After years of development and a level of hype bordering on the absurd, No Man’s Sky has finally arrived. A space exploration game with procedurally-generated galaxies and planets, No Man’s Sky is certainly an ambitious title; all the more so when you consider that it was made by an indie studio with a relatively small staff. Setting aside whether or not the game is a masterpiece or a massive disappointment (honestly, I think it’s still too early to tell either way), No Man’s Sky is unique in that no two players are going to have the same experience. That being said, every player will be doing the same sort of activities, but the game doesn’t really explain a lot in the beginning sections to help you on your way.
Here are the 15 things I wish I knew before I started playing No Man’s Sky. Hopefully these tips will help you start (or continue, if you’ve already started playing) your galactic journey off on the right foot!
15. You Can Do A Boost Jump
I have to thank Polygon for pointing this one out. Getting around on foot in No Man’s Sky is kind of a drag. Even while sprinting, movement speed leaves a lot to be desired, especially in a game that is all about exploration. Fortunately, there’s an additional way to zip around involving the game’s jetpack. Basically, if you sprint and then hit the melee button and then quickly press the jump button, you’ll do a forward boost jump that rockets you forward pretty quickly. This is a great mechanic for getting over large gaps quickly and the best part is that you can keep doing it as the cooldown recharge on each action is super quick. It doesn’t quite make up for the game’s lack of speeder bikes or other rapid mobility vehicles, but it will make life planetside a much less frustrating experience.