Survival games set in an open world are in fashion these days. We could mention many of them, such as Kingdom Come: Deliverance, but Ark takes things to another level. As we know these titles are abundant on the market (and not all of them are great games), we’ve decided to write a list of the games we believe are the best in this genre. 

Conan Exiles

• Release Date: June 8, 2021
• Developer: Funcom
• Publisher: Funcom
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
• Metascore: 68

Conan Exiles is a sandbox survival game set in the world of Conan the Barbarian. Precisely, the game begins when Conan rescues your customizable character. At this point, you start your adventure by making your way through the sands of the desert. 

The main goal in Conan Exiles is to survive in the hypothetical prehistoric Hyborian Age. Since your character that has been sentenced to death escapes to exile, they must navigate the Exiled Lands and then a biome called The Frozen North, and the Highlands. 

To survive, it is mandatory to manage the resources and take care of hunger and thirst. You'll find a lot of hostile enemies on our path. But they aren’t the only threats, as you’ll have to watch out for dangerous fauna, such as crocodiles, rhinoceroses, and other wild animals. Besides, there’s the online multiplayer mode, where you’ll have to face other players.

You can also capture aggressive humans located in villages and small camps. Doing this will provide you benefits depending on the rank of the captured human. Some of the benefits are faster-crafting speed, and exclusive crafting recipes. 

Conan Exiles EU Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys. 

Key Features: 

• A vast open-world without limits from wavy dunes to swamps in the east.
• A creative crafting system to build tools, weapons, houses, and entire cities. 
• A survival system that include hunting, cooking, eating, and protecting from the elements.

Grounded

• Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
• Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
• Release Date: September 2022
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
• Metascore: N/A

Grounded is a survival video game available in early access with a scheduled full release in September 2022. One of the strongest points of Grounded is that it can be played from a first-person or a third-person perspective. 

The plot of Grounded is very similar to the 1989 movie “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” where kids are shrunk and have to survive in the garden of their house. Here, you are shrunk to the size of an ant and must survive in the harsh environment of a backyard.

To do this, just like in real life, you need to consume water and food to keep your health optimal. The backyard is full of insects, such as spiders and bees, which can be very dangerous. 

As you progress through the game, you’ll discover new zones of the game world, and the difficulty will slowly increase. To be safe, you can build a camp to defend yourself from hostile enemies. You can also craft different tools, weapons, and traps. 

Grounded Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys. 

Key Features: 

• A reactive world, a universe of wilderness.
• Immersive and cooky graphics with stunning visuals.
• A great system of survival with dozens of aspects and mechanics. 

Dino D-Day

• Release Date: April 08, 2011
• Developer: 800 North / Digital Ranch
• Publisher: 800 North / Digital Ranch
• Platform: Microsoft Windows
• Metascore: 53

What can go wrong in a cross between Nazis and dinosaurs? Find out by playing Dino D-Day!

D-Day is a first-person shooter based on multiplayer teams that shoot dinosaurs created by Adolf Hitler. You can choose between both sides of the war, fighting either for the Allies or the Nazis.

After you choose your team, it’s time to complete your goals. Each team has six types of soldiers, each with unique skills and weapons, such as assault troops, heavy support, and medics. Dinosaurs classes are also available, including velociraptors, and Desmastosuchus. 

There are a total of five maps and three game modes in Dino D-Day. In Team Deathmatch, your squad must achieve a certain number of kills. In King of the Hill, your platoon will fight to control a part of the map. Finally, in Objective Mode, your and your team will achieve a certain goal, such as capturing a fortress.

Dino D-Day Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys. 

Key Features: 

• The best dinosaurs of the movies in a Second World War context.
• Two teams, six types of soldiers, and unique dinosaur classes.
• Five maps where defeat enemies change all the time.

Turok

• Release Date: February 05, 2008
• Developer: Propaganda Games / Aspyr
• Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Steam
• Metascore: 65

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, the original game of 1997, is just a classic, one of the first shooters to include dinosaurs and fun gameplay. Turok from 2008 is a reboot of the franchise, which provides a different perspective on the whole saga. 

You take the role of the Native American Space Marine Joseph Turok, who is sent, together with his team, to an alien planet to capture General Roland Kane. After crushing the surface of this dangerous world, Turok discovers that the planet is full of mortal dinosaurs you will have to fight to achieve your goal. 

Like other games of the same genre, Turok features shooter gameplay, where killing enemies as soon as possible is the cornerstone of survival. You will find two types of enemies: human enemies, and dinosaurs, although the latter act as a neutral force and can be used to defeat humans. You can also utilize a stealth mechanic to kill enemies from distance by using bows or a knife without being detected. 

A multiplayer mode is also available with different mechanics and goals, such as Deathmatch, Wargames, and Capture the Flag, among others. This mode supports up to 16 players and 4 for co-op missions. 

