The Best Space Games of 2022 - The Upcoming Titles and Updates

[@nervy_]

Timestamps 00:26 Everspace 2 01:52 Star Citizen 03:14 Starfield 04:00 Elite Dangerous: Odyssey 05:09 No Man's Sky 05:54 Starbase 06:46 Eve Online 07:30 X4 Foundations: Tides of Avarice 08:19 Kerbal Space Program 2 09:01 Boundary 09:36 Space Engineers 10:31 Homeworld 3 11:16 Space Engine 12:01 Evochron Legacy

[@Afterburner215]

Don't forget No Man's Sky at 5:09 and Space Engine at 11:16

[@ADEM-JASHARI]

All should quit and work for CIG to speed up SC and finish PU. One ultimate dream space game for all😎

[@Mike-di3mo]

Why is Star Citizen considered an upcoming game for 2022?

[@Afterburner215]

@@Mike-di3mo it's always upcoming

[@knavishroot1238]

@@Afterburner215 Not even a joke, it's been a part of so many game lists, despite it not even being a game, it's an Alpha test platform.

[@ahouseman81]

Homeworld was one of my first games played that really got me into gaming, the storyline, voice acting and overall game design was top notch even before the remaster. What a great game :)

[@chilliewhk]

Homeworld was the first game I ever bought on PC. I can't wait for Homeworld 3 😁

[@agonyaunt6325]

Played Homeworld 2 a lot. Good game.

[@jean-marcgruninger9019]

i loved the ambient atmosphere in the first one

[@ahouseman81]

@@jean-marcgruninger9019 Totally agree, the music that played during really important scene all the way to the standard background music while just playing was great. I've played all of the Homeworld games so far, even bought the remastered version as well and the Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, all of them had great storylines.

[@ahouseman81]

@@chilliewhk Same, I've played the full series of Homeworld games and can't wait to see what Homeworld 3 will bring us :)

[@Caidezes]

I gotta say, it's impressive that No Man's Sky still makes it onto these lists. Hello Games have really come far after that disastrous launch.

[@stryker1999]

It was only a disaster because the net gerbils overhyped themselves. Plus, they had to recover from a disastrous flood that wiped out their studio in mid-development. That alone would have clobbered many indie developers. But, the nets are the nets and full of weird creatures.

[@thelazyoz2061]

@@stryker1999 they didnt overhype, they lied. Flat out lied. Even now the game is fairly boring and bland and I can only stomach a week of it.

[@robertban871]

i checked it out when i was on sale, and had to refund just because of how janky the basic movement and controls were. i still remember reviewers like total biscuit and jim sterling pointing out this very issue and it still has not been fixed

[@JoelMBarr-hh7vs]

I love NMS. Or rather, I want to love it. But without mods to fix the quality of life stuff (movement, landscapes, scanning, building) and the fact that regardless of what ship you have, the all fly the same makes the entire experience slow, and frustratingly stupid to mine and craft all that shit just to have no upgrades to QofL issues is maddening.

[@alexisrivera200xable]

@GH0STST4RSCR34M Nope, you don't make a lie into a truth because you do the work after the fact after getting caught in the lie. I love the game nowadays but the truth is that Sean Murray went around interviews showing off features that just didn't exist at all in the release version all while he claimed they were in for the release version. Its not like they were a little rough or announced for future inclusion. Things like multiplayer, massive sandworms and more were not in the game. They released the game with all of those features not just missing but not even a part of the game at all. They went after massive backlash and added those features in, way after the fact. (which don't get me wrong its very remarkable!) But it doesn't change the fact that they lied initially. Attempts to rewrite history really like that annoy me to no end.

[@spacedoutorca4550]

Elite is gonna get left behind by the competition by several miles as long as Frontier keeps up their current strategy of minimum viable product and utter apathy

[@ethzero]

Sad, but damn true.

[@Ploskkky]

Frontier does have a unique concept of a true to size Galaxy, and a semi realistic first person approach. Many people like that, including me. The games presented here are so different, that many spacesim lovers will stick with Elite in the hope that FDev will wake up soon. I have been an Elite fan for several decades, but Frontier made so many weird development decisions that I stopped playing ED more than 2 years ago. I even canceled my order for a new Virpil HOTAS. I am very disappointed about the direction development of Elite Dangerous has taken.

[@IRMentat]

minimal-UNVIABLE more like, not a single gameplay-system addition beyong the mining has bene enjoyable and even that got nerfed into the ground and relies on RNG resource extraction sites and long distance prospecting in specific-fir ships to turn a meaningful profit (and is still vastly outdone by other activities)

[@supystatro8125]

@@IRMentat Despite it not being entirely "finished", ED is technically a viable product, proof is the fact that is has a playerbase. Doesn't change the fact that it's a mess at the moment, but it is still a viable product, albeit incredi my minimally, so saying it's an unviable product is purely false.

[@The8blackwidow8]

@@Ploskkky Spoiler, they will not. I waited for them to wake up since 2014.

[@biotickeen990]

Another good game to keep an eye out in 2022 is Terra Invicta. Its like XCOM and Stellaris had a baby. Its set in our own solar system and has you fighting off an invading alien species, but you first start out on Earth researching the tech needed to get into space and further out in the solar system.

[@ylleba]

Falling frontier is right up in there too imo. Certainly waiting for terra invicta too. =)

[@ElzariusUnity]

I really like it so far. I always hated how you fight off alien invasion with 2 fighters and 6 troopers - it felt so stupid.

[@patrickbyrne5070]

that sounds really cool, ill look it up. thank you!

[@majid7925]

Thanks for the heads up!

[@certaindeath7776]

i hope they get the scale somewhat right... stellaris always felt to small... even an empire with just one solar system with some planets colonized and bases in the asteroid fields and colonies on the moons will most likely have hundreds of ships in the early stage, and that will fast increase to thousands and millions of ships. just one system. if we manage fission energy and a constant g drive, the kuiper belt alone could house quadrillions of humans.

