Sci-fi
Science fiction, or sci-fi, is a genre of fiction that focuses on the future of humanity and its relationship to technology. It frequently deals with themes of what it means to be human, the importance of science and technology, and the way it changes our relationship to the world around us--or doesn't. Science fiction roleplaying games often feature space travel, alien species, exploration, and high-tech gadgets that allow heroes to perform feats indistinguishable from magic. They can range from "hard" sci-fi, which stays grounded in scientific reality, to "soft" sci-fi, or science fantasy, which uses the aesthetics of science fiction to explore scientific concepts without being bound by our current understanding.
Popular Sci-fi RPGs
Lancer
Lancer is set 15,000 years from the present day, where a revolutionary interplanetary state, Union, struggles to win a better world for the whole of humanity. You’ll not see the project complete, but you’ll put your shoulder to the wheel, struggle, and advance. There are many pilots in the galaxy, but only one of you. Your character is a lancer, a mech ace renowned for their skill in their machine. Developed half a millennia prior to the current day of Lancer’s setting, mechanized chassis — mechs — have redefined how war is fought across the Orion Arm. Under your command, your mech is a weapon unparalleled, and with your mech and your comrades by your side, you’ll write your own story.
:Otherscape
In the not-so-distant future, the constant bombardment of technological stimuli, known as the Noise, have made human minds so overloaded and numb, that previously hidden occult forces can now operate in the open. :Otherscape is a fantasy-cyberpunk role-playing game that combines supernatural powers inspired by mythology and legend with the gritty neon-lit streets of a sprawling futuristic Megacity. It takes your game group on a rollercoaster ride of gunfights, vehicle chases, cyberspace heists, urban wasteland exploration, clashes of mythology and technology, faction wars, and philosophical questions about the nature of being human — and how to transcend it.
CY_BORG
The world is ending. ⸐ Again and again and again and again and again a̶n̴͗d̵̥͒ ̸̎ă̶ġ̸a̵̢͗i̶͙̓n̸̡̔ ă̵̢̫̥̺̻̞n̵͔̽̿̏̓͋͠͝d̴̢̪̟͊ ̵̡̺̖̰̯͖̞̓̑̐̈́̍̋a̶̤̘̖͗͐̀̔̚̚g̴̛͇̻̦̻͇̲̈́̏à̷̩̫͒ḯ̷̡̱̀̀̀͠ṇ̶̦̔͜. Constantly in flux; shifting, distorting, always reborn as something worse. Destruction by ecological catastrophes, the fallout of history’s belligerence; by modern man-made Miseries or the blood spilled by the reckless machine of capitalist supremacy. Mankind’s greatest ability truly is to destroy itself in creative ways. Designer demise, consumer-customized death, endlessly on repeat. Poisonous space rocks, nuclear weapons, cyclical revolutions, warring nations, warring corporations, warring neighbors; pandemics, tsunamis, volcanoes. In between it all: direct person-machine interfaces, tactical neural implants, and bacteria from outer space hijacking intercellular nanorobotics. And the sky is full of ads. Everyone is interfaced/injected/infected/infested with something. Everyone wants something from everyone else. Everyone is a liar and a cheat. Everyone wants more creds. Welcome to the year 20X3. Welcome to the City of Y!̸͆̅̌”̶͌̉#̸͇̞̻̌̚”̶̨̻̘̇̉̊͆̈́͒̌̆̓̕͜#̶̖̣̘̻͖̥͕̙̀̃̈́́̄̕̕͜͠2̶̧̻̺̝̥̮̣̒͒̂͐͐̍́́͘̕̕4̴̿̌’̷̛̙͍̠̙̿ The Cy.
Mutant: Year Zero
Mutant: Year Zero takes you to the world after the great Apocalypse. Humanity’s proud civilization has fallen. The cities are dead wastelands, winds sweeping along empty streets turned into graveyards. But life remains. Among the ruins, the People live. You are the heirs of humanity – but not quite human anymore. Your bodies and minds are capable of superhuman feats. You are mutants.
