Space games. The best space games on PC

With the exception of starting a career as an astronaut or hitchhiking into deep space on an unmanned probe, computer games are the best and so far the only way for mankind to leave Earth and go on a journey towards the unknown. Peaceful trade or pirate fishing in the vastness of the Milky Way, or escape from a creepy alien monster in an abandoned orbital station - all this is on our list of the best PC games, one way or another dedicated to space. From survival horror to global strategies to realistic simulations that allow you to live a different life in orbit of one of the myriad stars, everyone will find something to their liking here.

One of the best single player real-time strategy games ever released, recently reissued by Gearbox studio with love for the original. The sight of thousands of player-controlled ships stretched out in battle formation against the backdrop of colorful space landscapes is mesmerizing. The intense battles in the game require a tactical approach, especially given the variety of ships in the game - from miniature fighters to colossal battleships. The Remastered Collection still holds the bar and looks great on modern PCs, and also comes bundled with the original Homeworld and its sequel.

In this large-scale and exciting simulator, an entire galaxy acts as an open and accessible world for exploration. Starting the game with a simple ship and a handful of credits, you yourself become the master of your own destiny. Become a fearsome pirate? A famous merchant? Or an outstanding pioneer? The beauty of Elite Dangerous lies in giving the player complete freedom of action. Intense space battles or serene exploration of the nooks and crannies of space - here everyone can find something to their liking. Among other things, the ships in the game are just a fairy tale: to control nimble fighters and massive cargo ships in Elite, it is definitely worth blowing the dust off the old joystick.

Providing the opportunity to live a full life in space, EVE Online is an unparalleled MMORPG, the development of the world of which lies entirely in the hands of the players. This is a vibrant galaxy in which thousands of capsule players fight side by side, trade, extract resources and explore the unknown. Leaving the relatively safe, police-patrolled starting system, you will find yourself in the midst of an uncompromising Wild West in an airless space. Regardless of whether you choose to fight in large-scale space battles, each of the warring parties in which consists of thousands of ships worth thousands of real dollars, or explore the vastness of New Eden alone, EVE will bring many unforgettable impressions.

Despite its minimalist retro-futuristic interface, Duskers is one of the most intimidating sci-fi PC horror games out there today. In it, the player will need to take on the role of a pilot of a small "fleet" of drones, with their help searching abandoned ships in search of fuel, spare parts and threads to understand why the unknown galaxy, in which the protagonist found himself, is completely devoid of life. However, almost completely: the ships being researched are teeming with creepy and aggressive creatures, which makes moving along their dark narrow corridors an unexpectedly intense task.

Point-and-click adventure game from LucasArts, which for some reason never received due recognition. The mission to deviate the flight path of an asteroid threatening a collision with the Earth turns into a disaster for the participants: due to mysterious circumstances, they find themselves in a distant and lifeless world. Some of the mysteries in the game are difficult to grasp, even by LucasArts standards, but the colorful and bizarre planet that is set is one of the most compelling extraterrestrial worlds of all time. A separate mention is the voice acting with the star of The X-Files and Terminator Robert Patrick in the title role.

A space god simulator that allows you to control accurate 3D copies of real galaxies and star systems and watch the catastrophic results of your intervention. You can start your interstellar experiments by increasing the mass of Jupiter to such a value that all other objects in the solar system will begin to revolve around it, or with the complete removal of the Sun, which will lead to the dispersal of the Earth and other planets in different directions.

Drifting alone around Jupiter in an old spaceship, your only hope of returning home is to make contact with an artificial intelligence suffering from severe emotional distress. You will have to communicate with Kaizen exclusively through the keyboard, and if you choose the right words and arguments, then in the end he will agree to cooperate. Only then, in the next moment, to drastically change his mind and close the outer airlock, leaving the player suffocating from the lack of oxygen outside the ship. All in all, it's a thoughtful adventure game with an elusive 70s fantasy style.

If you've ever imagined yourself in the role of Captain Kirk, commanding his own ship, coming into contact with all sorts of alien aliens and making difficult decisions on which the survival of the team depends, then Mass effect 2 gives you the opportunity to experience all of this and more. Combining elements of a space opera in the spirit of Star Wars with a storyline that rivals the best episodes of Star Trek, Mass Effect 2 is rightfully one of the best sci-fi games on the PC. It has a rather linear story and lacks the freedom of choice that the same Elite is famous for, but instead, the rail plot takes the player on an unforgettable journey across the galaxy, which includes visiting phantasmagoric planets and communicating with their peculiar inhabitants. In principle, the entire Mass Effect series is worthy of mention in this list, but our choice fell on the second part.

In this chilling survival horror, Amanda, the daughter of Ellen Ripley from the original MCU, hides in a crumbling space station from a relentlessly pursuing xenomorph. As a large-scale dedication to the 1979 Ridley Scott film, the game set the standard for slowly increasing tension. The Sevastopol station itself is made in the style of low-budget fiction and is replete with bulky retrofuturistic technological devices and terrifying blinking lights. The developers managed to bring to the world one of the most conscientious game adaptations of films in history, but at the same time Alien: Isolation remains an outstanding representative of horror even if we leave out its rich cultural baggage aimed at fans.

This is not to say that No Man's Sky met all the expectations placed on it, but nevertheless, many fascinating hours can still be spent in its procedurally generated galaxy. Its sci-fi setting is one of the most aesthetically pleasing, and the ability to move from outer space to a planetary atmosphere without loading screens is a pretty impressive technical feat. Of course, the planets here are still empty and lifeless, but the ability to build bases, introduced in the recent Foundation update, brings some variety to activities on their surface.

A rare chance to try on the skin of the space opera villain George Lucas. With its unorthodox storyline and variety of missions as an Imperial stormtrooper - including fighter jets, VIP escorts and attacks on large ships - this is one of LucasArts' best Star Wars games. Basically, the same could be said for Star Wars: X-Wing, if only playing as the forces of the Rebel Alliance weren't so boring. A separate plus of this line of space simulators is the fact that they all received re-releases from GOG.com and are compatible with modern computers.

