5 Great Sci‑Fi Games That Don’t Belong to Any Major Franchise

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If you’re looking for a science fiction game, you’ll find plenty of great options, especially within massive franchises like Star Wars. However, some fantastic sci-fi games exist outside of those big names. We’ve picked five excellent, but lesser-known, titles to showcase this hidden niche. While games like the award-winning Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (from 2025) are well-known, we wanted to highlight some gems that haven’t gotten as much attention recently, and we’re presenting them in no specific order.

1) Returnal

Released in 2021 for the PlayStation 5, Returnal is a fast-paced, third-person shooter with roguelike elements. The game follows an astronaut stranded on the planet Atropos, searching for a mysterious ‘White Shadow.’ She quickly becomes trapped in a time loop, meaning that when she dies, she restarts at the beginning of one of the game’s two main areas. This creates a unique story that shares similarities with the film Edge of Tomorrow. While Returnal received critical acclaim and many awards, it didn’t achieve massive sales numbers. A follow-up game called Saros is scheduled to be released in April 2026.

2) Control

Released in 2019 on most gaming platforms, Control is an action-adventure game where you play as Jesse Faden, the director of a secret government agency called the Federal Bureau of Control. This agency investigates events that defy the laws of reality. As Jesse, you’ll use a powerful, shape-shifting gun to battle bizarre enemies and gain new abilities. Control is a non-linear game that has sold over 5 million copies and won many awards. A sequel, Control Resonant, is planned for 2026, but it will be a different type of game, shifting from a third-person shooter to an action role-playing game.

3) Outer Wilds

In the action-adventure game Outer Wilds (2019), players find themselves in a solar system caught in a 22-minute time loop. Every 22 minutes, the star explodes, wiping out everything. As the player, you explore ancient alien structures to piece together the story of a vanished civilization and figure out why the loop is happening. Outer Wilds was highly acclaimed for its innovative gameplay, unique art style, and won many awards following its release.

4) No Man’s Sky

When No Man’s Sky first launched, it quickly gained a reputation as one of the most disliked video games of all time. This wasn’t due to poor quality, but because the game felt unfinished and didn’t deliver on most of the features the developers had promised. Over the years, the game has received numerous updates, ultimately becoming the game players were originally hoping for – and even surpassing those expectations. It’s a massive sandbox game where you can explore an almost unimaginable number of planets – 18 quintillion, to be exact – all created through procedural generation. Today, many players are revisiting No Man’s Sky to see how far it’s come, and it’s widely considered to be the leading space simulation game available.

5) Stray

Released in 2022, Stray is an adventure game where you play as a cat who gets lost in a city inhabited by robots and mutated creatures. To escape and return to the surface, you’ll need to explore the environment, solve puzzles, and overcome challenges. The game is set in a captivating post-apocalyptic world with a compelling story, and it quickly became very popular, winning many awards and nominations. Stray has been released on all major gaming platforms and has been widely praised for its excellent design and overall quality.

I’m always on the lookout for awesome sci-fi games that aren’t, you know, the usual big names. What’s your favorite hidden gem? Let’s chat about it over on the ComicBook Forum – I’d love to hear what you’re playing!

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2026-03-04 17:18