Best Survival Games For Beginners

Summary

Harmonic Depths offers a relaxing beginner-friendly survival experience with players controlling a shark hunting for food.
Don’t Starve Together allows up to six players to survive together, making it accessible to newcomers.
Grounded offers a fun survival experience with a multiplayer option to ease the pressure on beginners.

Survival video games often include multiple obstacles for players to overcome, not just fighting adversaries. These challenges can range from extreme weather conditions, food and water scarcity, to direct exposure to various elements. Keeping tabs on all these factors might seem demanding, but it’s an essential part of the excitement that these games offer.

For those new to the world of gaming, the terminology and complexity of some survival games could seem daunting. It’s possible they may prefer a gentler introduction rather than jumping straight into advanced games. Fortunately, there are numerous excellent survival games available that cater to beginners, serving as a gradual step into this genre.

7. Harmonic Depths

A More Peaceful Take On The Survival Genre

Platforms: PC
Release Date: December 8th 2023
Developer: Override
Genres: Immersive Sim, Survival

In most games, especially survival ones, players don’t command monsters; they take on the role of a character battling against them. However, Harmonic Depths takes a unique approach. Instead of playing as a human trying to evade being eaten, you control a shark, becoming the predator hunting for its next meal.

Playing this game feels less intense because the fish I encounter are smaller, weaker, and easier to catch, reducing some of the pressure. Despite my health decreasing over time, finding food isn’t too challenging, offering a bit of relief. It’s an oddly calming survival game, perfect for beginners who are just starting to get into more complex challenges.

6. Don’t Starve Together

Work Together to Survive

In the spirit of a dedicated fan, I’d like to share my excitement about the sequel to the original single-player game, “Don’t Starve Together.” Instead of embarking on this adventure alone, this time, we can invite up to six friends into the unforgiving wilderness with us! Each new game presents a unique, procedurally generated world waiting to be explored and discovered. The goal remains the same: try not to starve or meet an untimely end due to various perils that lie ahead. To survive, we’ll need to scavenge resources, cultivate our own farms, and brace ourselves for battles against the formidable creatures we encounter along the way. Let’s band together and see how long we can last in this harsh, yet captivating world!

Allowing players to invite friends will significantly enhance the game’s appeal for newcomers in the survival genre, as playing together multiplies their chances of success. Even if their friends lack experience, they can collaborate effectively by delegating tasks such as farming, resource gathering, and combat. This shared effort greatly boosts their odds of survival.

5. The Long Dark

Story Mode Has No Perma-Death

The Long Dark is a game that goes beyond just survival, allowing players to choose between survival mode or story mode. In story mode, players follow the journey of pilot Will Mackenzie and his passenger after their plane crashes in the harsh Canadian wilderness due to a storm. The player will take turns controlling both characters to experience their separate battles against the biting cold and the dangerous wildlife that roam the tundra.

In simpler terms, Story mode is designed to be accessible for newcomers because it doesn’t include permanent death. This means that if you happen to lose in this mode, you don’t have to restart the entire game from scratch. Instead, it offers a less challenging environment to help players learn strategies and build skills before moving on to Survival mode, which is more difficult.

4. Grounded

Multiplayer Option Relieves Pressure

In the spirit of films like “A Bug’s Life” and “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids”, the game “Grounded” puts you in control of characters that have been reduced to ant size. Your mission is to navigate and survive in a backyard teeming with various insects. The game requires you to manage your character’s survival needs, such as hunger and thirst, which can lead to problems if neglected. This setup offers an enjoyable challenge without becoming excessively difficult.

Having the ability for players to invite a few companions into the game increases the likelihood of survival, as a larger group can pool their efforts towards a shared objective: ensuring everyone’s survival. This teamwork makes the gameplay more manageable and appealing to those new to survival genres since the additional participants make the experience less challenging.

3. The Forest

The Learning Curve Isn’t Too Steep

After forcing an emergency landing on a secluded forest isle, protagonist Eric catches sight of his child Timmy being whisked away by a puzzling figure smeared with red pigment, right before slipping back into unconsciousness. Upon regaining awareness, he prepares to venture into the woodlands and execute any actions necessary for locating his son and freeing him from captivity. Prior to embarking on this quest, though, he must first prepare himself for enduring life on the island.

In The Forest, although you enter the game post the opening sequence, it doesn’t present excessive difficulty. Players can quickly adapt to the mechanics, using crafting and resource gathering to build shelters and weapons for survival. While it may be nerve-wracking due to the presence of cannibals and the dark caves, those who appreciate a touch of horror will find plenty to engage with. Additionally, there’s a Peaceful Mode available, reducing the enemy count for a more welcoming experience for beginners.

2. Subnautica

Any Dangerous Threats Are Easy To Mitigate

Exploring the expansive ocean of an alien planet in Subnautica could initially appear intimidating for those less accustomed to survival-themed games, given that even Earth’s oceans can provoke fear. But players venturing into this watery world might discover something unexpected – the game may be less harsh than they anticipate.

As a space-faring gamer, I found myself stranded on an uncharted oceanic world, surrounded by mysterious, alien sea life. The colossal Reaper Leviathans are a sight to behold, but their intimidating presence can be managed by maintaining distance and swiftly moving towards calmer waters when needed. Thankfully, the game offers clear warnings when oxygen levels dwindle, making it approachable for even those new to the underwater exploration genre.

1. Minecraft

There Are Many Ways To Play And Enjoy Minecraft

There’s no question about the triumph of Minecraft – it has blossomed into a self-standing brand, encompassing spin-off games, merchandise, and even a live-action film adaptation that struck a chord with devoted enthusiasts. However, nothing can surpass the original game; its boundless freedom means that the only restriction is the player’s own creativity.

In Minecraft, there’s a game mode called Survival Mode that focuses heavily on the survival elements like resource gathering, tool crafting, shelter building, and battling dangerous foes – essentially, it’s about surviving in the game world. If players find this too challenging, they can opt for Creative Mode, which retains some survival aspects but offers a reduced risk of death, making it ideal for beginners.

2025-07-06 18:04