Elite Dangerous: Odyssey lets players land on new planets, explore, engage in combat, more

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is the latest step in Frontier’s long-term vision for the game. We first wrote about it in June of last year, as the expansion that would let players take their first steps off a ship in the game’s history. Well, that update is finally here, and we now have our first trailer to showcase just what Elite Dangerous: Odyssey will consist of.

Elite Dangerous is housed in an insanely large, 1:1 scale of the Milky Way

Elite Dangerous created a 1:1 full-scale Milky Way replica for players to fly through. You can go “anywhere” in the galaxy, as well as “touch down on stunning planets,” where you’ll “step out of your surface recon vehicle to traverse them on food.” that last part is what the Odyssey update is all about: exploration. Odyssey marks the launch of Elite Dangerous offering players the ability to exit their spacecraft and explore planets with “light atmospheres beautifully rendered by stunning new technology.”

You’ll be able to explore, engage in combat, trade, take on missions, work together, or even alone on the surfaces of these planets where players will have complete freedom from a first-person, feet-on-the-ground perspective. The only game I can think of that’s nearly this large is No Man’s Sky, but Hello Games went for a far less realistic simulation that what it seems Elite Dangerous is after.

There are nearly 400 billion star systems to explore, with planetary collisions, tidal forces, and more

Elite Dangerous is more than just about exploring well-rendered worlds. The team put countless hours in to “meticulously simulate” the Milky Way’s planetary collisions, tidal forces, gravity, and more. Everything in the game is not just simulated, but backed up by real-world astronomical data. An undertaking of this size is essentially unprecedented in gaming, and I can’t wait to give this game a shot at some point.

Pricing and availability

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is available on PC exclusively, and you can purchase it for $39.99 on both Steam and the Epic Games Store. A deluxe edition is also ready to be purchased at $5 more, should you want the additional features it comes with. You’ll have to own the base game for this DLC to be used, which is an additional $29.99.

9to5Toys’ Take

I’ve been a fan of No Man’s Sky for years, and pre-ordered the original game back in 2016. We’ve covered it heavily here as it’s one of my favorite games, and I honestly think that Elite Dangerous could become another game in which I spend hours just exploring space.

Space has always fascinated me, and while No Man’s Sky is beautiful and fun, I think something that’s a bit more realistic in size, design, and feel could scratch my space itch even better. Will you be picking up Elite Dangerous: Odyssey when it launches tomorrow? Let us know in the comments below.

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