Survival games have gained popularity in the last decade, emphasizing the importance of keeping characters alive over fighting monsters or enemies. While some games share common elements like hunger meters and crafting, each game presents unique situations and mechanics.
Finding the best survival games for 2024 can be challenging due to the abundance of options available. However, here’s a list of highly recommended games to satisfy your hunger for survival.
1. Minecraft
Minecraft, a popular survival game, played a significant role in introducing the genre to the mainstream. Players can explore various environments, but the game’s core focus is on survival, allowing players to scavenge for food, build a base, and fight off mobs alone or with friends.
2. Rust
Survival games are addictive due to the gradual progression from a mere naivety to a master of one’s environment. In the game, the protagonist is woken up on a beach with no hope, facing a world filled with threats.
The game Rust, which has been available for years and continues to receive regular updates, offers a unique survival experience with its focus on interactions with various people, whether friendly or hostile. Its early access and regular content updates make it a top choice for 2024 survival games.
3. Subnautica
Subnautica is a survival game that takes players to the deep end of an aquatic alien planet, making them feel like fish out of water. The shallows are bright and cozy, but as you go deeper, the creatures in the ocean become more horrific. This unique premise makes the game more satisfying.
4. No Man’s Sky
No Man’s Sky, released in 2016, has evolved significantly with numerous free updates, redefining itself as an exceptional survival experience, making it nearly unrecognizable from its original form.
No Man’s Sky is a space-themed survival game where players must explore unique alien worlds to gather supplies and upgrade their ship. With numerous updates and ways to play, the initial goal can be easily ignored. For those dreaming of exploring the stars, No Man’s Sky is a top choice for survival games, making it a close-knit adventure.
5. Don’t Starve Together
Don’t Starve is a survival game that focuses on keeping sanity while avoiding starving. The game’s name evokes images of a Tim Burton creation, making it an intriguing and challenging game to play. It’s essential to keep your sanity up in this survival game.
The dark world is filled with eerie creatures, both friendly and hostile, that must be avoided or exploited to survive winters. Food is a crucial factor, but prolonged darkness can lead to the perception of unreal entities. Test your survival abilities alone or with a companion.
6. Grounded
Grounded, inspired by the scene in Honey I Shrunk the Kids, is a survival game that has become one of the top-rated survival games due to its unique approach to navigating through a deadly jungle in a child’s yard.
Surviving in Grounded involves dealing with creepy crawlies that transform into terrifying creatures when small. Collaborate with friends to build a base, craft weapons, and hunt down ants and spiders.
7. 7 Days to Die
7 Days to Die, despite being in early access, has already accumulated more content than most finished games and is one of the top-rated survival games in 2024.
7 Days to Die is a survival game where players are alone in a zombie-infested world, tasked with constructing basic tools and gear through a deep progression and leveling system. The game strikes a balance between first-person action and base building and crafting, making it a unique and challenging experience.
8. Raft
Raft is a game that may be too frightening for some to enjoy due to its focus on a flimsy raft constantly being hunted by a shark.
The survival game involves building and constructing various necessities, such as spaces for crops and water filters. To gather resources, steer towards islands to avoid rafting away. Diverting into the ocean is also possible, but sharks are always ready to eat you and your friends.
9. Conan Exiles
Conan Exiles is an MMO game that combines elements of survival and MMO gameplay. Along with their companions, players can construct a village, raid another group, and search dungeons for new armor and weaponry. This persistent online world requires friends to watch, making it one of the top 10 survival games. It’s a great time to spend with friends and explore the world.
10. Project Zomboid
Project Zomboid is a highly recommended early-access survival game and another zombie game. It is the only isometric survival game on the list, but its perspective may not alleviate the overwhelming dread experienced by others.
Project Zomboid considers various factors such as noise, light, heat, depression, and boredom, aiming for players to fight and survive the game.
The Bottom Line
The best survival games of 2024 are those that have been around for years and have continued to gain popularity. Examples include Minecraft, 7 Days to Die, and No Man’s Sky. These games showcase the power of persistence in transforming a good game into a great one. They cater to various worlds and threats.