In FTL, the player takes on the role of a Star Trek-style spaceship captain, who will have to be controlled through gameplay that combines elements of turn-based and real-time strategy. A solid roguelike action game unfolds in a painfully familiar, but no less fascinating sci-fi environment. Full of low-key humor, side quests, unexpected encounters and plot twists make every attempt to achieve the final goal exciting and unique. And the ability to give your own names to the crew members and the ship makes you really worry about their fate when they find themselves in another dangerous situation in the abyss of hostile space.

Fans of the series are unlikely to ever quit arguing about which part of Wing Commander is the best, but we chose Privateer for its darker vibe. This is a feature-rich sandbox that allows you to become a mercenary, pirate, merchant - or anything in between. Basically, the gameplay consists of jumping between systems in search of wanted criminals to capture and cargo ships to plunder, but it's worth it - space battles here excite the imagination. The plot is built linearly, but this does not take away the player's freedom of action and choice.

Fight against gravity and the laws of physics as you try to build your very own spaceship and go out into space! It's a deep, challenging and entertaining sandbox full of fun and science-based possibilities. The first successful liftoff from the surface of the planet Kerbin and landing on his moon Moon with the help of a self-constructed ship is one of the most magical sensations that can be obtained while spending time in a computer game.

At the time of this listing, the ambitious space simulator Star Citizen has raised an incredible $ 183 million in crowdfunding. The money will go towards developing a grand game set in a vast, interconnected universe. And in the voice acting of one of the game modes - Squadron 42 - Luke Skywalker personally took part (more precisely, who played him Mark Hamill). Star Citizen is still far from an official release, but some of its playable elements are already available for crowdfunding campaign participants.

Take On Mars by Bohemia, the developer studio of the infamous Arma, is the perfect choice for those who prefer a more scientific approach to simulations - the space exploration process here is based on real astrophysics. In it, you can build a rover a la Curiosity and use it to study the surface of the red planet, or build your own lunar base. In general, this is a game for people who prefer science without fiction.

Combining real-time strategy and 4X elements, Sins is all about galactic conquest. Choose a faction, accumulate enough forces and resources and become the almighty ruler of space. The leisurely control of large-scale battles in real time is exciting, but the possibilities of the game are not limited to this: you can expand your influence with the help of diplomacy.

To get the most out of this game, you need 3 to 6 friends. Each of the players takes control of one of the ships responsible for different functions - production, research, resource extraction, and so on. To defeat enemies, you will need to act together, under the strict guidance of a pre-appointed captain. Basically, this game gives you the opportunity to take the Star Trek Kobayashi Maru test right in your own room - and it's just priceless.

Basically Minecraft is in space, or something like that. The gameplay consists of extracting building materials from asteroids and making space bases and ships from them. The study of asteroids is carried out using jetpacks or gravity generators previously erected on them. It is one of the best co-op construction simulators out there and is constantly receiving updates from the developers.

With the ship design editor's rich toolbox, capturing space has never been more creative. And because of the deep and multifaceted artificial intelligence of opponents, each game session can drag on for weeks. To achieve your goal, you will have to forge alliances, participate in epic space battles and strike a balance between economic, technological and cultural development. In this, the game resembles the Civilization series, while having a much larger scale.

The gameplay of this turn-based strategy from the prolific indie studio Blendo (in particular, known for Thirty Flights of Loving) flows in 30-second spurts. Give all the necessary orders in pause mode, and then watch the unfolding battle until one of the parties involved is completely destroyed. Considering a relaxing classic soundtrack, which includes compositions like the prelude to Chopin's "Raindrops", as well as an original visual style, this is one of the most unusual games on this list. In-game advisors in the form of schizoid space dogs serve as a humorous outlet for military action.

A survival simulator inspired by Terraria in a sci-fi setting. In this wonderful sandbox, you have to fly between randomly generated planets in a spaceship, hunt alien creatures for food, build colonies and underground bases, trying not to die while doing this (which is not always possible). The list of playable races includes intelligent robots, solar-powered entities, ape-like creatures, and wingless anthropomorphic birds.

SpaceEngine will allow you to experience all the delights of an existential crisis and feel small and insignificant, as the events of the game unfold on the scale of the entire universe - or, in any case, part of it known to us. Taking off from Earth and accelerating the engines to full speed, you quickly realize that you are just a speck of dust sweeping through the endless void. The variety and elaboration of technologies in the game that allow you to travel between galaxies and land on planets is amazing. But, unfortunately, apart from exploring the endless open world, this game has nothing more to offer.

A modern take on the classic arcade game Lunar Lander in the form of an unparalleled low-gravity flight simulator. It is not as versatile as some of the Sims featured here, but the process of fighting the laws of physics presented in it in attempts to deliver cargo or land on the planet is implemented at an unprecedented level. Among other things, this is one of the best space games for VR headsets, so it's definitely worth the attention of any Oculus Rift or HTC Vive owner.

While most space simulators use the physics of a conventional plane, FreeSpace takes a more realistic approach, resulting in responsive, weightless controls. The game's battles are similar to World War II fighter jets in zero gravity, making it one of the best space combat simulators for PC. We are sure that the first battle within the picturesque nebula will be an unforgettable experience for you.

Space and mysteries in its vastness have been of interest to many scientists and ordinary people throughout humanity. The theme of space, which was very popular in the works of science fiction, migrated to computer games. And we tried to collect the best torrents of games about computer space. You can download space games for powerful and weak PCs in order to save the galaxy from virtual villains in the current section of our website.

Best space games for pc

Let's consider in detail the content of the section on our website. The oldest products in this category are Star Wars: Jedi Knight and the continuation of this game - Jedi Academy... They knew how to make games before. This is a fantastic shooter where the main character starts his journey with blasters, then becomes a Jedi in the middle of the game, learns to handle a lightsaber and master acrobatics. And all in order to save his partner and restore order in the galaxy, defeating the dark Sith with the head of a lizard.

