Space RPG games. The best open world games

Space simulators are not for everyone. This axiom does not depend on the genre, year of release, graphics or ease of control. The fact is that gamers treat game projects about space with some distrust and do not want to waste their time flying in outer space. Just look at the most popular games, whether measured by online player count or digital copy sales, and you won't notice space simulators there. We don’t take Star Citizen into account, because this game is above all laws, rules and regulations.

The most popular games today are League of Legends, Dota 2, with their “Battle Royale” and all multiplayer products of this type. They gain their fame for a lot of reasons, but they certainly deserve it. Everyone wants to come home or to a computer club, sit down at the computer and fight. To somehow express yourself, throw out negative emotions, communicate with friends and receive moral satisfaction from this. Space simulators provide a slightly different experience, which makes them not so popular among gamers.

Plus, space simulators, and games related to space in general, have two key problems that prevent them from becoming so widespread and popular.

First reason- difficulty in implementation. Creating a map for CS:GO or League of Legends is quite difficult; you need to think through many details and moments, draw graphics, test and release. However, this is a certain set of elements that will be polished and not touched again. Now imagine how much effort and time it takes to create at least a solar system. Create planets, organize locations, textures, animals, vegetation on these planets, add some activities or simply make them more or less interesting.

Now let's add transport to the planets - we need a ground version, aircraft, various spaceships and everything like that. If the game is built on the basis of exploring the galaxy, then you need to come up with a lot of mechanics, details and graphical components. As a result, it is much easier to create a shooter than to develop a really good game about space.

The second reason- popularity is lower than cliched shooters and MOBAs. Yes, now many EVE Online fans will say that space simulators have a huge audience, but even the coolest and longest-running EVE online at its peak was 50 thousand people. For comparison, Dota 2 is now in decline and 400 thousand people online are considered a meager figure, while two million people log in to PUBG every day. Naturally, the developers don’t have much desire to create a heavy project about space, when it will still have ten times fewer players than the modern version of the mod for WarCraft. And, if there are few players, then it will be more difficult to get a decent profit.

Because of these two difficulties, there are indeed very, very few space-themed game projects on the market. There are various indie games where only the name remains of space, there are games from the 2000s where the graphics have been redone and now play on the feelings of the older generation. There are quite a few powerful and interesting products that I would like to play. Today I will talk about five games that, in my personal opinion, are the best representatives of their genre.

Plus, after the main part of the article there will be a bonus for those who want to play something about space, but do not want it to be the basis of the entire gameplay.

EVE Online

I think even if you've never played EVE Online, you've definitely heard of it. Data constantly flashes online about the cost of ships destroyed during a battle for some important resource, a planet, or simply during a clan war. And, it seems to me, this is a shining example of a really good and complete game about space, with all the attendant possibilities.

There are a lot of active players here, minding their own business - building an economy, extracting resources, building ships, earning money, communicating, developing development strategies, and even waging political battles. Yes, this game has its own politics, its own strong clans, and they are constantly fighting for resources, benefits, advantageous locations and territories.

The game was released back in 2003. Just imagine - the game from 2003 is still played to this day, while the online presence is even growing a little and the players are not at all planning to move somewhere. The number of active subscribers (more on subscription a little later) is 330 thousand people, from 15 to 50 thousand people are constantly online. And, most importantly, they all play on one common server. Imagine - 50 thousand people on one server. In 2016, the developer received $86 million in profit, which means that the project will be developed and attracted more and more new users.

The game is free, but you won't be able to play for a long time without a paid subscription. The fact is that the free version has a number of restrictions on the character level and equipment that you can use, so it will be unrealistic to play comfortably without a subscription. It is worth noting the price tag for an annual subscription - $131. And, most importantly, even if you pay $10 a month for access to the game, no one guarantees you success, victories in battles or a sea of resources. You can explore space with an empty pocket all this year and pay the cost of two AAA games just for the opportunity to use all the project's capabilities.

However, this is the largest space game in history. A huge number of players, ships that will take your breath away, real economics and politics, a myriad of opportunities for self-realization in various areas of virtual life. If you want to sit seriously and for a long time at the helm of a spaceship, then EVE Online will give you everything you could want.

It is worth understanding that the game is quite complex and requires you to explore not only the game world, but also mechanics, economic features, interaction with other players, and performing routine tasks. If you want to fly around the galaxy and fight a couple of enemies, close the game and go on about your business - this game is not for you. Absolutely not for you.

Pros:

15-50 thousand people on the server;
unimaginable sizes virtual world;
many ships;
politics, economics, society;
a serious, full-fledged game about space.

Minuses:

costs $131 per year;
There is no point in playing for free;
delving into it is long and difficult;
even with a subscription you need to work like Papa Carlo;
cool ship costs as much as a used car.

May not like:

the game takes a lot of time;
you need to play for years;
politics and economics are more important than battles.

Elite: Dangerous

A game that has earned a very mixed reaction from users. The fact is that the developers promised gamers a lot of opportunities and rich life almost throughout the entire Milky Way, but in fact only small areas of the general map turned out to be truly populated. Agree, when you are promised enemies, traders and explorers on every planet, behind every asteroid and solar system, and you fly for a couple of hours in search of at least someone alive, the sensations spoil.