[@Scarecr0wn]

I would definitely recommend to keep an eye on Falling Frontier. Extremely beautiful RTS game set to release in 2022, it has strong The Expanse vibe to it (I am sure that Expanse was the main inspiration) and it is also made by one developer which considering how it looks and how complex it seems, it honestly mindblowing.

[@sahhull]

But like the guy says... He's making the game he always wanted.

[@paller91]

In my op. this title has the chance to be among the biggest sci-fi RTS games.

[@949surferdude]

I've been looking for a game just like THE EXPANSE!

[@AniSepherd972]

yes , the game has realistic physics and planets looks like realtime picture, not to mention amazing rts gameplay

[@AniSepherd972]

@@949surferdude theres an expanse telltale game series will be launching

[@danielbalder]

I am a huge fan of Star Citizen- looking forward to gaming in 2022. It's a bit of a buggy mess, but I still love it.

[@nerfedgod]

SCAM!!! kidding, I love it. It's slowly becoming my go to game.

[@caldarinavyfleet]

@@nerfedgod Finally found the "SCAM!" comment OA mentioned in the video XD

[@sinisterj73]

Since I started playing Star citizen it is now the only game I want to play. It is also going to be the game I have always wanted to play but was never before possible.

[@MGB2408]

Same i just want to replace my RX 5600 XT to have a better experiences.

[@sinisterj73]

@@MGB2408 that is the card I have now also. It works fairly well. The driver support for the game is crappy. I get a lot of crashes only with this game. Hopefully 3080’s will be available this next year.

[@DeadBaron]

DUDE! Thank you for shouting out Evochron, that was one of my favorite space games of all time! The developer nailed combat physics, no limiting the ship's speed or handling as if there's drag in space like Elite does, PvP was insanely fun.

[@Humanaut.]

Interesting that you point out drag in ED. Are you sure it's drag that is being simulated and not just inertia?

[@z-beeblebrox]

Yeah, Evochron is a fascinating one. I remember checking it out in early alpha and being really impressed. It's good to see that it's still be developed

[@reesetorwad8346]

@@Humanaut. - "...are you sure it's drag..." Yes, but...no. Celestial bodies act as expected, as in reality, but player ships act as if they are aircraft, flying in atmosphere at all times, unless Flight Assist is turned off, but the speed limit is still there. Sorta the opposite of reality. Wait...no, it's exactly the opposite. And if you're thinking, "Wow, that's...sad," you're right. It really, really is. And it wouldn't be necessary, if E:D were a real game, instead of a live-service-pretending-to-be-a-game.

[@Bruh-zx2mc]

@@reesetorwad8346 What is the problem with Elite's combat? It's a perfectly adequate blend of the arcade, then newtonian, physics from the first and second Elite games respectively. Finally, I've no clue how the lazy development of Elite is relevant here.

[@reesetorwad8346]

@@Bruh-zx2mc - You misunderstood, and I zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

[@heavycloud9545]

I’d love to see a fully explorable Star Wars galaxy game with star citizen style graphics & gameplay… that would be so damn cool, where you could choose your path to be a Jedi or sith, become a bounty hunter or a Tuscan or w.e, do missions exploring full worlds like coruscant delving deep through the city’s under belly aswell asl dogfight through the skyscrapers, visit the outer rim to bet on pod races or even take part! Have fully customisable ships speeders pod racers weapons including lightsabers, damn that would be so cool….. one day, hopefully in my lifetime.

[@heathrosenstiel6560]

They already did, it was called Star Wars Galaxies. Then Disney acquired them, closed the Sony Servers and gave us the watered down heavily story driven Star War The Old Republic.

[@vitorac412]

You can forget about anything good from SW. Disney is destroying everything

[@maa4876]

Nah a Dune one would be much better

[@Alertacobra12]

@@heathrosenstiel6560 there are still emulators running...

[@Bearical]

@@heathrosenstiel6560 SWTOR was a thong before Disney bought Star Wars. The story is amazing though.

[@savmass]

Empyrion Galactic Survival deserves a mention IMO since it is still being updated and is a good space survival game

[@hornbenjamin]

Agree! Not the best looking game and the sound design is atrocious but the gameplay and build potential are fantastic.

[@NFawc]

Not really a space flying game though is it. More about the survival experience surely? It is good though!

[@savmass]

@@NFawc No it actually has a whole galaxy to explore once you build a hyper drive capable Capital Ship. I just wish they'd upgrade the building blocks graphics, sounds, NPC models, they look straight out of an early 2000s game. As it stands the planets are looking much better than the building blocks for bases and spaceships unfortunately. This is a major turn off for most players (myself included).

[@PHPH_SDK]

@@savmass I got turned off because performance was atrocious ~2 years ago when I last tried it. Does it at least run ok now? It's good to hear they're still working on it, though. The recent reviews are not kind, lol.

[@savmass]

@@PHPH_SDK honestly that's a difficult question to answer since everyone's configuration is so different. Also, I run a pretty decent system so I wouldn't be the right person to ask 😁

[@lordflashheart3680]

I’m so glad Space Engineers made it to the list. It is the perfect game in my mind. I personally have nearly 9000 hrs in SE and I still see new things almost daily and I have gotten nowhere near getting bored with it as the possibilities are literally only limited by you the player. In addition it has something no other games have, the feel of everything being “real” helped along by the physics engine and the fact that everything in the universe can be destroyed, disassembled, and reused, everything…

[@mattress5000]

I look forward to seeing Star Citizen on the '23, '24 and '25 lists!

[@CollyDoo]

Right up to '30 and beyond. 🤣

[@Jrock420blam]

By the time that game is out of development we will be in the space age making it irrelevant. "Year 2134 Star Citizen is finally in beta"

[@AtomicPunx]

.... and the 26, 27 as well as 2028 lists! Maybe it will hit beta by then!

