Top 20 Best Survival Video Games

This might be the first so-called “sandbox game” to actually let you explore a sandbox. It all comes down to the brilliant premise, which uses a shrinking plotline to turn an everyday backyard into a never-ending jungle. Suddenly, sandboxes are deserts, ladybugs are deadly, and spiders pretty much signal the end of a run. That is, if your stamina doesn’t get you first. There’s plenty of tense resource management to keep you busy, and yet, the most fun part of “Grounded” is discovering what this backyard looks like through your newly-shrunk eyes. Throw in four-player co-op, and it’s safe to say playing outside has never been this much fun.

Spoiler alert: no matter what, you always die at the end of this game. There is technically an episodic story mode, but for the most part, “The Long Dark” is about delaying the inevitable for as long as possible. It offers a truly staggering amount of player freedom in its open world, and thanks to its litany of captivating mechanics, it never grows tiresome, either. Dealing with weather, day-night cycles, scavenging, and more will leave you too enamored to even think about putting down the controller. So, even though every playthrough ends the same way, “The Long Dark” ensures that starting a new run is always a good idea.

There’s a whole ocean to explore in this game, but if you want to see it all, you’re gonna want to stay above water. That’s easier said than done, though, especially since you only start with a raft, a hook, and a dream to stay alive. Of course, you can swim off your lifeboat to explore and gather supplies. But, there’s a catch. The raft is always moving with the ocean current, and once it’s gone, so is your chance at survival. It’s a simple yet engaging mechanic that turns the mindless grind into a nail-biting speedrun. And that’s not even mentioning the shark attacks.

It takes a village to survive on an asteroid. Or, in this case, a colony. There’s only three workers to start, but that number quickly balloons as you explore the cozy rock you call home. Trust us, you’re going to need every single colonist if you want to stay on top of hunger, waste, scavenging, and oxygen levels. It’s a lot, and the so-called duplicants can only do so much. They each have their own set of traits and stats that alter their effectiveness at certain tasks. That, when paired with the procedurally generated world, means there’s a never-ending amount of fun ways to optimize your colony.

It may include dinosaurs, but rest assured, there’s nothing prehistoric about this survival game. Instead, “ARK” takes the foundations of the genre and crafts them into its own unique experience. For one, the game has a fantastic sense of atmosphere in every single corner of its open world, and that’s complemented by its novel use of wildlife. Both fantastical and prehistoric. If taming a dinosaur to fight by your side isn’t the definition of awesome, we don’t know what is. Admittedly, “ARK’s” high difficulty isn’t for the faint of heart. But, with so much to hone your skills on, the challenging fights become a part of the charm.

Iron Gate Studio’s “Valheim” will lull you in with its premise, and make you stay because of its gorgeous production values. Sure, the idea of taking names as an actual viking is as cool as it comes. But, “Valheim’s” lush world makes it clear that this game is about the journey, not the destination. Whether you’re beheading Odin’s sworn enemies or uncovering secrets in the randomly-generated overworld, it’s hard to resist stopping to marvel at the breathtaking scenery. And don’t even get us started on the music. No matter which way you approach it, “Valheim” will always deserve its spot in the Valhalla of great survival games.

In this indie title, survival takes a backseat to storytelling. Don’t get us wrong, getting off this scarcely populated planet still requires plenty of clever resource management. But, above all that, the core of “Rimworld” revolves around its innovative story generator. As you spend your days building a spaceship, the event machine throws any number of creative hiccups at you. They range from wildlife attacks to cold waves to recruiting new NPC’s, and everything in between. That imaginative spirit extends to just about every other part of the game, too. With its deep systems and emphasis on personal adventures, it’s almost sad when you finally liftoff from “Rimworld.”

There’s as many reasons to pick up this game as there are zombies in the apocalypse. For those keeping track, that’s a lot. While its zombified world may sound a bit familiar, “Project Zomboid'' sets itself apart from the horde with just one look. That's not hyperbole; the charming isometric view gives the game a distinct identity from anything else on the market. To say nothing of its urban setting. The game brings just enough updates to the classic survival formula to make for a uniquely worthwhile trek through the apocalypse. Plus, whether you’re a newcomer or a genre veteran, getting swarmed by zombies is never not terrifying.

Kind of a foreboding title, huh? Well, in a way, it’s more of a warning than a true death sentence. After seven days of relatively standard survival fare, the blood moon will rise. With it, every single zombie and animal will hunt the player until the sun comes up. Then, you get to work on building your shelter for the next week. Rinse and repeat. There’s no real objective beyond survival, but you don’t need one when the weekly siege inspires so much ingenuity. By constantly building and reinforcing your home, the fun becomes not just surviving the blood moon, but how you do it. There’s more than seven days of possibilities, that’s for sure.

In the midst of a world overrun of infected zombies, a society’s morals are just as important as its resources. The original “State of Decay” used that idea to deliver one of the most gratifying survival tales in recent memory. And yet, somehow, its sequel improved on the original in just about every conceivable way. The zombies are scarier, the social elements are deeper, and there’s new co-op elements to tie it all together. “State of Decay 2” might be the only game where managing a character’s morals is just as riveting as blowing a zombie’s head off. And that’s a compliment.