But let's not talk about sad things. This project was released in 2014 and the developers are really working to make the game more enjoyable for you. Constant updates, patches, free add-ons and a cool plotline will bring you a lot of positive emotions literally in the first minutes of playthrough.

It is worth making a clarification - the game allows you to play independently, without other people; you can play co-op with friends; you can play the multiplayer version of the project.

The first two options for passing are clear - you fly alone or in the company of friends, fight, explore planets, extract resources, enjoy open space and limitless possibilities. But, sooner or later, you will want to plunge online and the sensations will change dramatically. Yes, no one has been to the most distant planets, and if you fly a little further than the zone of main activity, you will search for a living player for hours. If you stay in the high-activity sector, you get a very vigorous space simulator.

You might get robbed. Or you and your friends can rob a single person, take all his goods and then do nothing until you catch the target again. You can explore planets, go down to them (you need to pay for the DLC to do this) and drive across endless planets, collecting valuable supplies. You can just fly and watch beautiful scenery, visit the most interesting planets for yourself and relax.

There are really a lot of activities, but the online presence here is noticeably lower and the game is not available by subscription. This is a significant difference from EVE Online - where players pay ten bucks a month and don’t want this money to just disappear. Here, users are not so motivated by achievements, wars and the economy, since the game can be bought for ridiculous money on sale and receive content for many years in a row.

But the entry threshold here is much lower. You are immediately given a ship, given a thousand credits, and then you fly around space, fight, complete tasks and develop, improve the ship, receive more complex tasks and create your own adventures.

Pros:

low entry threshold;
on sale you can get it for $10;
no subscription;
three game modes;
there is no need to invest in donation.

Minuses:

the Milky Way is 95% empty;
there is no important social component;
the players are not that serious;
landing on the planet for DLC priced at $20.

May not like:

sandbox without a plot;
the planets are bare and boring;
New mechanics have been introduced for years.

No Man Sky

After the official release of the game, it became clear that No Man Sky is not what the developers promised us. Actually, because of this, such a storm of negativity arose, which can only be compared with recent events around Star Wars Battlefront 2.

The fact is that the developers, as usual, promised a lot of things. In particular, they promised players the endless expanses of the galaxy, where each planet would be unique, and its flora and fauna would not be repeated. At every interview, the creators talked about a special formula that creates millions and billions of planets for the player with a unique shape, color and features.

And, although Sean Murray also lied in this regard, the two main lies are different.

First lie - the game world will be so huge, diverse and multifaceted that two friends playing the game will never be able to meet on, say, the same planet. It is because of this that the developers put pressure on the fact that it would be more interesting to play alone, because you will never meet your friend - the world is too big and you are separated by enormous distances. But in just two hours of play, players were able to get to the same planet, visit the same locations, and even communicate with non-player characters who gave the same quests and dialogues. That is, not like that here Big world.

Second lie - multiplayer game. It is because of this that the game was returned to stores by thousands of users. It is because of this that the game will never reach even an average rating on Steam. It is because of this that the game is called the biggest deception in gaming industry twenty-first century.

During interviews, the developers repeatedly said that the game is multiplayer and although you will not be able to find your friend in a huge galaxy, you will meet other players and interact somehow. It's just a single player game. There's not even co-op here, just a game for one person. Imagine that you've been waiting for a game for years, hoping that you're about to set off with your friends on a spaceship across the galaxy in search of adventure and riches, only to be told that in reality this won't happen.

After such a negative start, you might think that the game didn’t improve for me and how did it even get to the top. However, if we ignore all these speeches from the creators of the product, the expectations of users and the criticism of angry fans, then the game is very cool.

We have a really big virtual world. It’s not so big that you’ll spend hours flying from planet to planet, but you can’t fly across the galaxy in a couple of minutes, there are decent distances, solar systems and everything like that.

The planets are large, populated and more or less unique. It is worth understanding that all planets and flora and fauna were created according to a set of templates and a formula. If you play for twenty hours, then you already notice the similarities between the planets; after a hundred hours, nothing new will be shown. On the other hand, the planets are interesting, you can land on them, collect resources, look at the surroundings and fly further to explore wondrous worlds.

Let's not forget about tasks, various kinds of dialogues and stories, the possibility of upgrading a ship or purchasing a new aircraft. It’s all there, it’s implemented quite cool, and if you didn’t expect something like multiplayer from the game, then you’ll like it much more than EVE Online or Elite: Dangerous. Still, flying between planets, exploring them, extracting resources manually, completing tasks and enjoying unrealistically beautiful landscapes is much more interesting than engaging in politics or wandering through deserted locations in search of opponents to fight.

Pros:

huge open world;
inhabited planets;
tasks, dialogues, stories;
ship improvements;
the freedom of action.

Minuses:

lies from the developers;
disappointment of the century;
don't play with friends.

May not like:

it gets boring after a hundred hours;
where are people?

Star Citizen

The Star Citizen project holds the record for raising funds for development, but many consider the game a scam. Actually, there are reasons for this and quite compelling ones, but whether you believe it or not is another question. Fundraising for the development of this space simulator began in 2012 and continues to this day, but the developers have not shown a full-fledged product; there is only a tiny fraction of the promised content.

