The Best Survival Games To Play Right Now on Your PC
They’re the perfect mix of horror, life simulation and combat that we just can’t get enough of.
Here’s 31 of our favorite survival games, ranked from good to best to play on your PC.
31. How to Survive
How to Survive Launch Trailer
Playing as one of three different characters, you’ll race to collect pages of a Survival guide to collect tips that will save your life after your ship crashes on an isolated island. Craft tools and weapons that will help you against the island’s various threats.
On the small island you’ve been forced to settle on, you’ll come face to face with several different types of zombies and zombie like creatures. Make over 100 different types of weapons and tools to defend yourself and explore the different environments of the four islands in this game world. Collect the pages of the Survival guide and trust the advice of Kovac, someone you’ll come to love.
Make weapons to use against the different types of zombies on the island.
Meet your survival needs as you explore four islands, each one as different as the last.
30. How to Survive 2
How to Survive 2 Gameplay
The sequel of How to Survive is set in Louisiana, years later after the zombie infection has gone worldwide. Create your character and build your best survivalist camp with or without your friends to help.
In the multiplayer game, you can invite 16 players to have access to your camp and play with up to four other people in the same Coop. Keep zombies at bay with different tricks and traps around your camp. You’ll want to be careful during the night time as some zombies are nocturnal. If you feel like a survival expert, you can try out the new elite quests and for those who grew fond of Kovac, don’t worry. You can still get his advice but this time, in video form.
Play with up to 16 of your friends in multiplayer mode. Together as a team, build a strong camp with the new more intensive crafting system.
Place traps to keep zombies out of your camp. Finish them off with new moves and gory effects.
29. Life is Feudal: Your Own
Life is Feudal: Your Own Gameplay
In this sandbox style RPG, start from scratch and build your own booming empire. Trade with neighboring cities, battle your enemies and claim their lands for your own to grow your kingdom.
There are over 40 million alchemy combinations in this game that can be combined for different items. There’s a realistic weather system where the weather affects your character. Damage is based on a realistic system, drawn from the human anatomy with fractures and wounds. You’ll need to watch your health bar as your enemies can knock you unconscious or kill you. Your character can even be out of breath or exhausted from exertion.
Combat is physics based. There is no magic and four types of damage different weapons can cause.
You’ll actually need to put in the work to build your village, including chopping and physically lugging the materials back to camp.
28. Hurtworld
Hurtworld Official Early Access Trailer
To make it in this survival game, you’ll need to step out of your comfort zone. You’ll have to think realistically in this one as you decide what’s more dangerous—the world or the other players that are inhabiting it.
Mine resources, grow crops and build structures to create your very own camp. If you choose to leave the comfort of your own camp, you will be rewarded with better weapons and even car parts to build your very own fully functioning vehicle. Loot old towns while you explore the richness of the different biomes available in the world.
You can find items to make life a little easier, like car parts and materials for advanced weapons, if you’re willing to risk comfort to search for them.
Gather food and materials to build shelter in this open world sandbox style game.
27. Fallout Shelter
Fallout Shelter Gameplay
Play as the overseer of The Vault, a multi-level, underground bunker that keeps Dwellers (or citizens) safe from the dangers of the world outside. Build different types of rooms, protect your Dwellers from invaders, explore the Wasteland and keep your Dwellers happy.
Collect resources such as water, food, and electricity to power your Vault and keep your Dwellers alive. Level up the rooms and build medical bays, libraries to up their knowledge skill or radio rooms to attract more people to your Vault.
This is the overview of your Vault. Collect resources and skill upgrades as they are ready.
Protect your Vault from invaders from the outside by arming your Dwellers.
26. Judgment: Apocalypse Survival Simulation
Judgment: Apocalypse Survival Simulation Gameplay
You were out camping with friends when the demons arrived. After escaping back to town after one of them was killed, you discovered the entire town was undergoing Judgment Day.
To survive during Judgment Day, you’ll need to craft tools and weapons to use against the demons. Lead a group of survivors through the madness and have everyone pitch in to build a sanctuary. Send teams to find supplies, research new technologies and practice dark magic to find ways to push the demons back to where they came from.
Take control of your band of survivors and build your settlement
Scavenge materials from around town to take back to your camp.
Build your own fortress using the materials you find around the city.
25. Minecraft Survival Mode
Minecraft Survival Mode Gameplay
In survival mode of Minecraft, you’ll need to combine items in your inventory to make tools and other items. Survive and use these items to defeat the ender dragon at the end to get the feel that you’ve finished the game.
