Summary
- Survival games like Green Hell and The Long Dark provide challenging gameplay in hostile environments.
- Prepare for hordes of zombies in 7 Days to Die and tough choices in This War of Mine.
- Frostpunk and NEO Scavenger offer unique challenges and unforgiving survival mechanics.
The rise of indie gaming has helped several genres explode in popularity, with many developers with small budgets making the most of genres where game design isn't too resource-intensive. Such is the case with the survival genre, which has progressed by leaps and bounds over the past two decades.
8 Best Survival Games For Low-Stakes Playthroughs, Ranked
These low-stakes survival games offer engaging gameplay paired with fairly relaxing objectives, making for low-stress playthroughs.
Fans love the gameplay loop of gathering materials, constructing bases, hunting for food, and crafting weapons to survive in a hostile world. Some survival games made by indie developers can be especially challenging for players who aren't patient enough to learn the ropes. These next games fit that bill. They are some of the hardest indie survival games on the market.
8 Green Hell
Surviving In The Amazon Rainforest Is A Pain
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
- Genre(s)
- Survival
Survival games are usually set in hostile environments where players must fight against the elements to survive, and Green Hell is no exception. The player character is stuck in the Amazon Rainforest and must figure out how to survive by any means necessary.
Building a base, gathering resources, crafting weapons, and dealing with hostile wildlife is easier said than done. Most people will die a few times early on before Green Hell finally clicks with them.
7 7 Days To Die
The Weekly Zombie Assault Can Be Overwhelming
7 Days to Die
- Released
- June 28, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
Most survival games utilize the zombie apocalypse as a convenient setting for players to struggle in. 7 Days to Die is no exception, with players navigating hordes of the undead to gather resources and buff their base.
The latter is a must, since the zombies initiate a massive assault on the player's base at the end of every week. It's overbearing and will cause the player's death several times over, but those who anticipate the threat and prepare accordingly will understand why so many people go gaga over this hardcore survival title.
6 The Long Dark
The Struggle To Survive And Not Freeze In The Canadian Wilderness Is Constant
The Long Dark
- Released
- August 1, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
After finding themselves stranded in the frigid Canadian wilderness, the player character must struggle to survive by any means necessary in The Long Dark. This is easier said than done, as there are various ways players can become casualties of this hostile environment in record time.
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From freezing to death to being hunted down and eaten by carnivores, there's no shortage of intense gameplay scenarios in The Long Dark that can end a player's run. Being smart about upgrading skills and exploring the world cautiously is a must for players who want to survive for multiple days in this intense title.
5 This War Of Mine
Struggling As Civilians During In A Warzone Makes For Heartbreaking Moments
This War of Mine
- Released
- November 14, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Mild Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Survival
The gritty realism of This War of Mine can make it more uncomfortable to play than most other indie survival games. Players control a group of survivors in a war-torn region who struggle to survive in a city where looters and marauders run rampant.
Players must sacrifice their humanity to feel their loved ones, usually leading to them exploiting and killing innocents to prevent the same fate from befalling them. It's a tough game that forces players to make horrible choices if they want to save their group of survivors. Otherwise, they'll be left unprotected to deal with external attacks from well-prepared raiders.
4 Frostpunk
Helping A City Survive A Volcanic Winter Is Easier Said Than Done
Frostpunk
- Released
- April 24, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Mild Sexual Themes, Mild Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- City Builder, Survival
Frostpunk is one of the greatest city-building games ever made, combining with the survival genre to great effect. In the aftermath of a volcanic winter, a fledgling city must remain operational and keep its residents warm while trying to improve its processes by any means necessary.
Along with the rigorous survival gameplay that takes no prisoners, Frostpunk will also force players to make tough choices where pragmatism must be at the forefront of their decision-making. It may hurt to sacrifice the few, but saving the many is the main goal of this title.
3 Don't Starve Together
The Tense Survival Gameplay Becomes More Challenging In Co-op
Don't Starve Together
- Released
- April 21, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen / Fantasy Violence, Crude Humor
- Genre(s)
- Survival, Adventure, Open-World, Crafting, Sandbox
Don't Starve was already a tough game that took a while for fans to wrap their heads around. This difficulty is multiplied many times over in Don't Starve Together, especially if players are teamed up with beginners.
6 Survival Games Where You Must Survive Without Weapons
Players will have to get creative and resourceful when it comes to staying alive and thriving in these survival games devoid of weapons.
The world is more hostile, and it assumes that both players are at the same skill level, which isn't always the case. Trying to educate someone on how the game works while dealing with the horrors of the night is easier said than done and will lead to several game overs before newcomers are finally up to speed.
2 NEO Scavenger
The Survival Mechanics Are As Difficult As They Come
Neo Scavenger
- Released
- December 15, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- nr
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike, Strategy
Those who want to enjoy an unforgiving survival game with RPG elements will get a kick out of NEO Scavenger. Players are unceremoniously dumped into a world full of raiders and other hostiles as they must explore and scavenge to acquire resources.
Death is a learning experience that fans will encounter several times in NEO Scavenger. They will eventually figure out the optimal way to get stronger early on, but this takes a lot of time and effort that most people aren't willing to invest in this game.
1 Project Zomboid
The Most Hardcore Survival Horror Experience Fans Can Subject Themselves To
Project Zomboid
- Released
- November 8, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
The idea of a zombie ending a player's run by biting them just once may be unfair, but this rule is precisely why most zombie-focused media end up being so riveting. This is why every playthrough of Project Zomboid is as tense as they come, forcing players to bolster their defenses and not take unnecessary risks.
Sometimes, a single mistake is all it takes for players to have to start from Day 1 all over again. Even something as simple as going through a window becomes risky if players aren't aware that the broken glass can cut their character and cause an infection to spread, drastically reducing their chances of survival.
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