The best survival games on PC | PCGamesN

What are the best survival games on PC? From Scum and DayZ to Ark, here's our list of free and Steam games, plus some surprises. Survivalgameshaveexplodedoverthepastfewyears.TheSteamchartsarefilledwithallkindsofexamples, includingclassicsurvivalhorrorgames andnewhardcoresurvivalsims.Tohelpanybewilderedadventurers,we’vegatheredtogetherthebestsurvivalgamestohelpyoupickandchoosewhichemergentstoriesandunexpectedadventurestoundertake. Thereareagreatmanyexcellentsurvivaltitlesoutthere,ahugepercentageofwhichareunfinishedEarlyAccessprojects–thoughtherearealsoplentyofcheap-and-nastycash-ins.Ourguidewillhelpyouseekoutonlythebestones,likeasurvivorscanningabandonedcupboardsforbeans. Ifyou’vegotthegrittooutlastthelikesoftheterrifying TheLongDark ortheunderwaterwonderofSubnautica,ourpickswillhelpsteeryoutowardsthe(notso)safepasturesofthebestsurvivalgamesonPC.Whetheryoulikesurvivingthehorrorsofwaror you’reintothenewbreedofhungeranddiseasemanagementgames,getreadytoendureagonyandplentyofpaininthesescintillatingsurvivaladventures. Thebestsurvivalgamesare: Don'tStarveThisWarofMineCuisineRoyaleMinecraftValheimARK:SurvivalEvolvedScumDayZConanExilesRustSubnauticaAstroneerTheLongDark Don’tStarve Themosthorrifyingideaofactualsurvivalishavingtodoitonyourlonesome.That’sexactlywhatDon’tStarvemakesyoudo,asit’sanentirelysoloexperience.TheterrorofhavingtofendforyourselfinthewildisthankfullyoffsetbythelovelyTimBurton-style2Dart,andthecollectionofutterlybizarrecreaturesthatarelurkinginthissepia-toneworld.Werepigs,Beargers,Deerclopses,andmanymoreabsurdmonstersroamthelandlookingtomakethingsdifficultforyou. Don’tStarvefocusesheavilyoncraftingtomakeyourwaythroughlife,andsomuchofyourtimeisspentharvestingrawmaterials–justlikeacraftinggame.ButratherthancraftinghouseslikeinRustandMinecraft,this indiegameisallaboutthetoolsandcontraptionsyoucanmake.TheScienceMachineandAlchemyEnginewillbecomeyourbestfriends,beforemakingwayforancientwondersandtheartofmagic.LikeMinecraft,Don’tStarvehappilyembracesthemadandthemystical,andisallthemoreenjoyableforit. Ifallthissoundswonderful,butyoudon’twanttoharvesttwigsanddrygrassonyourown,Don’tStarveTogetheralsoletsyouplaywithafriend,andit’sactuallyoneofthebestco-opgamesonPC. ThisWarofMine Forallthestressthatsomesurvivalgamescanpressonyou,nothingcomparestotheharrowing2Dadventure.Asyou’llfindoutinourThisWarofMinereview,thegameoffersaverydifferentbreedofsurvival.It’sadepictionofagroupofcivilians’strugglingtostayaliveintheirwar-ravagedcountry.Trappedinabesiegedhouse,pinneddownbysnipers,andattackedbyothersurvivorslookingtotakewhatyou’vefound,it’sagameoftraumaticdecisionsandlife-or-deathconsequences.It’sthesideofconflictthatfewwargamestrulydealwith. Eachofyourrandomly-generatedsurvivorshavebackstories,providingthemwithabilitiesforsurvival.Ex-firemenarefitterandstronger,whilethosewhousedtocookprofessionallycannowfeedthestarving.Butheadingoutintotheworldtofindthethingsyouneed–medicine,ingredients,scraptomakebeds–couldbringyouface-to-facewiththosewillingtokill.Andturningasurvivorintoamurdererleadstomisery,depression,and–ifnottreatedwell–suicide. It’sableakexistence,andmakingwhatseemstobetheobviousrightdecisionatonepointintimecanleadtodisastrousconclusions.Theendofthewarconstantlyseemslikeapipe-dream,andeveryonewillprobablybedeadbeforeyougetthere.Ifyouthinkyoucanlivewithyourselfinsuchdirecircumstances,though,thisamust-play. Crsed:FOAD