1,386 games

The best survival games on PC

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.

  1. 1 Arena Breakout: Infinite

    2025 PC free

    • Co-op or multiplayer
    • Shooting and gunplay
    • Competing against other players

    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.

  2. 2 Minecraft: Java Edition

    2011 PC

    • Sandbox with your own goals
    • Building and crafting
    • Open world

    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.

  3. 3 The Walking Dead

    2012 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 14.79 € 97 % positive

    • Post-apocalyptic setting
    • Strong, story-driven narrative
    • Dark, serious atmosphere

    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.

1 Arena Breakout: Infinite

Co-op or multiplayer

2025 PC free

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.

2 Minecraft: Java Edition

Sandbox with your own goals

2011 PC

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.

3 The Walking Dead

Post-apocalyptic setting

2012 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 14.79 € 97 % positive

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.

4 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Post-apocalyptic setting

2024 PCPlayStationXbox 59.99 € 81 % positive

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.

5 Resident Evil Requiem

Dread and tension

2026 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 69.99 €

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.

6 Rise of the Tomb Raider

Lavish presentation

2015 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable 29.99 € 94 % positive

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.

7 Dead Space

Sci-fi setting

2008 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck verified 19.99 € 92 % positive

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.

8 Left 4 Dead 2

Playing together in co-op

2009 PCXboxSteam Deck verified 9.69 € 97 % positive

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.

9 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Dread and tension

2017 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 19.99 € 95 % positive

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.

10 No Man's Sky

Sci-fi setting

2016 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified −60 % 58.99 € 23.59 € until tomorrow 84 % positive

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.

11 Dead Space 2

Sci-fi setting

2011 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable 19.99 € 94 % positive

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.

12 Dying Light

Jumping and platforming

2015 PCPlayStationXbox 95 % positive

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.

13 Terraria

Lots to discover

2011 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 9.75 € 97 % positive

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.

14 Fortnite

Co-op or multiplayer

2020 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo Switch

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.

15 Metro 2033

Post-apocalyptic setting

2010 PCXboxSteam Deck playable 93 % positive

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.

16 Dying Light 2: Stay Human

Melee combat with weapons or fists

2022 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck verified −80 % 59.99 € 11.99 € until tomorrow 79 % positive

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.

17 Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Sneaking and hiding

2025 PCPlayStationXbox 49.99 € 82 % positive

This remake of the classic drops you into the 1964 Soviet jungle as Naked Snake, where you sneak, camouflage, hunt and treat your own wounds. It pairs a gripping spy story and memorable boss fights with modern visuals.

18 The Last of Us Part I

Post-apocalyptic setting

2022 PCPlayStationSteam Deck verified 59.99 € 80 % positive

Joel and Ellie's emotional survival story in a devastated world.

19 Resident Evil 5

Shooting and gunplay

2009 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable 19.99 € 87 % positive

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.

20 Dune: Awakening

Sci-fi setting

2025 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck verified 49.99 €

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.

21 Left 4 Dead

Playing together in co-op

2008 PCXboxSteam Deck playable 9.69 € 96 % positive

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.

22 Metro: Last Light

Shooting and gunplay

2013 PCPlayStationXbox

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.

23 Alien: Isolation

Sneaking and hiding

2014 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 39.99 € 92 % positive

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.

24 Outlast

Dread and tension

2013 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 14.79 € 96 % positive

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.

25 Dead Island 2

Melee combat with weapons or fists

2023 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable 49.99 € 78 % positive

Gory first-person melee mayhem across a sun-soaked, zombie-infested Los Angeles, built around a remarkably detailed dismemberment system and crafted weapon mods. Its tone leans toward tongue-in-cheek B-movie satire rather than true horror.

26 Metro Exodus

Post-apocalyptic setting

2019 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable 29.99 € 89 % positive

Artyom and his companions ride the Aurora steam train across an irradiated Russia, travelling through every season of the year. The journey blends scarce ammo, improvised weapons and tense survival horror with wide sandbox areas to explore.

