Looking for a challenge? Survival games are all about gathering resources, maintaining your vitals, crafting useful items, and trying to survive the elements. The survival genre is constantly finding new video games hitting the market on a fairly regular basis and if you own an Xbox One there are definitely some iconic games you can pick up right now. I always like to warn people upfront that there is no real definitive list, because we all have our own tastes and interests. That said, here are some video games we might recommend you check out.
#15 We are happy.
We Happy Few places players in an alternate timeline in Europe where citizens are forced to use a daily drug, preventing them from getting close to the realities of the world. Meanwhile, the game's narrative will feature protagonists who refused to take drugs, leading them to see the corruption and horror in the world. Now that they venture out to solve their own mysteries, they'll have to stay carefully under the radar to avoid attracting unwanted attention.
For this game, players should avoid battles when possible, otherwise there is a risk of being overwhelmed and needing a quick way to get rid of yourself from the public eye. Likewise, you'll need to keep your vitals up along the way, which could mean finding something to treat yourself to when possible. It's a unique game, although it's unclear if the developers are going back to the gaming world since it was taken over by Microsoft in 2018.
#14 Fallout 4 Survival Mode
A game you may have missed for its survival gameplay is Fallout 4. Although the main game also has many vital elements to follow as you venture into the wastelands, there is a dedicated survival mode in the game that really provides a challenge. This mode can be triggered before starting a new game and cannot be toggled in settings after already starting a new game. acts to add weight to ammo, no fast travel, more damage, subject to fatigue, no ability to fast save. Instead, the only way to save the game is to sleep in a bed.
# 13 DayZ
DayZ is an open-world survival video game where players are tasked with surviving the fictional post-Soviet Republic during the zombie pandemic. At the start, players have next to nothing and it's up to them to find useful items. Similarly, the video game also emphasizes human interaction where players can join forces or compete against each other. Additionally, players can expect an option to switch between first-person and third-person mode.
This is a similar game to Ark: Survival Evolve, as it is an online multiplayer game of just trying to stay alive and healthy. Ultimately, it's hard to decide who to trust, especially if you're jumping online without a group of friends playing. With voice chat enabled when players are close enough, you can potentially make friends and try to survive together, or backstab in hopes of grabbing some resources to keep your player's vitals in order.
# 12 Ark Survival Evolved
Ark: Survival Evolved is an action-adventure survival game. Played in first-person or third-person, players will find themselves stranded on a shore filled with all sorts of dangers, including creatures and even hostile players. This online game places players in an open world where to survive you will need to establish a base, make fires and gather resources. There are several items players will need to ensure they are in the green such as Health, Stamina, Oxygen, Hunger, and Thirst.
As mentioned, a good part of this game is based around building locations to stay safe. This is done by gathering enough supplies to craft different components such as walls and doors. However, regardless of your skill level, there is always the threat of another player or faction group attacking certain assets.
#11 State of Decay 2
State of Decay hit the market in 2013 as a new action-adventure survival horror game. Players were placed in an open world where the game focuses on the protagonists building their base defenses and scavenging resources during the zombie apocalypse. The latest installment available for this franchise is State of Decay 2, which launched in 2018. Here, players enjoy the same style of gameplay, with players once again having to build a community and survive the hordes of undead that have invaded the world.
Meanwhile, to survive for very long, players will need to find useful resources to keep their protagonist alive. This would not only mean finding goods in the wild, but when creating your community, you will have the option of creating outposts that manage different resources such as food and medicine. Even better, I think for a lot of players, State of Decay 2 offers co-op play support. This means you and some friends can go online and play together. Now when players build structures and make too much noise, you will have allies to stop zombies from entering the base.
# 10 Conan Exiles
Conan Exiles is an open-world survival game set in the world of Conan the Barbarian, but the story will not follow Conan, but players will create their own unique protagonist. From the start of the game, players will find that their character is condemned to death by crucifixion under the beating sun. As you await death, Conan arrives and rescues your character, leaving players to navigate the harsh and unforgiving world.
Now labeled as an outcast, players will have to roam the wasteland where the weaklings are killed. You'll find that to stay alive, you'll need to gather resources, craft goods, and dominate battles in a world filled with enemies. You'll learn early on that players will have stamina to watch out for in addition to thirst and hunger.
#9 Flame in the Flood
The Flame in the Flood is a roguelike survival adventure game that follows a young girl named Scout who travels down a river after a flood destroys most of humanity. Being a roguelike survival game, players will want to aim to progress the game without dying, otherwise they will lose valuable gear and valuable items. However, there is also a checkpoint system, so instead of starting all over and trying to pick up resources, players can choose to start from a previous checkpoint. As you adventure, you'll have to grab resources and try to get away from any danger, be it wildlife or a flood.