In addition, in this section you will find many masterpieces related to the Star Wars universe: Knights of the old republic, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and other famous masterpieces!

The next favorites of this genre are The Chronicles of Riddick. A game based on the movie "Black Hole" tells us the story of a ruthless killer. You have to escape from the most terrible prison in the universe (Butcher's Cove), using all your skills and animal instincts.

A decent series of space games - Dead space(Dead space). This is a chilling third-person horror action game. You have to download a game about horror in space on your computer and face a space virus that turns people into zombies of necromorphs.

Undoubtedly one of the best series of games about immense outer space is Mass effect... You have to play as a space officer who has become an inspector and is called upon to restore order in the galaxy. You have to visit many worlds and show all your skill in the tactics of warfare.

And for space horror lovers and fans Dead space An excellent solution would be to download games - space simulator on pc for free from a torrent based on Aliens. In our section, you can find several horror shooters based on this famous universe.

Humanity seeks to overcome all obstacles in the exploration of outer space, every day approaching the implementation of interstellar travel and the colonization of other planets. In the virtual universes of video games, spaceship travel is available to everyone. All you have to do is choose the one that suits you best from the list of the best space games and start enjoying the game. You can realize the most daring and grandiose fantasies in endless space, explore extraterrestrial civilizations in single and online space travel games. A selection of the top space games will list the best video games on this fantastic topic.

Dead Space Series

Known to most survivor horror game lovers and classic classic Dead games Space, aims to scare the players harder. Despite the fact that there are a huge number of similar games with mutants and monsters, this series of games is truly breathtaking and keeps you on your toes. A distinctive feature of these games will be the dangers tickling the nerves of gamers. Among a huge horde of enemies and bloodthirsty mutants, they suddenly appear and do not give rest for a second.

Dead Space system requirements

• Operating system: Windows XP / Windows 7 / Windows 10;
• Processor: Pentium 4 2.8 GHz;
• RAM: 2 Gb;
• Video card: NVIDIA GeForce 6800;
• Hard drive: 8 Gb.

Mass Effect Series

Mass Effect video game action in three parts unfolds in the future 22nd century. Humanity, which has significantly succeeded in development, has the ability to interact with previously unknown civilizations. Main character is at war with the machine civilization, which poses a threat to the entire galaxy. In the course of the game, you will be able to communicate with the heroes, use all kinds of weapons and, together with your allies, save the Galaxy! The Mass Effect series will pleasantly surprise you with its unusual characters, equipment and equipment.

Mass Effect system requirements

• Processor: Intel Core 2.8 GHz;
• RAM: 2 Gb;
• Video card: NVIDIA GeForce 7300GT;
• Hard drive: 12 Gb.

EVE Online

The list of the best space games is continued by the unique game EVE Online, which describes the world of the distant future, in which mankind has conquered the world of space. Eager to enrich themselves with resources, players continually battle it out with impressive epicness. The choice of activities in the game is quite large: capturing and destroying ships, extracting resources from other planets, building stations, exploring unknown territories. Make haste to contribute to the battle by taking part in this impressive battle.

EVE Online system requirements

• Operating system: Windows 7 / Windows 10;
• Processor: Intel Core 2 GHz;
• RAM: 2 Gb;
• Video card: AMD Radeon 2600 XT;
• Hard drive: 20 Gb.

No Man's Sky

Galaxy in the game No Man's Sky will open you unique planets and previously unknown living beings. You will have the opportunity to move indefinitely across the expanses of space and planetary surfaces. Your task is simply not to die from a collision with ruthless pirates and other hostile creatures. Upgrade your spaceship, costume and weapons. Life is in full swing in the galaxy: traders travel, factions fight for territories, pirates hunt onlookers, and the police keep their eyes on what is happening.

No Man's Sky system requirements

• Operating system: Windows 7 / Windows 10;
• Processor: Intel Core i3;
• RAM: 8 Gb;
• Video card: GeForce GTX 480;
• Hard drive: 10 Gb.

Star Wars Battlefront Series

In listing the best space games, it's impossible to forget the Star Wars Battlefront series. In it, events take place in the Star Wars universe. Taking part in large-scale battles, you have to make a choice which side you will accept - the rebels or the Empire. Warriors are provided with a large selection of weapons and gadgets. Gamers have the opportunity to air battles, seize territories, defeat enemies using various unique abilities. Dynamic gameplay and incredible graphics will not leave you indifferent to this series.

Star Wars Battlefront System Requirements

• Processor: Intel Core i3-6300T;
• RAM: 8 Gb;
• Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660;
• Hard drive: 10 Gb.

Precursors

Sci-fi game Precursors is based on the opinions of scientists and science fiction writers. They argue that there are civilizations that made space expeditions long before people sent their first rockets into space. The main character is faced with problems that have radically changed his life. He will have to fight numerous enemy races, complete interesting tasks and control spaceships. Don't miss the opportunity to discover unique planets.

Precursors system requirements

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz;
• RAM: 1 Gb;
• Video card: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 256 MB;
• Hard drive: 6 Gb.

Destiny series

Your character in the Destiny series is the guardian of light, defending the Earth from aliens who want to destroy all of humanity. The player is offered a choice of three classes, each of which is endowed with its own advantages and disadvantages. Having decided on the choice, you can proceed to completing missions and pumping your character. After completing the mission, you can get any useful item. Fights in the game are dynamic and spectacular, giving players a lot of colorful emotions.

Destiny system requirements

• Operating system: Windows 7;
• Processor: Intel Core i3 3225 2.4 GHz;
• RAM: 6 Gb;
• Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 2 GB;
• Hard drive: 25 Gb.

Space Rangers series

An interesting and epic series of Space Rangers games was included in the article the best space games on PC. A previously unknown life form called the Klisans invade the galaxy. Space Rangers will have to throw all their strength to save her. The player has complete freedom of action. You have a choice: become a pirate and upgrade your spaceship, trade, travel to other planets, and the like. There is also the possibility of completing quests for which a reward is given.

