There probably isn't a worse time to buy an complex open-world computer game set in near-infinite space than the middle of moving to a new apartment. Nonetheless, Steam had one on sale, an ex-coworker had raved about the game in question, and after all, it's not like it was going to disappear if I didn't play it right away.
All that taken into account, I decided to go ahead, and invested $33.24 CAD in No Man's Sky, a combination survival simulation/space exploration game first released by indie developer Hello Games in 2016.
No Man's Sky relies upon an elaborate procedural generation algorithm that has the capability to create over 28 quintillion unique planets, each with its own unique ecosystem and environment. (Presumably the algorithm also has the capacity to name them all.) Apparently players operate in a shared universe, although with that many planets available, it's difficult to imagine that you would ever stumble across another explorer. Through the course of the game, players survive, explore, trade, and, when necessary, fight for their lives.
In some ways, the initial portion of the game is reminiscent of The Long Dark in that your character, the Traveller, is introduced into a hostile environment where they must locate the resources necessary to stay alive as their oxygen supply creeps downward and their exosuit's armour and shielding degrades under the assault of corrosive gases, radiation, storms, and predatory wildlife. Robotic Sentinels, large or small, may also assault the Traveller in order to protect the planet's resources from their depredations.
However, the initial survival-oriented gameplay is just a gateway into a larger experience. Once the Traveller has located and repaired their damaged starship using local resources and salvaged technology, they can leave the planet and begin to explore the universe.
Each solar system has a space station, where the Traveller can upgrade their equipment by trading for additional technology and blueprints, and interact with the three main alien races that share the universe: the Vy'Keen, the Gex, and the Korvax. Unfortunately, the Traveller must first learn to communicate with the aliens in order to avoid misunderstandings and possible attacks in transit by aliens fleets.
In addition to trade, credits can be earned by exploring planets and uploading the results to the Atlas, an enigmatic cosmic entity with interfaces scattered through the universe.
Alien bases, either occupied or abandoned, may also be discovered on planetary surfaces, and players can build their own base, giving them a secure location from which to operate.
After downloading the game, I took a break from packing boxes in order to quickly try it out, and quite liked the look and feel of the game, although it took me some time and experimentation to determine how to make use of the interface. I also realized immediately that the complexity of the game would require more of an investment of time than a quick visit - there are a lot of options and capabilities available to the player.
To be honest, I actually feel more than a little overwhelmed by the possibilities presented by No Man's Sky. Faced with infinity, where do you begin?
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