10
Sci-Fi RPG systems/settings/core rules
(ttrpg.network)
This is meant to be a non-exhaustive list, in stream-of-consciousness order.
Dedicated systems
- Traveller (in its many incarnations throughout the past nearly 50 years and derivatives such as Cepheus, Hostile)
- 2300 AD (now a setting for Traveller)
- Cyberpunk (2013, 2020, V3.0, Red)
- Paranoia
- Eclipse Phase
- Lancer
- Star Wars roleplaying (different games by different publishers: WEG d6, d20, FFG NDS)
- Warhammer 40K
- 3:16: Carnage Amongst the Stars
- Shadowrun
- Apocalypse World
- Coyote & Crow
- SLA Industries
FATE based systems
- Bulldogs!
- Mindjammer
- Nova Praxis
- Diaspora
- Atomic Robo
OSR/d20 based systems
- Stars Without Number
- Starfinder
- Mothership
- CY_BORG
Year Zero
- Mutant: Year Zero
- Alien: The RPG
- Blade Runner: The RPG
- Coriolis – The Third Horizon
GURPS
A host of modules and supplements named after the subgenre, GURPS-style. GURPS Transhuman Space, Cyberpunk, etc.
Other systems
- Star Trek Adventures (Modiphius 2d20)
- Dune: Adventures in the Imperium (Modiphius 2d20)
- Rifts (Palladium)
- Robotech (Palladium)
Solo friendly
- Stoneburner
- Ironsworn: Starforged (PbtA)
- Hostile (Cepheus/Traveller)
Out of print/No longer developed
- Firefly RPG (Cortex Plus)
- Serenity RPG (Cortex Classic)
- Battlestar Galactica RPG (Cortex Classic)
- Gamma World (D&D)
- Space Opera
- Other Suns
- Albedo
- Space Master
- HARP SF
- Blue Planet
- Ringworld
- Living Steel
- High Colonies
- Jovian Chronicles
- Heavy Gear
- Justifiers
- Star Frontiers
- Universe
- CORPS
Have a suggestion to improve this? Your favorite game missing? Leave a comment.
Strong recommend for Stars Without Number. It’s a great hard sci-fi system if you leave out the optional psychic stuff.
What makes it interesting is that it’s very lethal. A level 5 party can easily get murdered by a group of level 1s if they get trapped or ambushed.
It makes for games where players think hard before committing to combat.
I used it to run a game set in Alastair Reynolds‘ “Revelation Space” universe and it worked well. I chose it because it does not force a very specific sci-fi universe on you. Super happy.
Sounds like you’d like Hostile by Zozer Games. They have a solo version too where you control a crew.