Some of the biggest triple-A games each year tend to be expansive and inspiring survival titles. The most popular game worldwide is the classicMinecraft, so it’s safe to say the gaming community loves a survival adventure.
Let’s not overlook the smaller companies, though, that release versions that are supported by our everyday browsers. There are some absolute gems out there that won’t require a massive amount of computing power to enjoy. Here are the best survival games you can play right on your browser.
10Atomic Trail
Based on a childhood classic, The Oregon Trail, this is an edgy sequel to that nostalgia trip.Atomic Trailfeatures similar gameplay but is set hundreds of years after the USA has been reduced to rubble and radioactive waste.
Decide how your randomly generated party moves through the wasteland of civilization, foraging for ammo and medicine, and interacting with whatever is left of humanity. Will you survive long enough to discover what happened?
9Backrooms
We’ve all come across the creepy trend concerning theBackrooms, particularly if you spend any time on TikTok. Based on a post from 4Chan which grew into a CreepyPasta, the Backrooms is a subliminal space between the walls of reality that unfortunate souls may slip into.
This game has you wandering through the florescent hallways and eerie buildings that make up the Backrooms. But don’t imagine you’re alone in here, as you’ll need to run or sneak away from the creatures that call this space a home.
8Trigaea
Another spooky game, but in a very different setting,Trigaeais a text-based survival game set in an alien landscape. Upon waking without your memories, explore wrecked spaceships, battle strange creatures, and collect Microships to find out who you are.
Dictate the direction of the game through moral choices and where you explore. This game is totally free, and totally beautiful, with a rich story and 15 endings to achieve.
7The Mist
In a very different, yet still unsettling direction,The Mistis a resource management survival game with very simplistic, monochromatic pixel art. The world is dying, and you’re the leader of the only group of humans left.
By choosing how to spend your resources in this somber setting, keep your followers faithful and happy, and try to wait out the apocalypse.
6Trail Of Pigs
A simple yet enjoyable game,Trail of Pigshas you and your piggy friend running for your lives from hungry hunters. Take care of one another by scavenging for food, and use the shadows of the forest to your advantage when danger comes too close.
If you need to fight, ensure to leave the area quickly, as your shots will only bring more trouble. The art style and music of this charming little game is unlike anything else, and it’s completely free to play!
5Green Memories
Follow in the footsteps of previous scientists attempting to revitalize the arid landscape, and attempt to survive the arid conditions inGreen Memories. There areaspects of shooter gamesand RPG as you play as hopeful young Cytra.
Stay alive and explore the sandbox desert, dig up moisture pockets and escape from ancient robots, all while engineering a way to bring back the green.
4Island Of Mine
For something a little different, try this adorable and magical survival game,Island of Mine. Craft, mine and build your world by unlocking islands with fresh new biomes, and defeat spooky dungeons for their spoils.
Island of Mine is a colorful and upbeat browser game that anyone can enjoy — interact with NPCs to learn the lore of the isles, or simply collect wearables and pets. You’d never believe it’s still in Alpha, though it will soon beavailable on Steam too.
3WaspLove
For those of us who are budding entymologists who’ve been itching for a game about wasps, here it is!WaspLovehas you building and managing a wasp nest either in the forest or in the city.
Send your worker wasps out to forage, assign soldiers to guard the egg cells, and take care of your queen for the long-term survival of the colony. A little different from the usual survival games, butsuper cozy nonetheless.
2Hunted
Back to more sinister vibes,Huntedhas you on the run through a pine forest, tracking your resources and taking care of your precious reserves. Weigh up risks while staying ahead of your pursuers as you race to reach the extraction point.
You choose what you start with, and therefore how easy the run will be. Craft, hide, and steal from other survivors in this eerie browser game.
1My Rusty Submarine
Ending on a cheerier game,My Rusty Submarineis a couch co-op exploration of the deepest ocean crannies. Your vessel might be a little leaky, but that’s what makes it so charming!
Keep your yellow submarine fueled and intact by working together with your friend, and discover places hitherto unseen by humans. How deep will you go?
Looking for a new and exciting survival game to try?Nightingale is available on Steamin Early Access starting July 17, 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.
