Summary
DayZis an astounding zombie survival simulator that throws players into the Russian wilderness. ThroughoutDayZ, players will have to locate food and water, change out their clothing,fight against zombies,be weary of their trust in other players, and so much more to survive the harsh game that isDayZ.
Heavily acclaimed as one of the best down-to-earth zombie survival titles out there, many fans will be looking for othergames likeDayZthat can deliver similar thrills. Though there aren’t many other games that take the survival genre as seriously asDayZ, there are still plenty of wondrous video games that offer amazing survival experiences that fans will certainly enjoy.
Updated on June 12, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Arma is one of the most underrated series in gaming, and the fact that several big games in the industry started as mods for this project is a testament to how malleable the engine was. PUBG is a game everyone is familiar with, and another game that transformed from a mod for Arma 2 into something bigger is DayZ. This multiplayer survival game encourages players to band together in a sandbox title where they must scrounge for supplies to survive in a harsh post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. Suffice it to say, there are several games that players can check out to scratch the same itch that DayZ targets.
A game that was unfairly lambasted at launch,Days Gonedidn’t live up to the high standards set by otherPlayStation exclusives. However, this doesn’t mean the game is poor by any stretch of the imagination.
The unique horde mechanic ofDays Gonemade it more important to be careful around a cluster of zombies. Deacon St. John may come off as unlikable early on, but there’s more to his character than what meets the eye, and players get to experience this firsthand if they give this game a shot and weather the slow pace of the first few hours.
Most people agree thatValheim’s full release will mark a breakthrough in the survival sandbox genre. The game perfects and tweaks various facets of survival gameplay to make for a great time, and the way it changes how food is handled in such games is a great example of the same.
Even in Early Access, the sheer number of things players can accomplish inValheimis nothing short of staggering. If the base game fulfills its promise of more than doubling the content present in this version, thenValheimis poised to break the internet in a major way.
Dead Island 2is a fantastic zombie experience that any gamer can thoroughly appreciate. InDead Island 2, players can explore an apocalyptic Los Angeles asone of six different characters,each of which has their unique skills and such to get through hordes of the undead.
LikeDayZ,Dead Island 2is open-world, allowing gamers to explore freely around each of the 10 zones that are onDead Island 2’smap.Dead Island 2also offers fans a great story to progress through, as well as side quests to embark on, giving players more to do than there is inDayZ.
Dying Lightwas an instant hit in the video game community, especially for survival-genre lovers. The second game of the franchise,Dying Light 2 Stay Human, was awaited with much excitement and became one of the most popular zombie survival titles upon its release.
InDying Light 2, players take the role of Aiden, a survivor who runs between settlements and takes on the zombie hordes. Parkour is an incredibly heavy aspect ofDying Light 2, so players will be running up walls, jumping from building to building, and making their way through intense obstacles while fighting zombies.
Project Zomboidis a fantastic indie game that caters to those who are captivated by zombie survival games that truly encapsulate what it would be like to thrive in a post-apocalyptic world infested by the undead (much likeDayZ).Project Zomboidtakes place in Kentucky, where players attempt to survive through harsh conditions.
Unlike many other survival games,Project Zomboidforces fans to look after their hunger, thirst, fatigue, and even boredom.Project Zomboidis also multiplayer, meaning friends can team up in these apocalyptic conditions.
When it comes to games that require fans to thrive against the living dead,7 Days to Diealmost instantly comes to mind to many. Though the classic was released back in 2013, the game is still fairly popular today, and it inspires many survival games that are attempting to make it in today’s market.7 Days to Dieis much likeDayZ, in the sense that players will need to watch their needs to survive, such as hunger.
The game is also open-world,meaning gamers can run around and set up base practically anywhere they would like.7 Days to Diealso offers a unique crafting system that allows players to make their weapons, items, and even equipment, like turrets. The game gets its title from the fact that every seven days, a giant horde appears to attack the player(s).
Rustis one of the most popular survival games out there, especially within the multiplayer community.Unlike DayZ,Rustdoesn’t have zombies roaming around the maps waiting for people to feast on. But,Ruststill has the dangers of other players hiding throughout the open-world map.
PvP is a heavy aspect ofRust,if not the main aspect of it. Players will not only need to watch their various needs, but also craft weapons, throw up bases to protect themselves, and hopefully make alliances with other players to maximize their chances of survival insuch a harsh world.
Ark: Survival Evolveddoes not have any zombies whatsoever. Honestly,Arkdoesn’t appear alike toDayZon the surface at all,butArk: Survival Evolvedpresents many of the mechanics inDayZthat are so enthralling to gamers.Ark: Survival Evolvedis an open-world survival game that pits players against dinosaurs. InArk, players will not only be able to craft dozens upon dozens of various items and equipment, but they will even be able to tame dinosaurs.
With tamed dinos on their team, players can ride them on the ground, through the air, or even through the sea, all of which are hosts to captivating secrets. In some servers onArk, fans can even go to war with other PvP tribes, which is lots of fun when not playing throughthe game’s tantalizing storyline.
As the sequel toThe Forest,Sons of the Forestadds many new mechanicsand features to the game that make it, arguably, better than the first one.Sons of the Forestis much like the first game, with it taking place on a large island consisting of mostly forest trees.
On this island, players can do many different things, with one being to chase the story of the game, a feature thatThe Forestdid beautifully. Fans will be able to craft, build bases, and locate various items throughout the map ofSons of the Forest. While players are all doing these things though, they will be consistently haunted by mutants and cannibals.
Conan Exilesis another classic titlein the survival game genre and remains as fun as it was whenConan Exileswas first released. While some of these games allow players to choose their character,Conan Exileslets them fully customize and create their character, adding a level of RPG-like immersion that some of the other titles on this list cannot. After creating their character, players will be thrown out into the harsh lands of Conan the Barbarian.
There are plenty of different environments throughout this open world, with many enemies, and even NPCs, for players to find. Like many other survival games, gamers will be forced to craft and build their way through the world ofConan Exiles.
