Summary
Aliens and UFOs have been the backbone of sci-fi literature, movies, TV shows, and of course, there are a great manysci-fi video games, for decades. UFOs are generally portrayed as the traditional flying saucer type, which has been part of the global psyche since the 1940s.
Some games incorporate UFOs as transport for alien incursions. Others expand on them, turning them into mechanical adversaries in their own right. Either way, these alien spaceships are always a threat. The best games that feature UFOs use them in unique ways, such as turning a crashed UFO into a scenario for a mission, as aboss encounter, or by using them to force players into certain strategic decisions.
As aliens in video games go, few have been as sinister as Crypto, the main villain inDestroy All Humans!Crypto has been sent to Earth in the 1950s, and lands his UFO in America. His task is to harvest Human DNA. His UFO is equipped with plenty of alien technology, such as tractor beams to abduct humans and a death ray.
The game is intentionally humorous, despite itsdark theme. Gameplay takes place on an open-world map, and exploration is key to progressing in the game. The game is literally dripping with cheesy UFO tropes, which makes it really fun to play.
Depending on the region where this game was released, it is either known asX-COM: UFO Defense, orUFO: Enemy Unknown. Despite two different names, it is the same game. This is the classic, first installment in theX-COM, later changed toXCOM, franchise.
In thisstrategy game, players are tasked with managing a team known as the Global Defence Initiative. Their mission; intercepting and neutralizing alien UFO incursions. The game features a combination of strategy gameplay on the world map, and also tactical gameplay, with turn-based combat at UFO sites.
Players ofEarth Defense Force 5are expected to fight off an alien invasion. All of the action takes place in third-person in this game, and the battles can be pure chaos at times. The UFOs that the player is expected to tackle are simply huge.
The player has access to a range of weapons and also vehicles to choose from, and picking the right tool for the job is often pivotal in some scenarios.Earth Defense Force 5isn’t a particularly complex game, but it does what it does very well, and is a fun take on UFO and alien-inspired games.
The second installment of the renownedMass Effectfranchise,Mass Effect 2continues Shepard’s journey, and this includes some encounters with the mysterious aliens known as the Collectors. The Collector UFOs are huge, dangerous ships, which at times in the game, become terrible enemies.
The Collector ships are not just enemies inMass Effect 2though. They also help to move the story forward, and are a key component of thenarrative-driven plot. Overall, even though UFOs and alien themes are not the sum total of Mass Effect 2, these new encounters with the Collectors do spice up the game.
The Frontis an intriguing game in many respects. Part survival game, part base building game, part tower defense game, but a team-based, multiplayer tactical shooter at heart. Players compete for control of the map, on foot, in vehicles, and in aircraft.
UFOs provide one of the core gameplay mechanics inThe Front. The game’s lore hints at multidimensional and temporal travel, and it is UFOs exploiting this lore that deliver loot crates. At any time, players will be able to see multiple UFOs on the map, with a beam of light pointing downwards to a loot crate.
Elite Dangeroushas had its ups and downs since its launch. However, in recent years, the game has seen something of a resurgence, boosting player numbers, which had been dropping. Much of the cause of rising player numbers has been the excellent in-game events that have been emerging.
One such event has been the invasion of huge alien UFOs, which began with a Thargoid incursion, and resulted in the Thargoid Titans locking down certain systems. Players have needed to work together to build new technology capable of taking these behemoths down. The ongoing battles, taking down each Titan in turn, have been exciting and rewarding.
Phoenix Pointis a tactical,turn-based combatgame, with a deep and complex strategy layer on top. It is considered by many as the pinnacle of the genre, with every mechanic being sensibly integrated to create a game that is greater than the sum of its parts.
InPhoenix Point, humanity is fighting against an alien incursion, and UFOs play a central part of the plot, indeed, strategizing how to deal with the increasing number of incursions is the primary goal of the game. Players must use espionage, diplomacy, and good old-fashioned brute force to defend the Earth from this alien threat.
XCOM 2marks the end of the classicXCOMfranchise, aside from the poorly received title Chimera Squad, which moves away from the tried and tested strategy format. Combat is turn-based, and quite frustrating at times due to the harsh RNG. Strategic gameplay takes place on the global map, asXCOMattempts to defeat alien forces.
UFOs are a huge part ofXCOM 2, with many mission scenarios requiring the player to guide their team into a crashed UFO, defeat the aliens, and successfully withdraw with pockets full of alien technology for research or trade.
