There have been some incredible sci-fi games released over the past decade, from Fallout 4 to Outer Wilds and beyond. Pinning down the best sci-fi game of each year from 2015 to 2025 is no easy feat considering just how many great games are released every year in the genre.
While it’s debatable in certain years exactly which sci-fi game was the absolute best, the following selections offer players truly original and incredible gameplay, narratives and characters, and massive new science fiction worlds to explore and discover.
2015 – Fallout 4
Rebuild The Wasteland One Settlement At A Time
Fallout 4 is a definitive science fiction masterpiece that was praised for its incredible world-building. While longtime fans debated whether it drifted too far from the series’ roots, as a sci-fi title, it solidified Fallout’s place among gaming’s most recognizable futuristic universes.
When Fallout 4 released in November 2015, it was met with strong critical reviews and massive commercial success, selling millions of copies within 24 hours. Reviewers praised its expansive open world, sense of freedom, and Bethesda’s signature environmental storytelling. It quickly became one of the most talked-about sci-fi RPGs of the decade, and still has a dedicated player base.
The year offered a handful of other top contenders in the genre as well, including the must-play SteamWorld Heist and the first episode of the Life is Strange series, but Fallout 4 is hands-down the biggest sci-fi release of the year.
2016 – Titanfall 2
A Wall-Running, Titan-Dropping, Underrated Sci-Fi Shooter
Titanfall 2 took Respawn Entertainment’s mech-powered shooter formula and elevated it into one of the standout sci-fi releases of the decade. While its predecessor was multiplayer-only, the 2016 sequel delivered a full single-player campaign that surprised critics and players alike with inventive level design and character development, such as the bond between pilot Jack Cooper and his Titan companion, BT-7274.
Launching in October 2016, the game unfortunately landed in a crowded release window, which hindered its release. Still, reviewers praised its fluid mechanics, mission variety, and more, cementing it as a critical darling and cult favorite from the year.
That same year offered other notable sci-fi entries, such as No Man’s Sky for its ambitious (albeit lacking) procedural universe, while Deus Ex: Mankind Divided carried forward one of cyberpunk’s most iconic franchises. However, there was arguably nothing quite as polished or fun as Titanfall 2.
2017 – NieR: Automata
Android Existentialism With Hack, Slash, & Heartbreak
NieR: Automata incorporates a rare blend of philosophical storytelling and exhilarating sci-fi action. Its tale of androids 2B, 9S, and A2 grappling with questions of purpose and existence resonated deeply, making it one of the most thought-provoking sci-fi games of the decade in terms of character and narrative development.
Released in March 2017, the game was both a surprise critical sensation and a commercial hit, far surpassing expectations for a niche sequel to 2010’s NieR. Reviewers highlighted its seamless mix of shooter mechanics, hack-and-slash action, and RPG elements, while praising its “multiple-playthrough,” layered story structure.
2017 was packed with strong sci-fi contenders, such as Prey, a reinvented immersive sci-fi sim, and Destiny 2 expanded Bungie’s iconic universe. NieR: Automata stood apart as a work of art that balanced fluid gameplay with existential themes, ensuring its place as one of the decade’s quintessential sci-fi experiences.
2018 – Detroit: Become Human
Choices, Consequences, and Questioning Humanity
Detroit: Become Human delivered an incredible cinematic vision of near-future society where androids struggle for autonomy, putting players and their decisions at the heart of its storytelling. Quantic Dream’s branching narrative explored themes of free will, identity, and morality, with multiple protagonists whose fates depended entirely on the decisions made by the player.
It quickly became one of the most talked-about interactive dramas of the decade. Detroit: Become Human stood out as the year’s most prominent narrative-driven sci-fi release, securing its spot as a milestone in interactive storytelling.
2019 – Outer Wilds
A Cosmic Mystery That Ends Before You’re Ready
Outer Wilds is a time-looping odyssey that transformed what exploration can be in one of the most profound sci-fi experiences of the decade. Set in a “handcrafted” solar system that’s been trapped in a 22-minute cycle before its sun goes supernova, the game invites players to unravel mysteries through curiosity and observation rather than combat.
Outer Wilds was met with widespread critical acclaim when it launched, eventually earning accolades such as Best Game at the 2020 BAFTA Awards. While its scale was smaller compared to blockbuster titles, its ambition and execution has secured it a reputation as one of the most memorable sci-fi games ever made.
