While there are many different genres of games for you to sink your teeth into, nothing is quite as engaging as survival games. Typically, a survival game revolves around a dangerous setting, and tasks you with protecting yourself, building defenses, and exploring the world around you.
While thousands of incredible survival games are available right now, there are also some gems that are absolutely free. Furthermore, since the survival genre is so broad, almost no game is similar to another, allowing you to hop into complex and unique worlds instantly.
8 Unturned
Unturned is inspired by graphics found across different Roblox games, and combines this distinctive art style with a dangerous zombie apocalypse. The main focus of this game is forging a brand-new society, after zombies have destroyed the remaining pockets of humanity across the globe.
Furthermore, since this game is completely multiplayer, you will also have to learn to survive against hostile players who may attack you simply because they enjoy the carnage. Overall, while this is certainly not the most advanced zombie survival game, the unique charm of Unturned certainly keeps it compelling.
7 Last Year
Last Year is actually a multiplayer horror game, where you and four other classmates must work together to survive and escape a sixth player, who controls a villainous monster. Similar to games like Dead By Daylight, you will be thrust into an asymmetrical level and tasked with fighting for your survival.
You can even enroll your specific character in different classes, upgrading their skills and ensuring you have the best possible chance at surviving together.
6 Lost Light
This third-person shooter is just one of many post-apocalyptic survival games, but the focus on warfare makes this game stand out among the rest. Specifically, the vast open world of this game features different terrain for you and your squad to fight over in large-scale battles.
This warfare is combined with typical survival game elements, such as collecting food and supplies. Furthermore, you can actually create dedicated battle plans, essentially ensuring that your post-apocalyptic settlement can survive under these harsh conditions.
5 Stay Out
Stay Out is a post-apocalyptic survival game with a massive focus on stalking instead of combat. Specifically, this Early Access title is centered around stalking, or carefully and meticulously exploring, destroyed environments to piece together exactly how the world fell apart.
Furthermore, you will have access to an arsenal of weapons while exploring a specific area of the map, known as the Alteration Zone. This zone of the map is separated from safer areas, and features dangerous enemies, while also containing important supplies such as food and water.
4 Will To Live Online
Will To Live Online is another first-person shooter that places you inside a post-apocalyptic world, while also focusing on MMORPG elements. Specifically, you are actually allowed to create up to four different characters, each having a different class and playstyle.
While the MMO aspects of this game are certainly important, you must still always focus on keeping your character alive by collecting food and water and defending yourself against vicious mutants that inhabit the wasteland. Furthermore, it is important to note that this game is also still in Early Access, meaning that features will constantly be patched into the game.
3 Eternal Return
Eternal Return is a MOBA game that combines battle royale and survival elements to create a refreshing and interesting top-down gameplay experience. While playing this game, you will land on a deserted island, either alone or with teammates, and have access to unique powers that only your specific character can utilize in combat.
While the ultimate goal of the game is to be the last player standing, you must also interact with the environment by crafting materials, hunting animals for supplies, and setting up traps to claim areas. While Eternal Return is not specifically a survival game, there are still many survival aspects that influence the outcome of your matches, meaning seasoned survival experts will have the upper hand.
2 The Cycle: Frontier
The Cycle: Frontier is another game that focuses on combining two different genres together, thus making a fresh experience for players. In the Cycle: Frontier, you play as a prospector that lands on the dangerous planet Fortuna III with other players.
While you traverse the landscape, you will collect rewards, team up with players, and face off against the environment. Essentially, The Cycle: Frontier combines typical battle royale elements with an environment full of dangerous fauna and flora that can completely decimate you and your teammates.
1 Fallout Shelter
Fallout Shelter's gameplay completely differs from the typical third or first-person survival shooter. In this free Fallout game, you are tasked with building a fully functioning vault, while also providing resources to create a flourishing underground community.
While the game starts at the beginning of the apocalypse, you'll soon be allowed to send your citizens out into the wasteland, recruiting more members for your community or bringing home enemies. Overall, this is simply the best free survival game on the market, since Bethesda has spent years providing the game with fresh content, making it an incredibly compelling strategy and survival game.