'No Man's Sky': How To Unlock Character Cosmetics

There are several cosmetic options players can adorn themselves with in “No Man’s Sky,” from simple color swaps to entirely new armor pieces.

Though the vast majority of playtime in “No Man’s Sky” for the average player will be spent scouring the galaxies, there’s no reason not to look good while doing so. Here’s a short guide on how to customize the player’s character and how to unlock new cosmetic items.

Character Customization

At the beginning of the game, everyone will start with the base astronaut-style space suit. However, after fixing their ship and reaching the first space station, they’ll immediately have access to the Appearance Modifier, which is a terminal that opens up character customization. One is always found next to the exosuits tech merchant in any space station.

The Appearance Modifier will let players change race, swap pre-made suit and armor pieces and change the colors of their exosuits and accessories, including capes and backpacks.

Unlocking More Cosmetic Options

There are additional cosmetics locked behind in-game paywalls or activities. To unlock them, players will have to either purchase them using Quicksilver at the Space Anomaly or complete the requisite quests or expeditions.

The Quicksilver merchant has several cosmetic armor pieces and helmets for sale. They are rather pricey, so players may have to finish some Nexus missions before they can purchase any.

On the other hand, some cosmetic items like the Shroud of Freedom hood require quest completion instead. Here are a few items and the missions that players must finish to unlock them:

• Shroud of Freedom – Under a Rebel Star
• Fleet Commander Cape – The Polestar Expedition
• Lost Bathysphere – Dreams of the Deep

It's important to note that old Expeditions are not replayable unless the developers make them available again via in-game events. The Polestar Expedition is currently active as of press time, and players have roughly four more weeks until it is shelved like the others.

Expeditions are played on a separate save file using a different character, which means players will have to start over again. However, the Expedition rewards will be claimable at the Space Anomaly using the main save file.