What survival games are actually worth playing right now?

[Corey]

Damo and I have been trying to figure out what to jump into next. We've done Valheim to death, went through Sons of the Forest, Green Hell. Looking for something with a bit of depth that isn't just another Rust clone. Heard good things about The Long Dark but not sure if that's more of a solo thing. Anyone been playing anything in that space recently that's actually held up?

 

[Ryan]

Valheim is still my answer for survival with actual depth. The progression feels earned in a way most of that genre doesn't bother with -- you work for every biome unlock and the crafting has a logic to it. Playing it solo is fine but it's genuinely better with one or two people.

If you want something a bit different, Palworld surprised me. More creature-catching than straight survival but there's a base building side to it that's more involved than it looks. Worth a few hours at least.

 

[Corey]

Yeah Valheim is the safe answer and probably the right one. Damo and I did a full playthrough last year so I was hoping for something a bit fresher. Might look at Pacific Drive actually -- seen it around but haven't pulled the trigger. Anyone tried it?

 

[Oliver]

I've never been particularly drawn to the survival genre as a whole -- most of it feels like busywork dressed up as progression. That said, the few people whose taste I trust all seem to make an exception for Subnautica, and looking at it from the outside, it does appear to be doing something more interesting with atmosphere than the average survival game. Gothic II scratches some of the same exploration itch for me without the resource micromanagement, which suits me considerably better.