10 Best Sci-Fi Video Games You've Never Played

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.

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.