You’ll need to watch out for mobs and defeat them. Collecting items and resources add to your capabilities, attacks and defenses and you will even be able to eventually travel to other dimensions to reach your goals and collect new items. You can even play in multiplayer mode to play with or against other players.
Build a shelter and all the tools and weapons you’ll need after finding the materials for them.
Enemies will drain you of your resources or even worse—your life.
24. Dead Island
Dead Island Gameplay
At Royal Palms Resort of Banol Island, four vacationers find themselves in the midst of a contagious zombie outbreak. Seemingly immune to the disease, they have to find a way to rescue the remaining survivors and escape while finding out the truth behind the zombies.
There are four character options to pick from, with each one having its own skill set and skill tree to level up. Firearms are present in the game, but not for a while and not as useful as in other games. Melee combat is the major focus here, with the results from getting up close and personal very gory but satisfying. Crafting also plays a role in this game as you can customize weapons and repair them after repeated use.
Get personal with the zombies as you defeat them using various melee weapons.
Chose the combat style that suits you best as you pick your character. Each one has different skills and abilities for you to level up.
23. Dead Island 2 (Upcoming)
Dead Island 2 Gameplay
Set in California this time, Dead Island 2 features a new open world and new combat mechanics. Fight your way through the government mandated quarantine as you try to learn the truth behind the zombie epidemic.
Dead Island 2 will still hold some features from the original like the Rage system and the crafting system. You will also see some new styles of handcrafted weapons and larger than life characters as you move through sunny California. Staying true to the first game, there are four different characters you can chose from and several different type of zombies you’ll be up against in this sequel.
Learn the different types of zombies and the best way to defeat them.
Play as four all new characters, like Ryan, the burly firefighter or Dani, the machete wielding stuntwoman.
22. NEO Scavenger
Neo Scavenger Gameplay
You play as Philip Kindred, waking up in an cryogenics lab to discover the world is ending. Stay alive by finding ways to meet your basic needs and keep yourself healthy.
The main objective of the game is to meet your basic needs, such as food, clothing, water, shelter and to keep yourself from succumbing to any of the diseases in the world you may run into. Loot ruined towns for supplies but be careful not to catch the attention of any other looters or raiders lurking around. Fight off other people and creatures you may run into along the way
You’ll need to pay attention to your health as you scavenge for supplies to stay alive.
Explore the open world map which shows you points of interest like materials and enemies.
21. Subnautica
Subnautica Gameplay
You land on a mysterious alien ocean world and do the only logical thing—dive deeper. Explore the ocean using submarines, seeing all the beautiful lifeforms this ocean has to offer as you collect resources to help you stay alive.
After building a Pressure Re-Active Waterproof Nanosuit, you’re free to tour the ocean in search of precious materials and food. Your suit is modifiable, with the options to add mining drills, propulsion cannons, grappling hooks and more. You’ll need to monitor your oxygen levels when you go deep sea diving and be especially cautious of those predators lurking around every corner.
As you delve deeper into the ocean, lure creatures into your traps or run from them.
Build bases on the ocean floor to store resources, park your water vehicles and replenish your oxygen.
20. We Happy Few
We Happy Few Gameplay
Set in the mid 1960s in the Wellington Wells, a fictional city in England, you’ll have your choice of one of three different characters addicted to a drug called Joy. Trying to wean yourself off of it, you’ll need to make decisions that affect your game while completing the necessary tasks to finish the game.
To survive as you kick the habit, you can rummage through buildings to gather items, weapons and food. Complete tasks to advance the story. Keep your health to maintain the energy to explore the open world. To keep yourself safe while out, you’ll need to pretend to be one of the Joy addicts. If you’re discovered to not be one of them, they’ll try to capture or kill you. You have to play by their rules or risk death.
You’ll have to fight the Wellies that you run across while making your supply runs.
This is a strange, beautiful world full of dark humor and the reminder that even the best of heroes are flawed.
19. The Long Dark
The Long Dark Gameplay
Playing as a pilot who has crash-landed in the Canadian wilderness in the middle of winter, your goal is to survive as long as possible by collecting and using resources. Play under one of four different modes, all with their own challenges and nuances.
In order to survive, you’ll need to hunt game for food or for your protection. Tools and other items will deteriorate over time so you’ll need to be decide whether or not it’s time to repair them. Fire is essential to the player but you will have to need to search for wood and fuel often. You’ll need to account for things such as temperature and windchill which are randomized throughout your play.
Stranded in the Canadian outdoors, you’ll need to monitor your body heat levels and make sure you’re staying nourished.
Protect yourself from wild animals with weapons that you find.
