15+ Best Space Games to Play in 2024: Aliens & Spaceships

Shooting for the stars, trekking through vacant worlds, and playing god with civilizations make galactic exploration one of the most exciting things to experience in the best space games in 2024. The universe is wide and ever-expanding, but we’ve done the hard work mining the gems.

From titles set ‘in a galaxy far, far away’ to shipbuilder timesinks, we’ve charted a path to find the top 15 best space games.

Whether you’re an Xbox or PS5 console player or a PC gamer, there are plenty of options for different platforms. Let’s hope we don’t run into a Xenomorph; the fun’s just getting started.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Best Space Games to Play in 2024
3. More of the Best Space Games to Play in 2024
4. The Bottom Line
5. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Best Space Games to Play in 2024
3. More of the Best Space Games to Play in 2024
Show Full Guide
4. The Bottom Line
5. References

Best Space Games to Play in 2024

15. Star Trek Fleet Command

Star Trek Fleet Command, which has long been one of the best space mobile games, got a PC direct download release in 2021 thanks to Scopely’s cross-platform strategy. The 4X strategy game is massively popular and boasts a passionate community of players. In it, you can explore and conquer a growing multiverse.

It was originally based on the Kelvin Timeline from the Star Trek movies but has since expanded to include content from The Next Generation, Discovery, and more. If you like oscillating between platforms, you’ll also be glad to hear Fleet Command features cross-progression between PC and mobile.

14. The Outer Worlds

This is an action-forward RPG set in a retro-futuristic universe. It features the classic RPG hooks: freedom to explore planets, an array of diverse characters, and decisions that shape the narrative. Given the different paths open to you, this is another game with replay value.

Some stand-out elements are its witty dialogue, humor, and solid combat. Upgrading your skillset and defining your character is also key, as you encounter pirates and strange creatures while getting closer to a cosmic mystery. The Outer Worlds also has an upgraded PlayStation edition, so it’s one of the best space games on PS5 if that’s your preferred device.

13. Starfield

Starfield’s hype train may have left its initial launch a little underwhelming, but this open-world (or more accurately, open-worlds) RPG has been tended to since its 2023 release. It’s now one of the best space games on Xbox, with a healthy mix of grounded combat, space flight, and RPG mechanics like a solid character creator.

If Bethesda’s ambitious, if not slightly unpolished, adventures call out to you, Starfield is a fine addition to your shelf next to Fallout. Explore a selection of unique worlds, devote yourself to a cause, or become your best Han Solo as you upgrade your ship and take on missions.

12. Star Wars: Squadrons

Squadrons is one of the best space flight games. It places you in the cockpit of iconic Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire starfighters from Star Wars, has a compelling single-player campaign, and a robust multiplayer mode with great combat. The immersive visuals and sound design make it a joy to sink into, even if you’re dogfighting for your life.

Its focus on authentic space combat sets it apart, with tight controls and strategic depth to the battles. There’s a VR version, too, which is a whole other experience as you fight from the pilot’s perspective.

11. Eve Online

EVE Online is the perfect game for massive PvP and PvE battles, material mining, and a booming player economy. The space MMO is infinitely growing and features regular updates despite first being released in 2010.

The fact it’s one of the best free space games makes it even easier to recommend. But if that’s not enough, it’ll entice you with its countless paths, immense combat scale, and always expanding sandbox. If war strategy paired with rich lore is your bag, there’s no reason not to give Eve’s open sci-fi world a shot. The welcoming community is a bonus, too.

10. Outer Wilds

Annapurna Interactive is one of the most unique game publishers. It makes sense Annapurna, teaming with developer Mobius Digital, is responsible for one of the most distinctive titles.

Outer Wilds is a mystery about a solar system stuck in a time loop. Atmospheric locations, lore embedded in environments, and numerous mysteries to be solved make Outer Wilds one of the best space exploration games. This is the ticket if you’re less interested in looting and shooting and more in unraveling the universe’s questions. Don’t take our word for it; most of the over 60,000 Steam reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

9. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

Like LEGO? Like Star Wars? Rediscover all nine of the Skywalker Saga movies in one bundled game It has over 300 playable characters, more than 100 vehicles, and 23 planets built brick by brick. Whether doing pod races or attacking droid ships, the varied gameplay keeps things fresh — even if you’ve played some or all of it before.

LEGO adventures are fantastic for tongue-in-cheek takes on franchises we know and love, but don’t get it twisted, the puzzles and level design are not walks in the park. They’re particularly well-suited for small-scale co-op, making The Skywalker Saga one of the best multiplayer space games.

8. Kerbal Space Program

Kerbal Space Program is one of the best space simulation games. The wacky physics-based adventure invites players to design, build, and launch spacecraft to explore the galaxy. You control everything from rocket design to mission execution, making unsuccessful attempts fun and educational. The sandbox mode is super creative, while the career mode is more strategy-based.

