Star Wars Outlawsis the newest addition to the catalog of sci-fi space exploration in video games. The new game is now sharing the limelight with the 2023 planet-hopping RPG from Bethesda,Starfield.But there was another space adventure game on the scene years before these two were released:No Man’s Sky.It may seem unfair to compare two current-gen triple-A games with an indie game from 2016, but that’s just what one YouTuber has done – and the results are not quite what might be expected.
YouTuberNikTekuploaded a video that compares what landing on a planet looks like in all three games. All three start the same way, with the spaceship approaching a planet.
How the actual landing sequence is handled, though, is different from game to game. And, although it’s a much older game from a small studio,Hello Games’No Man’s Skyemerges as the clear winner.
Star Wars Outlaws Does This One Thing Better Than Starfield
Star Wars Outlaws and Starfield both feature open-world exploration between a variety of planets, but one key feature sets these experiences apart.
No Man’s Sky Tops Both Starfield & Star Wars Outlaws With Its Spaceship Landing Animation
A Much More Subtly Hidden Loading Screen
Star Wars Outlawshides a loading screen by showing the ship flying through the planet’s clouds. The scene then shifts to an automatic landing animation that ends with protagonist Kay Vess standing up and approaching the exit.Starfielddoesn’t bother to hide the loading screen. The player picks where they want to land from a static map then loads into the automated landing animation sequence. This is followed by yet another dark loading screen.
No Man’s Sky, on the other hand, handles the landing much more seamlessly.The entire sequence is shown without any traditional loading screens– only a very quick transition from space flight to flying in the planet’s atmosphere – or landing cutscene, instead allowing players to interact in real time with the planet that they’re approaching. The spaceship can land anywhere, and every planet has a unique environment and atmosphere that’s procedurally generated, making the seamless transition even more impressive. The dynamic nature of travel inNMSmakes every visit to a planet completely unique, whether players land in the middle of a storm, get attacked by enemies on the way down, or have to shoot down some space debris that’s barring their path.
Before it became the indie success story that it is today,No Man’s Skywent through a couple of rough patches. Thebig exploration ofNo Man’s Skytoday looks very different from how it looked when it first launched and its success hinges on dedicated developers listening to a passionate community. However, it’s worth noting that the specific element being compared here, the planet-landing mechanic, has been a part of the game since its initial release over eight years ago.
YouTube userhakimehamdouchi7468summarizes viewer reaction to the video with a tongue-in-cheek comment: “It’s unfair to expect 2 AAA studios to compete with the indie studio that made Joe Danger.“Star Wars OutlawsandStarfieldaren’t bad games by any means, withStar Wars Outlawsin particular being absolutely gorgeous. And yet,No Man’s Skyhas earned a place at the top ofspace exploration gamesand shows how to do long-term development support right.
