• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

GAF, how's No Man's Sky today?

I watch Gaming Mike on Youtube, he's doing a cracking Permadeath run at the minute, upto episode 42.

He's very good and it's well worth a watch if you're interested in getting into/back into NMS.
 
People who don't like the game and don't like being told they're thread shitting for sharing their opinions in a thread asking for opinions? You've yet to actually post any thoughts in the game, instead all you've done is quote me and someone else who doesn't like it and replied with some snark and told people to ignore the 'kiddies'. Yet I'm thread shitting?


How is any of what I've said dishonest? How can me finding a game boring be dishonest? I bought the game on release for full price, it's not like I went into it with an agenda.

It's not that you don't like the game....no problem with that. But when you say something like a freighter is nothing more than a storage space...yea what else was it supposed to be?

You thought you'd be able to fly the freighter instead? Why when you have a ship? They've added better traversal options on planet with different vehicles. The core loop of the game is wholly appropriate for what the game wants you to do. It's a survival game to continually get to the next planet.

I'm not saying your reasons are dishonest...I'm saying you stripping things to its core to describe it as boring is dishonest.

NMS's biggest problem right now has more to do with realistic space properties than gameplay. Gravity....better variety of planets..planet rotation. Star systems and star variety...ringed planets and so on.
 
It's much much better than it was at launch. There is a lot more to do now, thanks to the base building and new vehicles ect. I did like it at launch tbh but the updates have made big improvements to the game.
 
It's not that you don't like the game....no problem with that. But when you say something like a freighter is nothing more than a storage space...yea what else was it supposed to be?

You thought you'd be able to fly the freighter instead? Why when you have a ship? They've added better traversal options on planet with different vehicles. The core loop of the game is wholly appropriate for what the game wants you to do. It's a survival game to continually get to the next planet.

I'm not saying your reasons are dishonest...I'm saying you stripping things to its core to describe it as boring is dishonest.

NMS's biggest problem right now has more to do with realistic space properties than gameplay. Gravity....better variety of planets..planet rotation. Star systems and star variety...ringed planets and so on.

I'm not saying I expected a freighter to be anything more, just that 'more storage' is hardly a feature.

And I really don't feel like I have just stripped it to it's core. What actual gameplay am I missing? You go from planet to planet, you mine (the same) resources to get you to the next planet and ultimately the next system. That's literally what you do to progress throughout the entire game.

I'll give you base building but even that I didn't find fun or fully fleshed out.
 
I still really enjoy it and the updates keep improving the experience for me. I find it to be a great game to just lose yourself in. I pop on a podcast and go for a wander to relax and see what i can get up to. It'll be a game that i keep returning to frequently inbetween other games. I love the different modes so you can play it how you want to with whatever focus you want exploring, challenge or creativity it's up to you.

I've definitely got enjoyment and my monies worth out of it but as you can see it's still a divisive experience.
 
I just bought it today for ÂŁ10 (71% discount on PSN).

So far it's quite enjoyable. Time just flew by for me. I'm just taking a break at the moment but I'll be going right back to it. I found it quite relaxing to be honest and think I might load it up just to pass some time. The only thing that is bothering me so far is how damn slow you walk! The jet booster pack kinda helps but not much. I wish we could run or at least walk a bit faster.
 
I just bought it today for ÂŁ10 (71% discount on PSN).

So far it's quite enjoyable. Time just flew by for me. I'm just taking a break at the moment but I'll be going right back to it. I found it quite relaxing to be honest and think I might load it up just to pass some time. The only thing that is bothering me so far is how damn slow you walk! The jet booster pack kinda helps but not much. I wish we could run or at least walk a bit faster.

Eventually you can make vehicles that should speed things up a lot. There's also an upgrade that improves the sprint speed if I recall.
 
I'm not saying I expected a freighter to be anything more, just that 'more storage' is hardly a feature.

And I really don't feel like I have just stripped it to it's core. What actual gameplay am I missing? You go from planet to planet, you mine (the same) resources to get you to the next planet and ultimately the next system. That's literally what you do to progress throughout the entire game.

I'll give you base building but even that I didn't find fun or fully fleshed out.

You got it all.
 
It's a game that didn't match Sean's vision at release and pissed people off because he definitely made it seem like it would in the prelaunch hype train. But he's definitely devoted to making it into his vision slowly, but surely.

Each update has made huge changes to the game and what it offers and a third huge update is on the horizon. I think it's worth the discounted price. But keep in mind that each huge update also makes drastic changes to the game to the point where you almost have to relearn a new game each time.

The biggest thing I'm waiting for is actual factions you can join or fight for that have meaningful missions and interactions. A real gameplay loop beyond gathering resources and building bases and modules for your ship and suit.
 
I got it recently on Steam and enjoyed it. I'm only 10 hours or so in, only one hyperspace jump, but I'm looking forward to getting stuck into base creation.
 