In all honestly, it’s rather addictive. The lighthearted tone and humor make it easy to pick up for a quick 15-minute session when you’re not in the mood for something headier or taxing. And the sense of accomplishment when you get a launch right isn’t bad, either.

7. Star Traders: Frontiers

Star Traders: Frontiers is a charming RPG that sees you captain a spaceship in a dynamic open world. It offers a healthy mix of exploration, turn-based combat, and trading. There’s loads of player freedom in shaping your experience, too. So whether you dream of being a space pirate, merchant, bounty hunter, or diplomat, no two playthroughs are the same.

One of the best online space games, it’s got lots of replayability value if that’s important to you. The combat is tactical and challenging, meaning it’s not just the RPG elements that feel fresh when returned. The retro aesthetic complements everything beautifully, too.

6. Mass Effect

One of the best space games in 2024 despite its age, Mass Effect introduced us to Commander Shepard, who leads an elite squad on a heroic and self-sacrificing mission against an ancient enemy.

From its commitment to romance to the ahead-of-its-time diverse array of aliens you can flirt with, Mass Effect is catnip for RPG fans. The combat and cinematics are clunky (even in the Legendary Edition, which is the greatest way to experience these games), but the endearing elements outweigh the flaws by a wide margin. While later entries are more polished, there’s lovable nostalgia here and it’s accessible for new players.

5. Dead Space (2023)

We can’t talk about the best space games without mentioning the atmospheric, dripping with dread Dead Space. Though the sequels have their merits, the first Dead Space got a 2023 remake worthy of the top spot on the ranking. The remake polishes the sound, gameplay, and visuals, but the core experience is intact.

You’re Isaac Clarke, an engineer sent on a repair job in deep space. The problem is that the mining ship you board hosts an ominous artifact from a remote planet. We’ve seen Alien; we know what happens when the crew brings things back with them! A bloodbath ensues, of course.

4. Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2 sees your Shepard character back in action for a new mission. When a mysterious man hires you to stop a universal threat, you must choose between your morals and saving the galaxy. With better combat and a more diverse set of supporting characters, 2 is often heralded as the superior Mass Effect.

If you’re looking for the best space strategy games, you’ll fall in love with the complex systems that tie into missions. Weapon development, investment in the ship, and more affect outcomes at the most crucial moments. This makes losing characters or saving them impactful, and the roleplaying is grounded. It’s easily one of the best space video games ever, vastly improving on its predecessor.

3. No Man’s Sky

No Man’s Sky had a dramatic development journey. Source: Hello Games

No Man’s Sky had a tumultuous launch. It overpromised and underdelivered on its marketing, and it was a barren experience. However, it’s a great example of the turnaround that can happen when a developer is committed to improving a struggling game instead of abandoning it. The team worked hard, and free updates improved No Man’s Sky massively.

More good news: it’s also one of the best space VR games since an immersive version was released. The colorful visuals, peaceful exploration, and survival mechanics are hosted in an infinite procedurally generated universe, which is what initially reeled gamers in pre-launch.

2. Mass Effect 3

Rating Mass Effect 3 above 2 and 1 may be controversial, but the dramatic and consequential finale of the original trilogy is so memorable.

The combat and RPG mechanics are their most refined here, and the choices you’ve made as Commander Shepard have compounded. Decisions feel weighty, even if some are illusory, and characters like Liara are, by this stage, like old friends we don’t want to say goodbye to.

The challenging routes you must choose between in the third act make Mass Effect 3 a bittersweet venture, and it’s all the better for it. It’s our pick for the best space RPG game, and that’s not an award we give lightly.

1. Alien Isolation

Survive adrenaline-fueled horrors as you’re relentlessly hunted by a familiar perfect organism through an abandoned space station in Alien: Isolation. The Xenomorph may be nature’s flawless monster, but Isolation is one of the best space combat games ever.

The action is sparse, but when it arrives you’re fighting like a caveman; using fire and your environment to evade and push back an apex predator in a 1v1 for the ages. An immersive story, space station setting that holds up wonderfully, and terrific horror atmosphere make Isolation a must-play.

It also has a solid Nintendo port, so is easily one of the best space games for Switch.

More of the Best Space Games to Play in 2024

The Bottom Line

The best space games come in all shapes and sizes, but they especially shine in RPG and strategy genres. As game development technology continues to evolve, expect to see games set in space increase in scope and quantity.

That doesn’t mean we need only look ahead, though. Sci-fi is often concerned with the past, after all. Plenty of all-timer space epics come from the 2000s. Don’t leave out enriching classics like the Mass Effect trilogy or Dead Space.

Ultimately space provides ample opportunity for escapism that stretches the limits of what’s possible on our PCs and consoles, but it’s the human heart at the center of these vast games that makes them so compelling.

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