15 Best Sci-Fi Games to Play in 2026

The best sci-fi games right now range from galaxy-spanning RPGs to tight, tense horror. For a complete story, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is still the best science fiction saga in gaming. Outer Wilds is the best sci-fi mystery ever made, and Cyberpunk 2077 is the best futuristic open world. 2026 has also been a strong year for the genre, with Halo: Campaign Evolved, Pragmata, Saros and Star Wars Zero Company all arriving, plus Starfield finally reaching PS5.

Below are 15 of the best sci-fi games to play in 2026, mixing modern classics with this year’s standout releases. Each entry lists platforms, genre and who it suits, followed by a comparison table, a look at what is coming next, and a short guide to picking the right kind of sci-fi game. Some links on this page are affiliate links, so we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you.

Quick Picks

• Best sci-fi story: Mass Effect Legendary Edition
• Best sci-fi mystery: Outer Wilds
• Best open world: Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition
• Best space exploration: No Man’s Sky
• Best 2026 shooter: Halo: Campaign Evolved
• Best 2026 action game: Pragmata
• Best 2026 strategy game: Star Wars Zero Company
• Best sci-fi horror: Alien: Isolation
• Best on Nintendo: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Best Sci-Fi Games Compared

1. Mass Effect Legendary Edition: Best Sci-Fi Story

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One (playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S) | Genre: Action RPG | Release: 2021

Mass Effect (Legendary Edition) - For Xbox Series X

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BioWare’s trilogy is the closest gaming has come to a great sci-fi TV series. As Commander Shepard, you build a crew, travel the galaxy and face an ancient threat, while choices made in the first game carry into the third. The companions are the heart of it, and their loyalty missions are some of the best character writing in games.

The Legendary Edition remasters all three games with almost all DLC, improved visuals and a reworked first game that feels much better to play. It remains the best way to experience the series.

Best for: players who want story, choices and memorable characters. Skip if: you want a modern open world.

2. Outer Wilds: Best Sci-Fi Mystery

Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch | Genre: Exploration mystery | Release: 2019

Outer Wilds: Archaeologist Edition - PS5

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Outer Wilds puts you in a small solar system caught in a 22-minute time loop that ends with the sun going supernova. There are no upgrades. The only thing you keep between loops is knowledge, and the entire game is about piecing together what happened to an ancient alien race.

It is best played knowing as little as possible. The Archaeologist Edition includes the Echoes of the Eye expansion, which adds a new, darker mystery.

Best for: curious players who love “aha” moments. Skip if: you need clear objectives and combat.

3. Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition: Best Sci-Fi Open World

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2 | Genre: Open-world RPG | Release: 2020 (Ultimate Edition 2023)

BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition (Xbox Series X)

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After a rough launch, Cyberpunk 2077 became one of the best open-world RPGs of its generation. Night City is a dense, vertical city full of gangs, corporations and side stories, and you play V, a mercenary with an AI construct of a dead rocker in their head.

The Ultimate Edition includes the Phantom Liberty spy-thriller expansion and the 2.0 update, which rebuilt skills, police and vehicle combat. A Switch 2 version arrived in 2025.

Best for: fans of cyberpunk fiction and big RPGs. Skip if: you want a light, quick game.

4. Starfield: Best Bethesda-Style Space RPG

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5 | Genre: Space RPG | Release: 2023 (PS5 April 2026)

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Bethesda’s space RPG lets you build ships, join factions and explore more than a thousand planets. It is at its best in its faction storylines and hand-built locations, which feel like classic Bethesda quests in a NASA-punk future.

Starfield reached PS5 in April 2026, alongside a large free update for all platforms that added deeper space travel and more customisation. The Premium Edition bundles the Shattered Space and Terran Armada expansions.

Best for: players who love making their own story in an RPG sandbox. Skip if: you dislike loading screens and procedural planets.

5. No Man’s Sky: Best Space Exploration

Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch | Genre: Space survival exploration | Release: 2016

No Man's Sky - PlayStation 5

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No Man’s Sky has one of gaming’s great comeback stories. Years of free updates turned a thin launch into a huge game with base building, freighters, multiplayer, settlements and expeditions. You can still land on any planet in a nearly endless universe and fly away without a loading screen.

It suits players who want a relaxing, self-directed game they can return to for years.

Best for: explorers and builders. Skip if: you want a strong narrative.

6. Halo: Campaign Evolved: Best 2026 Sci-Fi Shooter

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S | Genre: First-person shooter | Release: July 2026

Halo: Campaign Evolved – Standard Edition – PlayStation®5

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Halo: Campaign Evolved remakes the campaign of Halo: Combat Evolved in Unreal Engine 5 and adds three new prequel missions. It is also the first mainline Halo game on PlayStation, released the same day on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Four-player online co-op works across all platforms with cross-play and cross-progression, and the standard edition launched below the usual full price for big releases. It is the best way for a new generation to see why the original was such a big deal.

