No Man's Sky Path Finder update too enormous and rad to detail in a headline
No Man's Sky has a stack of new content and some fantastic new features. You may believe again.
No Man's Sky copped a lot of flack at release for not being whatever the heck we'd imagined it to be, based on slim clues and some pretty misleading comments from Hello Games.
It seems clear now that whatever Hello Games was aiming for with No Man's Sky it wasn't even partway there at release, because first the Foundation update and now this new Path Finder one have made tremendously good changes which expand the game considerably.
The Path Finder update is out today on PC and PS4 and adds a stack of stuff to No Man's Sky. I strongly encourage you to check out the video above and visit the No Man's Sky website for all the details, because there's a heck of a lot to unpack, but let's go over some features below.
-
Exocraft
Yes, No Man's Sky now has buggies, or ground vehicles - but it turns out there's three of them, suitable for different purposes. Unlock exocraft as part of the base building mission chain, and then customise them at will. Zipping across the landscape and carrying huge amounts of resources looks a lot less frustrating now, and the exocraft can even scan huge areas for points of interest. Additionally, you can build race tracks for exocraft.
-
Bases are shared online
No Man's Sky is finally starting to live up to multiplayer promises, as you can now find and visit other player's bases. You can leave little messages for your visitors (guiding them to your race track, perhaps). Steam Workshop integration means PC players can more easily share their work with others.
-
New difficulty options
A brand new Permadeath mode has been added to No Man's Sky, which adds a one life limit to Survival mode. Survival mode itself has been made tougher, as damaged ships will now crash land on planets. New trophies have been added to these modes to celebrate those who make it to the centre. Normal difficulty has been adjusted, too.
-
Graphics update, PS4 Pro support and Photo Mode
For those attracted to No man's Sky by the lure of beautiful worlds: good news. A bunch of new high-resolution textures have been added, as well as better lighting and ambient occlusion. HDR mode has been enabled, and PS4 Pro support means those with the newer hardware will enjoy even better graphics than the rest of us. A new Photo Mode will make it easier to capture this beauty, allowing you to alter the time of day and weather, unlock the camera and use filters, too. You can see a great collection of Photo Mode images on Dead End Thrills.
-
Specialisation and changes to ships
Hello Games has diversified No Man's Sky's arsenal of ships and weapons to favour a particular specialisation. This allows you to specialise for your preferred role, but you can also purchase multiple ships to store in a freighter, allowing you to switch between roles with ease. Ships will also be rated C, B, A or S, in ascending order of quality, and when you buy a new ship you can trade in your old one to save a few credits. There are several new weapon types available too.
-
New traders
Look for new traders at space stations, who deal in a new currency called Nanite Clusters. New blueprints have been added and trader blueprint stock will be refreshed periodically, making repeat visits worthwhile. You'll need high standing with a race to purchase the best blueprints. Additionally, a new trader will turn up at your bases to sell you building constructs.
-
New base building content
Hello Games has more than doubled No Man's Sky's base-building customisation options. There are 40 new parts, a range of new colours and materials, as well as new decals and furniture finishes.
On top of all that, No Man's Sky now has a better Discovery Menu to guide you through the game, a stack of new music, and loads of quality of life improvements.
It really is an enormous update which should significantly change how No Man's Sky is played, so do check out the other resources for all the details.