Dune: Adventures in the Imperium
The Dune: Adventures in the Imperium roleplaying game takes you into a far future beyond anything you have imagined, where fear is the mind killer so be sure to keep your wits about you. The Imperium is a place of deadly duels, feudal politics, and mysterious abilities, noble Houses politic constantly for power, influence, and vengeance in a universe where a blade can change the fortunes of millions. Build your House, carve your place in the universe or rebuild an ancient lineage and fight for the Imperial throne. Take your characters on a journey through the storied worlds of Frank Herbert's sci-fi masterpiece, inhabit elite agents working for noble Houses where Mentats, Swordmasters, Spies, Bene Gesserit Sisters, Devious Advisors, or even desert Fremen join together to follow your banner. Whoever you choose to be, remember that those that control the spice control the universe.
Star Trek Adventures - Second Edition
The Star Trek Adventures roleplaying game takes you to the final frontier! From the 21st through to the 32nd century, join Starfleet, the Klingon Empire, the Romulan Star Empire, and countless other civilizations, and journey across the Star Trek universe with your crew. Explore strange new worlds, encounter fantastical alien life-forms, and engage in dramatic adventures in a detailed and immersive Galaxy. Tell your stories and unravel the mysteries of the unknown!
Cyberpunk Red
You’ve played the Cyberpunk 2077 video game, you’ve watched all of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, what comes next? Cyberpunk RED is a different take on Night City, one that you play with your imagination and with friends. Cyberpunk RED is a tabletop RPG, or TTRPG, game. In it, you and friends create characters that try to survive and thrive in the dark world of Cyberpunk. You can wield weapons, hack, and augment yourself with implants just like in the video game. In fact, Cyberpunk 2077 takes a lot of inspiration from the TTRPG. Cyberpunk RED bridges the gap between the classic Cyberpunk 2020 TTRPG and Cyberpunk 2077 by placing its adventures largely in the 2040s.
Star Trek Adventures - First Edition
Welcome to your new assignment, Captain. Your continuing mission, to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before… Star Trek Adventures takes you to the Final Frontier of the Galaxy, where new discoveries await keen explorers of Starfleet. Your duties may take you to the edges of known space, or to Federation colonies in need, to the borders of neighbouring galactic powers or into the eye of interstellar phenomena. Your ship and your crew epitomise the best Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets has to offer, and you are needed more than ever. A new threat looms from across the Gamma Quadrant, as it is confirmed by Commander Sisko and his crew that the Dominion, led by the Founders, represent a significant threat to the Alpha Quadrant. Tension is already high in the region of Bajor and Deep Space 9, as the Maquis continue to act against the Cardassian-Federation peace treaty, with Captain Janeway and the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager preparing for their mission in the Badlands. It is a volatile time for the Federation and new crews have never been in higher demand.
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay takes you back to the Old World. Get the gang together, create your (anti)heroes, and set off to face vile corruption, scheming plotters, and terrifying creatures intent on destruction. The Old World is a grim and perilous place. Its vast mountain ranges are teeming with warlike Orcs and Goblins. The deep forests are the home of marauding Beastmen. The corrupting force of Chaos leeches into the world, the result of a tragic accident when the world was young. The insidious taint of Chaos leaves folk hideously altered, and liable to seek solace in the worship of Daemons and the Ruinous Powers of the Chaos gods. The followers of Chaos gather in the north, armies of reavers and monsters that threaten to overwhelm the world. But they also reside in secret in the towns and cities of the Old World: an enemy within plotting to overthrow civilization and establish their own regime in its place. Nations such as the Empire stand defiant against the darkness. Its people come from all walks of life, from landed aristocracy to the urban poor. Most are heedless of the true dangers that beset their world; they imagine themselves safe within city walls and merely try to make a good living for themselves. But there are those adventurous folk who, driven through desperation or ambition, seek to confront dangers and win renown.
