Top best space games. Top best space games Top space games on PC

There are not as many space lovers as there are fans of shooting games, action games and other similar games, but they still exist. If you like to explore space, then you have come to the right place, because now we will highlight the best space strategy games for PC. Didn’t know about the existence of a certain game before? Now you’ll find out, and you can also try playing it yourself and decide for yourself whether it deserved its place in the top ten best space strategies on PC.

10. X-rebirth

Open world space strategy. All actions of which take place in the “X” universe.

In order to achieve success, trade with other races. The economic system in the game is as close as possible to the real one. To benefit, travel around cities and look for ships, drones, spare parts and other goods for profitable resale.

Battles in X-rebirth have no limit. There can be both small skirmishes between two ships and entire battles between flotillas. Create your personal Empire, arrange your space territory, build stations and improve them to increase productivity.

Any action performed by the player can have an impact on the further development of the game's plot. Find yourself new comrades among the aliens who can help in the war against stronger opponents.

9. Endless Space - Emperor Edition

The space strategy in mixed time managed to take ninth place in the ranking.

The plot is based on the confrontation between eight civilizations. Every civilization strives to rise above the rest. You will have to lead one of the nations to victory.

In order to win, it is absolutely not necessary to engage in hostilities. You can take a place among the best by creating alliances with influential nations and trade. The faction has the ability to search for expensive artifacts to take a leading position in this area. You can also humiliate the enemy with the help of new technologies.

How you lead your faction to victory is up to you. Build up your military, trade, diplomatic or scientific sphere and take your place next to the leaders.

8. Sid Meier's Starships

The player will have to become the leader of a powerful star fleet. Complete various missions, explore space, and save civilian ships from attacks by pirates and other hostile factions.

Make sure the galaxy lives by your rules, and not you by its rules. Achieve power and greatness in outer space. Will you be able to take control of the Universe?

7. Ethereum

This game took seventh place due to the fact that it has not yet gained popularity among players, as it was released quite recently.

The game's plot takes place in the distant future, where three hostile factions are at war. Each faction is trying to gain control of resources. The player needs to decide whose side he will take and go into battle.

Each empire has its own strengths and weaknesses. Each side has its own unique technologies, and therefore, before choosing which side to take, you will first need to study each technology and only then decide which battle tactics are closer to you.

Each mission becomes more difficult, but this does not make it less attractive, but becomes more exciting.

Take control of space into your own hands.

6. StarDrive 2

It is a continuation of an exciting space game, but it did not become worse than its predecessor, and managed to take sixth place in the top.

The player will have to act as the leader of one of the provided races. You have to explore the unknown expanses of space in order to found your own Empire and make it a leader.

Explore other planets, enter into agreements with representatives of other races, but if you can’t build relationships diplomatically, you can always resort to weapons.

5. Sins of a solar empire

Global space strategy, to which we decided to give fifth place, no less.

The game tells about the decline of the Solar Empire. The player will have to take control and power over the Galaxy into his own hands. There are three races to choose from - earthlings, Vasari and space gypsies. Each race has certain advantages over the other. After reviewing the advantages, decide which game tactics will be more interesting for you.

All races fight and try to take a place in power, but who is strong enough to actually do it? What will win: leniency or weapons?

4. X3 Reunion

Remember in 10th place we talked about the game X-rebirth? The game that took 4th position, X3 Reunion, is its predecessor.

An unknown civilization attacked people and destroyed millions of lives. You need to find the enemy and avenge the death of your compatriots.

Game plot X3 Reunion linear, and because no matter what the player does, he will not be able to influence the course of events. It is not at all necessary to complete all the quests that follow the storyline. The player can complete tasks that he likes himself, and only then return to story quests.

3.Homeworld

The second part of the Homeworld game managed to break into the top three and take third position.

The game takes place centuries in the future. The Hiigarians are threatened by a new enemy, about which only the name is known - the Vaygr. The player will have to help the Hiigarans stop the impending threat. Don't let the Vaygr take over the galaxy, no matter the cost.

2. Astro Lords

A game that managed to take second place among the best space games on PC.

The events of the game will take the player to the mythical Oort Cloud. The Militant Lords began to explore new asteroids; at the same time, they raided and plundered their neighbors, and also concluded diplomatic treaties.

The militant Lords are fighting not only among themselves, they will have to repel hostile aliens who have decided to invade foreign territory.

The game was released not so long ago, in 2014, but has already managed to win the attention of a large number of gamers.

1. Eve Online

A space strategy that has no equal, took first place in our top of the best space strategies for PC - Eve online.

You don't have to fight if you don't want to. You can explore outer space, become a merchant, but remember that hostile ships can still attack at any moment, so if you don’t want to get caught, become dexterous, invisible and invulnerable.

You can simply fly through outer space and complete the missions you receive, or you can arm yourself with the best weapons and join one of the fleets for a large-scale battle.

Space simulators are not for everyone. This axiom does not depend on the genre, year of release, graphics or ease of control. The fact is that gamers treat game projects about space with some distrust and do not want to waste their time flying in outer space. Just look at the most popular games, whether measured by online player count or digital copy sales, and you won't notice space simulators there. We don’t take Star Citizen into account, because this game is above all laws, rules and regulations.

