10 Sci-Fi Video Games Better Than Most Movie Blockbusters You’ve Seen

No matter the medium, there is something inherently charming and fascinating about science fiction that makes it a highlight of just about every art form. While many people immediately think of great sci-fi blockbusters as some of the best that the genre has to offer, there are actually a wide array of masterful sci-fi video games that tell even greater stories with more vast, intricate worlds.

While it’s arguable whether these games are greater than the absolute best blockbusters, they overwhelmingly stand head and toes above the average movie that only grazes the potential of the genre. These games, however, bring sci-fi to its absolute limits in terms of compelling player experience, delving into intricate worlds with great characters and unmatched immersion. For many gamers, these titles are some of the absolute best sci-fi experiences across all forms of media.

‘Doom’ (2016)

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The Doom franchise has always had an impactful niche, being one of the first truly great first-person shooters and having an instantly compelling world to get the player invested. Simply playing as a ruthless space marine fighting off against legions of undead and demons is the type of concept that provides untold amounts of fun and high-energy glory for players. While many games in the Doom franchise revel in the glory of their gameplay, the initial reboot game from 2016 is arguably the best in this regard.

The major innovation that makes Doom so compelling and more high-energy is the “Glory Kill” mechanic, incentivizing players to be aggressive in their playstyle and chain kills, being rewarded for fast, frantic gameplay. It gives the game a distinct identity, revitalizing the franchise in its success and elevating the stature of Doom into the modern age.

‘Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic’ (2003)

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While Star Wars has stood for decades as the face of exceptional sci-fi blockbusters in film, it has also achieved great success in other mediums. In the world of Star Wars video games, however, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is the undeniable king, telling a vast sci-fi RPG experience with a story that even rivals the best that the films have to offer.

This prequel to the entire franchise sets itself apart from the actual films by delving more into the mythos and the continuous struggle between Jedi and Sith, with the player traveling across the galaxy, customizing their character, and choosing whether to journey down the path of the Light Side or the Dark Side. It features a lot of the classic strengths of Bioware RPGs, combining them with the glory and passion of Star Wars worldbuilding to create one of the best RPGs of the 2000s.

‘Titanfall 2’ (2016)

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While the original Titanfall was an effective concept with a well enough execution on the concept of a massive multiplayer shooter where players engage in futuristic mech combat, Titanfall 2 acts as the fully realized height of the concept. It builds upon the strengths of the first game to a point of near-perfection, adding a wildly entertaining single-player campaign while further delivering on the same competitive multiplayer greatness.

The game focused much more on heightened movement and a sprawling world that help it stand out among its sci-fi first-person shooter peers, leaving players deeply invested in its world as they pilot mechs into the height of combat. It also helps that its core PvP gameplay loop is some of the most satisfying and effective gameplay that first-person gaming has to offer, with layers of depth and exceptional passion oozing out of every aspect of the gameplay.

‘Outer Wilds’ (2019)

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While the sci-fi genre is often associated with massively sprawling budgets and AAA gaming, there are also many exceptional indie games that capture the vast scale and limitless possibilities of the genre; Outer Wilds is easily the best in this regard. This exceptional indie game sees the player exploring a planetary system that is stuck in a 22-minute time loop, resetting after the sun goes supernova and destroys the entire system. Through repeated attempts, it becomes up to the player to investigate the alien ruins to discover the cause of the time loop and how to stop the supernova.

Through its simple yet immediately engaging premise, Outer Wilds does an exceptional job of hooking the audience and keeping them captivated, with effective puzzles slowly revealing more truths as to the nature of this doom-fated solar system. It has had a lasting impact on those who experience it, utilizing the strengths of sci-fi and space exploration to create a true work of art only possible in the realm of video games.

‘Half-Life 2’ (2004)

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The original Half-Life was already a massively celebrated icon of first-person shooters and immersive sci-fi storytelling, but Half-Life 2 amplifies the strengths of the original to create what was a generational leap forward for the video game industry as a whole. With exceptional worldbuilding, control over the player at all times and even during cutscenes, and a physics engine that encourages interactions with the environment, first-person games were never the same after Half-Life 2.

