The best survival games on PC and consoles. Open world survival games

Many people believe that survival games gained their popularity for some inexplicable reason. There seems to be no plot, most projects never do, and those that come out look very far from ideal. However, the demand for the “survival” genre is quite justified - users want to give up comfort and try themselves in the role of a lone hero, a chosen inhabitant of our planet. IN real life you definitely wouldn’t want to hide from the frost in ruins, build a fire and fight with wolves for a piece of meat. In the virtual world it is a completely different matter.

In addition, a huge part of survival games are equipped with an advanced crafting and building system. Each of us wanted a tree house or our own personal bunker, and if for this you only need to carry a virtual hammer in your hands and collect stones, then construction takes on a different meaning. You are given the opportunity to collect wood, build your own small cozy house from it, and then protect it from other survivors with all possible ways, enjoying the "fortress".

Plus, there are some small parts, which you don’t immediately pay attention to. In this kind of games, in 95% of cases there is no plot, no cut scenes and no need to study the history, characters and other things that are boring for some. Not everyone likes projects with a complex plot; some just want to play and act. Add here the ability to play with friends in co-op or multiplayer and we get perfect option for hanging out.

Of course, not all survival products are worth your attention - some have nothing at all besides boring game mechanics and bugs, and some are so “alpha” versions that you don’t even want to download them. I decided to select the most exciting versions of survival games, which a connoisseur of the genre should definitely pay attention to. And, of course, be sure to write about your favorite projects - we will expand each other’s horizons.

Rust

At the time of the announcement of the Rust simulator, many were sure that this game would be a real breakthrough in the gaming industry. The creators promised us a huge virtual world, a variety of activities and the need to survive in harsh conditions. After the product entered the early access stage, it became clear that nothing like that would happen - a lot of bugs and cheaters prevented the project from becoming a masterpiece in the genre, but somehow the new product hooked users. On this moment Rust has sold 5.5 million copies, there are a lot of user servers, modifications and a responsive community ready to help you in any matter.

As with all games in this genre, you need to fight for survival. However, the virtual world itself does not annoy gamers as much as other players and a small number of bugs. Of course, there is a problem with thirst and food for the character, he may suffer due to low temperatures and attacks by wild animals. But where more problems delivered by users who have already managed to “upgrade” and are now preventing others from recognizing this virtual world. But here you can build houses and craft clothes with weapons! In terms of game mechanics, Rust was implemented very coolly; there are really a lot of interesting processes.

The creators of the project were inspired by Minecraft and DayZ. At the initial stage, the project was more reminiscent of DayZ, but then, gradually, the developers turned towards crafting, buildings and things like that. You need to get wood and stones, build a house out of it, then fill it with different objects and furniture in order to go for the next portion of resources and create something cooler. You can play in the company of friends, then it’s even more fun and exciting. And it’s much easier to defend against dangerous opponents. Despite a lot of bugs and some shortcomings, the game is one of the best in its genre.

Peculiarities:
  • you can build houses;
  • there is craft;
  • there is a huge variety of weapons;
  • you can have fun in the company of friends.
May not like:
  • enemies run naked;
  • cheaters;
  • costs $35.

Subnautica

When the first screenshots and trailer of Subnautica appeared online, fans of survival games took to Steam and added the product to their wishlist. The developers were able to explain the essence of the gameplay in just a couple of pictures, which looked much more interesting compared to competitors in the genre. If you look at modern popular projects in the survival genre, you will see a lot of similar implementations. You get wood with stones, build a building from this, fight with other players and enjoy this process while the development team fixes bugs and adds content.

With Subnautica, things turned out completely differently. This is a full-fledged game with a plot and a unique virtual world. Our hero crashes on his huge spaceship. Instead of getting to the planet he needs, he finds himself in a small lifeboat in the middle of the water. There is nothing here but water. In any case, no land is visible on the horizon. The entire planet is covered with water. What to do and how to proceed? If you imbue yourself with the situation and imagine yourself in the place of this character, you will immediately get a shiver - there is water everywhere, unknown creatures are swimming in it and there is no chance of survival at all. Or is there?

In addition to the non-standard virtual world, we are also given the opportunity to try cool mechanics that were previously poorly implemented in other projects, even outside the “survival” genre. You need to dive underwater and control the supply of oxygen, catch small fish and filter the water, look for resources to collect the most necessary tools. At the same time, be sure to avoid all large predators, try to make your way deep into the planet, look for a platform to build a base. A lot of tools, weapons and a variety of inhabitants of the “water” planet make the game one of the best in the genre.

Peculiarities:
  • a planet without land;
  • survival takes on a completely different look;
  • mass of underwater inhabitants;
  • crafting with elements of logic;
  • there is a plot component.
May not like:
  • at the beginning of the game it is very scary to dive into the ocean;
  • they do not allow you to swim into a huge ship;
  • sorry for the fish.

The Long Dark

A game The Long Dark was very popular among players and specialized media for its extremely realistic gameplay. The creators of the virtual world put survival in the first place, and not crafting and painting weapons in a new color. Our hero can die if he goes to bed with an empty stomach, because there is a calorie mechanic - they are consumed even if you are resting on the bed. The character may freeze, or go out into the blizzard in a torn down jacket and without gloves; he may be eaten by more cunning wild animals, which are not as afraid of cold and snow as an ordinary person. Danger comes from everywhere, but we need not to lose heart and move on.


The developers even added a storyline to give you an understanding of the purpose of survival. Not to say that we have a direct dramaturgy planned and the character will strive for something specific, but the hero has a story. Canada, in a parallel universe, died from the economic crisis and came under the wing of the United States. However, America decided not to help the injured party, but to suck out all natural resources and leave the country in ruins. Gradually everything was covered with snow, people either left here or died without food. Our pilot ends up here by the will of fate, trying to find a friend of his youth. Interesting, isn't it?

