The sub-genre of survival games has existed for such a while on PC that it’s practically impossible to run out of new survival games to try. Steam itself offers a bounty of survival games to choose from, but with such a selection, it’s no surprise that some may be forgotten, for better or worse.
There’s so much to choose from on PC, and it’s truly a free market, PC with almost anyone being able to provide a video game experience to audiences. Survival games are especially ripe for content, and those that have been forgotten are worthy of recognition, whether the game is painted positively across the opinion of the internet, or otherwise.
6 Witch Hunt
A challenging horror-themed hunting game, Witch Hunt takes place in the 18th century, with plenty of threats awaiting the age of a hunter. The main focus of the game lies in exploration, with a non-linear world, and a breathtakingly chilling atmosphere. There are light RPG elements in Witch Hunt in the form of a financial and skill system.
The game is worthy of praise and is charming for its large environments, lack of tutorials, variety of monsters, and creepy atmosphere. The game requires patience and perseverance, as players will be hunting, whilst also being hunted themselves. It’s a great survival game, in which every trap, track, and shot counts.
5 Lunch Lady
Survival games alone can be rather challenging, not to mention scary when the fate of one’s character is in their own hands. However, in Lunch Lady, players can team up with three friends for an online co-op survival experience. Lunch Lady has players teaming up to share the scares as they sneak their way through the school halls to steal the test answers for their final exams.
What lurks in the school at night is an evil and possessed Lunch Lady. Collecting 10 pages, and escaping, requires teamwork, and a steady hand. Each game is different, and the Lunch Lady will be hunting the players, whilst items are randomly spawned in different games. As the game progresses, the dreaded Lunch Lady becomes stronger and faster.
4 Hobo: Tough Life
A rather different setting to most survival games, Hobo: Tough Life lacks the horror element that most survival games include. For this title, players embark on the experiences and struggles of a homeless person and will explore the streets of Praslav. Together, or alone, they will scavenge for food and supplies. They can test their morality through begging or stealing, and do whatever it takes to survive the incoming harsh winter.
The game is not played as an insensitive joke on the homeless crisis, and instead harbors in-depth survival mechanics, as well as a challenging political climate with the fall of a Communist regime. Hobo: Tough Life will test players’ ability to survive, and how far they will go to do so.
3 Surviving Mars
Building a colony is no easy task, and embarking on that mission on Mars is an even harder one. Surviving Mars tasks players with colonizing Mars, discovering the planet’s secrets, and keeping the casualties to a minimum. Players are in charge of their colony and will stake their claim on the Red Planet, and build a functioning human colony to expand.
Whilst playing Surviving Mars, players will need supplies, oxygen, experience with sandstorms, and a great attitude to both survive, and figure out the purpose of the potentially dangerous black cubes. There are many challenges to overcome in this strategy survival title, and the fate of the colonists is in the players’ capable hands. Mars waits for no one.
2 Bigfoot
One of the greatest mysteries to life is the folklore behind Bigfoot, an ape-like creature said to inhabit the forests of North America. Bigfoot has been in the public eye for a great number of years, with many real-life people dedicating their time to finding such a thing. In the game, Bigfoot, players step into the shoes of said hunter, with terrifying encounters with the gigantic ape-like creature.
Collecting ammunition, and carefully placing traps, Bigfoot has players use their minds and their team to trap and defeat Bigfoot once and for all, putting to rest the rumors and myths behind the creature. The game receives updates still and can be a fun experience for players that want to work together to hunt Bigfoot, or those strong enough to step into the furry feet and hunt the hunters as Bigfoot.
1 Spore
One of the most classic survival games, Spore allows players to be the architect of their universe, and create their species to evolve through the ages. Players will start a single-cell organism, and evolve into a galactic god, with a great deal of power behind them.
Spore enables players to create their universe, but the goal is to survive and then thrive. Players will not start as the deadliest creature known to the universe and will have to forge alliances, gather numbers, and rely on intellect and brawn to take over the world and to continue evolving beyond the nature of the natural enemies that inhabit the same space as the player.