No one has forgotten the waves of negativism, outcry and even legal protests that came with the release of No Man’s Sky. Branded as a marketing flop for some, even a blatant unfinished title for others, the truth is that the game has since then held a quiet yet steady development in the background. As game creator Sean Murray has stated, “we have been quiet, but we have been listening intently.”
Since its release on August 9 last year, multiple updates have been building upon the core of No Man’s Sky, expanding on systems, gameplay, graphics and that vast world that was promised to players. All in all, the possibilities have multiplied in the game, bringing it closer to the reality it should have been. While you may argue that all these changes are arriving a tad too late, reviews on Steam are trending up and players are starting to come back.
Atlas Rises is the latest update to the game (aka Update 1.3) and it’s the biggest one ever done. It’s already available for PC and PlayStation users and among other quality of life improvements, it brings more than 30 hours of storyline, interstellar portals, trade improvements and also the first multiplayer steps (fi-na-lly!).
The Newest No Man’s Sky Update in a Nutshell
Atlas Rises marks the one year anniversary of No Man’s Sky and follows the content push of other major updates, such as Pathfinder and Foundation.
Atlas Rises addresses the lack of deeper narratives with a new background story filled with quests and new characters. You can even team up with up to 16 other travelers in joint exploration. Although No Man’s Sky is still far away from being a fully multiplayer game, this last step surely heads follows that direction. “While interaction with others is currently very limited”, Sean Murray confirms, “this is an important first step into the world of synchronous co-op”.
Star systems have been overhauled and now display extra information on wealth, economy and conflict levels. A new mission system adds constant missions for our explorer, ranging from scanning and trading schemes to combat and exploration.
Hello Games has also improved the variety and visuals of planetary biomes so they look unique and feel less empty. They have made it easier to travel between systems with the addition of portal stargates and revamped their mining, farming, and building mechanisms. All in all, an interesting change of tide that showcases that No Man’s Sky is evolving even further.
For a list of full patch notes, please head over here.
Have you tried out No Man’s Sky recently? If so, do you think Hello Games is heading in the right direction? What other things are you expecting from this vast Sci-Fi exploring adventure? Let us know in the comment section!
