No Man’s Sky content is limitless, like the stars in space; the brand-new Cosmos update adds enough content and changes to make the game feel fresh for new and returning players. This update is massive, colossal in every sense of the word, not in the way of giving people more of the same but offering a brand new way of playing the game with much-needed quality-of-life improvements.
Here I will put my focus on all the game-changing features introduced in the Cosmos update for No Man’s Sky.
All New Things Added in Cosmos Update
The sheer amount of information for this Cosmos update is almost as huge as the word Cosmos. I will keep things short and sweet and help you with the absolute highlights of the update in this section. If you want to know what you can expect from the new update, once you hit Launch on Steam, check out all the info mentioned below.
- Own Space Station: Using the Space Station Override, you can finally have your own Space Station in No Man’s Sky. It is not for appearance only; you can take on the role of a Director for your own space station. The game allows you to change the exterior of the space station and also customize the central lobby to your liking.
Note: The Gravitino Coil can now be equipped in the space station; the update also improved the handling, animation, and crosshair of the Gravitino Coil better than before.
- Set Up Alliances: Now you can join galactic alliances for more friend-focused gameplay. You can coordinate exploration to discover the galaxy with your friends by your side. The game allows you to select your own very own name for your alliance, a perfect banner, and other helpful options such as the alliance’s emblem and Primary Color.
Note: The game features a Leaderboard for Alliances to judge the rating of each alliance. Each player is limited to taking part in 3 alliances. The grade of an alliance comes from the activity of its members; simply, more active players will be equal to a higher number on the Leaderboard.
- Deep-space Outposts: These special outposts are being controlled by alien lifeforms, and you don’t want to skip these ones during exploration. These outposts basically allow the player to trade with alien lifeforms. You can buy maps, learn some info about the area, but more importantly, sign up for deep-space contracts.
- Orbital Construction: You can set up a Free-Floating base anywhere in space. Just establish a deep-space base computer, and you can begin constructing a base anywhere. You are not limited to one type of building; you can build either a truck shop or a military outpost, or something fancy like an orbital restaurant. All of them floating in space with nothingness all around.
Note: You can also set up your base now on natural rock platforms floating in space.
- Derelict Hulks: These colossal wrecks add a new layer to space exploration. You will find these shipwrecks floating in space; they are huge, filled with maze-like structures that require careful navigation. Don’t miss out on these shipwrecks, as they carry valuable technologies and more. You don’t want to spend too much time there; these structures are nimble and sensitive. Prioritize the loot before the entire thing falls apart.
- Interactable Star System Map: This enhancement to the map helps you point out all points of interest, celestial bodies, planets, and more in a moving animated map right on your screen.
- Asteroid Belts: Besides taking screenshots of Asteroid Belts, as good as they look from afar, now you can get closer to them to mine extraterrestrial minerals and strange crystals to fetch high value in the market by attracting specific traders or outlaws.
- Infested Outposts: Here we have a common outpost, but infested thoroughly by biological goop. These Lovecraftian structures have a nightmarish architecture, ready to be explored
Other Changes Added in Cosmos Update
- More Detailed Terrain: The textures on the ground are overhauled, allowing you to see more vegetation and realistic texture on all surfaces to make the planet feel lively and habitable.
- Cockpit Figurine: You can now add a bobblehead astronaut figurine on the cockpit. The head of the bobblehead moves with the ship’s movement.
- Reach the sun: You are probably aware of the phase of flying close to the sun; well, in the new update, you can fly to the sun and solve the ultimate mystery of life.
- New Station Parts: Now you have access to hundreds of decorative station parts that you can use to make the exterior more personalized.
- Developer Commentary: Everybody who is playing or has played No Man’s Sky is probably aware of Sean Murray’s selling the game multiple times before the launch window or when the game was introduced at E3 for the first time. Now you can enjoy his voice detailing the expeditions by handing out facts and anecdotes in the new Developer Commentary.
- Outpost Missions: These new missions help you salvage and/or take part in many material recovery contracts to earn rewards and standing.
- Leave Ship: The game now features a Quick Menu to leave the ship at any point in space; think of it as Blackflag. You can jump out of the ship at any time for exploration, but here you are launching yourself into the void at any point during space travel.
Tip: Any explosion in space will knock you back; you can try it out the next time you want to do a bit of space walking.
- Tractor Beam: A new upgrade added to your Corvette-class ship which allows you to refine the physical salvage and minerals. It also has an automated venting system that allows you to gather and eject all cargo in seconds. It can be purchased with other Corvette parts at the Corvette Workshop.
- Particle Lightning: New lightning system added to create fantastic visuals and particle effects; also added to add more density to any scene with a heavy amount of light sources.
- Clouds: The planetary clouds seen from space are enhanced with new texture to make it feel as realistic as imaginable.
- A new Golden Rasamama S36: A golden edition of the Rasamama S36 can be obtained after going through the past expeditions.
There are tons of new small adjustments, fixes, and additions as part of the Cosmos Update for No Man’s Sky. Overall, it’s a giant update that drastically changes the game by adding a lot of new things and perfecting the existing systems.
