Space, the final frontier. As long as humanity has existed, it has dreamed of voyaging beyond Earth, even if “space” as it is now understood is a fairly recent concept. Science fiction has delighted in tales about the mysteries of the cosmos. From the early writings of Jules Verne and H.G. Welles to Kubrick’s2001: A Space Odysseyto the continued popularity ofStar TrekandStar Wars, science fiction has delighted in captivating audiences with stories of technology that allows humans to leave the confines of Earth and venture out into the stars.
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Unsurprisingly, the science fiction genrehas made its mark on video games. The interactive aspect lends itself well to stories of interstellar adventure. Popular franchises likeDead Space,Halo,Mass Effect, andMetroidthrive on the exploration of strange new environments and thefascinating dangers hidden in the cosmos. 2023 has proven to be a good year for those interested in space adventures. FromThe Callisto ProtocoltoJedi Fallen Order: Survivor, there have been some interesting options for adventures in space. And there are still more to be expected.
7The Expanse: The Telltale Series
Telltale Games’take on the popular TV seriespromises an action-packed adventure through the Solar System. Players get to take on the role of fan-favorite belter badass Camina Drummer, as she enters a world of intrigue and mystery guaranteed to shake up the already chaotic political landscape.
From what has been shown,The Expanseis supposed to be a very story and character-focused game, with a lot of emphasis placed on Drummer and her relationships with fellow belters (people born in the asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars). This being Telltale, the story is expected to be serialized over multiple episodes.
6The Outer Worlds 2
Obsidian’sThe Outer Worldsis a curious RPG that is part homage to 1950s science fiction films andpart dark comedy about the dangers of unchecked capitalism. The story centers around the player waking up in a solar system hijacked by corporate dictatorships and making decisions that affect its future across several planets.
Now, Obsidian has revealed that they are working on a sequel. Admittedly, there is not a lot to go on in terms of story, though it will probably pick up on the rather dark loose end that concluded the first game. If it is anything like the first game,The Outer Worlds 2will probably feature the player traveling across multiple planets full of peculiar characters and storylines.
5Starfield
Bethesda’s ambitious science fiction RPG is an epic journey through the Milky Way Galaxy. The player is supposed to be able to visit over a thousand unique planets plus moons and space stations, and possibly even a few real-life settings.
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This is a massive scale that could even challengeNo Man’s Skyin terms of map size.Starfield, however, is a bit more story and lore-focused. The game promises a wide variety of settings and versatile gameplay that mixes roleplay, exploration, and combat. It evenseems to have its own version of force powers like inStar Wars.
4Star Citizen
Cloud Imperium’s ambitious MMO and its single-player spin-off,Squadron 42, have gained some infamy for their unusually long production time. The game has been in development for over a decade with only small pieces being made available for public access. The full game promises action and adventure across a variety of planets with versatile gameplay.
From what has been indicated, players get to take on the role of a citizen in a spacefaring society (hence the title) and get plenty of options for what they do within it. Put simply, the idea is to give the player complete freedom to customize their own experience. That is, of course, if they are patient enough to wait for the game to actually be finished.
3Star Wars Eclipse
Quantic Dream’s upcoming addition to theStar Warsfranchise brings players into a time long before the rise of the Empire when the Old Republic was at its peak. Although there has been some controversy around the developers, the game itself looks pretty amazing.
The full game will probably take place across multiple planets, possibly featuring a mix of new and familiar locations. It also has an RPG aspect where players get to make decisions that shape how the story plays out. But the Old Republic setting will mean exploring a very different galaxy than a lot of players are used to.
2Star Wars Outlaws
Star Warsis no stranger to video games, but Ubisoft’s second-ever foray into theStar Warsgalaxy is something new. Part of that is the decision to move away from conflicts between the Jedi and Sith or Rebels and Empire in favor of a morally ambiguous odyssey into the criminal underworld.
However, another big part of what makesOutlawsso interestingis its scope. This an open-world game designed to let players freely explore the galaxy, allowing them access to space travel anda variety of iconic planets from the franchise.
1Stellar Wanderer DX
Space combat has been a popular gameplay genre for ages, going all the way back to the old days ofWing CommanderandStar Fox. That’s the kind of experience Dream Builder’sStellar Wandereraspires for.
The game is structured as an open world that gives the players free reign to explore, even disregarding the main story if they so choose. Aesthetically, it looks a lot likeNo Man’s Sky, though it puts more emphasis on space travel and space combat.
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