No Man’s Sky’s New ‘Worlds’ Update Has Shaken Up All My Favorite Planets

Nobody’s Sky is a game huge enough to play in many styles. I could go on an expedition and stomp on bugs, explore abandoned space stations in search of valuable loot, or play an RPG with a group of like-minded fans. But I always enjoyed playing No Man’s Sky as an explorer and photographer. I enjoy enjoying food, flying into space, and wandering around lovely planets while taking pictures.

To my surprise — and sometimes dismay — the latest No Man’s Sky update, Worlds, has hit my corner of the galaxy. I’ve been exploring and cataloging dozens of systems, wandering around and enjoying the good vibes. Some uninteresting worlds have been spiced up, some familiar planets now look completely different, and I’m getting back into the habit of being a galactic tourist and landscape lover.

Before that, as you can see below, my home planet of Anxiease had lovely pink skies, green grasses, and crystal clear waters. (And the occasional giant worm.)

But when I logged in after the update to see the changes, I was surprised to discover a whole fresh world. I would call it an improvement; I miss the pink sky, but at night, the fluorescent grass glows in waves while the mushrooms pulse with their own lights. It’s completely alien, relaxing, and a feast for the eyes.

Then there’s my settlement of Sporeholm, named for the giant orange mushrooms that dotted the landscape. This, combined with the acrid green fog, made the whole place feel like a sharp swamp (seen below). It wasn’t exactly a tourist spot, but it had a certain charm. The locals also make welding soap, which I can sell for a huge profit.

Image: No Man’s Sky via Polygon

However, the Worlds update has also changed Sporeholm, and instead of mushrooms, strange, slender tree-like plants topped with pink bulbs can be found dotting the landscape.

Image: Hello Games via Polygon

The smoke and fog have completely cleared up, meaning that everything looks much more welcoming during the day. But when you arrive at Sporeholm at night, those trees give everything a vague, menacing aura.

Image: Hello Games via Polygon

Jumping around my already explored planets and seeing what’s changed is fun, but I have a lot of fun checking out fresh, unexplored worlds. After a bit of hunting, I managed to discover a world with a ton of miniature, floating islands—great real estate for someone who’s a original base builder.

Image: Hello Games via Polygon

It is this sense of discovery – and rediscovery – that makes No Man’s Sky so special to me. I love exploring these alien worlds, finding terrifying fauna and mysterious flora. I love finding lost, overgrown shrines with messages left by doomed survivors of great wars. I love getting blackout drunk on edibles and spending hours wandering around chilly planets, taking screenshots, and trying to remember the rule of thirds.

Hello Games has been careful to point out that this is just the first part of the Worlds update, meaning we’ll likely see more reworks in the future. I try not to get too used to any one planet; it could be shaken up by a single patch in the future. But I don’t mind seeing fresh planets appear in the mapped galaxies, and senior planets looking completely different. I’m here to relax, unwind, and enjoy the view.