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Sci-fi hidden gems on Steam
Every game here is tagged Sci-fi on Steam, sits between 1,000 and 5,000 reviews, is rated at least 80% positive, and carries a catch drawn from its own negative reviews. Showing the 60 most reviewed of 91. How these pages are made.
GNOSIA94% positive from 4,935 reviews202235% finish itDeck Playable
Sci-fi social deduction RPG with a core loop of discussion, deduction, and voting to identify hidden enemies. Players repeat loops to uncover a narrative and improve abilities in a tense, strategic experience.
What players likedPlayers praise this unique single-player social deduction game for its engaging story, memorable characters, and replayable "Werewolf" or "Among Us" style gameplay.
The catchAI crewmates accuse you illogically during deduction votes
Games like GNOSIA →
A fast-paced, old-school PC shooter with over-the-top destruction and a cyberpunk setting. Players upgrade weapons to fight hordes of enemies and epic bosses.
What players likedPlayers praise this Serious Sam/Painkiller-like cyberpunk shooter for its nonstop action, nice graphics, and upgradeable weapons.
The catchMovement is sluggish and jumping near useless, so you get stuck on scenery and cornered.
Games like Hard Reset Extended Edition →
First-person shooter with lightsaber combat and Force powers. Engage in single-player missions and multiplayer battles.
What players likedPlayers praise its timeless Star Wars story, lightsaber combat, and Jedi gameplay, comparing it to Half-Life with a better engine.
The catchBlaster shooting feels rough before you get the lightsaber
Games like STAR WARS™ Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast™ →
Tacoma86% positive from 4,771 reviews201744% finish itDeck Verified
Narrative adventure game with interactive 3D recordings of past events. Explore a space station to uncover a crew's story of trust and fear.
What players likedLike a "walking simulator" but with unique AR video gameplay, players praise Tacoma's immersive storytelling, characters, and relevant themes.
The catchBarely any gameplay and it ends in two or three hours with no real payoff.
Games like Tacoma →
Tower defense played from the attacking side. You plot a convoy's route through alien-held streets in Baghdad and Tokyo, buying and upgrading units mid-battle while commander abilities keep the squad past enemy turrets.
What players likedPlayers praise its fresh twist on tower defense, leading the attack with engaging route planning and convoy support.
The catchThe novelty wears off fast and it becomes a repetitive slog with little real strategy.
Games like Anomaly: Warzone Earth →
Crying Suns86% positive from 4,508 reviews20199% finish itDeck Playable
Tactical rogue-lite space exploration with procedurally generated universes and story-driven events. Command battleships in strategic fleet combat to uncover a fallen empire's secrets.
What players likedPlayers praise Crying Suns as an FTL-style roguelite with deep story, strategic combat, and engaging ship management.
The catchRandom events and battles repeat constantly, so runs quickly feel like the same one.
Games like Crying Suns →
This is a first-person psychological thriller where players investigate memories using advanced tech. It features a dystopian 1984 East Germany setting with a focus on espionage and betrayal.
What players likedPlayers praise its deep, emotional, and thought-provoking psychological horror story, often compared to "1984," "Still Wakes The Deep," and "Observer: System Redux."
The catchThe story starts strong then collapses into a confusing ending that explains nothing.
Games like KARMA: The Dark World →
Open-world action game with physics-based destruction and guerrilla combat. Players use tactics and environmental destruction to fight an oppressive force on Mars.
What players likedPlayers praise its unparalleled destruction physics, making it a unique experience unlike other games.
The catchOpen-world missions are repetitive copy-paste objectives
Games like Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered →
Cliff Empire87% positive from 4,359 reviews201911% finish itDeck Playable
City-builder strategy game with parallel city development, inter-city trade, and dynamic climate challenges. Features ecological vs. harmful power choices and tower defense elements.
What players likedPlayers praise this challenging city-builder for its hands-off approach and impressive visual growth.
The catchThe tutorial and menus explain almost nothing, leaving basic systems to trial and error.