18. Project Zomboid
Project Zomboid Gameplay
Project Zomboid is an open world, first person survival game in which you’ll be trying to stay alive against an ever growing zombie threat. Inside of quarantined Knox County, you’ll have to find supplies to stay alive before your inevitable death at the end.
While managing personal needs like hunger, tiredness, pain and mental stability, you’ll struggle to stay alive while fighting off hordes of zombies. You’ll get to chose a character with their own special skill set and traits which will help you survive. There are two different gameplay modes, survival and sandbox. You also can complete challenges which will give you cash you can use for weapons and ammunition.
Kill zombies to earn cash that you can use to buy better weapons and ammo.
You’ll need to gather resources while still staying on top of your personal needs.
17. Far Cry® Primal
Far Cry Primal Gameplay
Travel back to the Stone Age in Far Cry Primal, a time before vehicles and firearms were for surivial. Using only weapons that oyu’ve crafted, you and your tribe must make a living as you compete against other tribes and the natural dangers of prehistoric times.
You can bait wildlife in the game and tame the animals that you catch as they’re feeding on the bait. They will become your companions and as such, can be useful in combat. Materials like stone and wood are must be collected and used to create weapons. Attack and sieze nearby camps to gain control and accept missions from other characters to improve the village and gain free materials for crafting.
Tame animals to fight alongside you or obey your commands.
Watch out for predators. Set traps and craft better weapons to defeat them.
16. Dying Light
Dying Light Gameplay
Play as Kyle Crane, an agent undercover on a mission to enter the quarantine in a city called Harran. With a focus on parkour and weapon-based combat, your goal is to scavenge supplies for the safe zones and save survivors.
Dying Light features an immersive open world currently being affected by a zombie like apocalypse. The infected can be killed with melee weapons or stopped and slowed by traps. The infected also become much more dangerous at night, so players will want to make use of all skills and play styles to survive during the night.
Parkour style combat can be used to fight off the infected.
Gather supplies and lead other survivors to safety.
15. Conan Exiles
Conan Exiles Gameplay
Face off against angry gods, hungry cannibals and monsters in a barbaric wasteland after you are exiled. In this open world survival game, you’ll need to do more than just find food and water, including keeping your mind free from the darkness while still gaining knowledge.
Keep yourself safe as you collect resources to make weapons and tools. Build your territory as you’d like it, wether that’s a small village or a sprawling city. You can even make exiled criminals your slaves and have them protect your lands for you. Learn about the world around you as you travel by talking to NPCs or taking a careful look at the environment.
Protect yourself against vicious beasts using weapons you’ve created.
Earn the favor of the gods by sacrificing the hearts of your enemies.
14. Sir, You Are Being Hunted
Sir, You Are Being Hunted Gameplay
Explore five different biomes as you try to escape and survive in a country full of robots hunting you for fun. The AI you play against learns your style and becomes harder and harder which each play through and each play through offers a new experience.
The advanced AI of the robots is relentless when it comes to finding you. Even after losing sight, it will continue to search for you. You can run, you can hide or you can steal weapons to try to fight back. You are also searching for pieces of a machine that can get you off the island, but the robots do their best to keep these parts away from you. A large, British open world full of woods, beautiful crumbling landscapes and stark villages is your playground as you try to outsmart the robots around you.
Find weapons or steal them from others in order to fight back against the robots.
The robots will use dogs and hot air balloons to find you. Watch them through your binoculars to keep your distance.
13. State of Decay
State of Decay Gameplay
This game is a mix of combat and simulation, with the main focus being to lead a group of people to safety within in the base that you build. There are several different options for what types of structures go in your base and even the skills that the survivors you run into along the way have, all of which will help you against the ultimate threat—zombies.
In story mode, you can interact with around 150 characters, whether that’s trading with them, helping them or recruiting them into your outfit. You’ll need to find a way around the zombies. Options include fight them directly, sneak past them, or cause diversions using items like firecrackers. There are different types of zombies and you’ll need to figure out which tactic works best with which type of zombie. You have your choice of over 100 weapons that can be crafted, 30 of which are melee weapons which can only be found while gathering resources. These are all assigned a durability rating, so you’ll need to take time out to repair them when they begin to get weak.
Zombies react to noise, so sneaking will sometimes be your best option.
Keep your weapons in good shape to effectively fight off the zombie hordes you’ll run into.
12. State of Decay 2
State of Decay 2 Gameplay
You can explore the open world with up to three other players in State of Decay 2. More of a co-op than MMO game, you’ll work together to scavenge supplies and stay alive.
