Survivalgames represent one of the most played genres in gaming, but all too often, this genre tends to mingle with a tried-and-true existential threat and mythology: zombies. Pop culture and modern media just can’t get enough of reanimated corpses, often in apocalyptic settings.
This isn’t to say survival games that rely on zombies as a main source of content are bad. On the contrary, games like Project Zomboid orDying Lightare successful because they executed a zombie-survival experience incredibly well. But, if you need an understandable break from all the zombie-infested titles, give the games below a look.
Release Date
2024
You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t at least heard of the namePalworld, a breakoutindiehit boasting stunning success, especially in terms of net sales, player engagement, and overall reviews; a result that is surely making the folks atNintendofeel the market pressure.
In a nutshell, Palworld combines Pokemon-esque mechanics, like creature capturing and taming, with survival-shooter, resource gathering, and automation genre elements that could be compared to games likeARK: Survival Evolved. If you decide to play, try not to exploit your Pals too hard.
2013
Rust, by design, is all about PvP, so if that’s not your cup of tea, this might not be the game for you. While you could likely find community servers with more chill or PvE focused guidelines, it likely won’t be as fun as the violent, oftentimes silly roleplay and encounters you’d get in PvP.
If you just got hit with a bit of dopamine at the idea of fighting other players and potentially stealing their hard-earned loot in a post-apocalyptic world, though, it might be time for you and some friends to hop on the Rust bandwagon, gather resources, build a base, and assert server dominance.
2019
Satisfactoryis, admittedly, more focused on free-form automation and futuristic, industrial methods of extracting resources from foreign planets for the sake of the corporation you’re working for. That doesn’t mean, however, that you won’t have to feed yourself to heal after battling local fauna with an electric baton.
If you’re looking for a light Survival experience where you can progressively expand your own technological empire of resource-extracting machines, without having to worry about a strict progression system that guides how you play, this game is worth trying out.
2018
While there are islands to eventually find and explore,Raft, as the name implies, throws you on a flimsy piece of wood in the middle of the ocean, and tasks you with gathering floating plastic, wood scraps, and natural resources to build up your raft and survive.
When it comes to food, you may grow your own by planting seeds in farm plots on your raft, or hunt nearby wildlife, like birds flying above you, or sharks that are looking for a meal of their own. Otherwise, Raft gives you all the crafting, research, and exploration goodness you’d want from a Survival game.
2014
WhileSubnauticais certainly a survival title, filled with hunger, oxygen, and other maintenance-related mechanics, as well as crafting, research, and biome exploration, it can frequently feel like a horror game, especially if you have thalassophobia, the fear of deep bodies of water.
To be fair, there are some terrifying creatures in Subnautica’s ocean environment, and one way or another, the story and the game’s progression is going to force you to meet most of these spooky specimens.
If you try this game out and end up struggling,check out our guide on dealing with Subnautica’s aggressive creatures.
WhileOutwardcan feel a bit unforgiving and clunky at times, it’s overall a survival-RPG gem that puts you in the shoes of an otherwise average person in a fantasy world, and through hard-work, effort, and risk-taking, you may become truly extraordinary.
Whether in co-op or on your own, you’ll set out in a magical, dangerous world full of loot, fighting styles, surprises, quests, and factions with different goals and interests. Be warned, though; the game constantly auto-saves, meaning you’ll have to live, or die, with the consequences of your actions.
Generation Zero throws you into an alternate version of Cold War era Sweden where dangerous, autonomous robots, ranging from small to medium-sized and numerous, to solitary and gargantuan, have pushed humanity to the brink of extinction thanks to their coordination and frightening arsenals.
Instead of worrying about a hunger mechanic, you’ll have to worry about picking strategic engagements when they favor you, stealth and avoidance when you know you’re outmatched, and resource management as you scrounge for parts, ammunition, and weapons in this apocalyptic world.
2020
Typically, there’s nothing that scary about the average backyard. InGrounded, however, the story is much different, since you’ve been shrunk to roughly the size of an ant, forcing you to survive against dangerous insects, like spiders or dens of termites, and other threats.
There’s a lot to learn in the game, and whether you decide to jump in solo, or with up to three other friends, it’ll help to knowwhich locations are the best for building a base, and to read up onwhat every beginner in Grounded should do first.
Looking for a new and exciting survival game to try?Nightingale is available on Steamin Early Access starting May 23, 2025!
Survival Week
Welcome to the home of TheGamer’s Survival Week, a celebration of all things, well, survival. Here you’ll find features, interviews, and more dedicated to this popular genre, brought to you by Inflexion Games' upcoming open-world survival crafter, Nightingale.