27 Days Gone

Post-apocalyptic setting

2019 PCPlayStationSteam Deck verified 39.99 € 92 % positive

As biker Deacon St. John you roam a Freaker-infested Oregon, maintaining your motorcycle and surviving massive hordes that flood entire valleys. A gritty, emotional story about loss and loyalty set in a tense open world.

28 Hytale

Open world

2026 PC

A voxel sandbox adventure that blends block building and exploring a procedurally generated fantasy world with RPG-style combat, dungeons and creatures. Powerful modding and server tools turn it into a platform for custom minigames and worlds.

29 Craftopia

Sandbox with your own goals

2020 PCXboxSteam Deck playable 24.50 € 76 % positive

Craftopia blends survival, crafting, farming and action RPG combat in a huge, chaotic sandbox world. You build, fight bosses and unlock ever more items across three eras, solo or in co-op.

30 Resident Evil 2

Dread and tension

1998 PCPlayStation 9.99 €

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.

31 PUBG: Battlegrounds

Competing against other players

2017 PCPlayStationXbox free 60 % positive

The battle royale pioneer: 100 players parachute onto a large map, scavenge weapons and fight to survive inside a shrinking zone. Grounded gunplay, vehicles and tactical positioning make every match tense.

32 Subnautica

Lots to discover

2018 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 29.99 € 97 % positive

Stranded on an ocean planet, you dive ever deeper into a gorgeous yet terrifying alien sea. You build bases and submarines while piecing together the planet's mystery, and the dark depths themselves become the real source of dread.

33 Resident Evil Village

Shooting and gunplay

2021 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 39.99 € 95 % positive

Ethan Winters fights through a snowbound Eastern European village of werewolves, vampire ladies and grotesque lords in first person, blending gothic castle exploration, resource management and punchy gunplay. Each area offers its own flavor of horror, from tense psychological dread to bombastic boss fights.

34 Resident Evil 3

Shooting and gunplay

2020 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 39.99 € 82 % positive

This remake sends Jill Valentine through zombie-infested Raccoon City in a short, intense third-person action horror, relentlessly hunted by Nemesis. It emphasizes fast-paced shooting, scarce ammo and cinematic set pieces.

35 Mad Max

Post-apocalyptic setting

2015 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck verified 19.99 € 91 % positive

An open-world action game set in a sun-scorched wasteland where you hunt convoys, raid strongholds and brawl with Batman-style counter combat while endlessly upgrading your car, the Magnum Opus. Vehicular combat and the striking desert atmosphere are the highlights.

36 Far Cry 2

Shooting and gunplay

2008 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable 9.99 € 75 % positive

A harsh open-world shooter set in a war-torn African nation, where guns jam, fire spreads across the savannah and malaria wears you down. Its systemic, unforgiving world makes every firefight unpredictable and paints a bleak picture of war and morality.

37 Silent Hill f

Dread and tension

2025 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable 69.99 €

Silent Hill f moves survival horror to 1960s rural Japan, where young Hinako fights through a town overgrown by crimson flowers. Ryukishi07's story explores social pressure and transformation across multiple endings, backed by melee-heavy combat built on dodges and counters.

38 Cronos: The New Dawn

Dread and tension

2025 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 59.99 €

Bloober Team's survival horror casts you as a Traveler moving through a retro-futuristic, ruined Poland, from the 1980s to the apocalypse. Scarce ammo, monsters that merge unless you burn their corpses, and a layered time-travel plot keep the tension high.

39 Dead Island

Melee combat with weapons or fists

2011 PCPlayStationXbox 87 % positive

A tropical holiday resort turns into a zombie nightmare: you brutally melee your way across the open island of Banoi with crafted and modded weapons, level up your survivor, and ideally team up with up to three friends in co-op.

40 Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Dread and tension

2010 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 19.50 € 95 % positive

Defenseless in a gloomy Prussian castle, you hide from monsters, ration lamp oil and fight to keep your sanity instead of fighting back. A genre-defining horror classic built on physics-based puzzles and relentless dread.