This game is still in development and doesn’t have much information out there, but it seems as if it will hold true to the original in terms of having to scavenge for supplies to make items while staving off zombies. The big focus here is on the co-op part of it, in that you’ll need to form tight plans with your friends if you want to survive.
As a team, you’ll need to decide if you want to help other survivors or leave them to their own fates.
Melee weapons are still the weapon of choice in that they are quiet and won’t attract other zombies.
11. 7 Days to Die
Set in an open world, you’ll play as a survivor of the Third World War in Navezgane, Arizona. You’ll need to find shelter, food, water, and supplies while still keeping zombies at bay. In a world where the zombies become more aggressive and quicker at night, the question is how long will you survive?
Setting up a base will help protect you from the zombies as long as you build it sturdy and surround it with traps. You will need to need and drink water to survive, as well as scavenging for materials to build your base. You’ll also need to watch what you carry; things such as meat attract zombies and they will stop at nothing to catch you, even if that means climbing over walls, digging holes, or clawing their way through doors.
You have options when it comes to handling zombies. You can face them or sneak away before you’ve been caught.
Choose your weapons carefully and make sure you keep them maintained.
10. DayZ
Dayz Gameplay
Dropped in the Soviet Republic of Chernarus, your only goal is to stay alive and healthy in the midst of a zombie outbreak. Scavenge resources from abandoned homes to find water, food, and weapons, and interact with other players to give or get help along the way.
There are several diseases that players can catch like cholera and hepatitis if they’re not careful about what they eat or drink and can only be cured with medicines. Set wounds quickly or risk bleeding out or unconsciousness. Build bases to hold your supplies and keep you safe from the zombies and other players out there.
Find clothes to customize your character and give them bonuses such as protection from enemies and warmth.
Avoid zombies and diseases if you want to stay healthy and survive this world.
9. Kenshi
Kenshi Gameplay
Kenshi is a free-roam open world RPG game in whcih you can be anything you want to be. Reserach technologies, craft gear, buy and upgrade buildings while you try to survive in the desert.
Kenshi developers boast a game that does not hold your hand or walk you through the steps of becoming a hero. You are responsible for your own destiny here, and that includes having to earn it. You can be anything from a ruler of your own kingdom to a slave inside of one. The medical system mimics real life; if your character has a hurt arm, they will fight one handed or limo on an injured leg. There are no scripted events, just organized chaos that you will be thrown into with the only goal being to survive.
Lead your army into battle or get captured by the enemies.
You can design an entire squad of your own if you’d like to. They’ll level up as they help you explore the world.
8. Ark: Survival Evolved
Ark: Survival Evolved gameplay
On an island of prehistoric animals like dinosaurs and possibly other hostile humans, you must defend yourself with weapons and firearms to survive. Build a base to hold your collected resources and provide safety for yourself.
You will need to collect resources to craft into items such as weapons, accessories and even some structures. One of the big dangers in the game are dinosaurs, which can be tamed by feeding them. Dinosaurs have all sorts of abilities, like flight or being able to move quickly underwater that a player can utilize after they’ve tamed it. There are other animals like the saber-toothed cat and woolly mammoth the player can interact with.
Taming large animals has its benefits, like being able to fly.
Interact with other humans but be warned, some of them won’t have the friendliest intentions.
7. H1Z1: King of the Kill
H1Z1: King of the Kill Gameplay
H1Z1: King of the Kill is a PvP game where players can compete against one another to become the sole survivor. There are several different modes including team and chances to compete in global events but all with the same resolution, that there can be only one winner.
You’ll drop into the arena along with all the other players and from that point, it’s a rush to find the best weapons and kill everyone in your session. It’s all online so there is no time for pausing to figure out a game plan or to switch up your inventory. The arena can hold up to 149 other players, so when it gets packed it’s in your best interest to get a move on to claim the firearms and grenades as soon as possible.
Watch out for the obstacles the game throws at you, like toxic gas that’ll drain your health until it kills you if you’re outside the safe zone.
You can play in duos or teams of five in team mode.
6. H1Z1: Just Survive
H1Z1: Just Survive gameplay
H1Z1: Just Survive is different in its counterpart as this one focuses more on team building and multiplayer cooperation to survive against zombies, natural elements and dangerous animals. Main focuses here are collecting resources, building shelters and crafting items that will help you along the way.
Just Survive is also PvP, and while they do encourage players to stick together, there’s always a choice to follow the “every man for himself” rule and steal other player’s resources. The resources you collect will be used for food, as well as for crafting tools, shelters, traps, and more.
It may be hard to tell what’s more dangerous—the zombies or your fellow humans.
Create a strong base surrounded by traps to keep zombies and other harmful creatures away from you.
