10 of the best space opera games ever

Best space games – Phantasy Star Online (2001, Dreamcast)

Sega's ill-fated Dreamcast brought online role-playing to the keyboardless masses with Phantasy Star Online, showing developers the way forward before gallantly stepping aside/ collapsing to let other platforms collect the glory.

We loved Phantasy Star Online for many reasons, but primarily because it let you meet up with your mates and whale away at monsters with a frying pan to a lounge-jazz-electro soundtrack. There's not enough of that nowadays.