#5 Planets’ Ecosystems Depend on Their Distance from the Sun
Much like in real life, planets won’t just sprout life regardless of where they are in No Man’s Sky’s universe. If a planet is too close to its sun, it will be dry and arid, while if it is too far away, it will be cold, and frigid. In either case, the possibilities for lifeforms to exist will be low. Instead, seekers of life should find the “Goldilocks zones” of each star system to find planets that might have substantial ecosystems. In other words, look for the planet that’s “just right”, as Goldilocks would say.
#6 You Can Rack Up a Wanted Level and Fight Factions
Mess with planets too much by mining or killing too much of the local fauna, and you’ll attract the wrath of the sentinels, who will investigate the situation and attack you if they judge you to be the offender. There’s also factions in the game, with a variety of interests. You can choose to help one against the other, or fight all of them and be the space rebel you’ve always wanted to be. As usual, it’s all up to player choice.