While there are still plenty of great original sci-fi experiences likeCyberpunk2077that hit all the classic beats, sci-fi games as a whole are notoriously hit or miss when it comes to standing the test of time. The biggest problems of the sci-fi genre often come from an outdated image of the future or an overreliance on cutting-edge visuals, with many sci-fi games often becoming technologically outdated only a few years after their inception.
Alongside the numerous titles that have long been forgotten by time, there are just as many excellent games that still hold up incredibly well decades after their initial release. Whether it’s from excellent core gameplay or containing themes that are even more relevant than ever before,there are plenty of titles that have only gotten even better with age, being more than worth your time after all these years.
Final Fantasy 7 Is Well Deserved Of Its Remakes
Offering A Genre-Defying Experience That Can’t Be Beat
To this day,Final Fantasy 7still remains one of the most popular entries in the franchise by far, infusing excellent sci-fi themes into its revolutionary gameplay concepts. Even if the gameplay of the originalFF7is somewhat dated by today’s standards, it’s still an excellent JRPG that can be re-experienced in the modern remakes.
While there are some arguments to be made that playing the originalFinal Fantasy 7couldspoil your remake enjoyment, it’s hard to beat the timeless style of the original, especially given its uncut story highlighting the planetary exploitation of the Shinra Corporation.
With an environmental message that is eerily similar to modern-day concerns,Final Fantasy 7still offers a timelessly nuanced perspective with its protagonists struggling with their own identity and place in an ever-changing technological world.
Offering A Terrifying Look At Unchecked Artificial Intelligence
Releasing long before concerns over AI were an everyday occurrence,System Shock 2’s combination of FPS survival horror and disastrous sci-fi setting pairs excellently together. While it still has the classic gameplay of its predecessor,System Shock 2explores themes regarding our over-reliance on technology and trust in machines as a whole.
Compared to modern-day fears about unchecked AI and losing our sense of individuality through its hive-mind aliens,System Shock 2offers a surprising amount to unpack underneath its aged exterior. Thankfully, the influential sci-fi horror game that inspired the likes ofBioshockandDeus Exhas been remastered in its entirety in 2025, offering a haunting glimpse into a future that is even more relatable than it was in 1999.
Alien: Isolation Has Yet To Be Beat
A Recent Sci-Fi Title That Is Unbeatable
Even ifAlien: Isolationis one of the newer sci-fi classics on the market, the terrifying stalker AI introduced in this 2014 title still offers an unparalleled sci-fi horror experience.As if the tension-filled gameplay wasn’t enough on its own,Alien: Isolationgreatly benefits from the timeless environments of its 70s-era sci-fi film, with the themes of corporate exploitation being ever-present throughout the claustrophobic experience.
While anAlien: Isolationsequel isofficially in development,it’s still hard to imagine any game being able to achieve the same heights as the originalAlien: Isolationwithout treading too much of the same ground.
Fallout: New Vegas Is Still As Iconic As Ever
Becoming One Of The Most Popular Fallout Games For A Reason
Rather than the limited perspective of a fresh-faced vault dweller from Bethesda’sFalloutgames,Fallout: New Vegastakes a much more personal approach to its worldbuilding that helps it feel even more timeless than its predecessors. Taking on the inhabitants of a post-apocalyptic sci-fi wasteland,New Vegasoffers a grim perspective of a futuristic utopia that ended in absolute disaster.
Despite not being developed by Bethesda, the popularity ofFallout: New Vegashelped it land the spot of being a major plot point in theFalloutTV series.
Bringing forth some of themost realistic and memorable factionsin the series on top of its classic RPG formula,New Vegasalso provides a more nuanced take on the politics that go into post-war societies and governmental factions.
New Vegasalso does an excellent job at showcasing how the worst parts of humanity can come about in the face of societal collapse, while giving you the ultimate power to decide the fate of the Mojave wasteland.
Perfect Dark Released During The Golden Age Of Sci-Fi
A Criminally Underrated Series That Deserves A Revisit
Acting as a spiritual successor to the ever-iconicGoldenEye 007,Perfect Darkleaned much more heavily into its sci-fi setting, with a story and gameplay mechanics that were far ahead of their time.
Offering a narrative that foreshadows modern fears about megacorporations, global surveillance, and shadowy governments,Perfect Darkhits the nail on the head with its timeless sci-fi setting, with plenty of sweet gadgets to match.
