Path of Atlas Left Behind
Early on in No Man’s Sky, you’ll be introduced to an entity that goes by the name Atlas. It’s not entirely clear who or what Atlas is. All that you can infer from the start is that Atlas knows quite a bit about the universe and can somehow speak to your very being.
While the game never outright says that this is a god of some sort, the alien races you come across do revere its ancient wisdom. Many of the Monoliths you encounter while exploring the universe will speak of Atlas and how it helped form civilizations and prosperity. Whether or not any of that is true is up to you to find out by exploring the planets, but you can embark on a quest line that puts you into direct contact with this mysterious being.
Atlas asks for your devotion and commitment. It needs you to explore in its name so that you may uncover knowledge and worlds unimagined. But, you get the sense that it wants your undivided attention, as it whispers directly into your mind. It can be a bit discomforting, having this powerful force which is able to locate you anywhere in the entire universe watching you. The fact that it’s so stern and direct when asking for your sacrifice is reason enough to want to back away, and that’s exactly what you can do. Over time, the being’s words shift more towards it taking control of you. You have a choice during each of these encounters, to continue to be subjugated by this mysterious power or to refuse its outstretched hand.
Refusing cuts ties with Atlas. It will not pursue you, nor will it offer any guidance. You are free to walk a path of your own choosing. There is no pomp and circumstance, only the embrace of the cold, dark space that looms ahead of you as you choose your next destination.
