Are you a fan of space travel, star crafts, lasers, and mecha armor? So am I! There are a ton of awesome Sci-Fi MMOs out there. But if you’re struggling to pick your next one, or maybe you’re on the fence, then this article is for you.

10. Tower of Fantasy - PC, iOS, Android

Tower of Fantasy is a very anime themed MMO set in the new world of Aida. After humanity discovered a strange energy known as Omnium, they began construction of a large Tower (perhaps of Fantasy) to harness this strange power.

Five years later, a cataclysm brought on by this Omnium erupts, dealing a crippling blow to human civilization. Only those with Omnium “suppressors” are safe, and big surprise, the main character has one of these suppressors. Alright, alright. Hear me out. I know ToF has a reputation as being a worse Genshin Impact, but I truly believe that statement is unfair. I agree, it’s in need of some polishing. But it’s so fun. The character customization is absolutely incredible, and I think it’s graphically beautiful. The combat is fluid and interactive. The timed dodges are fun. The only real complaints I have about ToF are it being level and time locked.

Basically, unlike other MMOs, you can only level up a certain amount each day. The RNG based system of getting new and better gear isn’t a total deal breaker for me, as I probably have an undiagnosed gambling problem. For being a new MMO, I think Tower of Fantasy has a lot of promise.

Choose this game if you like:

• Amazing character customization, and the option to “wear” NPCs as cosmetic items. (Wow, that sounds weird…)
• Fluid, interactive combat with many different weapons to choose from.
• A good balance between PvP, PvE and Story Quest content.

Even from the gender selection screen, we’re faced with danger.

9. Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis - PC, XBO, PS4

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis (or PSO2NG, if you’re lazy like me,) is a fast-paced action MMORPG. You’ll be playing as a being called a Meteorn, who works with a faction called the ARKS to combat the threat of their enemies- the DOLLS.

With nine base classes, seventeen weapon types, and the ability to sub-class, you really won’t have issues building a combat style that suits you. The jump and glide mechanics are a blast to use, making combat all the more engaging. Don’t expect to bust out your sick combat maneuvers against your friends, though. There’s no PvP in PSO2NG.

Choose this game if you like:

• A fast-paced interactive combat system, with a ton of fun mechanics.
• A truly free-to-play experience, with no real pay-to-win features.
• Good character customization, and cosmetic options.
• Impressive build customization with many classes, sub-classes, and weapons to choose from.

Good luck, heroes! The DOLL boss looks so cool, I almost want to root for him.

8.  EVE Online - PC

EVE Online is an interstellar MMORPG set 21,000 years into the future. In the star system known as New Eden, you play a Capsuleer- an immortal clone who pilots their ships by “becoming one” with them. There are four major Empires, each with unique lore. Being a sandbox (not the backyard toy,) the in-game economy is almost entirely player controlled.

Sandbox MMOs are some of my favorites, because you really feel like you’re part of the world. EVE takes that to the next level. Almost everything is player-made, and that just feels a bit better than buying something from some NPC vendor in my opinion. Despite being almost 20 years old, the game has an active player base and its graphics have kept up pretty well. EVE also has an amazing character creator, which is weird, since we almost never get to actually see them.

Choose this game if you like:

• A sandbox MMO with an active player base.
• A ton of ships and ship upgrades.
• Combat, both small scale and large scale.

Who says you can’t race in space? Not sure how safe it is to race into a wormhole, though...

7. Star Trek Online - PC, PS4, XBO

Star Trek. A classic in Sci-Fi media got its own MMORPG back in 2010, and it's only grown since. There are several factions to ally with, including the Federation, the Klingon Empire, and the Romulan Republic. It takes place in the year of 2409. To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek (may it Live Long and Prosper,) the TOS Starfleet faction was created. This means you can create a captain from the era of The Original Series, and play through classic storylines.

