Hello Games gave us cryptic messages teasing another No Man’s Sky update, but now they’ve unveiled the whole plan. Or, at least, the first half of the full plan.
The No Man’s Sky 5.0 update is called “Worlds Part 1,” and it’s a doozy. The update is giving a facelift to the entire galaxy, and it’s making exploration more immersive than ever. There are some big visual changes – like gravitational anomalies that create Pandora-esque floating islands – that will dramatically change how planets look, but I’m even more excited for all the small touches that Hello Games is rolling out.
New shadow and lighting systems will make everything you see on the surface of a planet more realistic. The new water, wind, and weather systems will help everything to actually feel real. Water behavior has changed, so now waves will form in oceans and naturally respond to changing wind patterns. The wind will also move incoming storms and the flora on planetary surfaces. When a storm clears and you can finally look up, new lighting effects and clouds make the skies more vibrant than ever.
All of those visual changes come alongside some new gameplay elements too. There’s a ton of new animals coming to the game, including some walking, possibly sentient, buildings that I can’t wait to encounter. Enemies like the giant insect queen are bringing new challenges to the game, but the unlockable Liquidator combat mech also adds a new way to tackle them. Every environment is getting something new to discover or fight.
By now I shouldn’t be surprised when a No Man Sky update makes the game feel brand-new again, but every time this happens, I feel like I’ve been caught off guard. No Man’s Sky really is the game that keeps on giving, and the journey isn’t over yet. In a deep dive video exploring the new additions to the game, Hello Games co-founder Sean Murray says, “The update is called ‘Part 1’ because, I guess, there’s much more to come.” I’m looking forward to being shocked and delighted all over again.
Published: Jul 17, 2024 03:28 pm