[@desgunBE]

Considering the scale it wants to reach, it might truly take another 10 years. However, it will be worth it. What is already included is mindblowing, if you haven't played it yourself yet you just have to take me by the word as someone who spent a lot of time in the game, that this game if stable would already be the best space RPG available. If they do manage to release servermeshing and pyro this year, or beginning 2023, the game will reach a new height. It already offers what no other game does, there is no game like star citizen and no one will ever attempt to make a competitor based on how insanely expensive it is to make the game. Tbh, people who claim the game is a scam just didn't do any proper research. Being in development for such an insane time definitely is fishy, but once you realize what they have done already and what they want to do, it is perfectly understandable and expected to take much more time than it already did. It's the process of creating a masterpiece.

[@ShaighJosephson]

They have been dragging their feet forever in finishing that game... The designs and graphics are awesome, but the game itself is still in an unfinished state...

[@SophiaAphrodite]

As someone who played Homeworld when it first came out . It is a special game series for me as well. I Am actually pulling the lore from it to turn it into a D&D setting. Fun fact: The theme song written by Yes won an award I believe.

[@andreww2098]

Hopefully they fixed the formation problem they had with the remastered edition

[@workloadspd]

@@andreww2098 download the player patch and you're good to go. Fixes just about everything that's wrong with the remasters including the horrid scaling.

[@bibobarim3605]

fauxcul

[@FlecheDeFer]

That Space Engineers seems like a game I've always wanted to play. Thanks Obs

[@SakaGames]

Really looking forward to X4 Tides of Avarice, and with a roughly 8 month dev cycle, we may even get another by the end of the year. Fingers and toes crossed for the elusive Boron, but Egosoft has their work cut out to make them feel as they should in the current engine.

[@WatchMysh]

Boron

[@bibobarim3605]

Starfield fauxcul

[@jtejada615]

If these gaming studios put out quality content in 2022, giving effort, with a lot of heart then yea fuck elite dangerous.

[@CoMinderYT]

I know that some people really hate star citizen, but others and I love the game It is extremely beautiful, game play is awesome and is so much more then any other space game. I've came back to star citizen after 2 years of not playing it and I love it.

[@A3ATOT]

Evochron is something every fan of space games should at least try. Maybe it does not have the looks, but it's a wholesome game with a real deal exploration and developing your experience. I've spent two years in it and did not get bored even for a moment, there is always something new. Star Citizen latest patch broke almost every game mechanics, please wait for the fix before buying it if you want to play right away. Well that happens every time when they input something big and new. Hopefully it will be fixed next patch in December. For now you mostly can't trade. Mining and bounty hunting have some major bugs you will have to deal with.

[@gargarmikejaphett.3840]

Hard to believe it's one guy's work. And now it's on mobile!

[@fraustpunk]

"A title at odds with itself" is the best description of Elite I've ever heard. It's and amazing game, but it can't decide if it wants to be a simulator or an FPS.

[@theobacker8329]

No man's sky is actually the best space game for the content and the massive diversity you can find in it. And it's constantly updated. I think it's the best, but it's only my opinion

[@thatrandomguycommenting1261]

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. I think a vast majority of the Elite players holding that game together are new. I have over 5k hours in that game and I haven't played it at all since the "biggest update in the history of the game" or slightly more water to a damn near empty pool. Went to SC and never looked back. At first I was frustrated with both games one being a menu simulator and the other being buggy as hell. But CGI is really quick to get on top of things and made the game playable, I was plagued with 30k crashes but I haven't seen one in weeks. There's still bugs with the physics but I find them halarious at times. It's pretty solid as of 3.15. And the gameplay isn't focused around monotonous griding they charge you 40 dollars for (cough) which is cool. You can do other shit. Like free fall out of a cargo bay with some MOABs on their way to a capital ship. 🤷‍♂️ and space engineers... I can spend days building in that game. I wish keen would optimize the block rendering but there's mods for it at least.

[@jonpinkston]

I agree with you about Elite, I will not support Frontier anymore, they think grinding equals game play and haven't fixed bugs that have been there for years.

[@LameMule]

"Colossal waddling pace" got a sensible chuckle out of me. Love the project but that's an entirely accurate description.

[@radosbarner1734]

KSP 2 is my personal hype pick on this list. I cannot wait for that game to release.

[@TheLividPumpkin]

Same I’ve been playing ksp 1 since 0.23, can’t wait for ksp 2.

[@radosbarner1734]

@@TheLividPumpkin Yeah, it looks amazing.

[@timchronis1584]

I think Infinity: Battlescape should get a mention as a game with seamless ground to orbit transition and great-looking combat

[@arefrigerator396]

Been playing Star Citizen for two months. People who say it's a scam are people who've never played it. Community is amazing. Gameplay is amazing. Way better than Elite Dangerous and the most gorgeous game I've ever played. I think you over sold ED over Star Citizen since I've played a lot of both. Star Citizen does everything ED should and it does everything better. That being said, props to mentiong SpaceEngine. Love that software. Playing it in VR is the greatest space experience I've ever had.

[@roberthoward2955]

It's a shame more people don't realize this. SC is a great game just the way it is. It's only going to get better, and then all the people screaming "scam!" will be like, "I backed it from the beginning." lol

[@mr.godzilla8331]

The everspace games are awesome. They are very arcady but so much fun, you never feel like you're grinding. They have a good story and awesome graphics and gameplay mechanics

[@lockleeddown7148]

I'm really glad to see Space Engineers and Homeworld both made this list. Space Engineers is a lot of fun if you enjoy building, and Homeworld is hands down the best space based RTS out there.

[@captaindarksign3589]

I agree with you, homeworld is good indeed.