The fact is that on the Kickstarter platform the developers asked for a little more than two million dollars to create their incredibly cool project. Having collected more than four million, the team began creating the first module (part) of the game, simultaneously selling content on their website, by purchasing which you get access to the game immediately after release. That is, the fundraising continued, although the amount collected was twice the required amount.

Only in 2013 was the first part of the project shown - a hangar module in which you could monitor your ship, upgrade it, and so on. Just think about it - for a whole year the studio, consisting of two offices in Austin and Los Angeles with four million dollars in hand, created a hangar in which you can only look at the ship and repaint it, add some elements. During this period, EA may release a new Need For Speed with hundreds of cars and tuning, for example.

The release of alpha version 3.0 was scheduled for early 2017. The amount that the developers managed to collect exceeded $170 million. However, in the five years since the start of fundraising, the game has not left the alpha version and we were given only four moons from the promised galaxy.

On this moment players got access to some content, which, although very far from what the developers promised, but it already looks cool. We have four moons (not to be confused with the Earth's satellite - the Moon), there is a decent distance between them and you can move between objects by jumping into hyperspace. Yes, just like in Star Wars, when the stars around you stretch into lines and you cover enormous distances in a matter of moments.

In addition, upon arrival in the orbit of the moon, you can explore it on your aircraft, fly around the space object and choose the most suitable place to land. The size of the moons is truly impressive, and even flying over the surface of one such satellite requires a lot of time. After exploring the landscape, you can land on the surface and go on a journey - there is a special vehicle on six wheels.

True, there are only a couple of interesting locations on the moon, while approximately 98% of the surface is of no interest at all. Desert locations with rare craters and hills that will get boring within ten minutes of the trip. You can search for secret places and a base with its own population, NPCs and quests.

That is, today the project allows you to jump between four moons, drive along the desert surface of each of them, plus spend an unforgettable five minutes at the bases; there is nothing longer to do there. There are also repair stations, but they are also not very interesting.

At the same time, you can only play at adequate 30 frames per second on an empty server. If two or three more people enter the server, then FPS drops to 10-20 and does not rise higher, even if your computer costs five thousand dollars. The problem is in the network code - it is not optimized at all for computers with current capacities.

A fact that caused distrust in the entire project as a whole were changes in the rules for refunding users who bought ships and sets in Star Citizen. Previously, the rules stated that if the game was not released 18 months after the specified release date, “investors” would receive all their funds back. Now the rules have changed dramatically - funds cannot be returned until the team has completely stopped developing the game. Simply put, as long as the studio says that development is underway, you can wait at least ten years for a refund.

Players are simply afraid that the developers are deliberately delaying development and investing as much effort as is necessary to further earn money from the sale of ships. After all, apart from modest and boring moons with a hangar for repairs, nothing else was sold for such a a long period and with such huge money on hand. Naturally, investors are worried about their $45 (currently minimum amount to access the game) and too many factors indicate that they are not worried in vain.

However, if the game is released in full form, then this will be the end of absolutely all space simulators, and most online projects of other genres too. The developers have already shown a completely seamless virtual world with the ability to board a ship and explore space without obstacles. In the future, we are promised the opportunity to land on any planet, collect resources or complete a quest, they promise cities with characters, housing, entertainment and work. And I’m not talking about such things as battles in space, ships, modifications, and so on.

The game really has a lot of ambitions and if it is brought to fruition, then it will be possible to explore space on your own, together with friends, fight or trade, work and enjoy those activities that real life or other games are not available. Only for its ambitions and what the developers show in their modules and videos for social networks, the game was called the best and most modern project.

Just imagine a game where you board your ship, fly through a dozen solar systems, fly to one of the planets, land (without loading or tearing), fight with other players for resources, fly away and move on. Into outer space, where there are no barriers. Sounds damn good if it were still optimized for a smooth gaming experience and given a little more content.

Pros:

the most ambitious game in history;
$170 million for development;
open space without loading screens;
hundreds of activities and hobbies;
many variations of ships and equipment.

Minuses:

for five years of development only an alpha version;
10-20 FPS;
four desert moons with no content;
buy a ship and let's play.

May not like:

We may not live to see the release version.

Space Engineers

The game Space Engineers for me is a kind of improved version of Minecraft - here you also need to build structures, extract resources, but it’s really difficult to build something sensible. It’s enough just to open the Internet and look at the projects of various types of aircraft that players created in the game, and it becomes clear that the word “engineer” is written in the title for a reason. The designs are complex, they require an understanding of the circuits and features of some mechanisms, you need to calculate the engine power for the size of the ship and stuff like that.

The developers have taken on the very difficult task of creating a space simulator, in which the system for designing and assembling a spaceship will be thought out in great detail, a system of landing on planets and asteroids for extracting resources will be implemented, plus the process of interaction between players. For a small development studio this is a very difficult task, but they are gradually mastering it and this is pleasing.

Now Space Engineers optimized so that you can play on your not the most powerful computer and enjoy it with a stable frame rate without lags. At the time of the release of the project in the early access stage it was almost impossible to play, but now even on a mid-level computer the picture is quite pleasant. An endless virtual world opens up before you with such a range of possibilities that it will take your breath away.

You can get confused and find designs for huge ships online, then repeat the idea in the game, somehow change the design of the aircraft or redo the design. Very popular in this game are copies of spaceships from Star Wars, for example, which are very interesting to collect and you can always come up with something of your own. If you are not interested, you can go with your friends to a quick fix collect a couple of ships and push them against each other, look at the beautiful destruction and have a good laugh.

