Noctis is a computer space flight simulator featuring first-person visual exploration of an imaginary galaxy. The player is manifested in Noctis as the pilot of spacecraft called a Stardrifter, capable of instantaneous interstellar travel. This allows travelling between stars, refuelling the Stardrifter from Lithium ion-ejecting stars, approaching planets in star systems and their moons, and even landing where it is physically possible. Many planets feature atmospheres and weather effects. Some harbour plants and animals, or even mysterious ruins. No goal or measure of success is imposed by the game: it simply allows the player to catalogue and annotate the player's discoveries in a common database of stellar bodies called the GUIDE, which is to be synchronised over the author's Internet server.
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Like an astronault who sees our planet from the first time in the distance only to realise how small we really are, Noctis captures this desolate, almost kinda self reflection feel, no music, you let yourself be captured by it.
Coupled with the fact that it was a free-ware game built for ms-dos in the 2000's, you imagine how immersive it was for people to experience it back in the day, sharing their experiences and discoveries on the Noctis forums, letting their imaginations run wild, create this sense of community from personal experiences.
Alessandro Ghignola when talking about his other game "Crystal Pixels" kinda summarises what Noctis is all about, as Ghignola called it: “All alone in space and time / There’s nothing here but what here’s mine.”