No Man’s Sky presents 21 minutes of gameplay footage for the upcoming space simulation. We take a look at it.
No Man’s Sky is an ambitious project from the developer studio Hello Games, focusing on exploration and survival in an almost infinite, procedurally generated galaxy. The developers have been making efforts for some time to convey the scope of this game to the fans.
99.9% of all planets are likely to remain undiscovered in No Man’s Sky
Studio head Murray says that approximately 99.9 percent of the planets in the adventure survival space simulation will likely remain undiscovered. In other words: Only 0.1% of the virtual worlds will be visited by players.
According to estimates, there are about 18 trillion planets in No Man’s Sky. That’s an incredible number – with 18 zeros! Each planet features unique flora and fauna for you to discover. Since only a small fraction of this galaxy will ever be explored, you may wonder why the developers opted for such a vast game world. It’s almost a case of waste. Murray says:
That is either quite beautiful or seriously depressing.
According to the developers, it would take about 200 hours to traverse the galaxy. Hello Games estimates that it would take five billion years to visit all the planets. You’d need a strong coffee!
But this is what true exploration is all about: You will be the first to set foot on individual planets. Consequently, there will be no Let’s Plays or online guides available on the internet to answer your questions about specific planets or help you in various situations. You are on your own. Each player will have a different experience.
Although No Man’s Sky is an online game, you will very rarely encounter other players. The galaxy is simply too large for that.
Below is the video from IGN, which shows 21 minutes of fresh gameplay:
In the video, we initially find ourselves on an icy planet with -163.4 degrees Celsius. We encounter new species, including intelligent life that we can interact with.
Murray states that players will not only discover exciting things – the planets are full of mysteries – but they will also have to engage in battles and trade with other characters.
Additionally, you need to gather various resources on the planets, which you can use to upgrade your weapons, suits, and ships, as well as craft various items. Primarily, exploration is the focus, but there is much more to do. You can even learn a bit of lore about all the cultures that await you in this galaxy.
In No Man’s Sky, it is advisable not to recklessly approach new beings. In this game, you can lose a lot if you die. Every victory and every defeat should have lasting consequences. However, the video shows that there are safe points on some planets where you can save your game.
At the end of the gameplay video, Murray demonstrates a quick travel across the galaxy. He points out that every star you see is a sun with its own solar system. And in every solar system, there are several planets filled with unique creatures, cultures, buildings, and much more. Here, one gets an impressive picture of the complexity of the game.
By the way: As Murray confirms, there will be no loading screens in the game.
No Man’s Sky will be released on June 22, 2016, for Playstation 4 and PC.
What else awaits you in No Man’s Sky, has been prepared in this article.