The developers managed to create a project about space, in which it is equally interesting to spend time both on your own and in the company of friends or other users you do not know. As for me, this is the most important component, because when your pleasure does not depend on the popularity of the product or the number of users on the network, it is much more enjoyable to play.

Pros:

ship design;
manual assembly of aircraft;
a lot of mechanisms;
open space with all the laws of physics;
the project is constantly updated and refined;
there are hundreds of guides on the Internet for assembling the coolest ships;
You can collect the Death Star.

Minuses:

optimization is not perfect yet;
not very user-friendly interface;
complex mechanisms;
building a ship takes a lot of time.

May not like:

there are no mechanics for fun;
There is also no need to communicate with other players.

Games closely related to space

Star Wars: Battlefront II
A game that received so much negativity at the start that now one can only hope that DICE will take on projects on this topic again. Loot boxes have led to refunds for digital copies, hundreds of videos have been shot online and even more negative reviews have been written. All this tarnished the reputation of a game that can give you a much more positive feeling from conquering space than many products focused entirely on this idea.

I mean space battles - they are thought out very well and playing in space on a rebel fighter, or destroying everyone on an imperial ship, is quite cool and against the backdrop of these sensations you can even forget about the boxes. Indeed, the battle mode between spaceships here looks as vibrant as possible, players do unimaginable things with ships, and if you are a fan of all this and the theme of shootouts in space is close to you, then Star Wars: Battlefront II will give you the best multiplayer battles on space fighters on the video game market.

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Another game that was shattered by negative comments from reviewers, users and critics. Everyone expected something in the spirit of the old school from the project, while the developers from BioWare decided to go a different route and show more mechanics, new story. It’s a pity that under the pressure of criticism, Mass Effect: Andromeda failed in sales and it is now reliably known that the entire franchise has been frozen indefinitely.

I won’t say my opinion about the product as a whole, it’s no longer important, but the implementation of space research here is fantastic. You find a new system, scan each planet manually, find the information you need and move further along the storyline. Sometimes we are given the opportunity to go to the planet itself and explore its territory on an all-terrain vehicle, look for resources, enemies and secret places. Plus, there aren't many games where you can have a relationship with a girl of alien origin.

This is already the third AAA-class project that has felt a mountain of negativity, not entirely deservedly, as it seems to me. Still, if you look at the storyline, game mechanics and graphics, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare seems even more attractive than Call of Duty: WWII. But that's not what we're talking about now.

This installment of the famous franchise has some of the best space combat I've seen. Of course, Battlefront II goes far ahead here, but COD also has something to answer. Well-developed controls, vigorous shootouts with dozens of opponents, dangerous turns and huge maps with a lot of small objects in outer space. Yes, it’s worth saying that these battles are implemented only in the storyline and some tasks seem drawn out, but, in general, in terms of space battles, this part of the shooter was really pleasing. I think no one expected such a good implementation of this gameplay element from the project.

EVE: Valkyrie

The article ends with one of the most advanced games in general on the gaming market, not only in the space simulator genre. The EVE: Valkyrie project was not initially perceived by players as something serious and exciting, and this is a VR game, that is, you also need to buy a helmet for it.

Now we can say with confidence that this project is the reason why a gamer will buy a virtual reality helmet. A very colorful, bright and juicy implementation of space battles, with almost complete immersion on the part of the player, allows you to completely forget about regular games with mouse and keyboard/gamepad.

This game is the future of the industry, a shining example of how we will play in five years. If you really wanted to look at virtual reality, but did not notice any worthy games for which you could buy an expensive toy, then take a closer look at this simulator. It will satisfy even the most sophisticated users.

Kerbal Space Program

I can't call Kerbal Space Program just a game. This is a vivid example of how the virtual world can be as close as possible in terms of the laws of physics to the real world, and how a game about little green men can motivate the study of science more than the educational system. The developers give you such incredible scope for imagination and engineering ideas that it’s simply impossible to explain it in a nutshell.

However, I'll try. Why is this game so interesting? We have a team of carbonauts and the task is to get to some planet, conduct our research and return home. Moreover, throughout this entire chain, success will depend solely on you and no one will land the rocket or take off for you. You need to completely design the aircraft, design its take-off module, take off from the Earth (this does not always work out) and go into space. Let's add to this the calculation of the flight trajectory to the desired point and the trajectory of return to the home planet. And, of course, landing.

Sometimes it takes hundreds of take-off attempts to realize one successful rocket. A lot of mistakes, failures and problems force you to read relevant literature, look at photos of real rockets, watch videos about the launch of real shuttles into space. Studying physics and astronomy and technical knowledge helps a lot. This is not just a toy for those who want to shoot at enemies in the evening, it requires thinking, studying and enlightenment. Agree, there are not many games you know where you need to learn something from real world and read books.

Interesting Facts:

In schools in Europe and the USA, the game is used for scientific projects in astronautics and physics.
NASA directly contacted the project developers and asked them to familiarize players with the 2020 program for capturing extraterrestrial bodies.
The developers of mods for Kerbal Space Program have created a ton of content and continue to do so.
You can find it online detailed diagrams a variety of missiles and assemble everything yourself.

