We discuss ten games like No Man’s Sky you must play. Add these well-recommended games to your gaming library.
Space, the final frontier. Going to the stars has fascinated humans for decades. Thanks to the power of video games, humanity has visited it quite a lot. One of these memorable space-based exploration games (not always for the right reasons) is No Man’s Sky from Hello Games.
Released in 2016, No Man’s Sky boasted thousands of procedurally generated planets to explore, though at launch, there wasn’t much else to do. Promised features were absent from the game, and the general monotony of the game turned people sour very quickly.
But thanks to the extensive updates and post-launch support the game has received, new features like base building, surface vehicles, the ability to command fleets, and more have been added. Hello Games’ commitment to all this has improved the image of No Man’s Sky considerably.
If you’re looking for more space-based games like No Man’s Sky, here are ten you must play.
10 Games like No Man’s Sky
Starfield (2023)
Starfield is a game from Bethesda, taking their style of open-world gameplay from The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series and setting it in space. Players can explore 1,000 worlds, mine resources, and create their own ships and bases, and that’s before they get involved in any story missions or combat. It’s very ambitious.
Elite Dangerous (2014)
Elite Dangerous is an MMO set in space, where players take control of their own starship and attempt to survive in a futuristic and cutthroat world. Players aim to join the ranks of the Elite.
The Milky Way galaxy is simulated to a 1:1 level, and while most of the action is multiplayer-focused, this is a single-player mode.
Astroneer (2016)
In this less combat-focused game, players in Astroneer must work together to construct bases, build and operate starships to explore the vast galaxy, and gather resources in harsh environments. In a galaxy this big, the only limit is your imagination.
Subnautica: Below Zero (2019)
Subnautica: Below Zero has players venture to the watery depths of an alien planet. They will battle falling hunger meters, a harsh world, and will need to find resources needed to upgrade and build their base.
Players will also have to contend with the horrors that lurk below. There are some areas on land to explore.
Osiris: New Dawn (2020)
During a space exploration mission gone wrong, players are transported to a deserted planet where they must build a base to survive the hostile conditions. Eventually, players can rebuild and pilot a ship, exploring the rest of the solar system. Players can play in offline single-player or online multiplayer.
Stellaris (2016)
While not an open-world survival game like No Man’s Sky, Stellaris still has the same sci-fi theme. It’s a real-time strategy game, and the end goal can vary depending on the player’s choice.
They can pursue galactic conquest, hoarding all resources and becoming technological supremacy, peaceful coexistence with other life, or decide that they want to destroy it entirely. There are several backstories that the player can choose from, as well as ships and planets.
Star Citizen (2014)
Though Starfield is ambitious, it doesn’t come anywhere close to Star Citizen’s aspirations. This game wants to be a massive persistent universe, with players collecting starships, visiting immersive planets, and fighting others across the galaxy.
Star Citizen was started in the early 2010s, and although it’s in a playable state, it’s nowhere near completion. The game has attracted a lot of controversy for its monetization and backer campaigns. It’s the most expensive video game ever. As of June 2023, the game has cost nearly $600 million to make.
Outer Wilds (2019)
A peaceful game geared much more toward exploration, Outer Wilds sees the player stuck in a time loop as they try to unravel the universe’s mysteries. And while it might be full of many hazards, if the player dies, they get sent back to the start, armed with the knowledge of how not to get killed.
X4: Foundations (2018)
An open-ended space sim, X4: Foundations creates a galaxy that runs on simulated trade, combat, and piracy, meaning that the world is alive without any input. Taking part in these actions helps drive the player’s wealth and fame, but there are several other ways to play, like building a personal fleet to take on the galaxy.
Interstellar Rift (2015)
Interstellar Rift lets players interact with each other in first-person combat, along with having to defend themselves against strange alien creatures. There are several pathways through the game, such as players taking a more active role in mining resources and trading them across the universe or even taking a role in the game’s politics.
Do you have any other recommendations for games like No Man’s Sky? Let us know in the comments below.
