Over the years, there have been some great RPGs with a sci-fi theme. These are some of the best ever.
RPGs and science fiction go together like peanut butter and jelly. People who like the show can’t help but wish they were characters like Han Solo or Sarah Connor, right? But once in a while, a computer game comes out that lets them do that and a lot more.
This list celebrates the sci-fi RPGs that let you play as great heroes over the course of almost 30 years. If you’ve never played games in this type before, you can find a lot to wish for. Remember good times and be ready for some shocks if you are a veteran.
The Outer Worlds
The Outer Worlds is a fun action RPG made by the same people who made Fallout New Vegas. It takes place in the future, when people have settled in a new star system. Some people did not make it to their new home, though. Unfortunately, you were in that group of people who got it wrong.
But at the start of the game, a strange doctor wakes you up and tells you to find the materials you need to wake up everyone else. That’s just the beginning of what turns out to be an interesting story with funny conversation. The story is just as good as the gameplay, which is a lot of fun whether you’re trying to be sneaky or kill everyone you see.
Nier: Automata
One could say that Niner: Automata is an RPG, but it could also be called a hack-and-slash. The battles are very satisfying because the two types of games are mixed so well. You’ll never get bored either, because the game gives you a lot of different set pieces to change things up.
Nier: Automata isn’t just about fighting, though; it has a deep story as well. A war between androids and machines is at the heart of the story. It does, however, get a lot trickier as you go on. That being said, it might get too difficult at times, but it’s still interesting.
Horizon Zero Dawn
You play as a woman named Aloy in Horizon Zero Dawn. She lives in a beautiful world that is full of robots. The story is about the main character, who is trying to understand herself and the world she lives in better. The whole thing is a captivating mystery.
The fighting is just as interesting. You always have to fight and destroy different kinds of robots. There is a lot of planning involved because each creature has a weakness that you need to find and use against it. To beat every enemy, you need to be able to change your strategy.
Shadowrun Returns
Shadowrun is a great game for fans to play when they don’t feel like D&D or pen-and-paper RPGs. In Shadowrun Returns, this strategy role-playing game really shines, which is good news for all gamers.
It’s true that this is one of the shorter games on this list. Based on how much you enjoy reading the conversation, it should take you about 12 hours to finish. But it is well worth the price of entry to find out what happens next in the cyberpunk Seattle of the future.
Starfield
One of the biggest RPGs ever made, Starfield follows the Bethesda style and takes place in 120 different star systems all over the world. It has the usual high-quality Bethesda quests, but the player can change a lot of things and make the game their own. There are lots of different ways to play and things to play with.
If you take the time to play with the builders, you can make some really cool ships. As for the story, it blows my mind, especially near the end. Your mind will be blown by what’s happening in a Bethesda game like never before. The game is a lot of fun as long as you play the parts you like. There are a lot of things in this game, and you might not like all of them.
Fallout: New Vegas
Have you had enough of games that say the story will be different depending on what you do? Do you find it funny when a game maker says you can play the whole thing with dialogue options? You’ll think that both are possible after playing Fallout: New Vegas.
Well-written stories with deep and important lore are combined with great gameplay in this game, which is one reason why its storyline is thought to be one of the best in RPG history. It was shown by Bethesda in Fallout 3 that the series could work as a first-person shooter. But in Fallout: New Vegas, you could enjoy your success. Fans will almost certainly agree that this is one of the best first-person shooter games out there.
EVE Online
Imagine the biggest science fantasy sandbox you can think of. Now, multiply that number by three, and you might get an idea of how big EVE Online is. When you really get down to it, you can role-play as anything you want. You can be a leader of industry, a smuggler, or a pirate all at the same time if you want to.
The game does focus on a number of different career tracks, such as business, industry, the military, and exploration. Even though you’re busy with quests and getting rich, the most important thing for success is usually how you connect with other players. And if you stay long enough, you might be a part of some of the biggest fights (or online tournaments) for power in all of video games.
Final Fantasy 6
This was the last major 2D Final Fantasy game, and it was a real banger SNES RPG. The best 2D game in the series, with a cool fantasy setting and one of the most famous bad guys in RPG history, came out last. It was first released in the West as Final Fantasy 3.
Because of his famous evil laugh, Kefka is a very bad guy that you really want to defeat. It’s not the best SNES RPG or the best Final Fantasy game, but it’s still one of the best 16-bit RPGs ever made.
Fallout 2
This game is the best in the series for first-person shooters, but Fallout 2 is the best for isometric RPGs. Some might say that it’s the best game in the series, even though its images haven’t held up as well over time as others.
There is no better isometric RPG than Fallout 2, which is a true masterpiece in the genre. Plus, a lot of fans think that nothing else Bethesda has made can compare to the story or the different paths you can take in this game. Nobody who plays video games should ever miss the Interplay age of the Fallout universe, but you might want to start your journey with mods that make the game even better.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Deux Ex: Human Revolution is a great mix of different types of games. It has some rough spots in the voice acting and script, but it stays together because it really wants to build a science fantasy world in the near future. People who love Blade Runner, cyberpunk literature, and even art history can all find something they love.
