The sci-fi genre has long captured the imaginations of people who look to the vastness of space and wonder about the possibilities that exist among those countless distant stars. Some people long to sit at the helm of a futuristic spaceship, to get a close-up view of cosmic wonders like black holes, or to discover an alien culture. Thanks to video games, many of these possibilities can finally be explored. While iconic space operas such as Star Wars and Mass Effect have built fantastic worlds for players to become immersed in, there are other sci-fi games that do an incredible job at giving players a possible look at the future.
The best sci-fi games come in many forms and consist of a variety of genres. From realistic and immersive spaceflight sims, narrative-driven sci-fi adventures, or grand-scale sci-fi strategy games that encompass whole galaxies, gamers have the opportunity to explore every aspect of life in the distant future. Games like Elite Dangerous and X4: Foundations provide players with a true sense of being a space pilot, while strategy games like Stellaris give players control over entire empires and show a broader picture of what a galactic society might look like.
Elite Dangerous and X4: Foundations Put Players In the Cockpit
For many sci-fi fans, a sense of immersion and escapism is key to their enjoyment. Few games are more immersive in this regard than space sims which strive to make the experience of piloting a spaceship as realistic as possible. Space flight games enjoy a long history as one of the oldest video game genres dating all the way back to 1962's Spacewar! which featured surprisingly advanced mechanics such as Newtonian physics and gravity-assisted slingshot maneuvers using the gravity well of a star.
Elite Dangerous is a particularly ambitious and immersive massively-multiplayer space sim with roots dating back to 1984's Elite. Every aspect of the game boasts surprising depth, from the one-to-one simulation of the Milky Way Galaxy to the handling and operation of the game's many ship types. The game is unparalleled in its ability to immerse players in its world, which has a constantly shifting political landscape influenced by players and is complete with its own in-game GalNet news service. Traveling to a black hole and witnessing firsthand how the gravity bends light or discovering a strange planet that no exploring player has ever seen before are powerful experiences unique to Elite Dangerous' massive sandbox.
X4: Foundations is the latest installment in the X series of hybrid space-sim empire builders by Egosoft. Similar to Elite Dangerous, players operate spaceships in a vast setting participating in trade, bounty hunting, mining, and piracy. X4 features a highly detailed simulation with inter-station supply chains and logistics, and the game allows the player to participate in every aspect of this. Players can design and build stations, command fleets to mine and deliver resources, and wage war from the comfort of their space stations or from the bridge of a massive flagship. A strong modding community also ensures that X4 players can customize their game with new ships and features.
Prey and Alien: Isolation Are Extremely Atmospheric
While flying around in a spaceship is immersive in its own way, some games do an excellent job of captivating players by dropping them into lovingly crafted settings filled with intriguing environmental storytelling. Some of the best sci-fi settings don't feature expansive galaxies and vast open worlds, but rather focus on giving players a sense of what daily life might look like for denizens of futuristic locales like orbital space stations.
Arkane Studios' Prey is an immersive sim taking place aboard the Talos I space station in the year 2032. The Talos I station is a fully-realized space station with terrific attention to detail throughout its environments. The game has a strong emphasis on non-linear pathways and allows players to get extremely creative with problem-solving. For example, the player might shoot a foam dart through a hole in a security booth to press an unreachable button, or they could use the mimic ability to transform into a coffee mug and roll their way through a slot in the window. Prey's story is full of twists, the gameplay is engaging, and the station feels truly lived-in and rewards careful observation.
In a similar vein, Alien: Isolation also takes place aboard a large space station filled with environmental storytelling featuring the iconic retro-futuristic theme unique to the Alien franchise. The game has been received very well by players thanks to the strong sense of atmosphere, with visuals and sound effects seemingly pulled straight out of the classic 1979 Alien movie. The game shines during the quiet moments in between adrenaline rushes that give players a chance to stop and take in the environment. The titular alien is also truly terrifying, instilling a feeling of powerlessness as players desperately attempt to evade the perfect killing machine.
Stellaris and Homeworld Have Remarkable Narrative Depth for Strategy Games
For gamers who prefer a broader perspective of sci-fi life, Stellaris is as big as it gets. Stellaris maps feature thousands of stars, each with planets and asteroids that hide untold secrets waiting to be uncovered. Stellaris goes to great lengths to let players discover their own unique story, shaping their empire's policies and decisions while dealing with galactic events ranging from intriguing archaeological finds to a full-blown apocalypse. Over time, the chain of events an empire experiences during a playthrough create a unique story as civilizations rise and fall, form and break alliances, and are reshaped by politics.
The real-time strategy game Homeworld and its sequels are classics in the genre, the open space tactical freedom where ships could flank from above and below was revolutionary at the time. Along with the tactical depth is a surprisingly touching story about the last survivors of the destroyed world of Kharak retracing their history in search of Hiigara, their true homeworld. The campaign is challenging and skirmish mode offers endless replayability. The games also have a strong modding community that has created extraordinary content such as Star Wars: Warlords which converts Homeworld into a Star Wars game. With Homeworld 3 around the corner, now is a great time to play through the remastered games in preparation for another epic sci-fi journey.