There are case studies of this game. The hype, the craze, the deliverable, the redeem arc.
Its amazing how they took somethign that everyone hated, to something that is actually good and fun and playable. I enjoy this as is today but it did teach me the lesson of not to trust the hype too much.

Great game, tons to do, beautiful space scenery, cool ships. It did end up getting repetitive, go to the place, you're out of warp fuel, you're out of takeoff fuel, it turns into a trudge, but it still looks pretty doing it. Bonus points for "seamless" atmosphere to space transition.

This is a tough one for me to rate. The concept is brilliant, but tough to pull off in a way that makes for an enjoyable game that doesn't get old/boring quickly. I got it when it first came out and that was the problem. In theory the procedurally generated universe is unique and provides players different experiences, but unless there is compelling driving force (like a good story), it gets stale quickly.

I know they added a bunch of stuff over the years, and I tried it at one point 2 years ago, but it wasn't enough to get me hooked. Perhaps if they fully fleshed it out to begin with, this one could have been an all timer.

The game play is smooth enough, although ground and space combat could be improved. The game looks great and I never had any technical issues with it on PS4.

It's one that is worth a try on a good sale, especially if you never played it before.

The OG of space exploration!

My Review on No Man's Sky

I've had fun messing around in this game, but never quite dove in like required I feel like.

I have like 100 hours and I still dont know what to do

Like droves and droves of other terrestrial humans, I had anticipated this game for a long time before its release. The hype was real, and pretty much the only thing I ever want from a video game is to fly around in a little spaceship, so I was beyond stoked. I didn't buy in to the press conferences or read the blogs or watch the E3 interviews though—I just knew there was a new indie spaceship game coming out where you got to fly around a procedurally generated universe. That was plenty for me. But with a full-time job and a relationship that had just escalated to live-in status, how would I ever find the time to dump approximately one bajillion hours into this game, as my heart desired to?

Well, the gods of space exploration must've heard my prayers, because right when this game was released I got laid off from my job of 8.5 years with a pretty good severance package. Now instead of another summer spent in my windowless office, it was a summer of flying my little ship around, making discoveries, doing freelance work, crafting new materials, making Postmates deliveries on my bike, and staying up until 4am discovering new planets that I got to name. Between the severance and freelance work, I was raking in more money than I was while fully employed, and by the time I got a new job in November, I had saved enough money to pay for an engagement ring for that live-in girlfriend. Easily the best summer of my life.

Oh, and the game? I had such a wonderful time playing it. While the rest of the world called for Sean Murray's public execution, I was on another planet that he and his team has created (albeit procedurally) discovering a new nine-legged variety of local fauna. While other gamers were weeping over the fact that there were no giant space worms, I was soaking in the view on a planet that literally no one else had ever seen.

The moral of the story? If you're excited about something, why buy into hype? Why put your own expectations on something if you're going to be devastated by anything other than having those expectations fulfilled? In a world of endless trailers and teasers and press junkets and early buy-in and commercials and other pre-media appetizers that we consume before we gobble down our main course of media...it's tough to just experience something for what it is. Over the years since its initial release, this game has evolved into something I wouldn't even recognize, but I was one of the few people who was happy to dump 200+ hours into its original iteration. It was perfect.

And if you're calling for Scotland Yard to raid the house of indie game developers because a shadow in a trailer from a game convention three years ago led you to believe there would be a space worm and then there isn't a space worm and you'd put all of your hopes and dreams into the idea that there would be a space worm? Maybe it's time to put the controller down and learn some adult coping skills.

I really wanted to get into this game more but it's really intimidating starting out. I think I ran out of oxygen 5 minutes in. Gotta have a bit more direction in resource-gatherers.

Hello Games performed a modern clinic on how to address a lackluster launch with amazing continued support. The game as it stands today is nothing at all like the initial launch. The sheer breadth and scope of explorability of this game make it a comtender for all-time greats. While the story (such as it is) is intriguing, it's really not much more than a glorified tutorial. The real game begins when the story ends.

I ran into a lot of issues early on with this game, as did many others. I came back to it later on and it was fun but the excitement wore off due to the buggy launch.

I've been playing this game day 1! It's been fun to play and see it do the GREATEST COMEBACK IN GAMING HISTORY!!! I LOVE IT! space exploration, going from planet to planet. Making buildings or houses. Being a space pirate.you do what you want. I highly recommend it! They've added like 12 expansions free to everyone. You can have a freighter ship, 9 ships now! Fully customizable character. Such a chill game. Community events are very fun as well.

Fix ship explore space
This game the devs improved well
Seek universe core

This game is the poster child for comeback stories. The initial launch was SEVERELY overpromised and ridiculously underdelivered. I didn't pick it up until a handful of (free) updates from Hello Games, where they brought it up to what was expected at launch, and since then they've continued releasing TONS of free major updates to the game, going above and beyond what was originally expected.

I feel like it definitely has those who love and those who hate it, and not many who are in between, but I think if more people gave it a chance (it constantly goes on 50% sale, so low barrier of entry) and stopped listening to all the negative hype from those who tried it at launch and never touched it again, the fan base would grow significantly.

It can be super chill, if you just cruise from planet to planet, system to system, exporing peaceful/paradise planets, or it could intense, going to planets with severe weather or picking fights with the robotic sentinels. There are also communities out there that share and compile coordinates that can be entered into the Stargate-style portals to go encounter any number of procedurally generated planets/flora/fauna, or find your dream ship to salvage/purchase.

If you're on the fence about it, I definitely recommend snagging it during a 50% off Steam sale and checking it out for a bit. Tons of fun, a large supportive community, and very open-ended for you to find the playstyle that suits you.

I played on launch and was greatly disappointed, I attempted to play again shortly after and just got bored really fast, I've heard it's pulled a full 180 so I may have to give it another go