The Ultimate 11 Expeditions Tier List – No Man’s Sky Guide

Let’s head in and try ranking all of the Expeditions from Hello Games’s epic space adventure No Man’s Sky

It has been two and a half years since the release of The Pioneers, the first Expedition of No Man’s Sky (NMS). Expeditions are limited-time events that start at a fixed point in the universe. Expeditions typically involve a series of challenges, goals, and milestones that players can complete during a set period of time. These goals might include tasks like exploring specific planets, gathering resources, completing missions, or reaching certain milestones in the game. 

Ranking All The Expeditions Of No Man’s Sky

Here is a comprehensive ranking of all No Man’s Sky Expeditions – 

11. Expedition 5: Exobiology (February 24 –  April 4, 2022)

At rock bottom, is the 5th Expedition, Exobiology. Exobiology is focused primarily on discovering and interacting with the strange and varied alien creatures inhabiting the universe. This season places all expeditioners on a lonely star system devoid of wildlife, but with a towering bipedal creature companion to accompany them.

Most of the complaints talk about the progression being vague and unnecessarily time-consuming. The wait duration on the egg did not manage to turn heads into the right direction either!

[embedded content]

10. Expedition 1: The Pioneers (March 31- May 16, 2021)

Following the worst Expedition in rank, is the first of its kind. The Pioneers is focused on challenging players to complete an impressive variety of tasks across the galaxy, ranging from finding ancient artifacts to traveling through black holes, rewarding them with a gold-covered ship from long ago.

In spite of our sentiments, we believe that in a strictly level playing-field, The Pioneers would rank amongst the worst of the Expeditions. It had quite a few bugs and errors, hence we have opted to put it at number 10.

[embedded content]

9. Expedition 9: Utopia (February 22 – April 4, 2023)

Next up, we have one of the latest Expeditions to have been launched. Utopia introduces the Utopia Foundation and challenges players to work together and rebuild a solar system. The theme was well set but the execution was paling in comparison. Utopia left fans wanting for more, not adding much to the game mechanics or having good collectibles as rewards for that matter. Thus, it has to settle for number 9.

[embedded content]

8. Expedition 3: Cartographers (September 8 – October 17, 2021)

At number 8, we have Expedition 3: Cartographers, which is focused primarily on deep exploration of a single planet. This season places all expeditioners on the toxic world of Gisto Major, where their bespoke starship will require specialist attention to repair and launch into space.

The theme was potent, making players actually feel stranded and trapped in that single planet. They were left questing through the whole planet to find resources to repair their ship to finally have freedom. But other than that, Cartographers did not bring too much to the table, lacking any unique gameplay or a noteworthy storyline.

[embedded content]

7. Expedition 11: Voyager (August 31- October 16, 2023)

The latest Expedition of the lot, the currently running Voyagers Expedition manages to rank at seven so far. Voyager is a relaxing journey of exploration, encouraging Travelers to seek out remarkable worlds, reach planetary summits and oceanbeds, and catalog their findings.

This Expedition was fun in the sense that it had a different approach compared to most of NMS’s journey, and many players are liking the setting. The theme bodes well for people looking to have fun exploring this enthralling universe.

6. Expedition 2: Beachhead (May 17- May 31, 2021)

Beachhead was a crossover with Mass Effect, which came as a huge surprise to all of the players once it was revealed. This Expedition had its moments, with the ascending being a fan favorite moment. However, the rewards of this Expedition overall were very basic, which is something many players had an issue with. Overall, unless you are a fan of Mass Effect, Beachhead didn’t have too much going its way.

[embedded content]

5. Expedition 10: Singularity (June 8 – July 12, 2023)

Singularity is the latest completed Expedition of No Man’s Sky and it was definitely one of the better ones. It is focused on the history and origin of the Harmonic Camps in a mystery that touches upon artificial intelligence, the will to exist, and the very nature of what it means to be alive. The lore was well written and the overall experience was fun for this one, making it worthy to be among the top 5.

[embedded content]

4. Expedition 8: Polestar (July 27 – September 11, 2022)

Polestar offers travelers the chance to embark on an interstellar cruise. Repair the freighter’s unique technology, uncover its mysterious past, and journey across the galaxy at its helm. This is one of the Expeditions that got the most love from fans, largely due to its simplicity. This Expedition had base-building and warping disabled, and players enjoyed the laid-back nature of it. Polestar had a fun and unique storyline, and deserved the appreciation it got from the NMS fandom. 

[embedded content]

3. Expedition 6: The Blighted (April 14 – May 22, 2022)

Starting off our top 3, we have The Blighted. This Expedition aligns with the piratical theme of the Outlaws release. Travelers will follow the trail of a pirate faction known as The Blight and their mysterious treasure, gathering clues and decrypting milestones.

The Blighted was a sigh of relief for NMS fans after the disaster that was Exobiology. It was everything Exobiology should have been, and gave players a swashbuckling pirate adventure. Be it Saving the freighters from pirates, locating sunken treasures or recovering the fragments of the pirate Treasure Map, The Blighted earned back fans’ intrigue about the Expeditions.

[embedded content]

2. Expedition 7: Leviathan (May 25 – July 5, 2022)

This Expedition offers travelers the chance to embark on an interstellar cruise. Repair the freighter’s unique technology, uncover its mysterious past, and journey across the galaxy at its helm.

Leviathan had a lot of fun components and got plenty of stuff just right. Firstly, gaining weapons from memory fragments in this Expedition instead of shops, which was an engaging change for players. Leviathan appealed to a portion of the NMS fandom that had been somewhat neglected in the past, with its unique nature and enthralling progression, and for that playerbase it is definitely number one.

[embedded content]

1. Expedition 4: Emergence (October 20 – November 22, 2021)

At the top spot, to the surprise of very few, we have Emergence. Emergence is focused primarily on deep exploration of a single planet and related sandworms. This season places all expeditioners on the planet Wasan, a barren world ravaged by dust storms and infested with Titan Worms.

Emergence was a questing masterpiece, from the very setting of the story. The lore was based on Titan Worms and played out perfectly across all the phases. The progression of events and the rewards were unique and showed that they had a lot of thought put into them. Thus Emergence emerges (pun intended!) to the top of our list.

[embedded content]

Onto Exploring our Expeditions Tier List

The NMS universe has a variety of stories to tell and worlds to explore. Check these expeditions out and have fun in the intergalactic quests across infinity and beyond!