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Which Are The Best Survival Games 2022 For Playstation, PC, And Xbox?

Which Are The Best Survival Games 2022 For Playstation, PC, And Xbox?

It’s the year 2022, and games are different. The world has collapsed, and people can’t trust anything or anyone. To help you survive, we’ve put together a list of some of the best games that will keep you on your toes. This list includes games for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, as well as Nintendo Switch.

A survival game is a game in which players must survive for as long as possible against various challenges, such as hunger, thirst, or enemies.

There are many different types of survival games. Some are set in post-apocalyptic worlds, while others take place in the wilderness. Some survival games are focused on resource gathering and management, while others emphasize combat and exploration.

No matter what type of survival game you’re playing, they all have one thing in common: they’re highly addictive. If you’re looking for a new game to keep you entertained for hours on end, check out some of the best survival games of 2022.

Deadside
Developer/Publisher: Bad Pixel | Release: April 14, 2020 (Early Access) | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC

Deadside plays with people’s ancient survival instincts. Instead of fighting zombies or staying in space, Deadside focuses on realism.
The world is destroyed after the apocalypse, and you should survive somehow. You will face dangers such as wild animals, violent cannibals, and marauding and plundering bandits.
Deadside offers a pleasant change from the classic horror survival scenarios full of zombies and mutants. Instead, you have to fight your way through a largely realistic world.

Pros:

  • Realistic; no pesky zombies or monsters
  • Demanding hardcore survival with a depressing atmosphere
  • Focus on gunplay and weapons

Cons:

  • Sometimes more shooter than a Survival; you should be good at aiming
  • Is still in development

This is what Deadside does well:

  • Realistic combat and weapon handling
  • Missions that appear on the Map – sort of public events that anyone can participate in
  • Hunt animals to provide you with resources
  • No zombies or supernatural/paranormal beings
  • Safe trading zones for players
  • A 225 square kilometer map

For whom is Deadside worthwhile?
Deadside is ideal for players who enjoy playing shooters but also want to adjust to a survival aspect. The developers attach great importance to gunplay and realism.
Roughly speaking, players interested in Escape from Tarkov and similar games will also appreciate Deadside. Shooter fans, in general, should keep an eye on the game. Anyone who enjoys crafting and discovering survival games is wrong here.

Green Hell
Developer/Publisher: Creepy Jar | Release: September 5, 2019, | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S, and PS4/PS5

You play an anthropologist who, with his wife, wants to research people who live there in a jungle. You have a base camp there.
However, while exploring, you crash and lose radio contact and disorientation. From then on, you are on your own in the proverbial Green Hell and have to survive.
Green Hell now has story co-op and versions for PlayStation and Xbox.

Pros:

  • Tricky hardcore survival fun for veterans
  • Realistic; you must create healing for each disease yourself
  • Insanity System: Be careful not to go insane
  • Nutrient System: Pay attention to what exactly you eat

Cons:

  • Not beginner-friendly; the game explains very little
  • Constant pressure from disease and starvation can become annoying

This is what Green Hell does well:

  • Fresh Survival set in the jungle
  • Realistic Story and gameplay
  • Picturesque surroundings and atmospheric world
  • Interesting approaches to crafting and Survival with physical and mental health

Who is Green Hell worthwhile for?
Green Hell is a game for lovers and connoisseurs of the survival genre. It’s challenging and unforgiving. At the same time, it is the perfect game for gamers who want to see a new, fresh setting and devour the works of survival experts such as Rüdiger Sir Vival Nehberg, who died in April 2020.
However, newcomers can also have fun here if they overcome the steep learning curve. Getting started is tricky, but the game gets easier over time as you understand each element.

Grounded
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment | Publisher : Xbox Game Studios | Release: July 28, 2020 | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Grounded takes a unique approach: you are tiny. Instead of surviving against wild dangers in deserts, space, or the post-apocalypse, you must stay in a completely different environment – the garden.
It sounds funny at first, but it’s rock hard. Blades of grass are already as tall as trees, and abandoned toys rapidly become a severe obstacle. As skinny humans, even the most minor bugs and ants quickly become giant enemies.
Find out more about Grounded and what makes the survival game unique in our special.

