The best survival games on PC, Xbox and Nintendo Switch
Gather, build, survive: games where you build something from nothing and have to make it through every day anew.
How to find games that really suit you: Select up to 5 games you have played and enjoyed. Playalike compares 36 traits such as combat, story and atmosphere and suggests games that hit exactly the same spot, even across genres.
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1 Arena Breakout: Infinite
- Co-op or multiplayer
- Shooting and gunplay
- Action-packed real-time combat
An unforgiving extraction shooter where you risk your gear in raids against AI and real players, keeping only what you manage to carry out alive. Realistic gunplay and sharp sound design keep every encounter tense.
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2 Minecraft: Java Edition
- Open world
- Building and crafting
- Sandbox with your own goals
The definitive sandbox: mine, craft, survive the nights and build anything you can imagine in an endless procedurally generated block world, solo or with friends on servers. The Java Edition adds a massive modding community on top.
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3 The Walking Dead
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Post-apocalyptic setting
An episodic narrative adventure where Lee protects young Clementine through a zombie apocalypse, forced into agonizing timed moral decisions. The bond between the two makes it one of the most emotionally powerful games of its kind.
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4 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
- Post-apocalyptic setting
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Open world
A punishing survival shooter set in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, where deadly anomalies, mutants and rival factions wait around every corner. You scavenge for gear, hunt rare artifacts and make decisions that shape the story, all wrapped in a thick, oppressive atmosphere.
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5 Resident Evil Requiem
- Dread and tension
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Lavish presentation
The ninth mainline Resident Evil switches between vulnerable FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft, whose sections lean on classic survival horror, and the more action-heavy Leon S. Kennedy. Their two storylines weave together into a grim, emotional tale.
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6 Resident Evil 2
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Dread and tension
- Post-apocalyptic setting
The survival horror classic sends Leon and Claire through zombie-infested Raccoon City, where scarce ammo, inventory management, puzzles and fixed camera angles keep tension high. Two intertwined scenarios reward multiple playthroughs.
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7 Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Lavish presentation
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Lots to discover
Lara Croft braves the frozen Siberian wilds in search of the mythical city of Kitezh. The adventure blends cinematic gunfights and stealth with optional puzzle tombs, scavenging, crafting and a satisfying skill system.
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8 Dead Space
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Sci-fi setting
- Dread and tension
As engineer Isaac Clarke, you fight through the derelict mining ship USG Ishimura, strategically dismembering grotesque Necromorphs limb by limb. Its diegetic HUD-free interface, scarce ammo and oppressive sound design make it a landmark of sci-fi horror.
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9 Left 4 Dead 2
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Co-op or multiplayer
- Playing together in co-op
Four survivors battle through swarms of infected as an AI Director keeps every run unpredictable with special zombies and sudden hordes. A timeless co-op shooter with gallows humor and a fierce versus mode.
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10 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Dread and tension
- Lavish presentation
A claustrophobic first-person reboot of the series that traps you in the rotting Baker family estate in Louisiana, scraping by on scarce ammo while stalked by relentless hosts and solving puzzles. It trades action spectacle for intimate, grimy dread.
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11 No Man's Sky
- Open world
- Lots to discover
- Sci-fi setting
A near-infinite procedurally generated universe where you hop freely between vivid alien planets, gather resources, build bases and upgrade your ships. Years of free updates have turned it into a relaxed sci-fi sandbox with optional co-op.
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12 Dead Space 2
- Sci-fi setting
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Dark, serious atmosphere
Isaac Clarke carves through a Necromorph-infested space station with strategic dismemberment while battling his own haunting hallucinations. It is a faster, more cinematic sequel that keeps the original's oppressive sci-fi horror intact.
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13 Dying Light
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Post-apocalyptic setting
- Open world
First-person parkour zombie survival where you free-run across Harran's rooftops by day, scavenging and crafting brutal weapons, then flee terrifying hunters at night. Fluid movement and gritty melee shine even more in co-op.
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14 Terraria
- Lots to discover
- Strong character progression
- Open world
A 2D sandbox adventure where you dig, build and craft while ever-tougher bosses unlock new gear tiers and biomes. Its huge item pool and hidden secrets make it a near-endless experience, especially with friends.
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15 Fortnite
- Co-op or multiplayer
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Distinctive, stylised art style
A free-to-play battle royale with a bright cartoon look, where fast gunfights and optional building decide who survives. Constant new seasons, live events and a huge library of player-made modes keep it fresh.
