When it comes to the fictional genre, there’s a wide variety. Some focus on heavy single-player campaigns. Others offer endless online worlds to explore with others. The number of choices may be overwhelming, so we’ll streamline the list. Only the best of the best deserve your time.
Selecting the Best Sci-Fi Games on PS4 and PS5
We need to identify what Sci-Fi means to find the best games in the genre. The category started in novels and deals with “possible” futures. In other words, science fiction is about science that doesn’t yet exist but could in the future. The genre also often explores the possible implications of progress. It does so while mixing horror, superhero, fantasy, and more elements. That is the simple definition but has proven to be beyond boundaries. Isaac Asimov, “I, Robot” writer, defines Sci-Fi as a “branch of literature which deals with the reaction of human beings to changes in science and technology.” So while it’s difficult to pin down, it’s easy to identify. There’re elements they share. Namely, Sci-Fi video games almost always deal with technology’s dangers and moral implications. That includes stuff like AI, high-tech weapons, or cybernetic implants. That said, the best Sci-Fi games feature both critical and fan praise. They live across various genres, like action-adventure, interactive dramas, MMORPGs, and others.
Best Sci-Fi Games On PS4 And PS5
Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain (& The Metal Gear series)
The Phantom Pain is the latest entry to the long-running stealth saga. Even though the story is a bit convoluted, it represents one of the best Sci-Fi content out of any medium. Generally, these games touch upon themes like clones, war, mercenaries, and super-weapons. They use these elements to create multi-layered mysteries involving various groups, countries, and technologies. We recommend you play as many main Metal Gear games as possible. They revolve around similar elements and styles. The fifth version, in particular, is a third-person stealth game taking you on a series of semi-open missions. You play as a mercenary leader, Punished “Venom” Snake. The quest takes to Afghanistan, a location occupied by the Soviets. You’re seeking revenge against the group that killed your companions.
Detroit: Become Human
Detroit: Become Human is the biggest interactive video game available. It leads you across dozens of branching paths towards over 80 different endings. The replayability is endless. The title has three main characters, three androids. The setting is Detroit, where AI androids have taken over meaningless jobs shortly. They are slaves, but they are becoming sentient. So, you play through episodic interactive stories. You make choices, explore the environment, and complete quick actions. The results alter the story and may even lead to the death of one of the protagonists. The story is about an android revolution and its possible consequences. The title features photo-realistic graphics, an immersive world, and outstanding motion animation and voice-over. The story is nothing too original; rather, something we saw precisely in the “I, Robot” movie and book. Still, it works and offers multiple paths to explore.
No Man’s Sky
No Man’s Sky is a growing behemoth. It started as a sub-par online space exploration and action-adventure game. Currently, though, it’s many things, as it keeps adding elements into its main formula. The main formula delivers an open-world universe with thousands of procedurally generated locations. These locations are planets, satellites, derelict ships, and more. The world is online and persistent, which qualifies No Man’s Sky as an MMO title. You can explore as part of quests or on your own. You can gather materials to improve and customize your suit, weapons, and ship on each planet. Each planet has fauna, flora, and sometimes enemies to defeat with simple third-person combat. Lastly, the game keeps adding updates and content. There have been rogue-like time-loops, questlines, base building features, space carries, space fights, space bandits, and so much more.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
Mass Effect Legendary Edition compiles the Mass Effect trilogy with remastered graphics. The bundle also packs all available DLCs, visual and technical improvements, and some gameplay tweaks. It doesn’t include multiplayer. The trilogy follows Commander Shephard, a human soldier leading a special squad. Your mission goes against all odds, even the politicians of the Milky Way Galaxy. You’re to prove the Reapers exist and unite the different alien races against the AI threat. The Reapers return every 50 million years to destroy all advanced organic life and reset the Milky Way’s state. The way to stop revolves around solving the differences between the many races in a series. The setting delivers a third-person RPG where you choose the missions and make game-altering choices. Lastly, combat revolves around high-tech weapons and powers. There’re character classes; thus, you can level up, unlock skills, customize your gear, and more. You also go on missions with two companions, and bonding with the companions is the best part of the games.
Horizon Zero Dawn (& Forbidden West)
Horizon Zero Dawn, and the 2022 sequel Forbidden West, are very similar. It’s only natural to recommend them both, as the second game only adds a couple of elements to a new setting. You play as Aloy, a hunter in a post-apocalyptic world. Wars destroyed civilization, and all that remains of its former glory are ruins and mysteries. Humans live in tribes, while machine animals roam the land and become increasingly difficult. The two games deal with the mystery of these machines and the ancient wars. It’s an action-adventure experience with an open world and character progression. You also gather herbs, craft potions, tame machines, level up, improve your gear, and customize your character. It also focuses heavily on hunting these machines. You use various bows, slings, and ammo types to exploit your enemies’ weaknesses. You can also run, crouch, vault, swim, and explore the world to your will for main and side quests.
