Games like No Man's Sky

Starbound swaps the endless 3D cosmos for a 2D side-scrolling galaxy of planets, inviting players who love building and guided quests. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Starbound.

Both games anchor themselves in the same core loop: piloting your ship across a procedurally vast universe, making incremental upgrades, and deciding your own path. That freedom to chase exploration, trading, combat, or quiet wandering creates the same sandbox rhythm that keeps No Man's Sky players invested across sessions.

Elite Dangerous deepens two mechanics you already know. Ship customization mirrors No Man's Sky's upgrade treadmill but with far greater complexity—every component matters, and loadouts shift your playstyle entirely. Multiplayer presence works similarly too, though Elite scales it to massively multiplayer instances rather than No Man's Sky's lighter co-op touch, creating more dynamic encounters with other pilots.

Where the games diverge: Elite strips away narrative almost entirely and leans hard into simulation depth. There's no story campfire—only systems, economics, and your own ambitions. This actually addresses No Man's Sky's repetition problem by shifting focus from *what to do next* to how to master your chosen role.

Best for players who felt No Man's Sky's universe too shallow and want genuine mechanical mastery wrapped in hard science fiction.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Elite Dangerous.

Mastering the delicate balance between cargo capacity and combat readiness defines the core rhythm of life among the stars. Both titles rely on a mining-to-upgrade cycle where harvesting cosmic resources directly fuels your ability to survive deeper sectors. This feedback loop provides a familiar sense of satisfaction as your humble starter ship evolves into a specialized vessel through dedicated trading.

Where the source game can feel aimless due to its infinite scale, VoidExpanse offers a more contained experience with multiple endings and branching faction choices. This structure provides the narrative goalposts often missing in more sprawling simulations. The shift to a top-down perspective acts as a fresh tactical angle, trading planetary exploration for tighter, skill-based maneuvers.

Though this niche alternative shares some technical hurdles, the active development team mirrors the post-launch dedication that rescued the source game. This ensures the universe grows alongside community feedback.

Best for pilots who value mechanical mastery and economic domination over planetary spectacle.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to VoidExpanse.

Osiris: New Dawn mirrors the planetary survival loop of No Man’s Sky, forcing you to master atmospheric hazards and resource extraction on hostile, alien worlds. Both titles prioritize the visceral thrill of establishing a foothold in a lonely, expansive galaxy, which anchors the progression loop in tangible, player-built infrastructure.

The core difference is tone: while No Man’s Sky is a vibrant, zen-like trek, Osiris leans into gritty, hard-science horror. You trade the colorful procedural generation of the former for a much more claustrophobic, survival-heavy experience.

Pick this up if you want the tinkering and base-building of No Man’s Sky but prefer a darker, more dangerous atmosphere over endless, aimless cosmic wandering.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Osiris: New Dawn.

Both let you explore a procedurally generated galaxy in online co‑op, building and surviving together across infinite worlds.

Avorion’s voxel ship‑building system lets you construct and re‑engineer every vessel on the fly. That gives co‑op crews a shared creative outlet beyond No Man’s Sky’s limited base construction.

Avorion drops planetary exploration and survival for deeper ship combat and economy, while No Man’s Sky focuses on varied biomes and resource gathering. Pick it up if you want deep ship customization and cooperative multiplayer in a vast space sandbox but can live without expansive planetary surfaces.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Avorion.

Fans of No Man's Sky who love the thrill of piloting their own ship across the cosmos will find a familiar rush in EVERSPACE. Both games place you behind the controls of a customizable spacecraft, rewarding exploration and mastery of flight mechanics. The ship isn't just a vehicle—it's an extension of the player's identity, upgraded and tailored over time.

Where the games truly align is in their approach to progression. No Man's Sky's loop of gathering resources and tech upgrades translates directly to EVERSPACE's roguelite system, where each run yields permanent improvements to your ship and pilot skills. This shared emphasis on long-term growth creates that addictive "just one more session" pull in both titles. Additionally, both games deliver stunning visuals that make every voyage feel like a visual spectacle.

However, EVERSPACE shifts the focus from open-ended wandering to tight, high-stakes combat encounters within discrete sectors—a tradeoff that eliminates the emptiness some players feel in No Man's Sky's vast stretches. While No Man's Sky's repetitive grind frustrates some, EVERSPACE's roguelite structure ensures each failure reshapes the experience rather than mirroring it.

Best for players who crave focused, skill-driven space combat with the satisfying progression loop No Man's Sky pioneered.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to EVERSPACE.

Empyrion: Galactic Survival blends physics‑driven survival with voxel building in a multiplayer‑focused experience that feels more like a survival game. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Empyrion: Galactic Survival.

Planets to explore are only half the draw here; the other half is turning raw terrain into a working machine that can keep you alive. Planet Nomads scratches that same No Man’s Sky loop of landing somewhere unknown, gathering resources, and pushing outward as your options grow.

