Technology has advanced immenselysince the ’90s, though Sci-Fi-loving people have been dreaming about robots and spaceships for much longer than this. Compared to modern software and hardware, the world of three decades ago simply cannot compare to the modern, but this has never stopped creative individuals from sharing their visions with the world.
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Those that innovate and hold the attention of players have earned places in the memories of gamers the world over. Despite limitations in technology, quite a few games pushed the envelope not only to create awesome games but also set standards that have benefited theentire Sci-Fi genre.
Updated November 10th, 2022 by Russ Boswell: There have been a lot of amazing Sci-Fi games released in the modern age. Players can get their futuristic and space-age kicks from a variety of genres and some Sci-Fi adventures are so beautifully designed and written that they look and feel like a film. But there were still quite a few incredible during the beginnings of the Sci-Fi gaming genre. The 90s were rife will a wide array of Sci-Fi releases and some of them stood out as gems far ahead of their time. To better showcase some of the best 90s Sci-Fi games, the following list has been updated with more entries.
13StarCraft
Although there are many out there that hold StarCraft II in high regard, the original release still sees somewhat of a cult following thanks to its impressive, expansive, and addictive RTS action. There’s a reason that many players still flock to this game even though it was released back in 1998. It’s been over twenty years since the iconic franchise started, yet the flagship release still holds up fairly well in the modern age.
Although StarCraft II surpassed it graphically (by quite a bit), the original StarCraft helped set the RTS genre on the path to superstardom, showing players that Sci-Fi was a great genre for the medium. Those that pick this game up now may be missing some of the quality-of-life improvements seen in most modern RTS titles today, but it’s still an absolute blast to play.
12SimCity 2000
There are a lot of great simulation games on the market nowadays. Players can hop on to their favorite console and dive into a variety of games that feature resource management, design, and building elements spread across a wide array of genres. Back in the 90s, there were a handful of simulation-style games, but one stood out from the pack as a robust release that was definitely ahead of its time.
SimCity 2000 allowed players to piece together their own metropolis, complete with custom neighborhoods, cityscapes, and power generators. Although it was released back in the early 90s, it featured impressive graphics and a surprising amount of depth.
11Quake
There are tons of multiplayer first-person shooters on the market today. The 90s saw its fair share of fun and functional FPS releases, but many point to Quake as being one of the biggest turning points for the genre. Similar in feeling to Doom, Quake developers opted to put more focus into the multiplayer aspects of the game, developing a series that would let players battle against one another in competitive matches across an array of arenas.
Thanks to its bevy of awesome weapons and fast-paced, gliding action, Quake stands as one of the pioneers of the multiplayer FPS scape as we know it today.
10Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2 (PC)
1997 saw the release of the most belovedStar Warsgame of the decade. In this lightsaber-wielding adventure forPersonal Compters, players got a chance to visit their favorite locations in the franchise anddo battle while controlling a skilled Jedi knight. Though whether one fights for justice or power is up to the player, asStar Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2offers a huge number of choices to gamers. One could potentially ignore the main story and wander about an immersive and detailed world for hours, making this game stand out as one that encourages freedom instead of a linear experience. Something all Sci-Fi games should attempt to emulate.
9Planescape: Torment (PC)
Enter a bizarre Science-Fantasy RPG world where death is not quite what the player expects. In 1999, the world was gifted withPlanescape: Torment, which inserts the player into a unique world with a story so gripping that it can be fondly recalled by gamers even two decades after being played. Whereas most top-down isometric games tend to safely follow the same story-guidelines of others in the genre, this one does the opposite by thrusting the player’s mind into unpredictable situations that make every minute exciting. This weird and macabre setting has likely inspired quite a few others to shapeunique and sinister worlds worth delving into.
8Homeworld (PC)
In this fresh space-faring 1999 adventure, players need to get their ships past a hostile galactic empire and rediscover theirHomeworld.These elements are probably familiar to quite a few Sci-Fi oriented gamers, though the unique user interface and control scheme are innovations to the genre that were rarely seen before. The ability to sort and command one’s forces in an intuitive manner removes much of the difficulty curve when learning how to play the game. This allows new players to immediately start enjoying themselves without slogging through bland tutorials. This in addition to impeccable audio, stellar gameplay, and gorgeously refined graphics for the time makesHomeworldfeel likehome for many space explorers.
7Maniac Mansion II: Day Of The Tentacle (PC)
Of all theLucasArtspoint-and-click adventure games,Maniac Mansion II: Day of the Tentacleis remembered for having some of the more hilarious dialogue and quirkiest characters. With a recently remastered version, this game allowed a whole new generation of fans to enjoy this classic from 1993.
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Games in this genre heavily rely on story elements to be entertaining andDay of the Tentacledoes not disappoint with near-infinite charm and time-traveling humor. This title redefined what point-and-click games could do in terms of storytelling and set the bar higher for all similar games that came after it.
6Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri (PC)
Most know the nameSid Meierfrom the renownedCivilizationgames by the legendary game designer. Imagine aCivilizationgamethat takes place on an alien planet beginning to be colonized by humans.Sid Meier’s Alpha Centaurifrom 1999 is that game and it’s as crazy and fun as it sounds for lovers of grand strategy. Many enjoyed this departing from Earth as the new setting breathed fresh air into the genre and forced players to think more critically about decisions since there is no Earthling intuition to rely upon.
5Final Fantasy 7 (PlayStation)
As theFinal Fantasyseries transitioned from purely Fantasy to being a Science-Fantasy franchise, many new opportunities were opened up in 1997.Final Fantasy 7on the originalPlayStationintroduces players to guns, mechs, and much more that enhance the environment and set it apart from other RPGs of the generation. There are still dragons, spells, and magic, but now combined with a setting focused on the degradation of the natural world at the hands of those seeking only profit and urban development. Combine this with memorable characters and excellent gameplay for one of the bestgames in the long-lived franchisethat future titles were able to build off of with great success.
4System Shock 2 (PC)
Satisfying decision-making is one of the aspects gamers crave the most out of their chosen titles. 1999’sSystem Shock 2gives the player a variety of ways to complete each level in a spooky setting full of deranged foes. Though the frights one will receive in this game are not cheap jump-scares or loud noises in pitch-black alleys.
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The terror one will experience arises from the sinister meaning of each event that the player encounters. The magnitude of happenings makes each glowing light seem like a watching eye, waiting for the player to make the wrong move. A sense of true horror in this laser and machine filled adventure forces gamers to remember why the future can be scary.
