8 Games That Will Put Your Crafting Skills to the Test

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Summary

  • Realistic crafting in open-world games involves exploration, scavenging, and recipe experimentation for a more immersive experience.
  • Crafting systems in games like Subnautica, 7 Days To Die, and The Forest aren’t just mechanics, they are key parts of survival.
  • Survival depends on crafting in games like Green Hell and The Long Dark, where players must create everything needed to endure.

Resource collection and construction systems in open-world games frequently contribute an immersive layer that deepens the player’s comprehension of the game environment and backdrop. When effectively designed, crafting transcends being merely a gameplay feature; it transforms into a cornerstone of survival, a tool for narrative expression, and a tactical aspect in player development.

In these outstanding open-world games, players are encouraged to delve into their surroundings, gather resources, salvage components and supplies, and tinker with various recipes. These games frequently challenge players to grasp the environment, or at least memorize the locations of specific resources. Whether it’s smithing weapons, preparing meals, or constructing entire settlements, the most engaging open-world games that incorporate crafting seamlessly blend these aspects into the gameplay experience, significantly enhancing realism.

8. Subnautica

Undersea Survival And Crafting

Kicking things off, you’ll find a captivating, subaquatic open-world setting in our first choice of games – Subnautica. It’s a blend of survival, adventure, and exploration with crafting being the crucial factor for victory.

The journey starts by scouring the map to find resources for collection, but survival factors add complexity since one must always maintain an adequate oxygen supply. The process of creating items feels authentic, and players must first create protective gear like a radiation suit before they can collect radioactive materials – for instance, a radiation suit before mining radioactive ore.

7. 7 Days To Die

Zombie Survival With Tower Defense

In a nutshell, “7 Days To Die” is an outstanding zombie survival game where every seven days, a Blood Moon Night occurs, turning the undead into relentless attackers from 10 pm to 4 am. Consequently, crafting essential tools, supplies, and fortifying bases becomes crucial for all gamers.

In the game of “7 Days To Die“, the crafting experience closely mirrors reality. Players are required to excavate resources like iron or coal, scavenge parts from Points of Interest (POIs), all while evading zombies. Before these resources can be utilized for making items, they must undergo refining and the subcomponents need to be appropriately assembled in a workbench. Crafting ammunition is also a multi-step procedure within this game.

6. The Forest

Unique Crafting Experience

As a gamer, I’ve found myself shipwrecked on an eerie island after a plane crash, in a chilling open-world survival horror game called “The Forest.” This place isn’t your typical tropical paradise; it’s teeming with cannibals and mutated beasts. To make matters worse, the enemy AI is cunningly intelligent, ready to pounce at the slightest mistake. So, I must stay vigilant if I want to survive and escape this island!

In this game, the construction process is quite simple, where players create items using various components without needing special workstations like crafting benches. However, the recipes are designed to mimic real-life scenarios, so players must search for specific in-game objects to combine and produce a finished item. For instance, making a water collector requires locating a turtle, killing it, and using its shell as a container for collecting water. Every object picked up can either be used directly in crafting or serve as an upgrade component.

5. Green Hell

Survive The Amazon Rainforest

Right from the start, a player immersed in “Green Hell” should focus on mastering the crafting aspect. The crafting mechanism plays a crucial role in the game’s survival dynamics. In fact, this game is known for its high difficulty level among survival simulators, as it not only challenges physical survival requirements but also delves into psychological aspects.

In the game we’re discussing, all essential items for the player should be created. Consumables play a crucial role here, as they aid the player in managing both physical and mental injuries. Crafting isn’t an optional task in Green Hell; rather, it’s a necessity for staying alive.

4. Project Zomboid

2D Isometric Zombie Survival

Project Zomboid, despite being a 2D game, has garnered significant popularity due to its intricacy, boasting a large fanbase. The misconception that it’s less sophisticated than AAA zombie survival games because of its 2D format is quickly dispelled upon playing. One key factor contributing to its complexity is the detailed and authentic crafting system, which sets it apart from many of its peers in the genre.

As a gamer, I’ve got to build everything my character and our growing band of survivors need to thrive in this open-world game. That requires scouring the map for resources and parts, some of which can be hard to come by.

3. Medieval Dynasty

Open-World Survival RPG

Among the latest additions to this collection, “Medieval Dynasty” stands out as an engaging game, blending elements of survival, role-playing, and community administration. The player initially assumes the role of a peasant, gradually discovering means to sustain life, attract villagers, accomplish tasks, and establish a prosperous settlement.

In this game, there’s no fighting against other characters; instead, the primary emphasis is on creating and constructing. You need to craft items appropriately during specific seasons, and it’s crucial to ensure an ample supply for your villagers throughout the year. It can be tranquil at times, but there’s enough tension to keep things engaging.

2. Valheim

Norse Inspired Survival Game

Valheim, unexpectedly popular, demonstrates that even small game studios can produce impactful games. With Norse mythology as its foundation, Valheim is an engaging survival adventure game featuring a unique approach to character advancement. Players must vanquish a sequence of bosses, with each defeat granting access to the next level of crafting resources and techniques.

As a gamer immersed in the captivating world of Valheim, I’ve found myself not just battling monsters, but also crafting my own weapons, armor, cooking food, and even building an entire base! This is where the game truly shines – it offers a level of realism that feels authentic. Crafting in Valheim isn’t just about making cool stuff; it’s about creating the essential tools I need to survive, and the means to advance, ready for the next epic boss fight.

1. The Long Dark

Be Ready To Die A Lot

It could be argued that The Long Dark is the toughest open-world survival game around. This is one seriously tough survival challenge, players can even die in their sleep. Staying alive means crafting the things needed to do so. Whilst avoiding wildlife threats, the player needs to very carefully explore the game world, and locate resources in a frozen, harsh game world. Even simple recipes such as creating a basic fire take some time to find the components, and if the player takes too long, they freeze to death. The Long Dark brings realism in the way it places importance on simple, everyday items that people take for granted, but can mean life or death in a survival scenario.

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2025-04-12 00:36