Games like Cliff Empire →
A first-person puzzle adventure game where players reverse objects through time to solve challenges. It features a witty narrative and a dangerous space station setting.
What players likedPlayers praise its Portal-like puzzle gameplay, unique time-rewinding mechanics, engaging story, and witty writing.
The catchOne mistimed jump or misplaced cube often means redoing the whole puzzle from scratch.
Games like The Entropy Centre →
This is a tactical space combat simulation game. Players command customizable fleets in realistic battles, managing resources and making strategic decisions.
What players likedPlayers praise its deep tactical combat, ship customization, and campaign, often comparing it to Homeworld, The Expanse, and naval warfare simulations.
The catchSteep learning curve; ships need heavy micromanagement
Games like NEBULOUS: Fleet Command →
Dune: Imperium is a digital board game combining deck-building and worker placement. Players vie for control of Arrakis through strategic influence and resource management.
What players likedPlayers praise this "phenomenal" digital adaptation as one of the best board game ports, often comparing it favorably to the physical game.
The catchRanked online play is locked behind owning every expansion, not just the base game.
Games like Dune: Imperium →
Fast-paced arena shooter with futuristic weapons and vehicles. Players battle online or against AI in objective-based and deathmatch modes.
What players likedPlayers praise UT3 as a top single-player DeathMatch game with good bots and customization, though some prefer the skill of UT2k4.
The catchMultiplayer servers were shut down, so only offline matches against bots remain.
Games like Unreal Tournament 3 →
This is a 3D tactical space combat game where players command Colonial fleets against Cylons. It features WEGO turn-based combat and fleet building with an original story.
What players likedPlayers praise its fantastic strategy and intense, detailed tactical battles, capturing the Battlestar Galactica universe perfectly.
The catchBattles play out slowly and repeat the same routine, with no way to speed turns up.
Games like Battlestar Galactica Deadlock →
This is a standalone first-person shooter with intense combat and exploration. Players experience a new story with enhanced AI and interactive environments.
What players likedPlayers praise its enjoyable story and strategic nano-suit gameplay, feeling like a peak of gaming alongside titles like Bulletstorm.
The catchIt crashes constantly on modern Windows and often needs fixes just to launch.
Games like Crysis Warhead® →
60 Parsecs!89% positive from 4,066 reviews2018Deck Verified
This is a dark comedy sci-fi adventure game where players scavenge for supplies and crew in 60 seconds before evacuating a doomed space station. Survival involves making difficult choices and crafting items to endure the harshness of space.
What players likedPlayers find it a fun, fast-paced game with rewarding progression, better than 60 Seconds, and a standout among other purchases.
The catchRuns repeat the same events quickly, so replaying gets tedious well before the end.
Games like 60 Parsecs! →
Quake 488% positive from 3,852 reviews2011Deck Playable
Sci-fi military FPS with a narrative campaign and arena multiplayer. Players fight aliens and can become them, using advanced weapons and vehicles.
What players likedPlayers praise Quake 4 as a fun, classic sci-fi FPS with a Doom 3-like atmosphere and cool militarism.
The catchRuns poorly on modern PCs, often locked at 720p until you edit config files.
Games like Quake 4 →
This is a space RPG with deep crew and ship customization. Players engage in emergent narrative and combat across a procedurally generated galaxy.
What players likedPlayers praise Star Traders: Frontiers as a deep, addicting, open-world sandbox with excellent value and ongoing developer support.
The catchThere is no tutorial, so working out the deep systems means reading guides first.
Games like Star Traders: Frontiers →
Arctic Eggs96% positive from 3,775 reviews2024Deck Verified
A narrative cooking simulator where players cook eggs for inhabitants. The core loop involves listening to stories or quickly cooking, with realistic physics.
What players likedPlayers praise Arctic Eggs as a unique, atmospheric, and philosophical cooking simulator with satisfying physics and jazzy music.
The catchCore frying mechanic feels unrefined and tedious
Games like Arctic Eggs →
A visual novel adventure game where players investigate surreal crime scenes by entering dreams, featuring a dark, mystery-driven narrative.
