16. This War of Mine
Developer: 11 bit studios | Publisher: Deep Silver | Release: November 14, 2014 | Model: Buy-2-Play | Platforms: PC, Mac, PS4/PS5 (The Little Ones), Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S (The Little Ones), iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch | Shop: Steam | PS Store | Microsoft Store | Nintendo Store | Apple App Store | Google Play Store
What is This War of Mine about? This War of Mine takes place in the fictional city of Pogoren, devastated by war and impoverished by a siege. The story is inspired by the Siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War from 1992 to 1996.
Unlike most games, you experience war not from the perspective of a soldier but from the perspective of the civilian population suffering. You play as a group of people trying to survive in the ruins of the city.
This War of Mine consists of various phases that you need to master. In your own destroyed “home,” you manage food, sleeping spots, and medicine, make tough decisions about whom to help and whom not to, or send some of the residents out to search for food and resources in the next phase – which can often end fatally.
What makes This War of Mine so good?
- An incredibly oppressive atmosphere that convincingly conveys the suffering of war
- Exciting stealth action when scavenging the ruins to avoid getting caught
- Difficult decisions that can often lead to fatal consequences and gripping outcomes
- High replayability due to always different challenges and conditions
- Timeless graphics and gameplay
Who is This War of Mine suitable for? Anyone interested in the war from a societal perspective and loves war dramas such as “Saving Private Ryan” or similar due to their emotional component should take a look at This War of Mine.
Since This War of Mine is also available as a mobile version, it is suitable for players who want to game on the go.
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:
What is 7 Days to Die about? Like many classic post-apocalyptic games, a nuclear war has destroyed the world. A virus has also caused some of the surviving humans to turn into zombies.
You are one of the few people who has 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 makes 7 Days to Die good?
- Voxel mechanics allow you to shape the game similarly to Minecraft
- Progression to develop your character as long as possible – essentially a built-in RPG
- 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 must build structures logically, or they will collapse
Who is 7 Days to Die suitable for? Anyone who enjoys 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 enjoyment.
Over time, you will get better and progress – or can enjoy what you can achieve. Due to the various modes, the game is particularly suitable for solo players and small 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 an expedition that gets buried: you.
You are now trapped alone or with other players in the mountains, and you must find a way back. Along the way, you encounter various dangers, from darkness and orcs to things that should not be awakened in the depths.
What makes Return to Moria good?
- You can follow the path of the Fellowship around Gandalf and Gimli through the Mines of Moria
- The famous Dwarven architecture and blacksmithing come in the form of base building and crafting
- There are dangers lurking in the depths – being too loud can wake them, and noise appears to be 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 deal with, including numerous bugs and missing quality-of-life features that will be gradually provided. You can find a detailed review of Return to Moria from the colleagues at GameStar.
Who is Return to Moria suitable for? Anyone interested in Lord of the Rings and into survival games should definitely check out Return to Moria. But even without a connection to LotR, the game is worth it 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. That is one of the most important aspects of the game. However, the enemies provide a considerable challenge. Good combat skills and teamwork are essential.
19. Soulmask
Developer/Publisher: CampFire Studio/Qooland Games | Release: April 10, 2026 (Release) | Model: Buy-to-Play | Platforms: PC | Shop: Steam
What is Soulmask about? At the start, you take on the role of a survivor who has fled from a ritual, but there is no real protagonist, as the developers emphasize. The special feature is that you can play any character that belongs to your clan, using a unique mask system: the character you control wears a mask that you can upgrade and provides strong bonuses. In the game, you can find and change various masks.
Together with your clan, you build a settlement at the edge of a jungle, gather resources, and craft weapons. At the end, tough bosses and dungeons await you. You can play both in single-player and build a settlement on PvP servers.
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
- Hiring and developing characters
- Extensive possibilities for base building and crafting
- Challenging solo and co-op gameplay and optional PvP   
Who is Soulmask worth it for? Anyone who likes 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 also works fine alone or in co-op with friends. The world is vast, and there is much to discover.
The combat system is still a bit imprecise, but the developers are diligently patching. So far, Soulmask has received two major updates that have led to many improvements. A setting in ancient Egypt has also already been teased.
By now, Soulmask has officially been released and celebrated its 1.0 release on April 10, 2026. Additionally, the first DLC with an Egypt setting has been released. Further improvements have already been announced.
20. The Long Dark
Developer/Publisher: Hinterland Studio | Release: August 1, 2017 | Model: Buy-to-Play | Platforms: PC (Windows and Linux), Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch | Shop: Steam for PC/Mac
What is The Long Dark about? You play as pilot William Mackenzie, who crashes in the wilderness somewhere in North America after his plane fails. Your task: Get back to civilization.
You are completely on your own, without any way to call for help. On the way, you discover more and more information that points to a larger catastrophe. And on top of everything, it is freezing cold…
What makes The Long Dark good?
- Long campaign with strong voice acting by Jennifer Hale (Commander Shepard/Mass Effect) and David Hayter (Solid Snake/Metal Gear)
- Two different gameplay modes: Story and Sandbox
- Timeless graphics in a comic style
- Beautiful environment and much to discover
- Permadeath
The colleagues at GameStar explain a bit more about the game in their video:
Who is The Long Dark suitable for? With its four difficulty levels, The Long Dark offers a good entry point for beginners and veterans, but due to its difficulty is mostly aimed at veterans of the genre.
Additionally, you need some patience because the story progresses slowly. However, if you enjoy a good narrative and like to immerse yourself in a world to experience it, you should definitely check out The Long Dark. The Long Dark is a single-player game.
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