System Requirements Space Rangers

• Operating system: Windows 95/98 / XP;
• Processor: Pentium IV 1.2;
• RAM: 128 Mb;
• Video card: ATI Radeon 32 Mb;
• Hard drive: 2 Gb.

Series X

Many gamers fall in love with the X Series for its incredibly beautiful image of space. The player has the ability to choose from a variety of options. He chooses activities to his liking: building stations and building an empire, trade, battles and research activities. The choice among the characters is rather big - you can try on the role of a police officer, businessman, truck driver or cosmoline manager. Having fully equipped your ship, go into battle or start building, first of all, a factory.

System Requirements X Series

• Operating system: Windows XP;
• Processor: Intel Core 2.4 GHz;
• RAM: 4 Gb;
• Video card: NVIDIA GeForce 400 512 Mb;
• Hard drive: 6 Gb.

The swapper

The Swapper puzzle game follows a woman astronaut trying to find out what happened to her colleagues. While wandering around the station, the character finds a cannon that shoots his own clones. The clones exactly follow the astronaut's every movement. The player's task is to coordinate these movements, while simultaneously following the light. The atmosphere in this game is quite ominous. Accompanied by appropriate background music and realistic sounds. Exciting puzzles will give pleasure to gamers who know how to think and who love to solve difficult problems.

Systemic The requirements Swapper

• Operating system: Windows XP SP3;
• Processor: Dual Core 2;
• RAM: 2 Gb;
• Video card: NVIDIA GeForce 8800;
• Hard drive: 2 Gb.

Astroneer

For people living in the twenty-fifth century, space travel is available to everyone. People use to enjoy travel to planets. Space adventurers on every planet can find all kinds of treasures. It can be atmosphere, landscape, aboriginal or unique transportation. Your hero in the Astroneer game will find those willing to purchase these resources and will be able to earn decent money on it!

Astroneer system requirements

• Operating system: Windows 7;
• Processor: Quad Core, 3 GHz;
• RAM: 8 Gb;
• Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050;
• Hard drive: 1 Gb.

Beyond Good & Evil 2

Playing Beyond Good & Evil 2, you will find yourself in a stunning world in which raging coalesces between different cultures adjacent to each other. Corporations fight for power and resources, and colonists strive to make their existence worthwhile. The player will play the role of the captain of a pirate ship. Leading a team of unusual characters, you will fight for freedom and the ability to make decisions in your own destiny. Don't miss the opportunity to travel in outer space in single-player or co-op mode.

Beyond Good & Evil 2 system requirements

• Operating system: Windows 10;
• Processor: Intel Coffee lake 8400;
• RAM: 8 Gb;
• Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060;
• Hard drive: 60 Gb.

Games about space, space travel and adventure are almost always successful. On the one hand, because it's cool - well, who wouldn't want to visit the future of humanity, when we master the distant mysterious worlds?

On the other hand, creating a project in such a direction as space, it is difficult not to get carried away by its mysterious depths and mesmerizing expanses. And only enthusiastic people are able to create masterpieces.

If you are interested in ONLINE space games, then check out the ten best online space games. This TOP consists of eleven of the best space-themed games among both online and offline projects.

Although, perhaps someone will be outraged that the magnificent space-imaging X3 and the total strategy Sins of a Solar Empire did not get into the TOP. The first is a whole universe of catastrophic armada resistances, inter-factional conflicts and the mesmerizing radiance of the stars. The second is the concentration of the obvious aspirations of the virus called man towards the complete conquest of the Galaxy. It is clear that the good has never been limited to numbers. Space Rangers, Thar Chronicles and, of course, many Star Wars games are also worthy of paying tribute to the creators of game masterpieces. And yet the TOP is the TOP in order to highlight the best of the best.

11. Mass Effect

The Mass Effect Trilogy is the ultimate contender for the ultimate space adventure.

Even if you do not take into account the great battles, epic victories and the fate of civilizations, the game wins over with its brilliance and realism of relations with other intelligent races. This is a real space social, seasoned with action and almost cinematic drama.

Mass Effect brilliantly clarifies that space is not only emptiness, but also a whole storehouse of dangers, risks and pleasures. The universe is full of temptations, and there is nothing that you cannot experience in its depths.

10 .. Halo

Series Halo- also not a mistake in the interpretation of interplanetary relations and threats. True, there are fewer relationships with all sorts of aliens. For the most part, they are exposed here as enemies to be killed. But there is a soldier's drill and a subtle hint that it is dangerous to travel across the Galaxy alone unarmed. It is also dangerous to rivet many colonies in distant worlds and relax, succumbing to the deceptive calmness of alien beauties. The Universal Mind has no boundaries. Only by relying on yourself can you survive and become an example for others.

The game tells that the cosmic future is inevitably associated with wars, but whether we will be ready for it and whether we will abuse power, we will find out in a couple of three centuries.

9. Dead Space

The games in this series tell the story of a madness capable of engulfing a person in an almost endless abyss, from which there is no way out. Dead space- this name speaks for itself. Space is deaf to your problems, it has no walls and borders, and this cold endlessness can drive anyone crazy. After all, who are you, trapped in the grip of endless space? Just a grain of sand, and no matter how hard you try, you will never be anything more.

Undoubtedly, cosmonauts of the space age will endure many unforgettable moments inside cramped starships, having discovered something unfriendly to our psyche.

8. Freelancer

Shooting, running, jumping across stations and entire planets is not that difficult. But to manage space caravels ... This requires a remarkable reaction, skill and intelligence. Perhaps the latter will decide everything outside the orbital habitats.

Freelancer- as the most convenient space simulator - the game that will undoubtedly appeal to fans of flying at dizzying speeds and shooting in the style of Star Wars with enemy starships. The game is unpretentious and not constrained by storylines, which is what I like about it.

7. Eve Online

Interaction, cooperation and clannishness - this is how you can briefly describe the concept of this space MMORPG, which has become very popular due to the fact that it turned out to be one of the first space 3D MMORPGs, as well as thanks to its awesome trailers.