2019 was a stacked year for the genre too, with The Outer Worlds delivering Obsidian’s take on space-faring RPGs, and Death Stranding offering Hideo Kojima’s surreal vision of a dystopian future. Yet even in such a crowded year, Outer Wilds managed to stand out, carving a legacy as a masterpiece of science fiction.
2020 – Half-Life: Alyx
The VR Benchmark That Redefined What’s Possible
Half-Life: Alyx was the first game that made me want to try out a VR headset, and is still one of the only VR games that is widely considered a must-play. The game’s iconic “gravity gloves” place the player inside the prequel to Half-Life 2 in what feels like a truly tangible, hands-on experience.
It’s been labeled the first VR “killer app,” or the game that proved VR technology was worth it. Half-Life: Alyx not only raised the bar on VR technology writ large, it also expanded the beloved Half-Life franchise in an original way by letting players experience Alyx Vance’s perspective before the events of Half-Life 2.
Half-Life: Alyx released in 2020, a year that was packed to the brim with top-tier sci-fi games, including the Final Fantasy VII Remake, Ghostrunner, DOOM Eternal, Cyberpunk 2077, and more. While all of these games deserve credit as sci-fi essentials, Half-Life: Alyx set the benchmark for a developing technology while sending players on an unforgettable and immersive sci-fi adventure.
2021 – Returnal
A Sci-Fi Horror Roguelike With Unparalleled DualSense Features
If Half-Life: Alyx was the app killer for VR technology, Returnal was close to being the same when it comes to PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller technology. While Astro’s Playroom (and eventually Astro Bot) fully proved the DualSense technology’s capabilities, Returnal incorporated adaptive triggers in a way that no shooter or roguelike has managed to emulate.
Returnal was one of the original PS5 games released for the console, and it deserves credit for its incredibly original premise, gameplay mechanics, DualSense technology incorporation, character and narrative development, and more. Returnal features adaptive trigger technology that allows alternative fire options on each of its various weapons, as well as haptic feedback, etc.
As a roguelike, gameplay itself is incredibly challenging, but the endless death loop becomes rewarding as players become more and more skilled with the game’s mechanics. Honorable sci-fi mentions for 2021 include Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Halo Infinite, Scarlet Nexus, and Everspace 2.
2022 – Stray
A Cyberpunk Adventure On Four Tiny Paws
If you’ve ever dreamed of exploring an apocalyptic sci-fi dystopia full of robots as an adorable tabby cat, look no further than Stray. Stray is a 2022 sci-fi game that lets players solve puzzles and traverse dangers as a cat, using sci-fi gadgets and interacting with robots around the world to find your way out of the city’s cyberpunk underbelly.
Stray is yet another ingenious game from the same publishers behind Outer Wilds, and offers a similarly compelling and unique gameplay experience. Stray’s story and cyberpunk world are unique and striking, and behind the game’s adorable premise there is an incredibly powerful and deeply emotional narrative that will resonate with players.
While the year also saw great sci-fi games like The Callisto Protocol and Horizon Forbidden West, Stray stands out as a memorable and moving hidden gem that should be on every fan of the genre’s radar.
2023 – Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
One Of FromSoftware’s Best Armored Core Entries
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is without a doubt one of the best mech games released in the past decade, and it should definitely be in the conversation for best Armored Core game of all time. AC6 brought FromSoftware’s iconic franchise to modern platforms in a groundbreaking way that honored the staples of previous games while also giving players something completely unique and original.
This was a great year for the genre, with stiff competition in the sci-fi space. AC6 released among beloved games like Honkai: Star Rail and Starfield, as well as the Dead Space Remake, the Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty expansion, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and countless other sci-fi greats of 2023.
However, I would argue that AC6 outshines all of its contemporaries, and if you’ve still never played an Armored Core game, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is a perfect entry point.
2024 – Astro Bot
Undeniable Puzzle-Platformer Fun In PlayStation’s Sci-Fi Galaxy
If you don’t know about Astro Bot by now, you’re seriously missing out on arguably the most fun puzzle-platforming sci-fi experience in gaming. Astro Bot is undeniably the app killer when it comes to DualSense technology, immersing players through a controller in ways that no game may ever top.
While it’s highly lauded for its universal appeal with engaging mechanics and interactive use of haptic feedback and adaptive trigger technology, the game’s unique premise and sci-fi worlds also cannot be ignored.