Space Exploration/Adventure games

[warpig]

I'm looking for games where you command a spaceship, explore the galaxy, solve mysteries, talk to aliens, shoot aliens etc.
Here are some examples of games that fit the profile: Star Control 2, Starflight, Nomad, Protostar, Ironseed- all from the 90's. Are there any more recent games of this sort?

 

[felipepepe]

From the top of my head I only recall Infinite Space (NDS) and Rogue Galaxy (PS2)...

EDIT: Oh yeah, there's Freelancer as well, but you probably already know about that one...

 

[Black_Willow]

Star Control 3

 

[circ]

Mass Effect 1

Strangely this amazing genre has been completely overlooked for almost two decades.

 

[Infinitron]

Strangely this amazing genre has been completely overlooked for almost two decades.

Very true. There's probably a niche waiting to be filled here by a breakout indie hit. FTL has already showed that people will buy a game that's about commanding a single spaceship.

 

[warpig]

Infinite Space looks interesting, but on the other hand it's a japanese ds game.

Oh yeah, there's Freelancer as well, but you probably already know about that one...

Freelancer, Privateer and similar belong in a different genre imo.

EDIT: Yeah FTL was sweet, not a SC2-type of game though.

 

[Crooked Bee]

Hmm, not many of these lately...

Infinite Space -- only if you enjoy JRPGs. And anime. The space combat is a tad simplistic, too.

No harm in giving it a try though.

Perhaps Agassi knows any?

 

[taxalot]

Space Quest V and Star Trek, 25th anniversary.

 

[SuicideBunny]

http://code.google.com/p/rlprospector/

 

[Fens]

space rangers 2

 

[Borelli]

Did you play Alien Legacy? If not then you should play Alien Legacy.

There's probably a niche waiting to be filled here by a breakout indie hit

This. This so much.

 

[warpig]

Did you play Alien Legacy?

Just watched a video of it on youtube and holy shit this looks tasty. Not exactly the type of game that I mentioned, but it seems to have a spirit of s-f exploration and adventure I'm looking for. I think I'm gonna give it a try. Thanks dude.

 

[Desktop Commander]

This is one of my favourite genres and I am surprised you already played Nomad, since I rarely - if ever - see it mentioned anywhere (it's really fun though - truly a shame that it never got more popular).
In any case, I don't remember all of them that I played right now but off the top of my head:

Oldies:
Star Command
Planet's Edge
Whale's Voyage 1 and 2
Escape Velocity Series
Federation of Free Traders (Amiga, Atari ST)
Millennia: Altered Destinies
Megatraveller 1+2
Sentinel Worlds and Hard Nova
Alien Logic

More recent:
Space Empires Starfury
Starpoint Gemini
Dangerous
Naev
Transcendence
Spaceforce: Rogue Universe
Weird Worlds (Sequel to Strange Advendures in Infinite Space, which is now freeware)

 

[Absalom]

Christ why would you lead a new rpgcodex brotha astray? Recent releases you're looking at Starbound and Kerbal Space Program.
Star Control 2 is probably one of the greatest games ever made. After completing go and finish star flight series. Nomad and Protostar (Unofficial sequel to star flight) fit neatly among this list.) After that, follow Desktop Commanders' list, except Star Rangers II among it. You'll be having a fun time for 2-3 yrs

 

[Crooked Bee]

Planet's Edge is awesome. If you don't mind older games, play it.

Megatraveller games are kind of uneven, I dunno if I would recommend them. Same with Sentinel Worlds -- it just isn't very good in many respects.

 

[Hellraiser]

Well Kerbal Space Program isn't about "star trek" exploration like the OP described, it's more about a grounded in reality "land there, get rock scientific/data" exploration, with rockets exploding along the way.

 

[felipepepe]

Really? I thought it was about crashing failed rockets into the ground...

 

[SCO]

Did you play Alien Legacy?

Just watched a video of it on youtube and holy shit this looks tasty. Not exactly the type of game that I mentioned, but it seems to have a spirit of s-f exploration and adventure I'm looking for. I think I'm gonna give it a try. Thanks dude.

Alien legacy has some bugs. Nice game thou, there is a LP by Agassi (black cat) of it here.

 

[circ]

Just remembered looking through the list - Sundog: Frozen Legacy, surprised no one mentioned it. I think the one or two guys who were instrumental in developing it were possibly looking to remake it.

