(GameRant) Most Influential Survival Games

[Raphael van Lierop]

Discuss!

https://gamerant.com/survival-games-most-influential/

[ManicManiac]

I think the first game that I remember playing with what I might identify as having survival game type elements was Fallout: New Vegas [Hardcore Mode].  

To me, this is when I got really interested in this kind of gameplay, and when I found The Long Dark, Subnautica, and even Ark Survival Evolved... that's when I knew I loved it, and it really was going to be the new mainstay of all the games I regularly play.

If just talking about which are just most influential... then yeah, I guess Minecraft does have to be a part of the conversation. 🤭
However, to my mind, the games that have crystalized what I think of as quintessential examples of "Survival Experience Gameplay:"

The Long Dark (should go without saying...)
Subnautica
Stranded Deep

Fallout: New Vegas [Hardcore Mode]*
    *(as one of the progenitors of the modern survival genre)
 

Edited May 9 by ManicManiac

[Leeanda]

To be in the top ten is awesome, to be number 4 is even better...   Should be no. 1 though😁

I've not played most of them, maybe a bit of Minecraft and subnautica, both very different . I only tried sandbox on Minecraft so I class it as a building game rather than survival though..  but that's just me..    I really don't like top down games or third person  , I find them harder to get on with ,and a lot less immersive. ..  

Not sure this is the kind of rant you meant though?   I always feel odd talking about other games on here... 

[ManicManiac]

Although, if we expand what we think of as survival games... 
Then there's a good argument for The Oregon Trail (1971) as an early innovator as well.  

Platform(s):
Minicomputer (HP 2100)
Mainframe (CDC Cyber 70/73-26)
PC (Apple II, Atari 8-Bit, Commodore 64)

Edited May 9 by ManicManiac

[Semple Fi]

44 minutes ago, ManicManiac said:

Although, if we expand what we think of as survival games... 
Then there's a good argument for The Oregon Trail (1971) as an early innovator as well.  

Platform(s):
Minicomputer (HP 2100)
Mainframe (CDC Cyber 70/73-26)
PC (Apple II, Atari 8-Bit, Commodore 64)

Good call on the Oregon Trail… That was the reward in elementary school for completing all classwork early.  I also liked the same thing about that game as TLD.  No other people (except story I guess). 
 

I haven’t played any other Survival game except Fallout 4, and that was only after 4 years of TLD and having to wait so long on the DLC/Episode drops.  
Sadly, TLD ruined the other Survival games for me, they just don’t compare.  
Kinda like cocaine…. 🤣

 

Edited May 8 by Semple Fi
Spring

[ThePancakeLady]

Can't say I agree with the ranking order, or that they list Subnautica but the headline art uses art from Subnautica: Below Zero. But it's nice to see my favorite game ranked near the top. I've only played TLD, Subnautica, and a wee bit of Don't Starve and The Forest (not enough to really give an opinion on them). The Long Dark and Subnautica were my real introductions to the Survival genre, so I know I am always going to be biased toward the two of them, and always feel like they should take the top spots. Though I do remember cackling with glee after making flower headbands for pigs in Don't Starve.

Edited May 8 by ThePancakeLady
I am going to just start expecting people to read and accept my typonese soon...

[Raphael van Lierop]

1 hour ago, ManicManiac said:

Although, if we expand what we think of as survival games... 
Then there's a good argument for The Oregon Trail (1971) as an early innovator as well.  

Platform(s):
Minicomputer (HP 2100)
Mainframe (CDC Cyber 70/73-26)
PC (Apple II, Atari 8-Bit, Commodore 64)

Such a good (and important) game!!! I think I first played it on an Apple ][.

[mfuegemann]

For me Subnautica was a great experience. And it was a good example, how a sequel (Below Zero) is not necessarily better.

Stranded Deep was also a nice game with some stressful bossfights. Just now I finished Planet Crafter, after I played it a lot in early access.

Edited May 8 by mfuegemann

[conanjaguar]

1 hour ago, Semple Fi said:

TLD ruined the other Survival games for me, they just don’t compare.  

Agreed 100%, with the exception of Subnautica and The Forest... Sons of The Forest was overall disappointing, in my opinion...

[Leeanda]

I did play most of the far cry series, though they are classed as shooters there's a high element of survival in them..  new dawn is more survival than the rest to me.. with the ability to craft weapons and ammo .plenty of free roaming and of course everything wants to kill or eat you😁

[Raphael van Lierop]

56 minutes ago, Leeanda said:

I did play most of the far cry series, though they are classed as shooters there's a high element of survival in them..  new dawn is more survival than the rest to me.. with the ability to craft weapons and ammo .plenty of free roaming and of course everything wants to kill or eat you😁

+1

Personally, I wouldn't call these survival games, but I really enjoyed FC5 and New Dawn both (and, unusually for me, I actually finished them)! FC5 in particular was a much more significant game than I expected it to be, and I'll admit I got quite into the storyline. If they had more of a "living world" aspect to them and deeper long-term dynamic systems, I could see myself playing in these worlds for a long time...