Starfinder
Gather a crew of expert spacefarers, with a diverse set of origins and skills, get a ship and fly the stars! Starfinder is a tabletop roleplaying game, or TTRPG, of heroic science-fantasy adventure. Players take on the roles of fantasy creatures familiar or alien, and adopt one of over a dozen character classes with various skills and powers, from the battle-hardened Soldier and savvy Mechanic, to the space-wizard Mystic and stellar-powered Solarian! One player, the Game Master (GM) plays as the rest of the vast universe, including the player characters’ allies and opposition, and presents scenarios and obstacles for them to overcome. The players decide on a course of action using their characters’ skills, magic spells, or equipment—the only limit on what they can attempt is their imagination! Often, they’ll need to roll dice to find out whether they succeed or fail. But no matter what, the players’ choices result in a unique story of which they are both author and audience. For this reason, TTRPGs are often considered games of collaborative storytelling.
Tales From the Loop
Roleplaying in the ’80s That Never Was: In 1954, the Swedish government ordered the construction of the world’s largest particle accelerator. The facility was complete in 1969, located deep below the pastoral countryside of Mälaröarna. The local population called this marvel of technology The Loop. In this roleplaying game, you play teenagers in the late 1980s, solving Mysteries connected to the Loop. Choose between character Types such as the Bookworm, the Troublemaker, the Popular Kid and the Weirdo. Everyday Life is full of nagging parents, never-ending homework and classmates bullying and being bullied. Explore the secrets of the Loop in two main game settings – one based on the Swedish Mälaren Islands, the other on Boulder City, Nevada. The Mysteries let the characters encounter the strange machines and weird creatures that have come to haunt the countryside after the Loop was built. The kids get to escape their everyday problems and be part of something meaningful and magical – but also dangerous.
Fallout: The Roleplaying Game
How will you re-shape the world? Will you join with a plucky band of survivors to fight off all comers and carve out your own settlement? Will you team up with pre-existing factions like the Brotherhood of Steel or Super Mutants to enforce your own ideals on the wasteland? Ghoul or robot, paladin or raider, it’s your choice - and the consequences are yours. Create your own survivors, super mutants, ghouls, and even Mister Handy robots, and immerse yourselves in the iconic post-nuclear apocalyptic world, while gamemasters guide their group through unique Fallout stories. This 2d20 edition of Fallout is as close to the bottlecap-bartering, wasteland wandering, Brotherhood battling excitement of Fallout you can get.
Death in Space
The world is broken. In a collapsing universe, your crew is your only family. Death in Space takes you to a grimy blue-collar future in a universe filled with risk, but also opportunity. Death in Space is a game about adventure and uncertain journeys out into the darkness of space, where the void whispers to the unlucky and imbues travelers’ bodies with strange powers. It is about you and your crew making a home of your spacecraft or station, your only sanctuary in a dangerous universe. Most of all, it is about surviving in an abandoned frontier system where resources are scarce, and competition is fierce. Engage in power struggles and build your crew’s reputation. Salvage and steal to endure a ruthless universe. And above all, do anything you can to get that next job. Your life will depend on it.
Scum and Villainy
Unwise deals. Blaster fights. High adventure among the stars. Welcome to the world of Scum and Villainy. Scum and Villainy is a Forged in the Dark game about a spaceship crew trying to make ends meet under the iron-fisted rule of the Galactic Hegemony. Work with the members of your crew to thrive despite powerful criminal syndicates, warring noble families, dangerous aliens, and strange mystics. Explore the ruins of lost civilizations for fun and profit. Can your motley crew hold it together long enough to strike it big and insure your fame across the sector?
Power Rangers Roleplaying Game
Become a Power Ranger and protect Angel Grove and the Earth against the evil forces of Rita Repulsa, Lord Zedd, Master Vile, and more in the epic world of Power Rangers! Whether you interrupt Rita’s monster attacks in her attempt of world domination or defeat the forces of the Machine Empire from invading Earth, there is no limit to the heroic stories you will tell. In the Power Rangers Roleplaying Game, create your ultimate Power Ranger persona by combining personal traits, childhood influences, and your chosen Ranger color to make a hero worthy of the Power!
