"No Man's Sky," Hello Games' upcoming exploration-survival video game, is slated to arrive for the PS4 and PC on June 21 in North America, June 22 in Europe and June 24 in the UK. The title has been the subject of cumulative hype among gamers that started since its announcement in 2013.
The game is currently available to preorder from various outlets, beginning at $59.99. Now that we're weeks away from playing, it pays to review the most exciting stuff prospective gamers can expect. Here are five things every player should keep in mind:
1. It is a truly open universe.
How vast "No Man's Sky" is cannot be overemphasized. If this sounds exaggerated, bear in mind that you are to explore 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 unique planets, so, good luck (that's quintillion, by the way).
In fact, Hello Games' Sean Murray is convinced that 99.9% of the planets may never be visited, which brings us feelings of amazement and depression at the same time. Even if a planet is discovered every second, about 585 billion years are needed to locate them all. The point is, "No Man's Sky" will be the definition of big. Conquer, yes?
2. You are vulnerable.
While you are able to explore and conquer countless territories, this doesn't mean you're omnipotent. In "No Man's Sky," danger is virtually everywhere, and your skills will be put to test as foes from all places attempt to disrupt your progress.
You actually have to be careful, because the game warns, "Every victory and every defeat has lasting consequences." Creepy, yet challenging.
3. There is no traditional, linear story.
Hello Games created "No Man's Sky" with hopes that players will discover things on their own terms. Everything you find can have a reason or two for its existence, and it is up to you to make such interpretations.
4. Be thankful.
From its visuals alone, it is not hard to give "No Man's Sky" the credit of blessing all hardcore sci-fi gamers. Actually, anyone interested in the exploration of planets and space and extraterrestrials will find the upcoming title one of the most unique games ever conceived. It is good to be grateful, especially when one learns that it was almost cancelled.
Murray cites an unfortunate flooding that lost some of the game's work, just a few weeks after its announcement. "I think if we hadn't announced the game - I nearly backed out of it - I think if we had backed out of it, and then had been flooded, it\'s hard to know...I think we might have canned 'No Man's Sky'," he said.
5. Get a Taste of Gameplay Now
Murray has walked IGN through 21 minutes of gameplay last month, providing a quick taste of what it's like to be in the procedurally-generated universe. In this clip alone, there's plenty to play with - planets, aircraft, creatures and more.
Are you excited to play "No Man's Sky"? Share your thoughts below.