[@chevystyle32]

Star citizen is amazing, just over the last few years it has made huge strides and keeps getting better.

[@mach489i]

SUre

[@kikuchaduniverse2397]

"over the last few years" you mean the time it usually takes to make and release a game from scratch ?

[@Andy-oc6sd]

@@kikuchaduniverse2397 about to hit a decade

[@dickduran]

@@kikuchaduniverse2397 You can made a Game in 4 years with a capable engine the thing is the engine for SC IS not ready yet and may take a while to complete

[@freederth619]

my mostly anticipated space game would be falling frontier. even though it was delayed i love having a grounded feel fir the ships and mechanics. didnt make the list in the video though

[@sjonjones4009]

For a moment... I thought you were referring to "Falling Frontier" as the developers of Elite Dangerous. They are in a bit of a pickle financially, and development-wise. It would've been ironic to have that title in the mix. Great looking game, I'll keep an eye out!

[@kevinforman9239]

@@sjonjones4009 look up terra invicta, it is another great game, more grand strategy though, being published by the same publisher around the same time frame as falling frontier

[@l.-..l.l.--l.l]

That moment you realise the Star Citizen highlight is actual in-game footage and not a cutscene...

[@Kyntheria]

Star Citizen has been pretty addicting. Started playing it last month and I have had more fun playing that than I have had playing Elite: Dangerous. I have had Elite for six years, but it's pretty dry on the gameplay. Homeworld 3... I can't wait for that. I have played all of them since 2000, and they are very fun games.

[@mach489i]

Ok Bazinger

[@sohrabmalek12]

hope you are enjoying the JT and 9tails events, has been a blast for me and the org

[@cmdrgogen3203]

X4: just enough ship and station interiors. Great game, sim and strategy combo, tons of quests and side missions if you like those, once you’ve built your megafactory, you’re in serios bussiness :) Looking fwd to next X4 DLC to play along ED Horizons.

[@WatchMysh]

@@mirshia5248 I miss VR, too. But with X4's performance issues starting midgame at the latest I guess it wouldn't be fun anyways. I'd need a 5950 on LN2 and a triple 3090 SLI at least to get 90fps stable on my G2.

[@Centrioless]

@@WatchMysh turn down shadow and msaa setting. I got stable 1080/60fps with 2070s

[@WatchMysh]

@@Centrioless I get stable 60, too. Still the game is cpu bound from a certain point of time. No visual setting saves us then.

[@Centrioless]

@@WatchMysh yea thats the price we gotta pay for not having dedicated server to simulate the universe. I'd take some fps drops than online requirement like eve online or ED

[@vandarkholme4745]

I think starsector deserves some mention? It's a pretty impressive space sim done by 4 people, and is being pretty regularly updated

[@simon-ricardokuhn1713]

There's a space game I can recommend; Empyrion - Galactic Survival. It's also like a space Minecraft but more focused on Survival. It also has a Creative Mode and tons of ship blueprints in the Workshop.

[@NatalieVFX]

I'm surprised that it didn't make the list. Great game!

[@bibobarim3605]

fauxcul

[@space_shipper]

This video introduced me to elite dangerous and now it is my number 1 favourite game. o7 cmdrs

[@EpicFailGaming]

I know Star Citizen gets a ton of hate, and some of it is completely deserved. That said the latest patch (about 3 weeks old now) I have put around 50 hours into and it has been the most immersive and enjoyable gaming experience I have had in years. It has a lot of problems from only about 1/3 of the features being implemented, to lots of bugs and server issues, only 50 people on a server and all of this after 9 years...I get it..I do....but I still enjoy playing it more than virtually any other game.

[@Kk207s]

literally everything you said, and the fact that there are so many communities to play with. Its so immersive to be running around a fully crewed hammerhead preparing for combat.

[@waleri884]

@@Kk207s if you just wouldn’t be stuck in doors, or randomly fall out of the ship or be somewhere completely else as the ship. From my experience it’s usually 3-4 hours workarounds, relogging , server switching and so on for half an hour fun with a crewed hammerhead :(

[@artean4700]

The X4 expansion is at the top of my list. The game is already great with its ambitious simulation but perhaps in the need of some... fluff. And more ships - you can't have too many.

[@NotUnymous]

Dont tell CIG 😅

[@ethzero]

Nice shout out for Space Engineers ❤️

[@wannab009]

For those who like space engineers, my friends and I have enjoyed playing empyrion galactic survival just as much as space engineers, and after watching this will probably try out starbase.

[@T0ghar]

@ObsidianAnt: Missing in the list: Dual Universe, Empyrion, Avorion, StarSector, In The Black, Infinity Battlescape... Those games had updates, some of them big, in 2021.

[@TheHypernaught]

Infinity Battlescape is criminally underrated and forgotten.

[@kevinj834]

Only space game I own is Empyrion and I'm looking for others to play. Any of these that you mention is worth my time? I know dual universe, I used to follow it while ago when it was announced but haven't checked up on it recently

[@certaindeath7776]

have played avorion the last weeks, good game. will check out rest of your lsit, ty!

[@deet5072]

Surprising that free space 2 isn't on here considering how that game has been kept alive for as long as it has with the FS2-SCP, I can accept that as stock it wouldn't hit the list but it isn't stock and is updated regularly

[@Anonnymouse53]

Whilst I own it, I'm mostly an observer but Space Engineers seems to be coming on leaps and bounds. Seems that they've managed to achieve a hell of a lot and I can't wait to see what they do next. I think it's got legs.

[@Doomblade3890]

@Avery Christy They're working on making warfare more aggressive? Does this mean we'll have more meaningful AI interactions or is this just for multiplayer content?

[@sultanofswag8901]

Weren't they slowing down to start space engineers 2?

[@Doomblade3890]

@@sultanofswag8901 Wait, they want to make Space Engineers 2? When did they ever allude to that?

