We all love a good alien invasion story. The entertainment industry has given us countless examples of these apocalyptic events occurring in movies and television shows. However, video games also have a fair share of alien invasion stories to tell across a variety of different genres. From the classics like Space Invaders to more grounded and political alien stories such as Mass Effect, here’s a look at 10 of the best alien invasion video games that you need to play if you haven’t already.
Before we begin, the selections on this list were compiled from a variety of different sources, general lists and message boards which discuss what the best and most popular games revolving around alien invasions are. They’re also purely opinions so we’ve hand-picked some of our favourites from the enormous list of them which you can read right here. The following list is also compiled from 10-1, with 1 being the most recommended.
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10 Best Alien Invasion Video Games You Need to Play
10. Space Invaders
We’re starting off the list with an absolute classic alien invasion game. Space Invaders was released in 1978 and found success in arcades around the world. The premise is fairly simple and straight-forward: you need to man a laser cannon on the ground and shoot various hovering aliens above. Certainly dated by today’s standards, you can’t help but love just how addictive Space Invaders is and it’s worth dusting off the old emulator for.
9. XCOM 2
While the XCOM series isn’t exactly a household name in gaming, it’s arguably one of the best RTS alien invasion games of its kind. XCOM 2, in particular, is definitely one that players need to try if they’re looking for a little more strategy when defending Earth from alien occupation. Taking control as the commander of XCOM military organisation, players must command a squad of soldiers to fend off waves of alien hordes and complete multiple primary and secondary objectives.
8. Duke Nukem 3D
Going for something a little less serious, Duke Nukem 3D is everything you could want in a classic first-person shooter about a snarky protagonist, snarling aliens and more one-liners than an 80s action movie – all rolled into one. While the Duke Nukem brand has fallen off (in spectacular fashion, I might add) over the decades, the 90s delivered a fast-paced, memorable and endlessly entertaining cheesy sci-fi action romp that’s hard not to love.
7. Saints Row 4
Sticking on the “don’t take it seriously” train, Saints Row 4 was the biggest deviation from the series to date. Playing as the President of the United States, players acquire superpowers and must defend Earth from an invading alien force. What started out as your standard GTA clone quickly morphed into one of the most absurd video games and franchises ever conceived – but we’re gonna be honest, it’s still a lot of fun to play.
6. Prey
While Earth is not really at threat in Arkane’s 2017 reimagining of Prey, it’s all about the tense, claustrophobic thrills of being stuck on a space station quickly being overrun by strange alien lifeforms. Taking a more grounded approach to your usual sci-fi action game, Prey paced itself like a taut thriller where survival was crucial. It wasn’t exactly critically acclaimed at launch but over the years, Prey has become much more appreciated by gamers for what it aimed to achieve.
5. Crysis
If you want to deal with an alien invasion while wearing powered up suits and using advanced weaponry, look no further than Crytek’s Crysis. Notorious for tanking PCs, the first Crysis set the stage perfectly for players to tear through creatively designed alien enemies with high-tech gadgets and an impressive arsenal at your disposal. As a whole, the Crysis trilogy holds up remarkably well and it’s worth picking up the remastered bundle today on modern consoles.
4. Resistance
Before Insomniac Games became associated with Marvel, it was dropping smash hits such as the Ratchet & Clank franchise and the Resistance trilogy. Back when Sony gave a damn about first-person shooters that aren’t Call of Duty, Resistance was one of the big selling points for PlayStation 3 owners looking for their FPS fix. As the story goes, shortly after World War 2, humanity was invaded by aliens which created an interesting amalgamation of classic and futuristic weapons. The trilogy is a must-play today (assuming you have access to it).
3. Destroy All Humans!
Instead of playing as the human heroes fighting off an alien invasion for once, you are the alien in Destroy All Humans! and your whole purpose is to invade and harvest life on Earth. Granted, it’s more of a spoof of classic alien invasion movies from decades ago but that doesn’t change the fact that Destroy All Humans! is simply a blast to play. To sweeten the deal, THQ Nordic remade the first game for modern consoles a few years ago and it’s the quintessential way to play this off-kilter, quirky alien game now.
2. Half-Life
The entire critically acclaimed Half-Life series from Valve deals with its own unique idea of an alien invasion via another dimension. Players assume the role of silent protagonist Gordon Freeman who is tasked with preventing aliens from pouring into our world. Of course, there are multiple layers to the story that go beyond just “stop the alien bad guys”, but that’s what makes Half-Life such an unforgettable masterpiece in gaming – and one that you should experience for yourself to believe.
1. Mass Effect Legendary Edition
Mass Effect Legendary Edition compiles and remasters BioWare’s phenomenal Mass Effect trilogy in one comprehensive package. Part action-packed alien invasion game and part political sci-fi drama with romantic tension, the Mass Effect series tells the story of biomechanical behemoths called Reapers that invade the known universe. The opening of Mass Effect 3, in particular, is a memorable look at the devastation that follows a galactic invasion of this scale. Charming, addictive and gripping from beginning to end, the Mass Effect trilogy deserves your undivided attention.
