Best survival games of 2024 –

Survival games are not for everyone, but they do tend to attract millions of players if done right. Even if they don’t have a player base worth a Twitter post or news item on Gamereactor.eu (there are other Gamereactors available), there have been plenty of great survival games this year, and as we’ve done with our other genres so far, we’re going to highlight a few.

5. Nightingale

Nightingale did not have the most solid launch, and unfortunately this combined with the fact that it was swallowed up by larger survival games has led to it being somewhat forgotten by survival fans. However, the work done on the worldbuilding in Nightingale is absolutely brilliant. The gaslamp fantasy world ideas created here are a joy to watch play out in the game, and traveling to different realms like some sort of steampunk Doctor Who was an absolute treat in the time I had with it. If you and a few friends want a different survival experience, make sure you check it out.

4. Once human

Set in a strangely wonderful post-apocalypse, Once Human is as fascinating as it is strange. A modern survival-crafting game that seems to take heavy inspiration from Lovecraft and other cosmic horror, you can still do all the usual survival things in Once Human, but you also occasionally have to deal with a strange horrific creature beyond your imagination.

3. Shrouded

Given that it came so soon after another game we’ll get on this list, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Enshrouded was not challenged by other survival titles at launch. You take charge as a Flameborn in Enhrouded and must survive in a fantasy world to stop the horrors of a corrupting fog. Combining epic fantasy with survival and awesome building mechanics, it’s a game that will easily eat up the hours, even if it’s still in Early Access.

2. Pacific riding

Pacific Drive is not a huge multiplayer survival game like the other titles on this list, but it is a survival game. One that sees you and your car traveling through a strangely twisted world, one that will test you and your trusty metal steed. It’s a great exercise in creating a solid atmosphere and challenging the normal survival formula we’ve become too accustomed to in recent years.

1. Palworld

Kids yearn to shoot Pokémon with guns, it seems. Palworld’s success was easily recognized from a mile away, but I don’t think any of us thought how successful it would be. Millions of players over the course of a few weeks, building up a huge number of concurrent players. Of course the legal battle is what it is, but the success of Palword has proven that people want to see cute and cool monsters in different environments than what the Pokémon games have given us.