Summary
- The open-world survival genre is extremely popular, offering diverse solo and co-op options.
- The Long Dark has a compelling plot, the scenic and deadly Canadian wilderness backdrop, and a brutal survival focus.
- Sons of the Forest is an intense sequel, expanding on the first game's creepy atmosphere and survival mechanics.
The open-world survival game genre is still relatively new as far as gaming goes, but it has quickly grown to become one of the most popular in recent years, especially when it comes to indie titles. Naturally, with such a huge selection of games to choose from, there are going to be many different survival experiences to check out.
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Teaming up might make these open-world games easier, but playing alone can be even more satisfying.
Whether looking for some solo, laid-back sandbox building or some co-op exploration fun with friends, the genre is chock-full of options to choose from. Including a fair amount for those hardcore survival fans who are looking for a brutal and unforgiving game that really focuses on survival above all.
6 The Long Dark
Surviving the Frigid Conditions of the Great White North
The Long Dark
- Released
- August 1, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Hinterland Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Hinterland Studio
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The Long Dark from Hinterland Studio has developed a pretty deep story through its multiple different episodic releases. It also offers a more traditional open-world survival experience with difficulty options in its sandbox-style mode that does away with the plot elements.
The game takes the survival experience to the frosty expanses of remote Northern Canada, complete with a stylized, low-poly aesthetic that makes exploration even more interesting. The game's plot follows a pilot named Will Mackenzie, who is involved in a plane crash caused by a geomagnetic storm. Leaving him to scavenge the surrounding area for food, shelter, and materials in order to survive the harsh winter elements.
While the game doesn’t have the traditional building system like many other titles in the genre do, The Long Dark has many crucial survival mechanics that can be unforgiving if not properly managed in the lonely and desolate great white north.
5 Sons of the Forest
The Forest Sequel That Gets Even More Intense
Sons of the Forest
- Released
- February 22, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Endnight Games
- Publisher(s)
- Newnight
- Genre(s)
- Survival, Open-World, Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
The long-awaited sequel to The Forest from 2014, Sons Of The Forest takes the same harsh survival and downright creepy atmosphere and dials it up even more. Much like the first game, Sons Of The Forest drops players onto another desolate island, this time hired by a company to search for the CEO and his missing family.
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What starts as a simple search and rescue turns into a full-on matter of life and death, where scavenging, crafting, and building are required in order to survive the mysterious island and the various monsters crawling around. Its survival systems and scary atmosphere are just as unforgiving as the first game (if not more so), and it even has some interesting story ties to the original plot as well.
4 Green Hell
A Cruel Tropical Survival Experience
Green Hell
- Released
- September 5, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Creepy Jar
- Publisher(s)
- Creepy Jar
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Survival
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Green Hell is a newer indie title that came to Steam in 2019, bringing a distinctive setting that hasn’t been explored much in the open-world survival genre so far. This survival game’s standout feature is its unique Amazon rainforest setting, also featuring a brutal survival experience where the slightest mistake can mean life or death.
Players have to set up a base camp and scavenge for resources in the harsh rainforest environment, all while navigating the dangers within. From the environment’s deadly wildlife to the threat of poison, infection, and even hallucinations, something as simple as boiling water can be the difference between life and death.
The tropical environment in Green Hell factors heavily into its mechanics overall, creating a uniquely brutal and unforgiving survival game that's not for the faint of heart.
3 Rust
From Rocks to Riches
Rust
- Released
- February 8, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Facepunch Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Facepunch Studios
- Genre(s)
- Survival
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
Even before its full release in 2018, Rust quickly rose on the list of most-played games on Steam, where it has sat for years as one of the most popular open-world survival games on the platform. Rust has long been known for its extremely harsh and unforgiving online gameplay loop. Upon joining a server, players are dropped onto a randomly generated island, armed with only a rock and torch. As usual in the genre, gathering resources and looting surrounding areas is the next step, but the key point to the game’s brutality is its PvP-focused nature.
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Players must ensure they have a fortified base to protect their loot, because even when offline, their base is left wide-open for others to raid. This can result in losing hours' worth of gathered resources, crafting, building, and cherished loot, giving the game its long-held title as one of the most brutal online survival games of all time, especially for newcomers.
2 DayZ
Surviving the Brutal Zombie Apocalypse With or Against Other Players
DayZ
- Released
- December 13, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Bohemia Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Bohemia Interactive
- Genre(s)
- Survival
- OpenCritic Rating
- Weak
DayZ has long maintained a huge player base, ranging from back when it was just a mod for Arma 2 to now being a standalone title on Steam with multiple expansions. Between its deep mechanics and realistic feel, DayZ can be incredibly hard to get the hang of for beginners. When joining a server, players are exposed to a giant map, traditionally with nothing but a few items for basic survival, as they loot various locations to gear up for protection against the undead.
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But the zombies in DayZ usually aren’t the biggest worry; it’s the other survivors lurking around that players need to beware. The online nature of the game can be unforgiving, and with players not knowing who to trust, many simply adopt the shoot-on-sight mentality. And, if met with that unfortunate fate, everything is lost, and players need to start back from square one to build back up again.
1 Project Zomboid
A Brutal & Unforgiving Zombie Survival Indie
Project Zomboid
- Released
- November 8, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- The Indie Stone
- Publisher(s)
- The Indie Stone
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC
Project Zomboid has been around for years in Steam early access, and throughout that time, the game has grown and changed considerably. But, the one thing that hasn’t changed since 2013 is its reputation for being brutally difficult in the beginning.
This isometric indie survival title throws players into the middle of a full-on zombie apocalypse where the objective is as simple as exploring the area to gather resources for crafting, defense, and survival overall.
What makes Project Zomboid so uniquely brutal is how many dangers can lurk around nearly every corner in the game. Zombies aren't the only threat, either, as players must also deal with starvation and dehydration; they even need to deal with environmental hazards like carbon-monoxide poisoning! The game has immense depth in its survival systems, making it a near-perfect experience for anyone wanting a brutal survival challenge.
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While some survival games focus on crafting and base-building, others make exploration the real test. Being stranded in a frozen forest or lost at sea forces players into unfamiliar territory, and sometimes it can be brutal. This video looks at the survival games with some of the most brutal exploration out there.