Who doesn’t love some space faring adventure now and then? But it’s not all fun and games when it comes to the final frontier. You need to think tactically when it comes to surviving and thriving among the stars.

In these strategy games your planning skills will be tested. Whether by resource management, combat tactics, or diplomacy, you will need to think strategically about the bigger picture if you want to master these games.

15: Hades’ Star

Hades' Star Trailer

Create and grow your very own space empire in Hades’ Star. Deliver cargo, fight in space combat, and explore planets in quickly dying solar systems for useful artifacts. All to expand your hold on the Hades’ galaxy.

With PvP, cooperative, and single player elements, Hades’ Star has a little bit of something for everyone. By joining or creating a Corporation, you can join a White Star where up to 40 players fight for powerful Relics used to make your Corporation stronger. This is a great game for any strategy fan’s collection.

Plus, it’s free to play, so give it a shot.

14: Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak

Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak Announce Trailer

In this ground-based RTS prequel to the classic Homeworld series, you must lead your fleet to victory in the deserts of Kharak. Discover the story of Rachel S’jet as she leads her people to their destiny in the campaign. Fight your way through dunes, craters, and canyons---all in impressive fidelity and scale. And manage your resources carefully as fleet composition and research could directly impact your survival.

Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is a beautiful RTS with great tactical combat. With a selection of different land and air vehicles at your disposal, you could take on the enemy in a number of ways. And if you really want to test your tactical mind, there are online multiplayer modes, including ranked play, so you can see how strategic you really are.

13: Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion Trailer

When diplomacy fails to end the fighting, you must choose a side in the war. The groups involved in the conflict have begun splintering, leading you to decide whether you’ll be loyal to your race or rebel against the system. Either way, you will battle for ultimate galactic supremacy in the next installment of this award winning RTS series.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion is a gorgeous game that pits you against factions in the middle of a war that won’t seem to cease. With plenty of new ships, audio, and unique victory conditions, this game will keep you entertained for hours and hours. Especially if you’re a completionist.

12: FTL: Faster Than Light

FTL: Faster Than Light Trailer

FTL is a rogue-like spaceship simulator that challenges you to captain your ship and crew in a dangerous, randomly generated galaxy. Every encounter will present a unique test of your abilities. And there are no second chances, when you die you have to start over from scratch.

Faster Than Light is a must play for any gamer that loves strategic gameplay. Every choice is critical in FTL and the tension of potential death looming around the corner really adds to the experience. Whether through careful planning or heat of the moment decisions, be the captain you want and save the galaxy in your very own unique playthrough.

11: Age of Wonders: Planetfall

Age of Wonders: Planetfall Release Trailer

Go from a fallen galactic empire to a prosperous utopia in this strategy game from the Age of Wonders series. All the tactical turn-based combat and empire building, now in space. Choose from six unique factions, from Cyborg Zombies to Amazons, and advance your civilization in the campaign mode, random skirmishing maps, or against friends.

A wonderful game for people that like to take control of an entire civilization and grow it in their own unique way. Whether you want to be combat focused and build unstoppable armies, or just focus on science and developing more technology. Regardless, you will take your colony on a path to victory.

10: BATTLETECH

BATTLETECH | Release Trailer

In 3025, the galaxy is caught in a cycle of war after war. Noble houses use enormous mechanized combat vehicles called BattleMechs to fight their foes. You command your own mercenary group of Mechs and MechWarriors that pilot them, and you’re getting drawn into a harsh interstellar civil war.

Recruit, customize and train unique MechWarriors to pilot over 30 BattleMechs. Using your MechLab you can maintain and upgrade your units. Replace your damaged equipment with salvage taken from fallen foes on the battlefield. Then test your new equipment and units against AI enemies or opponents online.

9: Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2

Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 - Launch Trailer

The Warhammer 40k universe is immense, and Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 has managed to take the vast scale of the tabletop game with all its races, creeds, and epic space battles and portray it in this game. 

With 3 dynamic campaigns to play through on your own, and improved multiplayer modes across Steam, GOG and Windows Store, you’ll always have something to do (or fight) in this game.

So choose your favorite faction, customize your fleet, and see how well your real world tabletop skills translate with Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2.

8: Surviving Mars

Surviving Mars - Gamescom Gameplay Reveal Trailer

Build space domes and mine otherworldly minerals in this sci-fi civilization builder. Start and expand your own functioning human colony on mars. Grow your own food, discover martian secrets, and create your own martian utopia.

Surviving Mars is a city simulator with a twist. Rolling blackouts in your city become a lot more dangerous when your people can’t breathe. And each of your people that need that precious oxygen are unique and influenced by each other. They feel and act like real people, so don’t go working them too hard.