Thisfree-to-playbattleroyalestartedout asCuisineRoyale–aPUBGspoof,butwhenplayerskeptcomingback,itbecameapparentthatDarkflowSoftwarehadfoundsomethingthat’slargelyabsentacrossthebattleroyalegamesgenre:light-heartedfun. Crsed:FOADisstillallaboutsurvivingtotheendandoutlastingdozensofopponents,butinsteadofarmouryou’llbescrabblingaroundforcolandersandbakingtraystoprotectyourfleshypartsfromincomingbullets. Recentupdateshaveembracedthesilliness, addingnewchampions,anewmap,flamethrowers,mortars,andmotorboats,aswellasrebalancingthemeleecombat.Youcannowalsoshootfromvehicles,aswellasunlockandimproveyourchampionswithsecretmissionsordailychallenges. PlayCrsed:FOAD forfree Minecraft Ifyou’reafterthebestcraftingsurvivalgameoutthere,looknofurtherthanMinecraft.Atsomepoint,itseemssomeonedecidedsurvivalwasallaboutgruellingpunishment,sloth-likeprogression,andmurderinganyonewhoisn’tyou.Butbeforethebigsurvivalblow-outonSteamwehadMinecraft:afun,colourful,creativesurvivalsandboxgame.Sure,therearezombiesthatwilleatyourface,andspiders,skeletonsanddragons,butwithMinecraftskins,youatleastalwaysendupblockyandcute.Noonemindsacartoonmonsterhavingyouforbreakfast. Moreimportantly,though,thewayyousurviveinMinecraftisentirelyuptoyou.Youcouldbuildanelaboratefortressandplayadefence-stylegame,fendingoffthecreaturesofthenight.Oryoucouldcraftexcitingweaponryandventureoutintothemostdangerouszonesoftheworld,testingbothyourmettleandmetal.Theworldisliterallyendlessandfilledwithamazingnaturalwondersjustbeggingtobeexplored.Justremembertoeatsomethingeverynowandagain,andyou’llbefine. Whenever,wherever:Thebestlaptopgames Wespendsomuchtimefocusingonthegame’screativesideanditsmanyMinecraftmods,Minecraftmaps,andMinecraftseeds,andalltheotheramazingpossibilitiesoutthere,wesometimesforgetthatthevanillaSurvivalModeisjustasexcitinginitsownway.AndifyoureallywanttomakeanautomatedminingproductionlineinSurvivalMode,don’tletusstopyou.Justmakesurethecreepersdon’tputaspannerinyourworks. Valheim AbandonedintheNorsewildernesswithnothingbutaloinclothandyourwits,you–anduptonineotherVikings–mustbuildshelter,forageforfood,andsteadilybuildupyourstrengthbeforeheadingoutinsearchofgloriousbattle.Themeadowsyoubeginyourjourneyinarerelativelysafe,buttheprocedurallygeneratedwildscontainvariousbiomesofescalatingdifficulty–youdonotwanttostumbleintotheplainsbeforeyou’reready,believeus. EachoneofValheim’sbiomeshasitsownmagnificentboss;onceyoulocateit,summonit,anddefeatit,youunlockresourcesandpowersthathelpyouprogresstothenextregion.You’llalsotriggerincreasinglypowerfulraidsonyourhomebase,soit’svitalthatyouconstructawelldefendedhomestead;don’tforgetthechimney,orsmokeinhalationwillgetyoubeforethatbigbluetrolldoes. ARK:SurvivalEvolved