The overlap that matters most is procedural discovery tied to self-directed survival. In both games, progress comes from setting your own goals rather than following a rigid campaign, and that freedom creates the same “one more trip, one more upgrade” rhythm. Planet Nomads leans harder into crafting, vehicle building, and base engineering, so the satisfaction comes from solving logistical problems with your own designs.

That makes it a fresh angle on a common No Man’s Sky complaint: the experience can start to feel repetitive once the exploratory loop loses momentum. Planet Nomads answers with more hands-on construction and physics-driven systems, giving each expedition a practical payoff beyond sightseeing. It also trades No Man’s Sky’s broad universe for a more grounded sandbox, which means less scale but more tinkering.

Best for players who want exploration to feed invention.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Planet Nomads.

Endless Sky emphasizes a story‑rich, top‑down economy simulation over open exploration, perfect for fans of trading and narrative. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Endless Sky.

Focusing intensely on the space-faring logistics of trade and mining, this provides a more grounded, industrial simulation for dedicated cockpit-view enthusiasts. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Astrox Imperium.

Cubic Odyssey turns the vast universe into a colorful, first‑person voxel sandbox where survival and base building take center stage. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Cubic Odyssey.

Everspace 2 shifts the focus to fast‑paced space combat and loot‑driven progression, offering a more arcade‑shooter feel. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Everspace 2.

ASTRONEER shares No Man’s Sky’s foundational DNA: the compulsive loop of landing on procedurally generated, colorful planets to harvest resources and expand your technological footprint. This shared focus on planetary base-building gives you a tangible sense of growth as you transform alien environments into operational hubs.

The experience is less about wandering an infinite void and more about creative terraforming, which matters because it turns the entire world into a giant puzzle you can physically reshape.

Where No Man’s Sky prioritizes sprawling space exploration and combat, ASTRONEER leans into mechanical puzzle-solving and rigid resource management. Pick this up if you want the satisfying grind of extraterrestrial logistics but can live without deep narrative campaigns or space dogfights.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to ASTRONEER.

Trades infinite procedural worlds for finite survival planets where co-op players must mine and craft to escape rather than endlessly explore. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to ICARUS.

Starfield delivers a Bethesda‑style, first‑person RPG with deep storytelling and cinematic flair, targeting players who want a narrative‑driven space epic. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Starfield.

No Man's Sky and Evochron Legacy both deliver expansive space exploration with seamless transitions between space and planetary surfaces, creating a continuous sense of scale. Their shared co-op and multiplayer options amplify the thrill of discovery with friends, making teamwork a core appeal. This cooperative flexibility broadens how you can engage with their universes.

The key tradeoff lies in Evochron’s steep learning curve and dated graphics versus No Man’s Sky’s smoother accessibility and frequent content updates. Evochron demands patience to master detailed ship customization and controls, which may deter players seeking quick thrills. In contrast, No Man’s Sky offers a more polished and active online community environment.

Pick Evochron Legacy if you want deep spacecraft simulation and expansive flight freedom but can endure less polish and a smaller multiplayer scene. Choose No Man’s Sky for a more streamlined, visually modern experience with broader social engagement. Each suits different priorities in space exploration gaming.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Evochron Legacy.

Transposes the cooperative exploration loop into top-down fantasy civilization-building, replacing starships with dwarf colonies and resource management. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Craft The World.

Distills the spacefaring wonder into a challenging 2D roguelike where procedural generation enables endless restarts rather than permanent progression. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Destination Sol.

Solo spacefaring adventure that strips away multiplayer and cosmic scale for intimate survival simulation in hostile environments. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Astrox: Hostile Space Excavation.

Replaces procedural planets with a haunting, narrative-driven cosmos where lovecraftian horror and train logistics eclipse the joy of open discovery. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Sunless Skies.

Emphasizes large-scale base building and automation with first-person perspective in a sci-fi factory setting, favoring creative production over cosmic exploration. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Satisfactory.

Delivers historical pirate naval combat with challenging perma-death mechanics, prioritizing tactical multiplayer battles rather than relaxation and discovery. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Tempest.

Focusing on community-driven voxel creativity, this presents a lighthearted alternative where the building tools feel more prominent than the space-faring narrative. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Creativerse.

Offers a focused single-player space simulation experience emphasizing ship management and role-playing without the expansive multiplayer scope. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to SpaceBourne.

Spore Galactic Adventures replaces the serious sci‑fi tone with goofy creature evolution and a comedy god‑game style. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to SPORE™ Galactic Adventures.

Balances co-op survival crafting and dungeon crawling with atmospheric mystery in a procedurally generated island world, diverging from open-space freedom. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Len's Island.

Providing a more combat-oriented take on sandbox creation, this offers a looser connection for those wanting voxel-based survival with stronger RPG elements. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Planet Explorers.

Starpoint Gemini 2 layers tactical RPG combat onto space combat, offering a more mission‑driven, combat‑heavy experience. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Starpoint Gemini 2.

Replaces the lonely vacuum of space with a bustling fantasy social experience, catering to those who prefer persistent MMO world-building. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Elder Scrolls Online.