The project attracts primarily with its complexity and attention to detail. Your character will freeze, you need to constantly find shelter and make fires, you need to get food and sleep. Plus, clothes here wear out and tear, they need to be patched, otherwise you won’t be able to escape the cold. There is only snow, ice and destroyed houses around, no one is waiting for you with open arms, and there are also angry wolves running around. And not only wolves. Considering the presence of a plot and such a realistic survival model, the game has fully deserved its place in the top of the best games in the survival genre. True, it’s solitary and you can’t run on the ice with friends.


Peculiarities:
  • there is a plot;
  • beautiful graphics and clear interface;
  • realistic survival;
  • a lot of enemies.
May not like:
  • too boring training;
  • The plot cannot be called complete.

ARK: Survival Evolved

I saw it back when the project entered early access mode. Even then it was clear that this was a game with an amazing virtual world and an idea that had not been implemented anywhere else. We need to survive together with dinosaurs in the vastness of some fictional location, where modern technologies and the extraction of stones and wood in the most primitive manner. Here you can build houses and surf the waters, you can fly on a tamed dinosaur and fight in your free time. Isn't this what we dreamed about?


At the time the game appeared on my computer, I received 13 FPS on low settings and saw stones only at the moment when I approached them almost point-blank. Now the product has been optimized and brought to life, you can play with pleasure and comfort. We begin our journey to the coast, without food, water or any items for survival. You need to cut down trees with your fists and collect stones, then build tools from all this in order to cut down forests again. Depending on the multiplier on the server, you will either constantly build and fight, or be engaged in resource extraction day and night. I definitely recommend trying both options, just for contrast.

Thanks to the setting with dinosaurs, the virtual world looks very exciting and unusual. You can tame almost any dinosaur and fly over your enemies, showering them with bombs. You can build a huge fort and store resources there, build stoves and houses to live with friends and defend yourself from other people. A huge set of items for crafting, character improvement and learning recipes require a lot of time to master all the mechanics. And, most importantly, you won’t be bored all this time, especially if you play with friends. Although, at low rates you can easily build houses alone while enjoying the scenery.

Peculiarities:
  • world with dinosaurs;
  • cool construction system;
  • fighting is very exciting;
  • many user servers.
May not like:
  • a lot of mechanics need to be learned independently, without training;
  • strangers have no plans to coexist peacefully.

State of Decay

Microsoft has decided to amaze Xbox One owners with the second exclusive game this year - first Sea of ​​Thieves was released, and now State of Decay has been shown. Both projects turned out to be quite controversial and cannot be called masterpieces, but the efforts of the developers to come up with something interesting cannot be ignored. If in the saga about sea adventures we were shown a lot of new mechanics, then State of Decay gives the user the opportunity to visit the world of The Walking Dead, only in the role of the main character, and not as a viewer of the series. I think you have already guessed what we are talking about.

We will play for a character who survived the apocalypse. The majority of the planet's population was not so lucky - they either died or turned into zombies. Now dead enemies are walking the streets, there are a lot of dangers around, and we need to survive all this and gain resources to move on. The idea of ​​​​a zombie invasion is far from new, but recently almost no one has used it (ha ha), so there is no feeling of the same type. We have an open world, a lot of weapons and equipment. Even the vehicles are promised to be cool, with tuning and all the goodies.

It’s worth saying right away that there is no multiplayer here, the product was created for single play. This, on the one hand, is cool, because you can play for fun and not worry that real players will put a bullet in the back of your head. On the other hand, sometimes in such a harsh world you want to meet real people, communicate with them, or at least fight. Of course, there is a co-op mode, but you can only play it with friends, otherwise there is no point, and finding a team of friends to play State of Decay will be problematic. Otherwise, the game is very well thought out, well implemented and will be interesting to play, even without a crowd of real users around.

Peculiarities:
  • open world;
  • zombie;
  • transport with tuning;
  • character customization.
May not like:
  • no multiplayer;
  • The zombie theme is not new at all.

DayZ

In 2013, when the game was just released as a beta with early access, gaming market analysts predicted huge profits for the project and millions of fans around the world. However, the developers decided not to rush too much and lost all their advantages. Products based on the features of DayZ game mechanics were released in 2015-2017 and have already gathered their base of gamers, and the “discoverer” has not yet left beta. However, the old-timer made it into this collection best franchises about survival. Why? It's simple - soon the slightly forgotten product will be completely remade for a new game engine.


The creators of DayZ reported that they plan to transfer their brainchild to their own engine in the very near future. In version 0.63, gamers will be provided with completely new game, which will be noticeably different in its mechanics from original project. In addition, the creators promised that they would pay attention exclusively to bugs and shortcomings, while new features will appear after the official release. Of course, with such development experience, it’s generally not very decent to talk about the presence of bugs, but we will hope that the final version will really be polished to a shine.

This game was included in the selection in advance. For now, it’s impossible to say with certainty about DayZ’s popularity after the patch. Fans have already forgotten what this virtual world looks like and went to conquer PUBG with others. Of course, I would really like to see the good old DayZ with new mechanics and stable work, which streamers and ordinary users will play again. Let's wait and hope that the developers will be able to realize their idea and the new game engine will really help the project gain momentum.

Peculiarities:
  • a pioneer in the genre;
  • new game engine;
  • a huge army of fans.
May not like:
  • is not very popular at the moment.

Stranded Deep

The creators of this project decided to take the plot seriously - we have a full-fledged story of how the main character got to the place where he is now destined to survive. We are flying in a comfortable private jet, but something happens and we crash. Half of the plane is torn off right in the air, but we survive and our character wakes up already in a lifeboat. There is an oar in your hands, there is only water around and nothing else, but in the distance you can see land. Well, let's swim in that direction before the sharks find us. However, getting to the island is not difficult, especially if you compare this with the further process of survival.


