Star Trek, to this day, remains one of the core pillars of nerd fandom and pop culture. Whereas series likeStar Warsfocus on the action and fantasy elements of science fiction,Star Trekhas captured the minds of its fans with its intellectual and cerebral take on interstellar space travel and the human condition.
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SinceStar Trekhas been around for decades, multiple generations have been inspired by it in their own creative endeavors. Video games are no different, and there are plenty of sci-fi and space-related games that share some connection toStar Trek.
8Astroneer
Discovery and exploration in regard to science fiction feel much more likeStar TrekthanStar Wars, and there’s a reason for that. The latter focused on providing a fantasy sci-fi world, whereas the former is more rooting in the realistic and scientifically accurate (for the most part) aspects of science fiction.
This means that exploring new planets, solar systems, and galaxies that lead to discoveries in terms of a gaming experience in some ways relates back toStar Trek. Astroneeris a 2019 indie game from developer System Era Softworks where players take on the role of an astronaut looking to terraform a planet and create a base in a wonderfully inviting sandbox adventure game.
7Stellaris
Now, 4x strategy games aren’t necessarily the genre for everyone, but in many ways,Star Trekis also not the science fiction universe for everyone. Real-time strategy games that delve deep into mechanics and procedures rooted in science fiction feel like the type of projects inherently inspired by serieslikeDune, Star Trek, and evenStar Warsto some extent.
Stellaris isn’t for the faint of heart and requires a strong sense of commitment to understand the number of systems and strategies needed to successfully progress. Diplomacy and politics also play a large role in the gameplay, which also feels rooted inStar Trek’s well-treaded subject.
6The Outer Worlds
Comedy isn’t a genre or form of entertainment often associated withStar Trek.Sure the series often tackles serious subject matter or science fiction philosophies, but it also has plenty of heart and laughter thrown in.Star Trekremains beloved because it often blends each of these things perfectly into something relatable at the human psyche level of understanding.
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The Outer Worldsfrom Obsidian Entertainment is a satirical science fiction game that pokes fun at the hundreds of tropes and questionable realities of interplanetary space travel and corporate greed on an interstellar level. The deconstruction of often understood parts of science fiction isn’t uniquelyStar Trek, but it sure does feel like it.
5FTL: Faster Than Light
Ship management, as important as it is, is not often the most captivating subject when discussing the realities of living aboard a spaceship in space. Working with a crew to accomplish a singular goal while interacting with new alien races or debris floating in space is what really gets the juices flowing.
FTLorFaster Than Lightis a 2012 real-time strategy roguelike where players effectively manage a ship in hopes of continuing their exploration. It’s an indie game that may be hovering on the line between fiction and science fiction, but either way, it manages to provide an adrenaline-inducing experience where players will hesitate and question every crucial decision they make.
4Guardians Of The Galaxy
As mentioned earlier in the entry regardingThe Outer Worlds,comedy isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Star Trek. That being said, the series has plenty of instances where laughter and cheerful glee are at the forefront.
The reason Square Enix’sGuardians of the Galaxyfeels innatelyStar Trekhas to do more with the sense of family, loyalty, and care among the crew of the Milano. From Starlord to Groot, they all know as accomplished as they are individually, it’s their collective effort that pushes them to be capable of doing anything they set their minds to, like saving the galaxy.
3Outer Wilds
Time loops and weird science fiction problems aren’t anything new toStar Trek, and they are at the core of what makesOuter Wildsso special. The game starts with players taking control of an astronaut belonging to a kind and quaint alien species. They then have twenty minutes to take off in a spaceship and explore the solar system before a black hole consumes everything and they restart at step one.
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As time goes on players unravel what’s actually going on and it’s up to them to stop the inevitable from taking place. The entire game is a ticking clock that provides a shot of adrenaline in very much the same way the direst of scenarios unfold inStar Trek.
2No Man’s Sky
No Man’s Skywas originally a game considered to be a letdown as it didn’t follow through on the extraordinary promises it made during the lead-up to its release. In the years since the space exploration title has seen a complete turnaround as Hello Games devoted themselves to delivering the experience, they wanted gamers to witness.
It’s never clear what alien life or abandoned advanced technology could be found from planet to planet, and it’s this pure sense of discovery that feels lifted off the television screen from both classic and modern versions oftheStar Trekseries.
1Mass Effect
TheMass Effecttrilogyis so varied in what it offers from entry to entry, so any of the three could make the list as they’re all clearly inspired byStar Trek. If it’s the mystery and heady dialogue that’s the most appealing then the original more RPG-focusedMass EffectthatStar Trekfans would adore.
It sees the player take on the role of a captain of a ship who must guide his crew in an effort to take down a villain who threatens both humanity and the entire galaxy at large.Mass Effectwas developed by Bioware and published for release by Electronic Arts in 2007.