Pros:

  • Unique setting in a garden
  • Arachnophobia mode in which no giant spiders appear
  • Focused on Story but with a lot of exploration and crafting
  • Sessions are suitable for players who are short on time

Cons:

  • The story is relatively short
  • Not suitable for children despite the friendly graphics

This is what Grounded does well:

  • Unique approach with a completely fresh setting
  • Co-op with up to four players
  • Timeless, cute graphics with yet dangerous opponents
  • A story at the end of which you will return to standard size

Who is Grounded for?
Grounded is a nice change for all survival fans tired of zombies and post-apocalypse. The setting is entirely new, yet it offers the classic survival elements that make up the genre.
In addition, Grounded, with its less unfriendly and yet demanding introduction, is also ideal for beginners of the genre. Incidentally, Grounded is available in Xbox Game Pass – subscribers interested in survival games should check out Grounded.

Empyrion
Developer/Publisher: Eleon Game Studios | Release: August 5, 2020 | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC

The new survival game from the developer Eleon Game Studios was released on Steam in August 2020 and received well there. It combines a bit of EVE Online’s space odyssey with the creative side of Minecraft.
In the 3D open-world game, you build different ships, space stations, and settlements on foreign planets to explore and discover their secrets. There is no actual task, and you set your own goals in the sandbox style.

Pros:

  • Random planetary systems provide replay value
  • Steerable spaceship plus planetary exploration
  • Terraforming, farming, and a tech tree for progression

Cons:

  • Not quite finished despite the release. Developers are still polishing

This is what Empyrion does well:

  • Strong graphics in an extensive space setting
  • Great freedom in building and exploring, similar to Minecraft
  • Randomly generated solar systems and planets with their characteristics
  • Astronautics and Space Legs
  • Terraforming through voxel-based terrain
  • Different options like Survival, creative, solo, co-op or PvP

For whom is Empyrion worthwhile?
Anyone still waiting for Star Citizen or wanting to see a creative survival game like Minecraft in space should give Empyrion a chance. Due to the different modes, the game is suitable for both veterans and beginners, and its space setting also attracts sci-fi fans who want to venture into the survival genre.

Dying Light 2
Developer/Publisher: Techland | Release: February 4, 2022 | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Dying Light 2 is the successor to Germany’s popular Dying Light index. The second part continues the Story and puts you back in the role of an infected helping the survivors.
A few years after the events of the first part, you, as a wanderer, will find one of the last bastions of humanity. However, a new, small war has started again: different factions are fighting for the upper hand.
Since you’re just looking for your sister, you’re forced to join one of the factions to get help. This results in different courses and ways of playing, and even the ending varies.

Pros:

  • Dangerous Zombies, not boring Walkers
  • Different day and night experiences in the game
  • A fast course ensures unique movement

Cons:

  • Tasks are often repetitive in some way
  • Loot sometimes offers little variety

Here’s what makes Dying Light 2 so good:

  • Co-op with up to four players
  • Course deposits across the city
  • a day-night cycle with sometimes more dangerous opponents at night
  • a gripping story and decisions with consequences
  • vividly told characters and factions you can help
  • dancing zombies

For whom is Dying Light 2 worthwhile?
If you already liked the first part, the sequel is a must. Anyone interested in zombie survival games like DayZ is also in the right place. The survival aspect is relatively small, which is why Dying Light 2 can also inspire story friends.
Dying Light 2 was one of the most anticipated games ever. If you don’t know why you can read here what makes Dying Light 2 so fascinating.

7 Days to Die
Developer/Publisher: The Fun Pimps/Telltale Games | Release: December 13, 2013 (Early Access) | Model: Buy to Play | Platforms: PC (Windows and Linux), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

As in many classic, post-apocalyptic games, a nuclear war has devastated the world. A virus has also ensured that some surviving humans were turned into zombies.
You are one of the few people who were not infected and survived, and now you have to make sure that it stays that way in the fictional county of Navezgane (Arizona, USA). The only goal: survive as long as possible.

Pros:

  • The mixture of DayZ and Minecraft
  • Increasing difficulty; suitable for beginners and to play again and again
  • Single rounds are ideal for a game night, especially with friends

Cons:

  • Since 2013, in Early Access without an actual release
  • Survival is impossible – that’s what the game is based on

What makes 7 Days to Die good?

