Science fiction video games have advanced over the years and many of those older sci-fi classics are still popular today. Between futuristic technology, moral dilemmas, and memorable characters, science fiction as a genre has been capturing the hearts of sci-fi enthusiasts for many years, and when it comes to video games, there are several releasing soon that are going to be worth checking out.
Science fiction may not always be part of the mainstream, but there are many good reasons to see about these games. Without further ado, here are some of the most anticipated science fiction games of the year.
6 The Expanse: A Telltale Series
Announced at The Game Awards 2021 and having been in development for some time, The Expanse: A Telltale Series is finally set to launch for a summer 2023 release date. The game follows Camina Drummer as the protagonist who lives in a futuristic world with space travel and aliens, Mars colonization, and scavenging the spaceship Artemis.
This game is a quintessential example of how futuristic technology and landscapes can be captured in a video game and put together for a fascinated gaming audience, and fans have Telltale Games and Deck Nine to thank. Intended to be a prequel to the television series The Expanse, developed by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby for Syfy, this highly anticipated series is sure not to disappoint sci-fi gamers this summer.
5 Luna Abyss
Another highly anticipated video game of the year is Luna Abyss. For sci-fi video games, this one is definitely up there, with the popular main character Fawkes, a prisoner. Developed by Bonsai Collective, this game does not disappoint. Luna Abyss includes prison and prophecy in this fun action-adventure game that's set to release July 2023.
Why should gamers care about Luna Abyss? Well, for starters it's an excellent representation of science fiction video gaming, with players being tasked with recovering lost futuristic technology on exciting missions, and demonstrates that games don't need to be at the Halo, Mass Effect, or Doom level in order to enjoyable or successful.
4 Spider-Man 2
Another highly anticipated and arguably sci-fi game of the year is Marvel's Spider-Man 2, a sequel to the first Spider-Man game and a game set to release for PlayStation 5 in Fall 2023. Published by Sony Interactive Entertainment and developed by Insomniac Games, this game will surely excite and entertain Spider-Man and video game fans alike.
Interestingly, this game is the third in the Spider-Man series, alongside Marvel's first Spider-Man game which released in 2018, and Spider-Man: Miles Morales from 2020. There are many good reasons to check out this game, including fun gameplay aspects like heroically exploring New York City in single player third-person mode and collecting different spidey suits.
3 Kerbal Space Program 2
Kerbal Space Program 2 is the sequel to the popular Kerbal Space Program. Interestingly, Elon Musk is a fan and has posted about the game before on Twitter and Reddit. An early access release date was February 2023. The Kerbal series is an impressive example of gaming, with players able to learn and put to use skills and knowledge related to rocket science.
What's particularly interesting about Kerbals is the sheer multitude of math and telemetry involved. Heavily invested players can spend hundreds of hours creating rockets and running test missions, and there's nothing quite like watching one of the characters experience flight. For the gamers who have loved Kerbal Space Program, there is surely excitement for this game's sequel.
2 Ark 2
Yet another highly anticipated title of the year, Ark 2, which is a sequel to Ark: Survival Evolved, is a prehistoric sandbox game based on survival skills. In this Studio Wildcard game, Vin Diesel stars as the character Santiago, along with his daughter, Meeka, who's voiced by Auli'i Cravalho, the voice actor for Disney's titular character Moana.
At first there was a delay in releasing of Ark 2, due to Studio Wildcard reportedly wanting to make the best, most "exceptional" game they could make. While this seems like it would be true for every studio and every game, at least one can hope, nevertheless the game has been rescheduled from 2023 to a 2024 release date. Ark 2's graphics, gameplay, voice acting, and storytelling are all superb and worth checking out.
1 Stargate: Timekeepers
Fans of the Stargate franchise (but really, any video game fan) will surely not be disappointed with the upcoming release of Stargate: Timekeepers. The story, set in the SG-1 universe, follows 14 missions and will be available for purchase and play July 2023. Stargate as a series has been popular ever since its inception, and it's clear why based on the game's graphics, mechanics, music, and more.
The first Stargate game was released in 1994 and quickly became legendary. The game is a real-time strategy game set in the Stargate universe that's easily one of the most anticipated games of the year, particularly fans of science fiction and the Stargate franchise itself.