The most popular games today are League of Legends, Dota 2, with their “Battle Royale” and all multiplayer products of this type. They gain their fame for a lot of reasons, but they certainly deserve it. Everyone wants to come home or to a computer club, sit down at the computer and fight. To somehow express yourself, throw out negative emotions, communicate with friends and receive moral satisfaction from this. Space simulators provide a slightly different experience, which makes them not so popular among gamers.

Plus, space simulators, and games related to space in general, have two key problems that prevent them from becoming so widespread and popular.

First reason- difficulty in implementation. Creating a map for CS:GO or League of Legends is quite difficult; you need to think through many details and moments, draw graphics, test and release. However, this is a certain set of elements that will be polished and not touched again. Now imagine how much effort and time it takes to create at least a solar system. Create planets, organize locations, textures, animals, vegetation on these planets, add some activities or simply make them more or less interesting.

Now let's add transport to the planets - we need a ground version, aircraft, various spaceships and everything like that. If the game is built on the basis of exploring the galaxy, then you need to come up with a lot of mechanics, details and graphical components. As a result, it is much easier to create a shooter than to develop a really good game about space.

The second reason- popularity is lower than cliched shooters and MOBAs. Yes, now many EVE Online fans will say that space simulators have a huge audience, but even the coolest and longest-running EVE online at its peak was 50 thousand people. For comparison, Dota 2 is now in decline and 400 thousand people online are considered a meager figure, while two million people log in to PUBG every day. Naturally, the developers don’t have much desire to create a heavy project about space, when it will still have ten times fewer players than the modern version of the mod for WarCraft. And, if there are few players, then it will be more difficult to get a decent profit.

Because of these two difficulties, there are indeed very, very few space-themed game projects on the market. There are various indie games where only the name remains of space, there are games from the 2000s where the graphics have been redone and now play on the feelings of the older generation. There are quite a few powerful and interesting products that I would like to play. Today I will talk about five games that, in my personal opinion, are the best representatives of their genre.

Plus, after the main part of the article there will be a bonus for those who want to play something about space, but do not want it to be the basis of the entire gameplay.

EVE Online

I think even if you've never played EVE Online, you've definitely heard of it. Data constantly flashes online about the cost of ships destroyed during a battle for some important resource, a planet, or simply during a clan war. And, it seems to me, this is a shining example of a really good and complete game about space, with all the attendant possibilities.

There are a lot of active players here, minding their own business - building an economy, extracting resources, building ships, earning money, communicating, developing development strategies, and even waging political battles. Yes, this game has its own politics, its own strong clans, and they are constantly fighting for resources, benefits, advantageous locations and territories.

The game was released back in 2003. Just imagine - the game from 2003 is still played to this day, while the online presence is even growing a little and the players are not at all planning to move somewhere. The number of active subscribers (more on subscription a little later) is 330 thousand people, from 15 to 50 thousand people are constantly online. And, most importantly, they all play on one common server. Imagine - 50 thousand people on one server. In 2016, the developer received $86 million in profit, which means that the project will be developed and attracted more and more new users.

The game is free, but you won't be able to play for a long time without a paid subscription. The fact is that the free version has a number of restrictions on the character level and equipment that you can use, so it will be unrealistic to play comfortably without a subscription. It is worth noting the price tag for an annual subscription - $131. And, most importantly, even if you pay $10 a month for access to the game, no one guarantees you success, victories in battles or a sea of resources. You can explore space with an empty pocket all this year and pay the cost of two AAA games just for the opportunity to use all the project's capabilities.

However, this is the largest space game in history. A huge number of players, ships that will take your breath away, real economics and politics, a myriad of opportunities for self-realization in various areas of virtual life. If you want to sit seriously and for a long time at the helm of a spaceship, then EVE Online will give you everything you could want.

It is worth understanding that the game is quite complex and requires you to explore not only the game world, but also mechanics, economic features, interaction with other players, and performing routine tasks. If you want to fly around the galaxy and fight a couple of enemies, close the game and go on about your business - this game is not for you. Absolutely not for you.

Pros:

15-50 thousand people on the server;
a virtual world of unimaginable size;
many ships;
politics, economics, society;
a serious, full-fledged game about space.

Minuses:

costs $131 per year;
There is no point in playing for free;
delving into it is long and difficult;
even with a subscription you need to work like Papa Carlo;
cool ship costs as much as a used car.

May not like:

the game takes a lot of time;
you need to play for years;
politics and economics are more important than battles.

Elite: Dangerous

A game that has earned a very mixed reaction from users. The fact is that the developers promised gamers a lot of opportunities and a rich life throughout almost the entire Milky Way, but in reality only small areas of the overall map turned out to be truly populated. Agree, when you are promised enemies, traders and explorers on every planet, behind every asteroid and solar system, and you fly for a couple of hours in search of at least someone alive, the sensations spoil.

But let's not talk about sad things. This project was released in 2014 and the developers are really working to make the game more enjoyable for you. Constant updates, patches, free add-ons and a cool plot line will bring you a lot of positive emotions literally in the first minutes of playthrough.

It is worth making a clarification - the game allows you to play independently, without other people; you can play co-op with friends; you can play the multiplayer version of the project.