A complex system of relationships and about seven thousand star systems, wars, trade, research. All this is interesting for those who have a lot of free time.

Unfortunately, you have to be content with predefined mission scenarios, virtual tricks and graphic landscapes.

6. Star Craft

Rtc strategy series Star Craft it is not for nothing that it is not only a popular franchise, based on which countless books, comics, card games have been created, but also a cult game. The Terans, Protos and Zerg are highly realistic factions that can reshape the galaxy as they see fit. All operations and troops are not only perfectly balanced - despite the absolute differences, they are also story-driven.

Star Craft- this is a real confrontation between different alien races, as different as possible. By the way, people do not always choose the side of earthlings, some people like scary space insects. There is something to think about ...

5. Lost Planet

Alien planet tells about how difficult it is to find a common language with alien flora and fauna. Even if people cannot live in peace with each other for centuries, what can we say about contacts with foreign civilizations and forms of life, alien to us as much as possible.

In a series of games Lost Planets Akrid and other unfriendly creatures give rise to a hurricane shooter in the vastness of a remote, cold and aggressive world on the outskirts of civilization. Well, at least these creatures look disgusting enough that it would not be a pity to exterminate them.

4. Home World

Good old strategy Home World or in our opinion - Native World. Generally speaking, we are not talking about our mother Earth, but about a completely different, much more ancient world. The game is not new, but its colors have not faded yet.

Will we also find in space evidence of kinship with the oldest interstellar travelers, will we run into those who are not very happy with the newly arrived competitors, will we have to run away from much more advanced guys from an alien race. It is impossible to answer this, but to play - please.

3. Kill Zone

Another shooter of incredibly epic intensity. Kill Zone pulls the player into the maelstrom of the tragic confrontation between the earthlings and the former mutated relatives of the Khilghast. Here no one asks the question - when the war will end. The question is - who will win? And you have to fight to the end!

They say that history repeats itself - the same will happen in space. Hatred, anger, resentment and a desperate desire to survive at any cost will not go anywhere. Will this not lead to complete mutual destruction? Of course, I don’t want to check this in practice, but in the game it’s very interesting. After all, hitting and smashing while sitting in a cozy armchair is our favorite pleasure.

2. Doom

Didn't you think that we would forget about the Duma? This legendary series is simple to laugh - go and shoot. Why do we need this plot and deep meanings? And what difference does it make to us where all these alien foes got out from - death to them! And that's all.

However, the later parts of these games fill the process with meaning, again we are puzzled by a war with our own fears and riddles. Again, no one is waiting for us in space with open arms, but with open claws, pincers and mandibles. So-so a trick, but has such a thing ever stopped us?

1. Star Conflict

The domestic online game, which has become the best space simulator on the Internet, thanks to its unrivaled graphics and spacecraft control capabilities, of which there are, by the way, a lot. Built on the great engine of the popular game War thunder Star Conflict instantly left almost all space-themed online games far behind, demonstrating outstanding quality.

In a word, there is everything here to cheerfully kill an hour with another, without doing boring things, but only entering one battle after another, receiving rewards, and all this is free!

Space sims aren't for everyone. This axiom does not depend on genre, year of issue, graphics or ease of management. The fact is that gamers treat game projects about space with a certain distrust and do not want to spend their time on flights in outer space. Just look at the most popular games, whether it is estimated by the number of players online or sales of digital copies, and you will not notice space simulations there. Leaving aside Star Citizen, this game is above all laws, rules, and bylaws.

The most popular games today are League of Legends, Dota 2, with their Battle Royale, and all multiplayer products of this type. They are gaining fame for a variety of reasons, but they certainly deserve it. Everyone wants to come home or to a computer club, sit down at a computer and fight. Express yourself somehow, throw out negative emotions, communicate with friends and get moral satisfaction from this. Space simulators provide a slightly different experience, which makes them less in demand among gamers.

Plus, space simulators, and indeed games related to space, have two key problems that prevent them from becoming so massive and popular.

The first reason- complexity in implementation. It is quite difficult to create a map for CS: GO or League of Legends, you need to think over a lot of details and moments, draw graphics, test and release. However, this is a certain set of elements that will be sanded and will not be touched anymore. Now imagine how much effort and time it takes to create at least a solar system. Create planets, organize locations, textures, living creatures, vegetation on these planets, add some activities or just make them more or less interesting.

Now let's add transport to the planets - we need a ground version, flying vehicles, different spacecraft and stuff like that. If the game is based on the study of the galaxy, then you need to come up with a lot of mechanics, details and graphic components. As a result, it is much easier to create a shooter than to develop a really good space game.

The second reason- popularity below stamped shooters and MOBAs. Yes, now many fans of EVE Online will say that space simulators have a huge audience, but online even the coolest and longest-playing EVE at its peak amounted to 50 thousand people. For comparison, Dota 2 is now in decline and 400 thousand people on the network are considered a scanty figure, while PUBG visits two million every day. Naturally, the developers do not have much desire to create a heavy project about space, when it will still have ten times fewer players than the modernized version of the mod for Warcraft. And, if there are few players, then it will be more difficult to get a worthy profit.

Because of these two difficulties, there are really very, very few space-themed game projects on the market. There are various indie games where only the name remains from space, there are games of the 2000s, where the graphics were redone and now play on the feelings of the grown-up generation. There are not enough powerful and interesting products that I would like to play. Today I will tell you about five games that, in my personal opinion, are the best representatives of their genre.

Plus, after the main part of the article, there will be a bonus for those who want to play something about space, but do not want it to be the basis of the entire gameplay.

EVE Online

I think even if you have never played EVE Online, then you definitely heard about it. The network constantly flashes data about the cost of ships destroyed during the battle for some important resource, planet, or simply during a clan war. And, as it seems to me, this is a vivid example of a really good and full-fledged game about space, with all the ensuing possibilities.

There are a lot of active players here who go about their business - building the economy, extracting resources, building ships, making money, communicating, developing strategies for development and even waging political battles. Yes, this game has its own politics, its own strong clans and they are constantly fighting for resources, benefits, profitable locations and territories.