Traditionally for games of this genre, we need to look for food and other supplies for life. To do this, you can pick up various devices that you will assemble in advance from scrap materials. You can hunt crabs, fish and other underwater inhabitants. The main thing, I repeat, is not to catch the eye of the sharks, otherwise we ourselves will become food. In addition to hunting, you also need to build a house for yourself, maybe even a two-story one, accumulate resources for additional items luxury. In general, ahead of the player lies the path from a starving guy with an oar to a prosperous resident of his own island.

The gameplay will appeal to connoisseurs of conventional realism. There is no special attention to the details and make sure that your skin does not get sunburned, there is no need. You won't freeze at night either. You just need to eat periodically, work on improving your island, sometimes go deep into the ocean for the necessary items and fight with local underwater predators. Thanks to a greater emphasis on casualness, the game will suit a wider range of users. Actually, there are already quite a lot of Stranded Deep fans, the game is gradually acquiring new functions and crafting elements, so no one will be bored.


Peculiarities:
  • survival on the island;
  • crab hunting;
  • war with sharks;
  • presence of a plot;
  • quite an interesting system of buildings and crafting.
May not like:
  • casual survival;
  • Single playthrough only.

The Forest

Most modern survival games are based on resource extraction, crafting and construction. The danger is presented in the form of nature, which mercilessly punishes everyone who is not prepared for disasters and living conditions. In some places the frost does not allow you to relax, in others you have to deal with the lack of food water. Only a few projects in our selection today pose a serious danger from opponents, be they AI or real players. That’s why The Forest is interesting - here it’s equally important for you to get food and defend yourself from mutant cannibals.


Combining horror with the survival genre is quite difficult, but the developers of this game did it very well. Since the release of the project into early access on Steam, 3.8 million copies have been sold, which is a dizzying result for such a non-standard implementation. In four years developments The Forest still made it to release - they promise in April, after which the creators of "Forest" will begin porting their brainchild to the PlayStation 4 platform. I think the owners of the Japanese console will appreciate this desire of the Endnight Games Ltd team to conquer console players.

In this project, our hero finds himself in a forest inhabited by cannibals. They are some kind of mutated form of a person and are very dangerous for you and me. The difficulty of survival is that there is a thicket around you, there is no way to get out somewhere or climb into a cave and spend the night. You need to survive taking into account the fact that at any moment a couple of aborigines can run out from behind a tree. Your task is to build a shelter for yourself during the day, and at night to protect it from attacks by predators and mutants. It will be difficult, the enemies will amaze you with their variety and bloodthirstiness.


Peculiarities:
  • open world in the form of a forest;
  • advanced construction;
  • character crafting and customization;
  • a wide range of predators;
  • enemies are cannibals;
  • Quite a depressing horror atmosphere.
May not like:
  • It's really scary to play;
  • It requires strong nerves and a stable psyche.

Hurtworld

Many users compare this game to Rust due to its fairly similar mechanics and visuals, but they are very different. At the beginning of the game, your character also has nothing with him - you literally wake up in the middle of the desert, where there is nothing edible and no shelter from the wind, sun and heat. Our character will need to survive in these harsh conditions by collecting local fruits and thereby satisfying his hunger. By the way, if long time your hero will be malnourished, then he will quite calmly throw away his skates, figuratively speaking. So don't waste your time, try to find fruits or wild animals to get meat.

In addition to basic survival parameters, such as water and food, our hero also needs to light fires so as not to freeze at night, plus hide from the heat, and so on. This makes us think about our own home, which can protect the gamer from all bad weather. Of course, no one will let you build a mansion; resources here are very limited, but you will always have the opportunity to collect wood and build yourself a small shack. Luxury is not needed for this area, and a roof over your head is quite appropriate and necessary. True, other players may envy you and try to take the house for themselves.

Yes, the game is multiplayer, which means there is no need to run around alone in a huge open world. You won’t constantly bump into living users either; the world is designed in such a way that you don’t come across other surviving characters very often. If you want and have transport, you can, of course, find a couple of players who are tired of life, but you won’t be able to fight right away. Yes, and transport, even if it can be customized, also comes into your hands after a long process of accumulating resources. An excellent example of a survival project with nice colors and visuals.

Peculiarities:
  • craft is well thought out;
  • good construction system;
  • there are weapons and vehicles;
  • multiplayer game.
May not like:
  • players do not want to make friends and build common houses.

H1Z1: Just Survive

Many played a “battle royale” game called , which was released quite a long time ago, but was not in such demand as PUBG is now. At the same time, the developers also created a survival project called H1Z1: Just Survive. Although it did not become the best-selling title in the genre, it gained some popularity among gamers. The open virtual world survived the zombie apocalypse (those zombies again!), after which humanity was left with minimal resources for survival. Your task is to gather enough provisions to survive in this dangerous new world.


The creators of the project stated that they developed their project with an emphasis on game mechanics, where zombies are only a secondary problem. This is a multiplayer game, where each of the residents is very tight with food, water and supplies. Accordingly, living players will bring much more problems - outside the safe zone, other inhabitants of the new planet will be waiting for you, wanting to kill your hero and take all his belongings. You need to have a weapon and the ability to shoot, plus you will have to adhere to certain banal rules of survival - do not run in open areas, do not light fires at night, do not make noise.

H1Z1: Just Survive looks quite nice and runs smoothly, even if you don't have the most powerful computer. This is a big plus, since most competitors in the genre have not yet left early access mode and everything is very bad there with the stability of frames per second. In addition, although the product is not in great demand among gamers, it has its own established community and there will be people to make friends with. There is an open world, the opportunity to fight or secretly explore locations, tasks and battles with zombies are well implemented. All this is already waiting for a fan of the genre who is not averse to trying his luck in a world ruled by zombies.

