April 12 marks Cosmonautics Day - on this day, in 1961, Yuri Gagarin first went into space. In honor of this event, we have prepared a list of games that will allow you to feel like an explorer and arbiter of destinies in the endless expanses of the Universe.
Games About Exploration and Development in Space
EVE Online
A space MMO with a world where everything is decided by the players. EVE Online has only one giant server with tens of thousands of users, and you are one of them. Your decisions here can affect the economy, politics, or the outcome of a huge war.
In this game, everyone can become anyone, playing alone. You can be a peaceful miner and quietly mine ore, earning millions from it. Or a cunning merchant who manipulates the market in their own interests. Or a desperate pirate blocking entire regions, collecting tribute. There are a huge number of options.
But the real strength of the project is social connections, as you can join an alliance and change the map of the galaxy. Therefore, EVE Online is often called an "Excel spreadsheet simulator": player interactions here create a lot of variables that affect the life of the server, which are difficult but interesting to follow.
Space Engineers
A simulator of a construction engineer in open space, where you create everything with your own hands. The game combines realistic physics, survival, and creativity. Here you can create various objects: from simple flying platforms to huge space stations, planetary bases, and giant warships.
The project is well-suited for solo players, but it is best revealed when playing with friends. Together you can build huge joint colonies, fight each other, arrange engineering competitions, or simply survive in the same world.
Space Engineers is often called one of the deepest and most free-form construction sandboxes. Here, destruction and creation feel incredibly realistic, and the possibilities are limited only by your imagination and the power of the gaming device.
Star Citizen
The Cloud Imperium Games project is famous for immersing the player in a universe with a detailed world, where every action you take leaves a mark. And all elements — from ships and spacesuits to planets and stations — are perfectly designed both externally and from a physics point of view.
Star Citizen features three hand-crafted star systems, and the emphasis is on immersive first-person immersion. For example, when piloting a ship, you can press various levers and buttons on the control panel. Also in the game you need to eat and drink, manually repair the ship and interact with other players. And the combat system allows you to conduct shootouts inside stations, board ships, fight on the surface of planets and in outer space.
The game is already considered one of the most beautiful and technologically advanced in the genre, although it is still in alpha.
Elite Dangerous
A space multiplayer pilot simulator where the Milky Way galaxy is represented on a 1:1 scale. The game world has about 400 billion star systems created according to real astronomical data and principles. This virtual universe is so huge that players have explored less than 0.07% of it in all the years.
There is no single plot in the game — you decide who to be and what to do in this endless space. The gameplay here is not so much cruel as it is simulated. For example, PvP is mostly voluntary, and even in defeat you will only have to pay a small insurance fee upon rebirth — you will not lose your ship forever.
Fans call Elite Dangerous one of the most beautiful and atmospheric space simulators. Many players unite not only to fight between factions, but also to explore this huge world together and enjoy freedom.
Space Rangers HD: A War Apart
A re-release of the cult space adventure from Russian developers from Elemental Games. The game combines several genres at once: an open world with non-linear exploration of the galaxy, trade, shootouts in space, turn-based battles on planets and a bunch of quests with humor and references.
The protagonist is an ordinary ranger, and you will have to fight against the Dominators — self-reproducing combat robots that want to destroy all organic life. In A War Apart, the original story has expanded with a large storyline about pirates. Under the leadership of a mysterious leader, they are playing their own game while the coalition is busy with more important matters.
The project is loved for its complete freedom, allowing you to play the way you want. They praise the absurd quests with deep satire, and the gameplay, because it is never boring here, and each new game feels different due to the procedural generation of the galaxy. This is a mixture of a fun space adventure and a tough struggle for the survival of civilizations.
No Man's Sky
The game from the British studio Hello Games immerses you in a seamless universe consisting of 18 quintillion procedurally generated planets. This is a reference space sandbox, where each world is unique and created at the time of exploration: from the shape of continents and terrain to flora, fauna, weather, gravity and even music.
No Man's Sky gives the player a huge layer of opportunities for exploration, construction, battles, customization and just life in this virtual world. You can play alone, exploring the world at a calm pace, or go on adventures with friends in a cooperative.
This year the project turns ten years old, but the developers continue to actively support it, releasing major free updates. No Man's Sky is constantly receiving nominations for the best support, and recently they added their own analogue of "Pokemon" there. Who knows what else Sean Murray and his team will come up with in the future.
Story Games
Starfield
A role-playing game that sends the player into the future, where humanity has settled throughout the galaxy. The world of Starfield is very rich: the player has access to hundreds of planets to explore — from our Solar System to distant constellations and dangerous extreme planets thousands of light years away from it. You can land on almost every celestial body, explore, build your own outpost for mining or find buildings of other astronauts.
But the main feature of the project is the narrative. As in other Bethesda games, Starfield has several factions, the storylines of which are fascinating and give a storm of emotions. There are also world quests that delight with their stories and creative presentation. There are questions about the main plot, but it cannot be called frankly bad — it is attractive in its own way.
