The open-world and survival genres go hand-in-hand. Open-world survival games throw you into a vast world with little to start with and expect you to survive as long as possible. Along the way, there may be goals and quests, but it's possible to wander off course and do whatever you want.
New video games are created all the time, so you may be struggling to find the best of the best in open-world survival. Here, we are going to go over some of the best open-world survival games out there. These games cover a wide variety of topics and subgenres, so you are bound to find a game that you like.
10 Minecraft
We can't have a list of open-world survival games without talking about Minecraft; this is one of the most iconic games out there. Minecraft fully embraces the open-world, going on for millions (yes, millions) of blocks.
There are no set goals in Minecraft. All you need to do is survive, but the rest of the game is up to you. Want to create a beautiful mansion? Go for it! Not really a big fan of building large? That's fine too! You can grab some supplies and spend several days exploring the vast world around you.
9 Valheim
Valheim provides a bit more structure than Minecraft. In this game, you play a Viking in a massive world filled with enemies that want to see you dead. While exploring, there are several biome-specific bosses that you can defeat in order to gain new powers.
There is a general sense of progression in Valheim, but you can also use your creativity to make impressive Viking structures. A server can hold up to ten people, allowing you to live your Viking dream with friends.
8 Starbound
In Starbound, you can live your space-explorer fantasy. With seven races to choose from, you will be able to navigate through the galaxy on your customized ship, visit populated planets, recruit crewmates, and even make your very own colony.
Along the way, you can play through a campaign and complete dungeons. Of course, your path is up to you. If completing this story doesn't interest you, you can definitely get distracted and make an underground mega-colony.
7 Astroneer
While Starbound throws you into a vast universe, Astroneer grounds you on one planet to start with. In this bright game, there is no combat. Rather than fighting your way through alien planets, your goal is to explore and visit new planets.
Astroneer can get quite technical, as you will need to collect a variety of elements to help you craft new items. The sound effects are incredibly satisfying, and when combined with the lack of combat, make for a relaxing experience.
6 Rust
Rust is an open-world survival game that thrives when playing with other people. Your goal is to survive, which is simple enough, right? Rust is one of the hardest survival games out there. If the harsh environment doesn't kill you, then another player will.
If you manage to stay alive, you can build up and fortify your base. Rust is nearly a decade old, and throughout this time, there have been tons of updates, providing you with new and refreshed content.
5 Don't Starve
Don't let the simple 2D graphics of Don't Starve fool you. This game throws you into the wilderness with pretty much no help. Instead of having a few starting items or directions, you have nothing. The way you survive in the world is completely up to you, as there is no straightforward path.
Don't Starve is a single-player game, but fortunately, you can also play Don't Starve Together. This is a multiplayer version of the game, allowing you to partner up with friends and survive in the wilderness together.
4 Project Zomboid
It makes sense that a zombie game would also be an open-world survival game. In Project Zomboid, your goal may be to stay alive, but death is inevitable. Whenever you die, you begin as a new character. This may seem obvious, but there is a catch.
Your dead body will turn into a new zombie, who can then come and kill you. This also means that your old zombie-self may have valuable loot, allowing you to retrieve it. Just try not to die again while doing so!
3 Grounded
What if Honey, I Shrunk the Kids was a video game? This is exactly what Grounded is. In this game, you have been shrunken to the size of an ant. Set in the vast world of the backyard, you will need to survive and learn the mystery behind why you are so small.
Since you are tiny, even small bugs can be menacing. Thankfully, those with arachnophobia have nothing to fear! With Arachnophobia Mode, spiders essentially become bubbles, losing all the qualities that make them scary.
2 Terraria
Graphically, Terraria looks very similar to Starbound. While they are both open-world survival games, Terraria is a bit more grounded. In the 2D world of Terraria, you can mine to your heart's content, exploring the secrets of the planet that you are on.
Along the way, you will meet a variety of NPCs that can join you. By constructing houses, the NPCs will move in and provide services. You can focus on building an epic base for your NPCs, as well as exploring the depths of the world and defeating the large roster of bosses.
1 No Man's Sky
Lastly, we have No Man's Sky. This game is set in a procedurally generated universe filled with an impressive amount of planets for you to explore. In fact, there are 18 quintillion planets in each world.
While playing, you can do pretty much anything you want. There is a main story but along the way, you can explore planets, build a vast farm, or even become a cutthroat fighter ready to mow down all that stand in your way.