Turok is one of the survival genre classics, a complete reboot that provides a new fresh air to the franchise. 

Turok Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys. 

Key Features: 

• Become Turok, the best American marine, and stay alive in the wilderness of an alien planet.
• Prehistoric and human enemies with different types of attacks. 
• A wide variety of weapons to kill from distance and close range. 

Take on Mars

• Release Date: February 09, 2017
• Developer: Bohemia Interactive
• Publisher: Bohemia Interactive
• Platform: Microsoft Windows
• Metascore: 62

Take on Mars is a survival and simulation game and the second installment of the Take on series, taking place on the red planet. The game focuses on controlling a rover or lander to explore Mars.

To do this, you have to equip the spacecraft with scientific instruments to take samples and study the planet's surface. Your mission is to visit destination points – Asteroid Belt, Deimos Moon, Gale Crater, Kaiser Crater, Lyot Crater, Victoria Crater, and Ptolemaeus Crater – to complete goals and get the data needed to accomplish your mission. 

Each map is a virtual sandbox since each of them is a perfect square (4x4 km) you can freely explore to complete several goals. 

You can also take on the role of an astronaut – a member of the first crewed mission to Mars in 2028. The task is to explore the world map to gather and process raw materials, keeping you and other survivors alive. That said, the survival aspect makes it very similar to Ark. 

Take on Mars features four modes: 

• Space Program, where you explore the red planet as a fictional space agency that must develop technologies. 
• Scenarios, where you control a rover over the surface of Mars. 
• Editor, to create custom scenarios. 
• Multiplayer, performing new missions in cooperation with friends. 

Take on Mars is a survival sandbox game performing brutal reality in a hostile environment, so if you enjoyed Ark, you must try it out. Add new challenges in extreme conditions to your game!

Take on Mars Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys. 

Key Features: 

• A main robotic campaign taking place on the surface of Mars.
• Real-life locations on the planet and additional space locations you can visit.
• Advanced simulation gameplay with extreme weather conditions.

Subnautica

• Release Date: January 23, 2018
• Subnautica Developer: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
• Publisher: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, macOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
• Metascore: 87

Subnautica, as its name suggests, is about nautical exploration that takes place in an open world with elements of action-adventure games. It is played from a first-person perspective, with the main objective to swim and explore the environment searching for resources to survive. 

You control Ryley Robinson, the last survivor of the Aurora, a spaceship that has crashed on the surface of the planet 4546B. In this unknown environment, you must gather resources, tools, and submersibles while interacting with dangerous animals and general wildlife. 

Most gameplay in Subnautica is underwater, but it also performs two explorable islands with a day and night cycle that affects the gathering of different materials and visibility. 

Subanutica puts at your disposal four game modes:

• The survival mode, where you take care of your general health managing hunger, thirst, and oxygen. 
• The freedom mode, similar to the previous one but without hunger and thirst. 
• The hardcore mode, which includes permadeath. 
• The creative mode, letting you explore the world not worrying about depleting characteristics. 

If you enjoyed the Deepsea Challenge documentary with James Cameron diving into the oceanic depths to get some unique images of the underwater world, you’ll love Subnautica. 

Subnautica Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys. 

Key Features: 

• A mysterious underwater world full of unique wildlife.
• A survival mechanic that includes gathering resources and managing hunger, thirst, and oxygen.
• Weather conditions that affect visibility and exploring. 

PixArk

• Release Date: May 31, 2019
• Developer: Snail Games
• Publisher: Snail Games
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
• Metascore: 5.2

PixArk is a survival video game played in both single-player and multiplayer modes. One of the main game features is to hunt wildlife on a mysterious island inhabited by dinosaurs.

To survive on this remote island, you need to mine, build resources and structures to defend yourself against animals and enemy players.

The game world is made up of voxels resembling Minecraft, so you can alter the vast open world by adding or removing blocks. The world is procedurally generated, then the island's different areas – jungle, desert, and caves – are not prebuilt. 

Quests in PixArk are procedural, so new challenges will constantly appear. There is also a creative mode available if you prefer to focus on building without being attacked and not worrying about dangers. 

PixArk Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.

Key Features: 

• A free adventure that takes place in a vast open-world sandbox. 
• A survival mechanic that involves hunting animals and gathering resources. 
• A crafting skill that allows you to create a base building and tools and weapons for combat.

The Forest

• Release Date: April 30, 2018
• Developer: Endnight Games
• Publisher: Endnight Games
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4
• Metascore: 83

The Forest is a survival horror game taking place in a remote forest located on a forgotten island. The game features non-linear gameplay set in a vast open world from the first-person perspective. 

You play as Eric LeBlanc, a sole survivor of a plane crash, as he looks for his missing child in a mysterious forest.

In The Forest, there is not a set of quests; the plot encourages you to make your own decisions to build your path. The game features a day and night cycle, with you capable of hunting animals during the day and keeping yourself safe at night.

