Best Open-World Games With Alien Ecosystems

Key Takeaways

Open-world games vary in focus from exploration to survival, providing immersive experiences in unique alien environments.
Games like Empyrion and Journey to the Savage Planet offer sandbox survival gameplay on alien planets.
Titles like No Man’s Sky and Subnautica feature procedurally generated planets with rich, diverse ecosystems for players to explore.

As a seasoned spacefarer and intergalactic explorer with countless light-years under my belt, I must say that this list of alien ecosystem games has left me utterly captivated! From the depths of Subnautica to the radioactive wastelands of Ark: Aberration, each game offers a unique blend of exploration, survival, and stunning alien landscapes.

Open-world games typically equate to experiences centered around exploration and discovery, inviting players to venture into unexplored territories on their maps, often veering from the well-trod paths. These games can concentrate on exploration and survival, while others blend in a narrative-driven gameplay style, with the expansive map offering an additional layer of complexity.

In some video games that resemble sandboxes, the action takes place on distant alien worlds boasting a variety of one-of-a-kind ecosystems. Typically, the goal is for the player to learn how to live and prosper amidst a hostile environment by tapping into local resources and constructing the essential infrastructure needed for survival. The thrill of exploration and discovery serves as the foundation for gameplay, inviting players to appreciate the intriguing alien ecosystems these games offer.

7 Empyrion – Galactic Survival

Space Sandbox Survival

In “Emyrion: Galactic Survival,” you journey through various alien worlds where you engage in captivating open-ended survival gameplay. The planets you choose to explore each boast distinct plant life and wildlife, along with an environment that’s dynamically generated.

In this space exploration game, you can construct bases, gather resources, and manufacture vehicles. If you opt to transform a planet, you’ll need to tackle environmental hurdles, effectively mastering the atmosphere control of the planet. Overall, it’s an engaging open-world survival game, comparable to titles like Space Engineers and others.

6 Journey To The Savage Planet

Humorous Space Exploration Game

In the game “Journey To The Savage Planet“, players assume the role of an adventurous space traveler, who is dispatched to a perilous extraterrestrial planet. This mysterious world teems with various and exotic alien habitats, brimming with peculiar alien creatures.

This game frequently offers humor, yet conceals a rich depth beneath its amusing facade. Venturing into the diverse alien landscapes yields a satisfying experience, compelling players to scan various extraterrestrial creatures, analyze them, and document their findings. Discovering hidden secrets is part of the fun, and naturally, mastering survival in a perilous alien world is also essential for the player.

5 No Man’s Sky

Impressive Procedurally Generated Planets

As a gamer, I’ve been on quite the journey with No Man’s Sky. Initially, it was met with a fair share of criticism, often labeled as one of the rockiest game launches in history. But over time, it transformed into something truly remarkable – a top-tier space exploration game. This transformation is largely due to the game’s significant improvements and continuous updates, which have made it almost unrecognizable from its initial release. The best part? All these enhancements came without any additional cost!

In the game “No Man’s Sky”, players venture out and adjust to a variety of alien worlds, each uniquely created using procedural generation. These explorers can uncover new creatures and flora, and if they’re the first ones to stumble upon them, they even have the chance to name these discoveries. Given that there are over a trillion star systems in this game, it’s quite possible that countless planets will remain unexplored until the live-service components of the game eventually come to an end.

4 Subnautica

Underwater Exploration

In the game Subnautica, all the action unfolds underwater on a nearly completely submerged alien world. Survival plays a significant role in the gameplay dynamics since the player needs to maintain an adequate oxygen supply, as well as electricity for operating their vehicles and constructing base infrastructure.

The intricately designed alien habitats teem with more than just vegetation; they house an array of marine life, from tranquil herbivores to fearsome predators that pose a significant threat to the game’s player. Few open-world survival games immerse players in such a richly detailed and carefully constructed alien biosphere as Subnautica.

3 Astroneer

Colorful Open-World Game

In the game ‘Astroneer’, all the planets are produced algorithmically rather than pre-designed. Players traverse these varied planets, each one boasting a distinct alien biome. The primary activities revolve around resource collection, constructing bases to aid survival, and eventually reshaping the entire planet over time.

In this game, the player possesses the power to entirely revamp the vibrant, humorous-styled alien landscapes they traverse, even manipulating the atmosphere. While it may not offer the most profound survival experience on an alien planet, its lighthearted charm and enjoyable gameplay make it a standout.

2 Ark: Aberration

Fight Mutant Creatures

Platforms: Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, iOS
Released: December 12, 2017
Developer: Studio Wildcard, Instinct Games, Efecto Estudios S.A.S., Virtual Basement
Genre: Survival Game

Instead of being a standalone game, “Ark: Aberration” serves as an expansion pack for “Ark: Survival Evolved.” This expansion offers a fresh twist on the original game and transports players to a perilous alien world teeming with radioactive landscapes and mutated creatures. Additionally, it boasts vast subterranean caves ripe for exploration.

Aberration brings a fresh dimension to an already outstanding game. It also presents new survival obstacles that players will have to master.

1 The Outer Worlds

Witty Roleplaying Game

In this game, filled with humor, you journey through a solar system brimming with alien planets, each hosting individually designed, diverse ecosystems. These ecosystems span from tranquil jungle environments to hazardous zones lethal to the player. Yet, every alien environment teems with various threatening species.

As a captivated fan, I’d say that “Exploring the mesmerizing storyline of The Outer Wilds, it transcends mere alien ecosystem exploration and survival. The game offers intricate branching choices, and the consequences of these decisions ripple throughout the game, ultimately shaping its climactic ending – a testament to my personal influence within this fascinating universe.

2024-10-14 12:33