10 Best Sci-Fi Video Games You've Never Played
Enslaved deserves to be up there with the true greats.
Ever since the first little blip on an oscilloscope let some researchers play virtual tennis, video games have been a big part of our lives. As the medium developed into more complex graphics, sounds and controls, more and more people found themselves entertained by a plethora of available options.
One of the biggest genres of video games has - and likely always will be - science-fiction. If you look back at some of the earliest games to be commercially developed, you'll find classic hits like Asteroids, Space Invaders, and Tempest, all of which are sci-fi, and well-known classics to boot.
The genre continued to develop as video games became more advanced, and these days, everything from turn-based strategy to first-person shooters incorporate sci-fi elements. Because of this, there are thousands of sci-fi video games that have been developed over the years, and that means there's a library of games you've likely never played.
It could be due to the fact that some sci-fi classics came and went before you ever touched a video game, or they were drowned out by other options when they were released. Whatever the reason, there are some amazing sci-fi video games many people never got a chance to play.
10. Vanquish (2009)
Vanquish was released in 2009 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 to considerable critical approval. The game was developed as a third-person shooter, but it incorporates elements of beat-em-ups, 2D bullet hell shooters, and it introduced an innovative sliding-boost mechanic which has since been copied into many other games.
This is one of those titles that didn't get the kind of attention other Triple-A games got when it was released. It was an entirely new franchise, so there weren't a ton of people lining up to buy a copy like they might have for the latest Call of Duty effort, making it one that a lot of people missed out on. Of course, the fact that it was released on the same day as Fallout: New Vegas didn't help its sales either.
While too few people enjoyed Vanquish when it was released, those who did play it found it to be a complex and entertaining game. It did suffer from a campaign that was far too short, but other than that, the mechanics, gameplay, setting, theme, soundtrack, and graphics were all praised.
Because Vanquish brought innovative new mechanics to the third-person shooter genre, it should definitely be checked out by anyone who loves playing these types of games. All games that followed with a sliding mechanic owe a debt of thanks to Vanquish, and fortunately, it's been given a Game of the Year edition and a PC port, so it's still available to play.