Best version IMO would probably be the Atari ST version. It's a little bit of Elite space combat and economy, little bit of Megatraveler exploration and other bits and pieces, with a central plot too. Interesting way of changing spare parts for your ship also, and you can walk around your ship. There's also gambling and some stock market jujumagumbo. Lots of little details. The space combat arcade parts can be annoying though I seem to remember.

Also since I threw Atari ST in there, not the same genre but space and sci-fi, little bit of exploration but more resource management - see if you like the game Deuteros, I think it's one of the better games ever but some codexian thought it was ass, so dunno.

 

[Desktop Commander]

Megatraveller games are kind of uneven, I dunno if I would recommend them. Same with Sentinel Worlds -- it just isn't very good in many respects.

True, both series are certainly an acquired taste but I ended up liking them quite a bit. I do think that they are at least worth a try if you've run out of better alternatives.

Sundog: Frozen Legacy

Yes!!! How in the world could I forget to list that one? It's one of the absolute best games around, such a shame that the two planned sequels never manifested.

EDIT: Just remembered another one that OP might like: ASCII Sector (http://www.asciisector.net/)

 

[Crooked Bee]

Megatraveller games are kind of uneven, I dunno if I would recommend them. Same with Sentinel Worlds -- it just isn't very good in many respects.

True, both series are certainly an acquired taste but I ended up liking them quite a bit. I do think that they are at least worth a try if you've run out of better alternatives.

Yeah, I enjoyed them myself, but I understand I'm more of an exception rather than the rule when it comes to older CRPGs. Sentinel Worlds, for one, has really awful space combat, and some pretty counter-intuitive planet exploration, too. Not to mention the incredibly simplistic "mash the attack button and hope you survive" combat with a distinct lack of any character development to speak of.

Speaking of Sentinel Worlds, Hard Nova is basically an updated version of that game; I'd recommend it over SW, personally.

 

[Desktop Commander]

Speaking of Sentinel Worlds, Hard Nova is basically an updated version of that game; I'd recommend it over SW, personally.

I agree. The only annoying aspect about Hard Nova is its engine limitation that prevents you from ever dismissing anyone from your party, which could get quite frustrating if you met someone you wanted in your team but had all your party slots full. (This wasn't an issue in SW since you had a fixed party in that one, for those wo never played either).

In all other respects it is definitely superior to SW, though.

 

[Renegen]

Did you play Alien Legacy?

Just watched a video of it on youtube and holy shit this looks tasty. Not exactly the type of game that I mentioned, but it seems to have a spirit of s-f exploration and adventure I'm looking for. I think I'm gonna give it a try. Thanks dude.

Brah, my only video on Youtube is on Alien Legacy, it's that good. The best space game period. Be sure to get the Cd version, it fixes 2 or 3 bugs and has cool voices.

 

[warpig]

I'm playing Alien Legacy and so far I like it. I found the cd version, the voices are indeed very nice. I was a bit worried that the interface is going to be a nightmare but it's ok, maybe the shuttle "mini game" is a bit strange. The game reminds me of Reunion, which I played a long time ago and didn't particularly enjoy (but I can't really remember why).

This is one of my favourite genres and I am surprised you already played Nomad, since I rarely - if ever - see it mentioned anywhere (it's really fun though - truly a shame that it never got more popular).

I've spent countless hours playing Nomad when I was a kid. The combat in this game was downright shitty, the thing thet kept me playing was the exploration, flying around the universe and discovering new interesting stuff and meeting various types of bizzarre aliens. I was a bit dissapointed by the ending though, I expected something more "epic".

Spaceforce: Rogue Universe

Bought this one on steam sale last year. It seems more like a Privateer clone (and a shitty one). I've played it only for na hour or so, does it get better when you progress? Maybe it's worth revisiting.
Weird Worlds also looks kind of cool, but i'm a bit put off that it's descibed as a "coffe break game".

Anyway, thanks for your replies.

 

[ghostdog]

You could also try Captain Blood, a really trippy game where you try to find your 4 clones scattered around the universe while at the same time deciphering alien languages. It's a very hard and frustrating game, but I've been infatuated with it since I played it in an amstrad cpc many years ago. The Atari ST version seems to be the best one.