There have been some fantastic sci-fi movies over the years, many of which have received video game adaptations. Due to the very nature of the genre, however, there's a surprising amount of variance when it comes to the types of games that these franchises have spawned, with many of them boasting games that fall into unusual and unexpected categories.
Though each of these sci-fi adaptations holds onto its futuristic themes, the way that developers have chosen to express these ideas is not quite so cut and dry. As well as the predictable MMORPG installments, together, these fantastic sci-fi franchises have birthed racing games, first-person shooters, and just about everything in between. Though not all of them have been up to the same high standards as their source material, they remain interesting interpretations nonetheless.
Star Wars
There have been countless Star Wars video games over the years, some of which have been much better than others. Just as the franchise is set across multiple galaxies and planets, these games have spanned a wide array of genres, from 2D side-scrollers to racing games. There's also the long-running MMORPG, Star Wars: The Old Republic, which has now generated more than $1 billion in revenue since first going live a little over one decade ago.
Aside from The Old Republic, some of the other notable Star Wars games include Rogue Squadron, Fallen Order, and Jedi Knight, as well as the recently released Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. It hasn't all been plain sailing for the franchise, however, with games like Kinect Star Wars and some of the earlier Lego Star Wars games falling well short of the mark. Despite this though, fans of the franchise really are spoilt for choice.
Alien
The first few Alien movies are among the best sci-fi movies of all time, though some of the more recent installments and spin-offs have come up a little short. Like the movies, Alien games are something of a mixed bag, with a healthy mixture of heavy hitters and distant misses having been released over the years. If nothing else though, these games offer a fantastic amount of variety and fall into a number of different genres.
The very first Alien game was actually a lot like Pac-Man, while many of those which followed were side-scrolling run and gun titles similar to Contra and Konami's fantastic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade games. Conversely, Alien: Isolation, which many people consider to be the very best Alien game, takes the form of a first-person survival horror game and places a heavy emphasis on stealth.
Star Trek
Other than perhaps Star Wars, few sci-fi franchises can rival Star Trek when it comes to both longevity and popularity. Since its debut in 1966, the series has seen countless video game adaptations, as well as a decent number of tabletop games. These video games have borrowed elements from multiple genres, with text-based RPGs, point-and-click games, and action-adventure games being developed over the course of the past half-century.
Some of the more unusual Star Trek games include Star Trek Pinball for the PC, the free-to-play MMORPG, Star Trek Online, and the fantastic VR simulation experience, Star Trek: Bridge Crew. The latter is widely considered to be one of the best Star Trek games of all time and was nominated for numerous awards in the years following its release. After the franchise's successful 2009 reboot though, it seems safe to assume that more Star Trek games will soon be on the way.
Blade Runner
With only two movies and an anime series to its name, the Blade Runner franchise is nowhere near as prolific as some of the other fantastic sci-fi series on this list, but it is every bit as important to the genre. The first movie remains one of the greatest sci-fi flicks of all time, and while nothing that has followed has come close to matching it, that's not to say that some of the other Blade Runner media isn't at least worth a look.
When it comes to Blade Runner video games, adaptations are as scarce as movies and spin-off series, with only two games having been released thus far. The first was the fantastic point-and-click adventure game, Blade Runner, which recently returned to the spotlight following its release on GOG in late 2019. On the opposite end of the scale is Blade Runner Rogue: a cheap and tacky tactical turn-based RPG for iOS and Android devices.
Terminator
Arnold Schwarzenegger has played some iconic roles over the years, though, to many, he will always be the T-800 Terminator. It's a role that he's reprised across five different movies, as well as in television commercials, theme park attractions, and even a handful of video games. Arnie had very little to do with the very first Terminator video game, however, which was developed by Bethesda and is one of the earliest examples of an open-world action-adventure game.
In the years that followed, so too did countless Terminator games, many of which fall firmly into the shoot 'em up genre. There have been a few notable exceptions though, including Terminator-themed pinball, chess, and slots games, an MMO strategy game for mobile devices, and, in recent years, a slew of third-person shooters. The T-800 has also shown up as a playable character in a few other series, most notably in Fortnite and Mortal Kombat 11.