One of the most impressive feats in video games of 2019 was the diversity of stories told in the realm of science fiction. From The Outer Worlds to Control to Death Stranding, some of the most critically acclaimed games of the year were sci-fi. It is a common subgenre for games to explore, so this statement holds true for most years, but 2019 specifically featured three games about exploring space: each had a different take on space exploration that reflect the values of the game.

Three of the best Sci-Figames of 2019 were, in their own individual ways, about exploring space in a ship. Outer Wilds was about the terrors of space and discovering the past through exploration. The space exploration in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was about evoking the feeling of truly inhabiting the galaxy far, far away. And in The Outer Worlds, the ship felt like a home for the player's crew. Each of these games have a completely different take on what it means to explore a galaxy.

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Outer Wilds 

One of the best indie games of 2019Outer Wilds is one of the most ambitious games both in terms of how it tells its story and how it lets players explore its world. Outer Wilds operates on a 22 minute time loop where the sun supernovas at the end, resetting the loop. Players jump in their ship and explore of the handful of handcrafted planets in any order to try and uncover what exactly happened with the ancestral Nomai race and prevent the end of the galaxy.

An area from Outer Wilds.

The ship in Outer Wilds is a rickety old thing, patched together by a race of aliens that are clearly not meant to go into space. From the very beginning, the aesthetic of this tiny ship says so much about the world and its inhabitants. And that's before players take off and launch into space.

Players soon find themselves in a flying deathtrap. The ship is finicky on purpose and learning the physics is the biggest learning curve in the game. Often this learning ends with a trip to the sun, but over the 20 hours or so that the game lasts players learn to overcome these challenges. The space travel in Outer Wilds conveys both the wonder and horror of space through its mechanics, tying the gameplay into the narrative themes in a way entirely unique to this game.

The ship in Outer Wilds is also the only sense of progression and permanence in the entire game. It represents comfort and safety despite how often it leads players to their doom. For the most part, progression in Outer Wilds is measured by player knowledge; this is what makes the game so special and rewarding. But that is not entirely true. The ship's log keeps track of the places players have explored and the narrative threads they've unraveled. Presented in an information web that might be seen on a crime show, or the Pepe Silvia episode of Always Sunny, this is where players can see their leads and figure out where to go next. Before launching off, it is crucial to check the log and see what new information has been uncovered before launching off for the next adventure.

The Outer Worlds

outer worlds announced for switch

The ship in The Outer Worlds, the Fallout style RPG from Obsidian, serves a much different purpose but one that also lines up with the what the game is trying to achieve. Of course, it acts as a way to take the player from one planet to the next, but more so than that it acts as a home for the game's companions. The Unreliable is the closest games have come to the Normandy from Mass Effect in a long time and it is one of the highlights of The Outer Worlds. 

RELATED: The Outer Worlds or Outer Wilds: How to Choose

The Unreliable is a space players can explore, but the only purpose of doing so is to spend more time with the companions. From lovable Parvati and Vicar Max to the ship's AI ADA, pretty much all of these supporting characters are worth talking to and exploring their companion quests, most of which can only be activated on the ship. The Unreliable is a crucial character hub that feels like a lived in space. The companions interact behind the scenes and form friendships.

Ellie and Felix are always goofing off together, drinking or playing cards. Vicar Max is often alone in his room, being contemplative as he is want to do. Any players who plays the The Outer Worlds without checking in on the crew every couple hours is missing out on some of the best characterization in the game. Once again, the role of the ship is emblematic of the strengths of The Outer Worlds: characters and the relationships between them.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Jedi: Fallen Order may just be the most critically acclaimed piece of Star Wars media of the year, being so far more well received than Rise of SkywalkerThe Mantis, the ship belonging to the lovable Greez, takes Cal Kestis and his companions from planet to planet, all while reminding the player that this is Star Wars without being derivative of any of the films

greez on the mantis

In terms of these games, the ship in Fallen Order serves the least amount of function. It is pure aesthetic. While it has Metroidvania elements, the game is not about exploring the way Outer Wilds is. Sure, players can customize their lightsaber, have short conversations with crew members, and check on their terrarium, but the function of the Mantis in Fallen Order is to make the jump to light speed and make the player feel like they are in a galaxy far, far away.

Jedi: Fallen Order strikes a great balance of making players feel like they are experiencing a Star Wars story that is both brand new and authentically Star Wars. In terms of design, The Mantis is both fresh and comforting and making that iconic jump to light speed gets players hyped up for the next episode of their adventure.

MORE: 10 Best Video Game Stories of 2019