Jane
From exploring distant galaxies to battling intergalactic threats, science fiction games offer an immersive escape into the unknown. Whether you prefer deep, narrative-driven experiences or intense, action-packed adventures, there’s a sci-fi game for everyone. The gaming landscape in 2025 is a blend of remastered classics and innovative new titles that push the boundaries of storytelling, gameplay, and graphics. This list highlights 12 exceptional sci-fi desktop games to dive into this year, showcasing various styles, mechanics, and thrilling adventures.
Epic Sci-Fi Desktop Games: 12 Best Picks for 2025
1. Mass Effect Legendary Edition
Mass Effect Legendary Edition is the ultimate way to experience BioWare’s iconic space opera trilogy, bringing the beloved RPG series to modern audiences with improved visuals and refined gameplay. The remaster enhances textures, lighting, and character models, making the galaxy feel more alive. Players step into the shoes of Commander Shepard, a customizable protagonist whose choices shape the universe’s fate across all three games.
The deep character customization and branching dialogue options create a personal and immersive experience where every decision has long-term consequences. Tactical squad-based combat blends RPG mechanics with third-person shooting, allowing for strategic engagements against alien threats. Whether new to or revisiting the series, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a must-play for sci-fi fans.
2. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor builds on the success of Fallen Order, delivering a thrilling continuation of Cal Kestis’s journey as he fights to survive in a galaxy dominated by the Empire. The game introduces enhanced lightsaber combat, featuring new stances and abilities that make battles more dynamic and fluid. Expansive, open-world environments offer opportunities for deep exploration, uncovering secrets, and engaging in side quests that enrich the story.
Players can customize Cal’s appearance, lightsaber, and fighting style, allowing for a more personalized experience. The gripping narrative dives deeper into Cal’s struggle as a Jedi in hiding, filled with emotional character moments and high-stakes conflicts. With its intense combat, exploration, and storytelling blend, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a must-play for Star Wars enthusiasts and action-adventure fans.
3. The Outer Worlds
The Outer Worlds offers a satirical and engaging RPG experience that places players in a dystopian, corporate-controlled space colony. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, the game is packed with witty writing, sharp humor, and deep player-driven choices that shape the story. Multiple endings ensure that every decision has lasting consequences, making replayability one of its strongest features.
Character progression allows for unique playstyles, whether you prefer combat, persuasion, or sneaky tactics to achieve your goals. The world is filled with eccentric characters, bizarre factions, and morally ambiguous dilemmas that challenge players to question corporate greed and personal ethics. If you want a sci-fi RPG with a strong narrative and engaging mechanics, The Outer Worlds delivers a fantastic experience.
4. Prey (2017)
Prey is a gripping psychological horror game set aboard the Talos I space station, where players must survive against shape-shifting alien creatures called the Typhon. The game’s eerie atmosphere is enhanced by its detailed, open-ended level design, allowing players to explore and uncover the secrets of the doomed station. Creative gameplay mechanics allow players to approach challenges through stealth, hacking, or combat.
Unique alien enemies like the Mimics can disguise themselves as everyday objects, keeping players on edge. The deep narrative unfolds through environmental storytelling, audio logs, and NPC interactions, making every discovery impactful. With its blend of horror, exploration, and immersive gameplay, Prey is an unforgettable sci-fi experience that rewards curiosity and strategic thinking.
5. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a cyberpunk RPG that blends action, stealth, and deep moral choices in a richly detailed futuristic world. Players take on the role of Adam Jensen, a security specialist enhanced with cybernetic augmentations, navigating a world of corporate espionage and political intrigue. The game allows various playstyles to achieve objectives through direct combat, hacking, or social manipulation.
Augmentations provide unique abilities, from enhanced vision to increased strength, allowing creative problem-solving. The storyline explores thought-provoking themes of transhumanism, corporate control, and the ethical implications of human augmentation. Every decision impacts the world around you, leading to multiple endings based on your choices. With its engaging mechanics and gripping narrative, Deus Ex: Human Revolution remains a standout title in the cyberpunk genre.
6. Portal 2
Portal 2 is a masterpiece of puzzle design, combining mind-bending physics-based challenges with dark humor and sharp storytelling. Players wield the portal gun, which creates interconnected portals to solve increasingly complex puzzles. The game’s narrative is driven by its iconic AI characters, including the witty and sarcastic GLaDOS, who provides constant humor and unexpected twists.
