Science fiction is a common genre represented ingaming, but not every sci-fi game is a must-play for fans of the genre. Some games in the genre fall short of creating exciting new sci-fi worlds. In contrast, the best sci-fi games present fully-realized worlds with complex themes that give players a lot to think about. These games are the type that every sci-fi fan should play at least one time.

I am by no means saying that these are the only good sci-fi games, or even that there aren’t some that people might personally consider better. However, many of these are games that were either such a big release, or received so much positive word of mouth thatI’d be surprised if any sci-fi fan had skipped them. If you haven’t given the games here a try, and you’re a fan of sci-fi, you should consider picking some of them up.

10Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic Is One Of The Franhise’s Best Stories

KOTOR’s Rich World-Building Is A Treat For Sci-Fi Fans

AlthoughStar Warsis a much lighter form of sci-fi, it’s hard to deny the influence it has had on the genre and how it is perceived. While there are plenty ofStar Warsgames out there, the one that seems best tailored to sci-fi fans is BioWare’s legendary RPG,Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Although the game is showing its age (and itsannounced remake is still nowhere to be seen),KOTORis still a must-play game for any sci-fi fan.

The game has a solid RPG engine, and its dialogue trees have more depth than even some modern games. Thanks to being set in a unique time period, there is also plenty of new world-building elements and history to learn about the much earlier years of theStar Warsgalaxy.Its extensive amount of exposition and interesting political climate makeKOTORfeel a bit more sci-fithan action-orientedStar Warsgames. If you’ve never played this game, or its sequel by Obsidian, I would strongly recommend doing so.

9BioShock’s Commentary Mirrors Some Of The Best Sci-Fi Stories

Many Classic Sci-Fi Tales Simlarly Critique Ideas The Way BioShock Does

One might look at the underwater city of Rapture, or the mechanical Big Daddies, and figure that these are what makeBioShocka science fiction game. However, what makesBioShocksuch a treat for fans of the genre is less its superficial elements, and much more its deeper themes.Like many great works of sci-fi,BioShock’s story focuses on critiquing a specific idea(in this case Randian Objectivism) by taking it to its logical extremes to highlight its flaws.

The decay of Rapture is not just a scathing critique of a society built on Objectivism, but alsoa masterclass in sci-fi world building. The game’s plot twist - which I won’t spoil for you if you’ve somehow managed to avoid it for this long - is also a fun way to play with the medium of video games.BioShockalso has engaging gameplay, so there really is no excuse not to give this game a try.

8XCOM 2’s Tactics And Resource Management Are Perfect For Sci-Fi Fans

XCOM 2 Is A Sci-Fi Game For Players Who Like To Think

XCOM 2is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi gamethat is set on Earth after it has been occupied by an invading force of aliens. The bulk of the gameplay is turn-based tactics missions where your squad is tasked with taking out strategic targets, rescuing civilians, or capturing important objectives for Earth’s resistance. However, you’ll also be tasked with managing resources, making strategic decisions about what missions to take, and ensuring no section of the globe falls too far into enemy control.

Because many of its levels are procedurally generated,XCOM 2also has incredible replay value. I also strongly recommend customizing each of your soldiers, so you feel a bit more of a personal connection to them, making missions more tense. Although the game’s story might not be as deep as some other games listed here,XCOM 2is still intellectually stimulating thanks to its gameplay, and sci-fi fans will likely enjoy the crunchier aspects of it.

7Disco Elysium Has Some Of The Best Sci-Fi World-Building

Disco Elysium’s World Is Complex And Well-Developed

Many iconic science fiction games are action-based, or at least RPGs that involve a lot of combat.Disco Elysium, in contrast, is much slower and more methodical. The game takes place in the fictional city of Martinaise, in a world with many differences from our own. However, the fictional technology in the game is not too far off things that exist in real life, and the world feels much more believable than something likeStar Wars.

Disco Elysiumputs you in the shoes of a detective tasked with solving a murdershortly after going on such a prolonged bender that he is no longer able to remember his name. As you and your partner, Lt. Kim Kitsuragi, attempt to solve the murder, you learn more about the alternate world that the game takes place in, its history, and how its politics affect people’s lives. This is the type of science fiction game for players who enjoy political science and philosophy.

That isn’t to say the game is dry.Disco Elysiumhas a wonderful sense of humorand is one of the few games that has gotten me to consistently laugh out loud even when playing by myself. This is thanks in large part toDisco Elysium’s very talented writers. Although less iconic than some of the games on this list, it should still be considered essential for sci-fi fans.

Dead Spacemasterfully crafts a horror atmosphere, reminiscent of some of the best science fiction horror stories. The game reminds me ofEvent Horizon, or the works of author S. A. Barnes in how well it captures the isolated feeling of being trapped in a space station, mostly alone, facing down a threat you know nothing about and didn’t expect to find.Dead Spacealso manages to pull off some serious jump scares, something that can sometimes be difficult to achieve in a third-person game.

