No Man's Sky' 4.1 Fractal Update adds an Expedition and accessibility options
Plus a VR overhaul
Universe-spanning survival sim No Man’s Sky is releasing its 4.1 Fractal Update today, bringing along a new Expedition, tons of accessibility options, a VR overhaul, and much more. Developers Hello Games have updated the game so consistently their launch woes are a distant memory, sent to a faraway galaxy. Since then, No Man’s Sky has become a not just a space exploration game, but a city management sim and a generally nice place to chill with your odd alien pets, all in one package.
The biggest new stuff from the Fractal update is the Utopia Expedition, which will begin "shortly after" the update hits. This expedition will have you working for the Utopia Foundation, attempting to rebuild the abandoned solar system of Bakkin. Crafting items requires Utopia’s shelter, so venturing off into the procedural wilds will be riskier than usual - but the risks reap greater rewards. Helping Utopia will net you with an agile speeder that can skip across planet surfaces, a small robo-warden companion, and a holographic friend for your base - a forever friend, if you like.
There are lots of new accessibility features, following on from 4.0’s already hefty changes. My favourite new feature is the Analysis Visor which will automatically scan fauna, flora, and minerals while you walk around. It’s hard to distinguish environmental details that you’ve scanned before, especially in a procedural game like NMS, so this will surely save a lot of time. There are also plenty of QOL fixes and tools to adjust VFX, the in-game camera, and controls.
The Fractal update also brings a new ‘Wonders’ tab in the catalogue, allowing you to track notable discoveries and information on planets, creatures, and more. To celebrate the release of PSVR2, Hello Games is overhauling (almost) every aspect of the VR experience, even letting you pick up certain objects with your hands. You can check out every single minute change in their patch notes.
No Man’s Sky is available on GOG and Steam for £50/€60/$60. It’s currently -50% off on Steam, too.