With the release of Bethesda's ambitious sci-fi RPG Starfield coming in 2023, now is as good a time as any to delve into other sci-fi RPG video games. While other video game genres take place in a variety of settings, RPGs are almost always set in a fantasy world or have fantasy elements, which ittedly does allow for some great role-playing opportunities.
Some of the best RPG PC games of all time make use of a fantasy setting, but those looking for a different flavor of adventure need not be disappointed either, as there are some great RPGs with a sci-fi setting as well.
The Outer Worlds (2019)
Not to be confused with the very similarly titled Outer Wilds, The Outer Worlds is an action RPG developed by Obsidian Entertainment, the studio behind Fallout: New Vegas. Set centuries into the future, the game takes place in an alternate world that is wholly controlled by mega-corporations that have not only taken over Earth but many alien planets as well, exploiting them as they wish.
Taking inspiration from past sci-fi games such as Mass Effect and many others, TOW lets the players choose their own path and ending as they travel to different space colonies and interact with various factions.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (2021)
BioWare set the standard for well-written and character-driven RPGs with its Mass Effect series, and the main trilogy is still celebrated by gamers even now after more than a decade since being released. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is a remaster of the first three Mass Effect games, with the first game being worked on more extensively, although all three received significant visual and technical upgrades.
For new players wanting to get into this acclaimed series and put themselves in the shoes of Commander Shepard, this compilation is the best introduction to the franchise, as the new features mean it plays as well as any other modern game.
Horizon Zero Dawn (2017)
The biggest strength of the Playstation console lies in its collection of exclusive games that are each better than the other, and best PS4 games ever.
Horizon Zero Dawn is set in a post-post-apocalyptic world that has recovered from a world-ending event, meaning instead of just depressing ruins there is a lot more greenery to be enjoyed, making for a unique mix of an ancient yet futuristic aesthetic. The story is fairly linear and the dialogue choices, when available, have little impact on the story, but the skillfully crafted world of Horizon Zero Dawn is delightful to explore.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003)
KOTOR is the highest-rated Star Wars game ever released, and even nearly 20 years after its release fans can be found singing its praises. Even if the gameplay is a little outdated by modern definitions, the story and lore alone make it well worth it, and in many ways, the game is even better than the original trilogy.
Set thousands of years before the more commonly known events of the films, KOTOR follows the legend of the amnesiac Darth Revan and gives players the freedom to either choose the light side or the dark side of the Force while playing.
The Fallout Series
The general premise of the Fallout games is very bleak, but one that works well as a video game setting. Players are set loose in a post-apocalyptic world ruined by nuclear warfare and are free to engage in various activities ranging from hunting radioactive monsters to building communities for survivors and interacting with them.
Bethesda has developed something of a controversial reputation in recent years (that is best summed up through memes) due to not being able to deliver on their games, but even then the Fallout franchise remains much loved among fans of RPGs.
Nier: Automata (2017)
Most gamers will be unfamiliar with the name Drakengard, which is the original franchise that produced the Nier series, which in turn produced the character 2B whose popularity exceeds that of the games.
But beyond its infamous female protagonist, Nier: Automata has unique, action-fueled gameplay and a well-written story about the war between humanoid androids and extraterrestrial beings. It is one of those games that need to be played twice to explore all the possible outcomes and branching storylines, and potentially even more times to completely experience what the game has to offer.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (2011)
Often taking inspiration from many real-life conspiracy theories and mythologies, the Deus Ex games use their setting to deliver the most immersive cyberpunk experience possible. Throughout the four main games, players get to play as different cybernetically advanced individuals and are allowed to explore a 21st-century dystopian Earth while completing many objectives using a mixture of stealth gameplay and superhuman powers.
Besides typical features such as upgrades and customizations, important dialogue choices and character interactions mean that the player’s actions carry a lot of weight, delivering a thorough role-playing adventure.
Shadowrun Returns (2013)
Shadowrun is a tabletop RPG similar to Dungeons and Dragons, a key difference between the two being D&D is purely fantasy based while Shadowrun incorporates cyberpunk elements as well. Shadowrun Returns is a tactical RPG based on the tabletop game of the same name, and it is far from the first or last. Even if the graphics and gameplay are not as sophisticated as some other RPG games, Shadowrun Returns features many staples of the genre.
Besides being able to customize the appearance of their character, players can choose between six different character classes called "Archetypes" that each come with different perks.
System Shock 2 (1999)
The historical FPS game that defined the genre.
Like the original game, System Shock 2 mainly takes place on a starship that has been taken over by a rogue sentient AI named SHODAN, and the fight against this entity drives the entire plot. As an unnamed soldier recently brought back from cryogenic sleep, players choose between three character classes with unique powers and the fight alongside a handful of survivors in this survival horror RPG.
Cyberpunk 2077 (2020)
Cyberpunk 2077 was never going to live up to the ambitious promises of the developers or the expectations of the fans, but few expected that it would turn out to be one of the most infamous video game releases of all time.
When the game finally did release after multiple delays, most players with old hardware were unable to run it, and those who were experienced a buggy, glitchy, and simply unplayable mess. Almost two years after its release, a plethora of post-release patches and updates have fixed many of the problems of the game, but the aftertaste of disappointment still lingers in many.