  • Voxel mechanics that allow you to shape the game, similar to Minecraft, freely
  • Progress to develop your character as long as you can – sort of a built-in role-playing game
  • Influenced by tower defense and shooters where you have to defend your base against zombie waves
  • Choice of the solo campaign or free play with friends
  • a physics system ensures that you have to build buildings logically; otherwise, they will collapse

Who are 7 Days to Die for?
Anyone who likes Minecraft and DayZ should check out 7 Days to Die. The game promises to be a thrill, and the ever-increasing difficulty will delight survival novices and veterans alike.
Over time, you’ll get better, or you can enjoy what you create. Due to the different modes, the game is particularly suitable for single players and small groups.

This Land Is My Land
Developer/Publisher: Game-Labs | Release: November 20, 2019 (Early Access) | Model: Buy to Play | Platforms: PC (Steam)

This Land Is My Land took place during the colonization of America when the first settlers conquered the country. The conflict between the natives (“Indians”) and the immigrants is in full swing.
You play an Indian chief who fights with his tribe against being driven out by the settlers. To do this, gather warriors, allies, and resources, and prepare to defend your land.

Pros:

  • Fresh setting with Native Americans
  • Names determine how good you are
  • Skills are reminiscent of an RPG
  • Survival is easier because NPCs help you get resources

Cons:

  • Pure single player
  • Not a puristic survival title

What makes This Land Land suitable?

  • Chic graphics that even run quite sparingly thanks to the Unity engine (an i5 and a GTX 950 are sufficient)
  • Karma system that affects how much you benefit from trading and diplomacy
  • Tameable horses for hunting wolves, boars, bears, and more
  • Progression system through skills for the character and additional camps for the tribe

Who is This Land Is My Land for?
Anyone interested in Founding America and the Wild West should check out This Land Is My Land. In particular, Red Dead Redemption fans should try the game.
Since you play an Indian, you experience what you usually see in western films and games from the opposite perspective. However, it is a single-player game.7

The Long Dark
Developer/Publisher: Hinterland Studio | Release: August 1, 2017, | Model: Buy to Play | Platforms: PC (Windows and Linux), Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch

You play as pilot William Mackenzie, who crashes in the middle of the wilderness somewhere in North America after his plane dies. Your task: is to get back to civilization.
You are entirely on your own, without orientation and the possibility to call for help. Along the way, you uncover more and more information that points to a greater catastrophe. And to make matters worse, it’s cold…

Pros:

  • Timeless look
  • Body heat as an additional, important factor in Survival
  • Focus on Story and PvE: explore the world and survive against cold and wild animals

Cons:

  • Pure single player
  • Survival is quite tricky and challenging for beginners
  • Still not complete

This is what The Long Dark does well:

  • Long campaign with solid voice acting by Jennifer Hale (Commander Shepard/Mass Effect) and David Hayter (Solid Snake/Metal Gear)
  • two different game modes: Story and sandbox
  • timeless graphics in comic style
  • beautiful surroundings and a lot to discover
  • permadeath

For whom is The Long Dark worthwhile?
With its four levels of difficulty, The Long Dark offers a good start for beginners and professionals but is aimed more at genre veterans due to its hardness.
The Long Dark is a single-player game. You also need a lot of patience because the Story is progressing slowly. Still, if you like good narrative and like to delve deep into a world to experience it, The Long Dark is a must-watch.

Terraria
Developer/Publisher: Re-Logic | Released: May 16, 2011, | Model: Buy to Play | Platforms: PC (Windows and Linux), Mac, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, PS Vita, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, Windows Phone

In Terraria, you play a self-created character with which you can explore a large world with different biomes. You collect various resources, and you can expand your home, craft and upgrade equipment, and face dangerous monsters and bosses.
Terraria is a sandbox game, and accordingly, there is neither a fixed story nor tasks that players have to complete. Everything is optional; it is up to you what you make of the world.