To say that Cryptic Studios boldly went where no one went before would probably be an understatement. But it wouldn’t be an understatement to say that it paid off. For a game that came out in 2010, STO is constantly being updated, and it still has an active player base. Sure, the graphics and ground combat might be a little dated, but who says that’s a bad thing? Not me, that’s for sure. The interstellar combat is fun and fluid, and the ship customization is nothing to sneeze at either. There are also some voice lines voiced by the original Star Trek series, which is pretty cool. Oh, and if you have a 3D printer, you can 3D print your in-game ship.

Choose this game if you like:

• Boldly going where no man has gone before.
• Living long and prospering. (Okay, enough jokes. Onto to the real ones.)
• A lore-rich game, with an inviting story. Especially for Star Trek fans.
• A more simple style of ground combat.
• An MMO with a classic feel.

There’s something so satisfying about blasting enemy ships with lasers. Just watch out for the asteroids!

6. Star Conflict - PC

Unlike some other MMOs on this list, Star Conflict puts less focus on its story, and more on the gameplay. With five playable modes (PvP, Open Space, Missions, Sector Conquest, and Custom Battle,) you can upgrade different ships of four types and battle with- or against- friends in exciting interstellar battles.

While I, personally, am not a fan of PvP, this game definitely gives me some MOBA-vibes. If you’re like me though, don’t worry. The missions mode offers co-op PvE to take down NPCs and bosses, which is just as much fun. The Open Space mode is a place of lawless chaos, since players can actively attack each other’s ships. There are NPC pirates and aliens that you can kill, missions, and sectors to guard or destroy. Sector Conquest is like if PvP mode and Open Space mode had a child. It’s where corporations (player guilds) battle out for territory. Definitely a fun large-scale battle!

Choose this game if you like:

• A more PvP focused game, almost like a MOBA. But not quite.
• Large-scale battles.
• Good ship customization.

Battling for your own corner of space comes with its own risks. Just ask the explosion.

5. Warframe - PC, PS4, XBO, Switch, PS5, XBox Series X/S

Ah, Warframe. A mecha-lover's dream. You play as a Tenno, a long dormant being who awakens to a hostile world. Luckily the Tenno have Frames, Biomechanical suits, each with different capabilities, that allow the Tenno to do incredible things. Guided by a figure known as Lotus, you’ll battle through tons of map missions and a beautiful open world against all manners of bad guys.

One of my favorite parts of Warframe combat is just how cool it all looks. You’ll dash around, jumping and gliding. You’ll feel like a mecha-ninja. To start, you only get to choose between 3 Frames. Excalibur, the warrior-based Frame. Mag, the crowd controlling support, or Volt, the electricity wielding powerhouse. Not that you’re limited to those three, mind you. There’s over 50 Frames to unlock, each with their own pros and cons. You also have to decide which weapons you’re going to use! Each Frame uses a primary, a secondary, and a melee. Continued use of the same weapons will grant you affinity, which will be useful later on for adding mods (weapon upgrades). Thankfully, most Frames aren’t locked behind a paywall, and can be obtained with a little grinding. (Hey, it’s in every game.)

Choose this game if you like:

• Extremely fun, fast paced combat.
• Lots of different choices in playstyle.
• Feeling like an ultra cool mecha ninja.
• Mission-based style of gameplay.

Definitely not rooting for this boss. It looks like a spider. Kill it.

4. Star Citizen - PC

In Star Citizen, you’ll pilot your ship to do… well. Really, whatever you want! Go mine some asteroids, become a bounty hunter, transport cargo, respond to medical flags, smuggle some interstellar paraphernalia, or be the one to stop that. With your starter ship- The Aurora- you can set out to accomplish whatever interstellar goals you want. Be they solo, or with some pals.

Personally, I love how much freedom Star Citizen gives you in how you play. There are several types of missions to choose from. Bounty Hunter missions are available once you receive certification from the Bounty Hunters Guild. Can’t go letting just anyone hunt these criminals, after all. Transport missions have you hauling space cargo, legal or otherwise. Mercenary missions are… pretty much what you’d expect.

I was surprised to see Service Beacon missions. When a player falls, they can offer a reward for another player to come heal them, or bring them aboard their ship and get them to a hospital. Talk about a life saver. Now, while Star Citizen is far from perfect, I think it’s pretty dang good. Especially for being in development still. The amount of content is easily enough to hold you over until the next update.

