No Man's Sky: A Walk in the Digital Woods - The Point

Welcome back Danny! Always like hearing your take on games and the way we play them. I love games that allow me to just relax into them. I'm a big fan of the more conventional games, but every so often I just want to relax into a world, and I think it has a lot to do with the music. I need a new one though, I've played waaay too much fallout 3 to get the same vibe, and the last game I felt it in was Thomas Was Alone, but it doesnt have much replay value.

Anyway what I really wanted to ask is what is the song that plays as the intro ends and Red Dead Redemption starts? I've tried shazaaming it, but I got nothing.

I've been wanting to watch this for days. Are you going to post it on youtube so those of us who can't watch videos on Gamespot can see it?

I so totally agree. Just finished several hours up and couldn't stop playing. Where did the time go? I dunno, but I enjoyed it.

Great to see you back on The Point Danny, and what a perfect vid to come back with. I'm utterly obsessed with this game because I absolutely love those calm introspective solo moments, and this game is an entire infinite one. In fact, the only moments I don't like in this game are when I have to fend off an overprotective sentinel... I simply don't want to destroy anything in the game (aside from mining duties).
On a side note, it's also fantastic to see so many people in the comments here that 'get' no man's sky. It's nice to know that there's others who are really digging this game like I am.

@dannyodwyer: Hey Danny are you gonna upload the new episode on your youtube channel ?

Exactly how I feel about the game No Man's Sky.

Its like a painting. Look too close too soon and you see all the flaws and similarities of brush strokes and colors. Take couple steps back and you see the larger picture of what it is all about. When you realize this you find you've stared at that painting longer than you realized. You got lost in it and you find that is what you really wanted all along.

I find I get the same feeling playing Euro Truck Simulator 2. The long haul, listening to internet music radio stations, making deliveries and losing myself in the idea of taking a long drive to heart. These sorts of games let me just breathe. I'm a father, husband and workaholic. This is my "gone fishing".

Danny,

Assuming that wasn't just off the cuff exposition... Then -- Excellent writing.

So glad to see The Point is back. Best segment on the site.

Glad your back. :) Awesome video.

Yo Danny long time no see. It's f..... Great to have u back man. Great episode; still unsure about NMS tho.

NMS is definitely a game where I can sit back and wander aimlessly looking for wrecked ships, waypoints and docking stations to sell your goods. I enjoy the reward of exploration, harvesting rare materials and hoarding my creds to use them at somepoint but the one small issue I have is that there is no planetary map or some way to mark a waypoint that will lead to a location that you've already uncovered. I spent an hour looking for a dock station I found earlier so I could sell my gold. Once I found it, I was already bored and moved on to do something else.

Maybe I've become spoiled when it comes to inventory systems like Fallout 4. I can gather materials, drop them off at a settlement where all are interconnected and can access them when I want. NMS does not have that so I never know what materials I should keep for crafting and which I should sell or discard. Over all, NMS is not worth $60 in my opinion. I'd wait for a sale.

Ah yes, the old journalistic trick of pretending there's some "deep" meaning in a crap game, in order to give it some cover.

That works on teenagers and potheads , but that's about it.

I think that if they manage to survive the giant fallout from the hype after release while gamers and reviewers get disapointed to realize that this a just an indie game and not a new industry landmark IP, if they survive that, I think they have a great base for further implementing new content. But it's very much hanging on the wire.

"the most boring game in the world and I can't stop playing it." <<< This

Nice little monologue that, Danny boy. I like these a lot.

As for NMS, this is essentially what 'Elite' fans wanted 33 years ago.

No Man's Sky is a huge game with a whole lot of problems, but heck, it's strangely additive and I'm looking forward to my next game play.

So happy The Point is BACK!!!!

Jesus Christ. Who are you and what have you done with @dannyodwyer?

This was inspiring. Bravo.

For whatever reason, Oblivion was the only Elder Scrolls that I actually legitimately got into... logged some 400 hours into over a few years. Is this considered one of the best Elder Scrolls?

Most boring game I've ever played and I can't stop... Yeah. I said the same thing when this game was announced for a second time at E3. See I love this concept as its described but I need something more from this game. It's missing an element that would make all the mindless roaming have a point.

I had beef with this game since the announcement was made. Nothing has proved this a game worth the play time. Who cares about infinite exploration when it means nothing. I can't share that with anyone nor can u compare it to anything. Having a better ship gets u what....

Just brilliant. The most spot on commentary on the game so far and a decent explanation of why the 'boring' galaxy of No Man's Sky is so compelling.