With the exception of starting an astronaut career or hitchhiking into deep space on an unmanned probe, computer games are the best and so far the only way available to humanity to leave the Earth and go on a journey towards the unknown. Peaceful trade or pirate fishing in the vastness of the Milky Way, or escaping from a terrible alien monster on an abandoned orbital station - all this is on our list of the best games for PC, one way or another dedicated to space. From survival horror to global strategies to realistic simulations that allow you to live another life in orbit around one of a myriad of stars, there is something for everyone here.

One of the best single-player real-time strategy games ever released, it recently received a re-release from Gearbox studio, made with love for the original. View of thousands of player-controlled ships stretched out in a battle formation against a colorful background space landscapes, mesmerizing. The game's intense battles require a tactical approach, especially given the variety of ships in the game, from miniature fighters to colossal battleships. The Remastered Collection still holds its own and looks great on modern PCs, and is also bundled with the original Homeworld and its sequel.

In this large-scale and exciting simulator, an entire galaxy plays the role of an open and accessible world for exploration. Starting the game with a simple ship and a handful of credits, you become the master of your own destiny. Become a fearsome pirate? A famous merchant? Or an outstanding discoverer? The beauty of Elite Dangerous is that it gives the player complete freedom of action. Intense space battles or serene exploration of the nooks and crannies of space - here everyone can find something to their liking. On top of that, the ships in the game are simply fabulous: controlling the nimble fighters and massive cargo ships in Elite is definitely worth blowing off the dust from the old joystick.

Providing the opportunity to live a fulfilling life in space, EVE Online is an unparalleled MMORPG where the development of the world lies entirely in the hands of the players. This is a galaxy teeming with life, where thousands of capsule players fight, trade, mine resources, and explore the unknown side by side. Once you leave the confines of the relative safety of the police-patrolled launch system, you will find yourself in the middle of an uncompromising Wild West in a vacuum of space. Whether you prefer to fight in large-scale space battles, each of which consists of thousands of ships costing thousands of real dollars, or explore the vast expanses of New Eden alone, EVE will provide you with many unforgettable experiences.

Despite its minimalistic, retrofuturistic interface, Duskers is one of the most frightening modern sci-fi horror games on PC. In it, the player will need to take on the role of a pilot of a small “vehicle fleet” of drones, with their help searching abandoned ships in search of fuel, spare parts and clues to understanding why the unknown galaxy in which he finds himself main character, completely devoid of life. However, almost completely: the ships being explored are infested with creepy and aggressive creatures, which makes moving through their dark, narrow corridors an unexpectedly stressful experience.

Point-and-click adventure game from LucasArts, for some reason never received due recognition. A mission to deflect the flight path of an asteroid threatening to collide with the Earth turns into a disaster for the participants: due to mysterious circumstances, they find themselves in a distant and lifeless world. Some of the game's mysteries are difficult to understand, even by LucasArts standards, but the colorful and bizarre planet that serves as the setting is one of the most compelling extraterrestrial worlds of all time. Special mention is due to the voice acting with The X-Files and Terminator star Robert Patrick in the title role.

A space god simulator that allows you to control exact 3D copies of real galaxies and star systems and observe the catastrophic results of your intervention. You can start your interstellar experiments by increasing the mass of Jupiter to such a value that all other objects solar system will begin to revolve around it, or from the complete removal of the Sun, which will lead to the scattering of the Earth and other planets in different directions.

Drifting alone around Jupiter in an old spaceship, your only hope of returning home is connecting with an artificial intelligence suffering from severe emotional disturbances. You will have to communicate with Kaizen exclusively through the keyboard, and if you choose the right words and arguments, then in the end he will agree to cooperate. Only to suddenly change his mind the next moment and close the external airlock, leaving the player suffocating from lack of oxygen outside the ship. Overall, it's a thoughtful adventure game with a subtle '70s sci-fi style.

If you've ever imagined yourself in the role of Captain Kirk, commanding his own ship, coming into contact with various types of alien aliens and making difficult decisions that will affect the survival of the crew, then Mass Effect 2 gives you the opportunity to experience all this and more. Combining elements of Star Wars-inspired space opera with a plot that rivals the best Star Trek episodes, Mass Effect 2 is one of the best sci-fi games on PC. It's quite linear story and there is no freedom of choice for which Elite is famous, but instead the on-rails plot takes the player on an unforgettable journey through the galaxy, including visiting phantasmagoric planets and communicating with their peculiar inhabitants. In principle, the entire Mass Effect series is worthy of mention on this list, but our choice fell on the second part.

In this spine-chilling survival horror, Amanda, daughter of Ellen Ripley from the Original Cinematic Universe, hides in a falling apart space station from the xenomorph relentlessly pursuing her. As a large-scale homage to Ridley Scott's 1979 film, the game set the benchmark for slowly building tension. The Sevastopol station itself is designed in the style of low-budget science fiction and is replete with bulky retrofuturistic technological devices and terrifying flashing lights. The developers managed to present the world with one of the most bona fide live-action film adaptations of all time, but at the same time, Alien: Isolation remains an outstanding representative of horror even if you take away its rich cultural baggage aimed at fans.