As with every good survival game, you must build a shelter, a wooden cabin, while crafting weapons and tools to survive in this unknown context. You also carry a survival guide book that provides blueprints to build structures and place them in any part of the world. Feel free to modify the structures in size, position, and shape according to your resources. 

An interesting feature of The Forest is that the only way to save the game is by building the option for that. 

The island challenges involve mutated animals and woodland creatures. As you progress through the game, you’ll discover new areas, such as cavers underneath the surface, the home for the most difficult enemies and bizarre mutations. 

Another vital The Forest mechanic is managing inventory. It’s an indispensable part of crafting, which depends on the stuff in your inventory and the knowledge gained throughout the gameplay. 

The Forest is a game with an endearing visual style that offers interesting gameplay where everything is up to you! 

Get The Forest Steam CD Key on RoyalCDKeys and prove you can survive long enough to save your child!

Key Features: 

• An island environment with several areas, both upper and lower, and natural resources you need to collect. 
• Survival and crafting mechanics to build everything you need to stay alive. 
• A wide set of unique mutated enemies and weather conditions can difficult your progress.

Minecraft

• Developer: Mojang
• Publisher: Mojang / Xbox Game Studios / Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Release Date: November 18, 2011
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch
• Metascore: 93

What can we say about this game that hasn’t been said before? Minecraft is perhaps one of the most famous of the past decade and the best-selling video game of all time.

But for those who lived under a rock, Minecraft is a sandbox video game featuring a procedurally generated 3D world with infinite possibilities and terrain which you must explore to extract raw materials. Using them, you can build tools, items, machines, entire cities, structures, and much more. 

In the survival mode, the main focus is to survive in the always-changing environments by maintaining your health. Minecraft also features a creative mode where you have unlimited resources and access to flight. The multiplayer mode, on the other hand, allows players to interact with each other in a single world. 

Surviving in the world of Minecraft is not an easy task. You’ll have to face a lot of dangerous creatures, such as zombies, skeletons, spiders, and endermans. 

Minecraft Xbox Live CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys. 

Key Features: 

• A procedurally generated world with unique areas and unlimited possibilities.
• A huge building system that allows you to create everything you want. 
• A multiplayer mode where players can interact in a single world.  

Astroneer

• Release Date: February 06, 2019
• Developer: System Era Softworks
• Publisher: System Era Softworks
• Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
• Metascore: 73

Astroneer is a space sandbox adventure game with unique crafted planets you can explore freely. The main goal in Astroneer is colonizing planets by collecting resources and building structures. 

Each planet you explore and colonize is an open-world environment that can be subject to procedural generation. You can travel around these planets on foot, by rover, teleportation, or using a spacecraft. 

Crafting takes relevance since it’s the mechanic to produce everything you need on any planet, such as tractors, storage silos, research chambers, atmospheric condensers, batteries, generators, turbines, and much more. To gather resources, you can use a Terrain tool, which allows you to collect and reshape the landscape simultaneously. 

Another important tool is the backpack, being your inventory and HUD. The backpack features two quick-use slots, eight storage slots, an internal power supply, a basic 3D printer, and an oxygen tank. 

Astroneer is a funny game where the chosen strategy is crucial to completing your journey through the planet. Manage your resources, craft items, and build to survive in this universe. 

Astroneer Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys. 

Key Features: 

• Several unique planets you need to colonize to complete your main goal.
• A wide range of items to craft that are very useful to colonize planets. 
• Total freedom in choosing the next step. 

Eco

• Developer: Strange Loop Games
• Publisher: Strange Loop Games

Eco is an online world with a sprawling simulated ecosystem inhabited by thousands of plants and animals. Here, you must build an entire civilization from the ground up by getting resources from the ecosystem, which can be destroyed.  

DayZ

• Developer: Bohemia Interactive
• Release date: December 16, 2013

It’s a survival video game that puts you in the fictional post-Soviet Republic of Chernarus, where a plague turns people into violent infected. You take the role of a survivor, who must scavenge for food and water to keep proper nutrition. You can also get medicine and weapons to kill the infected while cooperating with other players to survive the outbreak. 

Rust

• Developer: Facepunch Studios
• Release date: February 8, 2018

Rust is an only-multiplayer game whose objective is to survive in the wilderness using stolen materials. You have to manage your hunger, thirst, and health to survive with dangerous animals, such as wolves and bears, and other players standing in your way. Players battle through various weapons, like firearms and bows. 

Deep Despair

• Developer: BekkerDev Studio
• Release date: February 17, 2020

Deep Despair is an open-world survival game with a lovely retro style that reminds us of Minecraft in some aspects. There are 4 levels in the world of Deep Despair: the upper world, caves, caves with lava, and caves with rivers. Go below to get better resources to survive in this green hell. Build your shelter, get your food, explore new worlds, and write your own story.