Arkisn’tjustthebestdinosaursurvivalgameyoucanbuy,it’sarguablyoneofthegreatestdinosaurgamesevermade.Afterall,prehistoricbeastiesmakeeverythingbetter.It’sasurvivalgamethatfillseveryedgeofthetemplate:punchtreestogetwood,usewoodtobuildshelter,killanimalstofindfood,inevitablydiebecauseyouforgottodrinkwater.YetArktranscendsthetypicalsurvivalgamepatternbyincludingleatheryleviathansthatbothwanttohuntandeatyou,butwithsomeperseverance,youcanalsotameandride.What’smore,coldwarsragebetweenmegatribesastheyseekdominanceovertheirworld.Masterbuilderspushthelimitsofcreationinasurvivalgame.Dedicatedplayersrackupyearsofplaytime. EverythingArkdoesisrock-solid.Thesurvivalelementsmaybesimilartowhatyou’veplayedbefore,butthey’rethebedrockforthegame’smoreambitiouselements(andastrongArkmodsscene).YourcharacterhasRPG-likestats,andyoucanheadintotheworldtohuntsci-fisecretsthatofferalittlemoreincentivetoplayratherthanjust‘stayalive’. It’sthesevariouspromisesthatmakeplayingArkworthwhile:othersurvivalgamesrelyonyoubeingsatisfiedwithmakingitthroughthenight,whereasStudioWildcardsetsyoulong-termgoalssuchas‘tameandrideaT-Rex’.HavingatruesenseofprogressionandaimsmakeyourtimeinArkfeelvaluable,andthat’ssomethingmanyothersurvivaladventuresstrugglewith.Also,ifyou’restrugglingwiththegame’ssci-fi-flavouredexpansion,ourArk:Aberrationtipsshouldhelp. Thetwo-partGenesisexpansion launcheditsfirsthalfinFebruary,andhasaheavyfocusonexploringsimulatedregionspackedwithvolcanos,icymountainsandvastunderwaterbiomes.WithArk2comingsoon,andwithVinDieselnoless,it’llbeexcitingtoseewhatnewstuffwillbeinthesequel. Scum Likemanyofthesurvivalgamesinthislist,ScumisstartingoutlifeinSteamEarlyAccess,whichmeanstwothings:it’sstillquiteshonky,andthereareheapsoffeaturesyettobeaddedtothegame.Butevenearlyintoitslifethereisplentytoenjoyaboutthisdetailedsurvivalgamesetonamaximumsecurityprisonisland. WhatmakesitstandoutamongitspeersisanincrediblyfastidiousmetabolismsystemwhichmakesScumasortofsimulationgamethatfullytrackswhatyoueat,drink,andexcrete.Eatmanymorecaloriesthanyou’reburningoffandyou’llgetfatter,eatlessthanwhatyou’reburningoffandyou’llhavenoenergyandgraduallyloseweight. Butit’salotmorecomplicatedthanthat:you’llhavetowatchyourvitaminlevels,stomach,intestine,bladder,andcolonvolume,andensurethatyoueatwellinadvanceofneedingenergyasittakestimeforyourbodytoprocessanythingyouputintoit.Scumputsthehungerandthirstmechanicsofothersurvivalgamestoshame.Therearerewardsfortakingcareofyourbody,too,asafittercharactersdealmoremeleedamage,runfaster,andpossessbetterweaponhandlingthantheiremaciatedoroverweightcounterparts. Theresultisasurvivalgamewheresurvivingismoreimportantthanamassinganarsenalofmilitary-gradegear.Althoughonceyou’vefiguredouthowtotakecareofyourbodyyoustillhaveendgamegoalssuchasexploringhighsecurityareas,improvingyoursupplyofguns,anddabblingwithPvP.IfyouneedhelpwithanyofthatcheckoutourtopScumtips, andifthat’snotquiteenoughhelptherearesomeveryusefulScumadmincommandsforyou,too. DayZ Theonethatkickeditalloff.Thisshufflingundeadtreatremainsoneofthebestzombiegamesandsurvivalgames.Inotherwords,it’sthekingofzombiesurvivalgames.Bytoday’sstandards,DayZcouldevenbeconsideredoneoftheleanestvirtualsurvivors,withbarelyanycraftingtospeakof,andnoobjectivesbeyondstayingalive.Foodandwaterarevitallyimportant,andgettingsickcanquicklykillyoushouldyoufailtopayattentiontoyoursymptoms.Walkingwithoutshoescutsandinfectsyourfeet,andbloodtransfusionsofthewrongtypewillseeyouslipawayforgood. Ifyou’recontentwithfightingagainstdisease,bodilyfunctions,andzombieswhooccasionallyphasethroughwalls,you’llgettoDayZ’sbestfeature:exploration.TheworldofChernarusisaSovietwasteland,andBohemiahascapturedthatEasternBlocatmospherewiththetownsandvillagesaroundthemap.DayZ’sforestsfeelgenuinelylife-likeratherthanbeingman-madeimitations,whilethere’satruesenseofisolationoutinthewilderness. Needabreakfromthebrutality?Trysomemore