[@engineer1178]

@@sultanofswag8901 maybe with the new vrage 3 engine would be awesome

[@captaindarksign3589]

@@engineer1178 yes, vrage 3 is coming up indeed. Can’t wait!! Only game where I got 1000+ hours on steam.

[@AlexGrom]

I can't hold myself and not tell the story how I found out about Everspace. Back in my country, I went for game convention (like ComicCon, but for games), I have been wondering around for a while bored and then I came into "indie" section. There were a couple of interesting titles that I played before I saw Everspace. I found myself answering to my friends where have I been for last 2 hours, they just lost me.

[@vtheruthless1v898]

Brilliant 😆 I had the same happen to me but it was with the very first halo!

[@WatchMysh]

I just came back to X4 and it really evolved. The Interface and piloting AI are both still atrocious, but it's a lot better playable than ever before. Guess the next DLC will be great. Hope for a Boron DLC after that. :)

[@BillyLndn]

X4 is mostly a 4X game with first person camera.

[@nexnexnex8261]

@@BillyLndn X4 is mainly a manager, to manage the empire of factories and the fleets that protect them. The first person view is just a bonus to see what you have built :)

[@bozzb.1451]

can't wait for x4 Tides of avarice ! best space sim for me

[@Smap_SC]

For those wondering why Star Citizen is on the list: Disclaimer: I am a SC enthusiast so this is obviously biased. 2021 has been the biggest year for Star Citizen. We had 2 of the biggest patches ever, a whole new planet (doesn't sound like much, but it is), completely new mechanics that change the way the game is played (medical update), big events that lead to large groups of people working together or fighting each other (Xenothreat-event, Nine-Tails Lockdown, Jumptown 2.0-event). Many ships we have been waiting for got released (yes I know "CiG should stop making ships and work on the game". I completely know what you mean and I support that. But this year was CRAZY). We got a REALLY good look into the future of the next star system which will be huge (Pyro system). We got reworks of some mechanics and the turned out nicely. Star Citizen made a huge leap forwards and I recommend everone interesed in space games to try it out at the next free flight week. Ask me anything.

[@Certified_Dude]

As an Elite Dangerous fan I was giggling so hard when you mentioned the planet being a huge update

[@roberthoward2955]

@@Certified_Dude Wouldn't ship interiors be a huge update for you? Good luck with that...

[@roberthoward2955]

SC has been building up momentum ever since 3.10 I'd say. That last wipe back then seems to have heralded a new drive for getting shit done in this game. I'm so glad I got into it when I did (two years ago). I feel like I'm seeing it come to life right before my eyes.

[@Certified_Dude]

@@roberthoward2955 you’re not wrong lol

[@roberthoward2955]

@@Certified_Dude Sadly though. I would have loved to see ED be something like what SC is. It's a shame Frontier has all but abandoned it.

[@TheDAZ1001]

Dyson Sphere program should be considered a space game too. And man it's bloody fantastic! 👌

[@Peregrin3]

Distant Worlds 2 is probably the space game I'm most looking forward to in the short term.😎

[@pizzakrydder8550]

Oh my god! I hadn't heard of BOUNDARY until now, but that brings back a lot of memories of Shattered Horizon. Man I miss that game, hope boundary does well!

[@csfelfoldi]

I hope Starfield focuses more on internal ship customization. There is a distant lack of ship character in many games of today, of course SC has some options, and in Space Engineers you can build one but neither is focused on that, or have any affect on gameplay. I just want to fly around, exploring in my own ship, designed by myself. Much like customizable player homes in other games, with the difference that you bring this one with yourself.

[@joshuaandrewvives9676]

Right

[@TechNaOkami]

Wouldn't SE be the most focused on that since you build your ship from scratch and add to it as you go?

[@efxnews4776]

Try out Starship Evo, it's more cartoonish, than SE but you can customize everything, the limit is your own creativity and i belive it is better than starbase despite the cartoonish visuals.

[@final3119]

I don't. I don't give a shite about space legs. I want space ships, space ships, and more space ships. X:rebirth was ruined by space legs, Eve failed on space legs, Elite failed with space legs, Star Citizen is still a mess. I want 1000 ships and weapon types. My identify as a Jupiter Class attack Battlestar, mother fucker. Not some little twiggy biotch with attrophied space legs. Beep beep. Wasting dev time on space legs when they could make more unique ships and fun enemies is a joke.

[@csfelfoldi]

@@TechNaOkami Adding more systems to an already functioning ship in space engineers ads little to no value in gameplay unless you mod the game to hell and back. There is not much to use it on either. SE is akin to Minecraft where you make your own world, you aren’t exploring much on your own.

[@cnewtonc]

For me personally X4 is the best because you play the game you want to play without having the universe changed by other players. With X4 you go at your own pace.

[@cmdrdarthwonko4466]

Completely stoked about Homeworld 3! Those first iterations were amazing.

[@dsagent]

Thoughts on a few games: Everspace 2 - Looking forward to it. I wish the spaceships controlled more like spaceships instead of an FPS in space. Still a great series. Star Citizen - They are hiring over 1000 employees but I still think it is at least 2 years off. Starfield - I blatantly refuse to buy Bethesda games on day 1. I'll wait a while. Starbase/Space Engineers - Not a fan of engineering type games. I like the customization. I'm sure some people out there will enjoy it. EvE Online - Not going back. Too much of a time and mental energy sink. Boundary - Never heard of this. Space combat in suits is actually terrifying realistically. You can get knocked off into the void from recoil. *Homeworld 3* - I feel like I have waited my whole life for this game. The atmosphere and story is really top notch.

