No Man’s Sky’s new Worlds update shook up all my favorite planets

No Man’s Sky is a big enough game to accommodate many play styles. I could go on an expedition and stomp on bugs, explore abandoned space stations for valuable loot, or roleplay with a group of like-minded fans. But I always enjoyed playing Nobody’s heaven as an explorer and photographer. I enjoy eating an edible meal, going into space and wandering around beautiful planets to take pictures.

To my surprise – and sometimes to my dismay – the last Nobody’s heaven update, Worlds, has flooded my corner of the galaxy. I’ve explored and catalogued dozens of systems as I wandered around and soaked up the good vibes. Some dull worlds have been brightened up, some familiar planets now look very different, and I’m starting to get back into my routine of being a galactic tourist and scenery-watcher.

Back in the day, as seen below, my home planet Anxiease had beautiful pink skies, green grass, and crystal clear water. (And the occasional giant worm.)

But when I logged in after the update to see the changes, I was shocked to find a whole new world. I’d call it an improvement; I miss the pink skies, but at night the fluorescent grass glows in waves while mushrooms pulsate with their own light. It’s utterly alien, relaxing, and a visual delight.

Then there is my settlement Sporeholm, so named because of the giant orange mushrooms that dotted the landscape. That, combined with a sharp green mist, made the whole place feel like a sharp swamp (see below). It wasn’t exactly a tourist destination, but it had a certain charm. Plus, the locals make welding soap, which I can sell for a lot of profit.

Image: No Man’s Sky via Polygon

But Sporeholm has also changed with the Worlds update. Instead of mushrooms, you now see strange, thin, tree-like plants with pink lights on the ends.

Image: Hello Games via Polygon

The smoke and fog have completely disappeared, meaning it looks a lot more welcoming during the day. But when you arrive in Sporeholm at night, those trees give everything a vaguely menacing look.

Image: Hello Games via Polygon

Jumping around my already explored planets and seeing what’s changed is cool, but I also enjoy exploring new, undiscovered worlds. With a little hunting, I was able to discover a world with lots of floating little islands — great real estate for someone who’s a creative base builder.

Image: Hello Games via Polygon

It is this sense of discovery – and rediscovery – that Nobody’s heaven 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 behind by the doomed survivors of great wars. I love getting totally stoned on edibles and wandering around cool planets for hours, taking screenshots and trying to remember the rule of thirds.

Hello Games has been careful to note that this is only part one of the Worlds update, which means we will likely see more revisions in the future. I’m trying not to get too used to one planet; it might get a future patch like this. But I’m okay with new planets appearing in mapped star systems and old planets looking completely different. I’m here to relax, unwind, and enjoy the view.