#8 7 Days To Die
7 Days to Die takes place after a world war that caused the destruction of much of the planet after being exposed to nuclear weapons. This eventually led to a large majority of humans becoming mindless zombies, leaving the few remaining survivors to scavenge for resources to survive.
Players will find themselves hunting for a variety of items to maintain their survival such as shelter, food, and of course, water. It is a game that mixes traditional elements of survival and survival horror. It's also one that's often recommended to gamers looking to enjoy a survival game they may have missed out on.
#7 Don’t starve
Don't Starve puts players in the role of a scientist named Wilson where he is forced to survive all sorts of elements in a dark and unusual world. The game has several vitals to deal with such as keeping Wilson fed and mentally stable. What has kept this game alive since its release in 2013 are the various updates that have brought new game modes. For example, one of the updates that fans really turned to was Don' t Starve Together. As the name suggests, the game is all about multiplayer where up to six players can try to survive together.
#6 The Long Darkness
The Long Dark is a first-person survival video game where players take on the role of a pilot who has crash-landed in the freezing wilderness of Canada. It's basically everything players had when they were initially able to play this game through early access. However, since the full launch of this game, there is an actual storyline for players to progress. It's an episodic-style release with a total of five episodes following our protagonist, Will Mackenzie, who happens to be a pilot, and Dr. Astrid Greenwood.
The duo are carrying something very important, but you'll have to play the story to find out what. Unfortunately, the plane crashes, leaving the two separated. From there, it's a story of survival and desperate searches for each other. You'll really need to keep an eye on your vitals while out in the harsh winter tundra, which includes having to stay warm, gather wood, start fires, maintain fire, even melt snow and purify the air. 'water. We can't forget to mention the hostilities you will also encounter, such as hungry wolves.
#5 Astrone
In Astroneer, there is no storyline to run through or a set end goal. Instead, the game emphasizes players building, crafting, and simply surviving the harsh elements of the world. Players take on the role of an astronaut who navigates a world that can be shared freely. Likewise, the game will allow crafting and exploration through the use of various vehicles.
However, the open world environment can be distracting for our protagonist, which ultimately means players will need to keep a close eye on their surroundings. Likewise, to keep your protagonist alive, players will need to gather resources such as fuel to power the spaceship as well as a healthy supply of oxygen tanks.
#4 This war of mine
This War of Mine is a unique survival game. The game follows a war, but rather than being a frontline soldier, you control an innocent group of people forced into a siege. There is a sense of paranoia with a struggle to keep everyone healthy and safe. By supervising this group, you will have to take control of various areas such as the fortification of a base,
This War of Mine is a war survival video game that is a bit different from your standard war titles. It's too dangerous to leave during the day, so overnight cleaning is your choice. It's about making sure you civilians are protected and deciding what to do in the event of a difficult situation.
# 3 No Man’s Sky
When No Man's Sky first came out in 2016, it failed to live up to the anticipation and hype that fans had generated. Several promised features were missing and it was overall a disappointment. However, the development team has been working on updates to bring the game back to the title fans have come to expect and the game is worth revisiting if you haven't played since release. It's also a great survival game as you explore where some planets can be too toxic, hot, cold among other dangerous environments that could keep players monitoring vital signs. It is a game in which players mainly focus on exploration, gathering information, building bases, farming resources and moving to their next destination.
# 2 Minecraft
Minecraft has become a worldwide sensation, and although it has been out for several years now, there is still a huge fanbase that continues to grow day by day. Yet when most people think of Minecraft, then think of a game for younger children and whether it's suitable for a younger audience, Minecraft can still be enjoyed by a wide range of ages. Minecraft offers fun creative emancipation as players can freely explore and build their own worlds.
Likewise, the ability to join other players' worlds or server games can spark more interest and creative ideas. However, you might want to remember that at its heart Minecraft is still a survival game. If playing in survival mode, the game forces players to search for items and collect vital resources. You'll need to make sure you're well prepared for the dangers that may lurk at night while keeping some possessions to restore your health meter if you take damage. Our protagonist may even get hungry, so you'll have to hunt for food or collect different goods scattered around the open world.
# 1 Subnautica
Subnautica is set in the late 22nd century, where players step into the shoes of an astronaut who is set to discover and colonize new planets. However, at the start of the game, our protagonist happens to be the sole survivor of a crashed spaceship.
Trapped on an aquatic planet filled with creatures, some of which will be hostile to the player, players are free to explore the world and progress through the narrative. During the journey, players will need to collect a variety of resources to maintain nutrition, hydration and, of course, oxygen. There's even a hardcore mode that will require players to gather resources and survive, but without the ability to respawn after death.