I’ve read a ton of good things about this game, so I started it this week. I’m a couple of hours in now, but all I’m doing is floating around in the little space ship so far, and respawning every so often when I do something dumb.
Without spoiling it for me, is this really what this game is about? Does it get interesting at some point (soon I hope)?
UPDATE 1 DAY LATER: OK, so, using my ship log helped and I found something amazing. So I think I’ve found my way now and will stick with it. Thanks @tetraodon and everyone – y’all rock!
It’s a game about exploring. There is a mystery. There are puzzles. Not much spoon feeding to even find either let alone ‘make progress’. The game expects you to explore to find answers. There is no penalty for dying (it is actually inevitable) other than the time it may take to get back somewhere.
I think I’m wondering if there is more story line or action at some point? I don’t need the story spoon fed to me, but a hint of which direction to go, what sort of thing to do next would be helpful. I guess I’ll just keep looming around and dying often and see if anything else happens.
Have you tried just surviving? There’ll be a pretty obvious hint after some time passes
Not sure what that would be like. Just standing still? When does the fun kick in? I’ve died and respawned about 20 times so far. I’m good to keep trying, if there’s some payoff eventually, as you said.
It sounds like you’re a little bit into it. If at this point you are not curious about the Nomai or why you keep dying and finding answers to those questions, then you should stop playing. The game might not be for you. Because it tells a non-linear story and if you don’t care about the story then there’s nothing there for you.
That being said, my experience with the game was heavily influenced by recent loss in my life and playing it helped me process my grief. Naturally that is a highly personal experience. But there was one point in particular where I read one bit of text and the realization of the implications just made me sit there and cry until I died.
But I was fully invested in the story. If that isn’t important to you the gameplay alone isn’t going to carry it.
I had to ‘fight’ at the beginning as well, but after eventually progressing and ultimately finishing the game I can tell you it was one if the, if not THE best experience I’ve ever had. To this day certain parts soundtrack of the soundtrack make me tear up when I listen to them.
That being said you really need to want to understand the game in order to complete it. I don’t think it’s a mindless experience that you can just have on while watching something else on a second monitor. If that sounds like a game that you might like I absolutely recommend sticking with it!
It sounds like you keep dying early on in your runs, which might be keeping you from seeing the main thing that is going on in the game.
Very Minor Spoiler
The sun is dying and is about to go supernova, you will die in about 20 minutes, even if you don’t get yourself killed via dumbness. Your job is to figure out why you keep respawning, why you get to keep your memories when you respawn, what is causing the sun to go nova, and how to stop it.
You should primarily be using the console inside your ship, which keeps track of the web of information you’ve already learned and helps you figure out where to go next. A lot of the game is using the translator to read ancient writing, so if that’s not your thing it may just not be for you.
I mean, it’s the main mechanic of the game, and happens in the first 22 minutes of the game. I would not describe that as a “major spoiler” but it is neat when it just happens suddenly.
I didn’t mean to offend. But what’s a minor spoiler for some might be a major spoiler for others, which is the case for the OP. It’d be pretty sad to miss out on the “when it hits”-moment
