Video Game Review: No Man's Sky

This is going to be a bit of a different video game review in that I have never played No Man's Sky. My youngest son has been monopolizing one of my PS4's and playing the game non-stop. In other words, he has been playing it so much, I haven't had the chance. I did sit down for several hours to watch him play and so this will be a "sideline" review.

No Man's Sky was developed by a relatively small indie team at Hello Games but feels like a gigantic game. That is because they used a computer to do most of the work. The computer has a large number of variables and randomly generates worlds. Some are green and full of vegetation while others are radioactive and make survival tough. If you have ever wanted to be a space explorer then this is your game.

There are a number of negative reviews surrounding the game because often times it feels like you do the same thing over and over. You fly to a new planet, collect resources, discover you don't have space for everything, throw out the junk, develop technology, and head to other worlds. Sometimes there are space pirates that try to blow you up. Other times you run out of gas and have to mine asteroids to get enough fuel to propel you to a new planet.

Unfortunately I missed the first few hours my son spent playing the game and so I am not sure what he is doing with the various menu screens a lot of the time. However I have enjoyed watching him play and he really enjoys using the game as a way to relax after having finished his college finals this semester.

No Man's Sky is one of those games that you can enjoy for weeks or months. It is almost infinite and that is what scares me about it. I don't have an unlimited amount of time to spend on a game and so I'm not sure I want to start playing it. If you are someone that plays a game until you get tired of it and then don't mind setting it down, then I highly recommend it for you. I also recommend it to anyone who has wanted to be an intergalactic explorer and enjoys discovering new species of animals.

No Man's Sky has an ESRB rating of T for Teen due to a bit of fantasy violence. As mentioned there are space pirates that try to blow you up as well as new animals you discover that may try to eat you. I hate being something's lunch.