The game was released back in 2003. Just imagine - the game of 2003 is played to this day, while online is even growing a little and the players do not panic at all to move somewhere. The number of active subscribers (about the subscription a little later) is 330 thousand people, the network is constantly from 15 to 50 thousand people. And, most importantly, they all play on the same shared server. Imagine - 50 thousand people on one server. In 2016, the developer received $ 86 million in profit, which means that the project will be developed and attracted more and more new users.

The game is provided free of charge, but you will not be able to play for a long time without a paid subscription. The fact is that the free version has a number of restrictions on the level of the character and equipment that you can use, so it will be unrealistic to play comfortably without a subscription. It is worth noting here the price tag for the annual subscription - $ 131. And, most importantly, even having paid $ 10 per month for access to the game, no one guarantees you success, victories in battles or a sea of ​​resources. You can explore space with an empty pocket all this year and give the cost of two AAA games just for the opportunity to use all the features of the project.

However, this is the largest space game in history. A huge number of players, ships that will take your breath away, real economy and politics, darkness of opportunities for self-realization in various spheres of virtual life. If you want to get serious and long-term at the helm of a spaceship, then EVE Online will give you everything you could possibly wish for.

It should be understood that the game is quite complex and requires you to explore not only the game world, but also the mechanics, features of the economy, interaction with other players, and performing routine tasks. If you want to fly across the galaxy and fight a couple of enemies, close the game and go further to do your own thing - this game is not for you. Not for you at all.

Pros:

• 15-50 thousand people on the server;
• virtual world of unimaginable size;
• many ships;
• politics, economics, society;
• a serious, full-fledged game about space.

Minuses:

• costs $ 131 per year;
• there is no point in playing for free;
• it is long and difficult to delve into;
• even with a subscription, you have to plow like daddy Carlo;
• a cool ship stands like a used car.

May not like:

• the game is time consuming;
• you need to play for years;
• politics and economics are more important than battles.

Elite: Dangerous

A game that has received a very mixed response from users. The fact is that the developers promised gamers a lot of opportunities and a rich life practically throughout the entire Milky Way, but in fact, only small areas of the general map turned out to be really inhabited. Agree, when you are promised enemies, traders and researchers on every planet, behind every asteroid and solar system, and you fly for a couple of hours in search of at least someone alive, the sensations deteriorate.

But, let's not talk about sad things. This project was released in 2014 and the developers are really working to make the game more enjoyable for you. Constant updates, patches, free additions and a cool plot line will bring you a lot of positive emotions literally in the first minutes of the game.

It is worth making a clarification - the game has the ability to play independently, without other people; you can play cooperatively with friends; you can play the multiplayer version of the project.

The first two options for passing are clear - you fly alone or in the company of friends, fight, explore the planets, extract resources, enjoy open space and endless possibilities. But sooner or later, you will want to plunge into online and the experience will change dramatically. Yes, no one has been to the most distant planets, and if you fly a little further than the main activity zone, then you will look for a live player for hours. If you stay in the high-activity sector, you get a very vigorous space simulator.

You may be robbed. Or you and your friends can rob alone, take all his goods and do nothing further until you catch the target again. You can explore the planets, descend on them (for this you need to pay for the DLC) and travel across endless planets, collecting valuable supplies. You can just fly and observe beautiful landscapes, visit the most interesting planets for yourself and relax.

There are really a lot of activities, but online here is noticeably lower and the game is not supplied by subscription. This is a significant difference from EVE Online - where players pay ten bucks a month and do not want this money to just go to waste. Here, users are not so motivated for achievements, wars and the economy, since the game can be bought for ridiculous money at a sale and receive content for many years in a row.

Pros:

• low entry threshold;
• on sale can be taken for $ 10;
• no subscription;
• three game modes;
• there is no need to invest in donation.

Minuses:

• the Milky Way is 95% empty;
• there is no important social component;
• the players are not so serious;
• planet landing for $ 20 DLC.

May not like:

• sandbox without a plot;
• the planets are naked and boring;
• new mechanics have been introduced over the years.

No man sky

After the official release of the game, it became clear that No Man Sky was not what the developers promised us. Actually, because of this, such a storm of negativity has risen, which can only be compared with the recent events around Star Wars Battlefront 2.

The fact is that the developers, as usual, promised a lot of everything. In particular, they promised players the vast expanses of the galaxy, where each planet will be unique, and its flora and fauna will not be repeated. In each interview, the creators talked about a special formula that creates millions and billions of planets for the player with unique shapes, colors and features.

And while Sean Murray also cheated in this regard, the two main lies are different.

First lie - the game world will be so huge, diverse and multifaceted that two friends playing in the game will never be able to meet on, say, the same planet... It is because of this that the developers put pressure on the fact that it would be more interesting to play alone, because you will never meet your friend - the world is too big and you are separated by huge distances. But in just two hours of the game, players were able to get to the same planet, visit the same locations and even chat with a non-player character who gave the same quests and dialogues. That is, the big world is not like that here either.

Second lie - multiplayer game... It is because of this that the game was returned to the stores by thousands of users. It is because of this that the game will never reach even an average rating on Steam. It is because of this that the game is called the biggest hoax in the gaming industry of the twenty-first century.

The developers have repeatedly said in interviews that the game is multiplayer, and although you will not be able to find your friend in the vast galaxy, you will meet other players and somehow interact too. Here are just a single game. There is not even a cooperative here, only a game for one person. Imagine that you have been waiting for the game for years, hoping that you are about to go with friends in a spaceship across the galaxy in search of adventure and wealth, and you are told that in reality this will not happen.

After such a negative start, you might think that the game didn't get better for me and how it even got to the top. However, if we ignore all these speeches of the creators of the product, the expectations of users and criticism of angry fans, the game is very cool.

We have a really big virtual world. It is not so big that you would fly from planet to planet for hours, but you cannot fly across the galaxy in a couple of minutes, there are decent distances, solar systems and stuff like that.