relaxinggames It’sbestplayedwithafriendortwo;acampingtripwherethingscouldgohorriblywrong.Andby‘horriblywrong’,wemeanbeingcapturedbyagangofbanditswhowillforcefeedyoubleachandmakeoffwithyourcan-opener.Soyeah,proceedwithextremecaution. ConanExiles WiththehugesuccessofgameslikeDayZ,itwasonlyamatteroftimebeforealicensedIPdecidedtogivethesurvivalgenreatry.TakingitscuefromoneofthebestPCgamesyoucanplayrightnowinDarkSouls3,ConanExilesshuntsyouintotheHyborianAgeaseveryone’sfavouritebarbarianlookstoduffpeopleupandavoiddeath. Thesetupislargelyfamiliar–growcrops,buildsettlements,clubenemiestodeath–butConanhasaback-of-the-box-bulletpointthatnoneofthecompetitioncanclaim:humansacrifice.Shouldyoubeabletowrestlesomeonetoanaltarandbutcherthem,youcaninvokethefavourofthegodsandshiftthebalanceofpoweryourway.ThatuniqueconceptsetsConanExilesapartfromthepack. Rust Thisgrimtaleofendurancehasbecomeinfamousforitsnakedmen–butit’snotthesizeofaman’sparticularsthat’simpressiveaboutFacepunch’ssurvivalgame(andweallknowthatdoesn’tmatteranyway…right?).No,it’sthefortsthatplayersareableto,ahem,erect.Rust’sstrongpointisconstruction:asyougathermaterialsfromitswilderness,youcanbegintolaydownavarietyofitemsinaSims-likemanner,creatingyourperfectruralretreatbyslottingtogetherfloors,walls,staircases,andwindows. Exploring:Thebestopen-worldgamesonPC Whiletherearemanyserverswherethetraditionalshoot-on-sightmentalityexists,Rusthasplentyofhavensforthoselookingforamorecivilisedlifestyle.Youcanfindplayer-createdtowns,completewithattemptsatgovernment,trading,andevenprisons.It’soneofthenicestremindersthatifpeoplepulltogetherandsharetheirresources,fantasticachievementscanbemade. Rustunderwentamassiveoverhaulthatsawmostoftheoriginalgamescrappedinfavourofaslightlynewapproachandcompletelynewbasecode.Thechangerippedoutquitealotofthegame’scorefeatures,suchaszombiesandradtowns,butovertimethey’vegraduallybeenreappliedalongsidenewideas.RustremainsoneofthemostplayedgamesonSteam,andifyou’reoneofthem,besuretocheckouttheseusefulRustconsolecommands. Subnautica Withitsdreamyunderwatersetting–partlycreatedbyitscommunity–andcompellinggameplayloop,SubnauticaisoneofthebestexplorationsurvivalgamesonPC.Subnauticaismuchmorehopefulandrelaxingthanmanysurvivaladventures.Sure,you’realonelymanlostatseaonanalienplanet,butit’sagameallaboutterraformingyournewenvironmentandmakingunfamiliargroundyourhome. Theartdirectionhelpspushtheideaofhopehome,withbrightandshinytechnologies,beautifullyblueoceans,andschoolsoftropicalfishfillingyourvisionateveryturn.Youexploretheoceandepthsinyoursubmarine,searchingfornewmaterialsinmarinetrenchesandamongcoralreefs.Andwhenyou’vefoundeverythingyouneed,youcanbegintoconstructbasesontheoceanfloor. Thegame’ssurvivalelementsincludethefoodandwaterrequirementsthatmostgamesinthegenredo,butthere’sobviouslyamorepressingissueinSubnautica:oxygen.Youcan’tbreatheseawater,soyouroxygenlevelsandconsumptionhavetobeonyourmindatalltimes.Seeingasyou’recontinuallythreatenedwiththeprospectofdrowning,youreallyshouldreadourSubnauticaguidetoensureyousqueezeeverylastdropoutofyourdiver’slife.Everysurvivalgamehastheominousshadowfollowingyouaround,buthereit’ssimplygoodoldO2. Astroneer