A lucky few gamers have managed to grab an early copy of No Man's Sky. This is one of a very small number of notable Summer 2016 releases that gamers are anxious to play. It's also a game steeped in mystery, as very few details have been provided for the massive space-bound game.
In a week No Man's Sky will be released. Right now all signs point toward most if not all gaming outlets, including ours, having no shot at getting a review copy. Because of this, the best way to gauge whether or not the game the game will satisfy you is to look at the impressions of the players with early copies.
We're going to look at these impressions and see what No Man's Sky is all about.
The planets are massive. Multiple early copy owners have stated that planets are even bigger than they anticipated. A walk from one spot to the horizon requires around 12 hours, and walking around a planet on foot will take you days. Your spaceship will be your best friend as you travel around what is certainly one of the largest virtual worlds we have ever seen.
Space battles are a low point. Spaceships have very limited options in terms of offense and defense, so several early copy players are already finding it repetitive. On the plus side, space battles are a very minor portion of the game, and combat on the ground is much more exciting thanks to a large selection of weaponry that can be crafted.
The sense of discovery is fantastic. There are billions of star systems each with distinct planets. Each planet has a random assortment of animals that range from familiar to wildly surprising. The sheer number of options makes landing on a new planet or entering a cave a gripping experience that isn't like anything else we've ever seen before.
There is a full day/night cycle. You can see planets spinning on an axis, and as they spin they will transition between day and night. This affects the surface temperature, resulting in heat or cold that can make survival more difficult. It also changes the vibe of the area you're in, providing some variation in the process.
You can swim to the bottom of the ocean. This isn't for the faint of heart, as the deep ocean has dangerous enemies, low light, and dampened maneuverability. Generally speaking, the ocean is well detailed. You may just want to try getting to the bottom of it, especially on a water planet.
There are some bugs. Early copy players are finding issues with certain upgrades as well as balance. There are also some players that are crashing when entering a spaceship. The hope is that there will be a day one patch for early adopters.
There is plenty of planet variety. It is said that there are planets with rings, although there is no confirmation from any early copy owners. However, we have seen waterworlds, cave laden planets, radioactive moons, planets red with dense sandstorms, and even massive deserts with huge cacti.
You can't dig to the center of a planet. You'll find that the hole will fill up with water once you pass a certain threshold. This is explained by how the game divides each planet into "chunks".
Blasting holes in asteroids is possible. If you want to travel in the most fashionable way possible, you may want to shoot a hole in an asteroid and then fly through it. The destructible environments of No Man's Sky are certainly a welcomed addition and provide some means for experimentation.
There is only one save file per account. If you want to create save file backups or anything of the sort, you'll need to do so outside of the game. This could be problematic for those suffering from the bugs mentioned above.
There is a center of the galaxy. At least one player has arrived there and he is conflicted with what he found. Nonetheless, you learn more about the game world there and something gameplay oriented happens. You can read more about the center of the galaxy here.
Survival isn't difficult. The first player to reach the center of the galaxy did so in two days and without ever dying. He also crafted every possible item in the game. Avoiding enemies and obtaining weapons powerful enough to thwart any imminent danger isn't a concern. When you do happen to die you will leave behind any carried items on your corpse.
Its achievements are easy. An early copy player by the name of Daymeeuhn has already earned the PS4 platinum trophy within mere days of getting the game. This is a great pick up for trophy and gamerscore hunters.
