This game is one of the most unique on this list, adopting a top-down style and plenty of text-based encounters that force you to make tough decisions that could mean the end of the line for you and your crew. 15 Awesome Space War Games That You Need To Check Out Reality: What Life Is Strange Characters Look Like In Real Life, Nintendo Switch: The 15 Most Relaxing Games To Play (That Aren't Animal Crossing), Pokémon: 7 Ridiculous Gen I Rumors People Actually Believed (& 7 That Actually Turned Out To Be True), The 15 Best Dancing (And Rhythm) Video Games Ever Made, Ranked, 10 Things About Demon's Souls On PS5 And Its Successors That Are Needlessly Annoying. Mass Effect Trilogy (2007-2012) 22. This hardcore survival city-builder is among the best I’ve ever played. Mankind has explored, survived, and fought wars over almost every terrain. The entire Milky Way on a 1:1 scale is present here, complete with current scientific principles, data, and theories. Not to mention the voice acting here is just fantastic. Being incapable of doing anything else, he decided to try to make a living out of it. The newest game on this list, Outer Wilds looks at space exploration a little bit differently. It’s set in a politically unstable universe where massive co-op battles against NPC super-ships are frequent, and everyone is fighting for their place in the galaxy. Star Trek is one of the most popular sci-fi franchises to date. And it sheds some life on what it could be like to live as a member of a spacefaring civilization. Instead of creating a faction from zero, you’ll have to choose a pre-made one. Science fiction doesn't always means space battles, space exploration, exploding stars, etc. Space is waiting to be explored. Previous Next Page 1 of 15 Fun content on everything pop culture. There are loads of brilliant space games to be found on PC, but we’ve selected 20 of the best below. Sometimes, the enjoyable part of space exploration is figuring out how to get there in the first place. The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans. Third-Person Shooter, Space, Sci-fi, Cinematic. It’s a story set in a living, breathing galactic community. These include things like HD textures that make asteroids, stars, and planets look gorgeous. This colossal scale is what sets Distant Worlds apart from some mainstream titles. To do this you’ll need to manage energy, oxygen, and many other scarce resources to keep your society going. This leads to somewhat of a social experiment, as players betray each other, come together, or any number of other shenanigans that cements them in the Eve Online history books. Immersion is the top priority, which is why this cockpit is such a work of art. You can alter the speed of time and observe any celestial phenomena you please. ESA Kids features space news, information, animations and downloads for kids aged between 6 and 12 A near-infinite variety of species and traits means that every playthrough is going to be a vastly different experience, requiring you to adapt to both the galaxy and play to the strengths of the species you're currently leading. Share. I hope you found one that satisfies your need for galactic exploration. If you’re a lore-junkie like me, you have to give this one a try. First is through the Sandbox that lets players find the right combination of parts. It not only allows them to parse the atmosphere but also land on a planet. Gearbox’s remaster brings you the emotional story of the Kushan in a visually-upgraded form, with some mild tweaks to gameplay mechanics that make this remastered version the best way to play Homeworld. And the biosphere colony aesthetic is just out of this world. Among the most well-known games on our list is Kerbal Space Program, a physics-based space exploration simulator with an educational focus. Explorations game allow us to play a scuba-diver, exploring the deepest depths of our oceans or as an astronautics, exploring the endless space and distant planets. For first-time players, Homeworld can seem daunting. It lives up to its origins with a mix of space exploration, alien encounters, and one-on-one battles. Not to be confused with The Outer Worlds, Mobius Digital’s Outer Wilds presents a simple problem: The nearest star is 22 minutes from going supernova, and it’s up to you to figure out what’s going on. Metroid Prime series doesn’t let you cruise around space at your leisure. Evochron legacy is another great space exploration game. You know, once you’ve played it enough that you want some customization. Here are ten of the best space games out there with a heavy emphasis on space exploration: Updated on September 14th, 2020, by Richard Keller: Space might be the final frontier, but the games that explore it seem infinite. as a species, exploring the unknown is something we have always been obsessed with, and there's no greater unknown than the vast expanses of space. At its heart, every Mass Effect game is telling a story, but along the way, there are plenty of planets to explore, too. Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. While not everyone has the time and smarts to get a degree in Aerospace Engineering, just about anyone can have fun in Keen Software House’s Space Engineers. Since the player is one part of a massive intergalactic empire, Distant Worlds allows them to be in everyone's business. You’ll also have to worry about finding resources on planets and asteroids if you choose to play in Survival Mode. It lives up to its origins with a mix of space exploration, alien encounters, and one-on-one battles. Yet, if a player uses a zoom out function, they'll see how alone this fleet is. But CCP Games has been focusing on streamlining the new player experience as much as possible for the last couple of years. These resources let you make bases and ships able to withstand the dangers of the void, helping you further explore locales such as the Earth, the Moon, Titan, and Europa. Far from it! Games found: 116. If rather than an unfortunate pawn, you’d rather play as the factions doing the colonizing, consider Firaxis Games’ Civilization: Beyond Earth. His quest to continually put words in an order you might find interesting has only begun. If you love space, this is a game you have got to try out. Related articles: 11 Best Space Games to Play in 2016. Every time you play you’ll find something new. Kerbal Space Program does this three ways. Over the course of 3+ years with real focus and hard work, we’ve seen developers tremendously improve the game. During an adventure, lovers of the original series, TNS, DS9, and other Trek incarnations gather together to help each other out. space exploration game free download. All of these are littered with resources to obtain, NPCs to meet, and challenges to overcome. Kerbal Space Program is a game that remains fresh hours or weeks later. And this game has fun gameplay in spades. Classified in the "Grand Strategy" genre of games, Stellaris is all about leading your civilization of space-dwellers into the future as successfully as possible. If you buy something we may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Get Ready for Battle and Exploration in Our 13 Best Space Strategy Games. This is, possibly, the best representation of space out there right now, chock full of space-objects you'd expect to see like stars, planets, and moons, and some other space objects that you won't be quite as familiar with, like black holes, pulsars/neutron stars, and more. You can also move anything you want, which becomes an exciting way to see how even the slightest changes can completely transform the Earth and our Milky Way. These games include browser games for both your computer and mobile devices, as well as apps for your Android and iOS phones and tablets. We wish to understand what surrounds us, from the bottom of the seas to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. All the while doing your best to avoid space pirates and hopefully escaping with your life. And yet, Cloud Imperium Games’ work-in-progress has more content than most AAA titles. Just create your captain, jump into your ship, and start the grind towards greatness. Everspace is the only other rogue-like game on this list other than FTL. But each time you’ll come back stronger and more prepared for the journey ahead. Among the most well-known games on our list is Kerbal Space Program, a physics-based space exploration simulator with an educational focus. Unless you’re a total master of strategy, there’s a lot of death and failure in your future. The 3D space combat is a bit hard to grasp at first. FTL: Faster Than Light (2012) 18. While most space-exploration games focus on lush graphics and beautiful vistas, Subset Games’ FTL presents you with a basic GUI representing your ship and calls it a day. As gamers, space exploration games are the closest we are ever going to get to that dream of discovery. space exploration games 2021 . Space exploration games that fit this category also feature elaborate spaceship maintenance and resource management. "Massive galaxy to explore" is the primary reason people pick No Man's Sky over the competition. Platforms: PC, Mobile, All Major Consoles. Thanks for reading. Developed by Star Gem Inc., Star Conflict focuses on small-scale dogfights in PvE or PvP, where skill determines who lives and who dies. Unlike most other space-exploration game, it’s fast-paced. Among its best features are the realistic simulated collisions, which will probably happen a lot considering how destructive we all get after being given so much power. The 8 Best Space Exploration Games. Still, developers worldwide are putting in the work to bring us the most exhilarating space-exploration experiences possible. Where Metroid Prime presents an isolating exploration experience, half of Shepard’s exploration comes down to meeting and negotiating with local intelligent species. It’s the game that follows the story of a