The planets are large, inhabited, and more or less unique. It should be understood that all the planets and flora with fauna were created according to a set of templates and a formula. If you play for twenty hours, then you already notice the similarities between the planets, after a hundred hours nothing new will be shown. On the other hand, the planets are interesting, you can land on them, collect resources, look at the surroundings and fly away further to explore the wonderful worlds.

Let's not forget about tasks, all sorts of dialogues and stories, the possibility of upgrading the ship or buying a new aircraft. This is all there, it is implemented quite cool and if you did not expect something like multiplayer from the game, then you will like it much more than EVE Online or Elite: Dangerous. Still, flying between planets, exploring them, mining resources manually, completing tasks and enjoying unrealistically beautiful landscapes is much more interesting than engaging in politics or wandering around deserted locations in search of opponents to fight.

Pros:

• huge open world;
• inhabited planets;
• tasks, dialogues, stories;
• ship upgrades;
• the freedom of action.

Minuses:

• the developers' lies;
• the disappointment of the century;
• do not play with friends.

May not like:

• annoying in a hundred hours;
• where are people?

Star citizen

The Star Citizen project holds the record for fundraising for development, but many consider the game a scam. Actually, there are reasons for this and quite compelling ones, but whether you believe it or not is another question. Fundraising for the development of this space simulator began in 2012 and continues to this day, but the developers never showed a full-fledged product, there is only a tiny fraction of the promised content.

The fact is that on the Kickstarter platform, the developers requested a little over two million dollars to create their incredibly cool project. Having collected more than four million, the team began to create the first module (part) of the game, along the way selling content on its website, by purchasing which you get access to the game immediately after the release. That is, the fundraising continued, although the amount collected was twice the required amount.

Only in 2013 was the first part of the project shown - the hangar module, in which you could observe your ship, upgrade it, and so on. Just think - for a whole year the studio, consisting of two offices in Austin and Los Angeles with four million dollars in hand, created a hangar in which you can only look at the ship and repaint it, add some elements. EA may Need for Speed ​​new release with a hundred cars and tuning, for example.

Alpha 3.0 was slated for release in early 2017. The amount that the developers managed to raise exceeded $ 170 million. However, in the five years since the launch of the fundraising, the game never left the alpha version and from the promised galaxy we were provided with only four moons.

At the moment, players have gained access to some content, which, although very far from what the developers promised, but it already looks cool. We have four moons (not to be confused with the Earth's satellite - the Moon), there is a decent distance between them and you can move between objects by jumping into hyperspace. Yes, just like in "Star Wars", when the stars around them stretch in lines and you cover huge distances in a matter of moments.

In addition, upon arrival in the orbit of the moon, you can explore it on your aircraft, fly around the space object and choose the most suitable place for landing. The sizes of the moons are really impressive, and even to fly over the surface of one such satellite, you need to spend a lot of time. After exploring the landscape, you can land on the surface and go on a journey - for this there is a special vehicle on six wheels.

True, there are only a couple of interesting locations on the moon, while about 98% of the surface is of no interest at all. Deserted locations with rare craters and hills that will get bored within ten minutes after the trip. You can search for secret locations and a base with your own population, NPCs and quests.

That is, today the project allows you to jump between four moons, ride on the deserted surface of each of them, plus spend an unforgettable five minutes at the bases, there is nothing to do there longer. There are also repair stations, but they are also not very interesting.

At the same time, you can play with adequate 30 frames per second only on an empty server. If two or three more people log on to the server, then the FPS drops to 10-20 and no longer rises, even if your computer costs five thousand dollars. The problem is in the network code - it is not optimized at all for computers with current capacities.

The fact that caused distrust of the project as a whole was the change in the rules for refunds to users who bought ships and packs in Star Citizen. Previously, the rules stated that if the game is not released after 18 months after the specified release date, the "contributors" will be refunded all their funds. Now the rules have changed dramatically - funds cannot be returned until the team has completely stopped developing the game. Simply put, while the studio says that development is underway, you can wait at least ten years for a refund.

Players are simply afraid that the developers are deliberately delaying development and investing as much effort as needed to further earn money from the sale of ships. Indeed, in addition to modest and boring moons with a hangar for repairs, nothing else has been implemented over such a long period and with such huge money on hand. Naturally, depositors are worried about their $ 45 (now this is the minimum amount to access the game) and too many factors indicate that they are not worrying in vain.

However, if the game is still released in its full form, then this will be the end of absolutely all space simulators, and most online projects of other genres too. The developers have already shown a completely seamless virtual world with the ability to board a ship and explore space without barriers. In the future, we are promised the opportunity to land on any planet, collect resources or complete a quest, they promise cities with characters, housing, entertainment and work. And I'm not talking about things like battles in space, ships, modifications and so on.

The game really has a lot of ambitions and if it is brought to mind, it will be possible to explore space on your own, together with friends, fight or trade, work and enjoy those activities that are not available in real life or other games. Only for the ambition and what the developers show in their modules and videos for social networks, the game was called the best and most modern project.

Just imagine a game in which you board your ship, fly through a dozen solar systems, fly up to one of the planets, land (without loads and breaks), fight with other players for resources, fly away and move on. Into open space where there are no obstacles. It sounds pretty darn nice if it was still optimized for comfortable play and a little more content.

Pros:

• the most ambitious game in history;
• $ 170 million for development;
• open space without loading screens;
• hundreds of activities and hobbies;
• many variations of ships and equipment.

Minuses:

• for five years of development, only an alpha version;
• 10-20 FPS;
• four desert moons without content;
• buy a ship - let's play.

May not like:

• we may not live to see the release version.

Space Engineers

The Space Engineers game for me is a kind of improved version of Minecraft - here you also need to build structures, extract resources, but it is really difficult to build something sensible. It is enough just to open the Internet and look at the projects of various kinds of aircraft that the players created in the game, and it becomes clear that the word "engineer" in the title is written for a reason. The designs are complex, require an understanding of the schemes and features of some mechanisms, you need to calculate the engine power for the size of the ship and stuff like that.