41 ARC Raiders

Co-op or multiplayer

2025 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable 39.99 €

A tense third-person extraction shooter where you scavenge a machine-ruled future Earth for loot. Every other Raider you meet might become an ally or a threat. A striking 70s-inspired retro sci-fi look gives the world a strong atmosphere.

42 Far Cry: Primal

Open world

2016 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable 29.99 € 86 % positive

A Stone Age spin-off of Far Cry where you roam the untamed Oros valley with spears, clubs and bows, taming sabertooth cats and wolves to fight at your side. Hunting, crafting and growing your tribe replace the series' usual guns and vehicles.

43 S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

Shooting and gunplay

2007 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo Switch 19.99 € 94 % positive

A bleak survival shooter set in the irradiated Zone around Chernobyl, where anomalies, mutants and rival stalkers make every expedition a gamble. Its oppressive atmosphere and multiple endings have made it a cult classic.

44 The Evil Within

Dread and tension

2014 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck verified 19.99 € 84 % positive

Shinji Mikami's brutal survival horror sends detective Sebastian Castellanos through a shifting, nightmarish world. Scarce ammo, deadly traps and grotesque monsters keep the tension constantly high.

45 Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

Dread and tension

1999 PCPlayStation

Classic survival horror in which Jill Valentine escapes a collapsing Raccoon City while hunted by the relentless Nemesis. Scarce ammo, puzzles, a dodge move and split-second live choices keep the tension high.

46 Doom 3

Sci-fi setting

2004 PCXboxSteam Deck playable 89 % positive

A grim first-person shooter set on a Mars research base where hell breaks loose. Cramped, pitch-black corridors, jump scares and scarce resources make it feel more like survival horror than the fast-paced classic Doom.

47 Dead by Daylight

Co-op or multiplayer

2016 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 19.99 € 78 % positive

An asymmetrical horror multiplayer game where four survivors repair generators to escape while another player hunts them as the killer. It thrives on tense chases, perk builds and a roster of licensed horror icons.

48 Frostpunk

Economy and management

2018 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable −90 % 29.99 € 2.99 € 6 days left 92 % positive

Lead the last city on a frozen, steam-powered Earth, juggling heat, coal and food while signing laws that test your morals. A bleak, tense city-builder where survival constantly clashes with humanity.

49 Silent Hill 3

Dread and tension

2003 PCPlayStation

Heather is dragged into a nightmarish otherworld where a mall, a subway and a hospital rot into rust, flesh and blood. Disturbing imagery, Akira Yamaoka's oppressive soundtrack and cryptic puzzles carry the game, while clumsy, desperate combat keeps every encounter tense.

50 The Alters

Sci-fi setting

2025 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck verified −55 % 34.99 € 15.74 € 6 days left

Stranded worker Jan clones alternate versions of himself, each shaped by a different life choice, and must manage them in a mobile base while racing a lethal sunrise. It's survival management fused with a thoughtful drama about identity and roads not taken.

51 Subnautica 2

Lots to discover

2026 PCXboxSteam Deck verified 29.99 €

An underwater survival adventure on a new alien ocean world where you gather resources, build bases and push into ever deeper, more dangerous waters. This time you can also dive together in four-player co-op.

52 This War of Mine

Dark, serious atmosphere

2014 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck playable −90 % 18.99 € 1.89 € 6 days left 93 % positive

Instead of soldiers, you guide a group of civilians through a besieged city, maintaining your shelter by day and scavenging dangerous ruins by night. Harsh moral dilemmas between survival and humanity make it a haunting, unforgettable experience.

53 The Forest

Building and crafting

2018 PCPlayStationSteam Deck playable 16.79 € 95 % positive

After a plane crash you build shelters and traps in a dense forest while tribes of cannibals stalk and attack you. Creepy mutant-filled caves and the mystery of your missing son drive the exploration, and it's best played with friends in co-op.

54 Don't Starve

Distinctive, stylised art style

2013 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck playable 8.19 € 96 % positive

A merciless survival game with a gothic, Tim Burton-esque hand-drawn style, where you scavenge, craft and fend off hunger, insanity and monsters in a procedurally generated wilderness. Death is permanent, but every run teaches you something new.