What players likedPlayers praise its improved Somnium logic puzzles and engaging story, similar to the first game but with enhanced gameplay.
The catchThe plot hinges on a late twist that hides information and lands as a cheap gotcha.
Games like AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative →
Terraformers88% positive from 3,702 reviews20233% finish itDeck Verified
Terraformers is a city-building strategy game where players procedurally generate planets, manage resources, and geo-engineer the environment. Players choose building projects and introduce life forms to create thriving settlements.
What players likedPlayers praise its relaxing yet challenging 4X/board game feel, akin to a single-player "Terraforming Mars" with Civ-like leader mechanics.
The catchThe mechanics are thin and a couple of runs show off nearly all the content.
Games like Terraformers →
The Fall88% positive from 3,701 reviews201435% finish itDeck Playable
This is a dark, atmospheric side-scrolling adventure game with puzzle-solving and combat. Players control an AI protecting an unconscious pilot, exploring and interacting with the environment.
What players likedPlayers praise its interesting concepts and vibey experience, though puzzles can be confusing.
The catchClunky controls force you to sweep a flashlight around hunting for hidden interactables.
Games like The Fall →
This is a real-time strategy game where you command squads in tactical combat. It features squad-based progression and a focus on fighting internal and external threats.
The catchcombat throws relentless enemy waves and cheap ambushes
Games like Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® II Chaos Rising →
This is a tower defense game where players strategically build towers to stop enemy waves. It features varied enemies, upgradeable towers, and replayable levels.
What players likedPlayers praise this "Good Old Game" as one of the best tower defense games, offering insane amounts of challenging content.
The catchThe difficulty spikes immediately and several missions feel impossible on normal.
Games like Defense Grid: The Awakening →
Defense Grid 2 is a tower defense strategy game focused on tactical tower placement and resource management across dynamic maps. It offers a deep, rewarding experience with a story campaign and multiplayer.
What players likedPlayers praise DG2 as an improved, strategic tower defense game with a solid campaign and high replayability, building on its legendary predecessor.
The catchFans of the original find this one blander, uglier and hampered by a clumsy UI.
Games like DG2: Defense Grid 2 →
This is a realistic space simulation game focused on asteroid mining. Players manage a ship and crew, excavating resources in Saturn's rings.
What players likedPlayers praise this hard sci-fi space mining sim as a more grounded, customizable, and relaxing version of Asteroids or Elite Dangerous.
The catchControls are clumsy and barely rebindable, and the game explains very little of itself.
Games like ΔV: Rings of Saturn →
Cobalt Core96% positive from 3,398 reviews202316% finish itDeck Verified
Sci-fi roguelike deckbuilder with single-axis combat. Outmaneuver enemies and build powerful card combos for replayable runs.
What players likedPlayers praise Cobalt Core as a charming, tactical roguelike deckbuilder with unique combat, often compared to FTL and Slay the Spire.
The catchRuns repeat the same bosses and events with no meta progression, so it gets stale fast.
Games like Cobalt Core →
Metal Garden96% positive from 3,314 reviews202561% finish itDeck Playable
Short, atmospheric singleplayer FPS with a sci-fi mystery and an injury system. Explore a nature-overgrown megastructure, fight factions, and manage body part health.
What players likedPlayers praise its atmospheric megastructure exploration and Half-Life/Rain World-like brutalist FPS gameplay, with outstanding level design and gunplay.
The catchCombat is the weak point, with unsatisfying guns and enemies dumb enough to strafe past.
Games like Metal Garden →
A real-time strategy simulation where players defend against a fluid-like enemy. It features adaptable base building and resource management on procedurally generated or user-created maps.
What players likedPlayers praise its unique strategy of defending against a fluid enemy, comparing it to a comforting, yet challenging, experience.
The catchEvery map ends with a long, dull grind pushing towers forward after victory is certain.