While it’s still sad to hear about thePerfect Darkremake’s cancellation, the original game is still worth revisiting, with a morally ambiguous story and challenging missions that pushed the genre forward beyond its straightforward gameplay expectations.
Even if the Nintendo 64 version ofPerfectDarkis more than a little outdated by today’s standards, the Xbox port provides an excellent way to experience Perfect Dark’s revolutionary game design.
Few Games Have Achieved Mass Effect 2’s Story Scope
A Galaxy-Spanning Adventure With Its Share Of Deeper Themes
Compared to the plethora of massive RPGs that have been released over the past few decades,Mass Effectis easily one of the most unforgettable franchises for a reason. Despite the galaxy-spanning scale of its adventure,Mass Effect 2still manages to hone in on its character-driven story whilst combining futuristic third-person combat to an excellent degree.
Even if each game isn’t without its share of controversy, the second entry in the series is by far its most stellar offering, honing in on a morally ambiguous story and dealing with existential threats that are dealt with more maturity than the genre typically provides.
With constant concerns about global crises and technologicalethics,Mass Effect 2manages to tackle many relevant modern themes whilst still providing a grounded and emotional story.
BioShock’s Worldbuilding Is Impossible To Top
Bringing Dytopian Sci-Fi To New Depths
TheBioShocktrilogy is still one of the most legendary sci-fi franchises of the early 2000s, highlighting the dark fate of an overly ambitious utopia that collapsed under the weight of its own greed. WhileBioShock’s steampunk style makes it far from the typical image of a futuristic sci-fi experience,BioShockstill weaves in elements of social commentary and gene-splicing gameplay mechanics to great effect.
BioShock’s story offers an incredibly relevant warning about the dangers of billionaire-led utopias and rampant social division.
Rather than the awe-inspiring skyscrapers and advanced cybernetics of a game likeCyberpunk 2077,BioShock’s world feels horrifyingly suffocating, offering grotesque abilities to unleash upon the deformed inhabitants of the failed utopia.
Even aside from its iconic setpieces,BioShock’s story offers an incredibly relevant warning about the dangers of billionaire-led utopias and rampant social division, with a narrative that’s impossible to forget after your first time through.
Deus Ex Is Still One Of The Best Cyberpunk Games
A Title That’s Still Incredibly Relevant Today
Releasing nearly two decades before the infamousCyberpunk2077, the originalDeus Exwas a revolutionary RPG for the time of its release, making it even more criminal that itmay never get another sequel.Blending relevant topics like rampant megacorporations, government conspiracies, and transhumanism, the story beats ofDeus Exhave only gotten more accurate as time goes on.
Even if the gameplay can be a bit dated compared to more recent titles or even its own successors, the originalDeus Exgames are still a masterpiece in their own right, offering a level of player choice and creative game design that was drastically ahead of its time.
The Half-Life Series Is In A League Of Its Own
A Legendary Franchise That Only Gets Better With Time
Even ifHalf-Life3still stands as one of themost disappointing video game cancellations, the entry in the legendaryHalf-Lifefranchise is worth revisiting in its entirety. Offering physics-driven FPS gameplay in a world invaded and controlled by a tyrannical alien faction,Half-Life 2 especiallychecks all the boxes of a classic and equally memorable sci-fi narrative.
Even the dated gameplay of the originalHalf-Lifehas been given a modern facelift thanks to the fan-made remake projectBlack Mesa, helping the entire series to stand the test of time.
On top of its revolutionary gameplay concepts and iconic storytelling,the themes of authoritarianism, surveillance, and resource exploration are more than simple background dressing inHalf-Life, but play a significant part in its rebellious narrative.
Hideo Kojima’s Narrative Aged Like Fine Wine
Although most entries in theMetal Gear Solidfranchise could stand on their own as a timeless sci-fi experience,Metal Gear Solid 2has by far some of the most real-world commentary in the series, to the point where it’s become scarily accurate over the years.
In a world filled with rising misinformation and censorship, the narrative of uncovering a deep conspiracy surrounding AI and the flow of digital information is a story that only gets more relevant as time goes by.
On top of its revolutionary narrative design,Metal Gear Solid 2also has an astounding level of detail for a PS2-era game, from melting ice cubes to catching a cold in the rain. Even if the controls are somewhat dated by today’s standards,Metal Gear Solid 2is still one of the best games in the franchise and the sci-fi genre as a whole, which can finally be revisited on PC with the release of theMetal Gear Solid Master Collection.