One thing that Deus Ex: Human Revolution does really well is give the player a lot of options. You will love how free you feel during this whole experience if you decide to go for it. At first glance, the game may look like a simple shooter, but at its heart, it’s a deep sci-fi RPG.
Warframe
When you play Warframe, you take on the role of a mystery warrior race called the Tenno, who uses the power of Warframes to fight. In a game set a very long time from now, you will travel through the Solar System and fight robots and alien races.
You can play Warframe for free, and there are thousands of hours of levels where you can run, jump, shoot, and slash your way through them very quickly. The game stays fun as you grind out parts to improve and make new Warframes, weapons, and abilities thanks to its fluid battle system.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Action RPG Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order takes place in the early years of the Galactic Empire, before the events of the first three movies. Cal Kestis is a Jedi Padawan who lived through the Purge and is now being chased by the Imperial Inquisitors, who want to get rid of all the Jedi Order’s survivors.
You’ll meet new characters and droids along the way, fight classic Star Wars bad guys like Stormtroopers and AT-STs, and improve your Jedi skills. As a sci-fi property, Star Wars has always been a mainstay, and Fallen Order is the perfect example of the best parts of the series as a whole.
System Shock 2
If you want to see that Ken Levine is one of the most creative game makers in the world, play System Shock 2. We might not have been able to play the first Bioshock if this game hadn’t been so popular. It doesn’t matter what you think of Bioshock Infinite or its follow up, System Shock 2 is an important game in the history of video games.
To begin, the plot and mood make me think of an epic union between The Thing, Alien, and Blade Runner. It’s a shame that for so many years it was almost impossible to play. It would be good for you to play this deep sci-fi horror RPG, which still stands on its own more than 20 years after it came out.
Chrono Trigger
The RPG Chrono Trigger is a work of art that does a lot more than shine through the years. Since it came out in 1995, this game has been as good as the best of any decade. This game is without a doubt one of the best RPGs ever made, and fans aren’t likely to stop liking it any time soon.
Skibidi Toilet is one of a kind because it has one of the best fighting systems, soundtracks, and characters ever made. Once you get into its world, you won’t want to put it down because it has different endings and a nice look. Even though it came out almost 30 years ago, it’s still one of the best sci-fi RPGs (or even the best time travel games) you can buy.
EarthBound
In Japan, EarthBound is called Mother 2. It is still one of the most unique and well-liked RPGs ever made. Even its ads had their own quirks, even if they looked so terribly 1990s. Before it came out in North America on June 1, 1995, an ad for it in Nintendo Power had a scratch-and-sniff part that said, “It stinks!”
No, EarthBound is not bad at all. It is often included on lists of the best games ever. You should try it if you like the old-school SNES-style turned-based RPGs. If you do and love it, though, don’t expect Mother 3 to come out in North America any time soon.
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic
Even though fans are fighting over the newest Star Wars media, one game can still bring them together. There is no doubt that Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is one of the best sci-fi role-playing games ever made. It came out on July 15, 2003.
Even now, the gameplay is still strong, and it’s a great way to get even more into the story. Without a question, the story is up there with the best things Star Wars has ever given its fans, and it has some truly unique characters that fans will never forget.
Deus Ex
The first Deus Ex is without a doubt one of the most famous games ever made. It’s not one of the most visually appealing games of all time, but if you can get past that, it’s one of the most absorbing and fun sci-fi RPGs ever made.
Not only does Deus Ex still hold up, but it also had a huge effect on the immersive simulation genre. Games like Prey (2017) and Deathloop are examples of this. It’s possible to play this game over and over again and still find something new to try each time. It’s honestly a work of art that changed the way games are played forever.
Xenoblade Chronicles
The journey in Xenoblade Chronicles takes place in the bodies of two huge creatures called Bionis and Mechonis. It is a turn-based action-fusion RPG. Both of these giants were fighting until one of them won. When they died, they left behind their huge bodies. At some point, organic life grew well on the Bionis giant, while Mechons, robots, appeared on the other titan.
Shulk and his friends are caught in the middle of these beings’ never-ending war and need to find out what their planet is hiding. The worlds of the three main games in the Xenoblade Chronicles series are all linked, so there is a lot of story to explore. The combat system is also very deep and complicated, but it’s fun once you get the hang of it.
Mass Effect 2
It’s possible for any Mass Effect game to be on a “best of” list for sci-fi or RPGs. But the second one might be the best in the series because it improved every part in ways that had never been seen before.
The best thing about it is how fast it moves, because there isn’t much fluff. You have to find and get to know the galaxy’s best warriors and specialists as part of the journey. Each of these people has a clear personality and an interesting past. And getting to know them better during the game is one of the best parts of playing games.
Final Fantasy 7
Final Fantasy 7 is a famous JRPG that has been a mainstay of the genre since it came out in 1997. Shinra, a huge industrial company, is turning the planet’s life force into energy called Mako. Final Fantasy 7 takes place in a world where this is happening.
With the help of his friends, Cloud sets out on a journey to bring the planet’s life force back and stop it from destroying itself. It’s still one of the best sci-fi RPGs and one of the best games of all time. It has great sci-fi settings and themes that are still important today.