Nier: Automata
Nier: Automata is a third-person action RPG and an open-world design (although the world is small). It is one of the most unique, dynamic, and captivating stories you can play. The story follows androids 2B and 12A on a mission to retake Earth from machines. They come from their satellite base in space. Androids manage the base, and they receive orders from the surviving humans on the Moon. Or so they think. The events get more obscure once you’re doing the mission. YOu discover machines have formed ways of sentience. They can be greedy, luxurious, loyal, loving, emphatic, vengeful, and more. The question arises, are they alive? Once you finish the game, you can play it again with the secondary character. And then, again, with a new character. Each one presents a new part of the story. And as for gameplay, it’s a third-person hack & slash where you customize skills and weapons via “chips.”
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 lives in a Sci-Fi subgenre, “cyberpunk.” It also comes alive after a table-top role-playing game of the same name, so it’s both fantasy and Sci-Fi. Also, it presents its own scenario, Night City, a massive dystopian city. The title explores the dangers of invasive technology. It questions how far technology and humans come together before one overcomes the other. “Cyberpunk,” if you’re unfamiliar, refers to Sci-Fi worlds where people can place cybernetic implants on their bodies. The answer relies on the secondary protagonist, Johnny Silverhand (Keanu Reeves). His conciseness, even his soul, is trapped within a ship. Your customizable avatar, mercenary V, has the ship on the head. Your goal is to take it out before both of you die. The setting delivers a first-person action-RPG shooter with an open world. You drive, complete quests, gear up, and level up a comprehensive skill system. Combat, music, acting, and overall graphics are top-tier, even if the game’s debut was very poor.
Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds is an action-adventure and puzzle/exploration game. There’s no combat, no tutorials, and no directions. You’re on your own, on a mission to solve an interstellar mystery. You’re exploring various planets on a star system trapped in a time loop. Every 22 minutes, a reset takes you back to the beginning and sets back everything you did. All you get to keep is the knowledge. So, you explore the planets and space on foot or ships. The goal is to stop the time loop, but there’s much more to see and uncover. There’re ancient ruins, derelict ships, abandoned stations, and more. All of them may present a piece of the answer. The indie title received several GoTY awards. Its relaxing gameplay and gorgeous presentation deliver a memorable experience. And after you finish its main puzzle, you can continue towards the expansion, Echoes of the Eye.
The Outer Worlds
The Outer Worlds is an action-RPG game dealing with greedy corporations running amok. The story happens in the future, where various enterprises have taken over human affairs in planetary colonies. It’s an RPG, so your choices will swing the balance of power to the colonists or the corporations. So, you’ll explore various locations and decide your next destination from your ship. As you play, you’ll level up, develop powers and perks, and recruit NPC companions. You can bond with these companions and take them on quests. They feature skills, specializations, dialogue, and reactions to your choices. Lastly, you play in first-person perspective on a vast open world. You shoot high-tech weapons and use various skills and gadgets for defense and attack.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Mankind Divided is a first-person action-RPG game with a semi-open world and a heavy focus on stealth. It’s the fourth and latest entry of the Deus Ex series, and we recommend the entire saga. Deus Ex is also a cyberpunk title. It explores themes such as transhumanism, tech enhancement, and discrimination. The protagonist enhanced his body to accomplish difficult missions, and now society discarded him. Humanity has two sides: normal humans and those with augmentations. But you’ll discover a bigger threat that takes you across a mission that may heal the division and create new ideas. The gameplay allows you to traverse across semi-open scenarios in many ways. As an RPG, there’re several skill trees to develop and dialogue choices. In almost any situation, there’re various possible solutions and consequences.
XCOM 2
XCOM 2 is a turn-based strategy game. It’s about managing a soldier squad across a series of missions against an alien invasion. It’s a sequel to 2012’s XCOM, the series’ reboot. The story happens 20 years after the previous game. XCOM, the military organization, became the rebels. Aliens took control of the Earth and established a military dictatorship. So, the entire game mixes goals and maps to complete. You enter these maps and begin a turn-based experience. You move across a grid and attack, take cover, and use items and skills per turn. And as you level, you customize your squad and skills. Also, there’s a component of management. You decide which research to do and your next missions when you’re on the ship. Also, you take time to manage your team’s loadout and members.
Titanfall 2
Titanfall 2 is a linear first-person shooter. It mixes various elements, delivering dynamic levels, fast-paced action, and an immersive story. It’s pacing even takes you to time-traveling segments. But in general, it’s a mecha-style story. You use mechas and exoskeletons as an agile pilot. Then, you have various skills such as wall-running, dashing, or cloaking to traverse the areas. The Sci-Fi story follows Jack Cooper, a rifleman of the Frontier Militia. He travels alongside his mentor on a quest to defeat the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation and their super-weapon. The theme is similar to the Metal Gear series, but the story is more straightforward. Lastly, the gameplay is smooth, and some people compare it to Half-Life. And even though its success was big, the developer took away multiplayer support. However, you can play the free-to-play Battle Royale spin-off, Apex Legends.
