16. This War of Mine
17. 7 Days to Die
Developer/Publisher: The Fun Pimps/Telltale Games | Release: December 13, 2013 (Early Access) | Model: Buy-to-Play | Platforms: PC (Windows and Linux), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S | Shop: 7 Days to Die - [PlayStation 4]* – Affiliate link (We receive a small commission) for consoles or Steam for PC
What is 7 Days to Die about? Like in many classic post-apocalyptic games, a nuclear war has destroyed the world. A virus has also caused some of the surviving people to turn into zombies.
You are one of the few people who have not been infected and survived, and you must now ensure that it stays that way in the fictional county of Navezgane (Arizona, USA). The only goal: Survive as long as possible.
What does 7 Days to Die do well?
- Voxel mechanics that allow you to shape the game freely like Minecraft
- Progression to develop your character as long as possible – basically a built-in role-playing game
- Influences from tower defense and shooters, where you must defend your base against waves of zombies
- Choice between solo campaign or free play with friends
- A physics system ensures that you have to build structures logically, or they will collapse
Who is 7 Days to Die suitable for? Anyone who likes Minecraft and DayZ should take a look at 7 Days to Die. The game promises excitement, and with the steadily increasing difficulty, both survival newcomers and veterans will find their enjoyment.
Over time, you will get better and progress – or can enjoy what you can achieve. Due to the different modes, the game is particularly suitable for single players and smaller groups.
18. Return to Moria
Developer/Publisher: Free Range Games/North Beach Games | Release: October 24, 2024 | Model: Buy-to-Play | Platforms: PC (Epic, Xbox), PS5, Xbox | Shop: Epic, PS Store, Steam, Xbox
What is Return to Moria about? The dwarf king Gimli, voiced by the original actor, wants to reclaim the mines of Moria. To do this, he sends out a scouting party, which then gets buried: you.
You are now trapped alone or with other players from the party in the mountains and must find a way back. Along the way, you will encounter various dangers, from darkness and orcs to things that should not be awakened in the depths.
What does Return to Moria do well?
- you can follow the path of the Fellowship around Gandalf and Gimli through the mines of Moria
- the famous dwarven architecture and craftsmanship are present in the form of base building and crafting
- there are dangers lurking in the depths – being too loud can awaken them, and sounds apparently become a gameplay element
- singing and beer are important components in a dwarf’s life and provide strong buffs
- environments are procedurally generated for more variety
- Return to Moria works in co-op with up to 8 players and apparently focuses on PvE and exploration
At release, Return to Moria still has some issues to tackle, including numerous bugs and missing quality-of-life features, which will be gradually delivered. You can find a detailed review of Return to Moria from our colleagues at GameStar.
Who is Return to Moria suitable for? Anyone with interest in The Lord of the Rings and who enjoys survival games should definitely check out Return to Moria. But even without a connection to LotR, the game is worth looking into if you like dwarves but find Deep Space Galactic too sci-fi.
Return to Moria is also suitable for beginners and anyone who enjoys exploration. This is one of the key points of the game. However, the enemies provide a significant challenge. Good combat skills and teamwork are essential.
19. Soulmask
Developer/Publisher: CampFire Studio/Qooland Games | Release: May 31, 2024 (Early Access) | Model: Buy-to-Play | Platforms: PC | Shop: Steam
What is Soulmask about? At the beginning, you take on the role of a survivor who has fled from a ritual, but there isn’t a true protagonist, as the developers emphasize. The unique aspect is that you can play any character from your clan, using a unique mask system: The character you play wears a mask that you can upgrade and provides strong bonuses. In the game, you can find and switch between different masks.
Together with your clan, you build a settlement on the edge of a rainforest, gather resources, and craft weapons. In the end, challenging bosses and dungeons await you. You can play both in single-player mode and build a settlement on PvP servers.
This is what makes Soulmask so good:
- An unused setting in the style of South America
- Regular content updates
- A unique mask system with strong upgrades
- Taming wild creatures
- Hirring and developing characters
- Extensive base building and crafting options
- Challenging solo and co-op gameplay and optional PvP
Who is Soulmask for? Anyone who enjoys building a base, gathering companions, and fighting bosses should give Soulmask a chance. Alternatively, you can also play Soulmask with other players on a PvP server, but that is not mandatory. The survival game works perfectly alone or in co-op with friends. The world is vast, and there is much to discover.
The combat system is still somewhat imprecise, but the developers are actively patching it. So far, Soulmask has received two major updates that have provided many improvements. A setting in ancient Egypt has also already been teased.
Currently, Soulmask is preparing for its official release 1.0, which is expected to happen at the end of 2025.
