PC's have the best game sci-fi selection of any gaming system out there. You can play basically any game on your gaming rig. The problem is picking the right game. Fortunately, this list is here to help you with that decision.
Ranked from fun to most fun, here are the top 25 best sci-fi games for the PC.
25. Cyberpunk 2077 (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Somebody get this guy some conditioner.
Cyberpunk trailer
If Keanu Reeves masterfully wielding a guitar and a katana sounds appealing, then Cyberpunk 2077 is the sci-fi game for you. Cyberpunk is a huge open-world RPG set in the 80’s influenced Night City. As you play you’ll upgrade your body, drive motorcycles, hack people’s minds, and do a thousand other things. Go from lowly office drone to powerful hacker in just a few hours, exploring the near-future United States. Just don’t make too many corporate henchmen mad along the way.
24. Kerbal Space Program (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
A minion before minions were a thing.
Kerbal Space Program trailer
Kerbal Space Program proves that it’s not just humans that can go to space, little green aliens can too. A hugely popular sci-fi game, Kerbal Space Program tasks you with building and administering a space flight program. The rest is up to you. Fun graphics, easy mechanics, and next-to-no learning curve mean this is a great game for even a casual sci-fi fan to pick up and spend an afternoon with.
23. Ghostwire: Tokyo (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
We get it dude, you really like Halloween.
Tokyo: Ghostwire trailer
One of the newest sci-fi games to be released, Ghostwire: Tokyo is already turning into a fan favorite. This game has some of the coolest design elements of any newly released game. A mix of sci-fi and fantasy, you play as a man possessed by a spirit. Using your newfound psychic powers, you work to destroy the evil spirit population of Tokyo. You also know karate. Who doesn’t love karate? Great art direction really makes this game sing. A new classic in the making.
22. Deathloop (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Wow, that's a bad sunburn.
Deathloop trailer
As its name suggests, Deathloop sticks you in a time loop a la Groundhog Day. From the makers of Dishonored, Deathloop is a stylish shooter. You play as an assassin who must kill eight enemies before the day is over, lest you lose all your progress, when the day restarts. In addition to the regular story, there are also multiplayer aspects that allow you to help out other players in their quest to assassinate their enemies. Creative A.I., fun design, and great combat make this game a must-play for all sci-fi fans.
21. Returnal (PC / PS5 / XBOX)
For once can't a forest be full of nice creatures?
Returnal trailer
Get ready to die a lot. Returnal is hard. One of the most stylish sci-fi games on the market, Returnal, similar to Deathloop, also puts you into a time loop. You play as an astronaut stranded on an alien planet, forced to explore over and over again until you reach one of the two checkpoints. Some players might find the combat difficult, but the stylish animation and grand level design really make this game sing. A great challenge for any sci-fi fan.
20. No Man’s Sky (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
I thought amber waves of grain was a US thing?
No Man's Sky Trailer
There is no bigger game than No Man’s Sky. A procedurally generated game, No Man’s Sky is physically impossible to fully explore, and all the more fun for it. While it started with more than a few kinks, in the intervening years since its release it has become one of the most fun, varied, and deep sci-fi games on the market. You explore worlds, build spaceships, and deal with various alien flora and fauna, all while interacting with other players through its online functionality. An astounding game.
19. The Outer Worlds (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
A nice little firefight next to some dandelions.
The Outer Worlds trailer
Not many games let you become best friends with a cleaning robot. The Outer Worlds is one such game. One of the best sci-fi RPGs to come out in recent years The Outer Worlds is all about decision-making. Best of all The Outer Worlds is a short enough game that you can go back and play through it multiple times, making new decisions along the way and seeing how the outcomes change. A robust skill development system, and lots of fun weapons and settings, mean you’ll never be bored with this sci-fi game.
18. Outer Wilds (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Even astronauts need kerosene lanterns!
Outer Wilds Trailer
What are sci-fi games for if not exploring? Outer Wilds lives up to the promise of sci-fi by creating a truly alien world for you to plumb for secrets. Another game making use of time loops, you only have a limited amount of time before you die. Outer Wilds tasks you with finding out what is causing this loop. Each time you die you, hopefully, learn something new, allowing you to go farther and farther on your journey. Also, there’s a guy who plays space banjo. Who doesn’t love that?
