Best Survival Colony Sim Games

Key Takeaways

Surviving Mars offers a space-themed survival colony simulator with intense challenges and deep gameplay mechanics.
Oxygen Not Included provides a unique underground survival experience focusing on science and machinery for colony management.
Norland stands out as a medieval-themed survival colony sim offering noble family dynamics and various conflicts for players to navigate.

As a seasoned survivor of countless virtual apocalypses, I must say that these survival colony simulators have become my digital sanctuaries amidst the chaos of reality. Each one offers a unique twist on the genre, from managing alien colonies to braving the harsh winter in Frostpunk.

Colony simulators are interactive games where players oversee a group of inhabitants, either survivors or regular residents, with the goal of constructing a shelter that ensures their safety and amusement. While most colony simulators primarily concentrate on essential elements, certain ones expand the simulation’s mechanics by incorporating survival aspects.

From defending the colony against various alien creatures to making sure there is enough oxygen available so that the player’s colonists can survive underground, these are by far the best survival colony simulators that players should consider trying, ranked.

8 Surviving Mars

Finding New Strategies To Survive In An Alien World

Kicking things off with a bang, “Surviving Mars” stands out as an impressive demonstration of a space-set survival colony simulator. Many people believe that most colony simulation games involve the player surviving on extraterrestrial planets, and “Surviving Mars” is no exception. The title implies that players are responsible for caring for their colonists by constructing different domes housing buildings, wildlife, and leisure areas on Mars to establish a living environment where their residents would thrive.

Of course, challenges will arise during gameplay, like insufficient food supplies for settlers or low oxygen production on Mars, which the player must overcome while discovering the planet’s mysterious alien secrets.

7 Oxygen Not Included

Conquer Science And Machinery For A Colony Underground

Moving forward with the topic of sci-fi settlement builders, an alternative survivor’s choice for those preferring underground colonies rather than surface ones is the game known as “Oxygen Not Included“. Developed by the same team behind “Don’t Starve“, “Oxygen Not Included” offers another challenging survival encounter that may require players to start over several times before successfully maintaining a colony.

Colonists’ homes will be constructed by excavating multiple underground passages, and it is essential for players to ensure these dwellings are equipped with necessary facilities to maintain the happiness of their colonists. Additionally, they must master the art of producing and purifying oxygen through various automated systems to avoid asphyxiation within the colony.

6 Norland

Battle Conflicts As A Noble Family Hoping To Grow

Despite being in its early stages, Norland stands out by demonstrating significant promise as a colony simulator that deviates from the usual sci-fi themes prevalent in the genre, offering instead an immersive survival experience. Players engage not only in intense medieval battles but also grapple with various other hardships such as political debates and religious conflicts.

To establish a respected reputation within your noble family, it’s crucial that you maintain control over your domains. The members of your household in the realm of Norland each possess unique abilities and aspirations that can assist you in managing your kingdom effectively while striving for increased power.

5 Stranded: Alien Dawn

Keep A Small Colony Alive On An Alien Planet

In the game “Stranded: Alien Dawn,” players find themselves caring for a modest band of survivors on an alien world, and despite this limited starting group, the title continues to be highly acclaimed as one of the top planet survival games, thanks to its mechanics that inspire players to nurture and expand their small colony.

In Stranded: Alien Dawn, your objective is to build a secure shelter using resources gathered by your team of survivors. The ultimate goal is to protect them from the harmful alien lifeforms on the planet. It’s crucial for players not only to tend to their survivors’ physical needs but also to ensure their emotional well-being so that they tackle assigned tasks with energy and positivity.

4 RimWorld

Create All New Survival Stories With A Growing Colony

In simpler terms, RimWorld is a remarkable game that simulates survival and colony-building, offering players a chance to weave diverse narratives for their colonists and subject them to a range of challenging situations, all thanks to the randomly generated world they inhabit.

In RimWorld, newcomers begin with a modest band of settlers, which they can progressively expand by discovering the world. Expansion might seem appealing initially, but it’s crucial to prioritize taking care of your existing colony first, focusing on constructing a home that you’ll find satisfying. In RimWorld, happiness among your colonists leads to success, as contentment fosters growth and cooperation, while discontent can lead to conflicts within the complex social dynamics of your settlement.

3 Frostpunk

See Society Survive The Harsh Winter And Internal Struggles

Under the title “Frostpunk: A Society Survival Game Beyond the Norm”, this game delves significantly deeper than the average colony survival simulator. In a setting where only a few colonies remain, the player is tasked with more than just constructing their city. They must also focus on its economic and social development as they strive to prepare before the cold worsens in a race against time.

In the game ‘Frostpunk’, shaping the colony isn’t an effortless task because each decision made by the player will displease some members of the colony, often forcing players to balance the difficult and seemingly insurmountable while facing an imminent, more perilous threat.

2 Dwarf Fortress

Keep Dwarves Alive In A Fully Generated World

In simpler terms, many outstanding colony simulator games may not boast exceptional graphics, but they compensate with immersive gameplay that keeps players engaged. For instance, the game Dwarf Fortress is no exception. It allows players to manage a community of Dwarves, where they mine resources, construct fortresses, and struggle against hardships such as starvation, dragon attacks, and even the psychological strain of living underground.

Many contemporary survival colony simulators draw inspiration from the timeless game known as Dwarf Fortress to deliver an equally distinctive gaming experience for its users. Unlike in Dwarf Fortress, players won’t just be digging; instead, they will also uncover the rich culture of dwarves through taverns, libraries, and a multitude of other means.

1 Against The Storm

Rebuild The Last Civilizations Against The Toxic Rain

One of the most outstanding survival colony simulators in recent times is undeniably the enchanting game titled “Against the Storm“. In this captivating fantasy setting, players assume the role of the Queen’s viceroy, tasked with protecting the remaining civilizations of the world from the impending catastrophe caused by apocalyptic downpours.

Assisting a variety of creatures such as humans, beavers, lizards, foxes, and harpies in reclaiming the wilderness from the persistent rain, with the ultimate goal of restoring their communities. However, the player should be cautious as the rain is not the only threat; dangerous monsters dwell within these woods, ready to undo all the player’s efforts and force them to start anew.

2024-10-10 10:05