Pros:

  • Runs even on weak computers
  • Huge game world to explore
  • Blood Moons make enemies stronger and spice up the gameplay
  • Dynamic Difficulty: If you die too often, bosses despawn (except for permadeath)

Cons:

  • Terraria is done. Significant updates will not come anymore
  • Pixel graphics take some getting used to

This is what makes Terraria suitable:

  • A variety of different biomes with unique bosses, in addition to in-game events, nightly enemy attacks, mounts, and housing
  • The way of playing is up to each player himself – whether he fights, builds, or takes to the skies
  • Players are free to customize: there are many different weapons, wings, mounts, and costumes to suit every play style

For whom is Terraria worthwhile?
Terraria is a game for lovers and old-school gamers. Especially Minecraft fans should look at Terraria because the gameplay is very similar – only the graphics are slightly different. While there are achievements you can pursue if you want, there are no commitments like challenges or quests. You can play at your own pace.

CryoFall
Developer: AtomicTorch | Publisher: Daedalic | Release: April 29, 2021 | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC

In CryoFall, you play as the survivor of a crash landing on an alien planet where you are now somehow fighting for your Survival. Together with others – or against them – you explore the strange environment, build a haven and discover what happened on the planet.

Pros:

  • Easy entry despite extensive mechanics
  • Implants make you stronger and are an additional level of character development
  • Catchy, intuitive gameplay
  • PvE and PvP separately

Cons:

  • A lot of grinds are required, especially as you progress further
  • PvP can be disruptive

What makes CryoFall suitable?

  • You play in a 2D look that is a bit reminiscent of Stardew Valley, only with better textures.
  • In addition, there is a crisp difficulty and the advantages for which the German publisher Daedalic is known.
  • CryoFall tells a story that you slowly earn and puts you in the setting of a crash landing on an alien planet with a great atmosphere.

Who is CryoFall suitable for?
CryoFall is a little like Stardew Valley meets Rust with a small stake in Rimworld. If you’re a fan of any of these games and want to try your hand at Survival, you should check out CryoFall. Even those who like the grind, PvP, and crafting can confidently use CryoFall.

Minecraft
Developer/Publisher: Mojang | Released: May 17, 2009, | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC (Windows, Linux), Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android

Minecraft is a creative building and crafting game with voxel graphics. It offers almost unlimited creative possibilities to design your world and to create your own gaming experiences with mods.
Minecraft also has a survival mode, in which you fight for your Survival in addition to the building. It is considered by many players to be one of the founding fathers of the modern survival genre.

Pros:

  • Absolute Freedom – Build and do what you want
  • Creative and Survival modes for different playstyles
  • Hardcore and adventure mode for more challenges
  • Create your worlds, build houses or entire cities
  • Solo and co-op possible – also for children and families

Cons:

  • If you lack creativity, you will have little to do
  • Voxel graphics appear pixelated and don’t appeal to everyone

This is what Minecraft does well:

  • Unique Terraforming through blocks that you can dismantle and set up elsewhere
  • A friendly, bright world that contrasts with the most gloomy and barren environments of other survival games
  • A particular crafting system that relies on what materials you arrange and how to create specific items
  • A loving, colossal world that offers many hours of exploration
  • Simple graphics and a simple game principle make it easy to get started

Who is Minecraft for?
With its friendly look, Minecraft caters to gamers of all ages interested in creativity and exploration. Children and young people, in particular, can let off Steam here.
If you would like to build your own home without predefined structures, you should look at Minecraft. Minecraft offers a building and crafting experience with few limitations. Creative minds and builders, in particular, will be happy with Minecraft, alone or in a group.

Subnautica
Developer/Publisher: Unknown Worlds | Release: January 23, 2018, | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S; from early 2021, Nintendo Switch

Subnautica is a survival game that is primarily played underwater. You are stranded with a spaceship on an ocean planet and are now trying to repair the ship.
Your goal is to be able to escape from the planet again. But first, you must survive and craft properly, which always takes you to the underwater areas of the earth to look for new materials.
How you go about it is mainly up to you. Due to the unique underwater world, you can quickly lose yourself in the environment and forget the goal or find new resources that open up new paths.

