Survival games offer players a chance to challenge themselves against a variety of obstacles. The genre continues to grow every year with games such as Fallout, Don’t Starve Together, The Last of Us, and most recently Chernobylite each presenting their own unique interpretation of the genre.
Survival games take on a variety of appearances and gameplay styles, and the genre continues to evolve with each new entry. With so many survival titles releasing each year, it is always easy to overlook some amazing options. Players looking for new ways to brave mysterious lands will want to keep an eye out for some of the more underrated titles in the genre.
10 Darkwood
Darkwood offers a new perspective on the survival horror genre. Players must scavenge and explore the ever-changing world during the day. The nights in Darkwood are just as suspenseful, as players must find shelter and defend themselves from the creatures lurking in the dark.
In Darkwood, decisions impact everything from the inhabitants to the story. The game is a blend of RPG, roguelike, and adventure elements. Players can gain skills and perks by extracting the essence from mysterious plants and animals; however, they will have to remain vigilant, as some perks come with unexpected consequences.
9 SKYHILL: Black Mist
At the start of SKYHILL: Black Mist, players will awaken inside a huge interconnected building, overrun by monsters and cultists. The player character must brave the semi-open world to rescue their daughter while racing against time after they are infected by the black mist.
This non-linear survival game allows players to choose their own approach to solving problems. Traps, stealth, and brute force are just a few of the ways players can navigate through the building. Even death unlocks more mysteries surrounding the world, and being able to distinguish reality from illusions will become key.
8 We Happy Few
We Happy Few is set in a retrofuturistic1960s post-war England. Players will take on the role of three characters, and explore each of their unique storylines. We Happy Few takes a different spin on survival horror, as players must balance blending in with uncovering the world’s dark history. No two playthroughs are the same in this procedurally generated world.
Players will also have to collect recipes, scavenge for items, and craft weapons and devices to survive throughout the game. How a player chooses to survive is entirely up to them, as there are different primary tactics: stealth, combat, or using joy to conform.
7 Sir, You Are Being Hunted
The first-person stealth and survival game Sir, You Are Being Hunted puts players in a procedurally generated world, where tweed-wearing robots hunt them for sport. Players will have to scavenge for food and choose between hiding or fighting back to survive.
Sir, You Are Being Hunted is set in a parallel Britain, and features five biomes to explore. The robotic aristocracy hunting the player is aggressive and intelligent, and continues pursuing the player even after escaping their sight. Still, players are not entirely alone, as the disembodied voice of their butler will offer assistance and advice.
6 Terraria
Terraria tasks players with gathering, transforming and utilizing raw materials to explore a variety of biomes and structures. Players are able to build a variety of structures from simple dwellings to huge fortresses.
Terraria is full of adventure and mystery, and blends elements from classic action games with the freedom of sandbox games. Players will create and build while defending the world from monsters and other foes they may encounter.
5 The Forest
In The Forest, gamers take on the role of a lone survivor after a jet crash. Players must explore and survive while being pursued by cannibalistic mutants. The Forest offers plenty of player freedom in a vast open world. Explore during the day, and defend the base at night.
While players can brave the game alone, they can also be joined by up to eight friends to create the ultimate survival experience. Players can build small shelters or large fortresses, and even explore vast underground caves.
4 Outward
Those looking for an immersive survival RPG experience will want to check out Outward. Outward takes place in the massive world of Aurai, full of dungeons, unique regions, and hidden secrets.
Players take on the role of an adventurer and must choose their own path in the world. Beasts and bandits are not the only things players will have to learn to survive. Extreme weather conditions, infectious diseases, and even lack of sleep and hydration become a threat. Players can brave the world of Outward solo or with a friend, as the game offers local and online cooperative modes.
3 Days Gone
Days Gone takes place in a post-apocalyptic Pacific Northwest, after a devastating global pandemic has turned a majority of the population into zombies. The open-world action-adventure games force players to learn to adapt and survive while surrounded by death.
The hordes roaming the map are only one of the many dangers players will face. Vicious human gangs, dangerous wild animals, and lack of supplies also threaten survival. Days Gone players will also need to maintain and upgrade their motorcycle, their only mode of transportation and most important means of survival.
2 The Long Dark
The Long Dark is an exploration survival game that challenges players to think for themselves in the frozen wilderness. This title features an episodic story mode that explores the history and mysteries of the island. It also has a survival mode, where the only threats are what mother nature can throw out.
The survival mode is free-form and is not driven by a narrative, and the only goal is survival. Players will have the option to explore the Northern Canadian wilderness in search of supplies. The Long Dark's survival mode challenges players by only providing information and not answers.
1 This War of Mine
In This War of Mine, gamers play as civilians trying to survive in a besieged city. They will have to scavenge for food and medicine, with the constant threat of snipers and hostile scavengers. This War of Mine shows war through a different perspective, where players are not heroic soldiers, but instead, the civilians caught in the crossfire. Choices matter, and have consequences that impact life and death.
Players will have to manage their survivors and shelter, as well as craft weapons and other survival items. This War of Mine also has several expansions that illustrate the hardships war brings through even more perspectives.