Yesterday, after three years of development, hype and disappointment chasing every footstep along the way, the video game No Man's Sky was released. Looming Planet by Morgan Crooks (2016 - taken from No Man's Sky) I first encountered this game while researching a short story based - in small part - on procedural generation. I was flabbergasted when I saw the trailer, imagining the possibilities of a universe entirely created by the application of complex algorithms - every planet, every mountain and valley, every plant and animal. If the trailer released at that point hadn't been so convincing and frankly awe-inspiring, I'm not sure I would have credited its existence. Now over a year later, I have it in my hands. Is this a good game? That's a tough question. If your idea of a game is something like Call of Duty, Madden Football or Dark Souls, than this isn't going to be a game for you. There are threats and a story that sort of pushes the player forward fr...
Website for Morgan Crooks, Writer