In addition to its single-player campaign, the cooperative multiplayer mode introduces new mechanics that require teamwork and coordination. The levels are cleverly designed to gradually introduce new mechanics, ensuring a rewarding sense of progression. Portal 2’s writing is hilarious and thought-provoking, blending comedy with deeper themes about artificial intelligence and free will. With its innovative gameplay and unforgettable characters, Portal 2 remains one of the greatest puzzle games ever.
7. Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 remains one of the most revolutionary first-person shooters ever created, thanks to its groundbreaking physics-based gameplay and immersive storytelling. The game’s world is richly detailed, with environments that feel alive and reactive to the player’s actions. Valve’s seamless storytelling approach eliminates cutscenes, keeping players engaged.
The intelligent AI of enemies like the Combine and the terrifying Ravenholm sequence make for unforgettable experiences. Players wield the iconic Gravity Gun, which showcases the game’s advanced physics system and allows for creative problem-solving. Even in 2025, Half-Life 2 is a must-play for any sci-fi gaming enthusiast.
8. Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation is a masterclass in survival horror, delivering an experience that captures the terror of Ridley Scott’s original Alien film. Unlike traditional horror games, the Xenomorph’s AI is unpredictable, making each encounter feel fresh and terrifying. The game’s atmosphere is meticulously designed, from the eerie sound design to the retro-futuristic technology that stays true to the film’s aesthetic.
Players must rely on stealth, crafting, and limited resources to survive, as direct combat is rarely an option. The feeling of helplessness and constant dread tense every moment, ensuring no two playthroughs are the same. For sci-fi horror fans, Alien: Isolation is the definitive Xenomorph experience.
9. Returnal
Returnal is a fast-paced roguelike shooter that blends intense bullet-hell combat with an unsettling psychological narrative. Players take on the role of Selene, a space explorer trapped in a mysterious time loop on an alien planet. The game’s shifting environments and procedurally generated levels make every run feel different, keeping the challenge fresh.
Combat is fluid and dynamic, requiring quick reflexes and strategic use of weapons and abilities. The story unfolds gradually, revealing haunting secrets about Selene’s past and the planet’s true nature. Now available on PC and PlayStation, Returnal offers a deeply immersive sci-fi experience.
10. Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds is a unique space exploration game that challenges players to uncover the mysteries of a doomed solar system trapped in a time loop. Instead of combat, the game focuses on discovery, allowing players to piece together the history of an ancient alien civilization. Each planet is beautifully handcrafted, featuring strange physics, hidden ruins, and environmental puzzles.
The game’s time-loop mechanic encourages exploration, as every cycle brings new insights into the world’s secrets. The narrative is deeply emotional, blending existential themes with a sense of cosmic wonder. Outer Wilds is a must-play for anyone who enjoys mystery-driven storytelling and open-ended exploration.
11. Nier: Automata
Nier: Automata is a sci-fi action RPG that seamlessly blends fast-paced combat with deep philosophical storytelling. Players take on the roles of androids fighting in a war against machine lifeforms, uncovering hidden truths about their existence. The game’s fluid and stylish combat, developed by PlatinumGames, keeps battles engaging and satisfying.
What sets Nier: Automata apart is its unique narrative structure, requiring multiple playthroughs to experience the complete story fully. Themes of identity, free will, and the nature of consciousness are explored in thought-provoking ways. With its stunning soundtrack and emotionally charged storytelling, Nier: Automata is one of the most rewarding sci-fi games ever.
12. Control
Control is a mind-bending action game that blends sci-fi with supernatural horror, creating a surreal and gripping experience. Players step into the role of Jesse Faden, who arrives at the mysterious Federal Bureau of Control to uncover the truth about her past. The game’s setting, the ever-shifting Oldest House, is filled with eerie anomalies and reality-warping threats.
Jesse wields powerful telekinetic abilities, allowing her to manipulate objects and engage in intense combat. The game’s narrative is cryptic and layered, rewarding players who explore and uncover its many secrets. With its stunning visuals, engaging gameplay, and unsettling atmosphere, Control stands out in modern sci-fi gaming.
Explore the Future of Gaming
Sci-fi games continue to push the boundaries of storytelling, world-building, and gameplay, offering players a chance to explore the unknown. Whether you’re venturing into deep space, uncovering government conspiracies, or surviving against alien threats, these games provide unforgettable experiences.
With a mix of classic masterpieces and modern hits, there’s something for every type of sci-fi fan in 2025. The blend of action, strategy, mystery, and exploration makes these titles stand out as some of the best in the genre. So gear up, dive in, and get ready for thrilling adventures beyond the stars.
