Started a new save recently, and yet again, I was blown away. Something about the simplicity of the early game highlights the various updates and changes, gives a clearer sense of how far things have come—which becomes especially apparent to more experienced players.

Now with Interceptor, the aesthetic has moved another step into a new, more detailed phase. Already there’s been several cosmetic updates, from ship realism to lighting effects to star and meteor formations, all of which followed the next gen update that noticeably saw less forested planets get a major upgrade to their visual density. And if leaks are anything to go by, that trend will continue with added space station variety (at long last!)

Everything’s looking phenomenal, we can be freaking pirates with exotic multitools in sentinel starships, and we’ve got new ship styles coming out of our arses.

So now, stepping out of some sleek pod racer-looking solar, hard not to wonder: what the hell kind of evolutionary cluster-fuck came over this entire galaxy? Yeah, there’s an endearing quality to the animals for us old players—especially that green, pudgy bouncy wobble thing—but looking back at the ship I just got out of, hard not to conclude that the poor disfigured guys stumbling around out there might be getting left behind.

Imagine not only creature variety and complexity increased, but their AI improved. More complex interactions between species and environments, and the addition of procedurally generated behaviour patterns.

As a longer-term player, I know this would completely rejuvenate the desire to explore planets for any length of time.

Hello Games are no doubt planning on doing this anyway, but aside from the “mile wide inch deep” complaint you see thrown around, it’s by far the most gaping opportunity. And one easily implemented; would have no impact to the game’s core mechanics, and would see its playability (as an exploration game) take a considerable leap.

Not to mention, a good excuse to add fishing 🎣