Peculiarities:
  • big dangerous virtual world;
  • We’re not just fighting zombies;
  • weak, but still a plot.
May not like:
  • this zombie apocalypse again;
  • physics needs improvement.

Raft

Cool games are obtained when they are done with soul and without the goal of making money. Raft was created by students as a project for a university; they developed a small virtual world with a boy on a raft. When this product was put online, gamers really liked the idea and implementation of survival on the open ocean, they downloaded the “demo version” 7 million times, and a small team of developers decided to develop their student project into a full-fledged game. Very soon, but already now we can say that this is one of the best survival games.

The theme itself, as you may have noticed, has previously been used by game developers of this genre. But, if in Subnautica the setting takes us to the future with innovative technologies, then we have nothing like that here. We found ourselves in the middle of the ocean on a small wooden raft, sharks were swimming around, we were hungry and thirsty, but there was nowhere to wait for rescue. Well, we will survive on our own - get food, collect debris in the ocean, accumulate resources to build a larger raft and additional buildings on our sea house. There are plenty of options for the development of events, it all depends only on your imagination and desire to create.
It is worth noting that the creators of the product decided to move away from realistic survival. You can build a raft that is larger than a football field, build trees (trees!), multi-story buildings there, install a stove, make a fire, and so on. All this, naturally, was done for the sake of a more interesting gameplay, although the realism is lost. Our hero has enemies under water, but the greater threat is hunger, thirst and the scorching sun. So you won’t be fighting with underwater inhabitants very often, although sooner or later you’ll have to fight a toothy predator.

Peculiarities:
  • very nice graphics;
  • interesting game mechanics;
  • one of the best implementations of life on a raft;
  • unlimited possibilities for buildings;
  • realism was killed for the sake of fascination.
May not like:
  • 100 m² raft;
  • lighting a fire on a wooden raft;
  • You can beat a shark to death with a sharpened stick.

The player and a team of other similar volunteers go to the abandoned island of Granichny, filled with dangers and secrets. The fact is that secret experiments were carried out on the island, financed and supervised by the New World organization. However, after a major disaster on the island, the surviving personnel and security were evacuated, and all research was curtailed. Those unlucky enough to remain were transformed into bloodthirsty monsters. And now, in order to deal with the situation on the island, “New World” resorts to the services of random seekers of adventure and profit.

9. Dead Island Series

Dead Island is a unique experience of surviving on an island after a zombie apocalypse. Since the developers from Techland chose tropical Banoi in Papua New Guinea as the island - incredible a nice place, embodying all existing ideas about Heaven on Earth. But instead of relaxing on the beach and cocktail parties, the player will have to crush skulls and chop off the limbs of the zombies occupying this wonderful place. Fortunately, for this, a huge arsenal of melee weapons, a crafting and upgrade system, as well as an exciting combat system with gradually unlocking passive and active skills were added to the game. It’s just that normal parkour is lacking here, but Techland completely corrected this omission in their other zombie survival game - Dying Light.

8. The Forest

A game about survival on a desert island, where, apart from the eternally hungry cannibal aborigines with pronounced mutations, you cannot meet a single living soul. The player takes on the role of a passenger on a crashed airliner, who ends up here with his son, whom the aforementioned lovers of human flesh dragged into their caves. Of course, rescuing your son is a task of paramount importance, but first you need to properly prepare: collect useful junk from the plane, arrange reliable housing, fencing it with traps for uninvited guests, accumulate resources, stockpile food and water, craft yourself reliable weapons and tools. And only after that go to explore the creepy cave tunnels.

7.Raft

A project from the early access of the Steam service, which can easily be classified as a game about survival on an island for PC, although technically you will have to survive here on a raft. The man-made platform will have to be constantly improved and strengthened so that it can withstand a long journey across the sea, full of a variety of dangers. For example, the player may encounter a shark attack or a sudden storm. Crafting, construction, resource collection, underwater exploration - all this is present in Raft. The game also features multiplayer, giving you a unique chance to take part in an unforgettable sea adventure with your friends.

6. How to Survive

Another game on our list is about survival on a desert island filled with flesh-eating undead. In order not to become their victim, the player must carefully and carefully explore the open territory of the island, collect useful resources and things, save food and drink, and promptly find shelter for the night. In total, the game provides more than a hundred crafting recipes. There are also three unique characters available for play, each with their own set of characteristics. In addition to the campaign, there is also a multiplayer mode.

5.PUBG

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds is one of the most popular online games on PC, belonging to the Battle Royale category. A hundred players find themselves on a large abandoned island, left to their own devices, and only one of these hundred will be able to survive. To do this, you will have to show all your agility and resourcefulness, getting to valuable equipment and powerful weapons before other players. However, valuable loot is not the only success factor. The ability to choose positions wisely and shoot accurately is also critically important here. As well as the ability to run fast, hide and predict the actions of opponents.

4. ARK: Survival Evolved

Naked and helpless, players find themselves washed ashore on a mysterious island inhabited by dinosaurs and many other fantastic creatures. In addition to the standard elements for a multiplayer survival game (collecting, crafting, building), the game provides the possibility of taming the local fauna - almost a hundred unique creatures in total. The better the player cares for and trains his pet, the more important functions it will be able to perform.

3.Fortnite

We complete the list with the popular survival game from Epic Games, which also features the ever-popular “Battle Royale” mode. Fortnite is distinguished from other similar projects by its unusual graphics, excellent optimization, well-balanced and convenient system construction.