"This is the most boring game I've ever played, and i cant stop playing it." -Danny 2016

Yes!!! The point is back! *happy dance*

@computernoises: Playing the Legend of Zelda (NES original) from start to finish is one of the really great experiences that I shared with my Dad. I had many experiences with Dad during his life, going camping, river fishing, listening to him (unsucessfully stilifing my amusement) trip over himself trying to explain birds and the bees, but Zelda might be the best. My dad, like most peoples dad is the strongest and smartest in the world. But whenver in the 80s (im too lazy to google at the sec) that the Nes came out, we were both equally enthralled and both equally ignorant of what we were about to embark into. Maybe it had something to do with my young age and my admittedly extremely wild imagination, but coming home after school diligently, but anxiously awaiting my dad to get home, and then for dinner to be finished- what started as father and son playing a fun game of nintendo, turned into an earnest quest to save the princess from what I perceived as a very powerful and scary evil. It was one of the few experiences where we would be so close for such a long time where very few words were passed between us, what passed back and forth between us in calculated measure was the controller... our quest to defend zelda turned from an evening surprise to an almost month long adventure where we each developed our strengths of what parts we were good at playing... Man, I can't think of really any other experience where my dad and i were on a team together, as equals.

Be mindful of the games you ease your girl into, try not to consciously choose games you presume as girly, maybe let her choose, but i think if she does get that gamer itch- which i honestly bet she is capable of with her father as a gamer. Who knows, you might just have one of the most intimate, honest, and profound connected experiences with your daughter you have had or maybe even will have.

Zelda was really the only game my dad played with me- my father died a few months ago at 60, but I still lug this golden cartidge around.. which admittedly has lost our save date, or at leasst its not readable. but i like to think its still there.

Yes, the Point! Welcome back, Danny!

Great stuff, I really appreciate diving into the realm of "how do I break away"? For me, lately, it's been Starbound, with some Final Fantasy: Theatrythm on the side. Great ways to let my mind slow down and just enjoy the exploration or the music. I'm actually looking forward to trying No Man's Sky, not because of the hype of it's potential, but because of what it sounds like it actually became. Great vid, Danny, keep it up!

the point is back. The point is back? The point is back!? THE POINT IS BACK!!! THE POINT IS BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!!!

P.S: I trust that hello games will patch and update and that the game might actually reach the potential thats underneath. With this being said I will get it in october, best case scenario.

I thought The Point was over?

That was great.

I'm sure a lot of gamers have had this "Why do you play video games?" or "What's so great about video games?" conversation with their friends and family and, at least for me it usually devolves into some incoherent mumbly excuses and phrases. I know why I love video games and I know the value they provide to my life but it's just so hard to explain that to someone who has never played video games and doesn't really understand them. It's no one's fault that these conversations so often deteriorate into an incoherent mess, it's usually just fundamental differences in frames of reference.

But Danny, my man, you hit the nail on the head with this one! Bam! You said exactly what a lot of us try (and fail) to convey to others about our love for this passtime and you said it with finesse and clarity; distilled down to the finest of tinctures.

I'm so happy to see The Point back on the air! Danny, you're the best gaming journalist in the game right now, pardon my pun. Keep going man. Really looking forward to seeing what you come up with next!

Having spent the day playing NMS I really agree with the framing here. It's not a game with expert shooting or deep plot or intense action - it has light elements of these things that are basically there to help scaffold a zen exploration experience. Loving the mindless discovery of new sights, sounds, peoples, and animals so far

You can stop playing it, Danny. It's okay. We understand.

Personally, I am not enjoying playing narrative games, currently my get to go game is civilization.

And glad having you back Danny *Yaay....

Wow!! just Wow!!...that was one of the best videos i have ever seen on the purpose of playing video games...i think the first part of the video (about why we play games) Must be shown to the entire world.

my god i love you Danny...

"No Man's Sky is the most boring game I've ever played, and I can't stop playing it." Bwaahahaha! Good stuff, Danny.

Good to have you back on point Danny. Love what you say, but I miss Andy's production values, particularly at the start as well. Looking forward to future episodes.

Danny, you 100% get this game. Thank you for this video - it's a perfect summary of what makes NMS special.

My wife keeps pushing me to get a game like this. I have a lot of stress in my life... NMS doesn't seem like a game I want, but rather need. Those moments you describe Danny... I used to spend hours just trotting about the Barrens in WoW for the same reasons.

Just needed an escape.

You are a goddamn gift to the gaming community, man. Church!

So glad you're back, Danny!

Danny, you are in a league of your own.

Great vid Danny, appreciated the thoughts. Abzu has definitely been my latest "decompress" title after a crazy work schedule. It's not long, it's not complex - it's a place where I can go to swim slowly encircled by a myriad of fish and go "aaaaaaah"

I'm glad The Point is back! It was, and now is again, my favorite thing aboot GameSpot. Danny be da man, woop woop. Lmao!