Games like Creeper World 3: Arc Eternal →
Top-down space combat RPG with fleet management and real-time tactical control. Explore a procedurally generated galaxy, research tech, and fight space zombies.
What players likedPlayers praise its smooth performance and mod support, reminiscent of classic space combat and strategy games.
The catchProgress turns into a long repetitive grind of recycled missions for currency.
Games like Space Pirates and Zombies →
Real-time strategy game with massive unit scale. Players command vast armies in epic galactic warfare.
The catchIt crashes and locks up frequently on modern systems, often mid mission.
Games like Supreme Commander →
A classic first-person shooter where players infiltrate the Empire to stop a doomsday weapon. Explore interactive environments and engage in ground combat with various weapons and enemies.
What players likedPlayers praise its enduring fun and modding support, making a classic DOS shooter feel more modern.
The catchLevels are confusing labyrinths of samey corridors, so you spend most of it lost.
Games like STAR WARS™ Dark Forces (Classic, 1995) →
Red Faction86% positive from 2,954 reviews2009Deck Playable
This is a first-person shooter with environmental destruction. It features a Mars rebellion with vehicles and weapons.
What players likedPlayers praise Red Faction as a pioneering FPS with unmatched destructible environments, often comparing it to Half-Life.
The catchRuns badly on modern PCs and softlocks progress unless you install community patches.
Games like Red Faction →
Lightmatter91% positive from 2,895 reviews202021% finish itDeck Playable
First-person puzzle game where players use light and shadow mechanics to navigate deadly environments. It features lateral thinking puzzles and a dark, philosophical tone.
What players likedPlayers praise Lightmatter's unique light-based puzzles and engaging story, often comparing it to Portal and The Talos Principle.
The catchThe framerate is hard capped near 50fps and the game crashes often, losing progress.
Games like Lightmatter →
This is a classic third-person shooter where players fight in Star Wars battles across planets, piloting vehicles and using different soldier types. It offers large-scale online and offline combat with a focus on iconic Star Wars conflicts.
What players likedPlayers praise its lasting fun and replayability, often comparing it favorably to newer Battlefront titles and even Call of Duty lobbies.
The catchThe 2005 sequel does everything here better, leaving little reason to play this one.
Games like STAR WARS Battlefront (Classic, 2004) →
Space simulation game with large-scale fleet combat and economic management. Players pilot ships, trade, fight, and build empires in a vast universe.
What players likedPlayers praise its deep space exploration and economy building, offering a sandbox like experience to shape the universe.
The catchThe interface and flight controls are obtuse and the game teaches you almost nothing.
Games like X3: Terran Conflict →
Sci-fi combined-arms FPS wargame with pilotable capital ships and boarding mechanics. Fast-paced tactical team combat with customizable loadouts and AI support.
What players likedPlayers praise "Angels Fall First" as a spiritual successor to classic Battlefront and Planetside 2, offering expansive combined-arms combat with excellent offline bot support.
The catchGuns feel weak and floaty while fast melee knife builds dominate every fight.
Games like Angels Fall First →
This is a classic first-person shooter with three distinct campaigns. Players experience intense survival horror and action as a Marine, Alien, or Predator.
What players likedPlayers praise its creepy horror aesthetics, comparing it to a timeless classic that captures the feel of being hunted.
The catchThe Steam re-release is riddled with bugs and crashes that were never patched.
Games like Aliens versus Predator Classic 2000 →
HARDCORE MECHA83% positive from 2,678 reviews201925% finish itDeck Playable
This is a 2D action game featuring fast-paced mecha combat with customizable gear and a story-driven campaign. It offers seamless transitions between platforming and combat with polished animations.
What players likedPlayers praise the game's anime art style and flavorful, epic story.
The catchControls are clunky with little remapping, and some controllers are never detected.
Games like HARDCORE MECHA →
Single-player exploration adventure with survival elements. Players uncover alien planet mysteries through exploration and puzzle-solving in a dynamic, atmospheric environment.
What players likedPlayers praise its intriguing survival and mystery, often compared to games with strong exploration and story.