Best for: co-op players and anyone new to Halo. Skip if: you want multiplayer; this is campaign only.

7. Pragmata: Best 2026 Sci-Fi Action Game

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2 | Genre: Action adventure | Release: April 2026

PRAGMATA - PlayStation 5

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Capcom’s new series spent years in development before finally launching in April 2026. You play astronaut Hugh Williams, stranded on a lunar research station with an android girl named Diana. The station’s AI is hostile, and the two must work together to get back to Earth.

Combat combines Hugh’s shooting with Diana’s hacking, which creates a fresh rhythm compared with typical shooters. It is an original new world from one of gaming’s most reliable studios.

Best for: action fans who want something new. Skip if: you only want open worlds.

8. Saros: Best Roguelike Shooter of 2026

Platforms: PS5 | Genre: Roguelike third-person shooter | Release: April 2026

SAROS PS5

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Saros is Housemarque’s follow-up to Returnal. You play Arjun Devraj, an enforcer investigating a lost colony on the alien planet Carcosa, in a mix of bullet-hell patterns, third-person shooting and roguelike structure.

It has a larger world than Returnal and more approachable difficulty options, with eight biomes and eight boss fights. A free update called Zenith, with new modes and leaderboards, is planned for later in 2026.

Best for: skilled action players with a PS5. Skip if: you dislike repeating runs.

9. Star Wars Zero Company: Best Sci-Fi Strategy of 2026

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S | Genre: Turn-based tactics | Release: August 2026

Star Wars Zero Company | Sony PlayStation 5 | Disc | English

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Bit Reactor, a studio with several former XCOM developers, worked with Respawn and Lucasfilm Games on this single-player tactics game set near the end of the Clone Wars. You lead Zero Company, a squad of clones, mercenaries and misfits under Tesh Hawks, through turn-based missions.

It is one of the few big Star Wars games built around strategy, and it gives XCOM fans a reason to visit a galaxy far, far away.

Best for: tactics fans and Star Wars fans. Skip if: you want real-time action.

10. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond: Best Sci-Fi Game on Nintendo

Platforms: Switch, Switch 2 | Genre: First-person action adventure | Release: December 2025

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

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After a very long wait, Samus returned in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Stranded on an unfamiliar planet, she gains new psychic abilities and a bike-like vehicle for crossing the open terrain that links the game’s regions. The game is sold as a Switch version and a Switch 2 Edition, which is built to take advantage of the newer console’s extra power.

It keeps the series’ blend of isolation, scanning lore and exploration-driven upgrades.

Best for: Nintendo players and fans of atmospheric exploration. Skip if: you dislike backtracking.

11. The Outer Worlds 2: Best Sci-Fi Satire

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S | Genre: RPG | Release: October 2025

The Outer Worlds 2 – Standard Edition – PlayStation 5

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Obsidian’s sequel moves to a new colony and doubles down on corporate satire, sharp dialogue and choice-driven quests. Character building is deeper than in the first game, and the flaws system rewards you for accepting a weakness in exchange for a bonus.

It is a good alternative to Starfield for players who prefer smaller, denser worlds and more humour.

Best for: RPG fans who like humour and choices. Skip if: you want a serious tone.

12. Dead Space: Best Sci-Fi Action Horror

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S | Genre: Survival horror | Release: 2023 (remake)

Dead Space - Xbox Series X

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Motive’s remake of the 2008 classic puts engineer Isaac Clarke aboard the mining ship USG Ishimura, now overrun by necromorphs. You fight by cutting off limbs with improvised mining tools, and the ship is now one connected space with no loading screens.

The remake adds a voiced Isaac, expanded story and smarter design, and it is the best version of a sci-fi horror icon.

Best for: horror fans who want to fight back. Skip if: gore bothers you.

13. Alien: Isolation: Best Sci-Fi Survival Horror

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, mobile | Genre: Survival horror | Release: 2014

Alien: Isolation - PlayStation 4 Standard Edition

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Creative Assembly’s game captures Ridley Scott’s 1979 film better than any other Alien game. As Amanda Ripley, you explore the Sevastopol station while a single, unkillable Xenomorph hunts you. You hide, listen and improvise, and the alien’s AI makes every encounter unpredictable.

A sequel was shown at Summer Game Fest 2026, which makes now a perfect time to catch up.

Best for: anyone who loves being scared. Skip if: you want action; you cannot fight the alien.