Pros:

  • Underwater worlds and creatures like you won’t find anywhere else
  • Beautiful setting that the game continues to be praised for
  • Story with different sections and DLCs
  • Largely peaceful exploration; Subnautica largely eschews violence

Cons:

  • No co-op possible, pure single player
  • Opportunities distract from the Story
  • Lack of oxygen interferes with exploration

What makes Subnautica so good?

  • A unique underwater setting with picturesque surroundings
  • Correspondingly unique mechanics such as underwater dwellings that no other survival game offers to this extent
  • A simple introduction and a sandbox experience where everyone can play at their own pace and how they want to
  • Different modes (Survival, Hardcore, Freeplay, and Creative) to control the difficulty

Who is Subnautica for?
Players who like to lose themselves in beautiful environments and prefer to explore rather than fight will find Subnautica a unique opportunity. Anyone who enjoys bright colors, strange creatures, and marine life will want Subnautica.

V Rising
Developer/Publisher: Stunlock Studios | Release: May 17, 2022 (Early Access) | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC

Vampires were once the rulers of the world in V Rising. You are one of them – but you have been overthrown and stripped of your power. Now you’re trying to get your energy back. You have to build your castle, get servants, and defeat bosses.
And the most important thing, of course: you need blood. Instead of relying on well-known survival mechanics, you only need blood to fuel your life energy and your production. This is an exciting system because different blood types and qualities can boost you.
Stunlock Studios is already known for action games like Bloodline Champions and Battlerite. The combat system in V Rising is correspondingly pronounced. From an isometric perspective, you use weapons and magic to slaughter your way through heaps of enemies on foot or horseback.

Pros:

  • Easy, very catchy introduction – you immediately understand what you have to do
  • Diverse abilities, spells, and fighting styles
  • PvP is not mandatory. There are PvE servers and solo options.

Cons:

  • Early Access is not fully translated yet
  • PvP can quickly become exhausting

What makes V Rising so good?

  • A unique six blood type system to empower your playstyle
  • Private games for single players and friends, servers for up to 60 players in multiplayer
  • The action-packed combat system where even tanking is a lot of fun
  • Uncomplicated entry, whether in a private game solo, with friends, or on large servers with dozens of other players

Who is V Rising for?
Since you can choose to play solo or public, PvE or PvP, V Rising appeals to pretty much any group of players. The only requirement: you have to like vampires and at least have a particular weakness for gothic looks. Because that’s what the entire look and world of V Rising are based on. Easy to get started, V Rising is even great for survival beginners.

Don’t Starve
Developer / Publisher: Klei Entertainment | Released: April 23, 2013 | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC, Mac, PS3, PS4, PS5, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Wii U, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch

In Don’t Starve, you end up in the hand-drawn world of the antagonist Maxwell and have only one task: Don’t starve. However, it is not that easy at the beginning.
However, the bizarre environment presents you with some challenges and requires you to build a small dwelling and explore more and more to finally somehow find a way or bite the dust.
Don’t Starve plays with a rogue-like progression, where prolonged Survival in the world helps you unlock new characters to play with, each with their unique abilities and traits.

Pros:

  • Charming hand-drawn graphics
  • Point-and-click charm especially exciting for retro gamers
  • Roguelite for high replay value
  • Playable anywhere, even mobile, thanks to platform ports

Cons:

  • Depending on chance: If the seed of the world is terrible, surviving becomes difficult
  • Deaths are always permanent; the Game is Hardcore by definition

What makes Don’t Starve so good?

  • A hand-drawn, timeless graphic
  • All characters are spoken by wind instruments, which has its charm
  • Easy entry and high replay value
  • Multiplayer option with Don’t Starve Together (additional purchase)
  • Varied dangers, enemies, and playable characters

Who is Don’t Starve suitable for?
Especially fans of point-and-click adventures who would like to try their hand at the survival genre have an ideal start with Don’t Starve. If you want rogue-like, Survival, indie games, or casual, you won’t go wrong with Don’t Starve.
Since Don’t Starve is also available as a mobile version, it is also suitable for players who want to gamble on the go.

