No Man’s Sky was a game that was mired in negative feedback and controversy when Sean Murray, founder of Hello Games, promised a whole lot of content that never made it in the game at launch. No Man’s Sky ended up being a big disappointment for a lot of people. I was super excited about NMS but didn’t expect too much from the indie dev team. I enjoyed the game for what it was, and to me, it was what I wanted; a game where I can fly around in space, discover new things and uncover little mysteries along the way. It was enjoyable but definitely underwhelming to the masses. Since the initial release, Hello Games has been dedicated to improving the experience and added in some cool features such as base building, and a cleaner UI.
The game has fallen off the grid and seemed dead for a long time. However, Hello Games is releasing a new update that could breathe life back into this ambitious undertaking. The NEXT update may just have enough to get people (back) into the cockpit.
The biggest thing that the update will feature is the full-on multiplayer. Players could be in the same spot at the same time, but couldn’t see or interact with each other. Now it seems that playing with your friends will be what it should’ve been all along. The fact that I can traverse the universe with my friends, seems like a game changer, but it needs to be done correctly. Simply just adding in multiplayer as a band-aid may not be the best way to keep players around. I think the game should be crafted around being able to play with friends. Things like trading, multi-passenger ships, missions that require teamwork are all things that could easily take the multiplayer experience to the next level.
Another interesting update shown in the trailer is that you can now play the game in third person. Whether or not you can switch between first and third person on the fly remains to be seen, but this does allow you do see any new customization options you make to your exo suite. I’m always for letting the player see their character for that very reason. It adds a layer of immersion when you can see all of the changes you have made over the course of your playthrough. Not only can you see your character now, but you can also fly your ship in third person, so a welcome change.
One thing that was a complaint during the initial release was that the species weren’t super varied. You would hop off one planet, flying around, land on another planet and then see the same creatures but in a different color. The trailer does show off some interesting looking animals, and it also shows some wicked cool robot things. If these giant robots are anything to go by, then it’ll be exciting to see what else the game can conjure up.
Overall the trailer does show off some cool things that I am a fan off. Playing with friends, base building, flying my ship around (in third person, mind you), and even giant robots. I don’t want to get my hopes up, and I’ll remain skeptical, but from what I have seen the NEXT update could possibly bring No Man’s Sky out of the shadows.
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