The first two options for passing are clear - you fly alone or in the company of friends, fight, explore planets, extract resources, enjoy open space and limitless possibilities. But, sooner or later, you will want to plunge online and the sensations will change dramatically. Yes, no one has been to the most distant planets, and if you fly a little further than the zone of main activity, you will search for a living player for hours. If you stay in the high-activity sector, you get a very vigorous space simulator.

You might get robbed. Or you and your friends can rob a single person, take all his goods and then do nothing until you catch the target again. You can explore planets, go down to them (you need to pay for the DLC to do this) and drive across endless planets, collecting valuable supplies. You can just fly and watch beautiful landscapes, visit the most interesting planets and relax.

There are really a lot of activities, but the online presence here is noticeably lower and the game is not available by subscription. This is a significant difference from EVE Online - where players pay ten bucks a month and don’t want this money to just disappear. Here, users are not so motivated by achievements, wars and the economy, since the game can be bought for ridiculous money on sale and receive content for many years in a row.

Pros:

low entry threshold;
on sale you can get it for $10;
no subscription;
three game modes;
there is no need to invest in donation.

Minuses:

the Milky Way is 95% empty;
there is no important social component;
the players are not that serious;
landing on the planet for DLC priced at $20.

May not like:

sandbox without a plot;
the planets are bare and boring;
New mechanics have been introduced for years.

No Man Sky

After the official release of the game, it became clear that No Man Sky is not what the developers promised us. Actually, because of this, such a storm of negativity arose, which can only be compared with the recent events around Star Wars Battlefront 2.

The fact is that the developers, as usual, promised a lot of things. In particular, they promised players the endless expanses of the galaxy, where each planet would be unique, and its flora and fauna would not be repeated. At every interview, the creators talked about a special formula that creates millions and billions of planets for the player with a unique shape, color and features.

And, although Sean Murray also lied in this regard, the two main lies are different.

First lie - the game world will be so huge, diverse and multifaceted that two friends playing the game will never be able to meet on, say, the same planet. It is because of this that the developers put pressure on the fact that it would be more interesting to play alone, because you will never meet your friend - the world is too big and you are separated by enormous distances. But in just two hours of play, players were able to get to the same planet, visit the same locations, and even communicate with non-player characters who gave the same quests and dialogues. That is, the world is not that big here.

Second lie - multiplayer game. It is because of this that the game was returned to stores by thousands of users. It is because of this that the game will never reach even an average rating on Steam. It is because of this that the game is called the biggest deception in the gaming industry of the twenty-first century.

During interviews, the developers repeatedly said that the game is multiplayer and although you will not be able to find your friend in a huge galaxy, you will meet other players and interact somehow. It's just a single player game. There's not even co-op here, just a game for one person. Imagine that you've been waiting for a game for years, hoping that you're about to set off with your friends on a spaceship across the galaxy in search of adventure and riches, only to be told that in reality this won't happen.

After such a negative start, you might think that the game didn’t improve for me and how did it even get to the top. However, if we ignore all these speeches from the creators of the product, the expectations of users and the criticism of angry fans, then the game is very cool.

We have a really big virtual world. It’s not so big that you’ll spend hours flying from planet to planet, but you can’t fly across the galaxy in a couple of minutes, there are decent distances, solar systems and everything like that.

The planets are large, populated and more or less unique. It is worth understanding that all planets and flora and fauna were created according to a set of templates and a formula. If you play for twenty hours, then you already notice the similarities between the planets; after a hundred hours, nothing new will be shown. On the other hand, the planets are interesting, you can land on them, collect resources, look at the surroundings and fly further to explore wondrous worlds.

Let's not forget about tasks, various kinds of dialogues and stories, the possibility of upgrading a ship or purchasing a new aircraft. It’s all there, it’s implemented quite cool, and if you didn’t expect something like multiplayer from the game, then you’ll like it much more than EVE Online or Elite: Dangerous. Still, flying between planets, exploring them, extracting resources manually, completing tasks and enjoying unrealistically beautiful landscapes is much more interesting than engaging in politics or wandering through deserted locations in search of opponents to fight.

Pros:

huge open world;
inhabited planets;
tasks, dialogues, stories;
ship improvements;
the freedom of action.

Minuses:

lies from the developers;
disappointment of the century;
don't play with friends.

May not like:

it gets boring after a hundred hours;
where are people?

Star Citizen

The Star Citizen project holds the record for raising funds for development, but many consider the game a scam. Actually, there are reasons for this and quite compelling ones, but whether you believe it or not is another question. Fundraising for the development of this space simulator began in 2012 and continues to this day, but the developers have not shown a full-fledged product; there is only a tiny fraction of the promised content.

The fact is that on the Kickstarter platform the developers asked for a little more than two million dollars to create their incredibly cool project. Having collected more than four million, the team began creating the first module (part) of the game, simultaneously selling content on their website, by purchasing which you get access to the game immediately after release. That is, the fundraising continued, although the amount collected was twice the required amount.

Only in 2013 was the first part of the project shown - a hangar module in which you could monitor your ship, upgrade it, and so on. Just think about it - for a whole year the studio, consisting of two offices in Austin and Los Angeles with four million dollars in hand, created a hangar in which you can only look at the ship and repaint it, add some elements. During this period, EA may release a new Need For Speed with hundreds of cars and tuning, for example.

