Pick a space exploration game that gives you something to do when you reach a new world. Here you can trace signals, scan a planet from orbit, record what you find on the surface, or piece together what an old…

Items50The creator’s order
  1. 1Outer Wilds (2019)Outer Wilds (2019)8.9IGDBReleased May 28, 2019Start with the signal scope and use the ship log to connect clues across a small solar system. The objects in orbit change over time, so getting the next discovery can be about arriving at a different moment as much as knowing which world to visit.0
  2. 2No Man's Sky (2016)No Man's Sky (2016)7.2IGDBReleased Aug 9, 2016Scan a planet from space before landing, then catalog plants, minerals, and animals with the analysis visor. Upload discoveries and mark the finds that you want to revisit. It is a strong pick for a player who wants to explore freely with a steady stream of things to record.0
  3. 3Starfield (2023)Starfield (2023)7.1IGDBReleased Sep 6, 2023Pick a star system and use a planetary survey to find which traits, resources, or species still need to be recorded. Landing in different biomes fills gaps that one touchdown misses. It gives a concrete reason to leave the quest route and see what a nearby world contains.0
  4. 4Astroneer (2019)Astroneer (2019)7.4IGDBReleased Feb 6, 2019Travel between the solar system’s planets and moons and use beacons and a compass to orient yourself as you explore. Discover new resources, dig into cave systems and work out how the planet’s strange structures relate. Discoveries often become useful back at your base.0
  5. 5Elite: Dangerous (2014)Elite: Dangerous (2014)8.0IGDBReleased Dec 16, 2014Use the Full Spectrum System Scanner to identify worlds from your ship and surface probes to map particularly interesting ones. A long trip can become its own expedition. Handing in the survey data completes the loop when you reach a place that accepts it.0
  6. 6Kerbal Space Program (2015)Kerbal Space Program (2015)8.5IGDBReleased Apr 27, 2015Give an expedition a science objective after you have learned to reach orbit. Instruments, crew reports and samples can return different results depending on the biome and altitude. A new landing site is worth finding even if you have reached the same world before.0
  7. 7Starbound (2016)Starbound (2016)7.1IGDBReleased Jul 22, 2016Pick a star and visit different planet types from your ship. Surface settlements, underground rooms and different materials give you more to notice than the planet’s label first suggests. The scanner can also turn visits into clues during some story quests.0
  8. 8Empyrion: Galactic Survival (2020)Empyrion: Galactic Survival (2020)6.6IGDBReleased Aug 5, 2020Move from scouting a starter planet to searching a galaxy map. Planet surfaces and space both hide structures and resources. Choose it if you want each expedition to affect what you can build and where you can go next.0
  9. 9Journey to the Savage Planet (2020)Journey to the Savage Planet (2020)7.3IGDBReleased Jan 28, 2020Use the scanner to classify plants and creatures while looking for paths across ARY-26. The journal and equipment turn each strange find into something to collect, understand or build from. It is an approachable exploration game for someone who likes bright first-person platforming.0
  10. 10Revenge of the Savage Planet (2025)Revenge of the Savage Planet (2025)6.1IGDBReleased May 8, 2025Use the terrain and unlockable kit to retrace routes across several planets. Scanning and cataloging the next creature or plant gives a side trip a concrete purpose. It works for players who want several different worlds and a third-person view.0