This War of Mines
Developer: 11-bit studios | Publisher: Deep Silver | Released: November 14, 2014, | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC, Mac, PS4/PS5 (The Little Ones), Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S (The Little Ones), iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch

This War of Mine is set in the fictional town of Pogoren, devastated by war and impoverished by siege. The Story was inspired by the siege of Sarajevo in the Bosnian war between 1992 and 1996.
Unlike in most games, however, you do not experience the war from a soldier’s perspective but from the civilian population suffering as a result. You play as a group of people trying to make ends meet in the city’s rubble.
This War of Mine is made up of different phases that you have to master. In your own ruined home, you manage food, sleeping places, and medicine, make tough decisions about who to help and who not, or send some residents out to search for food and resources in the other phase – which can often be fatal.

Pros:

  • Destroyed City atmospherically captures the horrors of war in the civilian population
  • Unique gameplay: You must constantly decide who gets to live and who must die
  • Decisions can always have different outcomes. Therefore high replay value.

Cons:

  • Tough decisions are not for sensitive minds
  • The story is not very deep but extremely brutal

What makes This War of Mine so good?
An unbelievably depressing mood that credibly brings the suffering of war closer
Exciting stealth action as you loot the debris to avoid getting caught
Difficult decisions that can often have a fatal end and rousing consequences
High replay value due to ever-changing challenges and requirements
Timeless graphics and gameplay

Who is This War of Mine for?
Anyone interested in war from a social point of view and loves war dramas like Saving Private Ryan or the like because of their emotional component should watch This War of Mine.
Since This War of Mine is also available as a mobile version, it is also suitable for players who want to gamble on the go.

No Man’s Sky
Developer/Publisher: Hello Games | Released: August 12, 2016, | Model: Buy to Play | Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

In No Man’s Sky, you have a massive world in space at your disposal, where you can discover over 18 trillion planets and unknown species, craft, and tinker with your spaceship.
No Man’s Sky is the epitome of an open world, and since the NEXT update even supports a multiplayer aspect, that has made the game even more significant. In the meantime, the game is even getting closer and closer to an MMO.

Pros:

  • Fresh space setting
  • Huge world with countless planets and alien species
  • Own spaceship
  • Real multiplayer thanks to NEXT

Cons:

  • No real goal. Options may be too extensive
  • Takes up a lot of time

What makes No Man’s Sky so good?

  • A massive world that rarely ends and in which there is always something new to discover
  • Detailed environments and beautiful graphics to admire
  • Your spaceship and even pets

Who is No Man’s Sky for?
Those still waiting for Star Citizen can already experience a massive space saga with No Man’s Sky. The game offers all imaginable freedoms. In addition, the space environment and the alien planets pay off, especially for sci-fi fans. So if you want to live your life to the full in a sci-fi survival game, you will find your match with No Man’s Sky.

The Forest
Developer/Publisher: Endnight Games | Release: April 30, 2018, | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5

In The Forest, you have crashed a plane on a deserted island and are now looking for your son Timmy. Your ultimate goal is to survive so that you can save your son.
Unlike most survival MMOs, The Forest is built around individual game sessions in which you experience a story and pursue a quest.

Pros:

  • The story unfolds as you play
  • Different endings are possible
  • Session-based gameplay is suitable for people who are short on time
  • A detailed world full of mutants and cannibals

Cons:

  • A pure horror setting can act as a deterrent
  • Requires friends to reach full potential

This is what The Forest does well:

  • Horrid, disfigured enemies that could have come straight out of a top-notch horror movie
  • A story with multiple endings influenced by your choices
  • Unique horror elements that add some thrill to Survival
  • The highlight of The Forest: You play the same Story again in every session. Whether alone or with friends, your goal is always the same. The Forest works less with classic survival elements such as construction and crafting but always towards the purpose of the main quest. Everything you do is only a means to an end to find your son.

Who is The Forest for?
The Forest primarily aims at horror fans who want to feel fear and panic as constant companions in a game. The compelling atmosphere and unique creatures like savages wearing masks made of human faces will make even die-hard gamers shiver.
The Forest misses you with endless construction sessions but gripping action and a foreseeable end to the Story. The game is aimed at an adult community.
The sequel Sons of the Forest is currently in the works and looks good. This won’t come until 2022, but by the end of 2021, it had already helped The Forest to over 30,000 players on Steam.

