Hello Games has announced the release of the latest update to No Man’s Sky. “Sentinel” brings a plethora of new content to players as well as a much-requested and needed overhaul to the combat system. This is the first major update in 2022 and continues the developer’s commitment to improving the game as well as bringing new content to the community.
Here’s the literal laundry list of new content featured in Sentinel.
- Sentinel Hardframe Mech – Planetary Sentinel forces have a significant new tool in their armory—the Hardframe Battle Mech. Though heavily armored, its high-powered jetpack gives it terrifying battlefield mobility. This fearsome unit is deployed alongside elite Sentinel forces and comes equipped with a variety of weapons, including a plasma-powered flamethrower.
- Multi-Tool Visual Effects Overhaul – All Multi-Tool systems, from the Mining Laser to the Scatter Blaster, have received a significant visual overhaul, benefiting from new projectiles and beams, muzzle flashes, lighting effects, refraction, new impacts, and more!
- AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution Support – AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 1.0 is a cutting edge super-optimized spatial upscaling technology that produces impressive image quality at fast framerates.
- Active Camouflage Technology – A new Cloaking Device is available to research aboard the Space Anomaly. This powerful new Multi-Tool extension allows users to evade planetary Sentinels, even in the midst of combat.
- Minotaur Autopilot Battle Technology – Travelers may now install a Minotaur AI Pilot within their Exomech. This advanced battle computer will allow the Minotaur to follow its master as they explore the planet, and to serve as a powerful ally in combat. Please note: the Minotaur AI will always cede control to the primary user on cockpit entry.
- Exobiology Expedition – The brand new Exobiology Expedition will be launching shortly! Travelers will awaken in a desolate star system, their creature companions the only fauna for light-years. In a journey of exploration across the galaxy, this latest expedition will lead to a wealth of animal life to discover, adopt, ride, and milk. Rewards include jetpack trails, posters, companion customizations, and even a unique robot companion…
- Improved Combat Balance and Feel – Combat has been significantly improved to create a faster-paced, more varied, and dynamic experience. Tweaks include changes to camera settings, Sentinel health, Traveler and Sentinel weapon speeds, fire rates, hit indicators, rumble and camera shake, and much more.
- Carry More Multi-Tools – The cap on the number of Multi-Tools a Traveler can carry has been raised from three to six, allowing players to own a greater diversity of Multi-Tool styles and load-outs.
- NVIDIA Deep Learning Anti-Aliasing – PC players with compatible RTX cards can now take advantage of NVIDIA’s DLAA technology, producing an image of the very highest visual fidelity. NVIDIA DLAA is an AI-based anti-aliasing mode for users who have spare GPU headroom and want the highest levels of image quality.
- Planetary Sentinel Pillars – A sinister new structure can now be found on planets across the universe. The Sentinel Pillar serves as a highly-guarded control post for local Sentinel forces. Players who locate and disrupt the Pillar will be rewarded with new stories, weapons, and more…
- Native Steam Deck Support – No Man’s Sky has been specially optimized for the Steam Deck, and controls have been adjusted to take advantage of touch screen input.
- Hack Your Own Hardframe – Steal advanced technology blueprints from the Sentinels and transform the Minotaur into your own reprogrammed Sentinel unit. As well as a visual overhaul, these salvaged parts offer significant upgrades, including increased mobility, new advanced weapon systems, and its own fully trustworthy AI autopilot.
- Heavy Combat Drones – Sentinel combat patrols have received a significant firepower upgrade in the form of specialist Heavy Combat Drones. If a Sentinel patrol drone discovers a transgression, these tank-like units are the first forces summoned to the battle as a highly aggressive backup.
- Neutron Cannon Weapon – Travelers can now research a brand new Multi-Tool weapon—the Neutron Cannon. This charged energy weapon can be used both as a rapid-fire projectile launcher and also charged up to release a deadly, close-range barrage of destruction. The core blueprint, and associated upgrades, are available on the Space Anomaly. Upgrade modules can be found at space stations and other sites across the universe.
- Varied Drone Weaponry – Sentinel drones now have access to a range of weapons, including rapid-fire lasers, close-range scatter blasters, and long-distance explosive mortars. These devastating barrages can blow holes in the planet’s surface, reshaping the battlefield on the fly by creating new obstacles and cover.
