Home » Previews » E3 2015 Preview: No Man’s Sky
Previews

E3 2015 Preview: No Man’s Sky

I’m a No Man’s Sky believer. As Fox Mulder would say, I want to believe… but part of me has to be a skeptic. Not because I don’t believe in the team from Hello Games, or because I don’t believe in what they’re trying to accomplish. I’m hesitant because as a gamer and a fan, I’ve been burnt one too many times.

How often have you heard about a game and its scope only to be massively let down once you get it in your hands? I’m not saying this is what’s going to happen with No Man’s Sky — in fact,. I’m hoping very much for the opposite. Still, I just can’t shake this nagging feeling that once I get to play it, the game won’t be all it’s cracked up to be.

For now, how about I shut my pessimistic trap and talk about the positives and what I took away from the 30-minute hands-off demo at E3. The most impressive thing thus far about the game is just how seamless it is. Every single thing about No Man’s Sky just flows, without loading, without stuttering or issue. Hello Games’ founder Sean Murray nervously told the room full of press that the demo we were seeing was live and that anything could happen. He asked us to be patient and bear with him in case of any issues, but none occurred. The demo was pristine, flawless.

nomanssky

Beginning at the star-map, a vast 3D representation of the in-game universe, Murray selects a destination at random and is instantly transported to a brand new, unexplored region of the universe. There are several planets in the solar system and Murray chooses one to explore. He warns us that the planet he’s chosen may be boring, lifeless and dead, but he hopes it isn’t. Murray is surprisingly candid about just how much of No Man’s Sky’s universe will be largely empty and devoid of (conventional) interest. Much like our real life universe, there won’t be life, adventure and fun around every corner. It’s increasingly apparent that No Man’s Sky isn’t for the thrill seekers amongst us. It’s going to be an incredibly slow burn. Possibly the slowest burn ever.

Landing on the planet is a breeze and once again impresses with its seamlessness. Murray directs his ship towards the planet, hits his thrusters and as he enters the atmosphere, space gives way to sky, to land, to ocean. Before I knew it, he was landing on stepping out onto this uncharted world. It may not seem like much, but watching it in action is a sight to behold. It’s so simple, yet it’s never been able to be done before. Now, with the power of the PS4 we’re seeing true, current-gen advances in gaming. Murray pulls out his laser pistol and starts shooting at a nearby rock in order to mine it for the minerals inside.

He mentions that this is just one way to acquire items to trade, sell and more. However shooting up the planet too much or pestering the wildlife will draw the ire of the nearby drones. Placed around the universe long ago to protect it, these drones will attack the player if they’re being too much of a nuisance. With a GTA like wanted meter filling up as the player performs certain actions, be prepared to defend yourself from time to time. Although, a whole new solar system is only a click away and so is sweet freedom.

no-mans

I asked Murray during the session if a player could land or fly into night on the planet and if the planets had day/night cycles based on the location of their stars. He responded very much in the affirmative. “These are planet-sized planets,” he said, “they rotate on their access and also orbit their star meaning you can land during the day and fly to the other side and be in the night.”

The notion of planet-sized planets seems a little redundant, but when you think about it, most maps, levels, areas etc in video-games give a false impression of their size. Not all of it is explorable, nor is it representative of its actual size, but in No Man’s Sky it is. And it’s not just one planet. It’s thousands, maybe millions. All there, just waiting to be discovered.

No Man’s Sky’s potential excites me, but the potential that it can’t possibly live up to expectations is extreme. It’s not fair on Hello Games nor No Man’s Sky, however if it truly does provide the experience it’s suggesting then, pardon the pun, it’s a game-changer.

No Man’s Sky will be available for PS4 and PC in 2016.


This article may contain affiliate links, meaning we could earn a small commission if you click-through and make a purchase. Stevivor is an independent outlet and our journalism is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative.

About the author

DeltaPhoenix08