[@Elwaves2925]

Everspace 2 is the most interesting to me and having played the initial release, I enjoyed it but I didn't want to play it a bit at a time. So I'll wait for it's full release before jumping on board. All those employees for SC will just mean they'll 'add' more features, take more money and push any chance of a full release even further back. I've never bought a Bugthesda game but I expect the Starfield Anniversary Edition to release before any of the SC games hit version 1.0. Boundary could be very interesting but it'll all come down to how it's mechanic works. The balance between realistic and playable could be tricky, get that wrong and the game will fail right at the start. One to keep an eye on though.

[@gian.4388]

Even as an optimist, SC is more than 2 years off, hopefully in 2 years it'll get into beta, and only THEN we can talk about a release The next few years though are going to be extremely important and extremely telling about CIG's direction regarding the development of both SQ42 and SC

[@ninjadejedi]

I doubt that, if they are 2 years off, they will have to rework their coding, since engine and technology will change by that time.

[@gian.4388]

@@ninjadejedi They already said they're futureproofing their development as much as they can, they are still actively working on the engine and code right now obviously (and will still at least till release) On top of this, they have very skilled CryEngine devs they hired back when Crytek was almost closing off (SC engine is based on a very modified version of CryEngine), so even if they'll eventually need to rework the engine, they have the talent to do it

[@gian.4388]

@@Elwaves2925 Nah, most of the employees they'll hire in the next few years will be artists, they'll need them to pump out those 100+ systems and many more ships in a timely manner

[@MrGrownman455]

Hey thanks for the Space Engineers mention. Yes the game is still here and the devs are still adding onto it. haha It's still my favorite game.. Star Citizen is the only other game I play as much as I play SE.

[@indigochild161]

Thank you sooo much for reminding me of Evochron Legacy!! I absolutely love that game and forgot that I owned both Evochron and Legacy and have not played that in a while. One of THE best single player space sims out there other than X4.

[@stefangrobbink7760]

Evochron Legacy is great. I like to conquer random sectors in the multiplayer servers. The whole process, from the logistics of building a base to the combat itself is quite cool. It's just too bad those servers are devoid of other players.

[@K162KingPin]

You missed Empyrean. I almost feel dirty mentioning it I've been so disappointing with its development over the years but it has recently had a massive facelift and expansion to game play. For years you were stuck in a single star system and no real story line to follow, now they have expanded it to possibly hundreds of star systems and an extensive story line. In addition there is a major mod for the game, which drastically revamps the story and game mechanics basically making a second game adding that much more to do and explore. Sadly due to years of neglect the multiplayer base is sparse at best but it may pick back up with these new releases.

[@IAtarenI]

I hope that Dual Universe will get some decent update next year, so that it will fall into your radar once again

[@mikeybythesea2035]

Hate to say this, but DU will be lucky to make it through this year. That game is pretty much dead.

[@tscotts9699]

Anyone considering Star Citizen should DEFINITELY spend the extra $20 for the Squadron 42 Starter Package. Same price as the game will probably be when it launches and you get access to the PTU.

[@WOLFPARANORMALUK]

whens that? in 2045?

[@tscotts9699]

@@WOLFPARANORMALUK If so then $20 is an even better deal

[@TormodSteinsholt]

I think that sums up the game. "Anyone considering star citizen should DEFINETELY spend the extra xx for xxx".

[@scoont7153]

@@tscotts9699 we gotta beat that inflation

[@Norman_Peterson]

X4 FOUNDATION : Tides of Avarice is only of this that is a MASTERPIECE

[@epicgamer42069]

You really should cover the flight model (which includes the flight controls. For example, star citizen has 6 dof controls with pitch, yaw, roll, heave, sway, and surge; where as in even online it is nothing like that and you pretty much dont even control the ship) for each game. The flight model is very important as you are flying around a ton and the flight model can have a major impact on the game. And for me personally the flight model is the most important thing, as I play space and flight sims for the flying.

[@Tryxst3r]

A couple of other games to look out for: - Hunternet Starfighter: PvP / PvE space combat sim, made by one developer. Just got VR support, and has an awesome community supporting the project. - Falling Frontier: a complex space sim made by one developer (there's a trend it seems). - Into the Black: another PvP / PvE space combat sim, focused on physics.

[@thelionsam]

For Elite, the drip, drip of new features and improvements continues, carriers getting love soon, I feel more positive about the game now. A big exploration focused expansion would really repair damage done by Odyssey's early release.... comprehensive and viewer friendly video 👍. Makes me want to quit my job to free up time (only playing two of the covered games right now)

[@robertdocherty2340]

After taking a break as a console peasant I’m back but not so needy. The grind is still horrific but I have enjoyed consolidating on what I have and not what I want. Anyway I honestly thought that if Odyssey was to be released to us after the savage thargoid attack on Delphi that how cool an idea it would have been to see a space station career into a planet. But nope there does seem to be a repeated pattern of gathering , attack then falling back. It’s probably why enthusiasm has drained some what to race out to rescue . For me it would make it more fun or appealing for them not only to attack the space station but anything else round be it capital ship , fleet carriers etc not that I have 1. But surely if your massing an army gearing up for an attack it’s not just to tickle.

[@thelionsam]

@@robertdocherty2340 I can't wait for console players to get Odyssey. Enjoyed reading your ideas and couldn't agree more... Once the patches become more content and less fixes.... happy days.

[@FizzyPop]

I was almost surprised you didn't add Chorus to this list until I remembered that that game comes out in 2 days and this is a list of games for 2022 lol.

[@jackmattciz]

If your going to talk about Star Base, you must talk about Dual Universe. It had a rockey start, its shown major improvement over the last few months!

[@z-beeblebrox]

I didn't realize that released already! Feels like it went completely under the radar.

[@jackmattciz]

@@z-beeblebrox it has not done a full release, it's in beta. I believe they are targeting mid to late next year for full release.

