Summary
Few space exploration games match the depth and breadth ofNo Man’s Sky. Its generative worlds offer endless possibilities and innumerable worlds to explore. Even upgrading your exosuit is an adventure, as is improving your spacecraft. However, expanding your spacefaring abilities is just the beginning of the game.
As you venture deeper into the universe, you’ll come across many random encounters. While some happen on planets, many occur as you traverse the universe’s galactic depths. These events are more than added flavor; each is a chance to collect rare resources, deepen your understanding of the universe, or engage in interstellar combat.
10Rubble of the First Spawn
Sometimes, the best discoveries haveno function beyond worldbuilding. In a game as vast and unpredictable as No Man’s Sky, many of the best moments have no practical function. A stunning flyover by NPC spacecraft is as captivating as finding buried treasure, for example.
The Rubble of the First Spawn encounter is one such event. It cannot be communicated with or fired upon; it merely exists. Nonetheless, it acts as any other space anomaly. You’ll be prompted to disengage hyperdrive and study what amounts to a vast field of rocky space debris. You’ll also find the remnants of a massive Gek statue amidst the wreckage.
9Messengers of Atlas
No Man’s Sky has a lengthy main story, much of which revolves around the enigmatic Atlas. The godlike entity manifests as a pulsating red orb, and heeding its advice (usually) yields worthwhile rewards. One way to interact with Atlas is via a Messenger of Atlas event, which can occur in any star system.
Each envoy is a massive geometric structure that resembles something out ofEvangelion. It will not react to attacks or take damage. Instead, it beckons for you to interact with it. Should you choose to obey, you’ll learn a new word in the godlike entity’s language.
8Hyperspace Navigation System
A hyperspace navigation system resembles a large warp core filled with blue plasma. It cannot be damaged or destroyed. In fact, it serves only one purpose. Upon approaching these galactic curiosities, you’ll receive a communication request.
Unlike some space encounters, these events are entirely random. However, they’ll always perform the same function. Hyperspace navigation systems broadcast a hexadecimal portal address with which players can teleport to the station’s star system. This information can also be found with a signal booster or in-game camera.
However, the broadcast signal is a handy way to find your place in the universe without landing your spacecraft or interrupting your exploration.
7Grave of the Ocean King
One of the newest space encounters to hit No Man’s Sky is the Grave of the Ocean King. As its name implies, these events place your starship in a sprawling field of intergalactic remains. Adrift amidst the asteroids and bone shards, you’ll find a lone behemoth skull, the possible remains of a living spaceship.
Like most things in No Man’s Sky, it’s a breathtaking visual experience, but the Ocean King’s skull is more than a pretty former face. Fly close enough to the skull, and you’ll receive a fossil sample or ancient skeleton. Both rewards are high-value items. While the ancient skeleton is meant to be sold, you can hold onto the fossil sample until you find aVy’keen artifact exchange vault.
6Plasmic Accident
It’s not always binary suns and gaseous rainbows in No Man’s Sky. Sometimes, things go awry. Like your adventurer, the universe’s inhabitants constantly strive to improve their technological capabilities. While they often succeed, some failures are inevitable, and plasmic accidents are the result of such misfortunes.
Attacking and destroying a plasmic accident always yields some mordite and — more importantly — a terrifying sample, whichsoundsundesirable. However, gross biological artifacts are wortha lotof money. Moreover, keeping one in your inventory is adecent way to farm credits, as it encourages the game to spawn more plasmic accidents.
5Jettisoned Storage Silo
You’ll see storage silos everywhere in No Man’s Sky. They’re the intergalactic equivalent of a sixteen-wheeler. Most travel alongside frigates and squadrons. They resemble a bundle of long, pill-shaped tubes. Each tube contains loot, although shooting at them often incurs the understandable wrath of its owner.
Jettisoned storage silos are different. Unlike normal silos, these cargo containers have been abandoned, presumably lost in transit. You can attack and loot them as you see fit, and the contents are yours to keep. Most jettisoned storage silos contain considerable amounts ofsemi-precious resources, but some house priceless relics.
4Void Egg
In No Man’s Sky, a void egg isn’t a scrumptious galactic consumable. It’s an incredibly rare encounter that only happens if you’re piloting a living spacecraft. However, itisa physical egg. Visually, it resembles a chicken’s egg made of massive tendrils of fleshy, interstellar pasta.
It’s a beautiful sight, and you may be tempted to leave it alone. Don’t. Shooting down a void egg yieldsone living ship upgrade. Notably, living ship upgrades are incredibly rare, and this Alien Melody anomaly is one of two ways to find them. The only other method for obtaining such upgrades is a psychonic egg, rarely found on organic frigates.
3Dyson Lens
Even fictional alien races want to research the galaxy. While the real universe has the Hubble Space Telescope, the worlds of No Man’s Sky launched Dyson Lenses. These interstellar objects are scattered at random throughout the universe, although encountering one is a rare treat.
You can choose to admire a Dyson Lens. Alternatively, if you’re a fan of wanton destruction, you can shoot it. Shooting a Dyson Lens immediately maxes out your wanted level, but destroying it rewards a whopping 500 nanites. If you’re still upgrading your spacecraft, consider observing the spherical satellite peacefully. After all, you’ll have to escape the galactic version of INTERPOL to make your haul worthwhile.
2Relic Gate
Relic gates are incredibly rare; only a few are known to exist. However, finding one opens a literal gateway to exciting new worlds. Each is a hexagonal portal bounded by four anchoring asteroids. They closely resemble a portal at any space station or player base, but their function is somewhat different.
Relic gates teleport you across vast distances, allowing you toencounter new galaxies. Exploration is the heart of No Man’s Sky, so don’t be afraid to enter any portal you see. You’ll always be able to find a nearby space station with a portal to your home base. Alternatively, you can construct your own portal after establishing a base on a new planet.
1Derelict Freighter
Of the many interstellar events you’ll encounter in No Man’s Sky, none are as rewarding as aderelict freighter. Many travelers have traversed the galaxies of No Man’s Sky, and many have met misfortune. These behemoth wrecks are what remains of the universe’s less fortunate spacefarers.
Upon encountering a derelict freighter, you’ll be prompted to disengage your pulse drive and explore the wreckage. Come with empty pockets, for you’ll find literal vaults of rare and precious resources. But be warned: Derelict freighters are dangerous. Bring your best multi-tool and plenty of backup resources, or you may become the wreck’s latest victim.
No Man’s Sky
WHERE TO PLAY
Lose yourself in a vast sci-fi odyssey as you explore a near-infinite, procedurally generated universe.
Set out from the edge of the Euclid galaxy and carve out your own interstellar existence in a vast universe teeming with life, danger and near-endless mystery.
No Man’s Sky is a hugely-ambitious, heavily-stylised, sci-fi adventure that spans entire galaxies all brought to life with procedural generation. Travel through an endless array of increasingly diverse and dangerous star systems, prospecting for rare materials, trading with alien life, populate planets and searching for clues to the meaning of the universe’s mysterious existence.
How you survive is up to you. Assemble entire fleets of dreadnought-class freighters and tear across the universe; build sprawling habitable bases across planet surfaces, beneath the ground or under the ocean; buy and upgrade your own weapons and star ships and do battle with outlaw space pirates, hostile alien fauna or the mysterious sentinel fleets.
The universe is yours to explore - trillions upon trillions of planets, waiting to be discovered.
