A New Sci-Fi Game Renaissance
- Narukoopa
- Apr 19
- 11 min read
Every now and then I like to take a look at the release schedule for games in the months ahead so that I can attempt to prepare against my unhealthy spending habits, as I’m sure many of you reading this do as well. It rarely works, but it’s still nice to try.
One thing that has stood out to me recently when looking at upcoming releases is the noticeably large number of big, blockbuster sci-fi games that seem to be approaching on the horizon. That’s not to say that we haven’t been getting them already, with the likes of Marathon and Cronos: The New Dawn garnering success, but there are a lot more on the way, and some of these have the potential to be pretty significant.
I think now more than ever is an exciting time to be a sci-fi fan, especially if you loved the original Mass Effect trilogy back in the day. For the first time in a very long time we are finally getting releases that will be able to scratch the unbearable itch that those games left behind back when the trilogy concluded in 2012, and I couldn’t be happier.
Going beyond that, you have plenty more experiences that have an emphasis on impactful storytelling and immersive worldbuilding, something that the triple A field of gaming, while not completely lacking of it, could definitely use with a bit more of as far as science fiction games are concerned.
These have the potential to be smash hits. Because of that, I want to talk about them. Here is a list of seven otherworldly games releasing within the next couple years that I think you will love. There are plenty more, but these stood out to me the most, and they help represent what I think is a new renaissance of video game science fiction.
Saros
When Returnal was released back in 2021 it not only became a success, but it also told Housemarque exactly what they were good at. Returnal is a one of a kind experience that successfully blended a mystery set in a disturbing world, with some of the fastest and intense combat the games industry has seen in a while.
Now, in 2026, Housemarque has decided to keep with what they do best. Their next title, Saros, has a lot of similarities to Returnal. It’s a Roguelike, there’s a ton of action, it takes place on a dangerous planet that changes as you play, and there’s lots of glowy lights everywhere. (People who have played Returnal will know exactly what I mean by that)
Nevertheless, Saros has enough to stand on its own two feet. This time you play as Arjun Devraj, a Soltari enforcer searching for somebody on Carcosa, a dangerous world haunted by creatures and a permanent solar eclipse. What makes this planet interesting is that it is the location of a lost colony, meaning you will encounter other colonists and survivors. You may not be a lone wolf this time around.
One feature that makes Saros stand out compared to Returnal is that now when you die, you don’t lose everything you had. Instead, the gameplay loop revolves around coming back stronger each time, so any personal upgrades obtained in your run will stay with you even after death.
This is a game that I am extremely excited for. Returnal was, and still is, one of my favourite PS5 games, and one of the few games at the time that truly felt ‘next gen’ to me. The reveal trailer was more than enough for me to want to buy this on day one, and the fact that the main character is played by Rahul Kohli is enough to grab my attention.
But the world also looks really compelling. It’s giving haunted Eldritch, ancient Egypt vibes, and I’m here for it. The world in Returnal, as well as the mystery permeating through it, was one of the main highlights of that game, so I’m really intrigued to see what they pull off with Saros when it releases on April 30th 2026.
Exodus
This is an interesting one because Exodus is currently being developed by a new team, Archetype Entertainment, which is composed of various talents, including people who were involved in the Mass Effect trilogy. Drew Karpyshyn is one such person, and he was the lead writer of the first two Mass Effect games.
That alone has me more than intrigued for this new game. Some describe it as a spiritual successor to Mass Effect, which is a pretty bold claim in my opinion so we shall have to wait and see on that.
Regardless, the similarities are visible. If anything, I’m heavily reminded by Mass Effect Andromeda when I look at promotional material. You play as “the Traveler” instead of a Pathfinder, and the Celestial tech does look reminiscent of Remnant tech. This does have the potential to raise alarm bells, but Exodus looks like a much more refined realisation of the ideas that Andromeda proposed.