The catchLong stretches of slow, tedious walking through repetitive rocks and caves pad it out.
Games like The Solus Project →
SPRAWL87% positive from 2,582 reviews202317% finish itDeck Playable
Hardcore retro FPS with wall-running and time-slowing combat. Fight through a dystopian cyberpunk city to escape.
What players likedPlayers praise SPRAWL as a fast-paced cyberpunk boomer shooter with fluid movement, often compared to Titanfall, Doom, Quake, and Ghostrunner.
The catchRepetitive combat with little enemy and weapon variety
Games like SPRAWL →
Unreal Gold89% positive from 2,558 reviews2008Deck Unsupported
Unreal Gold is a first-person shooter with a focus on exploration and combat against intelligent alien enemies. It offers a fast-paced, action-oriented experience with a variety of weapons and environments.
What players likedPlayers praise Unreal Gold as an excellent, solidly good game, especially with the OldUnreal mod, making a remaster unnecessary.
The catchDark, samey level layouts leave players lost with little idea where to go next.
Games like Unreal Gold →
Real-time strategy game. Build massive armies and wage epic galactic warfare.
What players likedPlayers praise Total Annihilation as a historical RTS combining elements of C&C and StarCraft, offering infinite armies and strategic rebuilding.
The catchThe Steam version needs community patches and compatibility tweaks to run at all.
Games like Total Annihilation →
Real-time strategy game with base building and unit control. Features overwhelming numbers tactics and a dual campaign for Order or Disorder factions.
What players likedPlayers praise the Imperial Guard's unique challenge and the campaign's innovative two-sided story.
The catchThe campaign is a slog of rigid missions that force restart after restart.
Games like Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® – Winter Assault →
Dystopika95% positive from 2,502 reviews2024Deck Playable
Dystopika is a city-builder focused on creative sandbox construction of cyberpunk metropolises. It offers procedural generation for ambience and a relaxing, objective-free building experience.
What players likedPlayers praise Dystopika as a stress-free, artistic city builder, akin to a creative sandbox for stunning cyberpunk photography.
The catchThe building set runs dry within an hour and there is no goal to keep going.
Games like Dystopika →
Turn-based tactical combat and global strategy game. Research alien tech, manage resources, and fight invaders to save Earth.
What players likedPlayers praise its engaging tactical combat and strategic depth, finding it a classic that still holds up well.
The catchThere is no tutorial and the interface explains nothing, so expect to read a manual.
Games like X-COM: UFO Defense →
Heaven's Vault84% positive from 2,461 reviews201928% finish itDeck Verified
A narrative adventure game where you explore space, translate ancient languages, and make choices that shape the story. It features an adaptive narrative and a unique hieroglyphic translation puzzle.
What players likedPlayers praise its unique archaeological translation puzzles, akin to Chants of Sennar, within a rich narrative and fascinating world.
The catchWalking, sailing and dialogue all crawl, padded with unskippable transitions.
Games like Heaven's Vault →
A dice-driven RPG about surviving as an escaped artificial consciousness in an asteroid belt. Players manage a ship, crew, and contracts through tabletop-inspired mechanics.
What players likedPlayers praise its beautiful, emotional, and well-written story and characters, often comparing it favorably to the first Citizen Sleeper.
The catchBroken and glitched dice snowball into a death spiral with no real way to recover.
Games like Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector →
Primordia97% positive from 2,398 reviews2012Deck Verified
A point-and-click adventure game with a focus on exploration and puzzle-solving. It features a narrative about robot origins in a post-human world.
What players likedPlayers praise this classic-style point-and-click adventure for its engaging puzzles, sci-fi themes, and multiple narrative outcomes.
The catchPuzzles rely on pixel hunting and obtuse logic that push you toward a walkthrough.
Games like Primordia →
STASIS82% positive from 2,349 reviews201539% finish itDeck Playable
This is an isometric point-and-click sci-fi horror adventure game. Players solve puzzles and interact with the environment to uncover a gruesome narrative.
