Games / Action

No Man's Sky

Jun 5, 2025Action · AdventureT

MC75

Metacritic

3.7

User rating

1591 ratings

Fair Value

$0.80 per quality point

$59.99eShop

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Prices checked 15 Oct 2026

Trailers

Screenshots

Our take

At $23.99, No Man's Sky on Switch 2 is a decent option for fans of exploration and survival. However, don’t expect the same visual fidelity as on other platforms. The gameplay remains compelling, but performance issues can hinder immersion. Consider it if you're drawn to open-world adventures, but be aware of its quirks.

The sheer scale of No Man's Sky is impressive, even on Switch 2. You can lose hours mining resources or naming new species, but don't be surprised by technical hiccups. The controls feel responsive, allowing for smooth ship handling and planet navigation. However, visual compromises are apparent; textures can look muddy, and the frame rate falters in high-demand scenarios. Compared to alternatives like Starbound, No Man's Sky offers a deeper, albeit more unstable, experience. It's a mixed bag that balances ambition with frequent performance issues.

Pros

Procedurally generated worlds offer endless exploration possibilities
Multiplayer experience allows for cooperative play and shared discoveries
Rich crafting system enhances resource management and ship upgrades

Cons

Frame rate dips during intense moments, especially in densely populated areas
Visual downgrades compared to PS5 and PC are noticeable, particularly in texture quality
Some bugs persist, like occasional crashes when entering new systems

You'll spend your time exploring a vast universe, hopping from planet to planet. Resource gathering is essential for crafting upgrades and supplies. Engaging in space battles and bounty hunting adds variety, while the procedural generation means each discovery feels fresh. Multiplayer mode lets you team up or compete with friends.

On Switch 2

On Switch 2, No Man's Sky runs slightly below the performance levels of its console counterparts, but it's mostly playable. In handheld mode, it maintains a decent frame rate, though visual fidelity takes a hit. Docked mode showcases better clarity but be prepared for occasional stutters.

Who it's for

Ideal for players who enjoy open-world exploration and can tolerate some technical roughness. Skip it if you're sensitive to performance issues or were hoping for a visually polished experience.

About

No Man's Sky is a space action-adventure survival game developed by Hello Games. The overall visual style of the game is inspired by various science fiction books. Demoscene also served as a source of inspiration for the developers. The main feature that the game revolves around is the procedural generation. Each planet you visit is generated from scratch. The information about the planets and their inhabitants is dynamically updated so every player can discover a new species or planet and give it a name. No Man's Sky gameplay implies the exploration of space and planets some of which are inhabited with extra-terrestrial life, gathering resources, space battles, maintaining and upgrading the player's ship and completing bounty hunting missions. The main objective is to reach the center of the galaxy. On release, it was stated that the game is in fact multiplayer, but the size of its world is so big that the probability of meeting another player is extremely small. It turned out that it is impossible to meet any other player due to the extremely limited multiplayer aspect. As of 2018, Hello Games released the fourth major update which included the full multiplayer experience.