- Shut Down Planetary Sentinels – Players may now temporarily clear a planet of Sentinels. Defeating the Sentinel forces that are summoned on the maximum alert level will now suppress any additional Sentinels across that planet, for a limited time. In addition, players who are able to locate and breach a Sentinel Pillar can activate its shutdown process and lock down the Sentinels without having to engage in such a large battle.
- Royal Jetpack – Travelers who undertake the Exobiology Expedition and document its strange and exotic creatures will be rewarded with an equally exotic new jetpack customization.
- Improved Multi-Tool Shops – The Multi-Tool caches found both in space stations and in buildings across planets have had a visual overhaul, improving their visibility and giving players a preview of the tool within.
- Exomech Combat Agility – Planetary combat in the Minotaur has been significantly improved. Changes include a significantly faster turn rate, the ability to backpedal, mobility and aim enhancements, and a dedicated combat camera.
- Multi-Axis Rotation – A new advanced rotation mode has been added to the Build Menu. This allows builders to freely rotate pieces around any axis, opening up new creative avenues of construction.
- Sentinel Repair Drone – Sentinel combat forces now deploy specialist repair drones, small, highly agile units that rapidly repair other drones. While themselves weak and lightly armed, these mobile engineers represent a serious threat and should be tactically eliminated.
- Anomalous Sentinel Upgrades – Defeated Sentinels can now be harvested for strange materials. These shards of otherworldly glass contain many valuable items, including a new class of anomalous equipment upgrades.
- Heavy Weapon Animations – Larger Multi-Tools now sit correctly in the player’s hands, and heavy weapons are fired with more weight, their power now reflected in the player’s firing animations.
- Faster Warping – Teleporting between bases and space stations within the same star system has been significantly optimized, allowing for rapid travel between planets.
- Holographic Energy Shields – Sentinel drones may now deploy mobile cover in the form of a temporary energy shield. These holographic barriers serve as protection against incoming fire, but players can also take advantage of this shelter and turn the tables on the Sentinel forces.
- Sentinel Summoner Drone – Elite drone combat units are accompanied by a Summoner Drone, capable of beaming in reinforcements mid-battle. While of low threat on their own, these advanced Sentinel units can quickly turn the tide of a fight and overwhelm an unwary player.
- Deploy Stun Grenades – A new Multi-Tool upgrade, the Paralysis Mortar, is available to research aboard the Space Anomaly. This support weapon launches electrical energy spheres that explode and stun any entities caught in their radius.
- More Companions – The maximum number of companions has been increased from six to eighteen, allowing players fond of rare animals and/or genetic manipulation to build an even larger and more diverse collection.
- Improved Enemy and Creature Navigation – The underlying navigation of both planetary creatures and Sentinel enemies has been significantly improved, bringing better and more realistic behaviors, as well as allowing Sentinels to hunt the player within buildings and in caves.
- Discover Sentinel Archives – Unlock the secrets of the Sentinel Pillars and access the archives held within to read a significant new series of stories about the history of the Sentinels and their relationships with the Travelers, the Atlas, and the wider universe…
- Royal Multi-Tool – Players who brave a raid on the Sentinel Pillars may be rewarded with a new class of Royal Multi-Tool.
- Improved Walker Combat – The targeting and mobility systems of the Sentinel Walkers have been significantly improved. In addition, their armor system has been reworked so that leg armor no longer has to be removed in order to damage their critical Walker Brain. Instead, destroying its leg armor will buckle the Walker, giving time to attack other vital systems while it recovers control.
- Advanced Combat Upgrades – A significant range of new combat effects and upgrades are now available to research. These include modules to add fire damage over time to the Pulse Spitter, add a stun to the Blaze Javelin’s energy beam, and a general upgrade to cause increased damage to stunned targets.
- Probe Sentinel Secrets – A substantial new series of missions await players who currently oversee their own planetary settlement. This story will take players on a new adventure, working with the crew of the Space Anomaly to probe the deepest secrets of the Sentinels…
- Build Your Own Drone Companion – Travelers who work with Iteration: Tethys, Specialist Polo, and the other Traveler Iterations aboard the Space Anomaly to complete these new Sentinel stories will have the chance to capture, reassemble and reprogram their own robotic companion in the form of a friendly Sentinel Drone.
If that’s not enough for you, there are also the regular patch notes that discuss some of the smaller details including the usual bug fixes, feature enhancements, and quality of life improvements.
Check out the new trailer and then head off to the No Man’s Sky official site to learn more.