This is not to say that No Man’s Sky lived up to all the expectations placed on it, but nevertheless, you can still spend many exciting hours in its procedurally generated galaxy. Its sci-fi setting is one of the most aesthetically distinctive, and the ability to jump from outer space to a planet's atmosphere without loading screens is a pretty impressive technical feat. Of course, the planets here are still empty and lifeless, but the ability to build bases, introduced in the recent Foundation update, brings some variety to the activities on their surface.

A rare chance to step into the shoes of a George Lucas space opera villain. Given the unique storyline and variety of missions performed as an Imperial Stormtrooper - including combat between fighters, escorting VIPs and attacks on capital ships - this is one of the best LucasArts games dedicated to the Star Wars universe. Basically, the same could be said about Star Wars: X-Wing, if only playing as the Rebel Alliance forces wasn't so boring. A separate advantage of this line of space simulators is the fact that they have all received re-releases from GOG.com and are compatible with modern computers.

In FTL, the player takes on the role of the captain of a Star Trek-style spaceship, which will have to be controlled through gameplay that combines elements of turn-based and real-time strategy. A solid roguelike action game takes place in a painfully familiar, but no less fascinating sci-fi setting. Full of low-key humor, additional quests, unexpected encounters and plot twists make every attempt to achieve the final goal exciting and unique. And the ability to give your own names to the crew members and the ship makes you really worry about their fate when they find themselves in yet another dangerous situation in the depths of hostile space.

Fans of the series are unlikely to ever stop arguing about which part of Wing Commander is the best, but our choice fell on Privateer due to its darker atmosphere. This is a sandbox rich in possibilities, allowing you to become a mercenary, a pirate, a merchant - or something in between these three options. Most of the gameplay consists of hopping between systems in search of wanted criminals to capture and cargo ships to loot, but it's worth it - the space combat here excites the imagination. The plot is built linearly, but this does not take away the player’s freedom of action and choice.

Defy gravity and the laws of physics as you try to build your own spaceship and explore space! It's a deep, complex and entertaining sandbox, full of both fun and science-based possibilities. The first successful liftoff from the surface of the planet Kerbin and landing on its moon Moon using a ship designed by oneself is one of the most magical sensations that can be obtained while spending time in a computer game.

At the time of this list, ambitious space simulator Star Citizen has raised an incredible $183 million through crowdfunding. This money will be used to develop a grand game set in a vast, interconnected universe. And Luke Skywalker personally took part in the voice acting of one of the game modes - Squadron 42 (more precisely, Mark Hamill, who played him). Star Citizen is still far from its official release, but some of its playable elements are already available to participants in the crowdfunding campaign.

Take On Mars from Bohemia, the developer studio behind the well-known Arma, is an ideal choice for those who prefer a more scientific approach to simulators - the process of space exploration here is based on real astrophysics. In it you can build a Mars rover a la Curiosity and use it to study the surface of the red planet or build your own lunar base. In general, this is a game for people who prefer science without a dash of science fiction.

Combining real-time strategy and 4X elements, Sins is all about galactic conquest. Choose a faction, accumulate enough forces and resources and become the all-powerful ruler of space. Slowly managing large-scale battles in real time is exciting, but the game's capabilities are not limited to this: you can also expand your influence through diplomacy.

To get the most out of this game, you will need 3 to 6 friends. Each player takes control of one of the ships responsible for different functions– production, research, resource extraction, and so on. To defeat your enemies, you will need to act together, under the strict guidance of a pre-appointed captain. Essentially, this game gives you the opportunity to take the Kobayashi Maru test from Star Trek right in your own room - and it's simply priceless.

Basically Minecraft in space or something. The gameplay consists of extracting building materials from asteroids and making space bases and ships from them. Asteroid exploration is carried out using jetpacks or gravity generators pre-built on them. This is one of the best cooperative construction simulators, which, moreover, constantly receives updates from the developers.

Thanks to the rich tools of the ship design editor, space exploration has never been so creative process. And due to the deep and multifaceted artificial intelligence of opponents, each gaming session can drag on for many weeks. To achieve your goal, you will have to form alliances, participate in grandiose space battles and maintain a balance between economic, technological and cultural development. In this, the game is reminiscent of the Civilization series, while having a much greater scope.

Gameplay of this turn-based strategy from prolific indie studio Blendo (particularly known for Thirty Flights of Loving) flows in 30-second bursts. Give all the necessary orders in pause mode, and then watch the battle unfold until one of the parties involved is completely destroyed. With a relaxing, classical soundtrack that includes songs like Chopin's "Raindrops" prelude, and an original visual style, this is one of the more unconventional games on this list. In-game advisers in the form of schizoid space dogs serve as a humorous outlet for the military action.

A survival simulator in the spirit of Terraria in a sci-fi setting. In this wonderful sandbox you have to fly between randomly generated planets on a spaceship, hunt alien creatures for food, build colonies and underground bases, trying not to die in the process (which is not always possible). The list of playable races includes sentient robots, entities composed of solar energy, ape-like creatures and wingless anthropomorphic birds.

SpaceEngine will allow you to experience all the delights of an existential crisis and feel small and insignificant, as the events of the game unfold on the scale of the entire universe - or, in any case, the part of it known to us. Taking off from Earth and accelerating the engines to full speed, you quickly realize that you are just a speck of dust rushing through an endless void. The variety and elaboration of technologies in the game, allowing you to travel between galaxies and land on planets, is amazing. But, unfortunately, aside from exploring the vast open world, this game doesn’t have much else to offer.

