Play Helios: A Game About How the Sun Makes Energy! User Avg 9.27. Where the game differs from other space sim games (and the vast majority of games in general, for that matter) is through its innovative gameplay loop. RELATED: 5 Cancelled Sci-Fi Games That Could Have Changed The Genre (& 5 That Are In Development). There’s nothing else like EVE Online on PC, a massively multiplayer RPG where everything is controlled by players. You interact with Kaizen using your keyboard, and sometimes it'll be willing to help you. The streamlined interface and accessible systems might turn off some hardcore strategy fans, but in the thick of its chaotic, thrilling land and space battles the game is irresistible—especially if you’re a Star Wars fan. The Remastered Collection looks great on modern PCs and comes complete with the original Homeworld and its sequel. The multitude of systems makes Stellaris a powerful story generator, and you never know what strange beings you’ll meet among the stars. Read more Homeworld Remastered Collection review, Year 2019 The catch? The game is a 3D space-shooter with roguelike elements, loaded with gorgeous sights and fun combat. Do you like feeling small and insignificant? Link GOG Bungie's addictive FPS/MMO hybrid features some of the prettiest alien landscapes on PC. Despite being viewed entirely through a retro-futuristic computer interface, Duskers is one of the scariest, most tense sci-fi horror games on PC. It's ambition may have harmed it in the long-run but it still remains a classic. Developer Frontier Developments However, it's appropriate that at the top of this list is a true space-flight simulator. There are endless planets to explore and a plenty of activities in which to partake. There are many different varieties and all game players have their preferences, but which ones are the best of the best? The concept for the game was to create a true virtual galaxy, and that dream is still reflected in the systems of trading and combat within the world. Read more 8 sadistic ways to take out guards in Heat Signature, Year 2016 However, according to the critic reviews on Metacritic, it's a game to look out for. Link Official site Developer Mobius Digital It's not just an incredible space flight game, it's an incredible game overall. This space simulator lets you become an all-powerful cosmic deity, manipulating replicas of real galaxies and solar systems and witnessing the (often catastrophic) results of your meddling. A brilliant sci-fi sandbox with a charming art style. Sim games cover a vast variety of genres, from racing and sports, to farming, resource management and even space exploration! Leaving Earth behind, humanity heads to Mars to start a new colony: and you're in charge of it. The Outer Worlds. Read more Stellaris: Utopia review, Year 2014 This is one of the most dazzlingly colourful sci-fi universes on PC, and being able to seamlessly transition from space to the surface of a planet is an impressive technical feat. Stranded alone somewhere near Jupiter on an old luxury starship, your only hope of returning home is an AI that has serious emotional problems. Solar System Scope is a model of Solar System, Night sky and Outer Space in real time, with accurate positions of objects and lots of interesting facts. It's easily one of many incredible GameCube titles. The Star Wars franchise, unsurprisingly, holds many space-flight games under its belt. Set in a vivid sci-fi universe, the game lets you explore mysterious star systems, discover the secrets of ancient races, build colonies on distant planets, and encounter aliens to meet and conquer. SpaceEngine is a realistic virtual Universe you can explore on your computer. The sight of thousands of your ships streaking across the game’s vividly colourful space-scapes is hugely dramatic. And unlike most games based on movies, Star Wars is consistently a solid brand. RELATED: 10 Best Movie-Based Games (According To Metacritic). But what's interesting about Observation is that you don't play as Fisher. Read more Bungie outlines how it plans to fix Destiny 2 in 2018, Year 1995 Developed by Petroglyph, a studio founded by Westwood veterans, this real-time strategy is one of the best Star Wars games on PC. Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator. Developer Vladimir Romanyuk It’s part Star Wars space opera, part brilliant Star Trek episode, and one of the best sci-fi games on PC. This is a list of the best space trading and combat simulation games of all time for any console or system, including cover art pictures when available. Link Official site Of course, you can replace this entry with Star Wars: X-Wing if you’d prefer to play as the boring old Rebel Alliance. A robust, compelling sandbox of possibilities that’s as funny as it is clever. Link Official site Developer Ocelot Society Link Steam Playable races include robots, beings made of solar energy, ape-like creatures, and colourful wingless birds. Link Official site You can build a Curiosity-style rover and explore the surface of the red planet or construct your own Martian colony. Link Official site When you die in roguelike Everspace, you’re dead. This