Fallout has been a titan in the sci-fi space for many decades now. But just because it may be many players’ favorite in the genre, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of other great games out there that capture the essence of science fiction in even better ways.
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From ship captains to sassy aliens, these video game characters bring the medium’s most iconic sci-fi worlds to life.
Many of the best sci-fi games have actually found their home on Game Pass, letting players experience futuristic worlds and apocalyptic scenarios all under the same price tag. No matter if players are looking for an open-world epic or a slower, more story-driven experience, the platform really has it all.
Control
Shifting Realty One Step At A Time
Details:
- Physics-based combat with a lot of creativity
- A more tactile world that can be interacted with in more detail
Control sends players to a shifting, paranormal setting that feels truly alive and completely different from the run-down wastelands of Fallout. The Oldest House isn’t just a backdrop, but a place that actively reshapes itself in real time, with every room telling a story through environmental details rather than explicit objects or notes.
The combat is where Control completely pulls ahead. Players have access to a range of powers that they can use on both enemies and the environment itself, creating a sense of power that is pretty hard to find elsewhere. The game also flows at a much faster pace, letting players truly dictate how aggressive or passive they want to be with their newfound abilities.
Doom: Eternal
Journeying To Hell And Back
Details:
- Fast-paced action that is cited as the best in the series
- Huge range of gun combos that each serve specific purposes
DOOM Eternal is the culmination of over two decades’ worth of franchise development, delivering the best experience in the series by a country mile. Players get to jump back into the demonic world with even more grit than ever, sprinting through enemies and gunning their way through levels however they choose to.
The game manages to capture the sci-fi elements of the universe perfectly and marries them to a satisfying gunplay loop that will keep players coming back time and time again. In terms of FPS games in the genre, few can compete with the sheer level of fun that Eternal provides, cementing itself among the greats both in the franchise and the wider space.
Prey
Nowhere Is Safe In Space
Details:
- Intelligent enemies that require constant adaptation
- Open-ended problem-solving rather than distinct solutions
Prey delivers the kind of systemic freedom that many Fallout games promise but never fully achieve. Every obstacle on Talos I can be solved through a variety of methods, allowing players to creatively carve out their own paths whilst never feeling restricted.
The world itself also feels incredibly unique, something which is difficult to achieve in an otherwise fairly stale genre of sci-fi horror. In the end, the game feels like a love letter to all sides of the science fiction spectrum, letting players feel lost in a tense playthrough that will push them to their psychological limits.
Wasteland 3
The Pinnacle Of Turn-Based Strategy
Details:
- Classic RPG feel
- Party interactions that are closer to the early days of the genre
Wasteland 3 feels very reminiscent of the early Fallout days, having turn-based mechanics that give players all the choice they need to approach every single encounter. But where the game eclipses Bethesda’s apocalypse is how well it handles decision-making, where consequences can often be delayed, and long-term outcomes can be severe from even minor mistakes.
The tactical nature of the combat also allows players to feel far more in touch with the world itself. Every piece of cover has meaning, and players will need to focus more on their surroundings to succeed, fully immersing themselves in the environment from the moment the game begins.
Titanfall 2
Exceptional From Start To Finish
Details:
- Incredible single-player campaign with progression integrated perfectly
- Mechanically demanding multiplayer that encourages mastery of movement
Titanfall 2 manages to accomplish something that very few other modern FPS games even attempt, having both a stellar campaign and an exceptional multiplayer experience. Players aren’t just forced into scenario after another, and instead, they are given meaningful tools at critical moments that can then be used throughout the rest of the story, rather than just being gimmicks.
When it comes to multiplayer, no other game really comes close to the action and intensity of the large-scale Pilot vs Titan fights. One minute, a player can be dashing and wall-riding around the map, and the next, hop into a giant mechanical killing machine, giving them a power fantasy that just doesn’t exist anywhere else in the sci-fi genre.
No Man’s Sky
Taking Away All The Limits
Details:
- Open universe with unmatched scale
- No barriers to exploration, both on planets and in space
No Man’s Sky is the open-world sci-fi adventure to trump them all. No longer are players limited to a single world to explore, and they are instead gifted with an entire universe to discover, full of countless galaxies and planets all coated with life.
The game delivers on basically every fantasy a sci-fi fan could ever want, with more freedom to see and do things across a truly limitless map. Fallout might have a more grounded world, but No Man’s Sky gives players the ability to explore on a scale unlike anything else.
Gears Of War
Defining Modern Sci-Fi Shooters
Details:
- Responsive combat that focuses on tactics and cover
- Stronger enemy presence within the world
Gears of War is for many where they truly fell in love with video game shooters. The game gives players an experience unlike any other, sending them into terrifying battles against towering alien creatures with as much intensity as a full-length action movie, whilst forcing them to make real-time tactical decisions in the midst of an intergalactic war.
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Narratively, the game also maintains a stronger sense of momentum and emotional focus. Instead of sprawling side content and fragmented storytelling, the narrative maintains its focus on brotherhood throughout, and the iconic characters of Marcus and Dom give it a level of emotion that simply doesn’t exist in Fallout.
Mass Effect 2
Rich Storytelling Across Multiple Worlds
Details:
- Cinematic-level story scenes with a much greater focus on characters
- Player choice directly feeds into long-term character storylines
Mass Effect 2 brings a level of narrative cohesion and character complexity that was and still is virtually unheard of within the sci-fi space. The world is built entirely around the relationships between characters and the personal conflicts each one carries, making every choice feel personal on a much deeper level.
Also, the fate of many lives is dependent entirely on the player, and the final operation itself is dictated heavily by the decisions the player made previously, even carrying forward into the next game. This level of control still remains impressive all these years later and makes it a standout in a genre dominated by big names and franchises.
Citizen Sleeper
Putting Humanity Back Into The Future
Details:
- Deep RPG systems woven into the narrative
- Long-term storytelling with meaningful consequences
Citizen Sleeper blends survival and sci-fi into a deeply decision-oriented RPG that constantly tests the player’s ability to make hard choices with severe consequences. Instead of guns and loot, the core systems revolve around time management, resource scarcity, and relationship building, creating a constant loop of uncertainty that makes every decision feel weighty.
Also, the storytelling is entirely player-driven through dice-based outcomes that constantly shift based on past choices. It’s a far more intimate, emotionally grounded sci-fi experience and one that brings players closer to the world around them rather than overwhelming them with scale.
The Outer Worlds 2
From New Vegas To A Completely Different Universe
Details:
- Obsidian’s RPG expertise fused with a unique sci-fi setting
- Emphasis on player agency above all else
The Outer Worlds 2 is the most direct successor to the RPG style of Fallout, but it avoids many of Bethesda’s systemic weaknesses and instead introduces players to a world where quests branch out and dialogue options carry genuine meaning beyond a single interaction.
Building on the success of New Vegas, it is clear that Obsidian takes a lot of lessons learned and pushes into new ground both in how the world is designed and how players can interact with it. Like the original, the characters take centre stage, having complex relationship trees and storylines that follow the player from start to finish, in expected and unexpected ways.
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