A modern take on the arcade classic Lunar Lander in the form of a unique low-gravity flight simulator. It's not as multifaceted as some of the sims presented here, but the process of fighting the laws of physics presented in it to try to deliver cargo or land on a planet is implemented at an unprecedented level. Among other things, this is one of the best space games for virtual reality glasses, so it is definitely worth the attention of all owners of Oculus Rift or HTC Vive.

While most space simulators use regular airplane physics, FreeSpace takes a more realistic approach, resulting in responsive, weightless controls. The battles in the game are similar to air battles World War II fighters in zero gravity, making it one of the best space combat simulators for PC. We are sure that your first battle within the picturesque nebula will be an unforgettable experience for you.

This page of the website portal contains an extensive list of PC games about space science fiction. Each PC game in this catalog has been carefully selected by us, and we are confident that all the games collected here are worth your attention! After reviewing the games in this category, you will definitely find the right game for yourself. Our list of space sci-fi PC games brings together some of the best and most memorable PC games of all time. Games are conveniently divided by date from 2017 - 2016, and earlier years. It is also worth paying attention to our TOP 10 games on PC, for which we have selected only the best games of the genre.

website

The amount of information on games may confuse you, but we have worked through it as much as possible, and you can easily select the game you need by watching videos and screenshots, or by reading the information in detail on the corresponding game page. The OnyxGame website has collected a large number of different game genres and sorted them into games on PC and other platforms. Now you will definitely find only the best computer games for yourself!

In order to avoid accusations that earlier simulators were more simulatory, it’s worth clarifying right away: this is a selection of modern and beautiful space games for PC. Perhaps in the future there will be a separate material dedicated to the classics.

5. X Rebirth

The newest representative of the X series at the moment. A game with an ambiguous fate, ratings and reviews, but you simply cannot ignore it. The thing is that all the traditionally deep and varied gameplay, familiar to fans, went under the knife. But here there is a stunningly beautiful picture, seeing which for the first time, you can even forgive the authors for shortcomings in all other aspects.

The main innovation is the player’s personal presence inside stations and large ships, followed by interaction with quest givers and simple talkers. Otherwise, everything is standard for space games: there is a plot with the secrets of the universe, there are side missions and battles with pirates, and leveling up the ship is also available. Overall - not the best bad option, if you don't want to wade through the complex controls or have never played the X series.

4. No Man's Sky

Long before the release of No Man’s Sky, Hello Games studio promised something that would make the most gullible space game fans dream of downloading it for free. Alas, as often happens, the reality turned out to be much more prosaic. The authors really did a lot of what they promised, but, as in the case of the space simulator X Rebirth, everything worked far from perfect. As a result, the first buyers of the game could not even launch it for about two days - is it necessary to talk about the presence of bugs and the quality of optimization after this?

If you look apart from the technical problems, then the game really has a lot of interesting things. Here you have a generated galaxy, along with planets on which you can land, and a plot with the history of the world, and trade, and battles. Yes, No Man’s Sky is not exactly a space simulator, but it is a solid space game with complete freedom of action and modern graphics. The authors are trying to smooth out the unsuccessful start of sales with patches and additions, promising more and more functionality.

3. Elite: Dangerous

Our list of space games continues with the next “Dream Project” and the successor to the legendary Elite series. Having decided to re-release a classic simulator in the current realities, Frontier Development studio turned to various publishers, who, after twisting their heads, unanimously refused to finance it. Not wanting to give up, the authors went to Kickstarter, where they were generously given the required amount.

In fact, the “Release” of the game took place a long time ago, but it is very difficult to call it finished. Yes, it has its own engine that produces a gorgeous picture worthy of any modern PC, and yes, Elite: Dangerous has one of the largest game worlds, replicating our galaxy. However, filling with content is very slow, and, objectively speaking, there is nothing to do in the game at the moment. The only good thing is the sheer pleasure of the controls and physics here.

There are tasks in the game, ubiquitous pirates and a semblance of trade, but all this is implemented at the “So that it was” level. Problems are added by the constant jumps in the development course towards MMOs and back, as well as the endless unfounded promises of the authors, followed by skimpy updates. Perhaps in the future Elite: Dangerous will flourish, but now it is just one of the most beautiful space games of our time, to which they forgot to add content.

2. X3: Terran Conflict

It just so happened that the X series will be represented in this rating of space games twice. Compared to its later incarnation, Terran Conflict is a generally recognized successful product from the Egosoft studio. Like X Rebirth, its older sister was impressive in its time, being a true flagship of space games on PC. Today, the graphics are of course a little outdated, but space simulators were created primarily for the sake of gameplay, which is still capable of surprising.

It's all about unprecedented freedom of action and choice. During breaks from the main storyline, the player can trade, hunt pirates, complete many other types of quests, and simply explore space. But what's most impressive is the ability to found your own corporation, even managing fleets and building bases. If you are not afraid of the slightly outdated picture and complex controls, then this game is great way dive into the depths of space and enjoy thoughtful and multi-faceted gameplay.