The OP asked the question, I replied with my answer based on my opinion. The same as any subjective question. Should I rephrase with:

I do not like the game. I did not like it when I bought it and still do not like it now. How's that.

You could have said that in the first place instead of being a dick about it and trying to incite people. Thankfully GAF has a block feature though so anyone who doesnt like the way you post has no reason to read it going forward.
 
About as fun as a used condom.

Nah, it was always a good game. However, released too soon and overpriced for what it was at the time. The hype got to it.

However, as said previously, HG are obviously committed to delivering on their promise and the large updates (and the one coming hopefully) have really changed the game. It's still a bit directionless, but then for many that's a plus.

And for the price it's available at it'd be madness not to pick it up again and see just how much work has gone into improving it.
 
I think if it had a leveling up system I would enjoy it much more. I wanna see the numbers get higher!

I really should try it again as I haven't played any after any updates. This is the game I bought a PS4 for so I was so disappointed when I didn't like it very much.
 
Seems to have improved with the last couple big updates. I only played briefly at launch but plan to install it again some day soon.

Maybe one day coop will be added, that'd be a hoot.
 
I got my 60 dollars worth from it when it came out, but I haven't touched it since the last couple of updates. I still read community stuff now and then, and I like what I've been hearing. I'll likely jump back in after this next big update (or re-launch) or whatever they have planned at the end of this ARG.
 
Seems to have improved with the last couple big updates. I only played briefly at launch but plan to install it again some day soon.

Maybe one day coop will be added, that'd be a hoot.

They could maybe, possibly, pull that off with a P2P system I think. But as far as I know the base tech doesn't allow for it.
 
Never understood the amount of hate the game got as I thought that it was pretty good even on day one. This being said, I'm still waiting on the updates they've promised before actually investing a lot of time in it.
 
Did this ever get some form of a postmortem? Just in terms of how it was pitched versus what we eventually got. Would be a fascinating read/watch.
 
Did this ever get some form of a postmortem? Just in terms of how it was pitched versus what we eventually got. Would be a fascinating read/watch.

If by "post-mortem" you mean "torn into meaty chunks while screaming for its very life", then yes. At one point half of the storage of the internet was given over to How Sean Murray Lied.
 
My brother bought it on PS4 recently, then asked for a refund 30 mins later (and got it)
It is the only game ever he asked a refund for, guess the game is still pretty bad.
 
I keep waiting for the game to show up for $10. I really want to play it at that price. I think my kids would get something out of it too.
 
I rented it from my library for the past week, played about a dozen hours. It's a cool game, but I feel I've got my fill of it unless there is some incredible feature I'm missing later I the game. The planet installations are pretty bland and lifeless, is there enormous ones later in the game with thousands of aliens walking around, like towns?
The collecting and "grind" with not much else to distract you was what I liked the least. How you could put 1000 hours into that is perplexing, just not for me I guess.
 
It's not that you don't like the game....no problem with that. But when you say something like a freighter is nothing more than a storage space...yea what else was it supposed to be?

You thought you'd be able to fly the freighter instead? Why when you have a ship?

When they announced they were adding a freighter why WOULDN'T you think you could fly the freighter? Yes - you have a ship already, a ship with limited storage. If you want to a badass freighter jockey soaring the space with all your purloined goods though, you kind of need the freighter to fly in.

If they announced they were adding the Millennium Falcon, I'd expect to fucking fly the thing - not just have it as a social space to meet alien traders.
 
That's not what I mean, no.

Here's an example if you need one: The Messy, True Story Behind The Making Of Destiny.

I find these articles interesting and NMS seems like a perfect fit for one given the disparity between what was pitched versus what was released.

Ah I get you, yes.

My brother bought it on PS4 recently, then asked for a refund 30 mins later (and got it)
It is the only game ever he asked a refund for, guess the game is still pretty bad.



The Pathfinder update is 3.9GB. Between that and fixing the ship, did he actually do anything at all?
 
Regardless of how one feels about the game before or after the updates, I just want to say that the soundtrack to that game is one of the best (and least talked about) elements. It's so great and amazingly well-integrated into the experience on top of that.
 
If by "post-mortem" you mean "torn into meaty chunks while screaming for its very life", then yes. At one point half of the storage of the internet was given over to How Sean Murray Lied.

Justifiably. It was a travesty how the Devs behaved. No point going over that ground again though.
 
Don't wanna derail this thread... especially since somebody already made a thread about how disappointing GR2 is.

But its the truth.

Gravity Rush 2 is a borefest and has terrible side missions that ruins the game.
71bf4186f2fd86fe7990f814bb956dd6d77d68ee46e6de9d981f02268d87422f.jpg
 
Justifiably. It was a travesty how the Devs behaved. No point going over that ground again though.
Aye, you're right.

I would say though (in my opinion) that they weren't deliberately dishonest. I just think it was all too much too soon for such a small team. But you live and learn.
 