2. Rust

Survive on a desert island full of desperate thugs, overcome numerous hardships, thirst, hunger and cold, be prepared for a hundred different dangers. Fight for your life or die a weak-willed weakling. Without a doubt, the best project among multiplayer survival games, both in terms of quality and variety of gameplay, and in terms of atmosphere.

1. Stranded Deep

With Stranded Deep you can feel like a real Robinson Crusoe: the player has a tropical island with a huge unexplored territory at his disposal. Collect useful resources, get food, set traps, build a home and protect yourself from predators.

Survival games are some of the most popular genres on Steam, despite many of them being in early access - in some cases for several years. The desire to stay alive is in our DNA, so it is not surprising that we are so absorbed in this activity in the virtual world.

With so many different games in this genre, how do you find the best one? The following games are, in our opinion, the best survival games on PC, set underwater, in space, or in dangerous worlds, filled with zombies, mutants or even dinosaurs.

The Long Dark

Focusing on atmosphere and survival in harsh environments environment, The Long Dark stands out among the wide variety of games of this genre. You play as a pilot stranded in the frozen desert after a mysterious global disaster. There are no zombies, mutants or other players: you will have to fight with wildlife and your own human fragility.

Ark: Survival Evolved

You're thrown bare-handed into a vast map filled with dinosaurs, and you'll have to contend with extreme heat and cold, hunger and dehydration, and other people (though you can also play alone). Craft weapons and equipment, build a base, tame and ride dinosaurs, join or fight with other players. The free Primitive Plus add-on adds crafting and farming features, and the upcoming Tech Tier update promises to add weapons and equipment straight out of sci-fi movies.

Don't Starve

Don't Starve, combining charming animations and gritty gameplay, is a thrilling adventure and one of the best survival games (and this is a rare case of a game leaving Early Access mode). Crafting becomes challenging and fun as you try to survive stressful days and deadly nights. Fight (and eat) animals, practice science and magic, and take care of your mental health so you don't go crazy. Standalone extension Don't Starve Together allows you to also play with friends.

DayZ

Yes, many players are already tired of waiting for the multiplayer zombie survival game to leave early access mode, and the fact that DayZ Rooted in military simulator ArmA, can be a little intimidating for newbies. However, DayZ's survival elements are quite strong: a complex system nutrition, hydration and staying healthy go beyond just snacking, drinking water and dressing wounds. Find food and resources in a detailed open world, engage in intense battles with other players, customize weapons and equipment for your ships, and try not to die: if you do, you'll have to start all over again.

Subnautica

Explore an alien underwater world by piloting a homemade submarine through mysterious underwater landscapes. Among beautiful coral reefs and deep-sea caves and depressions, you will collect necessary resources and livelihoods, create habitats and a fleet of submarines, and create new technologies that will help you survive in the depths. It's hard not to compare this game to Minecraft, but the developers Unknown Worlds managed to add something unique to the genre of survival games.

Miscreated

At first glance, this game seems to be one of the many DayZ clones that have appeared over the past few years, but Miscreated began to stand out against their background as a stable and enjoyable multiplayer game, built on the Cryengine engine, with excellent graphics. When you start the game with only a flashlight and a change of clothes, obtain weapons and equipment while exploring deserted surroundings and military bases. Not only mutants and wildlife pose a threat to you, but also other survivors.

Starbound

In Game Starbound you can visit distant galaxies in your starship or build your own small farm, thereby combining intense survival with a cozy pastime. The pixelated 2D world is a joy to explore, and along the way you'll meet friendly alien NPCs and fight surprisingly tough bosses. There is a storyline and side quests, but there is no need to complete them right away - you can do it at any time convenient for you. You can also play with friends on dedicated servers or simply invite them to your game via Steam.

Rust

Join or fight with other players (or try to survive alone), start with primitive tools and weapons, and eventually guns and powerful bases will appear. You'll have to contend with wild animals, hunger and thirst, but this game is also built on interaction with other players, and the main threat comes from the dozens of other players on the server. Rust is still experimenting with gameplay (they recently removed character levels and the experience system), and we're interested to see where this leads in the future.

Minecraft

You may have heard about this game. There are many ways to play Minecraft: alone, with friends, with strangers, in research mode or in one of thousands of mods on a special server. As a survival game, it still shows its best side, with a well-developed hunger and thirst system and thoughtful crafting and building. Once immersed in this beautiful block world, you will not want to leave.

The Forest

After you manage to escape from the wreckage of the crashed plane, you will discover that you are not alone. You share a mysterious island with a terrifying tribe of cannibals, and while you search for food and drink, build simple shelters to sleep under, and build traps for wild animals, you will have to defend yourself from the hungry and determined locals. The environments are built in Unity 5, providing stunning visuals and graphics.

Terraria

A wonderful, expansive and exciting (and inexpensive) crafting survival game. Explore randomly generated worlds, collect resources, and enjoy a simple but clever crafting system. Build tunnels through huge caves, fight monsters, make friends with NPCs, build your palace and play alone or with friends in multiplayer mode. Terraria has been around for years, but it has stood the test of time.

Hurtworld

Don't be fooled by the slightly cartoonish graphics: Hurtworld- This is not a picnic. If you managed to survive the first few hours of looting, battles with mutants and other players, then you will be able to claim a piece of land, build your base on it and repair time-worn transport (if, of course, you can find necessary details). The emphasis here is not only on interaction between players, but also on the weather: for example, if it's cold enough, the steak in your backpack will freeze rather than go rotten. In a game that punishes you for any mistakes, there are some nice concessions, such as when you die, your weapon is saved.

