The Best VR Survival Games

Key Takeaways

• Survival games are a core staple of the video game industry, so it only makes sense that some of the best games are survival games.
• VR takes survival to another level, becoming immersive and heart pounding, so survival VR games are even better.
• Some games are VR originals, others are VR remakes, and some are VR modes of normal games. Regardless, they’re all a blast.

Like many other video games centered around immersion, the ones in the survival genre work better in VR. Picking up branches, stones, and the occasional carcass can almost feel like a tangible experience with a pair of VR goggles. There’s also the fact that there are fewer distractions to detract from your digital life-and-death escapade.

Yet, like most VR games, there aren’t many for the survival genre. VR remains quite a niche these days due to the steep system requirements. Still, that didn’t stop some developers from implementing VR into their finest survival games. There were also some bold ones who specifically made their survival games require a VR headset. Get ready to taste the dirt and desperation with these VR survival titles.

Updated November 15, 2024, by Branden Lizardi: Do you like to be scared? Even if you do, VR might still be too much for you. The format is one of the most immersive way to play a game, and that makes even mild horrors all the more terrifying. Since horror and survival go hand in hand, we’ve updated this list with that beautiful blend in mind. Just in time for the holidays, too!

19

Resident Evil Village

A Classic Series In A Futuristic Format

Resident Evil is one of the biggest names in action-horror gaming. So how lucky are we all that developers Capcom have taken to adding VR modes to their mainline games? One of the few Resident Evil games to take place in first-person perspective (though they added a third-person view in an update later on), this makes for a simply fantastical and exciting VR survival horror game.

You follow Ethan Winters, the protagonist of the previous game, as he traverses a cold, rural village run by a family of monstrous mutants in an effort to rescue his baby daughter, Rose. Also everyone is a werewolf, more or less. With each main boss having their own areas of drastically different design, it offers the full gambit of horror variety in an action-packed gameplay experience.

18

Bootstrap Island

Up And Coming Island Survival

When sailing the high seas during the golden age of piracy, one very real danger is being shipwrecked. Sailors that don’t perish in the ocean might be lucky enough to wash ashore somewhere. Even then, they’re alone on a tropical island, left to either survive the elements or wither away. You’ll face these same circumstances in Bootstrap Island.

Start fires, hunt for food, and survive the dangers lurking deeper in the island. Break open treasure chests and manually pour gunpowder into your flintlock pistol. The nautical vibes are there in spades. Currently in Early Access, the game is a little thin on content, admittedly. But with a solid foundation already established, this one has the marks to become one of the best island survival games available in virtual reality.

The game recieved a major update in November called Overlord. This introduces new enemies, areas, mechanics, and items. This includes the game’s first boss monster. The game is really shaping up in a positive way as development continues.

17

CyubeVR

Looks Familiar, Doesn’t It

Think of Minecraft but with the graphical fidelity of Crysis. That’s cyubeVR. It went under a lot of radars— probably because of the weird name that might have affected its marketing, but that doesn’t mean the game is a slouch as far as survival titles go. It’s actually one of the most highly-rated VR or survival games on Steam.

Do note that cyubeVR is still in its Early Access phase, so everything you interact with is subject to change. The game touts near-infinite view distance, the ability to build everything you want, and even the ability to turn low-res creations into 4K versions of themselves.

16

Star Shelter

Interstellar Living Isn’t Easy

Much like Half-Life: Alyx, Star Shelter isn’t a game with VR support. It’s a game for VR. The developers took a leap of faith and built it from the ground up with VR in mind. Because of this, the game has mechanics and gameplay elements that just won’t work without VR headsets.

Star Shelter is a space survival game that should be familiar to anyone who has watched space thrillers such as Gravity or something similar. You get to maintain a space station, but it’s not a peaceful job since you have to watch out for asteroids, oxygen levels, and many other stressful things preventing billionaires from fully realizing their space race.

15

SURV1V3

Dark, Violent, Zombie Killing

Have you ever wished Left 4 Dead had a more serious version with a VR component? Then SURV1V3 is just that and more. It’s a dedicated VR-only game where you can team up with three other players online to survive in a zombie apocalypse landscape. It’s also a later release, meaning its visuals and gameplay are up to par with the current standards.

When it comes to the horror aspect and the content, SURV1V3 will both sate and terrify. Because unlike the more arcade Left 4 Dead, SURV1V3 touts itself as a realistic game. The physics are less forgiving, and you can’t expect to wing it and make as many mistakes as possible while still having fun or success.