[Leeanda]

8 minutes ago, Raphael van Lierop said:

+1

Personally, I wouldn't call these survival games, but I really enjoyed FC5 and New Dawn both (and, unusually for me, I actually finished them)! FC5 in particular was a much more significant game than I expected it to be, and I'll admit I got quite into the storyline. If they had more of a "living world" aspect to them and deeper long-term dynamic systems, I could see myself playing in these worlds for a long time...

I know they're not really survival,  but once the story is done there's plenty of scope for going rogue..  which is how I spent more time playing than the story..    it is a good story though, I agree with you.. ...   

Though I haven't played Primal which does look more of a basic survival .

Edited May 8 by Leeanda

[bysinda]

Ooohooo this is so exciting!

I only played Long Dark and Don't Starve from that list  but I think I have rust and forest in my wish list. I'm not a fan of jump scares though. Not a big fan of shooting zombies either 🤔

God, I used to love don't starve and later on don't starve together which nowadays is the primary focus for klei regarding updates etc. The cute, hand drawn like style and spooky cute soundtrack is what made me give it a go and I fell in love 🥲 but I think I played it too much at some point. Also DST grew soooo much it's a bit overwhelming now.

P.S. I think don't starve together was the first game that....umm..*cough*  the first game that I bought *cough*.

[Cr41g]

I have played The Forest, Stranded Deep, both Subnauticas...and not mentioned but I think a good survival crafter was 7 Days to Die.. All these games though have an antagonist, or antagonists which is what makes the Long Dark unique and all the more enjoyable.

 

In my backlog and as yet unplayed is Green Hell...which I am told is more Long Dark'ish in a jungle setting... I may have to give it a whirl soon.

I have always wanted a Long Dark roguelike in space so to speak..start with nothing, craft or build anything you require from minerals or your crashed vessel and survive, no antagonist, no drama... just survive

Edited May 9 by Cr41g
spelling

[hozz1235]

TLD was probably the first "true" (IMO) survival game I played.  I was (and continue to be) a hardcore RPG gamer - harkening back to the Commodore64 days.

I really like This War of Mine as well.

[Cr41g]

11 minutes ago, hozz1235 said:

I really like This War of Mine as well.

also in my backlog.....

[Bearimpaler101]

That list was inaccurate  the long dark should be no.1. And why the hell is mine craft there?!?! Mine craft is OK but shouldn't even make the list of survival games. The long dark Is and always will be the best survival game ever. It is like the peak of indie games.

[ManicManiac]

3 hours ago, Cr41g said:

I have always wanted a Long Dark roguelike in space so to speak..start with nothing, craft or build anything you require from minerals or your crashed vessel and survive, no antagonist, no drama... just survive

While perhaps not a survival game in the strictest sense (most places lists it as strategy)... You might consider taking a look at Duskers.

Edited May 9 by ManicManiac

[twyn1]

Kudos to TLD for the well-deserved inclusion on the list!

Most of the others absolutely do not appeal to me (and I'm sure there are many others who feel the same). Subnautica is a maybe, but the constant running out of oxygen (esp. in the beginning) is a pain. 

Truly do not like "zombies" or utterly hopeless, depressing & violence-dependent games (esp those requiring shooting "people" in the head).  That type of storyline is way too overdone and "lazy" (IMO). And often, the "action" is so frenetic and overwhelming, any artistry is lost in the struggle to simply get the heck out.

I prefer the quiet peace and sometimes difficult (yet not futile) choices in TLD -- I will fish and take down wildlife when needed for survival but prefer to simply explore and discover off-the-beaten paths, new places to make a "home" and perhaps stumble across an unexpectedly beautiful vista or aurora event. I don't want to feel like there's not a chance for "rescue" or a solution for the future. (& honestly, real life is depressing enough these days)

OH -- & I really don't count "Minecraft" as a survival game either. 

 

[Valuable Hunting Knife]

I know for some people they will be considered strategy or city builders, but I find when not playing TLD it's games like Banished and the games it inspired (Farthest Frontier and Manor Lords are currently getting a lot of play) that scratch the survival itch rather than the games in the list.  Battling the elements, wolf attacks, balancing getting food with other longer term resource needs all flex the same parts of my brain.

[Quinine]

23 hours ago, bysinda said:

Ooohooo this is so exciting!