55 System Shock 2

Sci-fi setting

1999 PCSteam Deck playable 95 % positive

A landmark immersive sim horror RPG set aboard an infested starship, where scarce resources, flexible skill builds and the unforgettable AI SHODAN create relentless dread.

56 Dying Light: The Beast

Melee combat with weapons or fists

2025 PCPlayStationXboxSteam Deck verified −50 % 59.99 € 29.99 € until tomorrow

Kyle Crane returns to hunt for revenge across an open, zombie-infested valley, mixing fluid parkour, brutal melee combat and terrifying nights. His beast powers let him periodically unleash a savage, monstrous fighting mode.

57 The Walking Dead: A New Frontier

Strong, story-driven narrative

2016 PCPlayStationXboxNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 14.79 € 83 % positive

Telltale's third season follows Javier and his family while weaving in Clementine's story, carrying over choices from earlier seasons. It's a cinematic, dialogue-heavy zombie drama built on tough moral decisions and quick-time events.

58 Silent Hill 2

Strong, story-driven narrative

2024 PCPlayStationXbox 69.99 € 95 % positive

This remake of the horror classic follows James through the fog-choked town of Silent Hill as he searches for his dead wife. Oppressive atmosphere, puzzles and scarce resources serve a deep, psychological story.

59 Alan Wake II

Strong, story-driven narrative

2023 PCPlayStationXbox

A surreal survival horror thriller alternating between FBI agent Saga Anderson investigating ritual murders and writer Alan Wake trapped in a nightmarish dark realm. Stunning presentation, live-action sequences and a layered meta-narrative make it stand out.

60 Cairn

Distinctive, stylised art style

2026 PCPlayStationNintendo SwitchSteam Deck verified 29.99 €

A survival climbing game where you can scale any rock face of Mount Kami, placing each limb yourself and carefully rationing pitons, food and stamina along your chosen route. From The Game Bakers, it pairs a striking art style with a personal story about ambition and sacrifice.

What matters: Survival games

Survival games come in very different flavors, and this list shows it. Some are about building something from nothing and staying alive night after night, others squeeze tension out of scarce ammo and a hostile world. Before picking one, decide what kind of pressure you enjoy: a relaxed sandbox you can play at your own pace, a punishing shooter where every mistake costs you, or a story-driven horror game with a clear ending. It also matters whether you want to play alone or with friends, since several of these games are at their best in co-op.

If gathering and building is what draws you in, Minecraft: Java Edition is the obvious starting point, and on PC the Java Edition adds a huge modding community and player-run servers. Terraria takes a similar idea into 2D, with tougher bosses steadily unlocking new gear and biomes. No Man's Sky turns resource gathering and base building into a calm sci-fi trip across procedurally generated planets, with optional co-op.

For more danger, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl offers a punishing, atmospheric open world full of anomalies and mutants, while Arena Breakout: Infinite makes you risk your gear in tense extraction raids against AI and real players. Horror fans should look at Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, which keeps you scraping by on scarce ammo in a grim, claustrophobic house, and Dying Light, where nights turn scavenging into a desperate chase.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best survival games to play with friends on PC?

Minecraft: Java Edition and Terraria are great for building and exploring together, and Dying Light shines in co-op with its parkour and melee combat. Left 4 Dead 2 is a classic four-player co-op shooter if you want fast action against hordes.

Which survival games are relaxing rather than stressful?

Minecraft: Java Edition and No Man's Sky are the calmest picks here, letting you gather, build and explore at your own pace. Terraria is also low-pressure early on, though its bosses get tougher as you progress.

What is the most hardcore survival game on this list?

Arena Breakout: Infinite is the most unforgiving, since you lose the gear you bring into a raid if you die. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is also punishing, with deadly anomalies, mutants and rival factions throughout its open world.

Not quite your taste?

Tell us your favourite games and we'll find recommendations that fit you exactly.

Personal recommendations

Feedback