The best sci-fi games are often pigeonholed into specific genres like shooters, strategy games, and RPGs, and for good reason; franchises like Mass Effect, StarCraft, and Half-Life are all-time classics. But sometimes it’s nice to explore the stars in a safer way… a more chill, vibey kind of way that helps you relax and unwind.
Don’t get us wrong, gunning down aliens and blowing up space stations is obviously fun. But sometimes you’re just not in the mood to overthrow intergalactic governments or have intricate dogfights while soaring through the stars. Luckily, there are some great relaxing sci-fi games out there that span the gamut from tranquil and atmospheric to downright cozy.
From walking sims to farming sims, interactive stories and sandbox creations, sci-fi games don’t always have to be epic, sprawling adventures. They can be peaceful and calming, perfect for decompressing after a long day, or snuggling up on a rainy afternoon.
So grab that oversized mug and a chunky, knitted blanket because we’re about to dive into the 11 best cozy sci-fi games this galaxy has to offer.
11. Abzu
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Platforms: PC, Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X|S | Developer: Giant Squid | Release date: August 2, 2016
Abzu is routinely cited as one of the best cozy games ever, and for good reason. Players take on the role of a robotic diver who explores the oceans of an alien planet. There’s no dialogue or writing throughout the entire game, just a fantastic orchestral score and the enchanting visuals. Instead, each player will build the story in their mind and probably end up with something slightly different.
Throughout Abzu, you dive through various ocean biomes and swim with orcas, manta rays, and even enormous giant squid. No spoilers here, but in the game’s third act, the sci-fi really comes into full view, and what you thought was just a cozy ocean simulator turns into something truly otherworldly.
Visually, the game is pure artwork, with a pastel gloss coating each oceanic biome. Plus, there’s something so mesmerizing about the size of the animals in the game. It’s one thing to hear that blue whales are the size of three school buses…but it’s entirely another to actually swim next to one.
10. Star Trucker
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Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox X|S | Developer: Monster and Monster | Release date: September 3, 2024
Unless you’ve been living on Mars for the past five years, you’ve probably noticed that simulator games are everywhere. Planes, trains, and automobiles have been joined by trams, taxis, ships, tractors, and more. If there’s a thing with a seat and a motor, there’s a sim game for it.
With truck sims being so popular, it seems only natural that eventually one would go to space. Enter Star Trucker, where you load up cargo into your trusty space semi and then haul it across the galaxy.
The campy premise is fun, and the chill gameplay of gliding through space as you make your deliveries is both entertaining and low-pressure. There is a bit of a learning curve, since most truck sims have you going left and right, whereas this one adds in the dimensions of up and down too.
There’s even some spaceflight mechanics stuff in there. Thanks to the thrusters, which don’t work the same way as engines, so there’s a bit of delay in everything you do, giving the controls that sliding-on-ice feel. But once you get the hang of it, the rest is smooth sailing. It’s well worth checking out, so 10-4 good buddy, git-er-dun!
9. Verdant Skies
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Platforms: PC | Developer: Howling Moon Software | Release date: February 12, 2018
Verdant Skies is a sci-fi take on Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley, and the second you start playing the game, you’ll immediately see the similarities.
Your mission is to settle the planet, Viridis Primus. You create farms, go fishing, explore caves, and make relationships (both friendly and romantic) with the other colonists. There are some sci-fi twists, though, including a unique plant splicing machine that turns you into more of a bioengineer than a farmer, but the general vibe is chill.
Fans of the genre know who they are, and if that’s you, then Verdant Skies is a great addition to the pantheon. Plus, the game’s hand-painted art style feels welcoming and comforting, and offers something new compared to Stardew’s iconic pixel aesthetic. If you want a cozy game that lets you farm and fall in love — but in space — this is it.
8. Lost in Space: The First Adventure
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Platforms: PC, Switch, Switch 2 | Developer: Scary Robot | Release date: February 19, 2026
Long before Netflix’s 2018 Lost in Space show (starring the goddess Parker Posey), and even before the 1998 Lost in Space movie that oddly starred Joey from Friends and Eliza Thornberry, there was the original 1965 show that ran for three seasons. Lost in Space: The First Adventure is stylized to look like the original Lost in Space series.
In the game, you play as Will Robinson, who discovers that his family has gone missing on an alien planet. This isn’t just a visual retro throwback to Lost in Space, though; its style also feels reminiscent of old 90s PC adventure games. A mix of exploration, puzzles, platforming, and inventory management makes this little indie gem feel surprisingly varied yet accessible. It’s planned to be the first of a five-part series, too.
Because of its retro influences, Lost in Space: The First Adventure has a wholesomeness to it that I can’t fully describe. It’s almost like an episode of Leave It to Beaver, but in space. For anyone wanting something cozy and chill, I think that’s the perfect vibe.
7. Hardspace: Shipbreaker
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Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox X|S | Developer: Blackbird Interactive | Release date: May 24, 2022
If you want a cozy game disguised as something a bit more thrilling, check out Hardspace: Shipbreaker. You play as a worker for the Lynx Corporation, and your job is to break apart and salvage old ships to collect useful materials.
There’s a good amount of action for a “cozy” game, and wrong moves can cause detonations, devastating crashes, or explosive decompression. Players can even die, and probably will die numerous times. Luckily, this is a Mickey 17 situation, and the good folks at Lynx own your DNA and clone you every time you die, sending you right back into the mission!