Blade Runner: The Roleplaying Game
A neon-noir wonderland that’ll take your breath away. One way or another. An evocative world of conflicts and contrasts that dares to ask the hard questions and investigate the powers of empathy, the poisons of fear, and the burdens of being human during inhumane times. An iconic and unforgiving playground of endless possibilities that picks you up, slaps you in the face, and tells you to wake up. Time to live. Or time to die. Blade Runner The Roleplaying Game propels you into the streets of Los Angeles as Blade Runners with unique specialties, personalities – and memories. The game pushes the boundaries of investigative gameplay in tabletop RPGs, giving you a range of tools to solve an array of cases far beyond retiring Replicants. Beyond the core casework, the RPG showcases the key themes of Blade Runner – sci-fi action, corporate intrigue, existential character drama, and moral conflict. It challenges you to question your friends, empathize with your enemies, and explore the poisons and perseverance of hope and humanity during inhumane times.
Alien: The Roleplaying Game
The official ALIEN tabletop roleplaying game pits a crew of space truckers, scientists marines, synthetic human androids, corporate stooges, and other explorers against the cold, harsh void and the lurking horrors that haunt it. Save your oxygen—in space, no one can hear you scream.
Coriolis – The Third Horizon
Coriolis – The Third Horizon is a science fiction role playing game set in a remote cluster of star systems called The Third Horizon. It is a place ravaged by conflicts and war, but also home to proud civilizations, both new and old. Here, the so called First Come colonists of old worship the Icons, while the newly arrived Zenithians pursue an aggressive imperialistic agenda through trade and military power.
Cypher System
Cypher System is a groundbreaking tabletop game engine that allows for incredible flexibility to play any type of campaign, in any genre. One can play in the system’s flagship setting “Numenera” or in the worlds of popular podcasts such as “The Magnus Archives” and “Old Gods of Appalachia”. Additional settings can include Post-apocalyptic, sci fi, fantasy, cyberpunk, horror– if you can name it the Cypher System has it! Regardless of the genre, Cypher System games feature a narrative forward play experience that emphasizes discovery, problem solving, character growth, and meaningful roleplay over defeating monsters and getting XP. Character creation is simple yet elegant, as players make a three-part sentence describing who they are going to play. The rules are simple enough for beginners to learn quickly, and sophisticated and deep enough for veterans to unleash their creativity in surprising new ways.
Star Wars RPG by Fantasy Flight Games
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a heroic group of spacefarers faced the forces of evil in an epic struggle that still inspires us today! The Star Wars Roleplaying Game offers the opportunity to play out a fantastical space opera in one of the most beloved universes of all time. The Star Wars Roleplaying Game is a tabletop game played with pen, paper, and a set of special dice where players can create their own Jedi, scoundrel, alien, bounty hunter, and lots more to play out adventures in the world of the Star Wars films. One player, the Game Master (GM), acts as the rest of the galaxy, playing as the characters’ allies and enemies, and creating scenarios and obstacles for them to overcome. Published by Fantasy Flight Games, the Star Wars Roleplaying Game is composed of three intercompatible games designed for different settings: Edge of the Empire, for playing smugglers and bounty hunters like Han Solo or Boba Fett; Age of Rebellion for playing rebel freedom fighters against the Galactic Empire like Luke Skywalker and Poe Dameron; and Force and Destiny for playing Jedi fleeing from the Empire’s reach, like Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Frequently asked questions about Sci-fi
Blog links about Sci-fi
8 Sci-Fi TTRPG Recommendations
A perfect starter pack of roleplaying games for fans of Star Wars, Star Trek, 80s movies, anime, and more!
8 Space TTRPGs to Take You to Infinity and Beyond
Whether you’re looking to fend off aliens, be an alien, pilot a starfighter, or explore unknown worlds, you’ll find something here to suit your needs.
A Guide to the Big Four Star Wars TTRPGs
Looking for the best Star Wars tabletop roleplaying game? We can help.
Sci-fi Reviews and Actual Plays
Dimension 20 Plays A Starstruck Odyssey
Silver in the Stars, a Pirate Borg Space Adventure
Oxventure Plays the Alien RPG
Oxventure creates a (mostly) blue-collar spaceship crew trying to survive in hostile space in the Alien RPG.