2015 saw the return to prominence of a subgenre of video games known as space simulators, which had fallen into disuse. Despite the fact that there hasn’t been much progress made in the genre over the last several years, all of a sudden there are as many as two space simulators that appear quite ambitious.
However, “Star Citizen” is not on the horizon, at least not in the near future, despite the fact that its possible release in 2016 is being linked to the title that Cloud Imperium Games is now working on. This is because “Star Citizen” is still in development.
A cursory examination reveals that both of these games have a familiar feel to them. After all, the gameplay around space and spacecraft won’t vary much from one game to the next. But it’s the little elements that have caught our attention, and they’ve also helped us figure out what the fundamental differences are between each of the titles. Let’s take a closer look at the following:
Star Citizen vs No Mans Sky (Game Comparison)
Gameplay
To reiterate, how distinctively different can the gaming parts be, given that they are all, at their core, about traveling millions of years into the distant past? To tell the truth, there are distinctions, despite the fact that they aren’t all that obvious. You will notice that practically everything is the same throughout both of these games, yet the core notion of exploring space is the one that remains consistent.
In point of fact, both of these provide the type of gameworlds that, based on what the player does, will change and react in some way. In this regard, however, “Star Citizen” is distinct from the other two games in that it also includes first-person shooter gameplay components inside its framework. On the other side, “No Man’s Sky” is all about providing you with opportunities to locate new things (finding new planets and classifying the creatures on it). Additionally, “No Man’s Sky” is likely the only one of the two games that allows you to freely explore any location in the galaxy (planets).
Convenience
Each of the three development studios has put in a sufficient amount of effort into the creation of a realistic space simulator from the ground up, and this work can be seen in the final products of the studios’ individual games. “Star Citizen,” on the other hand, provides a realistic spacecraft control system and makes greater use of the laws of physics to operate its miniature thrusters. Aside from that, “Star Citizen” also gives you the ability to walk about the ship, integrating anti-gravity mobility with space battles and other gameplay elements.
The Galaxy
The randomly generated galaxy in each game is unique from one another, as you may have heard from the countless stories relating to all of these titles, “No Man’s Sky,” and “Star Citizen.” For instance, because of the procedural nature of “No Man’s Sky,” players have access to an unlimited and vast cosmos filled with many planets, moons, and star systems. Procedural creation isn’t based on pure chance.
Instead, it proposes estimating what you see and experience based on elaborate algorithms. To varying degrees, these numbers are used in all of these games. While “Star Citizen’s” universe is smaller than that of other games, with just 100 explorable systems, the creators have placed more emphasis on the quality of their work than on the sheer number of systems available.
Multiplayer
There is so much promise in games about space travel that it would be a shame to play them alone. Space exploration (with all the hyper-jump modules at your disposal) is awesome, but space exploration with friends or a complete stranger in what has been aptly dubbed “man’s ultimate frontier” is even cooler. When it comes to online co-op gaming, “Star Citizen” is comparable in that every player inhabits the same world.
When you get close to a certain location, though (like a space station), the game creates numerous versions of that location and event. In other words, if a hundred people decide to converge in one spot, the game will only display thirty of them. While the other two games on this list focus on constant interaction with other players, “No Man’s Sky” takes a more journey-oriented approach to multiplayer.