Summary
- Games like Elden Ring and Green Hell allow very little reprieve from hostiles.
- Control illness and thirst and avoid enemies in Miasmata.
- Prolong life against the undead in 7 Days to Die and Project Zomboid.
Nothing quite beats the adrenaline rush of narrowly escaping defeat in a video game. Overcoming a tough foe after a grueling battle gives such a sense of relief and accomplishment, causing most players to need a moment of respite to regroup and recover for the next challenge.
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Not all games allow for that kind of reprieve, throwing more hostiles at players around every corner, with some spending the entire time actively pursuing the protagonist. Sometimes, even the weather conditions or the main character’s ailing body can be life-threatening. Many players love such a challenge, so here are some of the best open-world games where everything is trying to kill you, ranked based on a combination of the game’s overall quality and popularity.
8 Sons Of The Forest
An Island Infested By Cannibals & Mutants
Sons of the Forest
- Released
- February 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Endnight Games
- Genre(s)
- Survival, Open-World, Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Following on from the survival horror game The Forest, Sons of the Forest puts players on the enigmatic island known as Site 2 in search of a missing CEO and his family. The player-character, Jack, becomes stranded as his helicopter is shot down, forcing him to try and survive in this hostile environment while still carrying out the intended mission.
While there are a few friendly NPCs, plus the option of assistance from friends in multiplayer gameplay, it’s ultimately very difficult to survive on this island. The large map is filled with cannibalistic tribes, mutant creatures, and other sinister figures, plus players must maintain their thirst and hunger levels, as well as get plenty of rest.
7 7 Days To Die
Endure Hordes Of Zombies
7 Days to Die
- Released
- June 28, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- The Fun Pimps
- Platform(s)
- Linux, macOS, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Weak
One of the most popular open-world zombie apocalypse games on the market, 7 Days to Die takes place in the dangerous land of Navezgane. Player safety is already under threat from the very beginning, when players must scavenge for food and shelter while avoiding the undead. Finding or crafting weapons is crucial to survival, especially when the large hordes of zombies arrive every seventh night.
The world can be a danger even without hostile enemies, with destructible buildings, illness, dehydration, and starvation all posing a threat. Players may encounter friendly traders around Navezgane who can buy and sell goods and offer quests. Plus, multiplayer is an option, but ultimately, the mortal dangers vastly outnumber any potential reprieve granted by allies.
6 Project Zomboid
Stay Alive For As Long As Possible
Project Zomboid
- Released
- November 8, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- The Indie Stone
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC
Death is inevitable in Project Zomboid, but it’s up to the player to prolong their life for as long as possible in a fictionalized version of Kentucky plagued by swarms of the undead. The narrative is largely player-driven, as they are dropped into one of the four towns, with different traits and the character’s occupation having some impact on spawn location.
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Apart from the regular human needs like hunger and thirst, players must also contend with fatigue and boredom, all of which can add extra layers of difficulty when in combat. Fortunately, the zombies are slow moving, but those seeking a challenge can set the zombie movement speed higher and increase the transmissibility of the virus, among other difficulty tweaks.
5 Noita
Roguelike Inspired By Finnish Mythology
Noita
- Released
- October 15, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Nolla Games
- Genre(s)
- Platformer, Roguelike
- Platform(s)
- PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The fast-paced and frantic roguelike Noita stars a witch in a potentially infinite procedurally generated world. Every pixel is destructible, and enemies await around every corner and in every crevice, so learning new spells to tackle the many dangers is critical.
The various monsters, creatures, and characters are inspired by Finnish mythology, many of which are taken directly from the national epic, Kalevala. Many different biomes present their unique challenges and contain many secrets to uncover. Not only are the enemies themselves dangerous, but environmental threats lurk in the shadows, like drowning, burning, and suffocation, plus some deadly traps can catch careless and unobservant players.
4 Miasmata
Stave Off Disease And Avoid A Mysterious Creature
Miasmata
- Released
- November 28, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
In Miasmata, Robert Hughes is afflicted by a life-threatening illness and hopes to find his colleagues at a scientific outpost on a seemingly uninhabited island, but things are not quite as he expected. A real test of the player’s patience, Miasmata requires that the protagonist reduces the effects of his disease while ultimately trying to find a cure.
Each day is a struggle, and the plague causes dehydration to be a constant issue. Not only that, but a strange and highly aggressive creature is constantly lurking in vegetation and behind corners, so Robert must employ stealth as he scavenges to avoid confrontation. Navigation is not so simple, requiring manual triangulation from the player as they fill in the map, and even the slightest fall can cause severe disorientation.
3 Green Hell
Employ Realistic Survival Techniques In The Amazon Rainforest
Green Hell
- Released
- September 5, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Crude Humor, Strong Language, Use of Drugs, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Creepy Jar
- Genre(s)
- Survival
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Stranded deep in the Amazon Rainforest, anthropologist Jake Higgins must do what he can to stay alive as he attempts to rescue his wife in Green Hell. Not only are there venomous and hostile animals waiting to strike, but Jake must also contend with a belligerent tribe that seems to be holding his wife captive.
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Building a shelter or base is vital if anyone wishes to survive in this tropical deathtrap, and weapons need to be crafted, too. Hunger is an issue once again, but there is a particular importance placed on nutrition, with a smartwatch giving an alert about which nutrients Jake is lacking, potentially leading to side effects like hallucinations and illness. At least it’s possible to farm and even pet some animals to add some brevity to proceedings.
2 Subnautica
Living Underwater On An Alien Planet
Subnautica
- Released
- January 23, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ for Everyone 10+: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
After surviving a spaceship crash on an alien planet known as 4546B, Ryley Robinson is stranded and must explore, doing whatever is necessary to survive and escape. This is Subnautica, which is certainly not a game for players with fears of open water, large sea creatures, and darkness, among many others.
There are many monsters in the briny deep stalking their prey, and the usual survival needs like growing food and finding drinkable water must be managed, but oxygen also plays a part here. Pressure can also be a concern, requiring that players build resistant suits if they wish to explore deeper and further from the safety of their constructed bases. Gluttons for punishment even play in hardcore mode, which gives no warning of low oxygen levels and features a permadeath mechanic.
1 Elden Ring
FromSoftware’s Brutal Open-World Entry
Elden Ring
- Released
- February 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The Lands Between offer little comfort to the Tarnished as they battle through swathes of enemies, bosses, and even NPCs in their quest to repair the Elden Ring and become the Elden Lord. Each of the game’s six fully explorable areas is littered with combative monsters and gargantuan bosses waiting to slaughter the player.
Some NPCs are not immediately hostile, but they can be battled to win their weapons, armor, and other assorted prizes. Even when being peaceful with them, some will battle players as part of a final gauntlet in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, and others will fight players for various reasons, such as betrayal or challenging to a duel, in the case of Iron Fist Alexander.
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