Unsettling settlements

I love science fiction! I just love it! Especially the part where humans have been travelling in space for a long time!

We usually like to skip first contact stories, since we as humans don't actually know how we would react on a first contact situation.

But that's not what I'm going to discuss here.

The fact is that a lot of shows and games that deal with colonization of other planets, since the universe is big enough, I assume we could find a planet that can sustain human life. Now, what we don't see is, the initial colonization of a planet, and I would love to see how that would go down.

What's the biology like in the planets? What kind of animals are there? And most of all.. The insects? Are there huge spiders?

Or ants?

We assume a lot of things are universal, like annoying telemarketers, and even dogs. But, we really have no clue about the planets we might colonize in the future (if ever). And the history of humans show that we have knack for extincting animal life. What would stop us from doing that to a planet? And we'd probably introduce aliens like mice, dogs and other animals.

And what if we stumble a second Earth that is younger than ours? Should we colonize it or let it be? How big of a factor would our presence be to the cavemen? Would we drive them to extinction or would we change how they evolve?

When I think about it, there is a game that kinda shows what happens when one tries to colonize an unknown planet. Phantasy Star Online 1 & 2. Initially, they send a colonization ship called Pioneer 1 to colonize it, but something goes awry. There's an unnatural explosion that happens on the surface of the planet, Ragol, that makes the native wildlife really hostile. But wouldn't the native wildlife be hostile no matter what? But this is the welcoming party for the people on Pioneer 2(The ship you, the hero, arrive on to Ragol).

Maybe it just wanted to give a welcoming hug.

Even on Mass Effect you have some formidable local wildlife. Like.. The Thresher Maw!

Thresher Maw: "The fish I caught was THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS big!!"
Commander Shepard: "That's a lie! SHOOT HIM!"

And even the wolf-like Varren.

But then again, the Mass Effect series has a codex where you can read about the animals that are introduced.

I wouldn't want to be in the first ship going to colonize, maybe the second, but not the first.

Are there any other things that you notice on sci-fi games or movies, drop a comment and let me know!