The game was recently released on PS5 and received a second major DLC, adding a lot of new content. Starfield allows you to immerse yourself in the world of the future without embellishment, as we will see it in a few hundred years, and become a conqueror of space.
Star Trek Online
A space MMO in the Star Trek universe allows you to take on the role of captain of your own starship in different time periods — from the original series to Star Trek: Discovery.
This is a story-oriented game in which hundreds of missions, large-scale crossovers with TV series and films, as well as meetings with famous heroes of the franchise are available. You have to explore familiar and new star systems, fight the Borg, the Dominion and other threats, as well as carry out diplomatic and research missions.
The game world is a reflection of the entire Star Trek: recognizable locations, stations, planets and ships. The space combat system focuses on tactical ship management with energy distribution, crew abilities and various builds. On the surface, you can also fight in dynamic shootouts with phasers and officer skills. The game is perfect for both long-time fans of the franchise and those who just want to get acquainted with it.
Mass Effect Trilogy
The trilogy from BioWare tells the story of Commander Shepard, who assembles a team and goes on an adventure to unravel the fate of humanity. The action takes place in the XXIII–XXIV centuries in a world where people have just entered the space arena and encountered other races, political intrigues, ancient technologies and the horror that awakens every 50,000 years.
Mass Effect is an RPG where every choice matters. The player's decisions are reflected in your companions and relationships with them, as well as in the entire galaxy. All three games have one big story, which must be completed sequentially, and saves are transferred from part to part, remembering your choices and adding weight to them.
Today, it is very convenient to get acquainted with the series thanks to the Legendary Edition. It has absorbed all three games with improved graphics, modern controls, all DLCs and a bunch of minor fixes.
Outer Wilds
The game from Mobius Digital is a treasure trove of mysteries in a miniature solar system stuck in an endless 22-minute cycle. Each time it ends with the star exploding into a supernova, and you wake up by the fire on your home planet, but with new knowledge about what happened.
Under the control of the player is an astronaut from the newly created Outer Wilds Ventures space program. You must explore the constantly changing Solar System, unravel the secrets of the ancient Nomai civilization, find their ruins, records and technologies. All this is necessary in order to answer many questions: "Why has time looped?", "Who built these incredible structures?", "What is hidden in the heart of the sinister Black Thistle?", as well as "Is it possible to stop the end of the world?".
The game is completely non-linear and built only on the player's knowledge. There are no levels, loot, experience or ship upgrades here. The only value is the information you collect bit by bit. Each flight into space, landing on a planet and reading ancient inscriptions bring you closer to solving a huge space puzzle.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
A large-scale CRPG in the Warhammer 40,000 universe makes you a free trader with almost unlimited power. The Emperor has granted the player the right to explore, conquer and exploit a dangerous and little-studied region of space called the Koronus Expanse. To do this, you have your own huge ship, an entire flotilla and the opportunity to act on behalf of the Imperium of Mankind... Or in your own interests.
This is a story game with hundreds of thousands of words of dialogue and deep choices that affect companions, colonies, faction reputation and the fate of entire worlds. The player is accompanied by his retinue of bright characters — from a fanatical Sister of Battle, sanctioned psykers and imperial officers, to heretics, chaosites and even xenos. Everyone has their own story, motives and at any moment can change their attitude towards you depending on your actions.
The project is very atmospheric: dark humor, imperial propaganda, religious fanaticism, betrayals, horrors of the warp — this is the best entry into the universe if you are not familiar with it. The game perfectly conveys the epicness and pathos of Warhammer 40,000, throwing you into the meat grinder of the 41st millennium. It's the perfect way to plunge into the world of "a dark and gloomy future in which there is only war".
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Duology
The action of the legendary RPG duology based on "Star Wars" takes place several thousand years before the events of the films — in the era of the Old Republic, when the Jedi and Sith waged large-scale wars.
The first part was released in 2003. Its plot develops after the Mandalorian wars, when a new threat loomed over the galaxy. Former Jedi Darth Revan and his apprentice Darth Malak, at the head of a huge Sith fleet, have already captured several worlds and now want to destroy the Republic.
The sequel was released in 2004. It turned out to be more gloomy, philosophical and "adult" — Chris Avellone was responsible for the script. The plot starts five years after the original, and you play as the Exile — a former Jedi cut off from the Force. The sequel has less epicness and more philosophical questions.
Both games allow you to choose one of two sides: Jedi or Sith. Or try to maintain balance.
Everspace Duology
Two dynamic single-player space shooters combine fast arcade space battles, exploration, as well as RPG elements and procedural generation.
The first part was released in 2017. The main character is Adam — a clone who is trying to get out of a dangerous zone and reveal the secret of his origin. Before us is a roguelite, where each run is a new flight through a randomly generated space sector. It is full of enemies, asteroids, stations and treasures. The game is short, but very replayable. Each playthrough takes 30–60 minutes, and a complete playthrough will take about 10–15 hours.
