The sci-fi MMORPG series Elite Dangerous is one of the most in-depth space simulator games out there – the game's huge player base and popularity are still growing six years after the game's original release, perhaps due to Elite Dangerous: Odyssey's recent release on PC and consoles.
Though the game certainly has more than enough to do for players looking to dedicate their time to its vast open world, it can be fun to take a break from Elite Dangerous and check out similar games. Even if other games end up not being up one's alley, it makes the experience of returning to Elite Dangerous all the better.
Updated June 4, 2022 by Erik Petrovich: Elite Dangerous is a complex game to get into, but once the initial hurdles of learning the game are crossed players are rewarded with one of the best space simulator games ever made. It's a game with a lot of variety, which is what makes it so easy for fans of Elite Dangerous to get into other spaceflight and sci-fi games. Everspace 2, for example, is much closer in style to Elite Dangerous than Rimworld, but sometimes the best way to fully appreciate a great game is to try something a little further out of your normal preferences. Games like Spore and Stellaris give players another strategic sci-fi game to try out, but when you want something completely different, an RPG like The Outer Worlds or a lift-off simulator like Kerbal Space Program might be just the ticket.
13 Everspace 2
The Everspace games are incredibly deep looter-shooter-starship-simulator games, and the popularity of the first led to a successful Kickstarter campaign for a sequel. Everspace 2 improves on its predecessor in a number of ways, but it stays true to the heart of what made the first game special.
If your favorite part of Elite Dangerous is spaceflight and fighting enemies with your starship rather than on foot, Everspace 2 is probably right up your alley. It is worth noting, however, that the game was released in early 2021 but is still labeled as an "Early Access" game on Steam.
12 Rebel Galaxy: Outlaw
If you're looking for something a little lighter than Elite Dangerous that still delivers on the deep sci-fi universe front, look no further than Rebel Galaxy: Outlaw. This game is more focused on story than Elite Dangerous and brings its characters and grimy world to life with a bright, cartoony visual style.
It's essentially a space trucking game, but there's just as much intrigue, dystopian aesthetic, and good old barfights as there are space fights and exploration among the stars.
11 Rimworld
Rimworld is a bit of a longer leap from Elite Dangerous, but big fans of the latter are sure to enjoy this simulator gem. Instead of exploring galaxies and engaging enemies in zero gravity, though, you are in control of a colony on a distant planet.
It's incredibly complexity and variety of paths to follow make it very replayable, and the AI storyteller that reacts to your decisions makes it all feel a little bit more real. If your favorite parts of Elite Dangerous are the survival and simulator features, Rimworld is worth checking out.
10 Starcraft 2
The epic sci-fi strategy game Starcraft II is as grand in gameplay as Elite Dangerous is vast. It's a classic "easy to learn but difficult to master" kind of strategy game, with many similar visual elements and narrative themes to the Elite Dangerous world.
The game is not good for players who don't want to sit down for a long session in the same game, though. The campaign is very well put together if you are looking to get away from the multiplayer experience.
9 EVE Online
Eve Online is about as close to Elite Dangerous as one will get. Both games take place in an epic futuristic open world, both games are MMORPGs at their core, and both games feature complex mechanics and systems for exploration and combat.
Where Eve Online is different from Elite Dangerous, though, is the veracity of its fan base. Eve Online players take the game extremely seriously, which might be off-putting to a newcomer.
8 No Man's Sky
No Man's Sky was initially seen as an over-promised failure of a game, but since the relaunch of the game with the release of No Man's Sky BEYOND, the game has seen stellar improvements. It's got a similar flight and exploration system as Elite Dangerous but with a few important differences.
The game is all about learning and exploring in a player-guided universe, and the graphical style of both games is different too – Elite Dangerous leans towards realism while No Man's Sky leans towards stylish fantasy.
7 Kerbal Space Program
The spaceship building game Kerbal Space Program has been one of Steam's most popular strategy games since it launched. The fan base for this incredibly complex simulator is as helpful as it is insanely creative, though there's not much of a multiplayer system.
The game is similar to Elite Dangerous mostly for the sci-fi setting and mechanics. Flight in space is totally different, too, and there's little in the way of exploration – however, it's good for a light-hearted break from the attention-sapping MMORPG.
6 Destiny 2
Destiny 2 is one of the most popular looter-shooters out there, having recently gone free-to-play. It's visually similar to Elite Dangerous and takes place in a similar futuristic type of universe. Destiny 2 is also an MMORPG at its core, but without the open-world multiplayer exploration outside of parties.
Destiny 2 is well-regarded for its gameplay and the continuous support the game has received over the years. The storyline is a little bit hard to follow for some, though.
5 The Outer Worlds
The Outer Worlds is a game that was created by former developers from the Fallout series, and features a breadth of meaningful narrative choices intertwined with satisfying combat and a gorgeous world.
The exploration and RPG elements are similar to Elite Dangerous, but the game itself is quite different in a lot of regards. If you want to switch up the genre and try a story-driven singleplayer campaign, The Outer Worlds delivers impressively.
4 Stellaris
The grand strategy game Stellaris is one of the most complex empire-building games on the market, and one of the most time-intensive too. Campaigns can last dozens of hours, and much like the Civilization series can be played over and over again with newly generated galaxies.
Elite Dangerous's space exploration is very similar to the space exploration in Stellaris, though the MMORPG features a lot less depth to its empire-building systems than Stellaris does.
3 Star Wars Squadrons
The space flight combat of Elite Dangerous is the most satisfying part of the game for most. Exploration, empire-building, and other simulator gameplay mechanics are all well and good – but getting into a cockpit is just more involving.
The space combat in Star Wars Squadrons is extremely close to the space combat of Elite Dangerous. The visuals and sound design of the game are absolutely top-notch, too, making it a must-play for Star Wars fans and sci-fi fans alike.
2 FTL: Faster Than light
The indie strategy game FTL: Faster Than Light puts the player in control of an entire space ship – each room, crewmate, system, and combat decision is controlled in real-time with the option to pause time at tough moments.
The style of encounters in FTL: Faster Than Light couldn't be more different than Elite Dangerous, but the roguelike gameplay and fine-tuned management mechanics make it one of the best sci-fi strategy games out there.
1 Spore
The fifth and final stage of Spore, the Space stage, is mechanically similar to the reputation-building and management systems in Elite Dangerous. The two games are very different, as Spore's graphical style could not be more different, and the game is far easier than the MMORPG too.
Where Spore shines is in the ability to customize and design just about every aspect of the universe. If you're tired of making decisions that have little universal effect in Elite Dangerous, try managing an interplanetary trade empire in the latter stages of this game.