The release of alpha version 3.0 was scheduled for early 2017. The amount that the developers managed to collect exceeded $170 million. However, in the five years since the start of fundraising, the game has not left the alpha version and we were given only four moons from the promised galaxy.

At the moment, players have gained access to some content, which, although very far from what the developers promised, but it already looks cool. We have four moons (not to be confused with the Earth's satellite - the Moon), there is a decent distance between them and you can move between objects by jumping into hyperspace. Yes, just like in Star Wars, when the stars around you stretch into lines and you cover enormous distances in a matter of moments.

In addition, upon arrival in the orbit of the moon, you can explore it on your aircraft, fly around the space object and choose the most suitable place to land. The size of the moons is truly impressive, and even flying over the surface of one such satellite requires a lot of time. After exploring the landscape, you can land on the surface and go on a journey - for this there is a special vehicle on six wheels.

True, there are only a couple of interesting locations on the moon, while approximately 98% of the surface is of no interest at all. Desert locations with rare craters and hills that will get boring within ten minutes of the trip. You can search for secret places and a base with its own population, NPCs and quests.

That is, today the project allows you to jump between four moons, drive along the desert surface of each of them, plus spend an unforgettable five minutes at the bases; there is nothing longer to do there. There are also repair stations, but they are also not very interesting.

At the same time, you can only play at adequate 30 frames per second on an empty server. If two or three more people enter the server, then FPS drops to 10-20 and does not rise higher, even if your computer costs five thousand dollars. The problem is in the network code - it is not optimized at all for computers with current capacities.

The fact that caused distrust in the entire project as a whole were changes in the rules for refunding users who bought ships and sets in Star Citizen. Previously, the rules stated that if the game was not released 18 months after the specified release date, “investors” would receive all their funds back. Now the rules have changed dramatically - funds cannot be returned until the team has completely stopped developing the game. Simply put, as long as the studio says that development is underway, you can wait at least ten years for a refund.

Players are simply afraid that the developers are deliberately delaying development and investing as much effort as is necessary to further earn money from the sale of ships. After all, apart from modest and boring moons with a hangar for repairs, nothing else was implemented over such a long period and with such huge money on hand. Naturally, investors are worried about their $45 (now this is the minimum amount for access to the game) and too many factors indicate that they are worried for good reason.

However, if the game is released in full form, then this will be the end of absolutely all space simulators, and most online projects of other genres too. The developers have already shown a completely seamless virtual world with the ability to board a ship and explore space without obstacles. In the future, we are promised the opportunity to land on any planet, collect resources or complete a quest, they promise cities with characters, housing, entertainment and work. And I’m not talking about such things as battles in space, ships, modifications, and so on.

The game really has a lot of ambitions, and if it is brought to fruition, it will be possible to explore space on your own, with friends, fight or trade, work and enjoy those activities that are not available in real life or other games. Only for its ambitions and what the developers show in their modules and videos for social networks, the game was called the best and most modern project.

Just imagine a game where you board your ship, fly through a dozen solar systems, fly to one of the planets, land (without loading or tearing), fight with other players for resources, fly away and move on. Into outer space, where there are no barriers. Sounds damn good if it were still optimized for a smooth gaming experience and given a little more content.

Pros:

the most ambitious game in history;
$170 million for development;
open space without loading screens;
hundreds of activities and hobbies;
many variations of ships and equipment.

Minuses:

for five years of development only an alpha version;
10-20 FPS;
four desert moons with no content;
buy a ship and let's play.

May not like:

We may not live to see the release version.

Space Engineers

The game Space Engineers for me is a kind of improved version of Minecraft - here you also need to build structures, extract resources, but it’s really difficult to build something sensible. It’s enough just to open the Internet and look at the projects of various types of aircraft that players created in the game, and it becomes clear that the word “engineer” is written in the title for a reason. The designs are complex, they require an understanding of the circuits and features of some mechanisms, you need to calculate the engine power for the size of the ship and stuff like that.

The developers have taken on the very difficult task of creating a space simulator, in which the system for designing and assembling a spaceship will be thought out in great detail, a system of landing on planets and asteroids for extracting resources will be implemented, plus the process of interaction between players. For a small development studio this is a very difficult task, but they are gradually mastering it and this is pleasing.

Space Engineers has already been optimized so that you can play on your not very powerful computer and enjoy it with a stable frame rate without lags. At the time of the release of the project in the early access stage it was almost impossible to play, but now even on a mid-level computer the picture is quite pleasant. An endless virtual world opens up before you with such a range of possibilities that it will take your breath away.

You can get confused and find designs for huge ships online, then repeat the idea in the game, somehow change the design of the aircraft or redo the design. Very popular in this game are copies of spaceships from Star Wars, for example, which are very interesting to collect and you can always come up with something of your own. If you're not interested, you can quickly assemble a couple of ships with your friends and push them against each other, look at the beautiful destruction and have a good laugh.

Pros:

ship design;
manual assembly of aircraft;
a lot of mechanisms;
open space with all the laws of physics;
the project is constantly updated and refined;
there are hundreds of guides on the Internet for assembling the coolest ships;
You can collect the Death Star.

Minuses:

optimization is not perfect yet;
not very user-friendly interface;
complex mechanisms;
building a ship takes a lot of time.

May not like:

there are no mechanics for fun;
There is also no need to communicate with other players.