And for anyone with an extra creative craving, Surviving Mars has Mod support and tools for those who like to create their own buildings, mysteries, or space domes and share with the community.

7: Oxygen Not Included

Oxygen Not Included [Official Launch Trailer]

This adorable space colony simulation game is all about surviving and thriving through the perils of asteroid living. Build bases, manage your resources, and make sure not to overwork any of your colonists if you want them to stay in one piece.

Don’t be fooled by Oxygen Not Included’s cute appearance. It might look like a fun saturday morning cartoon on the outside, but as soon as you get into it, it’s a complex game that requires a lot of thinking and planning. Oxygen isn’t the only thing you have to worry about, and if you don’t keep an eye on your colony, it could quickly collapse on itself.

But there is nothing more satisfying than conquering these space rocks and turning them into homes for your adorable little cartoon colony.

6: Dyson Sphere Program

Dyson Sphere Program Trailer

As a space engineer, you have been tasked with a massive undertaking: Dyson Spheres. Megastructures that orbit around stars, harnessing all their power and energy. Basically Deathstars with less planet destroying lasers. Harvest resources from planets and make this space dream come true!

Create and explore your own procedurally generated galaxy and design the most efficient automated factory to start building your Dyson Sphere. Start from one crew and grow into your very own industrial empire that spans the entire galaxy.

Plus, I’ll say it one more time, you’re basically building a Deathstar. Just with less death. Who doesn’t want to do that?

5: Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth™

Official Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth Announce Trailer - "A New Beginning"

This sci-fi themed edition of Civilization tasks you with finding a new home for humanity after modern society has collapsed on Earth. Shape the next phase of human civilization. In space. Explore alien planets, research new technology, or build massive armies as you decide the path humanity will walk.

Beyond Earth is the Civilization game for people who think world history is just too boring. Personally, I think  Cleopatra is pretty badass, but I can understand wanting to look toward the future instead. 

This game has everything that you’d expect from Civilization, one of the series that defines this genre. Just with a sci-fi twist. If you like Civilization, Star Trek, or both, you’ll have a great time playing Beyond Earth.

4: Master of Orion

Master of Orion — Release Trailer

Master of Orion is a beautiful spacefaring strategy game. Whether through combat, diplomacy, or technological advancement, your mission is to conquer the stars before any other. Customize your ships, unlock research advancements, and come out on top among the 10 selectable alien races.

Originally released in the 90s, this revival of the series breathes new life into a classic universe. If you ever played the originals, you should spend some time checking this game out. If only to see the original alien races brought to life.

If this is the first time you’ve heard of Master of Orion, then you should definitely give this fantastic example of the space strategy genre a try. It’s gorgeously animated with a fully orchestrated soundtrack. You’ll find yourself struggling to put it down.

3: Endless Space 2

Endless Space 2 - Pathfinders Launch Trailer

In this strategic space opera, you lead one of eight civilizations in building great stellar empires in a galaxy once ruled by God-like beings known as the “Endless.” Colonize new planets, assemble your fleets, and recruit Heroes trained in the mysterious Academy. Immerse yourself in Endless Space 2 and discover the secrets behind the powers that shape the galaxy.

Endless Space 2 is a very fun game that encourages you to keep playing. One turn at a time. Whether you’re exploring new systems, preparing for combat or colonizing a planet, there’s always one more small thing you find yourself wanting to do before you call it a night. This game pulls you in and does not let go.

2: Stellaris

Stellaris - Three Year Anniversary Trailer

Voyage into the stars and discover an evolving new universe in Stellaris. The story you encounter and shape in Stellaris is one of infinite possibilities. Forge an empire in enormous procedurally generated galaxies with randomly determined planets, quests, and monsters. And customize your civilization the way you want. A multitude of races with your choice of ethics, technology, habitat, philosophies and more are available to you.

Despite being released in 2016, Stellaris is still actively being updated with new content for the playerbase to enjoy. This was a stunning game on release and it still is thanks to the effort being put into it even years later.

1: RimWorld

RimWorld Launch Trailer

Start with a handful of survivors from a shipwreck on a distant world and grow it into a burgeoning civilization. All while they argue, fall in love, cheat on each other, and make friends (or enemies) with the local populace.

Rimworld is a little like The Sims… in Minecraft… in space! Your colonists lead their own lives as you direct them on their mission to survive on this new planet. They all have unique traits and skills and those traitscan lead to wonderful and interesting interactions. Or fisticuffs.

And you will never run out of content to enjoy with RimWorld’s active modding community. With mods that add new races to mods that enable having babies. If Rimworld doesn’t already sound perfect to you, odds are there’s a mod out there that will change that.

You may also be interested in: 

• Best Space Exploration Games
• Top 7 Spooky Space Horror Games for PC
• Top 15 New Upcoming Space Games We're Excited For