The developers took on a very difficult task of creating a space simulator, in which the system for designing and assembling a spacecraft will be thought out in great detail, a system for landing on planets and asteroids for extracting resources will be implemented, plus the process of interaction between players. For a small development studio, this is a very difficult task, but they gradually cope with it and it pleases.

Already, Space Engineers have optimized so that you can play on your less powerful computer and enjoy it with a stable frame rate without drawdowns. At the time of the release of the project in the early access stage, it was almost impossible to play, but now, even on a medium-level computer, it turns out quite a pleasant picture. An endless virtual world opens before you with such a set of possibilities that it will take your breath away.

You can get confused and find projects of huge ships on the network, then repeat the idea in the game, somehow change the design of the aircraft or alter the design. Very popular in this game are copies of spaceships from "Star Wars", for example, which are very interesting to collect and you can always come up with something of your own. If this is not interesting to you, you can whip up a couple of ships with your friends and push them against each other, look at the beautiful destruction and laugh enough.

Pros:

• ship design;
• manual assembly of aircraft;
• mass of mechanisms;
• open space with all the laws of physics;
• the project is constantly updated and finalized;
• there are hundreds of guides on building the coolest ships online;
• you can collect the "Death Star".

Minuses:

• optimization is not perfect yet;
• not quite user-friendly interface;
• complex mechanisms;
• building a ship takes a lot of time.

May not like:

• mechanic for fun no;
• there is no need for communication with other players either.

Games closely related to space

Star Wars: Battlefront II
The game, which received so much negativity at the start, that now one can only hope that DICE will still take on projects on this topic. Loot boxes served as a reason for refunds for digital copies, hundreds of videos were filmed on the network and even more negative reviews were written. All this has tarnished the reputation of the game, which can give you a lot more positive sensations from the conquest of space than many products focused on this whole idea.

I mean space battles - they are very well thought out and playing in space on a rebel fighter, or destroying everyone on an imperial ship, is cool enough and against the background of these feelings you can even forget about the boxes. Indeed, the battle mode between spaceships here looks as vigorous as possible, players do unimaginable things with ships, and if you are a fan of all this and the theme of shootings in space is close to you, then Star Wars: Battlefront II will give you the best multiplayer battles on space fighters on the video game market.

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Another game that crashed into smithereens about negative comments from reviewers, users, and critics. Everyone expected something in the spirit of the old school from the project, while the developers from BioWare decided to go the other way and show more mechanics, a new story. It is a pity that under pressure from criticism Mass Effect: Andromeda failed in sales and now it is reliably known that the entire franchise is frozen indefinitely.

I will not give my opinion about the product as a whole, it is not important anymore, but the implementation of space research here is fantastic. You find a new system, scan each planet by hand, find the information you need, and move on through the storyline. Sometimes we are given the opportunity to go to the planet itself and explore its territory on an all-terrain vehicle, look for resources, enemies and secret places. Plus, there aren't many games where you can have a relationship with an alien girl.

Already the third AAA-class project, which has felt a mountain of negativity, is not entirely deserved, as it seems to me. Still, if you look at the storyline, game mechanics and graphics, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare seems even more appealing than Call of Duty: WWII. But, now the conversation is not about that.

This part of the famous franchise has some of the best space combat I've seen. Of course, Battlefront II goes far ahead here, but COD also has something to answer. Well-designed controls, brisk firefights with dozens of opponents, dangerous turns and huge maps with a lot of small objects in open space. Yes, it is worth saying that these battles are implemented only in the storyline and some tasks seem to be drawn out, but, in general, in terms of space battles, this part of the shooter is directly pleasing. I think no one expected such a good implementation of this gameplay element from the project.

EVE: Valkyrie

The article concludes with one of the most advanced games on the gaming market in general, not only in the genre of space simulations. The EVE project: Valkyrie was not initially perceived by players as something serious and exciting, and this is a VR game, that is, you also need to buy a helmet for it.

Now we can say with confidence that this project is the reason why a gamer will buy a virtual reality helmet. A very colorful, bright and juicy implementation of space battles, with almost complete immersion on the part of the player, allows you to completely forget about the usual games with a mouse and keyboard / gamepad.

This game is the future of the industry, a shining example of how we will play in five years. If you really wanted to look at virtual reality, but did not notice worthy games for which you could buy an expensive toy, then take a closer look at this simulator. It will satisfy even the most sophisticated users.

Kerbal space program

I can't call Kerbal Space Program just a game. This is a vivid example of how the virtual world can be as close as possible in terms of the laws of physics to the real world, and how a game about little green men can motivate people to study science more than the educational system. The developers give you such an incredible scope of scope for imagination and engineering ideas that it simply won't work to explain it in a nutshell.

However, I will try. Why is this game so interesting? We have a team of carbonauts and the task is to get to some planet, conduct our research and return home. Moreover, throughout this chain, success will depend solely on you and no one will land a rocket or take off for you. It is necessary to completely design the aircraft, design its take-off module, get off the Earth (this is not always possible) and go into space. Add to this the calculation of the flight path to the desired point and the trajectory of returning to the home planet. And, of course, the landing.

Sometimes it takes hundreds of takeoff attempts to implement one successful rocket. A lot of mistakes, failures and problems are forced to read thematic literature, watch photos of real rockets, watch videos about launching real shuttles into space. The study of physics and astronomy, technical knowledge helps a lot. This is not just a toy for those who want to shoot at enemies in the evening, here you need to think, study and educate yourself. Agree, there are not many games you know where you need to study something from the real world and read books.

Interesting Facts:

• In schools in Europe and the United States, the game is used for scientific projects in space and physics.
• NASA directly contacted the developers of the project and asked to familiarize the players with the program for 2020 to capture extraterrestrial bodies.
• The developers of mods for the Kerbal Space Program have created a ton of content and continue to do so.
• On the network, you can find detailed diagrams of a variety of missiles and assemble everything yourself.