AstroneerisoneofthebestgamestocomefromSteam’sEarlyAccessplatform:solidatlaunch,buttransformedintosomethingtrulyspecialaftertwoyearsofconsistentcontentupdatesandpolishing.InAstroneeryoucrashlandonanalienplanetandcarveoutanexistencebydevelopingyourlifesupportpodintoafullyfledgedbaserepletewithvehicles,powersources,andlaboratories. Ofcourse,asinallthebestsurvivalgames,you’llneedalotofresourcestostartbuildingthebestbasemodules,andtodothatyou’llneedtoexploreyourplanethooveringuprarecraftingmaterialsandshapingtheterraintounearthresource-richcaverns. Readmore:HerearethebestbuildinggamesonPC Astroneerisn’tquiteasbleakasmostothersurvivalgames,despitebeingjustastreacherous.There’sagorgeouslow-polyartstylethatpromisestosootheyouasyoucresteverynewhorizon,andthenthere’sthefactthatyoucanhaveyourpalsjoinyouatanytimethankstodrop-in/drop-outco-op.There’sasenseofprogressioninAstroneer,too,asyoucaneventuallyblastoffandstartcolonisingtheothersixplanetsinyoursolarsystem,providingtangiblegoalsforyoutoworktowardsratherthanmereexistence. TheLongDark Thischillyadventureissimilartomostofthegamesmentionedabove,butwithsomethingofthebesthorrorgamesinit.Thoughunlikeothertitlesonthislist,TheLongDarkhasafairlyinterestingstorymode(calledWintermute)tosinkyourteethinto. SetinthebittercoldofnorthernCanada,TheLongDarktradeszombiesforbears,andtropicalislandsfordeadlysnowdrifts.MotherNatureisyourtrueadversaryhere,andtocombatheryou’llneedtokeepyourcaloriecountup,yourbodyhydrated,andaflameroaringwheneveryoucurlupforthenight. Thestylishaestheticmakesitquiteanartygame,butdon’tletthatfoolyouintothinkingthisissomethingthatslowsthepaceandforcesyoutothinklongandhardaboutwhatyou’vedone.TheLongDarkisatrue,challengingsurvivalgamewithrealbite. That’sit,you’vesurvived!Whetheravoidingtheterrorsofthedeepsea ortakingonhostileMinecraftmobs,theabovetitlesaren’tjustdeliciouslytense–they’resomeofthebestPCgamesavailable.Asyouwaitfor thebestupcomingPCgamestohitSteam,whynotgetfamiliarwithsomeofthesurvivalsensationsabove.Justremembertokeepacalmheadandtakeregulardeepbreaths.Dothat,andsurvivalisassured. {"schema":{"page":{"content":{"headline":"ThebestsurvivalgamesonPC","type":"guide","category":"ark-survival-evolved"},"user":{"loginstatus":false},"game":{"publisher":"StudioWildcard","genre":"Survival","title":"Ark:SurvivalEvolved","genres":["Survival","MMO","RPG","EarlyAccess","Indie"]}}}} GetinvolvedintheconversationbyheadingovertoourFacebookandInstagrampages.TostayuptodatewiththelatestPCgamingguides,news,andreviews,followPCGamesNonTwitterandSteamNewsHub,ordownloadourfreeappforOverwolf. PCGamesN Updated:Oct1,2021 YourfavouriteglobalauthorityonPCgaming,hardware,andHalf-Life3. INFOReadMoreArkdinosaurstamingguideArkmodsArkconsolecommands Ark:SurvivalEvolvedSurvivalMMORPGEarlyAccessIndie