So the center just... starts you over again? Am I understanding this correct?
Lol what the fuck.
Yeah, the most frustrating thing about this is not only is there nothing at the center of the galaxy (not even an ordinary planet or anything--when you try to go to it, you're just launched to a different galaxy). It's that if you try to go there, and get sent to another galaxy, it completely damages all your upgrades on your ship, your suit, and your multi-tool through and through. Like... what's the point of that? To just reset everything, ala a New Game+ mode?
Because while a NG+ mode for this type of game indeed has the potential to be very cool and interesting, with the particular way they handled it in NMS even in that event that doesn't make sense since 1.) That's the type of shit you should warn people about and give them some sort of indication instead of just wrecking everything in what's supposed to be a really "hype" and exciting moment, since that's how NG+ usually works as a basic fucking courtesy to the player and 2.) It's not a true start-from-scratch thing anyway as you keep your actual ship, suit, and multitool, so if you have the resources, you can fix everything no problem... it's just that everything's broken anyway for no real discernible reason other than a "fuck you" to the player to force them to waste type repairing that stuff for no real reason since selecting "Galaxy Center" shouldn't do the exact opposite of taking you to the Galactic Center to begin with.
Like, if it were a true NG+ experience each time you started a new galaxy, with a new ship and everything, that would be one thing... but this half-measure where they don't actually start you over, but completely wreck everything each type you go to a new galaxy anyway just makes no sense and seems to be trying to have it both ways (have a NG+ mode while not having people upset that they actually, really, truly lose anything of value like they're ship when that happens) but in effect pleasing no one (those who would like a NG+ experience/those who would like to continue right where they left off from the last galaxy without their stuff being wrecked) and seems to have no reason or benefit to it whatsoever.
Based on the Atlas Path and the dialogue there about your character increasingly doubting the idea of following a pre-defined path instead of just doing whatever you want to do, whatever that may be, I suppose that's supposed to be the same type of meta-commentary about going to the center of the galaxy being just one more type of "following a pre-defined path", instead of "thinking for yourself, going where
you want, and making your own decisions," but even if that is how the developers feel and the message they want to send I'm not sure this was the best way to handle it, especially with all the hype that went into what exactly was at the center. It just comes off feeling gross and like a big "fuck you" to the people they were trying to hype and get excited on their own game, and while that may not be the intent, it just feels like it all could have been handled much, much better than it was somehow. I'm not sure how exactly, but this just definitely doesn't feel like the right way at all. I dunno how, but this... this just definitely wasn't it.
EDIT: And if this really was just some meta-commentary over the futility of following paths laid out before you at the player's expense, it's particularly frustrating since this game does a very good job of just making exploring for exploration's sake as tedious and as frustrating as possible with the constant need to mine and gather resources for stuff like the hand full of different types of fuel for your ship, instead of just having a pure exploration mode like games like Minecraft and Subnautica have where you don't need to worry about the mining or resource systems at all if you don't want to and can truly just go where you want at your leisure. It doesn't really even "make me think" since it kind of undermines it's own message when they made the decision to make the type of gameplay they would prefer we engage it as frustrating as possible, especially in the early game. I just... don't get it.
