Last Updated on May 31, 2024 by Jhonni Jets
Science fiction has long captured our imagination about what the future may hold. Through films, books, comics and video games, sci-fi narratives transport us to fantastical worlds full of spaceships, aliens, robots, and technology beyond our wildest dreams. Some of the most immersive and thought-provoking experiences in sci-fi come from video games, which allow us to step into futuristic worlds and interact with them. This article highlights 10 of the best sci-fi games that deliver thrilling gameplay set against the backdrop of imaginative futuristic settings.
Mass Effect Series
The Mass Effect series is considered one of the greatest sci-fi game franchises of all time for good reason. Set in the 22nd century, the games place players in the role of Commander Shepard, who must aid the intergalactic alliance known as the Systems Alliance in its fight against the Reapers, a mysterious machine race intent on wiping out all organic life. Players explore futuristic planets and engage in epic space battles while developing relationships and alliances with alien species from across the galaxy. With its compelling storyline, nuanced characters, and focus on player choice and consequence, the Mass Effect trilogy delivers an immersive sci-fi experience like no other.
Cyberpunk 2077
Set in the dystopian megalopolis of Night City, Cyberpunk 2077 immerses players in a gritty, violent yet wildly creative vision of the future. The year is 2077 and technology now dominates every aspect of life. Players take on the role of “V,” a customizable mercenary outlaw cybernetically enhanced to be faster, stronger and deadlier. Exploration of Night City reveals just how deep the division and corruption runs in corporate-controlled society. With its intricate quests, reactive open world and focus on player choice, Cyberpunk offers endless possibilities for role-playing in its stunningly detailed future metropolis.
Bioshock Series
The BioShock games transport players to spectacular yet horrifying underwater cities that showcase fascinating visions of dystopian futures. In Bioshock, the city of Rapture is a Objectivism-gone-wrong nightmare under the sea, filled with deranged citizens mutated by plentiful gene-tonic abilities. Bioshock Infinite shifts the setting to the sky-floating city of Columbia and its dedication to extreme patriotism and religious fanaticism. Both narratives feature deep exploration of philosophy and humanity while delivering high-octane first-person shooter gameplay. What makes the Bioshock games so memorable is how they brilliantly blend thrilling action with intricate storytelling and thought-provoking subtext.
Deus Ex Series
The influential Deus Ex series envisions a dark cyberpunk future where nations have collapsed and corporate-controlled mega-cities dominate the landscape. As secret agents working for counter-terrorism organization UNATCO, players must navigate clandestine missions amid political turmoil and social upheaval. Perhaps the deepest part of the experience lies in how different playstyles are fully supported – players can engage stealthily as a non-lethal ghost or go in guns blazing as a lethal warrior. Later entries like Deus Ex: Human Revolution take the franchise’s hallmarks of choice, consequence and conspiracy to even greaterheights, crafting sprawling sci-fi worlds that encourage players to question rampant transhumanism and the erosion of privacy.
Half-Life 2
Released in 2004, Half-Life 2 still holds up as one of the genre-defining sci-fi FPS games. It depicts a dystopian world 20 years after the Black Mesa incident, in which an alien invasion by the Combine has overtaken Earth. Players control Gordon Freeman as he aids the resistance in their fight against the totalitarian rule of the Combine. Half-Life 2 pioneered physics-based gameplay and interactions rarely seen at the time. But more than just technical achievements, it told a compelling sci-fi story about oppression, rebellion and human spirit through a seamlessly constructed open world. The sense of discovery as Gordon explores City 17 and beyond remains unmatched in first-person gaming.
Halo Series
As the originator of the modern first-person shooter, Halo blazed a trail with its epic sci-fi military fiction setting. In the 26th century, humanity is locked in a war against a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant, who worship the mysterious artifacts called the Halos. As the Master Chief, players battle across alien worlds, commandeer futuristic vehicles and wield powerful alien technologies against relentless opponents. Beyond the gameplay’s sheer fun factor, Halo crafts a deeply imagined sci-fi universe that has expanded into a multimedia franchise. Its blend of science, spirituality, mystery and warfare made the original trilogy a generation-defining gaming experience.
Metroid Prime Series
Nintendo’s Metroid Prime trilogy transformed the 2D side-scrolling series into a first-person adventure marvel. Taking place in the same universe as other Metroid games, it casts players as bounty hunter Samus Aran as she explores the tunnels, ruins and planets of the fictional Galaxial Federation. Samus’ arm cannon and customizable power suit allow for adaptation to different alien environments and enemies, lending a superb sense of isolation and discovery. What makes the Prime games so special is how even the most barren or hostile of locations come alive with science fiction wonder and atmosphere. With their masterful blend of exploration, action and sci-fi mystery, the Prime games are often cited among the greatest game trilogies ever made.
Fallout Series
Few game franchises immerse players as deeply in a realized post-apocalyptic wasteland as the Fallout series. Set in a retro-futuristic mid-21st century America where nuclear apocalypse brought down civilization, Fallout games put players amid the irradiated ruins as they scavenge for supplies, combat mutants and seek shelter in pockets of activity. Rich role-playing progression allows for diverse character builds and strategies. While grim in tone, Fallout has humor and wonder to find amid the bleakness, making exploration always rewarding. Later games expanded the scope tremendously while honoring the vision of a distinct atomic-age America reimagined through the lens of 1950s pop culture.
Elite Series
Elite helped establish the space trading/combat genre when it launched on home computers in 1984. The series expanses across centuries in an all-encompassing sci-fi universe featuring everything from dogfighting to economic simulation. Elite Dangerous takes the franchise into bustling open worlds with 1:1 scale Milky Way galaxy recreation. Players take control of their own starship to survive the unforgiving black pursuing goals as a trader, bounty hunter, miner, pirate or explorer. The living, breathing nature of the persistent online universe adds endless opportunity for emergence and emergent stories. For sci-fi fans seeking the ultimate spacefaring sandbox, few games can match Elite’s scope and freedom.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
While many great Star Wars games exist, few match the achievement of 2003’s Knights of the Old Republic. Set over 4000 years before the films, it casts players as a Jedi knight amid the ongoing war with the Sith Empire. BioWare crafted an experience worthy of the rich Star Wars lore through its branching storyline, memorable characters and signature role-playing elements. KOTOR may be set in a galaxy far, far away, but its sci-fi/fantasy RPG elements feel as compelling now as they did upon release. For any fan of Knights of the franchise, KOTOR alone justifies diving into the rich history of video games set in that galaxy.
From epic blockbusters to indie darlings, video games continue expanding our imagination with new visions of potential futures. The games highlighted all offer their own thrills and perspectives on sci-fi while transporting players into memorable futuristic worlds. Immersive gameplay set against imaginative backdrops make these titles true leaders in interactive sci-fi storytelling.