For one, it takes place 40,000 years in the future, and humanity has evolved significantly, to the point where there are different human civilisations. One of these evolutions comes in the form of Celestials, a group of transhumans that have genetically diverged from original human settlers to become something far more advanced. They also serve as the antagonists of Exodus.
You play as Jun Aslan, a newly appointed “Traveler” who is able to utilise and blend Celestial technology with human tech. You will be going on salvage runs and exploring interstellar ruins to find ways to deal with the Celestial threat. You command a crew who all have their own impact on the story and the gameplay, and you explore a multitude of worlds, all affected by the current conflict.
So yeah, very much has a Mass Effect vibe, but also has enough to stand out on its own. It’s already been quite a wait for this one, and it looks like more patience will be required, as Exodus is slated to release some time in early 2027.
Mass Effect 5
Speaking of Mass Effect, we might as well get that one out of the way. There isn’t going to be much to talk about here since we basically don’t know anything, but it would be wrong for me to not include this in my list anyway.
I have a confession to make: I am a big Mass Effect fan. The trilogy are my favourite games of all time. I have even written articles about them already (click here). Bioware has struggled for quite some time now, and I will not refute the reality that they are in trouble currently. This game needs to be a success.
Still, the fact that we are actually getting another Mass Effect game in the first place is a dream come true for me. Sure it was announced… five years ago… and we haven’t had much since then aside from little teases… I’m trying to cope, okay?
We have a reveal trailer, a very cool reveal trailer at that, and since then we have had concept art, hidden features within said concept art, and a little teaser showcasing a new character wearing N7 uniform who we know nothing about.
That is essentially it. Not a whole lot to go on. Based on what we have seen, we can come up with theories. We know Liara is in it. We know that a new Mass Relay is being built, and that the Geth and Cerberus seem to play a part in some way. There’s hints to something happening with the Krogan. We can also see a lot of people wearing masks in the concept art.
What all of this means is anyone’s best guess. I won’t lie, I have been enjoying these teases every year, but I’m hoping we will get something more substantial very soon, as do many others. I imagine our wish will be granted soon, as Bioware has begun hiring more staff, hinting that development is finally underway. Fingers crossed!
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn
If you asked me what my most anticipated game is, I would have to answer with The Expanse: Osiris Reborn. Just as Mass Effect is my favourite video game, The Expanse is my favourite TV show and book series.
The announcement of a video game being released that takes place in this universe, and a Mass Effect-style RPG at that, had me running around the walls of my room. I had mag boots so it was all good.
This game is exactly what The Expanse needs right now. For those unaware, The Expanse was originally a book series that was later adapted into a TV show. It’s hard sci-fi, so there is an emphasis on realism, both towards the technology and also the societal and political conflicts that occur. It’s a story about people, and how game-changing events impact an already tense and fragile system.
The TV show never finished adapting the books; they got to book 6 out of 9 books. If ever there was a way to revitalise an IP and present it to the masses, a single player RPG designed in the same vein as Mass Effect would be an excellent way of going about it.
Osiris Reborn is an original story that takes place between books 2 and 3. We don’t know a whole lot about the story, but we do know that you and your crew made it out of Eros. For those who have watched or read the books, you will know how serious that is.
While development on this game is still seemingly early days, they have given us a lot to witness. Aside from the reveal trailer, we have been given a lot of environment showcases that show off Ganymede and Ceres, as well as glimpses at combat and character interactions, all of which look stellar. (Post editor note: We now have a gameplay trailer too!)
Owlcat, the developers of this game, have also released lots of concept art that shows off Luna, Mars, and various other settlements across the system. We also know that there will be classes, character customisation, being able to choose where you are from, impactful choices, squad commanding, and romance! We are living the dream.
Thanks to their most recent trailer, we now know that it will be released in 2027, but a closed beta is slated for the 22nd of April! You can preorder it now on their website, and depending on which version you get, you can gain access to this beta, as well as other goodies. As a side note, if you haven’t watched or read The Expanse, do that right now!