17. Deus Ex: Human Revolution (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Adam Jensen just cannot chill.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution trailer
One of the best cyberpunk games of all time. Hands down. The third game in the sci-fi Deus Ex series, Human Revolution tasks you with exploring a future Prague. You’ll track down machine-worshipping priests, crack open impenetrable banks, and add all sorts of sci-fi tech to your cyborg body. A stealth shooter, you can choose to blast your way out of sticky situations or sneak by everyone without them noticing. Human Revolution tops it all off by adding in some fun characters, great storylines, and fantastic voice acting to the mix. A truly great game.
16. Bioshock Infinite (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
It's giving Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow vibes
Bioshock: Infinite trailer
Bioshock Infinite takes place in a sci-fi world way up in the clouds. Taking place in an alternate history version of our world, you travel through what seems to be an ideal society. However, it quickly reveals itself to be anything but perfect. You play as a detective hired to rescue a young girl, but the story quickly turns into something much darker. Fun design, great shooting, and a fantastic plot really tie everything together. If that’s not enough, you also get to shoot fire out of your hands. Hard to beat that.
15. Alien: Isolation (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Me, going back to the fridge for more olives at 3:23am
Alien: Isolation trailer
Do not play this game in the dark. Or at night. In fact, only play this game at noon, preferably outside. A truly scary game, Alien: Isolation forces you to survive on a spaceship being haunted by one of the titular aliens. Based on the movies of the same name, Isolation really lives up to the films. You are alone and friendless for most of the game, hunted by an intractable foe. While you can win, this game does not make it easy, forcing you to ration supplies, make split-second decisions, and a hundred other choices designed to make your life hard. Not for the faint of heart.
14. Elite Dangerous (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Lewis and Clark, but in space.
Elite: Dangerous trailer
Elite Dangerous is huge. Massively huge. The size of the Milky Way huge. Which is how big a sci-fi game should be. You play as a pilot who explores the galaxy, piloting larger and larger ships as you make your way across the universe. A massively multiplayer game, you can hook up with other pilots and form guilds, and federations. There are 400 billion star systems to explore, so you’d better get going.
13. Stellaris (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
A purple planet? You just know that's going to get blown up.
Stellaris trailer
Exploring the universe can be a dangerous thing. Stellaris allows you to do it from the comfort of your own home. A sci-fi 4X game, Stellaris brings the time-honored ideas of exploration, expansion, exploitation, and extermination to outer space. Clean menus, deep systems, and great A.I. allow for different types of players to all have a great time playing this game. You can do anything you want to and more.
12. Dead Space (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
How excatly do you see out of that helmet?
Dead Space trailer
Most video games are spooky but not scary. Dead Space is the exception to that rule. A tightly designed horror-survival game, Dead Space puts you on a spaceship overrun by enemies and expects you to survive. Great weapons, fun fighting, and a killer story make this the perfect sci-fi package. A classic from the moment it was released, the Dead Space franchise offers plenty of wonderful sci-fi adventures. If you dare that is.
11. NieR: Automata (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Who doesn't love to sword fight in heels?
NieR: Automata trailer
There are multiple endings to this game. Enough endings for about eleven different games. At times a 2d side-scroller, an open-world game, an isometric shooter, and a million other things, NieR: Automata is a visionary game. You’ll be wondering what comes next at every turn. It does a lot and does it all well. Wonderful storytelling and characters combine with great sci-fi aesthetics and combat to make a great game. Explore every single corner of this game to get the full effect.
10. Doom Eternal (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Mosh pits in hell are not that fun.
Doom Eternal trailer
Grab your super shotgun and get to shooting. Doom Eternal is the newest in the venerable Doom franchise, updating its classic shooter formula for modern consoles. You play as the Doom Slayer, moving between the sci-fi settings of Mars, Earth, and Hell. Along the way, you’ll fight hordes and hordes of demons. Fantastic weapon design, fun enemies, and fast-paced shooting all make this a must-play sci-fi game.
