Hello Games is developing Light No Fire, which is an open-world game based on the fantasty genre. Algorithms and systems used in Light No Fire have been brought over into No Man’s Sky. Light No Fire, being based on fantasy, will undoubtedly have a ranged combat system (bows and arrows), magic system (lightning or fireball spells), and a melee system (swords and maces). I know not everyone will feel this way but I would love to have laser swords or lightsabers in No Man’s Sky. I would say that a minimal melee combat system will have 6 basic options; a quick weak attack, a slow strong attack, a long charged attack, jump, dodge/roll, and parry. I do enjoy melee combat oriented games, with the most well-known being games from From Software such as Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring. Combat as difficult as From Software games are simply not going to be received well by players of No Man’s Sky; well, that’s my impression anyway, I could be wrong. But then again, combat difficulty in No Man’s Sky is configurable. Anyway, I’m just saying I would like to see melee combat in No Man’s Sky. And if a melee combat system has been developed for Light No Fire, there’s no reason Hello Games can’t bring melee to No Man’s Sky.
It’s been apparent for years that Hello Games are using No Man’s Sky upgrades as a testbed for technologies they’re hoping to include in Light No Fire. Even before we knew about LNF, it was obvious they were testing for something.
If melee combat is to be included in Light No Fire, I would be very surprised if it were not tested first in No Man’s Sky. However, testing the mechanics of melee combat doesn’t necessarily require using the actual weapons or enemies. To some extent, predatory creatures already have many of the elements of melee.
I expect them to test melee in NMS. I don’t necessarily expect it to be recognisable as the form that makes its way into Light No Fire.
I may be in the minority, but I’d prefer to keep fantasy RPG elements out of NMS when possible. I’d like to preserve a hard SciFi feel where possible. Melee weapons evoke a medieval combat system that to me doesn’t really fit the No Man’s Sky universe.
Light sabers seem too Star Wars and not alien, again, … IMHO. Personal taste, I guess. I look toward LNF for Fantasy RPG and traditional melee weapons and wizardry.
Of course, as @Polyphemus mentions, the general technique may get tested in NMS but with its own NMS flavor or implementation. We already can use the melee hotkey to punch trees and rocks (if we run out of ammo or just for giggles) as well as in the “melee boost” for jetpacking.
I agree. However, if you’re fighting an enemy and you run out of ammunition, or your weapon breaks, I don’t see it as particularly immersion-breaking to allow you to hit it with a stick, or an iron bar.
Animals already use tooth and claw attacks, we can already punch and pistol-whip. The game already allows ammunition shortage and equipment failure. It wouldn’t be a huge jump to allow the use of hand-held blunt or edged weapons.
I have a sudden urge to try punching a sentinel
I can imagine when taking control of a pirate dreadnought, having to clear out the existing crew first - but being on board a spaceship, being prohibited from using powered weapons. Fire a gun, and you blow a hole in the hull. get sucked out into space, and die. You can only fight with clubs and knives - and your enemies are similarly limited.
The use of powered weapons is already prevented in most buildings and ships.
That use to work. Now I have to try to see if it is still a thing. I’ve done that when I ran our of bullets, and by mistake when using the melee boost.
It never had a hard scifi feel, by any stretch of the term…
I often use the melee interaction (Q) to harvest crystals (Carbon, Sodium, Dihydrogen). Most take 2-4 hits. If it takes more (there’s an indicator), I use the mining laser.
It just feels silly to recharge the laser with Carbon to harvest Carbon to recharge the laser… “Oh, the sentinels are already after us, let’s just break the law of conservation of energy, too.” 
The laser is faster, of course, I only use Q when leisurely strolling along. 
I meant vs. fantasy. From my perspective, though, if the NMS universe is consistent within its own set of rules, the SciFi is “hard.” I once read that reading SciFi requires a “willing suspension of disbelief.” 
What are you talking about? No Mans Sky already has the most sophisticated, deadliest form of melee combat known to all existence. The Melee Jetpack Lunge… AKA
O N E P U N C H M A N
An Autophage fist would sure patch a solid punch!