Halo Campaign Evolved
Another reiteration of the game that started it all, Halo Campaign Evolved is quite a different beast. For starters, this version is built with Unreal Engine 5 from the ground up, meaning some truly impactful visuals that sort of make the game look like how we remembered it looking when we were kids?
I will admit, I am not really a Halo fan, but even I can appreciate how big of a deal this is. Halo as a franchise hasn’t had a good time in recent years, with Halo Infinite not being much of a success. While the Master Chief Collection received a lot of praise, it definitely had plenty of complaints of its own as well.
Could Halo Campaign Evolved be a turning point? It’s hard to say at the moment, but it does have one thing going for it that no other Halo game has had up until this point. It is releasing on PS5. Who would have thought we would see the day where a Halo game is releasing on Playstation.
While this is a symbolic moment - given Microsoft’s strategy to focus more on its hardware as opposed to making exclusive content - this could be a genius move for the franchise. More people than ever before will now be able to play Halo. Remaking the first game would also make it a lot more accessible for players who have never touched Halo at all.
Depending on how successful it is, it could be enough to revitalise the series as a whole. No word on a release date yet, but it is expected to release some time this year.
Directive 8020
Over the years, Supermassive Games have built themselves around delivering cinematic, choice-based games that have a tendency to revolve around horror flicks that take inspiration from various horror films, whose results range from cheesy to down-right intense.
I think I, and a lot of other people, recognise Until Dawn as being the star of their show, and while they have released a lot of games in the same vein, nothing has hit quite as hard as their defining jewel.
Could Directive 8020 be the title that steers the ship in the right direction? It certainly has the potential. We are heading into space, which is a first for the developers. This time the inspiration comes from The Thing. You and your crew find yourself on an alien world and are quickly hunted by an organism that can perfectly mimic its prey. There will almost certainly be a lot of decisions revolving around who is real and who is a fake.
The trailers for this game emphasise a particular theme which I think is rather interesting. Do you save yourself? Or do you risk everything to save the human race? In this universe, Earth is on the brink of collapse. This mission you and your crew are on has the potential to prevent that from happening, but the introduction of this creature throws a spanner in the works.
How easily would you find yourself reverting to your primal instincts? Do you fight or do you flee? Who do you trust if you cannot trust those around you? Is it even possible to complete your mission at this point?
This alone makes Directive 8020 stand out more than Supermassive Games’ previous releases, but there is more. Stealth will be a major part of the game, having to avoid the creature roaming around the ship, and from the looks of it, combat will also be a factor.
It’s also a bit more accessible, with the game granting you the ability to rewind the story to specific ‘Turning Points’. This is a nice idea because it means you can experience everything the narrative has to offer without having to constantly replay the game.
How good the story is overall is something we will have to wait and see, but we won’t have to wait too long. Directive 8020 releases on the 12th of May this year, with preorders being available now.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
It has been over 20 years since Naughty Dog has released something that isn’t Uncharted or Last of Us. Yep, that hurt to write just as much as it hurt to read. While both of those franchises are absolutely spectacular, it was about time they tried doing something else.
Enter Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, a lengthy name for a game that we currently don’t know much about. We have a reveal trailer, which is essentially a cutscene, a tiny bit of what could be gameplay at the end of said trailer… and that’s about it.
What we do know is that it takes place thousands of years in the future. You play as Jordan A. Mun, a bounty hunter who has been given a job located on Sempiria, a long lost planet shadowed from the rest of space-faring civilization.
People who enter this planet never return. Regardless of that fact, she is dead set on going there, and it is on this planet that presumably the game will take place, but at this point, who knows. It looks to be an action/adventure game, similar to Uncharted and Last of Us. Given Naughty Dog’s expertise in cinematic storytelling, there’s bound to be a compelling narrative in there as well.
Development for this one started back in 2020, and the current rumours seem to posit a 2027/2028 release window. Alas, nothing has been confirmed yet, and it’s been over a year since we have had any more info. Regardless, when it releases, it is bound to have a strong impact.
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