This War of Mine

The war is depicted not from the point of view of an elite soldier, but from the point of view of a group of civilians who are simply trying to survive amidst the chaos. This War of Mine differs from other survival games in its atmosphere of despair and hopelessness. You'll be faced with tough choices as you manage the survivors' health, both physical and mental. Searching for food and supplies at night is stressful and painful, and no matter how much food you find, it will never be enough. This is not just a game of survival, but a harsh and truthful look at the very essence of war.

H1Z1: Just Survive

Although Early Access has undergone strange metamorphoses (it was once planned to be a free game, but now you have to buy it), Just Survive still very fun game. Similar to DayZ, but much simpler: you try to mine Consumables, while dodging zombie attacks while fighting (or befriending) over a hundred other players on the same server. Build bases, weapons and equipment, fight for food supplies and stay healthy in this multiplayer sandbox.

Unturned

A game Unturned It's free, but that doesn't mean it's poorly made. Its teenage creator has released over 150 updates to the zombie-infested sandbox since 2014, which makes it easy to see why it's been downloaded by millions of players since its release. Despite its limited visuals, Unturned has well-designed crafting, skill, and survival systems, as well as a fairly large audience.

Hardcore survival on the island, aggressive mutants and an interesting plot - this is far from full list reasons why we love the survival game "Forest".

But if you have studied the island inside and out, and no longer know what to do with yourself, pay attention to other games similar to “Forest” in this collection.

Most of them are in Russian, and some are also free.

1. No Man's Sky - big colorful space

No Man's Sky is a beautiful sandbox in a procedurally generated space with hundreds of planets available for exploration.

Video games No Man's Sky

With the Next add-on, the long-promised co-op has appeared in the game! And exploring the galaxy in the company of friends is, of course, more fun.

  • Game website: https://www.nomanssky.com/

2. Stranded Deep – simulator of Robinson’s adventures

“Stranded Deep” is a cozy survival game with a bright picture, but at the same time capable of causing real horror. It most accurately conveys the feeling of hopelessness experienced by a person on a desert island.

Video games Stranded Deep

Unlike most of the games in the collection, here the adventure is completely solo, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting.

  • Game website: https://beamteamgames.com/stranded-deep/

3. Rust is one of the most famous survival games

"" is a game that, according to many, marked the beginning of the island survival genre. Start the game naked and helpless, and try to live to see your personal machine gun and body armor.

Video games Rust

Test your cunning, diplomacy and shooting skills, but hope to achieve at least something on the first try.

  • Game website: https://rust.facepunch.com/

4. Survival: Last Day – post-apocalypse and zombies

“Survival: Last Day” is an indie survival game that is in the early alpha stage in 2018. Someday the developer promises to significantly expand the gameplay, but even now it’s interesting.

Video games Survival: Last Day

So far there is not enough content, and there is no online presence, but we will have updates in the future.

  • Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/851080/

5. Planet Nomads – a solo sandbox on a distant planet

“Planet Nomads” - a lone engineer finds himself on a random, almost uninhabited planet and immediately begins to build, hunt and survive there.

Video games Planet Nomads

Beautiful picture, great soundtrack and a lot to do. We recommend.

  • Game website: https://www.planet-nomads.com/

6. The Long Dark – survival in cold conditions

“The Long Dark” is a cool, atmospheric indie about a pilot trying to survive after a plane crash in the cold Canadian mountains.

Video games The Long Dark

And another nice thing - the price of the game already includes all subsequent updates and additions!

  • Game website: http://www.thelongdark.com/

7. Dying Light - the most aggressive zombies

“Dying Light” is a cooperative destruction of crowds of the living dead in a destroyed world with a dynamic change of time of day.

Video games Dying Light

The project does not need any special description; it has long become a legend. The second part will be out very soon!

  • Game website: https://www.dyinglightgame.com/

8. 7 Days to Die – Open World Zombies

7 Days to Die is another zombie survival game and let's be honest, the zombies here are much smarter than the previous entry on this list.

Video games 7 Days to Die

There is also pumping, and transport management, and a lot of crafting. And also single and multiplayer modes. And many other interesting things.

  • Game website: https://7daystodie.com/entrygate.html

9. Rend – global war of three factions

“Rend” is new for 2018, an unusual project with Scandinavian mythology and large islands, where three factions are fighting to improve their tree.

Video games Rend

In the future, the game will have a lot of changes, updates and improvements. But the project has prospects!

  • Game website: https://www.rendgame.com/

10. Out of Reach – another island

“Out of Reach” is another game about survival on an island, where hapless travelers are threatened not only by nature, but also by the local fauna.

Video games Out of Reach

Here, unlike many other projects on the list, there are no firearms at all, and you only have to fight with bows and axes. And this is good for the game!

  • Game website: http://oorgame.com/

By the way, in our other collections you will find not only games similar to “Forest”, but also many other interesting projects. Take a look at the list of games similar to "Rust", for example.

The best games where you have to survive against all odds.

The popularity of survival games is easy to understand, because fighting for survival is in our genes. It becomes clear why everyone is so drawn to these games. The best survival games on PC confront players with tough challenges and challenges, and push them to find creative solutions.

Games in this genre have recently found their way into the ranks of the most popular projects on Steam, even taking into account the fact that many of these games have been in early access mode - some for more than a year. The desire to survive is inherent in us at the genetic level, and therefore it is not surprising that we are so easily captivated by survival in the virtual world.

But how to find the most worthy projects among thousands of representatives of this genre? We have prepared a list of our favorite survival games for PC, in which the action takes place not only on land, but also under water, in space and in dangerous worlds inhabited by zombies, mutants and even dinosaurs.

Retired from the main list

Island survival, still in Early Access.

Unlike The Forest, the island is uninhabited and there are no naked cannibals on it. Although the coastal waters are patrolled by sharks - also, in a sense, naked cannibals.

Survival in the zombie apocalypse, focus on crafting.