nigh-extinct civilization fighting for their right to exist. Best space games. Not to mention it’s been running on dozens of consoles for years so there’s a lot of variety out there. The Eve franchise has been spawning spacefaring games for decades. Considering most sci-fi turn-based strategy games focus on conquering entire galaxies, Beyond Earth is a nice change of pace with unique challenges that’ll keep you hooked for hours at a time. The game features a sophisticated physics engine that serves as the basis for your space engineering projects. No Man's Sky, Elite Dangerous, and Space Engineers are probably your best bets out of the 7 options considered. Commander Shepard visits all kinds of alien worlds while chasing Space Pirates, stopping inter-species wars, and looking for ways to stop the ancient Reapers from ending all life in the galaxy. This is just some of them. Space exploration games are often great ways to spend time, with vast stretches of unexplored space creating an enthralling journey maker. Give this a try if you never have before. It can resemble an online convention at times. Whether host to new life, stunning interstellar vistas, or humanity's greatest horrors, nothing beats a space adventure. Slowly piecing together the puzzle as you explore the system, one time-loop at a time. Browse the newest, top selling and discounted Space products on Steam It may feel a bit daunting as a new player, trust me. Fortunately, Game Developers have brought Mankind that experience in space strategy games. That means going around solving puzzles to fix diverse systems and guiding Dr. Fisher through the facilities. And they've been around for ever. But both your credits and your knowledge carry over from one run to the next, which is nice. It certainly is all that. Let's just skip over the part everybody talks about with this game, and just get to the good stuff: if you're looking for a game about exploring space and the planets/moons therein, there is possibly no better choice than this. Examples of these would be Elite: Dangerous, FTL: Faster Than Light, Kerbal Space Program, Spore and Genesis Alpha One among others. Elite, one of the first and best space exploration games, was released in 1984. While on Mars' surface, players climb into their rover to visit its numerous tourist attractions. One of the only games considered "roguelike" on this list, Faster Than Light (FTL) randomly generates a new galaxy with each playthrough, as you and your crew struggle to stay alive in the harsh and unforgiving galaxy. Free MMO Space Strategy Browser Game. There’s always something to do in Elite Dangerous. 15 Best Space Exploration Games. Death will happen often here. Haemimont Games’ Surviving Mars gives you a more specific challenge than most open-ended city-builders do: You must survive the ruthless environment of the red planet. Half toybox, half science project, Kerbal Space Program is the most fun you can have while learning about space. Not only do they find these alien populations, but players also have to work some trade with them to survive. We’ve also split our best space games list across multiple pages for ease of navigation, and you’ll find the page links at the bottom of each page. Developed by No Code, Observation plays like a puzzle game and reads like a suspenseful horror story. Also on the roguelike side of gaming lies Everspace, Rockfish Games’ ruthless space shooter. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon. Platforms: All major platforms, too many to list! This unique twist on the space sim shares the trading and exploration elements of games such as Elite Dangerous, but feels more like commanding a submarine. Stellaris manages to find the middle ground between complex strategy gameplay and custom-made storytelling. While the game doesn’t seem to be anywhere near completion, it already features several unique planets and moons to visit. Many of the popular Space Exploration games are also categorized under Science Fiction. In Code Force’s Distant Worlds: Universe, you’ll have to micromanage trading, colonizing, and waging war for a budding empire. If you’re into world-building and sci-fi stories full of bizarre alien races, you won’t find a better game than Paradox Interactive’s grand-strategy space epic. The reason Eve Online remains relevant after all these years is how this MMORPG’s community ultimately determines the course of the game’s story. 20. But stuff like calculating the right angle your ship needs to breach the atmosphere will slowly become second nature. For anyone who has ever wanted to explore the vast reaches of space, these games are absolutely essential! With the launch of No Man's Sky fast approaching, Game Rant takes a look at some of the best space exploration titles from the history of video gaming. Developed by Amplitude Studios, Endless Space 2 offers a more focused grand-strategy experience. We may be in the comfort of our own homes, but there are some gems out there in gaming land that allow us to reach for the stars without our backside leaving that comfortable recliner. Humans are hardwired to dream of discovery and exploration. This may sound like it limits your freedom. But the excellent narrative makes it worthwhile to learn the ropes. Distant Worlds: Universe (2014) 21. But if you just want to bum around the stars for a while, documenting the experience like an adventurer, then this game has to be on your must-play list. Tweet. 