This prominent Valve sequel has stood as one of the company’s greatest games ever since its release, with the dynamic combination of a ruthless dystopian world and high-tech sci-fi technology creating a timeless classic first-person experience. The game has a substantial legacy that has stood long after its release, often considered one of the most important technological advancements for the industry and one of the best games of the era.

‘Halo: Combat Evolved’ (2001)

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Xbox wouldn’t be nearly the titan that it is today without the success and impact of Halo, with Halo: Combat Evolved still holding a special place in the hearts of many gamers. Whether it’s the exceptional single-player campaign where Master Chief faces off against the Covenant in a fight for humanity, or the endlessly entertaining multiplayer modes, Halo: Combat Evolved has been one of the faces of sci-fi gaming ever since its release.

Even as the franchise has had a myriad of subsequent releases and growth over the years, there’s something special and full of charm about the original game that continues to make it such an icon of not just gaming, but the sci-fi genre as a whole. It features some of the most intricate and recognizable characters and locations in shooter game history, with its prominent world playing a major part in its continued legacy and recognition.

‘Metroid Prime’ (2002)

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The defining sci-fi franchise from Nintendo, Metroid Prime proved to be one of the all-time greatest jumps to 3D for a franchise, taking the vast exploration and alien threats of the Metroid franchise and giving them a new coat of paint in this first-person action-adventure masterpiece. This exceptional GameCube game was one of the greatest system sellers for the console, standing toe-to-toe with the other sci-fi masterpieces of the era with a perfect balance of action, puzzle solving, and an expansive world.

The game is much more action-packed and mature compared to the traditional Nintendo experience, yet it still has the same passion and labor of love that make so many Nintendo games genre-defining classics. Metroid Prime is the type of exceptional masterpiece that other adventure games find massive inspiration from, pushing the medium forward with pitch-perfect execution in every regard.

‘Mass Effect 2’ (2010)

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Mass Effect 2 arguably accomplishes one of the greatest feats in sci-fi video game storytelling, featuring one of the most impressive and vast branches of possible stories, with no two playthroughs ever feeling the same. With so many memorable characters to interact with, as well as building off of the growth and decision-making of the previous game, Mass Effect 2 is the definitive masterclass of character and passion within a video game story.

The game has stood as one of the quintessential sci-fi video game masterpieces ever since its release, creating a sprawling, highly engaging action RPG experience from beginning to end. It almost had an indirect adverse effect on the rest of the franchise, as no subsequent entry has even come close to the impact and exceptional feel that Mass Effect 2 has from beginning to end.

‘BioShock’ (2007)

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The perfect example of a vast, original dystopian world in video games, BioShock and its exceptional exploration of monolithic utopian thinkers in the city of Rapture make for one of the most artistically rich and powerful video game narratives, especially for the era in which it was released. BioShock features great variety in its gameplay, with high-octane action, terrifying tense-fueled moments, and intricate puzzles coming together to create one of the most original gaming experiences of the Xbox 360/PS3 era.

Even after a complete trilogy of BioShock games, the mixture of timely social messaging and intricate storytelling still makes the film a celebrated achievement for gaming culture. It’s the undeniable height of sci-fi dystopian storytelling, telling a story that rivals the very best sci-fi movies in its stature and has one of the most emotionally touching endings in video game history.

‘Portal 2’ (2011)

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It takes a lot to follow up a game that was already considered one of the best games of the generation, yet Portal 2 expands and improves upon the already perfect strengths of Portal to create the definitive puzzle game masterpiece. With new puzzle elements, overwhelming characters and charm at each moment, and a deeper examination into the world as a whole, Portal 2 is the perfect video game sequel from which all other sequels should find inspiration.

The game’s amazing writing isn’t just better than most other video games, but rivals the very best sci-fi movies with its masterful pacing and overwhelming passion. Characters like GLaDOS, Wheatley, and Cave Johnson are among the most memorable and charming in video game history, with their dialogue adding so much character to the masterfully concocted portal-based puzzles that fuel the game. Portal 2 is a perfect puzzle game that consistently delivers amazing sci-fi greatness.