No Man’s Sky has had plenty written about it over here at ninjarefinery.com and let me tell you, I bloody love it.
There’s something incredibly peaceful about planet exploration. Space travel, discovering flora and fauna for the first time ever in a massive shared world. No Man’s Sky has a lot, and whilst it can absorb your time, it’s time well spent in my opinion.
Have purchase No Man’s Sky on PS4 shortly after release, I’ve seen it grow from strength to strength. Eventually buying it again for Xbox and then for PC. I’ve played every variety of the game and started over countless times.
Now, No Man’s Sky is out on Nintendo Switch, and I can have this whole universe with me on the go!
How does it stack-up to the other versions?
Nintend-No Man’s Sky
So it isn’t a secret that I love No Man’s Sky. Who buys the same game this many times?!
The difference in previous versions have all been on par or better than the last that I had played. Obviously the power of the PC means I get the best experience there, and PS4/Xbox One have largely been the same.
Now, with less power than all of the above…..can the Nintendo Switch deliver an experience worthy of a game that’s seen such a swing in popular opinion over the years?
Well. Yes and no. This is a game of give and take, and actually, to get the depth and breadth of No Man’s Sky in a portable fashion, it’s something I’m really impressed by.
It isn’t perfect by any stretch, and certainly not the optimal way to play. But I would guess, unless I get a Steam Deck, this is the way I’ll be playing No Man’s Sky for quite some time.
Never underestimate convenience over quality.
The not-so-good
Ok, let’s get this out of the way, so I can fawn over No Man’s Sky on Nintendo Switch and we can all get out of here.
One of the pillars of the optimal experience in the game, is that of sharing this universe with others. Landing on a planet with your friends, meeting strangers at the anomaly. It helps you feel connected in a game that largely basks in leaving you in isolation.
This element of No Man’s Sky has been removed on the Switch. It’s a shame, but an understandable omission. Can the processing power of the Switch handle this? Being portable means you’re not always connected to the internet, so it’s not always even an achievable function anyway
Sad that there’s no cross-play and planet-sharing, but who knows. Perhaps it’ll come one day?
The other big difference is of course the graphical comparison. Having a much less powerful GPU and processor means that you just can’t achieve the same frame rate or fidelity. Hello Games played it clever here, and made everything consistent.
Resolutions aren’t great, and you can really see textures and objects popping-in at relatively short distances. It’s a shame, particularly in docked mode.
This feels like a fair trade-off for No Man’s Sky in this almost infinite, procedurally-generated universe.
Sure, it doesn’t deliver like a PC version. But it still holds all the charm and wonder of No Man’s Sky, and honestly, photo mode is still getting a hammering.
The good
It’s No Man’s Sky on the go!
All of this massive, explorable adventure is with you, no matter where you are.
Honestly, I bet I’ve played more of No Man’s Sky in bed than I have in docked mode.
With what seems so little, taken away. You’re getting a fully-fledged space-faring experience in a way I never thought I would see.
With all the improvements and additions to the game over the years. This is the game at its finest, albeit a little held-back.
All those base-building features, mechs, rovers, frigates, expeditions. There’s so much here and I can’t quite believe it’s real if I’m honest.
With the new features like “casual mode”, I’ve been able to use it to wind-down for the day in a more casual setting that sat at a desk or in front of a TV.
I can achieve so much more with less effort. Sure, it isn’t “pure” and doing it “properly”. But I’ve done plenty of new starts on different platforms and been through the motions. I don’t want a hard grind for materials. I want to explore, build and enjoy.
This is what you get here. What a triumph!
No Man’s Sky – Overall
Sure, this isn’t a full review per se, but No Man’s Sky on Nintendo Switch needs a score here and whilst it’s missing the fidelity and finesse of the other platforms. This is an absolute triumph.
I cannot believe I get to play one of my favourite, reliable wind-down games practically anywhere I want.
The concessions seem major, but upon reflection, it’s a marvel of a port and a joy to play.
It’s the ninjarefinery.com “Exceptional” rating for No Man’s Sky on Nintendo Switch. The highest rating we can bestow upon such a gem.
Another jewel in the crown for the Nintendo Switch, and a huge achievement for Hello Games.