[@z-beeblebrox]

@@jackmattciz Ah that explains it

[@wailfulcrab]

I'd add Interstellar Rift. An indie title, focused on ship building. You don't control the ship itself only, you also control the pilot that can walk around the ship and various bases. Steam Workshop integration allows to exchange ship blueprints with other people.

[@leegarnier9396]

Many space games are centered around fighter type craft. I'm missing some type of game that emulates you being the captain of a ship, executing ponderous manoeuvres, sending out troopers, launch fighters, negotiate deals, pursue other diplomatic missions, etc etc. There once was a game called Battle Cruiser 3000 that attempted this, though the execution was rather poor. Then there was Artemis as a multiplayer option, but the scope of that game was rather limited.

[@ИванМакаров-з4л]

FYI Eve Online does that. Something this review didn't clarify - all the ships you see in this video in the (not very new) trailer footage are flyable, from frigates somewhat over 100m in largest dimension to carriers launching squadrons of fighters and 13-18 km long titans with skyscraper-sized guns. On the other hand, it doesn't look and feel as immersive as in many other games on this list. I've been playing it casually for several years and absolutely enjoyed it, but the nickname "spreadsheets in space" is completely true. The trailers used here are cinematic, not gameplay-like. Also, it's a heavily PVP-oriented MMO, with less diplomatic missions and more ganking.

[@jbreefer148]

2022 for Elite Dangerous I'm wondering but holding out hope.

[@Mad_Alyx]

One of my favorite games is Stationeers. Perhaps not your typical space game but I think it still counts as one! I’m really looking forward to Falling Frontier the most for 2022!

[@Libertas_P77]

As somebody who has only played Star Citizen, I'm not sure how I would find the lack of fully physicalised environment such as with ship interiors and vehicle loading/unloading on planets that (I assume) is missing in other space games at present. The good news is that CIG are constantly now referring to the new Pyro system as being released later in 2022, and it's 4x the size of the existing Stanton system, so this could be a big year for the game. I personally don't see the server meshing issue being resolved in 2022 as it's so complex.

[@sirnukealot84]

the flying in star citizen is so much fun!And the graphics and feeling of the game just sucks you into the game world. Cant wait to see how 2022 turns out!

[@thecactusman17]

Maybe with a move in to beta! I love how good those graphics look at 15fps on my 2080gtx seconds before all the servers crash! Fuck Star Citizen and the shills that have enabled those grifting pieces of shit at CIG.

[@scoont7153]

@@thecactusman17 oof must not have played in the past year......amazing game and blows most of the competition out of the water even as an Alpha

[@thecactusman17]

@@scoont7153 Last time I played was less than 6 months ago. How much you invest so far? $1000? $2000? You can literally do all the promised activities in Elite Dangerous now; a game that was announced later, finished development earlier, and which didn't need to charge players thousands of dollars to RENT ships that aren't even in game yet.

[@scoont7153]

@@thecactusman17 haven't had a 30k in months. Averaging 30-50fps depending on space or planet surface at 4k. Only needed to invest in a game package $45usd and ccu'd to a Tana at $75usd but have warbpnds that lower that. I mean there is nothing that says you have to spend $1000's that a personal choice and not a necessity

[@engineer1178]

Space engineers is and kerbal 2 are my two favorites

[@AllanGildea]

Very timely, Mr Ant. Thanks for your outstanding content.

[@havok4103]

Star Citizen IMO is a better game as an alpha than elite as a fully built game. I know you are more focused on elite content and can completely respect that. I have several thousand hours grinding away in elite, but it lacks almost everything of a space game that i get in SC. Thank you for covering the entire genra as a whole. I always enjoy the updates you provide. 07

[@poet8236]

For me personally, both games - ED and SC - lack: the game. :) But SC looks so much nicer, so despite having hundreds of hours in ED, I like to log back into SC with my Virpil Dual Stick setup for sure.

[@RhondaFizzleflint]

Elite Dangerous is a game we left behind, not a game we're looking forward to.

[@craigmoran893]

Yeah. I got(had) 4000 hours in it. The grind hasn't changed so that's it. I'm playing Empyrion atm.

[@dubravkohubak5387]

So i'm working in my shop, grinding and welding stuff, with this video running in the corner of the room. At one moment something like "homeworld 3" reached my ear. I just stood there, staring at the laptop, with tools in my hand and drool running down my beard :D

[@SensualSquirrel]

I am so grateful that you included Evochron Legacy in this. You're a good guy.

[@Osmort79]

I’ve been loving Elite: Dangerous for the past 5 years. The learning curve is pretty challenging for new commanders, but the satisfaction when you get something down beats any story campaign I’ve played.

[@glennjanot8128]

My problem with Elite: Dangerous is when I played the tutorial, the space combat part was completely impossible to do because controlling the ship with mouse and keyboard was completely unsuited for the game. Maybe it's different now but I don't have a controller and I really don't want to buy one.

[@leme686]

@@glennjanot8128 Started playing it a month ago. Wasn't impossible but i'd be lying if i said it was an enjoyable experience..

[@raymondgideons5341]

@@glennjanot8128 hotas or controller is the way to go personally

[@glennjanot8128]

@@raymondgideons5341 Each has their own preference. I don't have anything against controllers but I have a PC, an a controller is not a standard equipment for that

[@dangn5017]

Great review on the games! There are many good ones that I didn't know about. Also, love the collection of background music you chose and listed them for reference. Thanks!

[@estatodonodisponible]

There is this little know game coming out of Early Access on the 7th, called Frontier Pilot Simulator. Granted, its not "in" space but I think it's quite unique as a civilian sci fi atmospheric aircraft simulator.

[@larkshadow5317]

Been a while since I've commented, but always love your sim updates man

[@coeusdarksoul2855]

I like how you handled Star Citizen. I'm one of the disappointed backers who hopes for the best but has prepared for a disappointing Squadron 42 launch & eternal dev cycle for the open world, but don't see a point to spreading negativity. I wish them nothing but luck, and just keep hoping that they nail enough goals and fixes to proceed to "Beta" at some point.

