What happens when you combine the infinite, procedurally-generated world of Minecraft with the chaotic, random sci-fi experience of FTL? You get No Man’s Sky.
Developed by the indie team Hello Games and shown in more detail at Sony’s big E3 press event, No Man’s Sky starts every player on their own unique world, and literally the sky’s the limit. Players can proceed across an infinite universe and explore, blow up asteroids and face off alien foes.
Since the game is procedurally generated, every single planet is uniquely made and there is no limit to the kinds of worlds players may find. Based on the trailers revealed so far, players can explore not just in their starships but also on foot and even underwater. Hello Game’s founder Sean Murray said he was inspired by the “Kind of Sci-Fi [he] grew up with,” featuring fantastical worlds limited only by the player’s imagination and desire for exploration. Because each player will generate a unique instance, Murray also noted that “every player who picks up a pad and plays will help us discover a little more.”
Surprisingly, this entire game is being put together by a team of just six developers — a refreshing difference to the huge-budget AAA games also touted by Sony such as Destiny and its $500 million budget. Hello Games’ only other major production was Joe Danger, a side-scrolling daredevil game for consoles and mobile games alike.
No word is out just when No Man’s Sky will come to the PS4 first, but the game is certainly a unique and exciting one to look forward to.