Games closely related to space

Star Wars: Battlefront II
A game that received so much negativity at the start that now one can only hope that DICE will take on projects on this topic. Loot boxes have led to refunds for digital copies, hundreds of videos have been shot online and even more negative reviews have been written. All this tarnished the reputation of a game that can give you a much more positive feeling from conquering space than many products focused entirely on this idea.

I mean space battles - they are thought out very well and playing in space on a rebel fighter, or destroying everyone on an imperial ship, is quite cool and against the backdrop of these sensations you can even forget about the boxes. Indeed, the battle mode between spaceships here looks as vibrant as possible, players do unimaginable things with ships, and if you are a fan of all this and the theme of shootouts in space is close to you, then Star Wars: Battlefront II will give you the best multiplayer battles on space fighters on the video game market.

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Another game that was shattered by negative comments from reviewers, users and critics. Everyone expected something in the spirit of the old school from the project, while the developers from BioWare decided to go a different route and show more mechanics and a new story. It’s a pity that under the pressure of criticism, Mass Effect: Andromeda failed in sales and it is now reliably known that the entire franchise has been frozen indefinitely.

I won’t say my opinion about the product as a whole, it’s no longer important, but the implementation of space research here is fantastic. You find a new system, scan each planet manually, find the information you need and move further along the storyline. Sometimes we are given the opportunity to go to the planet itself and explore its territory on an all-terrain vehicle, look for resources, enemies and secret places. Plus, there aren't many games where you can have a relationship with a girl of alien origin.

This is already the third AAA-class project that has felt a mountain of negativity, not entirely deservedly, as it seems to me. Still, if you look at the storyline, game mechanics and graphics, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare seems even more attractive than Call of Duty: WWII. But that's not what we're talking about now.

This installment of the famous franchise has some of the best space combat I've seen. Of course, Battlefront II goes far ahead here, but COD also has something to answer. Well-developed controls, vigorous shootouts with dozens of opponents, dangerous turns and huge maps with a lot of small objects in outer space. Yes, it’s worth saying that these battles are implemented only in the storyline and some tasks seem drawn out, but, in general, in terms of space battles, this part of the shooter was really pleasing. I think no one expected such a good implementation of this gameplay element from the project.

EVE: Valkyrie

The article ends with one of the most advanced games in general on the gaming market, not only in the space simulator genre. The EVE: Valkyrie project was not initially perceived by players as something serious and exciting, and this is a VR game, that is, you also need to buy a helmet for it.

Now we can say with confidence that this project is the reason why a gamer will buy a virtual reality helmet. A very colorful, bright and rich implementation of space battles, with almost complete immersion on the part of the player, allows you to completely forget about ordinary games with a mouse and keyboard/gamepad.

This game is the future of the industry, a shining example of how we will play in five years. If you really wanted to look at virtual reality, but did not notice any worthy games for which you could buy an expensive toy, then take a closer look at this simulator. It will satisfy even the most sophisticated users.

Kerbal Space Program

I can't call Kerbal Space Program just a game. This is a vivid example of how the virtual world can be as close as possible in terms of the laws of physics to the real world, and how a game about little green men can motivate the study of science more than the educational system. The developers give you such incredible scope for imagination and engineering ideas that it’s simply impossible to explain it in a nutshell.

However, I'll try. Why is this game so interesting? We have a team of carbonauts and the task is to get to some planet, conduct our research and return home. Moreover, throughout this entire chain, success will depend solely on you and no one will land the rocket or take off for you. You need to completely design the aircraft, design its take-off module, take off from the Earth (this does not always work out) and go into space. Let's add to this the calculation of the flight trajectory to the desired point and the trajectory of return to the home planet. And, of course, landing.

Sometimes it takes hundreds of take-off attempts to realize one successful rocket. A lot of mistakes, failures and problems force you to read relevant literature, look at photos of real rockets, watch videos about the launch of real shuttles into space. Studying physics and astronomy and technical knowledge helps a lot. This is not just a toy for those who want to shoot at enemies in the evening, it requires thinking, studying and enlightenment. Agree, you don’t know many games where you need to learn something from the real world and read books.

Interesting Facts:

In schools in Europe and the USA, the game is used for scientific projects in astronautics and physics.
NASA directly contacted the project developers and asked them to familiarize players with the 2020 program for capturing extraterrestrial bodies.
The developers of mods for Kerbal Space Program have created a ton of content and continue to do so.
On the Internet you can find detailed diagrams of a wide variety of rockets and assemble everything yourself.

Games about traveling across the vastness of the Universe, extraterrestrial civilizations, battles like stars in the night sky. But we still tried to collect the best single and online games about space in one place.

The cold emptiness of space has long attracted authors of science fiction works. Indeed, unlike fantasy worlds, which, despite all their diversity, still live according to the general canons of the genre, the infinity of space provides scope for the wildest fantasies and allows the implementation of grandiose author's ideas without compromising the integrity of the perception of the world. It is not surprising that it is in the space setting that many very worthy games take place, to which we have dedicated our selection.

Best Action

Mass Effect series

Other candidates

Master of Orion is a legendary series of space strategies, which all followers are guided to one degree or another. Its history began back in 1993, and the relaunch was released in 2016. It is distinguished by a high barrier to entry and painstaking micromanagement of colonies.

