No Man’s Sky borrows some of Light No Fire’s sophisticated tech for a planetary overhaul in latest update

If you were hoping for a fresh refresh of the No Man’s Sky universe, today is your day. The latest update for the space exploration sim aims to bring more variety to the planets – and it also features Starship Troopers-style bug hunts and a flamethrower.

No Man’s Sky’s new Worlds Part 1 update owes at least part of its existence to Light No Fire, the upcoming fantasy planet simulation game from developer Hello Games. “Over the last five years of making the game,” he explains, “we’ve learned new things, and we’ve put them back into No Man’s Sky.”

No Man’s Sky’s diversity comes partly from how its new simulated systems come together. There’s new cloud technology that creates skies based on weather conditions, with planets now featuring their own wind patterns. Water has also gotten a major overhaul, with dynamic waves that react to weather conditions, reflections, and improved oceans.

Additionally, planets have received new volumetrics and atmospheres, meaning explorers can expect to see rolling fogs, more spectacular storms, blizzards, and lava sparks during their travels—and all of these elements should interact, meaning clouds move closer together during storms while waves rise higher. And beyond the improved atmospheres, World Part 1 introduces new biomes with associated flora and fauna (including scorched, noxious, irradiated, and idyllic garden landscapes) for added variety.

Other new features (and there is a plot) include aquatic landing jets for ships to land on water, flamethrower arm attachments for the new Liquidator robot, and new missions to hunt the Vile Brood. The latest No Man’s Sky update also heralds the start of a new limited-time, combat-focused expedition, sending players out into the stars to explore some of the planets now possible thanks to No Man’s Sky’s improved technology. And while they’re there, they’ll have to work alongside the community to blast away massive, angry bugs, Starship Troopers-style – earning expedition rewards along the way.

No Man’s Sky’s Worlds Part 1 update is arriving today on all platforms, and Hello Games is hinting that more planetary improvements will follow – as suggested by the prominent “Part 1” in the title. Extensive patch notes for today’s update are available on the No Man’s Sky website, and there’s even a behind-the-scenes video of today’s update, giving a glimpse into its creation.

As for studio Light No Fire’s planet-spanning procedural adventure, we haven’t had an update on it since last year’s reveal, but hopefully it won’t be long before Hello Games shares more.