Take humanity to the stars with the best space settlement games.
As we continue to search for star systems similar to ours and work to ensure that humanity other celestial bodies, science fiction has been dreaming of space settlements for decades. With the rise of video games, visions of off-world cities and settlements have multiplied. Some are more scientifically accurate than others, but there are plenty of space settlement games worth trying. Scroll down to find our ten favorite picks you can play right now.
This list has been limited to video games that focus on terraforming and the actual process of building colonies as well as conquer inhospitable planets. Attention: conflicts may or may not be part of your equations. Still, we have decided to mainly include games where the worlds themselves are the main obstacle that needs to be tamed.
If you’re looking for more specific game picks, you can check out our list of best space exploration games or maybe the all-creepy best space horror games collection.
10. Aven Colony
- Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
- Developer: Mothership Entertainment
For players who want more of a traditional city builder but set in space, Aven Colony fits the bill. It’s accessible, engaging, and often exciting. It’s also tough on the sci-fi side, with lots of cool flora and fauna sharing the alien territories with your settlements. And of course, that means trouble more often than not.
There’s also a story campaign worth embarking on and an expedition system that adds another layer of unpredictability on top of the daunting task of keeping the settlement running and its citizens alive. Still, the vibes at Aven Colony are mostly laid back.
9. Civilization: Beyond Earth
- Platforms: PC, macOS, Linux
- Developer: Firaxis Games
Beyond Earth was born as an independent spin-off of Civilization V, which means that its systems and mechanics had barely evolved. Also, the vanilla experience was a bit boring and largely unbalanced, resulting in a difficult launch for the game. Fortunately, Firaxis turned the ship around with its expansion, Rising Tide, and a number of critical updates.
Nearly nine years later, Beyond Earth is a pretty solid 4X (explore, expand, explode, exterminate) game that’s easy to jump into and provides a meaty sci-fi twist on the Civilization formula. There are religious cults, transhumanist factions, many alien dangers and a whole world to conquer however you want. Despite its remaining flaws, we promise that the curse of “one more turn” will take hold of you.
8. Dyson Sphere Program
- Platforms: personal computer
- Developer: study of young cats
Dyson Sphere Program is a sci-fi simulation game (currently in Early Access) that is deep and complex with its key systems. The main objective, to build a galactic industrial empire, is simple, but getting there is anything but.
In the distant future, science and technology have allowed the human race to thrive thanks to virtual reality and supercomputers, making space and time irrelevant. The only problem is powering the ultimate supercomputer. As a result, space engineers continue to exist and are tasked with building Dyson spheres to harness the power of the stars.
While the core premise behind the game is a bit scary and depressing, Dyson spheres they have actually been hypothesized by science fiction authors and physical for decades. And to see such a wild concept powering an entire game is interesting to say the least.
7. Dune: War of the Spice
- Platforms: personal computer
- Developer: shiro games
Fans of strategy games and Frank Herbert’s sci-fi universe should be happy as Dune: Spice Wars (currently also in early access) has successfully brought a delightful combination of RTS and 4X to the arenas. of Arrakis.
As it is, the game features five different, well-defined factions: House Atreides, House Harkonnen, House Corrino, Fremen, and Smugglers. While they all share the common goal of controlling the flow of spice, each group has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, unique units, and surprising abilities.
Armed conflicts can rarely be avoided, but the heart of Spice Wars is in its portrayal of Arrakis’ natural cruelty and technology-driven efforts to tame and exploit the dangerous world. It’s also the perfect way to make the wait Dune: Part 2 something bearable.
6.Starbound
- Platforms: PC, macOS, Linux, Xbox One
- Developer: chuckle
Starbound garnered a lot of attention during its first few years of access, but development hurdles and the rise in popularity of the similar adventure-crafting game Terraria somewhat overshadowed its full release. Regardless, it built a healthy community with its unique spin on procedural 2D adventures.
Lost in space with a damaged ship, the only option is to travel to the planet below to gather resources, build a new home, and hopefully repair the ship. And that’s just the first step, as a working ship means more off-world exploration. Starbound aimed for the stars with its ambitious take on the Minecraft-like formula, and the end result is lovely.
5. No Man’s Sky
- Platforms: PC, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
- Developer: hello games
After its difficult launch in 2016, No Man’s Sky has grown into a beautiful and mind-blowing sci-fi game. The first few hours can be rough, but your free time could be in jeopardy if the giant Hello Games catches your eye.
The game now supports crossplay and fully online co-op, so that’s an added bonus. While it was originally limited to exploration and contained very basic crafting and combat mechanics, the current experience also has a lot to do with settlements and base building. In addition, its procedural universe, from the planets themselves for its inhabitants, it is more alive than ever.
4. Surviving Mars
- Platforms: PC, macOS, Linux, PS4, Xbox One
- Developer: Haemimont Games, Abstraction
Surviving Mars is another great recommendation for players with a passion for city builders and reasonably deep simulation. It is more peaceful than Aven Colony and not as complex as Per Aspera (listed below) despite sharing with the latter the Martian environment and a focus on the scientific aspect of settlement maintenance.
Another big plus is the cheerful, cartoonish art style and how the developers envisioned detailed Martian cities built under protective domes. Also, its additional pieces of downloadable content add more life and variety to the game at a reasonable price.
3. For the rude
- Platforms: personal computer
- Developer: Tlön Industries
Per Aspera is a complex “planetary simulation game” that combines hard science fiction and traditional base building mechanics. You are in control not only of establishing a single settlement, but of expanding all over Mars, connecting different cities and making sure that both terraforming and all the technology that links other systems works and evolves accordingly.
The icing on the cake is quite a strong narrative and the presence of an unexpected mystery that threatens the entire operation. Per Aspera can seem overwhelming at first, but it’s strangely relaxing and has clear, single goals in mind.
2. Endless Space 2
- Platforms: personal computer, macOS
- Developer: BREADTH studies
Endless Space 2 is, in our humble opinion, the best turn-based sci-fi strategy title you can find right now. It behaves like a normal 4X game, but the path to victory is never the same due to the quirks of each species. Your universe is vast and rich, and reaching out to new systems and populating your planets never gets old.
Isolated empires are a viable option, and so is buying peace through a galaxy-spanning network of markets. Their expansion packs make things even weirder with species like (real) bird-descended samurai and immaterial space ghosts. Don’t skip this one if you like absolutely wild universe-building and infinitely replayable, hour-long matches.
1.RimWorld
- Platforms: PC, macOS, Linux, PS4, Xbox One
- Developer: Ludeon Studios
RimWorld might just be the biggest “simulation sensation” in recent years. Despite its simple visuals, thousands of players have applauded the game’s intricate simulation systems and seemingly endless creative possibilities. Fortunately, it is not difficult to enter either.
Starting with a handful of colonists who survived a catastrophe on a distant world, the goal is to make an unexplored planet your new home. The surprise? An AI storyteller who determines overall difficulty and pacing, creates events, and helps shape how RimWorld games evolve. Between this “invisible hand” and the Dwarf Fortress-like simulation systems, RimWorld is unlike anything we’ve seen.
Do you want more articles about space games?
Take a look at our overview of all upcoming space games to keep an eye on this year and beyond. And if you play primarily on Xbox and PC, you’ll want to learn about the best space games on Xbox Game Pass that are available now.