Stellaris. Coming out the same year as the Master of Orion reboot, Stellaris managed to capture the spirit of the original series even better. As in all games, tons of detailed statistics, many opportunities to manage your empire, interesting quests and branded random events await us.

Galactic Civilizations is another version of the famous Civilization in a space setting, this time from the Stardock studio. The game uses a hexagonal map cell, which makes it similar to and expands the tactical possibilities in battles.

The Star Wolves series is very close in spirit and style to Space Rangers, only the graphics are more modern. Here you can already assemble a team of up to 6 pilots, capable of causing a stir on a galactic scale.

Nexus: The Jupiter Incident is a tactical simulator of battles on spaceships from the Hungarian studio Mithis Entertainment with stunning (for its 2004) graphics. The ships here are pathetic and majestic, and the battles between them proceed smoothly and measuredly, giving time for reflection and maneuvers.

4X strategy game created by the French from Amplitude Studios. In the game you need to extract resources, develop science, build a space fleet, equip colonies and weave diplomatic intrigues. Moreover, success on any chosen path can lead to victory.

Sins of a Solar Empire. The game combines 4X strategy and space sandbox, because there is practically no plot as such. Starting with a small, remote colony, the player will have to develop his Empire and try to bend the Galaxy to his will.

Games based on the Star Wars universe

Star Wars Republic Commando

Over the long years of its existence, the Star Wars franchise has acquired a detailed Expanded Universe, which, moreover, as a soft canon (everything is fair until the films show otherwise) includes games written based on this universe.

Our top games are headed by the shooter Republic Commando, released in 2005. This game differs from most other games in the franchise in that here our protagonist is not just another one. The MMORPG in the setting of the Old Republic continues the story told in the first two KOTOR and allows us to finally see what threat was strongly hinted at. I'm glad to have the opportunity to clarify the fate of old acquaintances, including the legendary Revan and the Exile.

Star Wars Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy is a classic action/shooter with a small RPG element, telling the story of attempts to restore the Jedi Order after the events of Episode 6. Here we will learn the intricacies of the Force under the guidance of the legendary Luke Skywalker and Kyle Katarn, and at the very end we will have the opportunity to go to the Dark Side. Even 15 years after the game's release, its multiplayer servers are still alive.

New Star Wars: Battlefront duology (2015-2017). In the restart, the original format of battles involving vehicles typical of the world of Star Wars is complemented by grandiose battles from the films and the opportunity to take tests based on the events of the cinematic universe.

Conclusion

Like space itself, our list includes bright stars like Mass Effect, mysterious nebulae like Stellaris, and dangerous black holes. Space games of varying quality are released every year, and with each new discovery of Curiosity or successful launch of Space X rockets, interest in such games will only grow. After all, humanity has recently entered its Space Age, which means all the most interesting things are still waiting for us.

LurelnLey

Games and books are my way of living several lives in one. My childhood occurred at a time when projects that had already become immortal classics saw the light of day: Heroes of Might and Magic, Diablo, Warcraft and others. Since then, interest in the industry has appeared, which is unlikely to ever fade away.

Open world games have been receiving more and more attention from players lately. The developers of such products promise complete freedom of action and research. Therefore, this genre is released in various settings, from fantasy to urban adventures, for example, GTA V. In our article, we tried to select the most popular open-world space games, where you not only have to navigate areas of outer space, but also develop your civilization.

Release date: 2016
Genre: exploration and survival on planets, open world
Developer: System Era Softworks
Publisher: System Era Softworks

ASTRONEER is one of the sandbox adventure games. Type of gameplay - any movement occurs relative to the camera, which rotates around the main character through the right mouse button. According to the plot, the protagonist immediately appears on an uncharted planet, which he has to explore, extract resources, build strong base points and build ships for further travel.

The value of "ASTRONEER" lies in the fact that the game immediately puts you in full readiness mode, without preliminary build-up - any ill-considered action leads to collapse, which is very impressive for users.

Release date: 2016
Genre: survival with sandbox elements
Developer: Ludeon Studios
Publisher: Ludeon Studios

RimWorld is a construction and management simulator in which you have to be prepared for anything. The gameplay is very original - the user does not control the settlers themselves, but generates tasks for them on the work site. According to the plot, there are three exiles who need to find themselves in a new place in order to create a base for settling a new colony.

Each new member of the settlement is a person with a special character, so the player will have to choose the right tasks. The game is loved for its amazing plot, which, paradoxically, does not exist as such. A set of random events is constantly generated that will have to be processed.

Release date: 2015
Genre: exploration of the galaxy, battles in space
Developer: Frontier Developments
Publisher: Frontier Developments

Elite Dangerous is a space simulator of amazing proportions, in which the user is offered about 400 billion systems to study. The interface is clearly thought out - each ship has a special cabin, and the interior design of the cockpit resembles the decoration of a modern car.

“Elite Dangerous” is not a banal space “flying game”, but a simulator of life in space. At the beginning, the player himself determines in which system and with which vehicle he will end up. Initially, there is little means of subsistence, so you will have to work a lot. The game is a success for its complete freedom of action and excellent voice acting.

