Here are the top 8 games where you can pilot a spaceship:

If you're seeking a break from video games that confine the experience to planetary landscapes, there's nothing quite like venturing into the cosmos. With space offering an infinite expanse of places to explore, a means of transportation becomes essential to reach those distant destinations.

While certain games may skip the travel aspect and transition directly to a map, if you're seeking a way to immerse yourself in the experience of commuting, playing a game that features playable spaceships that can be piloted or upgraded offers the ideal opportunity for a sci-fi adventure. Engaging in battles with other spaceships or destroying asteroids tends to be more gratifying than being confined to a procedurally generated world with no means of escape. So, which games provide this kind of experience?

1 EVE Online

If massive star cruisers and epic galactic conflicts pique your interest, EVE Online might be the perfect choice for you. This game allows you to take control of various spaceships that can be purchased and upgraded using in-game currency. Moreover, EVE Online features a distinctive in-game economy that mirrors real-world dynamics.

EVE Online offers intricate guilds or factions that you can join, enabling you to partake in wars fought on behalf of mega-corporations or for territorial control. These battles involve a vast number of players, and they can unfold over several days before one side emerges victorious and claims the conquered territory.

2 No Man’s Sky

No Man's Sky, with its vast array of thousands of worlds to explore and a comprehensive trading system, has made significant strides over the years through consistent updates and visual enhancements, solidifying its position as one of the finest sci-fi games in its genre.

In addition, the game boasts distinct flora and fauna that vary from planet to planet, offering a unique survival experience during exploration. You have the ability to construct intricate bases of your own and engage with in-game NPCs to trade resources. Furthermore, No Man's Sky provides the option to play cooperatively with a friend through online multiplayer mode or visit the Nexus, a central hub where solo players can interact with the larger community.

3 Everspace 2

Everspace 2 offers a comprehensive exploration of the mechanics involved in spaceship battles, providing a range of vehicles and weapons that bring your aspirations of space conquest to life. This fast-paced single-player game offers an engaging story and abundant content that will captivate you for hours on end.

In Everspace 2, you can engage in various RPG elements such as mining, crafting resources, and looting fallen enemies to progress and enhance your own cruiser. The game revolves around the primary feature of shooting down adversaries, and the explosive visual effects truly do justice to this aspect, creating a captivating light show.

4 Starfield

Starfield is a game of extraordinary scale, boasting next-generation graphics and highly immersive settings that go beyond initial appearances. In this game, you have the opportunity to embark on space travel at incredible speeds aboard your massive spaceship. Moreover, you can even discover and acquire rare vehicles to purchase on various planets you intend to explore.

Starfield offers unexpectedly detailed character creation and vehicle customization options, giving you the ability to select the layout and specific components for any ship. Furthermore, you can even personalize the paint job for each part of your ship. While exploring planets, you can utilize jetpacks and encounter vast cities during your adventures.

5 Elite: Dangerous

Elite: Dangerous is a game that deviates from conventional primary objectives and instead focuses on a realistic portrayal of its map. As a pilot in your own spaceship, you have the freedom to explore the vast expanse of the Milky Way. Even today, Elite: Dangerous remains one of the most immersive and captivating space exploration games available.

The storyline, breathtaking graphics, and the sensation of piloting a spaceship in Elite: Dangerous remain impressive and captivating. The game is packed with abundant content and showcases some of the finest space combat mechanics available in the sci-fi genre. However, it is worth noting that the game has a steep learning curve due to its intricacies and the need for resource grinding.

6 Evochron: Legacy SE

If you enjoy immersive games that involve spending a significant amount of time in a spaceship, learning to navigate without extensive guidance, and experiencing the realistic effects of gravity on the planets you explore, Evochron: Legacy SE offers all of that and more.

In Evochron: Legacy SE, you have the opportunity to engage in mining, racing, and completing main quests to enhance your ship and weapons. The game features multiple systems to explore and includes gates that reduce travel time. Realism is a key focus, particularly when it comes to piloting your ship, which is why the game provides a comprehensive two-hour tutorial before embarking on any adventures.

7 Spacebourne 2

Spacebourne 2, created by a single developer, stands out as one of the most remarkable space-themed games available. The developer invested significant time in crafting an experience that competes with other contemporary titles such as Starfield and Everspace. This single-player game, built on the Unreal Engine 4, offers an impressive "open-universe" map where players can interact with numerous planets and fly various spaceships, providing hours of immersive enjoyment.

In addition to customizing your own characters, you have the ability to manage and shape the functioning of your established faction in Spacebourne 2. This nuanced game is accessible for newcomers, and the graphics, particularly when transitioning into or out of a planet's orbit, are quite impressive. It's a promising new endeavor that will only enhance further with updates and DLCs as time progresses.

8 Infinity Battlescape

Infinity Battlescape prides itself on its massively multiplayer system, implemented on a seamless and expansive map. The absence of transitions or loading screens ensures uninterrupted gameplay, enhancing the immersive space-travel experience. The game offers superb graphics, with the spaceships exhibiting impressive levels of detail.

In this game, you have the opportunity to earn resources and purchase your own spacecraft, allowing you to engage in battles with other players either on or near accurately scaled and massive planets. The space battles and combat mechanics are undeniably some of the game's strongest aspects, and the ability to partake in wars alongside hundreds of players on the server significantly intensifies the stakes.