I think there is one important thing that seperates the people here who enjoy the game and the ones saying the gameplay loop is too basic/boring.

E X P L O R A T I O N
X
P
L
O
R
A
T
I
O
N

If you can take joy in the different planets you see, species you find and the occasional dead moon you scour for vortex cubes, it's probably worth it.

If you get the impression that everything is just copy pasted and just slightly varied from the last time you saw something, probably not.
 
Absolutely yes. The game after the two updates has finally got a shape, and is not that bad.

The new survival experience alone is a blast to play, and you can now build bases and buy giant ships to use as moving headquarters. And there is a big new upcoming update too!

But if you want something less lysergic and more complicated you can try vanilla Elite for 24 Euros.

No Man's Sky: "It's not that bad"
 
My favorite improvements from the updates are the following:

Base building
Freighters
Survival and Permadeath mode.
Far fewer buildings on planets. Some planets don't have certain building types and planets without atmospheres don't have any buildings.

Blueprints are much harder to get. Instead of finding blueprints everywhere, you get a secondary currency called nanites. You can trade those in with an alien merchant at a space station. However, better upgrades can only be purchased when you have improved your standing with the alien species.

The game still has some glaring flaws but it has improved significantly. I'm curious what the next update will bring. It's been almost 6 months I think since the Pathfinder update.
 
Thread is already long, but I will put in my 2 cents. No Man's Sky is a great game for relaxation, and exploration, however the game play loop does not actually reward this playstyle, with most of the progress gated behind farming/mining. It's the game I play when I'm burned out by regular games, as I can just turn my brain off and take in the sights. If they could add a mechanic that rewards exploration at the same level as mining/farming I think the game could be endlessly playable for me.

If you're the kind of person who really digs 1950s sci-fi art, and want to get lost in a vast universe this game is for you. If you want solid gunplay, or fast paced action you might want to look elsewhere.

Additionally the devs have been making radical changes to the game with each major update, and they're teasing what looks to be the biggest one for next month, so now is a great time to jump in to see the before, and after transformation.

At the end of the day NMS is my 2nd most played game this generation behind Zelda, and I can see myself putting in many more hours over the years.
 
The core gameplay loop has had some important considerations addressed since launch, which should have been that way since launch, but it ultimately dreary and mind numbing.

Updates have been lipstick on a pig, generally speaking. The flaws of the game are either inherent to the design or not fixable without a massive overhaul. And exploration isn't really fun and dries of all novelty very quickly like every other randomly generated game (although ones with well-thought out gameplay remain playable afterwards, this is not the case here).

Save your money. Maybe a curiosity buy at $5-7 IMO.
 
Thread is already long, but I will put in my 2 cents. No Man's Sky is a great game for relaxation, and exploration, however the game play loop does not actually reward this playstyle, with most of the progress gated behind farming/mining. It's the game I play when I'm burned out by regular games, as I can just turn my brain off and take in the sights. If they could add a mechanic that rewards exploration at the same level as mining/farming I think the game could be endlessly playable for me.

Yeah, the level of grind in the game makes it pretty tedious, and they seem to add even more crafting gates with every update. And "tedious" is not really the word I'd use to describe the original trailers. "Point your ship towards a star and go there" turned into "well, first you need some warp fuel, but to make that you'll need to find 15 other resources to make these sub-items."

I'm not saying there should be no crafting or farming, but the balance is way off. They need to focus on improving the other gameplay systems and let them interact to provide gameplay complexity, instead of just adding more crafting trees. Let me buy equipment instead of crafting it. Add a dynamic job system to give players more directed goals. Make the universe feel more alive, as if you're just a small part, instead of NPC encounters feeling like an amusement park attraction.

As I said before, it's a great game for people that like Minecraft, but the other tentpoles never really got much love. I'm hoping this big update will change all that and let them really focus on core improvements. Because the game has so much potential.
 
It's just the most boring game in my opinion. I legit can't think of a more boring game this generation.

Shadow of Mordor, everything looks exactly the same and the combat is essentially just a series of QTE's and that is all there really is to the game. Probably the single worst game I've ever played.

Now onto NMS, I played for around 60hrs so it's hard to say I didn't get my monies worth otherwise I wouldn't have kept playing (ie enjoyed the gameplay loop) but it is not without its flaws.

The 2 biggest IMO

1. Flight - for a game that can take many hours in a ship I would have expected much better handling, specifically when it comes to space battles, it is a really uphill battle trying to manoeuvre the ship around and dodge other ships when you move like a tank.

2. Races/aliens - I would have expected them to play a much bigger role and have some AI behind them when they're on foot, but they are essentially rooted to the ground and don't do a whole lot aside from buy/sell/provide info which is really disappointing.

In short, make sure you enjoy the loop before you buy and you'll be fine.

Loop in its simplest form = Explore, scavenge, upgrade, survive.
 
Top Bottom