In a brand-new sentence, pop star Katy Perry and media personality Gayle King joined journalist-pilot-philanthropist Lauren Sanchez on a brief trip to space. Though their interstellar escapade only lasted about 10 minutes, the all-female rocket launch continues to dominate news cycles.
Though most of us are likely not on the waiting list for Blue Origin’s next galactic adventure, some video game titles offer players a chance to get as close as possible. Try your hand at some truly creative space exploration titles that require strategy, leadership skills, and, in some cases, serious bravery.
Today, channel your inner plastic bag with these 10 space-themed games available via digital game distributor Steam.
Kerbal Space Program (2015)
Kerbal Space Program puts players in charge of a quirky space program led by the Kerbals, an intriguing alien species.
Manipulate alien technology to assemble functional rockets, but the game’s more realistic physics adds a sense of realism, bringing gamers back to Earth (heavy-handed pun intended).
The Outer Worlds (2020)
In Obsidian Entertainment’s titanic space exploration title, The Outer Worlds, players navigate Halcyon, a remote space colony overrun by corporations. Your character is (well, was) an unassuming passenger of a lost ship, and you must save your fellow shipmates and combat corporations’ capitalistic overreach.
No Man’s Sky (2016)
In No Man’s Sky, players gravitate through space at their own pace. The title ditches those pesky, vibe-crushing load screens, allowing players to fly from planet to planet without interruption. That distant planet? It’s yours to explore with virtually no limits.
Every planetary body offers a different experience. Gamers can smoothly commute from surface to surface, investigating organic life just the way they want.
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Spaceflight Simulator (2022)
Spaceflight Simulator lets would-be explorers operate a powerful custom spacecraft and lead a space program. Command the cosmos, cruising past comets, planets, and more.
Tap into your inner engineer as you execute safe landings, manage smooth launches, and explore the atmosphere.
Satisfactory (2024)
In the first-person builder Satisfactory, players act as FICSIT pioneers sent to space to farm resources. Using an in-game space elevator, gamers must gather materials and essential components for factories. “Work smarter, not harder” using advanced tech like jet packs and jump pads.
EVE Online (2003)
This community-driven interstellar MMO EVE Online offers space fans an immersive and free-to-play sandbox experience, letting them forge their own path. Gamers can casually explore space, engage in immersive battles, and even command a sprawling mining industry.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition (2021)
Follow Commander Shepard through some wildly intense galactic missions on the iconic Normandy in the beloved Mass Effect franchise. Customize your character, make game-altering decisions, forge and destroy relationships, and battle for the future of humanity. In the game’s Legendary Edition, players can follow their custom character throughout the series’ first three entries.
Dead Space (2008; 2023)
Unlike the other entries on this list, survival horror Dead Space capitalizes on the unknown and spooky elements of outer space adventures. The intergalatic classic has been a fan fave since the late aughts, but a 2023 remaster touches up cosmetic elements, zhuzhing up resolution and audio for more modern rigs.
Deliver Us The Moon (2019)
Life on Earth is compromised thanks to gluttonous resource consumption, and you’re humanity’s only hope. This dystopic sci-fi thriller puts a mighty burden on players’ shoulders, tasking them with traveling to the moon to gather planet-saving materials. You’re our species’ last shot to save Earth and human life from extinction.
Stellaris (2016)
Planets are your playground in Stellaris, a space exploration strategy title from Paradox Development Studio. Mingle with new species, make your mark on untouched planets, launch ships to survey planets, and even uncover treasures. As part of a civilization that’s just begun its space program, gamers must forge alliances — or destroy ’em — to advance, discover, craft, and create.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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