No Man’s Sky trailer showcases exploration on 18 quintillion planets

No Man’s Sky is a massive, massive game. Massive in the sense of scale each of its thousands of galaxies have, with the entire game populated by over 18 quintillion planets from players globally to slowly chip away at. It’s so large that the odds of warping into another player are miniscule, which is why the first video in a new series of four trailers for the game showcases nothing by lonely exploration.

There’s nothing but you, your ship and a seemingly endless expanse ahead of you, and I must admit this has to be one of the most alluring features of Hello Games’ title for me (aside from reeling over how all of it is essentially created with mathematical algorithms). There’s just too much in No Man’s Sky to explore without getting incredibly lost, which is equal parts exciting and daunting. Thankfully all the planets we’ve seen (a drop in the ocean, almost literally) look to be beautifully varied, so you won’t be jumping from one soulless husk to another.

If you happen to be the first on a planet, you’ll get to name it whatever you like for other potential explorers to happen upon. The same goes for any flora and fauna on the surface, as well as mammals, fish and any sort of weird aliens you encounter on your journeys. A new planet immediately becomes yours in No Man’s Sky, ripe for exploration and exploitation if you so choose. Just keep an eye on those galactic watchers that don’t take kindly to players looking to just destroy some of the galaxy’s finest work.

Exploration is just one of the pillars of gameplay No Man’s Sky will offer, with upcoming videos aiming to tackle Trade, Combat and Survival. It’s likely that one of these four will end up being the hook that ultimately forces you to sink endless hours into the exploration title. It’s just as possible for none of them to resonate with you, which is kind of the hurdle this truly intriguing game will have to tackle head on when it launches on August 9th.

Last Updated: July 15, 2016