No Man's Sky: First Worlds update makes planets more immersive

Hello Games has delivered several comprehensive updates to its long-running sci-fi series No Man's Sky – and now that series continues with “Worlds Part 1.”

Initially labeled a flop, No Man's Sky has evolved into a long-running, fan-favorite hit thanks to Hello Games' many tweaks – and the developers want it to stay that way. That's also why the game's next big update, to version 5.0, is now here with additional features and content.

The update, also known as “Worlds Part 1,” focuses on the world generation in the title — one of the game’s most important features. After all, No Man’s Sky thrives like no other game in that you’re constantly finding new, fantastic, or strange planets. The new update aims to make that experience deeper and more interesting. Thanks to the new technologies, planetary biomes should look noticeably more immersive. For example, the water has also been revised and can now display dynamic waves and reflections; ships can now also land on it.

Additional improvements that aim to have a lasting impact on perception include improved clouds and weather effects – from fog to rain to blizzards. These events are meant to seamlessly fit in with the current wind and cloud settings. Overall, this should make the exploration aspect of the game more fun and interesting, though of course it doesn’t fundamentally change the gameplay.

The update also includes the option to customize solar ships – and there’s also a new expedition to explore. Those who complete these items can earn insect armor and new combat upgrades for the Minotaur mech.

The “Part One” designation suggests that we will be receiving more global updates for No Man’s Sky in the future. For the current patch, you can first watch the trailer associated with it to get you in a good mood.