The game expects you to die, and even encourages it, allowing players to have fun, get wacky, and try out experimental techniques to break down the ships. It’s almost like Lego in reverse, as you systematically dismantle ships, figuring out the best way to pull everything apart without damaging the expensive components.
There’s no fail state — you’re just out here trying to do the best you can. This creates some really fun, stress-free gameplay, turning what could have been a tense, dystopic space drama into an easy-going romp.
6. Virginia
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Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X|S | Developer: Variable State | Release date: September 22, 2016
Best described as a cross between The X-Files and Twin Peaks, the narrative walking sim Virginia tasks players with becoming an FBI agent on a missing-persons case. But there’s also a secret side mission, where you’re tasked with watching your partner, who the FBI has flagged for suspicious behavior.
What follows is a series of unexpected events that may or may not be connected, including secret government programs, a demonic cult, scandalous affairs, and an alien abduction. While the premise seems suspenseful and full of mystery, the game is actually surprisingly chill.
There’s no combat, no dialogue, and no need to rush. Each level is essentially a scene, and players are free to roam the space as much as they want before choosing to progress the story. That, combined with the game’s cinematic score performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, makes Virginia a surprisingly deep, yet also calm experience.
5. Lightyear Frontier
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Platforms: PC, Xbox X|S | Developer: Frame Break | Release date: March 19, 2024
Look, we’re probably never going to get Titanfall 3, and that’s a damn shame. But for any mech-obsessed gamers out there, Lightyear Frontier is a must-play.
Players explore an alien planet in their trusty mech in this genre-busting title that’s part exploration game and part farm sim. It’s basically a high-tech take on Stardew Valley, but instead of a 2D pixel world, Lightyear Frontier is lush, colorful, and fully 3D, making it really fun to explore the planet.
It’s especially great for anyone who loves farm sims (and I know there are lots of you out there) since a majority of the gameplay is harvesting wild plants, growing your farm, and tending to alien livestock, all inside your giant mech.
4. Return to Grace
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Platforms: PC, Xbox X|S, PS4, PS5 | Developer: Creative Bytes Studios | Release date: May 30, 2023
In Return to Grace, players take on the role of a future archaeologist who lands on a frozen alien planet to investigate a giant station that houses the godlike AI entity called Grace. But when you arrive, the station is abandoned, and Grace is offline. Where is everyone, and why has Grace gone dormant? It’s your job to find out.
Return to Grace is a narrative walking sim, so even though there’s a bubbling mystery pushing the game forward, it’s still a super slow-paced, chill adventure. Plus, the station is designed with a retrofuturistic jet age aesthetic, making it a visually stunning space to explore. Despite the leisurely gameplay, Return to Grace has a great story packed with emotion.
3. Europa
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Platforms: PC, Switch, Switch 2 | Developer: Novadust Entertainment | Release date: October 11, 2024
There’s lots of talk about Jupiter’s moon Europa, and whether it might have subsurface oceans that contain some form of life. But imagine a realm where Europa has been terraformed into a vibrant world teeming with life. As an android boy, you run, fly, and surf across the planet, discovering mythical alien creatures while trying to figure out what happened to humanity.
Like many games on this list, Europa is so effective because it takes a big, daunting question (like the downfall of humanity) and wraps it up in a relaxing, cozy world. Europa is heavily inspired by the artwork of Studio Ghibli films, and has some definite Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom vibes, but it’s less focused on puzzles or combat, and more on the sheer joy of exploration.
2. Astroneer
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Platforms: PC, Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X|S | Developer: System Era Softworks | Release date: February 6, 2019
Astroneer is a base-building sandbox game where you — or you and some friends — can settle various alien planets. You can explore the worlds, harvest resources, and build a variety of structures and vehicles. Think of it like Subnautica without all the dangerous animals.
While you can die, the game has a pretty chill Minecraft-style respawn system where you spawn in at your last-used shelter and have all your resources waiting for you at the spot where you died.
Also like Minecraft, it’s got a catchy lo-fi soundtrack that’s great for vibing out to. So I guess the game can best be summed up as Subnautica + Minecraft – combat = Astroneer.
1. I Was a Teenage Exocolonist
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Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Switch 2 | Developer: Northway Games | Release date: August 25, 2022
We love games that blend genres together, but “I Was a Teenage Exocolonist” goes places we were not expecting. It’s a surprisingly cozy story-driven, part visual novel, part roguelite, and part deck-building game with 29 different endings.
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist follows the triumphs and struggles of a young colonist on the distant planet of Vertumna IV. You engage in card battles to tackle the various challenges in your life as you learn new skills, form friendships, and shape the future of the colony. We simply adore the gorgeous art style that’s packed with vibrant colors and sci-fi flourishes.
Unlike in most cozy games, you’re going to die here, and you’re supposed to. With each death comes a different ending, and new unlocks that give you additional options and choices for your next playthrough that help you change outcomes for the better.
Despite all the death, I Was a Teenage Exocolonist still feels surprisingly cozy. You can have romances, make friends, study at school, and take up some odd jobs. For the ultimate example of video game cozification, I Was a Teenage Exocolonist even forces you to slow down and take rest breaks to lower your character’s (and your own) stress levels.