As a survivor, you spend precious hours of daylight searching for parts and junk that you can use against the bloodthirsty hordes of the dead at night.

Zombie, isometric.

To survive, you need to repel the attacks of the dead, find shelter, make tools and weapons for yourself, look for food and all the time maintain a high morale of your character.

A hybrid of survival and rogue-like game, in which you have to raft down the river, getting supplies along the way.

Wonderful, complex and exciting game with pleasant elements of survival and crafting, but poorly developed controls on the river somewhat spoil the impression.

Zombie survival in a large open world.

And although this game went through some rather strange metamorphoses in Early Access mode (it was originally intended to be shareware, but now has a price tag), Just Survive is still fun to play. Very similar to DayZ, but at the same time more accessible, this game offers the usual hunting for resources, fighting zombies and other players (you can team up with the latter if you wish), and all this happens on servers with hundreds of gamers.

In this multiplayer sandbox, everything follows the precepts of the genre: we build bases, craft weapons and tools, fight for regular supplies of supplies and try in every possible way to survive.

Management of a sci-fi colony, game inspired by Dwarf Fortress.

The game has been in early access for 5 years, but RimWorld has finally reached version 1.0. In this survival simulator, you control a colony of random people wandering around a procedurally generated alien planet.

Expand your base, maintain the physical and mental health of the colonists, cope with disasters that the AI ​​director (world event generation system) throws at you. These could be disease outbreaks, alien attacks, natural changes. The most difficult challenge may be the simple survival of the colonists with each other, because each has its own personality, desires and behavior.

Raft

You survive on a raft, gradually turning it into a floating fortress.

It sounds almost ideal, serenely sailing around the world on a raft, gradually building and expanding it, while fishing shipwrecks out of the ocean with a fishing hook. There are also hungry sharks. And if they can't eat you, they will do their best to eat your houseboat.

You need to look for food and clean water, keeping your raft afloat and expanding it. Co-op comes to the rescue, because with a partner you double your chances of survival.

Survive the zombie apocalypse by managing a team of survivors.

You don't play State of Decay 2 as an individual, but as a group of people. In the game you need to make forays not only for food, water, weapons and equipment, but also for other people. Each character has their own abilities, quirks and personality traits. Supplies are very limited, so as the settlement grows, more resources are needed to maintain it.

It is necessary to make forays into the vast open world of rural America. There is a co-op option where players can join and leave at any time.

Scum

Prisoners are released onto a deadly island to fight for survival.

Status: game in early access

Scum hasn't been in Early Access for long, so it's hard to say what to expect from this game, but it's already raised the bar for survival gaming. Scum has a ton of information about what you eat, a personalized set of essential vitamins and minerals, and it all stays after you eat it. You also have to go to the toilet.

Tracks heart rate, weight and even the number of teeth, and also takes into account the additional weight of clothes if they get wet. Scum has many different survival simulations in one.

Survival, city building and problem solving in a frozen world.

Frostpunk is a mixture of a city building simulator and a survival game in a dark, icy world. You will need to build a functioning city for a bunch of hungry and cold people inside a snowy crater, warmed only by a huge coal stove. Collect resources, get food and control the inhabitants of your city, giving them hope for the future. It's a brutal and beautiful game where you have to make tough decisions at every turn.

Atmospheric survival game in the setting of a Canadian post-apocalypse.

Status: early access mode.

With its emphasis on atmosphere and survival in a harsh environment, The Long Dark stands out from countless others in the genre. You will play as a pilot who finds himself in the snowy wilderness as a result of a mysterious cataclysm of global proportions. There are no zombies, no mutants, or even other players: you will have to fight with the harsh wild nature and your own fears.

We survive, craft, build - and all this under water.

Status: early access mode.

Explore a hostile underwater world from the helm of a homemade submarine sailing through mysterious deep-sea landscapes. Beautiful coral reefs and underwater caves and trenches full of useful resources and food await you. Build bases, create a fleet of submarines and develop existing technologies in every possible way to survive in the depths of the sea. It’s hard not to compare the game to Minecraft, but at the same time, the developer of Unknown Worlds managed to introduce a number of unique elements to the established genre.

Follow a handful of 3D-printed colonists in a dangerous, growing underground colony.

Status: early access.

The best games are those that are easy to understand but difficult to master. fits this description: it's a piece of cake to start playing and learn the basics, but it takes a lot of time and effort to fully learn. This colony simulator is as delightful as it is deep and challenging as it simulates a harsh underground environment.

You'll have to keep an eye on the colonists' hunger, happiness, cleanliness, and, naturally, clean, breathable oxygen as they dig caves, gather resources, build machinery, and try to transform the world to a comfortable underground house.

We survive, craft, build - and all this with dinosaurs.

Status: early access mode.

We are thrown almost bare-handed onto a huge map, where we have to somehow fight the sweltering heat, cold, hunger, dehydration and other players (although there is also a single-player mode). To survive, you need to craft weapons, build a home, tame dinosaurs and team up (or fight) with other gamers.

The free Primitive Plus add-on adds variety to the gameplay, and the upcoming Tech Tier DLC promises to add weapons and gadgets straight out of science fiction to the game.

We survive in a cartoonish wild nature full of animals and monsters.

With a combination of stunning design and brutal gameplay, Don't Starve is an addictive adventure and one of the best survival games (and one of the few games to make it out of Early Access). The crafting system is as challenging as it is fun, and fits perfectly into the gameplay, where busy days give way to deadly nights.

You will find fights with animals (and then a meal of them), the use of science and magic, and, of course, maintaining mental health at the proper level (if it decreases, the character will begin to go crazy). The Don't Starve Together add-on allows you to play with friends.

A real-time strategy roguelike where you explore eerie abandoned spaceships using drone drones.

