Top 10 Best Science Fiction RPGs You Should Definitely Play

Original release date: 2/23/2017
Mode: single player
Genre: RPG, science fiction, action
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Platinum Games
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PC
Most gamers won't be familiar with the name Drakengard, which is the original franchise that produced the Nier series, which in turn produced the character whose popularity far exceeds the games.

But in addition to the infamous heroine, the sci-fi title Nier: Automata also features unique action gameplay and a well-written story that recounts the war between robots and extraterrestrial creatures. Nier: Automata is one of those games that needs to be played twice to explore all possible outcomes, accompanied by a branching plot, which can be played even more times to fully experience what the game has to offer. 

Original Release Date: August 23, 2011 (on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360)
Mode: single player
Genre: role-playing, sci-fi, action, first-person shooter
Publisher: Square Enix, Feral Interactive (Mac)
Developers: Eidos Montreal, Nixxes Software (PC), Feral Interactive (Mac)
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, MacOS, Wii U
Often inspired by various conspiracy theories and real-life myths, Deus Ex games use their setting to deliver the most immersive cyberpunk experience possible. Throughout the four main games, players will role-play as various cybernetic advanced individuals and are allowed to explore a 21st-century backward Earth while completing multiple objectives using Using a combination of stealth gameplay and super strength.

Aside from typical features like upgrades and customization, the important dialogue choices and character interactions in Deus Ex: Human Revolution mean that player actions carry a lot of weight, containing an adventure. Comprehensive role-playing.

Initial release date: 7/25/2013 (on Windows, OS X)
Mode: single player
Genre: role-playing, sci-fi, strategy, adventure, indie
Publisher: Harebrained Schemes
Developers: Harebrained Schemes
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Shadowrun is a tabletop RPG similar to Dungeons and Dragons, the main difference between these two games is that Dungeons and Dragons is purely fantasy based while Shadowrun also incorporates cyberpunk elements. Shadowrun Returns is a tactical sci-fi RPG based on the tablet game of the same name, which is a far cry from the first or last game. Even if the graphics and gameplay are not as complex as some other RPGs, Shadowrun Returns still has many of the main elements of the genre.

Besides being able to customize the character's appearance, players can also choose between six different character classes known as "Archetypes", each of which comes with different perks.

Original release date: 11/8/1999
Modes: single-player, multiplayer
Genre: RPG, sci-fi, action, adventure, survival horror, first-person shooter
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Irrational Games, Looking Glass Studios
Platforms: Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows, MacOS, DOS
The name System Shock has ceased to appear in popular media for more than a century, but those familiar will recognize this as a historical first-person shooter that defined the genre.

Like the original game, the sci-fi RPG System Shock 2 primarily takes place on a spaceship that has been captured by a sentient rogue AI named SHODAN, whose fight against this entity drives the entire plot. As an unnamed soldier who has just been revived from cryogenic sleep, the player chooses between three character classes with unique powers, while joining the battle with several survivors.

Original release date: 10/12/2020
Mode: single player
Genre: RPG, sci-fi, action, adventure, shooter, fighting
Publisher: CD Projekt
Developer: CD Projekt Red
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia, Microsoft Windows
The sci-fi RPG Cyberpunk 2077 would never live up to the ambitious promises of its developers or fan expectations, but few expected it to become one of the most controversial video game releases of all time.

When it was finally released after many delays, most players with old hardware were unable to play it and those who encountered bugs, glitches, and simply couldn't get in. Almost two years after its release, a lot of patches + updates have fixed many of Cyberpunk 2077's problems, but the aftertaste still lingers in the hearts of many.