5. Rust
Rust Gameplay
The only goal of any player in Rust is to simply survive. You must do whatever it takes to survive, whether that means teaming up with other players and working together or killing them for their resources and their meat.
In the wilderness, you’ll need to gather materials to craft tools, weapons, and shelter. With only one multiplayer mode, it’s common to form clans with other players and as a group, participate in raids to take down other clans and gain their materials. Wolves and bears are prevalent threats, as well as radiation, which you will need to watch your levels of to make sure they don’t get too high.
There are several different melee weapons available for use, as well as bows and guns that can be crafted. Watching the skies is helpful here as well, as sometimes you’ll get air drops, in which supplies are dropped and the first ones there get to claim it for themselves, or attack helicopters will appear and gun down any players it sees.
There are threats everywhere in this game from radiation to wolves to other humans, a reminder that you can never feel too safe.
Collect resources out in the wilderness that can be used to build a number of different helpful tools and weapons.
4. Miscreated
Miscreated Gameplay
Miscreated is a survival game based on a war that has wiped out almost the entirety of Earth’s population. A vaccine created to curb the effects of radiation sickness instead created mutants with a hunger for human flesh, leaving anyone mutation free to survive anyway they know how.
Miscreated has a completely freeform basebuilding system, meaning that everything you build is designed exactly as you want it with no compromises. They are still releasing updates with building content and right now they have over 100 different parts for you to play with. You can learn to craft by experimenting or use crafting guides to learn more complex recipes.
Join clans for help building your base or just to have a few friends in case something goes down. It is PvP, but there are benefits to knowing someone has your back. Your base is also open to anyone, meaning they can repair things, open or close doors and power up or down generators, but only clan members can actually make changes to your base.
You can even use vehicles to get around! Find the parts, fix it up, and be on your way.
Encounters randomly spawn throughout the map. You’ll want to watch out for mutants and make sure you’re always equipped to fight or have a good exit strategy.
3. This War of Mine
This War of Mine Gameplay
This game chooses to focus on the impact war has on civilians in their day to day lives rather than the soldiers fighting that war. Inspired by events in the Bosnian War, characters must make difficult decisions that will result in different endings based on what is chosen.
It’s difficult to leave during the day due to snipers watching your every move, so days are usually spent crafting, upgrading the shelther, cooking, and healing wounded survivors. At night you’ll have a chance to go out and scrounge up materials. You will often run into other NPC survivors, and how you handle those encounters is up to you. You can chose to help or harm, save or kill. There is no right or wrong, only what you must do to survive.
You will need to make tough decisions to get through the day each day. Some of them will be difficult, but such is life in times of war.
A huge part of this game is resource management. Gather and trade for what you need, just hope you get it in time.
2. The Forest
The Forest Gameplay
You’re the only survivor of a passenger jet crash in a forest with only strange, mutant cannibals as your only company. You must find a way to survive without ending up as someone’s dinner.
All the plant life in this game is usable to be chopped, collected and repurposed into something else. Using collected materials, make a shelter to rest in. You’ll need a fire to keep warm and to consistently search for food to keep from being hungry. Spend your days hunting and exploring the large world and craft your tools and weapons at night. You’ll need to protect your base from your mutant enemies at night.
There are many different types of mutants in the forest, all with their own special abilities and attack methods.
To defend yourself, you’ll need weapons. To get weapons, you’ll need to collect resources to make them.
1. Don't Starve
Don't Starve Gameplay
Caught by a demon and sent to another world, Wilson must survive in this strange world and figure out exactly how it works if he wants to make it back home. Up against the elements and enemies on a supernatural level, this will not be an easy feat.
This game cycles between night and day. Spend your days traveling through the new world, collecting resources and other items and finding new recipes for crafting. At night, the monsters will show up and come after Wilson. This new world is not short on ways to die. The most important thing is to keep your personal needs up; these include hunger, health and sanity. Eat food and heal yourself to keep your hunger and health up.
Sanity can be regained in numerous mentally stimulating ways, like sleeping or wearing certain types of clothing. If this level goes down too much, Wilson will begin to hallucinate that things from his imagination are coming to life and able to hurt him. Don’t Starve uses permadeath, which means there is no checkpoints if you die. You will start at the beginning and your days survived countdown will be reset.
Night can be dangerous for Wilson. Always be sure to have a light source and keep his sanity at high levels.
There are other characters you can unlock using points you earn for surviving.
Those are our 31 top survival games to play on PC. No matter if you’re a fan of zombie survival games, alien survival games or post-apocalyptic society survival games, there are plenty of options for quality games that will keep you busy for hours on end!
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