Exploring the Cosmos: Top Five Alternatives to Starfield

Are you a fan of cosmic exploration and interstellar adventures? If you're eagerly awaiting Bethesda's upcoming space epic, Starfield, but need something to tide you over until its release, we've got you covered. This article will introduce five spectacular titles that offer similar experiences, each with their own unique twists. Whether it's charting unknown territories or engaging in thrilling space battles, these games promise hours of immersive gameplay.

1. No Man's Sky

No Man's Sky is an open-world survival game developed by Hello Games. Launched in 2016 with mixed reviews due to unfulfilled promises, the developers have since worked tirelessly to update the game and meet player expectations.

Gameplay, Story & Setting of No Man's Sky

No Man's Sky offers players a sandbox universe consisting of approximately 18 quintillion procedurally generated planets to explore. The gameplay involves exploring new planets, mining for resources, fighting off hostile creatures or pirates, and trading with alien civilizations. The story revolves around the mystery of Atlas, an entity that guides the player throughout their journey across different galaxies. You can follow this path or choose your own adventure in this vast universe.

2. Elite Dangerous

Introduction to Elite Dangerous

Elite Dangerous is a space simulation game developed by Frontier Developments that provides one of the most realistic space experiences available today.

Gameplay, Story & Setting of Elite Dangerous

In this game, players take on the role of a spaceship pilot in a realistic 1:1 scale open-world representation of our Milky Way galaxy with about 400 billion star systems. The main allure comes from its freedom and realism. You can engage in trading, mining, exploration, or bounty hunting while upgrading your ship and increasing your reputation with various factions. The game doesn't have a set storyline but rather offers narratives through its evolving galaxy influenced by players' actions.

3. Star Citizen

Star Citizen is an ambitious project currently under development by Cloud Imperium Games. It aims to combine multiple genres into one comprehensive universe.

Gameplay, Story & Setting of Star Citizen

In Star Citizen, you are a citizen in a 30th-century Milky Way filled with bustling cities, desolate moons, space stations, and sprawling star systems. You can choose to be a mercenary, trader, pirate, or explorer as you traverse this universe from a first-person perspective. Although still under development and playable only as separate modules for now, the end goal is an immersive MMO experience with both single-player (Squadron 42) and multiplayer components.

4. Outer Wilds

Outer Wilds is an indie adventure game developed by Mobius Digital that provides an unconventional take on space exploration games.

Gameplay, Story & Setting of Outer Wilds

In this game, you play as a member of an alien species exploring their solar system stuck in a time loop. Every 22 minutes the sun goes supernova and resets the loop. The gameplay involves solving puzzles scattered across different planets to uncover the mystery behind the time loop. Despite its cartoonish art style compared to other titles on this list, it offers deep storytelling and unparalleled exploration experiences that earned it multiple Game of the Year Awards in 2019.

5. EVE Online

EVE Online is a space-based MMO developed by CCP Games, known for its complex gameplay and player-driven economy.

Gameplay, Story & Setting of EVE Online

EVE Online takes place in a distant future where humanity has colonized thousands of star systems in a region of space called New Eden. You play as a capsule with the ability to control powerful spaceships. The game offers an open-ended gameplay experience where players can engage in various activities such as mining, trading, piracy, exploration, or warfare. The game's economy is fully player-controlled, which adds complexity and depth to the game.

All these games offer different flavors of interstellar exploration and adventure. They are perfect alternatives to tide you over until Starfield’s release. Whether it’s the limitless exploration offered by No Man's Sky or the rich narratives found in Outer Wilds, each game offers its own unique take on space exploration that will keep you captivated for hours on end.