1. Star Citizen/Squadron 42

The list of games about space is completed by a project that hardly needs any introduction. Over the years of fundraising, Star Citizen's ambitions have grown so much that it's hard to remember what Chris Roberts promised when he launched his creation on Kickstarter. Since then, the game has changed engines, managed to appear in the form of a bunch of alpha versions, and has also acquired an unimaginable number of development plans.

To date, the authors of the game, having collected more than $160 million, promise players a lot. Briefly, it can only be described as “The most detailed and vibrant world in the history of space games.” Space exploration in Star Citizen is just one aspect of the gameplay. In addition to it, there is also a planetary part with walks on the moons and planets, and story campaign, called Squadron 42. But all this still remains a dream, and the promised release will take place “as soon as possible.” Whether to be a skeptic about Star Citizen or to believe every word of the developers with bated breath is up to the players to decide. But one thing is for sure - a more detailed and developed game about space simply does not exist.

Games about spaceships– these are the unexplored expanses of deep space, large-scale battles in zero gravity and the conquest of fantastic star systems. The selection includes the best action, strategy and sandbox games, according to players and critics. With single and passing together, and most with Russian localization.

1. Star Conflict – space MMO from the creators of War Thunder

"" - spectacular battles of futuristic ships in colorful interplanetary space, many modifications and a decent selection of modes. No surprise, this is Gaijin.

Video games Star Conflict

There is a lot of content, high-quality graphics, and all this is in freetoplay without intrusive internal purchases. 6 years after its release, it is still one of the coolest representatives of the genre.

Game website: http://star-conflict.com/ru

2. EVE Online – the legendary galactic sandbox

"" is without a doubt the best stellar MMORPG of all time. Realistic physics of ship control, exploration of distant worlds, corporate wars, piracy and everything that comes to mind.

Video games EVE Online

It's hard to believe that the game came out 15 years ago, because it's still popular. The secret of success is complete freedom and a huge world created and managed by the community.

Game website: http://www.eveonline.com/ru/

3. Elite: Dangerous – a huge space adventure

“ ” – 400 billion star systems, traveling alone and in multiplayer, version for virtual reality. This is the third sequel to the cult game, released back in 1984.

Video games Elite: Dangerous

As in the case of the previous position on the list, you will have to spend time learning it by watching a dozen videos on YouTube. But it's worth it.

Game website: https://www.elitedangerous.com/

4. HELLION – shooter, sandbox and survival

HELLION - Set in the near future, 23rd century, the player wakes up in the ruins of an interstellar colony, discovering that the planet isn't particularly habitable and the other astronauts aren't all that friendly.

Video games HELLION

This is a complex and cruel game that allows you to experience all the hardships of the life of an ordinary interstellar pilot. No arcade style and absolute oppressive silence of outer space.

Game website: https://www.playhellion.com/

5. Space Launch Engineer – rocket design simulator

“Space Launch Engineer” is a cozy indie with challenging rocket creation. What’s noteworthy is that earlier the same developer released a subway train control simulator, a log collector simulator, and a quadcopter flight simulator.

Video games Space Launch Engineer

The game looks very simple at first glance, but in reality it turns out to be hardcore. There are various missions, but most boil down to taking into account the input conditions and creating a rocket that can take off.

Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/785680/

6. Everspace – space game with roguelike elements

"Everspace" is something like "Diablo" in space. Crowds of space enemies, a sea of loot and a lot, sometimes even too much death.

Everspace video games

There is also a magnificent, bright picture, although not trying to be realistic. There is a version for VR devices.

Game website: https://everspace-game.com/

7. Starpoint Gemini Warlords – 4K strategy and a little RPG

Starpoint Gemini Warlords - Large single player strategy, combining several genres. The game continues the story of the second part, inviting the hero to try himself in the role of an exile of the Solar System.

Video games Starpoint Gemini Warlords

The combat system is not the most convenient in the genre, but otherwise everything is excellent. This is a worthy continuation of a good series. There is support for mods and add-ons.

Game website: http://starpointgemini.com/

8. Rebel Galaxy – pirate world of wild space

"Rebel Galaxy" - single-player space role-playing game, whose name literally translates as “Rebel Galaxy”, and this reflects its essence well.

Video games Rebel Galaxy

This is something like the good old “Space Rangers”, only in real time, with an emphasis on combat rather than trading and farming.

Game website: http://rebel-galaxy.com/

9. Cosmonautica – cozy time management with good humor

“Cosmonautica” is a tube indie, a cartoon simulator of a space merchant, a taxi driver, a diplomat and quite a bit of a fighter.

Video games Cosmonautica

This is probably the most unusual project in the selection. It is easy to learn, looks nice in appearance, and even runs not only from a PC, but also from mobile devices.

Game website: http://www.chasing-carrots.com/cosmonautica/

10. Strike Suit Zero – arcade space game with an interesting plot

“Strike Suit Zero” is a colorful living universe of the not very distant future, where the main character is invited, of course, to save the Earth from impending destruction.

Video games Strike Suit Zero

The game is quite dynamic and moderately difficult. Separately, it is worth noting the excellent soundtrack and support for the game on three displays simultaneously.

Game website: http://strikesuitzero.com/

If you couldn’t find the perfect game about spaceships in this selection, pay attention to other lists - about aliens and aliens, the best space strategies and browser games about space.