Summary

  • No Man's Sky might seem a little overwhelming at first, but that's not actually the case.
  • A wide range of options and settings means that its difficulty is very customisable.
  • Hello Games makes it clear that it doesn't matter how you play No Man's Sky, as long as you're having a good time doing it.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting a challenge when playing a video game. The sense of achievement that comes from taking down a colossal boss after the umpteenth attempt, or scaling that insurmountable mountain of difficulty, is the kind of high that few things in life give. Developers like FromSoftware have made this a core tenet of their game design, coming up with all-timers like Elden Ring and Demon’s Souls.

However, it feels as if the debate on video game difficulty has become louder than ever, bordering on toxic, with no meaningful resolution in sight. Suggest that a game should be easier, have defined difficulty settings, or put forward the idea that games should be more approachable to a wider range of players with different capabilities, and you could be in for a barrage of abuse. Fans can be very, very persistent in their opposing views.

No Man’s Sky, a game I have thousands of hours in across multiple platforms, ignores the debate entirely, and that’s one of the things I love most about it. While its early troubles are well documented, it has expanded to become one of the biggest redemption stories in all of gaming. A big part of this is Hello Games’ push to make a game that’s truly for everyone, regardless of ability or playstyle.

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No Man's Sky Starts Off Overwhelming

Now, that’s not to say that NMS is easy. It’s a sandbox game with survival and exploration at its core, and starting on the default Normal mode immediately makes this apparent. You awaken on a planet with some kind of extreme atmosphere, and you have to search for the materials needed to recharge your suit before you die of exposure. Then it’s time to do the same again to repair your ship, leave your starting planet behind, and make a fresh start in this unending universe.

It’s a stressful start, and can be overwhelming or off-putting to some. I remember launching a session with one of my best friends, who had never played, and he noped out after the intro. But over time, Hello Games has implemented the ability to change difficulty settings. And not just the usual trio of difficulty settings either, but a whole suite of options for adjusting aspects of the game to make your experience more enjoyable.

Want all the benefits of combat minus the suit degradation? Turn off survival elements entirely. Sick of Sentinels getting in the way on planets, but still want epic space battles? Disable On-Foot Combat. So many more aspects of NMS can be raised, lowered, or toggled however you want, from the cost of upgrades and store items to recharge speeds and building costs. And the best part? All of these can be changed on the fly, at any time.

An Open-Galaxy Adventure For All

Most importantly, the wider No Man’s Sky player base has embraced these changes, helping to foster one of the most welcoming, non-judgmental communities I’ve ever seen. Where the likes of Call of Duty or Elden Ring might provoke responses of ‘git gud’ from keyboard warriors, you’ll frequently find NMS players encouraging you to play however you want. Because they recognise that the important thing is that you’re playing.

This is a massive weight off my shoulders. While I’ve always liked a challenge as much as the next player, a transient ischemic attack (a ‘mini stroke’) a couple months back has fundamentally changed not just how I live life, but how I play games. I get tired very quickly, I find myself spacing out frequently, and I don’t always trust my own motor functions. Combat now stresses me out hugely, to the point of inducing panic attacks. I struggled through Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth because it was a game I was desperate to play, but I haven’t touched a combat-focused game since.

Being able to launch No Man’s Sky and play in a way that suits me has been a blessing, helping me through a very tough time in my life. Everyone should have this choice of how they play a game, regardless of difficulty, because in the end, the only person that matters is the one playing. Nobody should be shamed for choosing an easier experience, because nobody knows what that player is going through. Games are for enjoyment, and peer pressure isn’t welcome. The No Man’s Sky community has reinforced that for me, and I’m grateful to them for it.

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No Man's Sky

Adventure Action Survival Systems 4.0/5 8.8/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 72/100 Critics Rec: 36% Released August 9, 2016 ESRB T for Teen: Fantasy Violence, Animated Blood Developer(s) Hello Games Publisher(s) Hello Games Engine Proprietary
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SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL

Lose yourself in a vast sci-fi odyssey as you explore a near-infinite, procedurally generated universe.

Set out from the edge of the Euclid galaxy and carve out your own interstellar existence in a vast universe teeming with life, danger and near-endless mystery.

No Man's Sky is a hugely-ambitious, heavily-stylised, sci-fi adventure that spans entire galaxies all brought to life with procedural generation. Travel through an endless array of increasingly diverse and dangerous star systems, prospecting for rare materials, trading with alien life, populate planets and searching for clues to the meaning of the universe's mysterious existence.

How you survive is up to you. Assemble entire fleets of dreadnought-class freighters and tear across the universe; build sprawling habitable bases across planet surfaces, beneath the ground or under the ocean; buy and upgrade your own weapons and star ships and do battle with outlaw space pirates, hostile alien fauna or the mysterious sentinel fleets.  

The universe is yours to explore - trillions upon trillions of planets, waiting to be discovered.

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