Starfield vs No Man's Sky: Which is the better spacefarer game?

The Starfield vs No Man's Sky debate is perhaps one of the most intense when it comes to games set in the cosmos. Of course, both of them are by different developers, and have their own quirks; "but which one is the better spacefarer game?" you may be asking.

There are many nuances and differences to consider, alongside personal preferences and what you, as the end consumer, are interested in. That being said, here's a look at both games and what to expect from each.

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Starfield vs No Man's Sky: The battles for the cosmos

To understand the differences, we're going to take things point by point and try to cover every aspect of both titles from a neutral perspective and compare notes.

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Storyline and Quests

Starfield's storyline is well-written and packed to the brim (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

In the Starfield vs No Man's Sky debate, the former focuses on storytelling that includes a main storyline, which is extensive, features highly detailed factions and NPCs, most of which are voice-acted and can be interacted with. Since the game is an RPG, the story is everything, and if you play the game, you're going to get drawn into the story without a doubt.

No Man's Sky, on the other hand, doesn't do this as aggressively as the former title. Yes, there's a storyline and side quests, but everything is more optional than linear. You could, in theory, explore and discover everything there is without even completing the main game. It will be harder, but not impossible.

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Exploration

There's no limit to how far you can explore in No Man's Sky (Image via Hello Games)

When it comes to the exploration in the Starfield vs No Man's Sky debate, the latter is hands down the winner. There are quite literally countless planets to explore and settle. Of course, they are procedurally generated, and some of them will look alike.

However, over the years, more planet types have been added, which ensures (to some extent) that you won't be running into the same (exact) planet more than a couple of times. With flora and fauna being unique, even if you do run into the same planet type, it will look and feel a tad different.

In Starfield, planets are curated, rather than procedurally generated. This means that each one you explore will be absolutely unique. This is not a bad thing, as you'll still have a lot to see and do, not to mention POIs to discover and explore. In this case, less is more.

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World Design

Starfield has a limited, but gorgeous open-world setting (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

This point ties into exploration, but needs to be addressed as well, individually. In the Starfield vs No Man's Sky debate, in the former title, you get to witness a crafted open world within the Milky Way. There are a few key locations and a number of explorable planets that are not all seamlessly explorable. Some are tied into the storyline as well, which makes them serve as hubs for players.

In contrast, No Man's Sky is infinite. If you have enough fuel and the time needed to get to the center of the galaxy, nothing is stopping you from doing it. You can explore every Space Station you come across, land on every planet, no matter how hostile or inhospitable, and fly through the cosmos without any limits. With Corvettes now in-game, you can do all of the above with friends.

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Character Progression

Character progression is limited in No Man's Sky (Image via Hello Games)

In the Starfield vs No Man's Sky debate, the former follows the classic RPG progression system. Your character has to gain XP, level up, and unlock perks/skills/abilities to take on tougher challenges. Of course, gear plays a role as well, but your character itself is the focal point in many ways.

This is very different in No Man's Sky, as your character can only get better at doing things by researching/unlocking, and buying better equipment. The only tangible thing your character can improve upon is their ability to talk to other lifeforms, which has little to no impact on gameplay.

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Combat

Combat is rather engaging in Starfield (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

In the Starfield vs No Man's Sky debate, the former truly shines in many ways. Ground combat is more than just pointing and shooting weapons, but rather a tactical approach with options on how you want to deal with enemies. With multiple weapons and abilities at your disposal, combat will never not feel fun. There's space combat as well, which is engaging and can sometimes give you a run for your money.

No Man's Sky has a lot to offer in terms of combat as well, but it's not as refined. This doesn't mean it's not good or exciting; it just means that for fans of the RPG genre, this style of combat may not appeal to them; this goes for ground and space battles alike.

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Crafting and Resources

Resources can also be found underwater in No Man's Sky (Image via Hello Games)

One of the key differences when it comes to the Starfield vs No Man's Sky debate is the ability to craft and gather resources in No Man's Sky. With the genre being survival to a large extent, crafting and resource gathering take precedence. Every planet you visit has resources that are ripe for the taking. Some are rarer than others, but all serve a purpose and have utility.

In contrast, Starfield doesn't put much stress on resource gathering and crafting; you could, in theory, loot everything you need or buy gear that you absolutely require. It's not a bad thing, and it's just how the game has been designed. It ties into the whole RPG aspect and works fine.

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Graphics

Graphics are intense in Starfield (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

When it comes to graphics in the Starfield vs No Man's Sky debate, the former wins hands down. Since it's more curated, everything has attention to detail. This doesn't mean that No Man's Sky is blank and lifeless. In fact, due to the procedural generation, certain planets look straight out of a fever dream. However, overall, Starfield is the better-looking game.

But it has to be said, given the trajectory of No Man's Sky, and how it has evolved over the past nine years, graphics could overtake Starfield in certain ways if they haven't already.

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Verdict

No Man's Sky has limitless potential even after nine years (Image via Hello Games)

Taking everything into consideration, in the Starfield vs No Man's Sky, I would lean towards the latter title (not out of personal bias), but because it's everything you could want from a spacefaring game.

Above all else, given that it has been getting free updates (minor and major) for the past nine years, it's worth every penny as far as I'm concerned. Based on what we've seen over the years, No Man's Sky v6.0 is just one of the many updates that we'll be getting in time.

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