What players likedPlayers praise STASIS as a solid, spooky, and engaging point-and-click puzzle game with a cool, dark, industrial art style, reminiscent of "Alien" and "Dead Space."
The catchPuzzles run on moon logic and pixel hunting, pushing most players to a walkthrough.
Games like STASIS →
This is a first-person immersive sim with a core loop of exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat against a rogue AI. It offers a tense, atmospheric sci-fi experience.
What players likedPlayers praise its immersive, unique adventure as a legendary immersive sim, predating and influencing games like DOOM.
The catchMovement stutters badly on modern hardware and the port has gone years without a fix.
Games like System Shock: Enhanced Edition →
This is a high-speed racing game where players compete in Podraces. It features intense speed, challenging tracks, and aggressive AI opponents.
What players likedPlayers praise its enduring fun and gameplay that rivals even modern racing games, often comparing it favorably to childhood memories.
The catchThe port needs community patches to launch at all, and controllers often go undetected.
Games like STAR WARS™ Episode I Racer →
Starcom: Nexus90% positive from 2,302 reviews201947% finish itDeck Playable
This is an open-world space exploration and combat game. Players research technology, build ships, and interact with alien factions in a dynamic universe.
What players likedPlayers praise its interesting story and ship building, comparing it to Last Defense Academy and a star ship-based RPG.
The catchVague quests leave you combing a vast, empty galaxy for hours to find the next step.
Games like Starcom: Nexus →
This is a dark visual novel where you read ship logs with an AI to uncover a mystery. It features branching narratives and multiple endings exploring transhumanism and loneliness.
What players likedPlayers praise its unforgettable story and characters, with a climax that leaves a lasting, impactful impression.
The catchGameplay is almost entirely clicking through dense text logs, and it drags.
Games like Analogue: A Hate Story →
![Event[0]](https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/470260/header.jpg)
Event[0]80% positive from 2,279 reviews201631% finish itDeck Playable
Narrative exploration game. Communicate with an AI via typing to solve puzzles and uncover a story.
What players likedPlayers praise its unique story and AI character, offering a narrative exploration experience.
The catchThe AI parser misreads most typed questions, so you rephrase the same thing repeatedly.
Games like Event[0] →
First-person shooter with lightsaber combat and Force powers. Players choose light or dark side paths to become a Jedi Knight.
What players likedPlayers praise its classic arena shooter feel with enjoyable lightsaber combat, reminiscent of 90s Star Wars fan films.
The catchLightsaber combat and force powers feel janky
Games like STAR WARS™ Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II →
Star Realms87% positive from 2,218 reviews2016Deck Playable
Star Realms is a space combat deckbuilding game where players build decks to battle opponents. It offers strategic card play and competitive online matches.
The catchThe campaign AI appears to cheat, so single player missions come down to luck.
Games like Star Realms →
Third-person shooter with vehicle combat on frozen worlds. Players battle giant aliens and pirates in armed mechs and snow vehicles.
What players likedPlayers praise this fast-paced, mech-filled third-person shooter for its constant action against bugs and a relentless timer.
The catchRockets knock you down constantly and slow get-up animations leave you unable to act.
Games like Lost Planet™: Extreme Condition →
Vertigo 295% positive from 2,176 reviews202326% finish itDeck Unsupported
VR adventure game with hybrid locomotion and unique weapon reloads. Explore diverse environments, fight alien creatures and robots, and uncover a conspiracy.
What players likedPlayers praise Vertigo 2 as a Half-Life: Alyx-like, immersive sci-fi adventure with fun weapons, creative levels, and engaging story.
The catchAttempts at humor and writing fall flat
Games like Vertigo 2 →
Original War95% positive from 2,156 reviews201473% finish itDeck Playable
Real-time strategy game with base building and unit management. Features time travel mechanics and resource gathering.
What players likedPlayers praise its unique story and gameplay, comparing the companion system to SpellForce 1.
The catchUnits crawl at a glacial pace and controlling them is clunky and unexplained.
Games like Original War →