Although you could likely get away with playing the original version, theremake ofDead Space’s updated graphics only help to sell the atmosphere even more. I also appreciate that the game’s weapons are mostly construction tools, allowing them to be more unique, andteaching you more about the unique technology in the world ofDead Space.If you missed the initial hype surrounding this game, I urge you to give the remake a try.

5Mass Effect Legendary Edition Is A Landmark Trilogy Of Games

Mass Effect’s Ambitious Storytelling Was Groundbreaking

Although theMass Effecttrilogy has its imperfections, it’s hard to deny that it was a landmark sci-fi game series.The idea of a story-driven game that honored player choice from one installment to the next was novel at the time, and is still somewhat rare to see. Even modern games like theFinal Fantasy 7remake trilogy have not repeated this ambitious story-telling method. For its place in video game history alone, sci-fi fans should at least check out the originalMass Effectgames, and I would recommend using theLegendary Editionto do so.

Aside from its unique place in the video game landscape when it was first released,Mass Effectalso presents a well-realized sci-fi world. I am still somewhat impressed by how well the world-building was done in the games, especially since much of it is relegated to Codex entries that are completely optional. If you are the type of sci-fi fan who likes to dive deep into the fictional lore of a setting, thenMass Effectwill have a lot for you.

4Alien: Isolation Captures The Fear Of Its Source Material

Alien: Isolationis far and away the best game set in the universe of Ridley Scott’s 1979 movie, at least in terms of recapturing the horror of the original movie. Much like the first film, the Xenomorph is essentially invincible, and your best bet for survival is to just make sure it never finds you. Seeing the alien suddenly burst through the ceiling of the room you’re in can be genuinely scary, and you constantly feel on edge as though it could appear at any moment.

One nice aspect ofAlien: Isolationis that it never tips the scales too far in your favor. Although I loveDead Spaceas well, once you have an arsenal of different weapons and a fully upgraded suit of armor, the game gets a bit less scary. In contrast,Alien: Isolationnever stops feeling like you could die any time you encounter the Xenomorph.

3Cyberpunk 2077 Has Grown Into A Game You Can’t Skip

Despite Its Early Bugs, Cyberpunk 2077 Is Now A Sci-Fi Masterpiece

When the game first came out, I would never have thought about puttingCyberpunk 2077on this list. However,even during my bug-addled first playthrough, I could tell the game had something special. Now that it actually works, and thePhantom LibertyDLC has expanded the number of potential endings, I have no qualms saying all sci-fi fans should give this game a try.

Cyberpunk 2077tackles many relevant topics, such as the growing influence of corporations and the mega-wealthy. It also features post-humanist technology and how it will change the people of the future.This makesCyberpunk 2077an excellent bit of speculative fiction, as it paints a grim picture of how flaws in certain modern institutions could lead to this type of world.

The game isn’t all about its messages though, andthere is plenty of sci-fi action to enjoy. The game’s body modifications allow you to pull off some powerful moves, like moving so fast that time seems to slow down. There are also fun sci-fi weapons, like smart weapons with homing bullets, and a pistol equipped with a more murderous version of Microsoft Word’s Clippy. The game also blends in some nice bits of humor to help take away from the grim atmosphere and heavy themes.

2Fallout: New Vegas Has Great World-Building And Complex Choices

Fallout: New Vegas Offers Players Many Ways To Solve Problems

All theFallouttitles have some good qualities, and the world itself is one that a lot of sci-fi fans can enjoy. However, if I had to recommend a single title for all sci-fi fans to enjoy, thenFallout: New Vegasis the easy choice. Obsidian did a wonderful job crafting complex interactions between the different factions vying for control of New Vegas, and also gave players a lot of freedom in how they decide to influence the game’s events. It’s one of the few games I’ve played where almost any dialogue option I could want is available.

Fallout: New Vegasalso takes inspiration from notable works of science fiction.TheOld World BluesDLC, for instance, feels heavily inspired by H. P. Lovecraft’s “The Whisperer in Darkness,”though with a much more comedic slant to it. References like this aren’t too overt, but more subtly done in a way where it feels like the developers truly understood the appeal of the stories they lift elements from, instead of simply making shallow references to them.

1The Last Of Us Has Some Of Gaming’s Best Storytelling

The Last Of Us' Sci-Fi Elements Help It Tell Moving Stories

The Last of Usis the type of sci-fi story where the sci-fi elements aren’t overly important to the plot. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, asthe game is much more focused on telling emotional human storiesand examining how life would continue after a catastrophic event. While the fungal zombies are a cool and unique touch, this game is perfect for sci-fi fans who are attracted to the genre for its ability to examine human nature.

AlthoughThe Last of Us’ story is far more concerned with its human characters, there was some serious thought put into how the zombie infection started. Cordyceps is a real fungus that affects insects in a similar way to how it does the infected in the game. The idea that a fungus like this cute adapt to increasing global temperatures and eventually be able to sustain the internal heat of the human body may not be likely, butit at least has some basis in science.