Raft
Developer: Redbeet Interactive | Publisher: Axolot Games | Release: May 23, 2018, | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC

Raft, as the name suggests, plays on a raft. You start on a small raft in the middle of the ocean and float across the water, stocking up on flotsam to build and survive.
The challenge with Raft is to make progress despite the constantly prevailing limitations. Due to the limited building options, Raft requires a lot of planning and skill.

Pros:

  • Straightforward entry
  • Also suitable for younger players (from 12 years).
  • Especially good in co-op with friends and division of labor
  • Resources come to you instead of having to look for them – make something of it!

Cons:

  • If you don’t aim the hook well, you won’t get very far
  • Can become monotonous if nothing happens for a long time

This is what Raft does well:

  • Reverse gameplay: Instead of dominating the world, you must try not to be dominated yourself
  • You have to create the opportunities that are available to you
  • The vast ocean you explore makes Raft unique. You have no choice but to travel constantly if you don’t want to die
  • The only one of our survival games where you always have your house with you and the resources come to you instead of having to keep coming back

For whom is rafting suitable?
Anyone who plays rafts should be prepared to think carefully about every step. Raft is a game for planners and strategists. Whether alone or in a group, you always have to watch what you need and what is most important at the moment due to the cramped space. Clear goals and tasks are a must for every player.

Rust
Developer/Publisher: Facepunch Studios | Release: February 2018 | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: Windows (PC), MacOS X, Linux; PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Rust doesn’t have a story. You end up naked on a beach, equipped only with a stone as a weapon and tool, and are supposed to survive. To do this, you mine various resources, plunder abandoned buildings and dodge stronger players.
Rust is a classic PvP survival game where other players are your most significant threat. In late 2020 and early 2021, the game received a massive boost in popularity when 50 streamers played Rust together – bothered only by a bad boy.
Rust has also been available for Xbox One and PS4 since May 2021 – but those who own the new generations of consoles can also play thanks to backward compatibility.

Pros:

  • Large and active community
  • Regular resets always ensure the same conditions
  • Classic Survival with crafting, building, and food
  • The map is divided into accessible zones and harder ones with better loot

Cons:

  • Rough entry
  • Get used to dying
  • Community is considered toxic

This is what Rust does well:

  • A simple game principle that everyone can quickly get to grips with
  • Each building piece and each weapon is a clear progression that brings you closer to your goals
  • Special vehicles like hot air balloons and boats give Rust a unique feature
  • A large, active, and slightly wacky community

Who is Rust suitable for?
You should only play Rust if you like shooting at others with all sorts of weapons and don’t have a problem with dying more often. Rust is particularly fun in larger teams, as Survival alone is virtually impossible in the long run. Clan battles ensure constant action. If you don’t feel like messing with other players repeatedly, you should stay away from Rust.

SCUM
Developer: Gamepires, Croteam | Publisher: Devolver Digital | Release: August 29, 2018 (Early Access) | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC

SCUM is a virtual game show in which convicted criminals are packed onto a zombie-infested island to see what happens for the amusement of viewers.
SCUM plays like an art simulation in which you, as a prisoner, are abandoned on an island to survive – or not. You end up with nothing but a device that constantly measures your bodily functions.

Pros:

  • Crunchy co-op challenge
  • A novel approach to playing a prisoner
  • Sophisticated survival system in which absorbed nutrients play a role
  • You don’t just have to eat. It has to be the right thing – and you have to put it away

Cons:

  • Hard to do solo
  • Getting started is highly complicated, the nutrient system can quickly overwhelm you
  • Opponents seem way too strong, especially for newcomers

This is what SCUM does well:

  • Realistic needs make for a much more terrifying survival feeling. You have to pay attention to your energy and nutrient balance
  • A fame system shows how big your reputation is with the audience and gives you access to specific abilities (like spawn points)
  • Physical fitness is a critical feature in SCUM. Those who eat poorly and exercise little are at a disadvantage compared to other players

Who is SCUM suitable for?
SCUM is a game for ambitious players looking for tough challenges. It’s hard to survive, even harder to progress, and it takes a while to get to a reasonably secure footing.
SCUM is best suited for small groups of players who like it rough. SCUM is tricky and requires good team play. High tolerance for frustration should also be present. Single players, on the other hand, are pretty stuck in SCUM.

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