10 Games with a sci-fi setting like Dead Space (2008) that you should try

Games like Dead Space (2008) · Find similar →

We filtered the 41 games similar to Dead Space (2008) down to the 10 that fit the “Sci-Fi” category. Alan Wake's American Nightmare, Vital Shell and Half-Life: Alyx - Final Hours top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Dead Space (2008).

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GenreHorrorSubgenreSurvival Horror

The best games with a sci-fi setting like Dead Space (2008)

10 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Dead Space (2008). Each one has been evaluated across 18 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

Alan Wake's American Nightmare

50 similarity to Dead Space (2008)

NGL71

Closest overall match

GenreHorrorSubgenreAction Horror

SoloMeleeRangedNarrativeDarkHorrorSci-FiThird Person

Year 2012Dev Remedy Entertainment · Microsoft StudiosPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Xbox

If Dead Space (2008) worked for you because of horror tension, strong narrative focus and melee combat, the same is here. To that it adds a sci-fi setting and single-player focus. They part company on genre.

Released 4 years after Dead Space (2008).

Combat100Game mode100Tone100Visuals100Setting77Genre50

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Vital Shell

36 similarity to Dead Space (2008)

NGL94

GenreHorrorSubgenreAction Horror

SoloMeleeNarrativeDarkHorrorSci-Fi

Year 2023Dev CC Arts · CC ARTSPlaytime ~1hOn PC

Its point of contact with Dead Space (2008) is horror tension, strong narrative focus and melee combat. Both also lean on a sci-fi setting and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and genre — its own ground is roguelike runs and a top-down view.

Released 15 years after Dead Space (2008).

Game mode100Tone100Setting77Combat70Genre50Visuals0

Half-Life: Alyx - Final Hours

36 similarity to Dead Space (2008)

NGL94

Closest on setting

GenreHorrorSubgenreAction Horror

SoloRangedMeleeNarrativeDarkHorrorSci-Fi

Year 2020Dev Valve Software · ValvePlaytime ~5hOn PC

With Dead Space (2008) it shares horror tension, strong narrative focus and ranged combat. Both also lean on a sci-fi setting and single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and genre — its own ground is a first-person view.

Released 12 years after Dead Space (2008).

Combat100Game mode100Tone100Setting78Genre50Visuals0

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Half-Life: Alyx

36 similarity to Dead Space (2008)

NGL93

GenreHorrorSubgenreAction Horror

SoloRangedMeleeNarrativeDarkHorrorSci-Fi

Year 2020Dev Valve Software · ValvePlaytime ~5hOn PC

The thread back to Dead Space (2008) runs through horror tension, strong narrative focus and ranged combat. Both also lean on single-player focus and a sci-fi setting. The distance is in visuals and genre — its own ground is a first-person view.

Released 12 years after Dead Space (2008).

Combat100Game mode100Tone100Setting78Genre50Visuals0

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I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream

36 similarity to Dead Space (2008)

NGL89

GenreHorrorSubgenrePsychological Horror

SoloNarrativeDarkHorrorSci-FiThird Person

Year 1995Dev The Dreamers Guild · Acclaim EntertainmentOn Xbox · PS4 · Linux

With Dead Space (2008) it shares horror tension, strong narrative focus and a sci-fi setting. To that it adds single-player focus and a third-person camera. They part company on genre and setting: this one brings post-apocalyptic world.

It predates Dead Space (2008) by 13 years, with what that implies technically.

Game mode100Tone100Visuals87Setting65Genre50

Iron Lung

35 similarity to Dead Space (2008)

NGL92

GenreHorrorSubgenrePsychological Horror

SoloNarrativeDarkHorrorSci-FiExploration

Year 2022Dev David SzymanskiOn PC · PS5 · Switch

What carries over from Dead Space (2008) is horror tension, strong narrative focus and a sci-fi setting. The common ground extends to exploration and discovery, and single-player focus. Where the two diverge is visuals and progression: deep simulation and a first-person view.

Released 14 years after Dead Space (2008).

Game mode100Tone100Setting78Genre50Progression40Visuals0

Stories Untold

34 similarity to Dead Space (2008)

NGL83

GenreHorrorSubgenrePsychological Horror

SoloNarrativeDarkHorrorSci-Fi

Year 2017Dev No Code · Devolver DigitalOn PS4 · PC · Mac

With Dead Space (2008) it shares horror tension, strong narrative focus and a sci-fi setting. The common ground extends to single-player focus. Where they diverge is genre.

Released 9 years after Dead Space (2008).

Game mode100Tone100Setting78Genre50

Close to the Sun

30 similarity to Dead Space (2008)

NGL68

GenreHorrorSubgenrePsychological Horror

SoloNarrativeDarkSci-FiHorror

Year 2019Dev Storm in a Teacup · Wired ProductionsOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

The thread back to Dead Space (2008) runs through horror tension, strong narrative focus and a sci-fi setting. Both also lean on single-player focus. The distance is in visuals and genre — its own ground is a first-person view.

Released 11 years after Dead Space (2008).

Game mode100Tone100Setting77Genre50Visuals0

Oxenfree

30 similarity to Dead Space (2008)

NGL86

GenreHorrorSubgenrePsychological Horror

SoloNarrativeDarkSci-FiHorror

Year 2016Dev Night School StudioOn PS4 · Linux · Android

With Dead Space (2008) it shares horror tension, strong narrative focus and a sci-fi setting. To that it adds single-player focus. They part company on visuals and genre: this one brings deep RPG systems and fantasy world.

Released 8 years after Dead Space (2008).

Game mode100Tone100Setting67Genre50Visuals0

Observer

30 similarity to Dead Space (2008)

NGL77

GenreHorrorSubgenrePsychological Horror

SoloNarrativeDarkHorrorSci-Fi

Year 2017Dev Bloober Team · Aspyr MediaOn PS4 · Linux · PC

It meets Dead Space (2008) on horror tension, strong narrative focus and a sci-fi setting. To that it adds single-player focus. They part company on visuals and genre: this one brings a cyberpunk setting and a first-person view.

Released 9 years after Dead Space (2008).

Game mode100Tone100Setting54Genre50Visuals0

More similar-games lists to keep going

Found one on the list you already love? Open its own list: the games that play most like it, ranked, with the reason for each.

Explore games similar to Dead Space (2008) by category

If Dead Space (2008) left you wanting more, this is where you narrow it down. Was it the survival or the third-person shooter that hooked you? There is a list of just that. And if you play on Nintendo Switch, PS5, PlayStation, Xbox and Mobile, filter by platform and skip the games you could not play anyway.

Rankings in the same genre

Sometimes what you want is not a Dead Space (2008) look-alike but simply the best Horror Games there are. That is what these rankings are for: no comparison to anything, just the highest-rated games.

The 20 Best Horror Games (2026)