25 Astonishing Space Exploration Games. Whether you want to become a trader, a bounty hunter, or a military operative – it’s all in your hands after creating your character. While it failed to recreate the same thrilling storylines and detailed open-world experience of New Vegas, this action-RPG is really fun to play. There is a huge number of free space exploration games being released in both browser format and as stand-alone packages. You can get on your ship and travel to the Moon, fly around in Saturn’s rings, or even make a trip to each of the stars making up your zodiac sign’s constellation. And really, it’s fantastic. If you’re looking for a straightforward game taking place in a beautifully-rendered outer space, you can’t go wrong with Everspace. (Psst, it's in VR, too!). While most space 4X games stick with one method of interstellar travel, Stellaris gives you three to choose from, each with their own strengths and counters. Whether you’re passionate about setting up a colony on Mars, designing the ship to get us there, or just cruising through the stars, you’ll find something in our ranking of the absolute coolest space exploration video games ever released. Sure, there are certain things that this game lacks; you aren't going to find any sprawling space-cities, for example. Figure out the clues all around you and use them to your advantage in each new cycle, and you'll start to figure out what's going on. The open-universe game wowed us from the start, showcasing a space exploration experience that lets you pop into one of potentially millions of different planets, scope out the vibrant terrain, interact with the weird alien inhabitants, and then zip back into the stars. Space for Kids! Although long-time fans of the franchise prefer the classic Civ V over this sci-fi experiment, I do think Beyond Earth does a great job of selling the fantasy of little-by-little carving a place for humanity on an unknown alien world. Star Citizen isn’t a complete game. There’s a wide array of ships to acquire, ranging from agile corvettes to massive destroyers. Every anomaly you research has the potential to turn into a multi-episodic story that changes your society forever. This bad boy endeavors to simulate the entire known universe with scientifically-accurate mass, volume, orbits, and other such data. SpaceEngine is a realistic virtual Universe you can explore on your computer. Pioneer Space Simulator Inspired by Frontier: Elite 2, Pioneer Space Simulator is an open source space combat and trading si For folks who want to know everything they're doing and everywhere they're going matters, the Mass Effect series might be a better option than some of these other games. RELATED: 10 Perfect Co-Op Games To Play With People Who Don’t Play Games. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. You’ll play as Sam, a space station AI charged with helping Dr. Emma Fisher survive a disaster after everyone else in her crew disappears. Empires rise and fall due to player interactions, whether that be amassing a fleet to conquer their corner of the stars, spying on each other and selling the information to the highest bidder, or forming massive alliances to overthrow a player that’s become too powerful. Career allows a player to grow their space program from the ground up. It’s filled to the brim with sci-fi tropes like living crystals, space dragons, and ancient superweapons just waiting for you to find them. … One of the mainstays in the space game genre for over a decade, Eve Online has stayed relevant because it's stayed good. It’s a vicious universe full of ancient races and dangerous lifeforms, and it’s up to Samus Aran to lend a hand whenever something gets out of control. Hello Games’ procedurally-generated space adventure promised much and delivered little back when it was launched. (, 15 Best Cartoon Network Video Games (For Consoles & Mobile), Top 15 Best Sonic ROM Hacks (From All Games & Consoles), 15 Best Power Rangers Video Games, Ranked (For All Consoles), 30 Best Pirate-Themed Video Games Ever Made (For PC & Consoles), Top 25 Most Relaxing & Calming Video Games (Consoles & PC), 35 Best Space Engineers Mods To Try (All Free), 50 Best Kerbal Space Program Mods To Download (All Free), 15 Simple & Easy Island Ideas For Animal Crossing: New Horizons, 15 Nook’s Cranny Design Ideas For Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Sims 4: Best Laundry CC, Mods & Clutter Packs. 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