Survival games have grown in popularity in recent years, and they often overlap with other genres like open-world and horror. Even though these titles occasionally incorporate storylines, they are typically at their best when players are left to their own devices as they try to persevere in harsh climates. What are the best PS Plus survival games?
Stranded Deep
Taking a page from Cast Away, Stranded Deep abandons players in the Pacific Ocean following a plane crash. After making their way to one of the map’s islands, survivors must quickly start searching for resources to put off things like hunger and thirst.
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As with most survival games, Stranded Deep is very much focused on its minute-to-minute action, and the early hours are spent exploring the terrain in search of necessities. Eventually, players will be able to craft more complicated items and build bases, which is when the game truly hits its stride. Mechanically, Stranded Deep is a relatively prototypical entry in the genre, however, the aquatic setting helps set it apart.
How To Survive 2
How to Survive 2 is a pure survival experience, in the sense that the only goal is to exist within a zombie apocalypse. There is no chopper waiting on top of a building or a complex narrative that ponders if humans are the real monsters. Whether solo or with a few friends, players will spend their time exploring the map in search of resources, crafting items, and fortifying their base of operations to withstand the undead hordes.
Basic as this might sound, How to Survive 2 succeeds since it is built on a strong gameplay loop. How to Survive: Storm Warning Edition is also on PS Plus Extra and Premium.
Unturned
Unturned has enjoyed a surprisingly long shelf life, with the game still averaging a player count of over 20,000 on Steam. While not necessarily bringing a lot of innovation to the zombie sandbox genre, Unturned’s appeal lies in the freedom its gameplay provides. After spawning into a map, players have to fend for themselves, which means managing their food supply, finding and upgrading weapons, and avoiding radiation.
Now, Unturned is at its best on PC due to its robust modding scene. However, the PS4 version is more than decent, especially for solo play sessions. While dated in some ways, Unturned is still one of the best survival games on PS Plus Extra.
Metro Exodus
All three Metro games are on PS Plus Premium, but only 2019’s Exodus is available for Extra subscribers. Although retaining the methodical gunplay of its predecessors, Metro Exodus opts for a mix of open areas and tight corridors for its levels. The former sections push exploration to the forefront, providing a welcome change of pace from the ceaseless intensity of the rest of the campaign.
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Metro Exodus is not a full-blown survival game, but it incorporates ideas from the genre. Ammo is scarce, and players will need to keep an eye on the state of their weapons. PS Plus has quite a few survival horror games, which are generally regarded as belonging to a separate genre from survival; however, Metro Exodus fits both categories well.
Frostpunk: Console Edition
In most survival games on PS Plus Extra, players only have to protect themselves. However, Frostpunk goes a hundred steps further by putting players in charge of an entire group and, before long, a city. Set in a grueling winter, The Captain has to manage productivity and morale while making tough decisions such as which buildings should be kept closest to the steam engine and, by extension, the heat.
Frostpunk is unforgiving, particularly during its opening few hours. Mistakes will be made and as things start to circle the drain, players will have to decide what lengths they are willing to go to in order to survive.
This War Of Mine: The Little Ones
This War of Mine: The Little Ones is harrowing. Death might be around the corner in most survival games, but these titles are still generally “fun;” however, that adjective does not describe 11 bit studios’ project. Rather than putting players on the battlefield, This War of Mine focuses on the civilians caught in the crossfire.
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Be it alone or with people they need to protect, the survivors are ordinary folk who have been through hell, an experience that can bring out the best or worst in people. The base game has 12 playable characters who each come with their own personalities, strengths, and weaknesses. The Little Ones expansion adds a child character, introducing a whole new dimension to the horror on display.
Fallout: New Vegas (Hardcore Mode)
On normal difficulty, Fallout: New Vegas is a story-driven action RPG with almost no survival elements except for the typical challenges found in most sandbox projects. However, Obsidian included a Hardcore mode that pushes the gameplay toward the survival genre, even incorporating mechanics like Dehydration and Starvation that are absent in a standard run. Meter monitoring is one of the central components of survival games, and Hardcore brings this element to Fallout: New Vegas.
This option also changes the way a few items work; for instance, Stimpaks heal the Courier over a short period rather than instantly. While Hardcore does not impact the story, the mode greatly alters the flow of gameplay as players are given a lot more to think about than just outlasting enemies. Prepping becomes crucial to surviving the Wasteland.
Fallout 4 (Survival Mode)
Fallout 4’s Survival mode comes across as an expansion of New Vegas’s Hardcore, albeit with even harsher alterations to the standard game. Along with introducing things like Hunger, Exhaustion, and Fatigue, Survival disables Fast Travel, weighted ammo, and restrictions on things such as workshop inventory.
Considering vanilla Fallout 4 is not particularly challenging, Survival is a significantly different experience from the base game. If someone has only ever played the standard mode of Fallout 4, they should give this option a try as it turns Bethesda’s title into one of the best survival games on PS Plus.
Terraria
In truth, Terraria is a bit of a stretch to describe as a survival title; however, as PlayStation classifies the game as such, it deserves a mention. Regardless of genre, Terraria is among the best games on PS Plus Extra, and the sandbox project has so much content and depth that it is likely to hit the mark with most people.
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In terms of actual survival mechanics, Terraria tasks players with building shelter and weapons, so the game is not completely devoid of genre staples. After a few hours, the campaign’s main focus starts to revolve around exploration, resource gathering, and boss fights, all of which are engaging.
Days Gone
Bend Studio’s open-world game takes elements from the survival genre. Set in a zombie-infest Oregon, Days Gone casts players as Deacon St. John, a biker who learns that his supposedly deceased wife might still be alive. This discovery starts a long journey that takes the protagonist across the state, and he will have to face many human and undead enemies along the way.
One of the game’s main selling points is its huge zombie hordes, and players will need to carefully plan their travels to avoid these threats at night. While Days Gone is not bursting with survival mechanics, Deacon needs to maintain his motorcycle by ensuring it is in good condition and has fuel.
The Long Dark
The world’s electronics have gone offline, leaving players to survive in the freezing Canadian wilderness. The Long Dark has two modes: Survival and Wintermute. While the gameplay loop is largely consistent between the two, the latter follows a story that is split into episodes. The plot is nothing to write home about, but it provides a sense of structure for players who prefer some direction.
Survival mode is The Long Dark’s bread and butter, and it is fantastic. After spawning in one of the map’s many regions, players have to try and survive for as long as possible. Wildlife and frostbite are just a few things that can lead to a quick death.
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