Most Complex Survival Games

Despite the development of civilization and technology, survival games have maintained their appeal, remaining one of the most popular genres to date, with Minecraft still being the best-selling games of all time. Whatever it is that continuously draws gamers to these post-apocalyptic and isolated scenarios, simulating dangerous situations and grinding is certainly addictive.

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8 Best Story-Driven Survival Games

Most survival games are about simply making it from one day to the next, but these titles use their stories to push the player forward.

While most survival games have the same basic premise — eat, drink, and survive the elements — some titles in the genre have much more in-depth mechanics that require time and practice to master. Similarly, although survival games are often sandbox-based, many have comprehensive plots driving the player toward an endgame. Whether it is interesting gameplay or a deeper story that the player is looking for, these are some of the most complex survival games that are both challenging and engaging.

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The Forest

A Standard Survival Game That Gets Increasingly Disturbing

Systems

Released

April 30, 2018

Developer(s)

Endnight Games

Publisher(s)

Endnight Games

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Avid survival gamers will be familiar with the premise of somehow ending up on an island with limited supplies and numerous environmental and physical threats. The Forest follows this formula with the player controlling Eric, who has crash-landed and must find his kidnapped son, Timmy.

Although The Forest has the survival game basics covered — resource collecting, crafting weapons and bases, and well-being management — the developers go the extra mile with the story. Exploring the caves reveals an operation much larger than initially expected and presents the player with a difficult decision.

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Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey

Survive Long Enough To Evolve

Systems

Released

August 27, 2020

Developer(s)

Panache Digital Games

It is fascinating to take a moment and think about life today, the present state of humanity, and how we ended up here after millions of years of evolution. Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey explores this concept in an interesting early man rendition of a survival game.

Ancestors makes use of uniquely hominid skills, with players being able to use hearing to detect predators and lost clan members. By making discoveries to become more intelligent and learning new skills, players will ensure the survival of the species and the evolution across generations.

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Green Hell

Endure The Brutally Realistic Threats Of The Jungle

Green Hell follows anthropologist, Jake Higgins, through the Amazon as he attempts to find his linguist wife who has gone missing after trying to establish contact with the Yabahuaca tribe. Unequipped, the Amazon proves to be a formidable setting, full of unfamiliar dangers.

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Not only must players grapple with hunger — requiring fats, carbs, and protein — and various wild threats from poisonous insects to predators, they must also manage their sanity or risk dangerous hallucinations. Fortunately, there is a multiplayer mode that can drastically improve chances of survival.

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Don’t Starve

Uses Unique Ways To Manage Stats

Don’t Starve is an indie survival game that quickly gained attention, largely due to its cartoonish, Gothic art style. After the scientist, Wilson, is tricked into creating a machine that draws people into the “Constant” — a realm full of monsters and shadow creatures — the player must explore to survive the many threats. There are ten playable characters, each with their own unique buffs and advantages.

One notable feature of Don’t Starve is the day/night cycle, with daytime offering an opportunity to scavenge resources for light, food, shelter, and weapons, in preparation for the monsters that attack during the evening. Players should beware of their food spoiling and make sure to keep their sanity up by picking flowers or crafting certain clothes.

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This War Of Mine

Not Only Your Own Survival To Worry About

While many survival games take place in a post-apocalyptic landscape that is zombie-ridden or radioactive, some of the more impactful titles are set in real world scenarios. This War of Mine draws inspiration from actual conflicts, centering around the suffering of the civilians.

The player doesn’t just have to keep one single character alive but a whole group of survivors with their own needs, including health, hunger, and morale. In need of medicine and food, players can choose to go on raids (bearing in mind they can also get raided themselves). Much of the game’s complexity comes both from managing multiple characters and the moral decisions that cover themes including addiction, sacrifice, and self-preservation.

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Minecraft

One Of The Most Influential Survival Games

No survival game list would be complete without featuring one of the defining titles of the genre. Since its first full release in 2011, Minecraft has grown exponentially, rising to the top as the best games of all time, even having an upcoming movie adaptation.

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Whether it is the blocky style, the endless sandbox opportunities, or the exploration that draws players to the game, there is no question that Minecraft has some of the most developed and complex systems at play. Searching for netherite, figuring out how to use redstone, or managing different biomes, players will undoubtedly run into a variety of complications. Fortunately, it is still possible to survive using the basics, but for those eager to delve into its layered complexities, Minecraft offers a bevy of systems to keep players occupied for quite a while.

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SCUM

Multiplayer Survival With Very Specific Mechanics

If the concept of being thrown into prison wasn’t distressing enough, imagine being a prisoner dropped onto a huge unforgiving island and having the subsequent struggle to survive broadcast to millions of TV viewers. This is the concept of SCUM.

SCUM has seriously complex systems that are almost disturbingly realistic to the point where players even have to manage their character’s restroom habits. From food spoiling if it is left near a fire to wet clothes impacting speed, there is a lot to take into account in SCUM. Unfortunately, the environment isn’t the only risk, with other prisoners, armed robots, and zombie puppets all out to get the player. This is an in-depth game for players who don’t mind enduring difficult gameplay.

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Project Zomboid

Small Mistakes Have Big Consequences

Project Zomboid is an isometric survival game that takes place in Knox Country, which has been overrun by the “Knox Infection” — a fatal infection spread via blood, saliva, and the air. The player, immune to the airborne strain, must survive until rescue, the future of humanity resting on their shoulders.

Project Zomboid is notorious for having one of the steepest learning curves in a survival game. Not only do players have to manage their hunger, but also their boredom, tiredness, temperature, and stress levels (to name a few). In addition, there are a ridiculous number of ways to die, including carbon monoxide poisoning, eating bad food, and simply bleeding out. With changing weather and a continually degrading landscape, figuring out how to survive can be a real challenge.

2

Stationeers

Grapple With Science To Establish Your Own Space Station

Stationeers is a survival game that focuses not just on staying alive but building and managing a space station. The developers evidently poured time into the science aspects of the game, with electronics and physics playing a huge part of the experience.

Amid constructing factories and farms, players must also be conscious of risks like room pressure, gas leaks, and atmospherics. Fortunately, if players meet their demise with their body intact, they can retrieve their inventory. Unfortunately, many of the ways to die will not leave the body whole.

1

Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead

A Roguelike Survival With Endless Options

A zombie apocalypse, riots, and attacks from different dimensions, Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead has all the setup for a chaotic survival experience. Blending multiple game genres, namely roguelike and role-playing, this is one of the most in-depth survival experiences on the market, especially considering that it can be sourced for free.

One of the main appeals of Dark Days Ahead is the scope of customization options. Players can choose their profession, each one offering different abilities, and can improve their skills via books or practicing. The crafting and construction is intricate and can be limited by various factors such as poor lighting or having an injury. The farming system can also be affected by the seasons. Overall, Dark Days Ahead has an appeal for all kinds of gamers, with great levels of detail and a memorable style.

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19 Best Survival Games Of All Time

Survival games are fairly common, but these titles are the best of the best, showcasing what exactly entices gamers to play out a fight to survive.