat Engine to remove anything related to inventory management and resource gathering so you can focus on looking for cool ass aliens.

4. ???

5. Profit.
 

jett

D-Member
Dunkey is legit now!

The metascore is pretty low I gotta say. Hopefully reviewers will continue to be harsh on future games that fail to live up to expectations and promises, particularly the AAA kind.
 

Griss

Member
I'm 10 hours in and loving it, but the reviews don't surprise me at all.

Put it this way... It's a pretty terrible videogame, but as Eurogamer says, it's also "a unique work of engineering art to lose yourself in", and on that score it's a triumph and a masterpiece.
 

Lan Dong Mik

And why would I want them?
I haven't seen reviews all over the place like this in a long time. That being said, I think this game fucking kicks ass.
 

Eumi

Member
So we're looking at pretty damn mixed reviews I guess.

Man, what a weird adventure this release has been.
 
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