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16 Metro 2033
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Post-apocalyptic setting
- Action-packed real-time combat
A claustrophobic first-person shooter set in Moscow's post-nuclear metro tunnels, where scarce ammo, gas mask filters and darkness turn every encounter into a fight for survival. Hidden moral choices quietly shape which ending Artyom reaches.
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17 Dying Light 2: Stay Human
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Open world
- Melee combat with weapons or fists
Parkour across a zombie-infested city where daytime rooftop runs turn into tense nighttime survival against the infected. Brutal melee combat and faction choices that reshape whole districts define the experience.
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18 The Last of Us Part I
- Strong, story-driven narrative
- Lavish presentation
- Post-apocalyptic setting
Joel and Ellie's emotional survival story in a devastated world.
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19 Resident Evil 5
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Shooting and gunplay
- Lavish presentation
An action-heavy co-op shooter where Chris and Sheva battle infected hordes across Africa, sharing ammo and reviving each other. It trades horror for bombastic set pieces, big boss fights and weapon upgrades.
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20 Dune: Awakening
- Sci-fi setting
- Open world
- Co-op or multiplayer
A survival MMO on Arrakis where you battle thirst, sandstorms and sandworms, build bases and fight rival guilds over precious spice. Its draw is a faithful, atmospheric take on the Dune universe, including the lore's Mentat and Bene Gesserit skill paths.
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21 Left 4 Dead
- Action-packed real-time combat
- Co-op or multiplayer
- Playing together in co-op
Four survivors fight through relentless zombie hordes together, with an AI Director reshaping enemy waves and special infected so every run feels tense and different. Teamwork is essential – stray from the group and you'll be pinned down fast.
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22 Metro: Last Light
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Shooting and gunplay
- Post-apocalyptic setting
A claustrophobic first-person shooter set in the post-nuclear Moscow metro, where scarce ammo, gas mask filters and stealth turn every encounter into a fight for survival. Dense atmosphere and a grim story following Artyom drive the experience.
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23 Alien: Isolation
- Sci-fi setting
- Sneaking and hiding
- Dread and tension
A nerve-shredding survival horror game where, as Amanda Ripley, you are hunted through Sevastopol station by an unpredictable, unkillable Alien. Its faithful lo-fi retro-futurist look from the 1979 film and constant dread make hiding in lockers terrifying.
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24 Outlast
- Dark, serious atmosphere
- Dread and tension
- Lavish presentation
As a defenseless journalist armed only with a night-vision camcorder, you creep through a nightmarish asylum where hiding and running are your only options. Relentless, unfiltered terror with no way to fight back.
What matters with Survival games
Survival games put pressure on you through scarcity. Ammo runs low, gear can be lost, and every decision about what to carry or when to fight carries weight. This list covers a wide spread, from open-ended sandboxes where you build from nothing to tightly scripted stories where survival is about stealth and rationing. It helps to know which kind you want before picking.
Start with pace and structure. If you want freedom and no fixed ending, Minecraft: Java Edition lets you mine, craft and survive the nights at your own speed, solo or on servers, with a huge modding community behind it. If you prefer a story, The Last of Us pairs scarce resources and tense stealth encounters with a character-driven journey that many consider one of gaming's best. For a bleaker, more punishing open world, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl has you scavenging gear and hunting artifacts among anomalies and mutants.
Also think about difficulty and company. Arena Breakout: Infinite is unforgiving: you keep only what you extract alive, against AI and real players. Left 4 Dead 2 is the pick for a group, with four-player co-op and an AI Director that keeps every run unpredictable. If you want close-quarters dread instead, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard traps you in the Baker estate with very little ammo.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best survival games to play with friends?
Minecraft: Java Edition is ideal for building and surviving together on servers, while Left 4 Dead 2 offers four-player co-op against zombie hordes. Arena Breakout: Infinite suits squads who want tense, high-stakes extraction raids.
Which survival games have the best story?
The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II are known for powerful, character-driven narratives built around scarce resources and stealth. The Walking Dead focuses on emotional choices as Lee protects Clementine, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater adds survival mechanics like hunting and treating wounds to a memorable spy drama.
What is a good survival horror game for beginners?
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a focused, self-contained horror experience with puzzles and limited ammo that teaches resource management well. Rise of the Tomb Raider is a gentler option, blending scavenging and crafting with action and exploration rather than pure horror.
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