NO MAN’S SKY Review for Xbox One

Today we welcome back a blast from the past: No Man’s Sky! While the journey from its release to this current moment was not easy, we are glad to see that the developers behind this galactic sandbox have not only refused to give up, but to also create a title worthy of your time and attention.

I was among the crowd that never actually experienced the game’s shortcomings upon release, but recent articles and reviews have turned many eyes back to this title. This was my first time being a part of the experience, and I can honestly say I enjoyed every moment of the tutorial and my early steps to the stars.

In case you don’t know how we start this adventure – you, the main character, awake on a planet with amnesia and with a star fighter in disrepair. You don’t have much of a clue as to why you were on this planet or how you crashed in the first place. You receive transmissions and clues from an unknown source, which wants you to pursue a life of adventure and unlimited exploration. But first, you need to gather materials and to craft the components you need to repair your ship.

Gathering materials is fast and easy. Thankfully you are equipped with a mining laser, which can also be used as weapon. You need to be careful, however. This universe appears to be entirely governed by the Green Party, and if the sentinels catch you fracking, mining, or chopping down trees, they will hunt you down for your crimes against Mother Nature. So, if a tree falls in the middle of the woods and the government isn’t around to save it, you can keep the carbon.

I am playing on the Xbox One, and the controller provides pretty good support to fit your play style. The UI takes some getting used to, but surely enough the menus are easily navigable. Sometimes I tripped myself up by using the D-Pad and recharged my life support with the wrong fuel type that I wanted. Not such a big deal, since you can pick up what you need almost everywhere. You also use the D-Pad to navigate through which tools and buildings you want to craft. Regular components are crafted in empty spaces in your inventory menu.

And now – let’s talk about my favorite part! Flying around in your star fighter! Blasting off and through the atmosphere for first time is amazing. Even when you are planet bound, you can fly a given distance in mere seconds, whereas the same trip would have taken hours on foot. You just need to be mindful of your fuel stores, but even then, gathering material is easy – everything is abundant through the various elements in minerals, plants, animals, and asteroids. You will quickly burn fuel as you travel from location to location via hyperspace. You are also free to do as many barrel rolls as you please.

I have not experienced too much in the way of questlines, but my brief conversations with NPCs (in which I could not speak the language) suggest that there are quest givers at the various space stations or planetary bases. There is a galactic marketplace where you can sell excess goods too, but I’m not sure how many units is considered to be a lot. The inflation in this galaxy must be terrible given some of the prices and rewards. You can also view your quests at ease with your log entries. For the most part, my experience in quests required crafting materials and tools to further my unquenchable thirst for exploration.

There is not much in the way of story, but if you enjoy survival games with a greater emphasis on exploration, then this is the game for you. After writing this review, I think I am going to spend a couple hours building up my base some more. Whatever your perception of this game is – its mistakes appear to only live in the past. I really hope you reading this give No Man’s Sky a chance to win you over. I think a fair rating for this game should be a 9 out of 10. Until the next review – reach for the stars!

Check Out the No Man’s Sky Multiplayer Gameplay Trailer:

For more information about No Man’s Sky please visit: https://www.nomanssky.com/.

John Pruitt

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I like to think of myself as the average Joe who grew up alongside video games. I have fun playing strategy games, RPGs, shooters, sandboxes, the whole shebang! Every game provides an experience whether it strikes you as profound, mundane, or someplace in between. I'd like to weigh in my two cents before you spend a single penny.

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