14

The Solus Project

A Sci-Fi Survival Story About Isolation

The Solus Project is not unlike the other space games mentioned, except it actually preceded both. It’s a highly acclaimed game that also taps into the classic psychological sci-fi horror trope. It’s primarily advertised as an exploration adventure game but has survival elements.

The Solus Project sees players as an opportunity for mankind to restart again on another planet after Earth is permanently destroyed. You assume the role of one of the pioneers. Unfortunately, one of the planets you find is filled to the brim with weird phenomena despite being seemingly uninhabited.

While it’s reportedly available for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, the title does not appear to be available on these consoles at time of writing.

13

No Man’s Sky

Literally Endless Worlds To Explore

It has been said before, but in case people still aren’t convinced: No Man’s Sky is now more than worth it. The developers have come a long way from their release blunders back in 2016. So much has been added to the game that there’s almost something for everyone. Sure enough, there’s plenty to chew here for those with VR headsets.

The graphical improvements and smoothened gameplay loop make the VR transition worthwhile. Moreover, No Man’s Sky offers game modes that make survival even tougher and a permadeath mode for those looking to live their galaxy-exploring life on the edge.

12

Song In The Smoke

Because Survival Games Need More Dinosaurs

Song in the Smoke isn’t unlike Valheim. It’s a cel-shaded survival game with conservative graphics. The true strength, however, lies in Song in the Smoke’s VR exclusivity. The game was made with only VR in mind, so it takes full advantage of all the VR bells and whistles.

The Oculus/Meta game features cross-buy. Buying the game on either the PC Oculus store or on the Meta Quest store will unlock it on both platforms.

Gameplay is thus embedded in the VR controls, and players must be warier about their surroundings as even something in their peripheral vision shouldn’t be underestimated. Apart from that, it’s pretty standard as far as survival goes. You’ll have to craft necessities, hunt animals, and generally just survive.

11

Into The Radius

It’s A Real Roadside Picnic Experience

Fancy a VR-only game that takes after a cult-status series like Stalker? Then Into the Radius is the best in its class. This VR-exclusive game even appears like a Stalker sequel at first glance. The big difference is that the graphics are good, especially since it’s a VR title.

You get to explore the Pechorsk Radius Zone in Into the Radius VR, where all sorts of cryptic and odd physics anomalies exist. Don’t worry; you get your trusty companion, the AK, a compass, and some post-soviet era rations so that you get to survive.

10

Cosmodread

In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream

Cosmodread is a VR game that should tick plenty of boxes. It’s VR-only, like Star Shelter, and leans more toward the horror element. It also incorporates roguelike mechanics, where you will have to start over again from the beginning after failing or dying.

Cosmodread isn’t about maintaining a space vessel, however, but more about escaping a sinking ship (or, in this case, disintegrating). You’ll have to find a way out of the gradually dying space vessel while scrounging for scraps of resources so as not to die in the process of evacuation. It’s a great game, though it’s understandable if some people want to steer clear of it, as the VR component makes it too scary.

9

Devour

Demon Hunting Is Never Easy

While styled as a horror game, Devour is more of a survival multiplayer game than anything. You and up to three others are tasked with scouring through one of many different locations, all with a similar goal: Gather items around the map and bring them to a purification point. The more you cleanse, the more aggressive the hostile entity of that area will become.

Its generally straightforward gameplay is easy to understand but tough to actually complete, with the increasingly quick monster becoming a constant threat. Each level provides something new, too, tweaking the rules to create a sense of variety. While one level may require gathering goats for a sacrificial altar, the other will ask you to cleanse demonic eggs before placing them in various shrines hidden throughout.

8

Kobold: Chapter 1

A Narrative Experience More Than Anything

While more ‘horror’ than ‘survival,’ the two genres have always been close bedfellows. In Kobold, you investigate a dark and intimidating manor, scouring the dark for clues, keys, and more. All the while, you need to keep a close eye out for the unnatural entities that lurk all around you.

The developers made a short live-action film to act as an optional introduction to the game. It sets the stage and introduces the character relevant to the VR game. You can watch the 15-minute video on the official website.

Kobold is a more cinematic experience, offering an extremely atmospheric environment based on a real-world location in Brandenburg, Germany. It’s an experience rich in folklore and Germanic culture. It’s so good, in fact, that it won the Raindance award for best VR experience.

7

Fallout 4 VR

An Immersive Perspective On A Bethesda Staple

Fallout 4 came out initially without VR support, but it was a low-hanging fruit as a game that could utilize VR very well. Truth be told, Fallout 4 isn’t purely a survival game. It’s more of an RPG since the survival mechanics aren’t fleshed out. It does have a survival mode, however, and mods to help make that kind of gameplay more immersive.