PlayStation 1 classic was both a critical and commercial success back when it initially released. Year 2013 From the forested ruins of Earth and the vast seas of Titan, to the red jungles of Nessus and the volcanic Io, every location is a pleasure to loot-and-shoot in. He loves sci-fi, adventure games, taking screenshots, Twin Peaks, weird sims, Alien: Isolation, and anything with a good story. And the station itself, Sevastopol, is a great example of lo-fi sci-fi, with chunky retro-futuristic tech and eerie flickering lights. Considering the resurgence of space-flight and space-combat games, it's a wonder that Sony hasn't dug back to pick out this game. Observation. Each planet is home to its own mysteries and each mystery has an explanation that's just waiting to be uncovered. Developer Subset Games space simulator games 2021 . It received a number of game-of-the-year awards, and it even stays relevant today. Please refresh the page and try again. Year 2006 It’s a strong roguelike, too, with a backdrop of a familiar yet fun sci-fi universe that comes with its own semi-humorous lore and a neat set of narrative beats that make the journey to its finale endlessly exciting. It’s a rich sandbox in which you can be a mercenary, a pirate, a merchant, or a mix of all three. It might not be the most accessible game out there (especially for those who are new to the world of MMO gaming) but it shouldn't take too long to get into the swing of things. The genius lies in how much creativity you're given to play your own way, inspired by the best immersive sims. It doesn’t have the freedom of Elite and is largely a linear experience, but it takes you on an unforgettable journey around the galaxy, visiting bizarre planets and getting involved in the lives of the aliens who live on them. Year 2014 Link GOG Most projects look for help with testing, documentation, graphics, etc., as well. While it's certainly true that it can be difficult to be innovative in a crowded marketplace, there's perhaps an argument to be made that the simplistic graphics of yesteryear were just far better suited to capturing the desolate nature of the great unknown. He's a Japanese role-playing game fanatic and Chikorita enthusiast, owning maybe one too many Pokemon plushes. There are also huge record-breaking space battles from time to time which can be a real sight to behold; not to mention a reminder to always remain alert! Spanning the entire history of the genre, these space combat simulator games are considered the best in the genre. It’s a compelling loop, and when you die you're never frustrated: just excited to start again, wondering how far you'll make it this time. Some critics consider this title to be a quintessential Nintendo 64 game, right up there with Nintendo's catalog. It's time to go to one place that hasn't been corrupted... SPACE! Break away from the relative safety of your police-patrolled starting system and you’ll find a ruthless, cosmic Wild West, where piracy, espionage and scamming are rife. The first on this list is Star Wars: Star Fighter for the PlayStation 2. You can hover around the map with a jetpack or build a gravity generator to walk safely on the surface of bigger asteroids. Developer Tindalos Interactive NY 10036. Developer Obsidian Entertainment Taking cues from Alien and, quite blatantly, cult favourite Event Horizon, the first game in the series is still the best. Read more The Mass Effect games ranked from worst to best, Year 2016 Link Steam Download the latest version of the top software, games, programs and apps in 2021. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer, Bethesda reveals a new Indiana Jones game being made by Wolfenstein studio MachineGames, Jane Austen's MMO for socialites shuts down. You can unleash fighter and bomber squadrons, launch torpedo barrages and laser attacks, and board other ships. There's a reason fans have been demanding a return to Rogue Squadron for years now. One of the best co-op build-’em-ups on PC. This is especially true in sci-fi games; some games lean into the fantastical, like Mass Effect, while others like Elite: Dangerous capitalize on the wonders of space travel itself. Rather than placing players at the wheel, they are instead expected to manage every aspect associated with the operation of the ship. The endgame doesn't have the iron grip it perhaps should, but sci-fi fans will get a kick out of this vivid, colourful setting. Developer Fullbright Star Conflict is a dogfighting free MMO that sees pilots clash amid asteroid … Share with your friends on social networks: Similar games. Visit our corporate site. Developer Paradox (Image credit: Mobius Digital) Year 2019 Developer Mobius Digital Link Official site. Link Official site The beauty of Elite is being able to play in a way that suits you. Not to be confused with Outer Wilds, which is also a space adventure and also on this list, Obsidian's latest RPG is a comedic action RPG that hearkens back to the studio's days working on Fallout. Space often finds itself as the landscape of various media properties. Developer Bungie PULSAR: Lost Colony. 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