Summary
- Survival games are about freedom of choice, offering engagement in battles and adventures through the accumulation of resources.
- Don't Starve, Starbound, Rust, Pacific Drive, Subnautica, Terraria, Valheim, Grounded, Minecraft, and No Man's Sky are some top survival games.
- Players can enjoy unique features like gothic survival gameplay, shrunken kids in a backyard world, underwater exploration, Viking challenges, and space adventures.
Most survival games put players in rather dire straights right off the bat. Fans of the genre are used to being dropped into the unforgiving wilderness with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and sometimes not even that. These games are all about what players can build and gather for themselves, and how well they can turn hardship into opportunity.
The rewards for keeping oneself alive in these hostile games are often great. As players accumulate more resources, they'll be able to assemble more advanced gear and take on greater challenges, leading to more engaging battles and adventures. These games reward players who put in the time and effort to learn the ropes.
8 Best Survival Games That Let You Play Your Own Way
Survival games come in all shapes and sizes, but the best examples of the genre are often the ones that offer players the most freedom of choice.
10 Don't Starve
Getting Dark
Don't Starve
- Released
- April 23, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Fantasy, Violence, Crude Humor
- Genre(s)
- Survival, Management
Don't Starve and its multiplayer expansion Don't Starve Together take a whimsically gothic approach to the survival genre, with an unmistakable art style inspired by the likes of Tim Burton and Henry Selick. As this dark theme might suggest, these games are not for the faint of heart. The titles feature unforgiving survival mechanics and hostile, dangerous beasts to challenge players.
It will probably take players multiple attempts to learn the ropes, but the rewards are worth it. There are some truly fascinating treasures hidden throughout the world of Don't Starve. Experienced players can manipulate the game's mechanics in remarkable and entertaining ways to gain an edge over this harsh world.
9 Starbound
A Home Among The Stars
Starbound
- Released
- July 22, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Alcohol Reference, Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Sandbox
Starbound sends players out into space, exploring procedurally generated worlds in a desperate quest to avenge the destruction of Earth. Despite this harrowing premise, the game is an inviting, open-ended sandbox, letting fans choose their own path.
Players who stick with the interstellar journey for a long time will discover new opportunities to expand and customize their shuttle, as well as new pieces of gear to aid in exploration. Fans who want to take their adventure even further can explore the game's robust mod support, and go farther than the developers ever expected.
8 Rust
Outlast Your Friends
Rust
- Released
- February 8, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival
Rust is an online-only multiplayer survival game where players are stranded together on a hostile island and must fight to survive and thrive. Players can team up or battle each other for precious resources, while also withstanding hostile creatures and harsh environments.
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One of Rust's biggest claims to fame is its aggressive content update schedule. The developers promise updates every month, which not only include balance and quality upgrades, but can also add new content such as new vehicles and weapons and new areas to explore. Long-time fans have already got plenty of content to sink their teeth into, but the longer they stick around, the more content they'll have to experience.
7 Pacific Drive
The Midnight Ride
Pacific Drive
- Released
- February 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival
Pacific Drive puts players behind the wheel of their survival experience. Fans must survive the Olympic Exclusion Zone, a region in the Pacific Northwest ravaged by mysterious supernatural phenomena, with nothing but their own car to keep them company.
In order to survive the paranormal events surrounding them, players will need to upgrade their car. There are countless customization options available for the vehicle, and the more players work, the more they'll be able to withstand the storms and eventually discover the secrets of the Exclusion Zone.
6 Subnautica
Under the Sea
Subnautica
- Released
- January 23, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Subnautica challenges players to survive in a hostile alien world, without even the comfort of dry land to support them. When the protagonist first crash lands on Planet 4546B, he has nothing but an escape pod to shelter him, and must scavenge food and resources from his waterlogged surroundings.
It takes time for players to get their bearings in Subnautica, but eventually, the mechanics open up. Late-game players can command the seas with advanced vehicles and elaborate subaquatic bases. Of course, if players hope to contend with the menacing Reaper Leviathans that prowl the deep, they'll need every advantage they can get.
5 Terraria
A Grand, Flat Quest
Terraria
- Released
- May 16, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
Terraria has often been likened to a 2D version of Minecraft, and while there are certainly commonalities, this description does a disservice to the depth and complexity of the game. Despite lacking a whole dimension when compared to other survival games, Terraria is far from lacking in content. Players can build elaborate structures, craft new gear, and discover vast, sprawling dungeons in their 2D quest.
One of the biggest draws of Terraria is the bosses. As players progress in their adventures, they'll encounter more and more of these massive, terrifying foes. Bringing these creatures down is the ultimate test of skill for longtime Terraria fans, and a very rewarding quest to undertake.
4 Valheim
For The Gods
Valheim
- Released
- February 2, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- r
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox, Survival
Valheim takes players to a mystical realm where they must prove themselves before Odin in order to ascend to Valhalla. In accordance with the premise, the challenge presented by the game is suitably grand. Players must traverse this elaborate, mystical realm and slay bosses in order to earn Odin's favor, surviving greylings and trolls along the way.
Luckily, the realm of Valheim has plenty of treasures to aid dedicated warriors. Persistent players can work their way up to truly grand armor and powerful weapons fit for the gods themselves, making combat and exploration in later levels an absolute joy. There are also some exotic and intriguing biomes waiting for experienced Vikings to conquer them.
3 Grounded
Little Big Adventure
Grounded
- Released
- September 27, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, RPG
Technically, Grounded's setting is the smallest and least extreme region in the survival genre. But for characters the size of bugs, the game's backyard is still full of danger and excitement. In order to survive and eventually return to full size, Grounded's protagonists must fight to survive against a broad menagerie of hostile bugs.
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As players venture deeper into the yard, their gear will improve. Fans can deck themselves out in recycled insect carapace to help them take out stronger beasts and assemble even more imposing gear. Exploring more of the backyard is a reward in itself. Despite the map's relatively small geographical footprint, there's still a lot of variety, and it's always a delight to see how the developers have worked with the theme to justify a new environment.
2 Minecraft
Advanced Building Degree
Minecraft
- Released
- November 18, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Sandbox, Survival
The legendary Minecraft offers virtually limitless possibilities for constructs and crafts. The game starts simply with basic tools, but as players gain access to iron, diamond, and even Netherite, the options open up. Progressing through the game's traditional survival experience grants access to otherworldly realms like the Nether and the End, as well as dangerous dungeons like the Ocean Monument.
Even outside the traditional quest to defeat the Ender Dragon, there's a lot of content in Minecraft to reward longtime players. More experienced fans can pull off some wildly impressive feats with Redstone, building working computers and automated structures to complement their grand monuments and castles.
1 No Man's Sky
The Final Frontier
No Man's Sky
- Released
- August 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
When players start No Man's Sky, they'll have few long-term goals beyond repairing their ship and escaping whatever planet they've crashed into. As fans progress out of the tutorial, though, they'll slowly begin accumulating resources and improving their technology, charting more and more of the endless universe around them.
The farther players get into No Man's Sky, the more they'll unlock. They can take over vast freighters, unlock potent mechsuits, and even become the overseers of their own planetary colonies. By the time fans discover the mystery at the center of the galaxy, they'll have become a true force to reckon with in galactic society.
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