Fallout 4 VR is a standalone game separate from Fallout 4 and will require a separate purchase to play. This entry and its details relate specifically to the VR game.

As such, Fallout 4 VR is a good title for a survival fan’s first entry into the VR platform. It’s a good way for you to ease into the VR gameplay mode while also getting to experience a post-apocalyptic Boston once again, but with better immersion.

6

The Forest

You’re Not Alone In These Woods

If you’re looking for a fully-fledged survival game, then The Forest has been the talk of the town since 2018. It’s an eerie take on castaway survival premises where you play as a dad looking for his son in a remote forest area after your plane crashes.

Too bad the area is also full of mutants who may or may not have kidnapped your son. The days are frantic, and the nights are brutal and dark. It’s the perfect setup for VR support as it doubles the stress and horror factor.

5

Green Hell VR

You’re Not Alone In These Woods, Either

Do you want to have a terrible struggle to survive deep in the jungle? That’s what Greel Hell VR offers. It’s one of the most immersive and nerve-wracking survival sims out there. You play as Jake Higgins, an anthropologist lost deep in the Amazon. You need to manage food, infection, and injury, all while fighting against the environmental dangers and the hostile wildlife that lives there.

Green Hell VR is a separate game from Green Hell. Owners of the standard Green Hell game will need to purchase the VR version separately to play.

Green Hell also shies away from including some sci-fi or fantasy elements and focuses on representing the Amazon jungle in its raw, unbridled ecology. Green Hell’s graphics and technical aspects are also some of the finest, as it captures the Amazon rainforest atmosphere in a way that other games couldn’t.

4

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners

A Hit VR Game Based On A Comic Book Classic

While a little more linear than your average open-world survival game, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is not only one of the best survival VR games, it’s one of the best overall VR titles to exist on the market. Set in the titular setting, you play as a tourist in a now zombie-infested New Orleans. It features some of the best melee VR mechanics, offering a very thrilling and engaging experience.

There is still plenty of survival to consider in this world. You have to manage your stamina, consuming food regularly to keep up. When damaged, you need to wrap yourself with bandages. And to do any of that, you need to explore and scavage through a ruined landscape for what supplies you can find.

3

Medieval Dynasty New Settlement

Experience An Entire Lifetime In The Middle Ages

If you’re into survival games, then odds are you’ve at least heard of Medieval Dynasty. The indie survival game became a low-key hit, dropping players empty-handed into a small valley in the Middle Ages. Over time, you build up your own settlement, building houses by hand, crafting tools, cooking food, and even growing enough to invite NPCs into your settlement. Before you know it, you’d have an entire village of your own, full of NPCs fulfilling various jobs to keep the place running smoothly. You could even find a partner and have a child who would take over your dynasty when you die.

Medieval Dynasty New Settlement is somewhere between a remake and a port. Built from the ground up for VR, it offers almost all of the same mechanics and systems of the base game, give or take a few minor aspects. Cut out the clunk from the original, add in some intuitive VR controls, and optimize it for the Quest headsets, and you get one of the most engaging VR survival games of all time.

2

Subnautica

Down Where It’s Wetter, It Is Much Better

Subnautica is also one of the biggest names in the survival game genre alongside The Forest. Its main draw is that it’s set in an aquatic environment where players get the chance and the context to explore the vast expanse of oceans.

At first glance, you might even mistake Subnautica for an underwater tourism game, but it sprinkles the dangers of the deep during your exploration. Sea monster sightings, for that matter, are some of the most exciting and tense encounters in Subnautica. Couple that with VR, and it becomes an even more involving dive.

Thalassophobia, the fear of deep dark water, is a common phobia. And while a lot of Subnautica is colorful and charming, it has plenty of areas where this phobia could be triggered. This is ESPECIALLY true when playing in VR.

1

Minecraft

The Sandbox King Never Looked So Good

Many fans don’t realize that this all-time open-world survival classic has official VR support. The Bedrock Edition of the game has native VR functionality via a free update on both the PC launcher and the PlayStation store. It offers the entire Minecraft experience but through a fully immersive virtual reality headset. And with the internal content, you can even engage in a large collection of community-made maps, adventures, and mods.

This doesn’t apply to Minecraft Java Edition. The only way to play VR with that version is through mods.

The low-res style of Minecraft fits the platform perfectly, allowing even lower-end PCs and consoles to render the game in a clean and crisp way. And with plenty of accessibility-related options, you can find a method of play that is the most comfortable for you.