Choose this game if you like:

• Diverse missions that range from transporting cargo to hunting down criminals and dishing out some interstellar justice.
• Amazing exploration, with a ton of different places to explore and discover.
• Detailed flight mechanics and awesome looking space ships.

That’s a lot of bullets… I’m sure they’ll be fine though, right? … Right?

3. Destiny 2 - PS4, XBO, PC, PS5, XBox Series X/S

Destiny 2 is a first-person shooter MMO. Being a Guardian, you wield the power known as Light to defend humanity against all manner of dangerous alien creatures. Worst still, an entity known as “The Darkness” is also coming. Guess who gets to fight that? Yep. You. With three classes, each with three subclasses of their own (four, if you have the Beyond Light expansion,) there is some freedom in choosing your build. There are three races, as well, though they have no impact on gameplay.

Destiny 2 is more of a first-person shooter than an MMO, in my opinion. However, it does offer a lot of multiplayer content. Such as PvP and co-op PvE dungeons and raids. The classes are very straightforward, with most of the customization coming from the subclasses. Arc, Solar, Void, and Stasis (from Beyond Light). Each subclass offers different abilities and options to customize your Guardian.

Aside from class abilities, you also have different types of gear and weapons. Which is pretty standard in MMOs these days. Destiny is an established game with years of lore behind it, so if you like a deep story, you won't be disappointed.

Choose this game if you like:

• A more story-based experience, with a lot of established lore to get into
• A more first-person shooter type of combat, with fun jumps and lots of different abilities.

• Having a more straightforward class and subclass system that doesn’t have you picking through dozens of options each time.

Uhh… buddy? I think you missed your shot. It’s alright, I’m sure you’ll get ‘em next time.

2. Elite Dangerous - PC, XBO, MacOS, PS4

Elite Dangerous is a space trading, combat, and exploration game with a lot of freedom to play how you choose. The galaxy is a 1:1 scale of the real life Milky Way, and it feels like it, too. The game doesn’t railroad you, and there really isn’t much story, apart from strange alien vessels called Thargoids. After a short tutorial at the beginning, the player is set out with their ship, and the rest is up to you.

The most mind boggling thing to me is the world. It is absolutely massive, and even after all these years, players have only explored about 0.005% of it. That means there is a whole 99.995% of galaxy to discover. That is absolutely insane to me. You could play this game for your entire life and not even discover 5% of the galaxy.

There are missions, including bounties to be hunted and people to be rescued, much like Star Citizen. This gives some freedom in how you want to play. If you wanted to, you could just explore unexplored areas, map them, and sell the data. I didn’t really experience much with the Thargoids personally. If you’re looking to explore space, and not be forced into a story, this is definitely the game for you.

Choose this game if you like:

• Unparalleled space exploration, based on the real life Milky Way galaxy.
• Realistic flight mechanics that can be a little tricky to pick up.
• Freedom to play however you like, without much story pressure.

Say what you will about the Thargoids, they look like beautiful space flowers to me. Who’s the real bad guy here!?

1. STAR WARS: The Old Republic - PC

Star Wars: The Old Republic is an oldie, but a goodie. Eight different classes (four for each faction), nine species, and three purchased species, means a lot of customization. Tackle the PvE world with friends, or tackle your friends with PvP. Take to the stars in your ship, and tackle things there too!

SW:TOR has a nice, classic MMO feel. A lot like Star Trek online, but with better graphics and combat. And almost 12 years later, it still has an active player base. Unlike other entries on this list, SW:TOR has limited ships. Each class gets a specific ship that can be upgraded down the line. Crafting and gathering is taken care of by player companions. NPCs that carry out crafting and gathering tasks, or can be assigned missions on the player’s behalf. All without impeding your gameplay!

Choose this game if you like:

• A very well rounded, classic feeling MMO experience.
• Engaging and fleshed out story.
• A prevalent roleplay scene.

I don’t know who they’re about to shoot, but I bet they deserve it. Probably.

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