The second game was released in 2023 and has expanded significantly. The developers abandoned the "roguelike" in favor of action-RPG with a hand-crafted world, a large amount of loot, a better story and deep exploration. You play as Adam again, only now he has a team of companions and an old desire: to earn enough money to finally escape. To do this, you have several star systems available and the ability to land on planets.
Star Wars: Empire at War
A real-time strategy in the universe of the "far, far away galaxy", where you wage a full-scale war between the Empire and the Rebels. You have at your service an extensive set of equipment and famous heroes from both sides: Darth Vader, the Emperor, Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca and many others.
The game has a strategic map where you: capture planets, manage the economy, build fleets and armies, and decide where to strike next. Resources come automatically from captured planets, and each region gives its own bonuses. There are also tactical battles in which opponents meet in space or land on a planet, and you personally control the troops in real time.
The Forces of Corruption add-on adds a third faction to the game — a criminal syndicate that plays by its own rules. They use bribery, sabotage, piracy, kidnapping and corruption on planets, which allows them to receive income even from enemy worlds without completely capturing them. Empire at War remains popular and in demand even today, 20 years after its release.
The Outer Worlds 2
The action of the indirect sequel to the action-RPG from Obsidian Entertainment takes place in the new Arcadia star system. You play as an agent of the Earth Directorate sent to investigate mysterious space-time rifts that threaten the entire galaxy.
The Outer Worlds 2 is a black satire on corporations, religion, colonialism and propaganda with the developers' signature humor. Your decisions affect the plot, factions, companions and ending. Here you can recruit a team of space adventurers and build relationships: betray, help or just blow everyone up. There is a lot of interesting things in the game, and the project allows you to go on adventures at your own pace.
The gameplay is an action-RPG with dynamic and varied shootouts. You can choose your own style of passing and use a variety of techniques. There is also an improved skill system, and choices in dialogues can change your entire playthrough in the most fun way.
Star Trek: Resurgence
An adventure game in the Star Trek universe from Dramatic Labs. The plot unfolds in 2380 — a few years after the events of the film Star Trek: Nemesis. And the story continues one of the episodes of the series The Next Generation.
You will have to play as two characters at once on board the research ship USS Resolute: the new first officer Jaru Rydek and the engineer from the lower decks Carter Diaz. As Jaru, the player will have to make fateful decisions that determine the course of the global plot, and as Carter, solve technical issues and fight.
Even though the game was made by natives of Telltale Games, Star Trek: Resurgence is not just an interactive movie with choices. There is also gameplay in the game: shootouts, exploration with a tricorder, small puzzles and flights on a shuttle. The project has absorbed the best of the old and new vision of the franchise: there are a lot of difficult moral choices and epic moments here. And you don't have to be a fan of the universe to love this game.
Games that have not yet been released, but we are waiting for them:
Squadron 42
A stand-alone single-player story campaign in the Star Citizen universe. The project is conceived as a cinematic space simulator with a narrative — the heir to Wing Commander, an old game by Chris Roberts. Many famous actors took part in the work on Squadron 42, and it will be possible to complete the story in about 40 hours.
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn
The future Action-RPG based on the "Expanse" franchise will take us to the harsh, realistic and politicized space of the XXIV century, where Earth, Mars and Belters are balancing on the brink of war. You will have to play as a mercenary who decided to spend his vacation on the asteroid Eros, but everything went wrong. You will need to assemble a team, capture your own ship and try to survive, leaving your mark on this ruthless world.
PRAGMATA
The game will unfold in the near future at a lunar research station, where a hostile AI has seized power. Only astronaut Hugh and the android girl Diana survived, and now they will have to fight shoulder to shoulder to get out. While one holds the defense and shoots, the second hacks enemies in real time.
EXODUS
The project will send us to the distant future, when Earth has died, and humanity has fled to another galaxy and is now trying to survive in a war with the Celestials. You will have to explore huge worlds and make decisions that affect several generations due to the effect of slowing down time during interstellar flights. For example, you can make loved ones old or erase them from history altogether.
Directive 8020
A dark horror sending you to a world where Earth is dying and humanity is desperately fleeing. But the colonial ship Cassiopeia crashes on a distant exoplanet 12 light years from home, where a foreign organism is hunting the crew. It is able to perfectly imitate its prey, and the player will have to decide: who to trust, who to save, and who to leave to certain death. Any mistake can kill the entire crew. Survive, hide, fight and try to get out, until paranoia and horror engulf the entire ship.
Breathedge 2
A new ironic retro-futuristic game about survival in space will again send the "Man" on a suicidal mission to distant space with a lot of dangers and an atmosphere of deep absurdity. You will have to collect garbage, create gadgets from it, manage a ship and an eccentric team, and take care of an immortal chicken. The main thing is not to go crazy while fighting an evil corporation.
Aphelion
By 2060, Earth becomes uninhabitable, and humanity places its last hopes on the planet Persephone — a cold, unexplored world on the edge of the Solar System. A space expedition was sent there, but it crashed, and two astronauts — Ariana and Thomas — found themselves in an icy trap. They have to fight for survival, explore dangerous landscapes and hide from a mysterious creature that is hunting them.
Starfield
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