I only played Long Dark and Don't Starve from that list  but I think I have rust and forest in my wish list. I'm not a fan of jump scares though. Not a big fan of shooting zombies either 🤔

God, I used to love don't starve and later on don't starve together which nowadays is the primary focus for klei regarding updates etc. The cute, hand drawn like style and spooky cute soundtrack is what made me give it a go and I fell in love 🥲 but I think I played it too much at some point. Also DST grew soooo much it's a bit overwhelming now.

P.S. I think don't starve together was the first game that....umm..*cough*  the first game that I bought *cough*.

I share your opinion, loved don't starve and DST with friends, and not big on jump scares either. In fact, i must admit that i'm very easily triggered, and TLD is way enough emotions for my faint heart. For example, I want to try subnautica for a long time but i fear that it might trigger my fears too much.
I would like to try other games from that list though !

However, Project zomboid is a very interesting game in my opinion (but way too difficult !), and a close friend of mine is obsessed with Cataclysm, we often exchange on the very different qualities of our favorites survival games. This is definitely a wide genra, that can easily branch with other types of games.

[ThePancakeLady]

27 minutes ago, Quinine said:

For example, I want to try subnautica for a long time but i fear that it might trigger my fears too much.

Subnautica does have "God Mode" if you play in Creative Mode- no worries about oxygen, food, or water- just the ability to swim without needing to surface, build a huge base (unlimited resources), and explore the entire world without needing to worry about dying. You can swim up to the Stalkers and Reaper Leviathans and pet them.Crash fish still explode, but they don't hurt you. Creative Mode does have achievements disabled. The game does have Family Sharing if you are on Steam, so if a friend who owns it is willing to add you for family sharing, you can try it out and see how it feels. The 2 hour playtime refund period may not be enough to really see all of the potentially deadly areas and things in the game- and to be honest the damn crabs on the islands can be bigger jump scares than many of the big nasty things under the water. If you aren't worried about achievements and just want a chill exploration game that lets you build huge intricate bases and explore every nook and cranny- Creative Mode is a blast. And you can always decide to step up to Freedom Mode which introduces some of the survival mechanics and the story- you can die, and things will try to eat your face off, but it's not permadeath (and has achievements enabled).

[Quinine]

10 minutes ago, ThePancakeLady said:

Subnautica does have "God Mode" if you play in Creative Mode- no worries about oxygen, food, or water- just the ability to swim without needing to surface, build a huge base (unlimited resources), and explore the entire world without needing to worry about dying. You can swim up to the Stalkers and Reaper Leviathans and pet them.Crash fish still explode, but they don't hurt you. Creative Mode does have achievements disabled. The game does have Family Sharing if you are on Steam, so if a friend who owns it is willing to add you for family sharing, you can try it out and see how it feels. The 2 hour playtime refund period may not be enough to really see all of the potentially deadly areas and things in the game- and to be honest the damn crabs on the islands can be bigger jump scares than many of the big nasty things under the water. If you aren't worried about achievements and just want a chill exploration game that lets you build huge intricate bases and explore every nook and cranny- Creative Mode is a blast. And you can always decide to step up to Freedom Mode which introduces some of the survival mechanics and the story- you can die, and things will try to eat your face off, but it's not permadeath (and has achievements enabled).

Thanks for your reply, Pancake Lady !
I think i will try it eventually, in fact one of my sharing steam friends do own the game. The scary edges sea monsters scares the hell out me though, even in video. I'm even scared by the shark in Raft 🥲
Beyond the jump scare aspect, I think it makes me feel very vulnerable ? Something about the 3 dimensions also...

Anyway, when I try it I will see for myself, and I appreciate your advices (i think The forest has something similar, but I would want to try the real thing for both I think ? And then maybe switch if necessary).

[Valuable Hunting Knife]

1 hour ago, Quinine said:

I share your opinion, loved don't starve and DST with friends, and not big on jump scares either. In fact, i must admit that i'm very easily triggered, and TLD is way enough emotions for my faint heart. For example, I want to try subnautica for a long time but i fear that it might trigger my fears too much.
I would like to try other games from that list though !

However, Project zomboid is a very interesting game in my opinion (but way too difficult !), and a close friend of mine is obsessed with Cataclysm, we often exchange on the very different qualities of our favorites survival games. This is definitely a wide genra, that can easily branch with other types of games.

I really like The Forest but if you don't like jump scares it's probably not one to go for.  The only caveat is that is has a co op mode, so you can be terrified with a friend.

[Quinine]

15 minutes ago, Valuable Hunting Knife said:

I really like The Forest but if you don't like jump scares it's probably not one to go for.  The only caveat is that is has a co op mode, so you can be terrified with a friend.

That's what i thought ! 😅