Prey

Release date: 2017
Genre: first-person shooter, exploration of orbital stations
Developer: Arkane Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks

Prey is a fantastic first-person shooter where the player will have to solve his own quests while hiding from hostile aliens. According to the plot, the main character Morgan Y. finds himself aboard the Talos-1 station, located in space, after the terrible consequences of a failed experiment in which he personally participated.

The user will have to reveal both the secrets of creating the station and his own secrets. Any thing that falls into your hands can become a weapon against monsters - the main thing is to have the ingenuity to use it. Players note the brilliantly thought-out level architecture and the wide number of variations in how the game can be played.

Release date: year 2013
Genre: sandbox in outer space
Developer: Keen Software House
Publisher: Keen Software House

Space Engineers is one of the sandbox simulators. The gameplay involves the creation of alien ships and base stations in order to explore cosmic bodies for resources. The game is created for singles - the presence of a wide number of possibilities allows you to design the most unimaginable spaceships within tens of hours.

The simulator requires two things: imagination and perseverance. There are opportunities for cooperative play, but they are not yet sufficiently developed. The main advantage of “Space Engineers” is that the player can fully materialize his fantasies.

Space Rangers HD: A War Apart

Release date: year 2013
Genre: RPG with strategy elements, space exploration
Developer: SNK Games, Elemental Games, Katauri Interactive
Publisher: 1C Company

Space Rangers HD: A War Apart is a game in the RPG genre, where elements of strategy, action and arcade are successfully intertwined, and is considered the standard of varied gameplay. Compared to previous parts, the plot branch of "Revolution" includes the invasion of pirate expansion. Now the user is offered an alternative: to defend the ranks of the Dominators, or to take the path of piracy, gradually subjugating the entire galaxy.

Players note the well-thought-out technology of combat, and the ability to increase the intelligence of the hostile faction forces them to use their own tactical skills.

Empyrion - Galactic Survival

Release date: 2015
Genre: planetary exploration, survival in space
Developer: Eleon Game Studios
Publisher: Eleon Game Studios

Empyrion: Galactic Survival is a super busy 3D sandbox that takes the hero into outer space. Well-thought-out gameplay allows you to switch between ship building and space exploration modes. The game is a survival simulator, where the user himself thinks through the plot of his existence: engage in crafting on one of the planets, and then begin to discover the cosmic world, or get involved in real battles.

Screenshots of Empyrion - Galactic Survival

Players love “Empyrion - Galactic Survival” for the endless possibilities that the simulator provides, in which you can create your own world.

SPORE

Release date: 2008
Genre: open world, sandbox
Developer: Maxis
Publisher: Electronic Arts

SPORE is an exciting game developed in the “god simulator” genre. The gameplay of the simulator can best be described by a poster hanging in one of the biology classrooms - the player begins his journey with the condition of a microorganism that wants to grow and multiply.

Thus, the user is gradually upgraded to the level of an intergalactic traveler, personally choosing the path of development. The simulator gives players the opportunity to understand the differences between the microworld and the macro-space in which it will exist.

Release date: 2017
Genre: military-political global strategy
Developer: AMPLITUDE Studios
Publisher: SEGA

Endless Space 2 is a turn-based strategy game that introduces combat with RTS elements. Very convenient gameplay - a huge amount of information fits into a minimal interface in which the player controls an inhabited planet in an initially colonized star system.

According to the plot, the user is given a choice of one of the existing races, which has its own distinctive features. Immediately after the start, the player is in a neutral relationship with everyone, and he chooses what to do: trade or fight. Every decision made affects the population under control, which makes users feel like politicians.

Release date: 2017
Genre: rogue like in space, open world
Developer: ROCKFISH Games
Publisher: ROCKFISH Games

EVERSPACE is a dynamic single-player space shooter. The gameplay is extremely simple, like for a shooter - all the required information is supplied to the cockpit, and the player can only deftly control his ship. The simulator invites the user to discover the secret of the origin of his character and a huge number of battles - he will have to die regularly, but this is a logical part of the game.

Despite the large number of quests, it is the amazing battles with opponents that lure new users into the ranks of EVERSPACE fans: enemies can be riddled with cannons, lured into a black hole, or exposed to attack by third forces - it’s time to turn on your imagination.

Release date: 2017
Genre: sandbox in outer space
Developer: Boxelware
Publisher: Boxelware

"Avorion" is an online multiplayer sandbox. The user can choose a wide variety of gameplay: engage in crafting, cooperate with other “neighbors” or organize military raids on relaxed comrades. The plot of the game begins with the character getting into another galaxy, located at a distant distance from the Milky Way. Everything in the system is built on local currency - “credits”, through which you will have to develop your material equipment.

Players are not limited in any way - due to block structures of various shapes and sizes, they can create unique combat and transport vehicles that will lead the chosen faction to success.

Release date: 2006
Genre: Open world MMORPG, Sci-Fi
Developer: CCR Inc.
Publisher in Russia: Innova

RF Online is a Korean MMORPG that is based on a combination of fantasy and science fiction elements. The gameplay is classic, as for games of this genre - the player watches the events from a third person, and the “RF Online” interface provides hints on control hot keys. According to the plot, the user is asked to choose one of three races that are constantly fighting against each other, without the possibility of a truce.

