Summary
Open-world games already provide a large map for players to explore, but sci-fi games tend to take this a step further, as they allow the player not only to explore one planet but also plenty of others, as the open-world even allows players to travel between planets in a galaxy,exploring new biomesand facing even newer challenges.
When looking for the best open-world games that allow the player to travel between planets, these games are the best for any space explorer.
AlthoughStarfieldisn’t entirely an open-world title due to the player needing to sit on a loading screen between each jump from one planet to the next,Starfieldstill tries its best to feel as if it’s an open universe for the player to explore.
This exploration gives the player the freedom to adventure across all sorts of star systems and the planets that come with them, providing the player withan assortment of planetsto land on with some of them being completely desolate of life, while others may have outposts for the player to explore. This gives the illusion of an open world, as players can explore these locations to their heart’s content and create all sorts of outposts on them.
Sandbox titles are incredibly popular when considering space exploration. This is because they don’t only allow players to freely explore the open-world map of space, but also allow their creativity to run free as they create all sorts of planetary outposts on the various planets they travel to.
Empyrion - Galactic Survivalis a great open-world game for those looking for a title that allows them to adventure across space, attempting to survive on some of the harshest planets they visit. Each planet inEmpyrion - Galactic Survivalis sure to not feel the same, as they each come with not only their own unique fauna and flora but also interesting alien life to uncover.
Players looking for a game that not only allows them to adventure between planets in an open world but has a cutesy, bright art style should look no further thanAstroneer. Players can learn to survive this strange solar system alone or with friends as they automate their way to victory, surviving on these various planets filled with all sorts of mysteries.
Since players can freely explore inAstroneer, players can expecteach planet in this solar systemwhen they finally start exploring elsewhere to feel just as peculiar as the original, making for a wondrous open-world experience across these challenging biomes.
While its name may beSpace Engineers, which would suggest that players would spend the majority of their time in space, players are able to explore elsewhere in this sci-fi sandbox title, as once players have created their durable spacecraft, they can use this shuttle to explore the different planets of the solar system.
Building is one of the prime activities ofSpace Engineers, making the various planets players can land on the perfect experiment grounds for players to test out their building skills and make a variety of outposts on them. Not to mention needing to explore these various planets of the open world to get the materials needed to build even more and become a skilled Engineer in space.
Players may be surprised to hear that massively multiplayer games likeElite Dangerousallow players to explore an expansive universe. In this space epic, players are free to explore how they see fit and take part in all sorts of activities. One of the most popular jobs that players seem to adore inElite Dangerous, has themtraveling in their spaceship between planets and space stationsdelivering goods.
Players aren’t confined to their spaceship either inElite Dangerous, as many of the planets a player can visit can also be stepped foot upon to take part in plenty of the other fun activities ofElite Dangerous, with combat being only one of many ways to spend time in this extraordinary open-world.
Although sharing a similar sound name toThe Outer Worlds,Outer Wildsis a completely different game that is nothing like what has been mentioned previously. This story-driven adventure is a must-play for any player who enjoys space travel. Although confined to a single solar system, this is all a player needs to enjoy the open world of theOuter Wilds.
Players find themselves stuck within a time loop across these various planets and must find a way to break the time loop and hopefully save their friends in the process. Players will find themselves zipping between the planets in their spacecraft looking for answers and uncovering the mysteries of this extraordinary solar system.
WhenNo Man’s Skywas first released, players had high expectations that were quickly destroyed. However, Hello Games worked on winning back their community to turnNo Man’s Skyinto one of the greatest open-world Sci-Fi action-adventure titles.
No two planets inNo Man’s Skyever feel the same as playerstake their ship– which they can now fully customize – and fly between not only various planets but also an infinite number of solar systems, as long as they have the materials to make the jump. With each planet having its own unique resources depending on the biome, and plenty of ways to make the perfect outpost, it’s no surprise thatNo Man’s Skyis one of the best games for this open-world space exploration.
