No Man's Sky Has a Co-op Problem Nobody Talks About
No Man's Sky has one of the most disappointing co-op systems I've ever experienced.
And that's painful to say because I genuinely love this game.
When I discovered that I could own a massive freighter and bring my friends aboard, my imagination went wild.
I pictured us living out our own sci-fi adventures.
I would pilot the ship. My friends would man the turrets.
Someone would repair damaged systems during pirate attacks.
Someone else would manage resources or coordinate the crew.
Then I finally got my freighter.
I invited my friends.
And we discovered something heartbreaking:
They were passengers.
That's it...
They could walk around the ship. Look at things. Watch things happen. But they couldn't truly participate.
If pirates attacked, they couldn't defend the ship.
If systems failed, they couldn't repair them.
If a battle started, they mostly observed.
The saddest part is that the foundations are already there.
The ships are there.
The interiors are there.
The multiplayer is there.
The fantasy is already there.
What's missing is meaningful crew gameplay. Sea of Thieves created some of the most memorable moments I've ever had in gaming because every player had a role. No Man's Sky gives us giant ships, but not the teamwork those ships seem designed for.
I don't want bigger ships.
I don't want more resources.
I don't want more planets.
I want reasons to bring my friends aboard.
Because right now, the greatest co-op fantasy in No Man's Sky is also its biggest missed opportunity.