There has to be something at stake for exploration heavy games to work. No Mans Sky seems like a walking simulator combined with Minecraft lite resource collecting and management. Minecraft works because there's something at stake, and building something extravagant in survival mode requires some commitment and brain juices.
Like, can you even lose enough shit so you're then stranded on a planet in No Man's Sky? What can be ramped up where you need to farm resources for cool ass gear or loot? How many times can you be surprised by visuals versus being surprised by gameplay, mechanics, or random situations that happen due to AI fuckery?
No Man's Sky is a bet on people being in awe of very superficial shit. It's like a Star Trek TV show starring a mute lead, with mute extras, and going on adventures that are differentiated by color alone.