The PS4 stands as one of the most successful video game consoles of all time, and in addition to its incredible library of exclusives, it was also home to plenty of fantastic third-party and indie game titles. The survival genre comes in many sub-genre forms, and during the lifespan of the PS4, it happened to be one of the most popular genres on the market.
From crafting to horror, gamers had plenty of survival experiences worth playing. In the years since the gaming world has seen the launch of the PS5, it's important to not forget hidden gems and once popular games that took the survival genre by storm or flew under the radar as must-play gems.
8 Metal Gear Survive
Now, a large reason why Metal Gear Survive ended up being a forgotten survival game on the PS4 is due to fans wanting to forget it. Following the fallout of Metal Gear Solid 5 and the split between publisher Konami and developer Hideo Kojima, it was unclear what the future held for the series.
It turned out that Konami was planning on releasing a poorly designed survival game that felt like a cash grab for a beloved gaming series that meant a lot to millions of Metal Gear Solid fans. Thankfully Metal Gear Survive didn't last long and Konami didn't follow up on it with anything else, for the time being, at least.
7 Tribes Of Midgard
The internet and streaming have created this situation in which some games can be the hottest thing on the market for weeks, then that very same game can disappear from major conversations in the world of gaming. Tribes of Midgard, a game where players control vikings in a survival/crafting experience, was hugely popular in mid-2021, and despite numerous updates, was forgotten.
This is likely due to the game being played by large Twitch streamers when it launched, but those very content creators stopped playing it and moved on to the next zeitgeist gaming moment.
6 The Forest
The Forest, which was released in 2018 at what felt like the height of the crafting survival genre, was a horror-focused take on the genre developed by Endnight Games. Since the game takes place in an open world, there's a lot of room for players to approach the game in their way.
What sets it apart is that the main enemy is a group of nasty cannibalistic mutants, who become highly aggressive as soon as night approaches. It's not for the faint of heart as much of the imagery becomes much more bizarre as progress is made throughout the game. There is currently a sequel in development called Sons of the Forest, planned to release in 2023.
5 The Long Dark
The Long Dark, at its core, has a premise that's not much different than that of The Forest, the previous game on this list. The difference between the two is that The Long Dark focused more on realistic survival situations and wanted to have something that felt relatable and possible.
It managed to release in 2017 thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, where it was pitched that the terrible conditions players would experience were the result of what was labeled as a geomagnetic storm. It was lauded by reviewers for managing to capture the lonely and solitary nature of survival and rewarded the player's commitment to the game.
4 Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation is a 2014 survival horror game that delivered a unique experience for the beloved science fiction series. Creative Assembly managed to deliver a game based on Alien that wasn't focused on fast-paced action, but rather on slower stealth gameplay that puts the player on the edge of their seats.
It both sold well and was reviewed quite well at the time, but considering that it is now approaching its 10th anniversary it's safe to assume that many gamers aren't familiar with it. The fact that it used the player's microphone as a source of sound that could be heard by the in-game alien was a hilarious moment of discovery for players.
3 Little Nightmares
When people think of survival horror games, 2D platformers are rarely the genre that comes to mind. Little Nightmares managed to shake trends and deliver a creepy platformer where the players controlled a tiny child who had to escape the confines of a terrible world they were trapped in.
The grotesque character designs and clever puzzle design add to the environmental design decisions that provide the backdrop for what feels like a claustrophobic and haunting gameplay experience. A sequel to the game was also released which connected the two games narratively for those interested in the lore and how the two correlate to one another.
2 This War Of Mine
With series like Call of Duty or Counter-Strike, the act and violence of war are often celebrated as entertainment in the world of video games. In 2014 a war survival game called This War of Mine was released by 11 Bit Studios, which focused on the civilian perspective in times of war.
It's a decision-driven gameplay experience, with each character having multiple endings that are determined by the decisions that the player makes. Considering the current events between Ukraine and Russia, this might be a tough thing to hop into, but it's a must-play for anyone interested in the serious subject.
1 Until Dawn
Supermassive Games have established themselves as the developers who release survival horror titles that range from mixed to critically well-received. Their output has picked up since they announced their anthology series but most recently delivered The Quarry to all major platforms.
Before their anthology and new game, the title that put them on the map was the PS4 exclusive Until Dawn. It followed a group of teenagers stuck in the wilderness during the winter as they try and survive the evil that lurked in the shadows. Anyone with an interest in horror and/or strong narrative storytelling in games should check out Until Dawn.