[@chrisafp071]

Same here, the game has so much potential but has taken so long. I'm an early adopter but recently came back to it after years away. Still can be so frustrating with bugs and crashes but I do hope for the best as well! It is certainly in a better state than it was when I last played a few years ago, but that isn't saying much.

[@skydriver5709]

@@chrisafp071 I don't understand this thinking. I log into Star Citizen and instantly recognize the fact it's not just a space game like all the others. Every other game in this list (with the exception of Elite Dangerous) is basically just a platform title. Star Citizen is the first game that feels like a meta-verse game. The only other game remotely in its category is Elite Dangerous, but that game is fully released with multiple expansions, and it still feels like a big empty grind pool.

[@smatchimo55]

I was at that point too. Somehow getting sucked back in with talks of the PTU. As usual, more issues are coming up but the progress currently being done is good indication that server meshing is under way. Of course one has to assume that even if that's the case, gen 12 or any of the countless other back end techs will hold up progress from there. By then we may very well be looking at a release of Unreal 6 and who knows what that is going to do in terms of dated graphics. I will say that the confirmed direction salvage is currently going for FPS gameplay is extremely sad. Using beams to hoover up metal ship "skins" (not cosmetics) to use to repair your own ships with another beam gun sounds so uninspired I'm about to drop all interest. And now that's been said, I'm sure if I look at a few more screenshots of the game I'll be wanting to load back in anyways.

[@pierrelofinusound3020]

Despite all the bad, Star Citizenis still the most dangerously addictive space gam at this time....

[@AngeloReis]

You are missing 1 of the best space games on that list. Empyrion Galactic Survival

[@alexm960]

A very entertaining game that's always overlooked.

[@djstraylight]

We'll be seeing Dual Universe marching toward a 1.0 release in 2022. A game where everybody builds and creates on a single server. Also lots of community involvement in development.

[@RoballTV]

Lets hope 2022 is the big year for the 2 games most reliant on server meshing tech.

[@alex-py9rw]

They need to fix performance first

[@cmdrlt.evildead5328]

Just want to say after your last best space games video I decided to finally try Eve Online, wow that game is cool #ObsidianAnt

[@aspejcher]

The river is beautiful. Can't wait to see more.

[@Enceos]

I'd also mention Star Sector. It's there with the best in my book.

[@somedude1324]

Lots of great Sci FI Space games in 2022. Was excited to see that Everspace 2 EA is on GamePass!

[@MrTryAnotherOne]

IMHO, Homeworld could quite well play in the universe of EVE Online.

[@Legather]

A game concept I'd love to see is basically the opening mission of HW Cataclysm except you're a mercenary fleet so you pick your side. You could pick up missions from boards/NPCs or drop into active conflict, pick a side and wade in. Perhaps you're a combat fleet and directly aid in the battle, perhaps you're a mining fleet and provide resources or maybe you're a ship making fleet and sell reinforcements to the highest bidder. In an MMO it'd prolly be something like EVE by way of Homeworld.

[@betaradish9968]

Starsector is another brilliant space game. Yes it’s 2D. But it’s still a good game.

[@GotSpaceGame]

A shame not to see any mention of Hardspace: Shipbreaker - It's an EVA based game like Boundary but based around the idea of breaking down starships and scrapping them to pay off a billion-dollar debt that you start the game with. - Currently in Steam early access.

[@npc6817]

Because it's not coming out in 2022 Edit: I GOT IT, I WAS WRONG.

[@ki775witch6]

@@npc6817 but it also has larger updates coming out in 2022 such as updates to the story, new ships, and new mechanics. half of the games on this list have been already released but are mentioned because of the content updates. (although elite dangerous is going to crap and at this pace its going to die out)

[@Legather]

@@npc6817 Neither are Elite Dangerous, Evochron Legacy or Everspace 2.

[@npc6817]

@@Legather fair

[@alexisrivera200xable]

@@npc6817 Star Citizen is also not coming out in 2022 and its in the video.

[@trlavalley9909]

Some of the most beautiful game art I've ever seen. Thanks for posting. May have to put up my sword for a while and fire up those thrusters.

[@SilverHalsen]

Everspace 2 is almost perfect but they have the enemies level with you meaning leveling up just results in looong bullet sponge battles.

[@Rensleaky]

The level scaling ruined it for me!! I was so excited for it to come out... FAIL

[@LFT86]

Im Veteran on Elite: Dangerous played it from the beginning in 1984 and i am not frustrated. Elite? Keep up the good work

[@Tallenn]

I've played Star Citizen, Elite Dangerous, No Man's Sky, Eve Online, and Space Engineers, and enjoyed all of them from time to time. In fact, I was just playing Star Citizen a couple of hours ago. All great games (I haven't played Eve Online a lot, but seems pretty good so far) that I will continue to play as the mood hits. Great to hear the Everspace 2 is on Gamepass! Going to check that out starting tomorrow!

[@josiahhockenberry9846]

Space Engineers just dropped an awesome update. Can't wait to play it this weekend!

[@thisguy5017]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: We will actually be exploring deep space and colonizing other planet's before star citizen ever delivers.

[@cml524]

Star Citizen is awesome. It is raising the bar beyond the limits... wait til server meshing is achieved... everyone that plays online multiplayer games will owe S.C. a HUGE thank you because it is going to change online gaming forever.

[@poet8236]

Very nice overview, thanks a lot. I wonder if you never tried Dual Universe, or didn't like it. Despite it being in Alpha, I spent some good 3.000 hours in it and have seen the most amazing things people have built with voxels and coded in LUA. Steep learning curve, tons of features missing, but absolutely worth dumping countless hours into it. :)

[@StudioADcomics]

x4 expansion is looking fantastic , can't wait for that one .