Duskers may not feel like a proper survival game, given that it's a strategy game about controlling a fleet of drones inside scary spaceships. But the reason you explore them is to collect parts and fuel, and to repair and improve your drones so that you can continue to travel through space in the hope of finding safety and understanding the cause of the unexplained event that left the universe uninhabited (uninhabited by people). , at least).

It's really stressful as you have to get yourself involved in increasingly dangerous situations in the hope of gathering enough resources to survive.

Fight a blizzard, wandering gangs of NPCs, and other players as you search for a cure for your illness in Manhattan's Dark Zone.

Status: released November 2016.

The second expansion to The Division not only gave players new content, but also changes to the gameplay. Trapped in a deadly blizzard, disease-ridden players begin each round armed with only a pistol and low-level gear, and they must venture into the Dark Zone to find a cure and an extraction point.

Meanwhile, they must survive the bitter cold, enemy gangs, and a couple dozen other players who are in the same predicament.

DayZ

An online survival game with zombies and an Eastern European setting.

Status: early access mode.

Yes, many players are already tired of waiting for the multiplayer zombie survival game to finally leave the early access mode, and the fact that DayZ is rooted in the military simulator ArmA sometimes confuses newcomers. But at the same time, all the features of the genre in DayZ are executed with dignity: a complex system of nutrition and health maintenance goes beyond the usual set of regular snacks and dressing wounds.

Here you will find food and resources in a detailed open world, tense interactions with other players, creating and modifying weapons, and, of course, trying to stay alive as long as possible: if you die, you will have to start all over again empty-handed.

An intense and creepy survival game with multiplayer and mutants.

Status: early access mode.

At first glance, this is one of the DayZ clones, of which there have been many in recent years, but Miscreated over time has turned into a high-quality multiplayer game with excellent graphics (the game was created on the Cryengine engine). At the beginning, we receive only a flashlight and a couple of items of clothing, and then we are looking for weapons and supplies in empty houses and military bases. It’s not only wild animals and mutants that you should be afraid of here, but also other survivors.

Terraria in space.

Starbound offers both flights to distant galaxies and the construction of your own small farm, thus combining elements of an intense survival adventure and a leisurely pastime. The pixelated 2D open world is fun to explore, and throughout the game you'll encounter peaceful NPC aliens and fight incredibly tough bosses.

There is a competent story campaign with additional quests, and you can go through it at a pace convenient for you - the game does not rush anyone. You can play Starbound with friends on separate servers, or by inviting them through Steam to join your own playthrough.

Rust

Savages run through the forest and hit each other with stones.

Status: early access mode.

Team up or fight with other players (or try to survive alone), starting with primitive tools and weapons and eventually progressing to firearms and buildings large bases. The enemies here are wild animals, hunger and thirst, but the game is designed specifically for constant interactions between people, so the main danger will come from dozens of gamers connected to the same server.

Rust is still experimenting with gameplay (they recently removed character levels and the experience system), and we're very interested in where this will ultimately lead.

We build, we destroy, we fight monsters.

You may have heard about her. There are countless game modes in Minecraft: single-player, creative, cooperative (with friends or random players), exploration mode, or playing any of thousands of mods on special servers.

The survival elements here still look great: we are talking about well-developed hunger and thirst systems, as well as incredibly thoughtful crafting and building systems. Immerse yourself in this wonderful cubic world and you will not want to leave it.

A guy who survived a plane crash angered a tribe of cannibals.

Status: early access mode.

Having climbed out from under the wreckage of the crashed plane, you will very soon discover that you are not alone. Creepy cannibals will keep you company on the mysterious island. And while you are trying to look for food and resources, and also build simple tents and log houses, while setting traps for animals, you will have to defend yourself from the evil and hungry local population. The Forest uses the Unity 5 engine, which provides gorgeous visuals and effects.

Minecraft, side view.

A wonderful, fun (not to mention inexpensive) survival sandbox. Explore randomly generated worlds, collect resources and enjoy a simple but enjoyable crafting system. Make your way through huge caves, fight monsters, chat with friendly NPCs, build your shelter and play alone or in co-op with friends. Terraria took many years to develop, but the game ultimately stood the test of time.

Survival in harsh environments with an emphasis on skill systems and player-to-player (PVP) combat.

Status: early access mode.

Don't be fooled by the flashy graphics style - Hurtworld is much more serious than it seems. If you manage to survive the first few hours of looting, battles with mutants and other players, you will be able to build your first base and repair any car found in the area (if, of course, you collect the necessary parts).

Particular attention is paid here to the influence of weather - for example, during a snowfall, a piece of meat in a backpack will freeze and not go rotten. And it’s quite nice to see some concessions in a game that usually does not forgive mistakes - for example, after death and rebirth, all weapons remain with you.

The fight for survival in a city torn apart by war.

This War of Mine gives us the opportunity to look at the war not from the eyes of a brave soldier, but from the point of view ordinary people trying to survive terrible events - the game differs from other representatives of the survival genre in its permeating atmosphere of despair and hopelessness. As you try to maintain both the physical and mental health of your group of survivors, you'll constantly be faced with a series of difficult choices.

There will be intense nighttime forays in search of food and supplies, and no matter what you find, it will never be enough. This is not just a survival game, it is a tough and truthful look at the very essence of war.

A free-to-play multiplayer survival sandbox.

Status: early access mode.

Unturned is far from the classic free-to-play games. Since 2014, its creator (a teenager) has managed to release more than 150 updates for this survival sandbox inhabited by zombies, and that is why the game is so popular - since its first appearance on Steam, it has already been downloaded several million times.

Despite the not-so-pleasing visuals, Unturned captivates with its deeply developed crafting, skill, and survival systems; and you can include a huge and varied audience of the project as bonuses.

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