Survival games are still hugely popular in 2018 and are played by hundreds of thousands of people every single day. As a result of being one of gaming's most popular genres, there are a plethora of survival games out there to play. The problem is, most of them aren't that good and most definitely aren't worth your time playing. Let alone your hard earned money!
The survival genre as we know it today started back in 2012 when Dean "Rocket" Hall released the DayZ mod for Arma 2. It was an instant success as it allowed players to play out their fantasy of surviving in a zombie apocalypse. It was so popular that Bohemia Interactive decided to turn it into its own game. Thus the survival genre was born!
Dozens of games have since been born to try and create the ultimate survival experience and to cash in on the genre's popularity. Unfortunately, most of them end up being abandoned by either their developers or player base.
Here is my list of the best survival games that you should play in 2018.
Mist Survival
Mist Survival is one of the latest survival games to release and is personally one of my favourites. Unlike most survival games, Mist Survival is currently a single player only experience which makes for a refreshing change. However with the number of hostile bandits wandering the world as well as the zombies, there's loads to keep you busy. There's also a number of animals in the game which players can hunt and of course...defend themselves against.
What I really like about Mist Survival though is the fact that it takes a simplistic approach to the surviving, but still has enough depth to keep you busy for hours on end. Players are able to build their own safehouses from scratch or occupy a number of pre-built buildings. From here, you can really make your home your own.
When you're not building up your base or defending it from attacks, players must go out and scavenge the world for weapons and supplies to live another day. The game also includes cars which gives player another objective to aim for.
Best of all, Mist Survival is pretty cheap to pick up on Steam and is well worth the money.
Score: 7/10
Miscreated
Miscreated is one of the most underappreciated survival games in my opinion. Graphically speaking, it's one of the best-looking survival games around and thanks to Cryengine, Miscreated also has some of the best weather effects. If you're looking for a beautiful game, Miscreated is it.
However, it takes a lot more than just nice graphics to make a great survival game. Thankfully, Miscreated has it all. Unlike most games in this genre, there are vehicles in the game already. There's also base-building which gives players something to aim for when it comes to end game content. Gunplay is also solid
Overall Miscreated has a lot going for it and should definitely be on your wishlist if you love survival games. It does all the standard things you'd expect from a survival game and more.
Score: 7/10
Rust
Rust is an excellent survival game as it takes a different approach to survive than all the other games on this list that I've recommended. The main thing that makes Rust difference is the fact that the game allows players to build their own base and claim their own spot of land. In fact, it's a necessity if you're to survive.
Rust has some of the most intuitive base-building mechanics in the game industry. Players must farm and scavenge for resources to build and maintain their base. In addition to that, players can then decorate their base with a number of different furnishings to make it feel like home.
If you're into PvP, Rust is the game for you as it heavily centres around player-vs-player combat. Pretty much everyone you meet is hostile towards you, although awesome interactions can be had with friendlier players.
Score: 8/10
DayZ
DayZ is the game that started it all and despite being released in Early Access nearly five years ago, the game is now finally beginning to show the potential that it was once famous for. It's been a long time in the making but after several engine changes and code re-writers, DayZ is becoming the survival game we wanted it to be.
DayZ drops players into Chernarus, a fictional region inspired by the old Soviet Union, and tasks players with surviving the zombie apocalypse and staying alive as long as possible. Players must loot for weapons, clothes and survival gear to have a chance at defending themselves against both the undead and other players.
Compared to other survival games, DayZ aims for a realistic portrayal of survival and gunplay.
Score: 8/10
Scum
Scum is already receiving rave reviews from critics and gamers alike and is in my opinion, the most realistic and fun survival game you can currently play. In Scum, you play as a prisoner shipped off to an isolated island to take part in a TV show. However, things aren't as they seem as your thrown straight into a fight for survival against zombies, mechs, nature and of course, other players.
What really sets Scum apart from other games in the genre though it the attention to detail. The game features a fully working metabolism system which allows players to put on or lose weight depending on what you do and what you eat. Equally, the health system is just as detailed. Players also need to go to the toilet to remain healthy. While all these may seem like unnecessary gimmicks, they go to show just how detailed the developers are aiming to make Scum.
Score: 9/10
Let me know in the comments below what's your favourite survival game to play in 2018! There are plenty more survival games releasing in 2019 which are worth keeping an eye on, including Dead Matter which I'm personally very excited for!