Further Adventures In No Man's Sky

FURTHER ADVENTURES IN NO MAN'S SKY

Adrift in the dark blue of space, amid countless diamond bright stars, the globe of a planet shrouded in white clouds and covered with green vegetation loomed into view. After having trekked across the desert world, how I longed to feel lush, damp grass beneath my feet.

After landing procedure was complete, I opened the hatch and breathed in the sweet air. No need for the environmental protection suit on this planet, for its atmosphere and its climate were both well within range adequate to support lifeforms such as I. I gazed through the misty haze at a grassy landscape with tall, red-leaved trees growing here and there.

Presently, I encountered the first lifeform. It had a thick jaw from which protruded two tusks. From its shovel-like appearance I conjectured that this animal dug up edible treats from the ground, much like a hog will root up foodstuff. There was a large, bulbous appendage growing on its back. Was that some kind of parasite? If so, I would have to be careful not to let myself fall victim to such a grotesque hitch-hiker.

Leaving the creature alone, I ventured on, coming across tall trees with fern like leaves, resembling some relic from the time of the dinosaurs. Their leaves patterned with red, they stood sentinel over a vast plain, across which the strange cries of Unknown lifeforms echoed.

Making my way down to the plain, I encountered a small alien lifeform with a long body patterned like a leopard. Its most striking feature were the two giant tusks which protruded from its jaw. Most likely it used these ivory accessories in competition for mating rights.

I journeyed onwards, making my way over the grassy hills. Rock formations occasionally rose up, hinting at active geological processes shaping the landscape in timeframes far longer than the lifespan of a being such as I.

The eerie cry of some creature caught my attention, and it seemed to come from one of the rocky areas. Making my way over, I encountered a creature that very much resembled a pig, but with one major difference. This piglike animal sported what looked very much like two impressive wings! Surely not a flying pig? Actually no, this creature was incapable of flight. It was, however, a pretty impressive runner, for it took off at some lick as soon as its senses detected my presence. What purposes, then, did those 'wings' serve? Could they have been some kind of aid to ground-based locomotion?

My trek across the landscape continued, and as I gazed up the hill I was attempting to climb, the majestic sight of the desert world and its moon rose up over the horizon. How beautiful those worlds looked, seemingly suspended amidst the damp mists of my current destination.

As I made my way to the top of the hill, I looked down the other side and could not help but gasp. Down there was unmistakable signs of a technologically-advanced civilisation! A vast monolithic structure had been erected on a platform of dark stone. An architectural wonder that pulsed with a cool blue light, with markings etched into its surface. What kind of race had built this monument here, and what meaning did the act of building it have to these people?

At that point my contemplation was interrupted by a deep rumbling call that could only have come from an animal of prodigious size. Sure enough, there was a massive quadruped, easily large enough for its head to reach up to feast upon the leaves of the fern trees. I sat on the crest of the hill, watching this gentle giant use its titanic strength to tear off great chunks of the tree and reduce its wood to digestible size with powerful jaws.

Making my way down the hill, I noticed there was a cave. In the coolness of its shade, amid the silent stalagmites that stood sentinel over geological time, I contemplated my journey so far. Desert worlds, planets inhabited by gigantic birdlike animals, moons whose horizon were dominated by the looming presence of a mother planet many times larger than Earth, and this beautiful grassy planet of Eden-like tranquility. What other wonders awaited me on my adventure?

Thanks to Hello Games for the images