The last decade has seen a massive boom in survival games, especially online ones involving multiple players. Plenty have popped up, with all focusing on surviving some terrible situation through crafting, fighting, and setting up camp. Each one usually brings its own little twist to the genre, leading to some pretty cool innovations over the last few years. We’ve put together a pretty comprehensive list of the best ones to play in 2024 so a good fit is easy to find!
Rust
While it is one of the most popular out there, Rust sets itself apart from the others through some hardcore difficulty. You’ll spawn in on a deserted beach in a massive multiplayer server, with hundreds of players on at a time. The thing is that everyone in that server has the same goal as you- survive at all costs. Of course, that’s going to bring a lot of people against each other, and Rust piles that danger on top of surviving the elements. Wildlife will attack when you least expect it, so other humans aren’t your only concerns while fighting hunger and thirst.
Rust is pretty hardcore even by survival standards, and can be pretty damn difficult to get into. Just know that this might be one of the more advanced games to try after learning some survival basics with the others.
DayZ
Probably one of the classic survival games at this point, DayZ has been around in an unofficial sense for fifteen years now. Initially starting out as an Arma II mod that added in zombies, DayZ became its own shambling juggernaut of a game. Hardcore survival mechanics have players managing hunger, thirst, and infection. You’ll have to avoid other players in the huge open-world servers, plus try not to get bit or risk becoming one of the undead yourself. When it comes to survival, this is one of the hardest.
If you’re not prepared for some brutal gameplay, try another entry on this list. DayZ is for the players who want a real challenge, whether it stomps them into the dirt or not.
Unturned
Take the DayZ concept of a zombie survival game with huge open multiplayer maps, and give it the Minecraft makeover. It’s a blocky-looking gore fest that puts survival at the forefront, and is surprisingly difficult for the cutesy graphics. You’ll find yourself mobbed by zombies at the worst times, even as you’re trying to gather the basic necessities to survive. Unturned takes massive advantages using the simplistic graphics to reallocate resources elsewhere, mostly to the number of zombies on screen. If you want to survive, you’ll need to stay stealthy and keep quiet, avoiding anything that might want a bite of you.
Unturned gets bonus points for not only being a fantastic survival game, but for also having a ton of variety. There are dozens of different multiplayer modes and the developers are very mod-friendly, leading to tons of content.
Valheim
Onwards, to Valhalla! At least, you’ll be going to Valhalla if you can survive the fields and mountains of Valheim first. This Viking survival game sees you in the purgatory of the Norse myths, proving your worth by accomplishing great deeds in Valheim. The realm is beseeched in danger, from wildlife to mythical beasts that can easily kill you as soon as look at you. Everything in Valheim will prove dangerous, no matter your experience with survival games, but it never quite comes off as being too much of a grind. The real fun is in exploring the wild open world, with some sense of mythological wonder around every turn.
7 Days to Die
Another zombie survival game, but this time with a little more flair for the dramatic. 7 Days to Die at this point is probably more known for the ridiculous developer issues it’s had over the long run. They’ve had a time of it, but now the game is back with a huge overhaul and updates. This isn’t nearly as open-world as some of the other survival games though, and focuses more on the defensive aspect of the zombie apocalypse than anything else. You’ll start off by building up a stable defense against the shambling undead, but when night falls, things get rough.
This is one of the easiest games to pick up and play in the survival genre. Expertly combining the crafting and building elements of Minecraft with the zombie horror of DayZ.
Palworld
It might not be one hundred percent survival, but Palworld has a huge focus on online multiplayer and setting up numerous resource operations. Crafting is a massive component of this Pokemon reskin with a flair for big guns, but it comes second to capturing the various Pals scattered all around the area. You’ll find that the capturing is the easy part, while it becomes a lot harder surviving against some of the other players that will come for you. This is where palworld hacks can make a difference. Make sure to train up your pals and harvest enough bullets, because you’ll need them for defending against other Pal attacks.
Fighting in Palworld is a mix of Pokemon-style commanding with some run-and-gun gameplay. The real fun lies in the crafting system though, and many of the Pals can be put to work throughout the world.
Easier Ways to Survive
Look, even those of us who love survival games hate the grind that they can come with. It just kills the enjoyment of the game thanks to all the time being dedicated just to the grind, so why not cut that part out? VeteranCheats sells cheat passes for every game that we’ve featured here, and each pass comes with the most up-to-date hacks available. These are guaranteed safe, private, and effective for getting past any anti-cheat the game may throw your way. So, if you’re looking for a little boost in the early game to get into the fun, or just want to cut out the grind, give VeteranCheats a look. Popular hacks like Aimbot or ESP are there, but you’ll find some hidden gems too for games like Palworld.
It’s a rough world out there, and surviving is going to take every bit of skill. Whether it be in Rust, Unturned, or Palworld, these survival games will push you to your limits. Some more than others, but no doubt each of them is going to give you plenty to keep working towards. There’s always a huge sense of accomplishment from upgrading a shelter or achieving some new weapon. Plus, don’t forget VeteranCheats has hacks that can help survival go a little bit smoother, even in the most popular survival games.