This one needs no introduction. It’s the absolute epitome of an approachable survival game, evident by the fact it was originally conceived to help 8th graders learn about history. Since then, its decade-spanning legacy has taken on a life of its own. After all, it’s been ported, remade, and ripped off dozens of times for good reason. Each update brings something new to the table, but it never overshadows the earnest spirit that makes this game so legendary. Its lax difficulty and fact-based story hasn’t gotten old in over fifty years, and there’s no reason to believe it can’t last another fifty, too. At least, provided you don’t die of dysentery first.

The only accurate way to describe this zombie-thriller is “dynamic.” As a matter of fact, that principle is baked into the actual game design. In a ploy to keep each playthrough fresh, developer Bohemia Interactive programmed several active events that randomly proc throughout the game. Sometimes you’ll see a helicopter crash, sometimes you’ll befriend an NPC, sometimes it’ll just be a normal day surviving the apocalypse. But, no matter what, no two runs of “Dayz” will ever be the same. That’s a very good thing, since the open-world is so dense, one time through just isn’t enough. Leave it to a game about the dead to feel so alive.

The fact that this game was initially created as a duplicate of “Dayz” should tell you everything you need to know. But, after years and years of dedicated developer support, “Rust” surpassed its inspiration and became one of the genre’s best and brightest. Fundamentally, it’s a rock-solid survival game with plenty of meat on its bones. However, since it’s exclusively multiplayer, “Rust” ratchets up the tension to new heights. The biggest threat isn’t just finding supplies or fending off wildlife, it’s ensuring other players don’t do it, first. Putting battle royale elements into a survival game works so well, it’s a wonder it didn’t happen any sooner.

This time around, it’s not zombies or animals or deformed mutants destroying the world. It’s war, plain and simple. But, in a refreshing change of pace, “This War of Mine” doesn’t put you on the front lines. Instead, you spend most of your time holed up in a safehouse trying desperately to keep your clan alive. The game fully commits to its gritty premise, even though it means succumbing to despair every now and then. Since the characters are so well developed, it really hurts when you lose them, too. But, that’s just one of the many reasons why this isn’t just a great game; it’s an important one.

The rules for this game are literally in the title. Get food; then win. The issue is that stuffing your face is difficult when you’re also on the run from various supernatural entities. They aren’t merciful, either. But, the high difficulty curve is half the fun. The other half is the endlessly charming art-style, which makes each and every randomly-generated world fun to explore. Even better, your skill is eventually rewarded with a surprisingly in-depth story mode. Thanks to all its harmonious mechanics, “Don’t Starve” exists as a whimsical representation of survival games at their finest. Although, really, it’s worth checking out just to see all the hilarious ways you can die.

This might just be the adventure game to end all adventure games. At the very least, its sales prove as much. As of 2023, “Terraria” is among the top-ten best-selling video games of all time. Perhaps the biggest compliment is that it’s hard to pick just one reason why it’s so popular. It could be the breathtaking 16-bit aesthetic, the unparalleled sense of exploration, or the downright addictive gameplay loop. Or, maybe it’s just that it’s so chalk-full of content, there’s never a reason to play anything else. Whatever it may be, one thing is obvious: “Terraria” isn’t just a fantastic survival game, it’s a fantastic game, period.

Somehow, someway, Obsidian Entertainment turned in a product that’s both one of the greatest RPG’s and best survival games ever made. From the start, the intricate and satisfying role-playing elements seamlessly feed into the combat. Soon enough, that gameplay becomes a survival exercise. Turn on Hardcore Mode and its insane restrictions, and you have an unforgettable journey through New Vegas ahead of you. Despite its origins as an RPG, the hardcore ruleset rewards skill over luck, and it’s all the better for it. There’s not many games out there with such a rewarding survival experience, especially ones that come with stories as good as this.

After crash-landing on a mysterious peninsula, Eric LeBlanc must find supplies, search for his missing son, and, oh yeah, fend off the occasional native cannibal. As a result, “The Forest” is an immersive ordeal that has to be played to be fully appreciated. It’s like if you were in a horror movie, complete with all the dread and blood that comes with it. But, even though it’s a spine-tingling affair from start to finish, the complex mystery of the peninsula will always keep you coming back for more. Then, once you make it through “The Forest,” there’s a whole sequel that’s full of even more scary goodness. There’s no going wrong camping in these woods.

Can you call this an open-world even though most of it takes place under the sea? We’re going to do it anyway. “Subnautica’s” open-world is a tour-de-force of game design. The lack of any clear quests or progression markers give the story an unrivaled sense of autonomy. At times, it feels less like a video game, and more like an actual scuba-diving expedition. Albeit, one with a lot of terrifying sea creatures. See, all its gameplay aside, “Subnautica” works because it conveys both the graceful wonder and utter terror of the unknown ocean. Though, fair warning, this may keep you off scuba diving for a while.

Whether you’re building, destroying, or exploring, there’s no wrong way to play “Minecraft.” The limitless amount of player freedom is unlike anything else in gaming history, and that’s plain to see in its industry-defining legacy. Memes, parodies, crossovers; you name it, “Minecraft'' has probably done it. To think, it’s all just a bunch of boxes, a few creepers, and an Ender Dragon. But, the simplicity gives way to a game that can truly be played however you want. And, at this point, it pretty much has. The real master of survival is Minecraft itself, because at this rate, it will outlive us all.