9. Titanfall 2 (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Real Steel, but good.
Titanfall 2 trailer
Giant robots traveling through time, immense construction warehouses, and beautiful alien landscapes? Does a sci-fi game really need anything else? Titanfall 2 has all that and more. This shooter, which is all about controlling a giant mech, has a wonderfully constructed single-player story that sees you exploring brand new worlds and chasing down a universe-threatening group of bad guys. Its real calling card however is its multiplayer, which is some of the best in the biz. A must-play.
8. Fallout 4 (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Amusement parks will exist, even in the apocalypse.
Fallout 4 trailer
Fallout 4 will teach you everything you need to know about building a compound after surviving a nuclear explosion. An open-world sci-fi RPG, Fallout 4 has you wandering across a post-apocalyptic Boston trying to find your family. Along the way, you can join rival gangs, kill mutants, and discover all sorts of new powers and weapons. Its massive skill tree means that you can make your character into whatever type of hero you want. You can talk or shoot your way out of almost every single encounter. A truly fascinating game for fans of sci-fi.
7. Destiny (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Just me and the boys bopping.
Destiny trailer
One of the biggest and best multiplayer shooters, Destiny lets players, and their friends, explore planets, the moon, and other extraterrestrial areas, all while shooting some of the coolest sci-fi weapons video games have ever dreamed up. This game is full of great raids, huge boss battles, and plenty of stuff to do. There’s also enough lore to fill a library’s worth of books. Get ready to sink plenty of hours into this game. You’ll be hooked in no time.
6. Borderlands 2 (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Where there's alien creatures, there's going to be guns.
Get on your diamond pony and head to Mad Moxxi’s bar for a drink. Be sure to bring your guns. All your guns. One of the best sci-fi looter-shooters out there, Borderlands 2 is one of the greatest games of all time. It’s fast-paced, stylish, comedic, and tells one hell of a story. Packed with memorable characters and lovingly realized settings, Borderlands 2 improves upon the formula of the first game. A great time for every fan of sci-fi.
5. Control (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
That's one powerful fastball.
Control trailer
Control is like if the Guggenheim came to life and designed a video game. A weird, spooky, sprawling, dense game that somehow fits perfectly together. Set in the near future, Control sees you exploring the “Oldest House,” a building that is a combination of futuristic tech and mysterious energies. A mind-trip of a sci-fi RPG, Control has some of the best level designs since Titanfall 2. Great characters, actually scary horror elements, and great combat make this a game worth buying.
4. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Star Wars: Homeward Bound more like.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order trailer
Who hasn’t wanted to swing a lightsaber around the galaxy, learning new and powerful Force manipulation techniques as time goes by? Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order lets you do just that. A Dark Souls-inspired game, the fighting in Fallen Order is top-notch, forcing you to recognize enemy movement patterns and weak spots. The game itself is beautifully designed, living up to the Star Wars name, and providing fantastic sci-fi worlds to play in. A wonderful game.
3. Halo Infinite (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Here Master Chief is doing his version of Hamlet
Halo: Infinite trailer
Master Chief. Need I say more? The newest installment in one of the OG sci-fi franchises, Halo Infinite holds up to the scrutiny that any new installment in this series receives. Free multiplayer means that even more people can play than before, making it a much richer experience, even for experienced gamers. Great open-world design brings a new flavor to the Halo world, a flavor that only enhances everything else around it. A blast to play.
2. Portal (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Portals on portals on portals on portals.
Portal trailer
This review is a lie. Portal spawned this meme, and a thousand others, on its way to the video game Hall of Fame. An all-time classic, Portal is a sci-fi puzzle game that sees you exploring a test site, trying to figure out if anything nefarious is going on. Ingenious puzzles, great dialogue, and some shocking twists all make this game a blast. Go and play it now if you haven’t yet, and replay it if you have.
1. Mass Effect 3 (PC / PS4 / XBOX)
Commander Shepard is really working that camera.
Mass Effect 3 trailer
Video games don’t usually make you cry, but Mass Effect 3 will have you bawling on your couch. The third in the original Mass Effect trilogy, Mass Effect 3 ties the main storyline together in ways that can be especially affecting for those who played through Mass Effect 1 and 2, importing their save files along the way. This game has it all, great gameplay, fantastic plot, and great character development. All of it set in a stunningly detailed and gorgeous sci-fi setting. Truly a masterpiece of a game.
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