In 2148, artifacts of an ancient civilization were first discovered on Mars. Soon, terrestrial scientists were able to fully understand the technology of aliens, which provided a serious breakthrough in the technological development of our planet - space and time became subject to man, flights to space to distant star systems. Humanity emerged from its cradle and came into contact with other civilizations of the Galaxy... Almost forty years have passed since the discoveries on Mars. The Alliance of Systems is a dynamically developing interstellar state. The ship "Normandy" - the most modern starship of the Alliance is sent on its first mission. Your name is Shepard, you are assigned as an officer on this ship. Your journey to space begins!

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Mass Effect 2

PC games: space
Year: 2010
Genre: RPG action shooter
Developer: BioWare

Two years after Commander Shepard repelled the Reaper invasion, humanity has a new enemy, methodically exterminating human colonies on the outskirts of the explored space. To counter the looming threat, the legendary Specter will have to cooperate with the powerful and ruthless organization Cerberus, whose goal is to save humanity from destruction at any cost. To carry out an extremely responsible and dangerous mission, Shepard will have to assemble a squad of experienced and strong fighters and take command of the most powerful spaceship in the Galaxy. However, many believe that even with such resources, the operation is doomed to failure. Shepard must prove the naysayers wrong.

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Mass Effect 3

PC games: space
Year: 2012
Genre: RPG action shooter
Developer: BioWare

Not everyone is destined to survive. An ancient alien race known as the Reapers has launched a global invasion, leaving ruins of civilizations in their wake. The Earth has been captured, the galaxy is on the verge of complete destruction, and only you can fix the situation. The price of error is nothingness. Your role is Captain Shepard, a character you create yourself. Only you decide how events will unfold, which planets will be explored, and who will be part of the alliance you will assemble to eliminate the Reaper threat once and for all. You will lead this war at your own discretion: you can attack head-on, pouring fire on the enemy, or draw up a cunning plan for a surprise attack. Gather a versatile squad of professionals or choose the path of a lone wolf. Attack your enemy from a distance or engage him in brutal hand-to-hand combat. Mass Effect 3 will react to every decision you make - this story is up to you to write.

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Space Rangers

PC games: space
Year: 2002
Genre: RPG tactics quest
Developer: Elemental Games

The action takes place in the distant future, in the year 3000. By that time, people already knew for sure that they were not alone in the Universe, and not only did they know, they had already managed to fight with four extraterrestrial civilizations and sign a peace treaty with them. Naturally, most of the Universe has been explored, many space technologies are open and widely used, people have become part of outer space. It seems that everything is in order, the Universe lives in peace, even the pirates began to calm down after the last joint campaign of the five races against them, but as usual, if everything is fine, then trouble must be expected. A new race of Klisans has appeared, which destroys everything in its path without giving explanations or communicating.

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Space Rangers 2

PC games: space
Year: 2007
Genre: RPG quest strategy
Developer: Elemental Games

3300 year. Our galaxy has been invaded by Dominators - combat robots that have gotten out of control. A coalition of five races - the Maloks, the Pelengs, the Humans, the Faeans and the Gaalians - is relying on the Space Rangers to destroy the Dominators. You are now a ranger. Choose a race, get a ship, go on the road. Fight in space and hyperspace. Do trade. Complete government tasks. Free the planets from dominators. And, of course, solve text quests, each of which is a separate adventure. It is impossible to predict how events will develop. The game can end in victory for either side or last indefinitely. It all depends on the actions of the player and the inhabitants of the living world, in which you can make a career as a vile pirate or a famous hero who will understand the reasons for the appearance of the Dominators and be able to stop this bloody war.

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Parkan: Chronicle of the Empire

PC games: space
Year: 1997
Genre: simulator shooter
Developer: Nikita

The PARKAN spaceship sets out to search for a missing research vessel and, as a result of an accident, accidentally finds itself cut off from the outside world in an abandoned star sector, in which, after a devastating war, robotic clans remained on scorched planets, extracting fuel and building factories for the production of weapons and repair of starships. The point of the game is for the PARKAN pilot to complete the assigned task and survive in conditions of complete uncertainty and given freedom of action. There are many ways to survive in the game, directly related to the player’s behavior: from petty speculation and peaceful trade to the colonization of planets and outright robbery.

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Parkan 2

PC games: space
Year: 2005
Genre: simulator shooter
Developer: Nikita

Parkan 2> is a non-trivial fusion of several genres at once, allowing the player to feel like the pilot of a spaceship lost in the Universe. You have to explore hundreds of star systems, take part in a series of heated battles and meet a new enemy - a mysterious creature calling itself Hegemount. The game takes place at the same time as the action of the first part. The player actually has the same goals and objectives, but has an assistant - AI Irene. Become a pirate or a mercenary, get money for the most powerful star cruiser, colonize planets, create your own clan and show everyone who will be the new master of the galaxy. To improve relations with other clans, the player can complete tasks received from their planetary bases. For completion, money is paid in the form of fuel. Depending on how a particular race treats you, additional opportunities open up.

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Darkstar One

PC games: space
Year: 2006
Genre: simulator
Developer: Ascaron Ent.

Centuries have passed since the end of the General Intergalactic War. An uneasy peace has established between the races inhabiting the developed part of the Universe. A Great Council was created to enforce the truce and control the growing power of each empire. However, recently attacks on civilian ships have become more frequent, and the culprit was a race whose representatives live on the very edge of the explored part of the Universe...