14. Returnal: Best Atmospheric Roguelike

Platforms: PS5, PC | Genre: Roguelike third-person shooter | Release: 2021 (PC 2023)

Returnal - PlayStation 5

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Before Saros, Housemarque made Returnal. Astronaut Selene crash-lands on the shifting planet Atropos and is caught in a loop of death and rebirth. The story is told in fragments and leans into psychological horror, while combat is fast, hard and beautiful.

Many players see it as the darker, harder sibling of Saros.

Best for: players who enjoy challenge and mystery. Skip if: you dislike losing progress.

15. NieR: Automata: Best Philosophical Sci-Fi

Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch | Genre: Action RPG | Release: 2017

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In a far future where machines have overrun Earth, androids 2B and 9S fight on humanity’s behalf. Yoko Taro’s story asks what it means to be alive, and its multiple playthroughs reveal new perspectives that change how you see everything before.

The PlatinumGames combat is fast and stylish, and the soundtrack is among the best ever written for a game.

Best for: players who like their sci-fi strange and thoughtful. Skip if: you dislike replaying content.

Also Worth a Look

• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach: Kojima’s sci-fi journey across Mexico and Australia, on PS5 and PC.
• Stellar Blade: post-apocalyptic action with stylish combat, on PS5, PC and Switch 2.
• Prey (2017): an immersive sim on a space station where any object could be an alien.
• Marathon: Bungie’s sci-fi extraction shooter, released in 2026.

Upcoming Sci-Fi Games to Watch

Several big sci-fi games were shown at Summer Game Fest 2026 and are still on the way, including a sequel to Alien: Isolation, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, Exodus and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV. Release dates for these can change, so check publisher announcements before planning a purchase.

How We Chose These Games

This list is research-based. We compared the games that appear most often across major “best sci-fi games” lists from gaming publications, added 2025 and 2026 releases with strong critical reception, and checked each one for three things: a science fiction setting that drives the experience, lasting quality, and current availability. We aimed to cover every major sci-fi sub-genre (RPG, shooter, horror, strategy and exploration) and every major platform, so there is at least one strong pick for PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo players. Release dates and platforms were confirmed through publisher announcements and platform stores.

How to Pick the Right Sci-Fi Game

Story first

Choose Mass Effect Legendary Edition, Cyberpunk 2077 or NieR: Automata. All three are known for writing and characters as much as gameplay.

Exploration first

Outer Wilds, No Man’s Sky and Starfield reward curiosity. Outer Wilds is a focused mystery; the other two are open-ended sandboxes.

Action first

Halo: Campaign Evolved, Pragmata, Saros and Returnal deliver the best sci-fi combat right now.

Horror

Alien: Isolation is all about hiding, while Dead Space lets you fight back.

Strategy

Star Wars Zero Company is the standout new choice for turn-based fans.

FAQ

What is the best sci-fi game of all time?

Mass Effect is the most common answer, thanks to its trilogy-spanning story and companions. Other strong contenders include Outer Wilds, Half-Life 2, Metroid Prime and Halo: Combat Evolved, depending on whether you value story, exploration or action.

What are the best sci-fi games of 2026?

Halo: Campaign Evolved, Pragmata, Saros and Star Wars Zero Company are the most praised sci-fi releases of 2026 so far. Starfield’s PS5 release and Death Stranding 2’s PC version also brought major sci-fi games to new players this year.

What is the best sci-fi game on PS5?

For PS5 owners, Saros and Returnal are standout exclusives, while Cyberpunk 2077, Halo: Campaign Evolved, Starfield and Dead Space are also excellent there. Mass Effect Legendary Edition plays on PS5 through backward compatibility.

What is the best sci-fi game on Switch 2?

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is the top pick, followed by Cyberpunk 2077 and Pragmata, which both have Switch 2 versions. Outer Wilds and No Man’s Sky are also playable on Nintendo hardware.

Is Starfield on PS5?

Yes. Starfield launched on PS5 on April 7, 2026, with DualSense support and PS5 Pro modes. A large free update released at the same time on all platforms, and the Premium Edition includes both expansions.

Is there a good sci-fi game for beginners?

No Man’s Sky and Halo: Campaign Evolved are easy to pick up, and Outer Wilds needs no combat skill at all. For a story-focused start, Mass Effect Legendary Edition has adjustable difficulty and a gentle opening.

Which Sci-Fi Game Should You Play?

If you want the best story, play Mass Effect Legendary Edition. If you want a mystery that stays with you, play Outer Wilds. For a huge world, choose Cyberpunk 2077 or Starfield. If you want something from 2026, Halo: Campaign Evolved is the best co-op pick, Pragmata is the freshest action game, Saros is the PS5 standout, and Star Wars Zero Company is a must for strategy fans. Nintendo players should start with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

Last updated: October 2026