The 33 best survival games 2026 for PS5, Steam, and Xbox

21. Terraria

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Terraria: Journey’s End

What is Terraria about? In Terraria, you play as a self-created character who explores a vast world with various biomes. You collect various resources, can expand your home, craft and upgrade equipment, and face dangerous monsters and bosses.

Terraria is a sandbox game and therefore, there is neither a fixed story nor tasks that players must complete. Everything is optional, and it is up to you what you make of the world.

What Terraria does well:

a variety of different biomes with special bosses, alongside in-game events, nocturnal enemy attacks, mounts, and housing

gameplay is left to each player – whether they want to fight, build, or take to the skies

players can freely customize themselves: there are many different weapons, wings, mounts, and costumes, suitable for every playstyle

Who is Terraria worth it for? Terraria is a game for fans and old-school gamers. Although there are achievements that you can chase if you want, there are no obligations like challenges or quests. You can play at your own pace.

Especially fans of Minecraft should take a look at Terraria, as the gameplay is very similar – just with slightly different graphics. Due to its high availability on different platforms, especially handheld and mobile, Terraria is also suitable for gamers who want to play on the go.

22. Core Keeper

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Core Keeper: Launch trailer introduces you to the survival secret tip on Steam

What is Core Keeper about? You play as a researcher underground and should explore caves where you can find dangerous creatures but also valuable resources and treasures. The game combines classic sandbox survival crafting with life simulations and offers activities such as gardening and fishing.

What Core Keeper does well?

Co-op with up to 7 other players

various ecosystems with different content to discover

a mix of Minecraft, Terraria, and Stardew Valley

boss fights against giant titans

a talent system with skill points and abilities

The retro-pixel look is not to everyone’s taste but should not detract from the actual fun of the game.

While Core Keeper has left early access, it continues to receive significant updates from the developers: in March 2025, a new boss, new weapons (bombs), and further improvements were introduced (via steampowered.com).

Who is Core Keeper suitable for? Anyone who doesn’t need sprawling areas in survival where they can only discover something with great effort and enough rations is right in Core Keeper. The game primarily focuses on gameplay and sacrifices beautiful optics for it. The reviews speak for themselves: Core Keeper fascinates thousands of players

23. Green Hell

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Green Hell – Animal Husbandry Trailer

What is Green Hell about? You play as an anthropologist who, along with their wife, wants to research a tribe living in a jungle. You have a base camp there.

However, on an exploration, you crash and lose contact and orientation. From then on, you are left alone in the proverbial “Green Hell” and must survive.

Green Hell now has a co-op mode for the story and versions for PlayStation and Xbox.

What Green Hell does well:

unused survival setting in the jungle

realistic story and gameplay

picturesque environment and atmospheric world

interesting approaches to crafting and survival with physical and mental health

You can find a detailed test of Green Hell at GameStar.

Who is Green Hell worth it for? Green Hell is a game for enthusiasts and connoisseurs of the survival genre. It’s tough and unforgiving. At the same time, it’s the ideal game for gamers who want to experience a new, unused setting and devour the works of survival experts like Rüdiger “Sir Vival” Nehberg, who passed away in April 2020.

Newcomers can also have fun here as long as they overcome the steep learning curve. The entry is a bit tricky, but the game becomes easier over time as you understand the individual elements.

24. Grounded

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Grounded leaves Early Access – Trailer for the full game

What is Grounded about? Grounded takes a unique approach: you are tiny. Instead of facing wild dangers in deserts, outer space, or in a post-apocalypse, you must survive in a very different environment – the garden.

It sounds funny at first, but it is incredibly tough. As a shrunk human, even the smallest bugs and ants quickly become gigantic foes. Grass blades are already as large as trees, and forgotten toys quickly become a serious obstacle.

In our special, you can learn more about Grounded and what makes this survival game so special.

What Grounded does well:

unique approach with a completely unused setting

co-op with up to four players

timeless, cute graphics with still dangerous opponents

a story where you regain “normal” size at the end

Who is Grounded worth it for? Grounded is a nice change for all survival fans who are tired of zombies and post-apocalypse. The setting is completely new, yet it offers the classic survival elements that define the genre.

Additionally, Grounded, with its less unfriendly but still challenging entry, is also excellent for beginners of the genre. Grounded is also available on Xbox Game Pass – subscribers with a certain interest in survival games should definitely check out Grounded.

By the way, the sequel, Grounded 2, started Early Access on July 29, 2025. However, the game is still in a very early development phase, and some players on Steam still warn of bugs and issues.

This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.