I'm not big on co-op games. On the rare occasion I play with friends, I force my brain into a state of far more relaxation than it's accustomed to; repeating a mantra of "This is supposed to be fun, it's not that serious." I struggle with the lack of control; I'm someone who games in complete silence and locks-in. Adding in a social aspect, even with a good friend, is a mixed bag for me.
This personal preference, however, does not extend towards online gaming. In fact, I love being part of a massive online community; it brings me an immense sense of joy – just don't expect me to turn my mic on. That's why No Man's Sky's most recent expedition, Remnant, perfectly scratches a particular itch for me: a sense of community through sheer presence.
Better together?
No Man's Sky's biggest problem is being too good, and now I'm trapped in a vicious cycle
At first glance, expedition Remnant appears like any other expedition: new features within the game presented through a community-wide experience. This particular expedition is meant to begin the celebration of the game's 10th anniversary – which will be in August of this year – starting with something the devs claim they've wanted to implement since the beginning: a gravity gun.
At first I was concerned that simply introducing a new module to the multi-tool would make for a fairly boring expedition. Of course, I was wrong.
Normally, expeditions take players through the same path through the cosmos, as they are gently guided through using all of the games' latest features. The Aquarius expedition showed players how to fish and build underwater bases, while Voyagers gave everyone the tools to build a highly-customizable mega-ship. This time around is no different, as players are being shown how to use the new Gravitino Coil – the aforementioned gravity gun. There's also the addition of a new flatbed module for the Colossus exocraft, which is paramount to this latest expedition.
For expedition Remnant, players arrive on a planet consumed with industrial waste – all part of the update – with a new multi-tool, empty inventory, and a heap of disorientation, as is customary at the start of all expeditions.
I was surprised to find, however, that once I was given control of my character again, I was not directed to find my latest wrecked ship in need of repair. Instead, I was instructed to find the nearest Processing Plant and obtain blueprints for the flatbed module.
As I quickly made my way to my destination, I found that I was surrounded by players. This isn't uncommon for No Man's Sky expeditions, especially at the start, but it was at a completely different level. I watched my screen lag briefly as my PC attempted to catch up to just how many players were sharing the server space with me. Not only was I surrounded by players, but also Colossus exocrafts.
The reason for this is simple and genius: expedition Remnant does not require players to leave the planet. Instead, we've been tasked with setting up shop on this polluted desert planet and cleaning it up. Immediately, I was enveloped with an overwhelming sense of community. Mind you, No Man's Sky has a voice-chat feature that remains largely unused, and text chat is only available on PC, but that doesn't detract from the communal presence in the least.
Hive mind
It's all just extra in comparison to the excitement that being surrounded by so many other players brings me.
Expedition Remnant is one of the best examples of community in gaming I've experienced in a long time. Maybe since Club Penguin, when we all were determined to flip that iceberg. The sheer number of players I'm surrounded by at any given moment is honestly exhilarating.
There are still some moments of solitude, as you progress through the expedition, piloting your gigantic exocraft through this pollution-riddled, desert planet in a manner that's reminiscent of Mad Max, but the knowledge that there are countless players nearby doing the same is ever-present. Yes, the Gravitino Coil is fun, and of course I like driving around in my big, customizable truck collecting waste and getting Nanites in exchange for my hard work. But it's all just extra in comparison to the excitement that being surrounded by so many other players brings me.
Of course, there's some flaws to having us all stay put on one planet. When players establish a base, they claim a chunk of area as theirs: no other player can edit that area, which includes mining for minerals or placing an exocraft bay. Normally, this is a non-issue, but it appears that this expedition's format has created a bit of an overcrowding issue. I had to travel far and wide until I found a free piece of land to stake my claim, but the frustration was worth it.
I'm surrounded by players doing the same thing, probably just as frustrated as me. And maybe that's backwards, to find joy in a shared frustration, but it's the truth.
The best survival games make the task of staying a lot harder (and more fun)
