Looking for more games like 7 Days to Die?
7 Days to Die is a hit survival horror game developed by The Fun Pimps that combines many genres into a single survival experience. It combines open-world crafting, tower defense, and survival horror with first-person shooter elements. This title has been in development for a long time, and tons of other games have grown alongside it with similar inspirations, themes, and mechanics.
Whether you’re looking for something to play in between blood moons, want a new survival experience, or want to see what other survival games like 7 Days to Die are out there, we’ve got you covered. Here is our list of 5 Survival Games like 7 Days to Die:
1. RUST
RUST is a widely beloved multiplayer survival game developed by Facepunch Studios. Though you won’t find any zombies in this title, unless of course, it’s Halloween time, RUST offers a different but still robust approach to combining PVE and PVP combat, with a larger focus on PVP than 7 Days to Die.
While the biggest concerns for players in 7 Days will mostly be getting ambushed by the undead, RUST will have you constantly on the lookout for enemy players and, occasionally, scientists.
The largest similarities between these two games lie in their core gameplay loop, focusing on searching points of interest and gathering resources to bring back to your base. These resources and loot are then used to improve your base and upgrade your equipment. If you’re looking for a more multiplayer-focused survival game like 7 Days to Die, then definitely consider checking out RUST.
2. State of Decay 2
Returning more directly to the zombie genre, State of Decay 2 is a combination of 3rd person shooter and a community-builder survival game developed by Undead Labs. State of Decay 2 is an immersive and extremely replayable experience focused on surviving a zombie outbreak and rebuilding society in a region.
You’ll still be collecting resources to bring back to base, but the base-building elements of this game aren’t quite as dynamic as in 7 Days to Die. This title instead tasks players with managing limited slots to choose from facilities that will best benefit their settlement.
Community is the name of the game, as players will not only be tasked with managing and providing for their characters but also developing each individual community member’s unique skills, equipment, and standing in their settlement. Be careful, though, as death is permanent, and one mistake can lead to the death of one of your precious survivors.
3. DayZ
Taking a step back from the base-building aspect and focusing more on multiplayer zombie survival, DayZ is a classic survival experience developed into a standalone game by Bohemia Interactive. This title is obsessed with the idea of hyperrealistic survival simulation, tasking players with locating food, medicine, ammo, and just about everything else among the ruins of a zombie-infested region of Eastern Europe.
Everything in DayZ is a resource, even down to the magazines that feed your guns. To acquire these resources, though, players will need to weigh the risks and potential rewards carefully. Not only will they be competing against crowds of dangerous infected but also against other players just as paranoid and desperate as they are. Make friends and work together to survive or hunt other survivors for their hard-earned loot; the choice is yours. Just remember, if you die, you’ll have to start over.
4. Project Zomboid
Project Zomboid is another extremely ambitious zombie survival simulation developed by The Indie Stone. This title developed a dedicated cult following due to its immersive gameplay, involved mechanics, and addictive challenge. A roguelike to its core, this game tasks players to survive an isometric zombie apocalypse in Kentucky as it unfolds.
This means that players will be scavenging recently abandoned houses, managing rapidly dwindling resources, and struggling to survive amidst the ever-present undead population. Though you can gradually improve your skills and base, this is one survival horror that never really transitions to a power fantasy. Combat is extremely dangerous, every wound can be fatal, and the undead are everywhere. Oh, and if you’re bitten, it’s all over. Don’t worry; you can always make a new character and try again.
5. Chernobylite
An interesting and psychological experience, Chernobylite is a first-person shooter survival game developed by The Farm 51. This title clearly takes a lot of inspiration from the iconic S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series and brings many of the concepts into the modern era. In this game, the player is tasked with traveling to areas around Chernobyl to recruit specialists, complete quests, and bring back loot that can be used to improve their hideout and equipment.
The real beauty of this title is that it takes the addictive extraction-shooter elements from games like Escape From Tarkov and formulates them into a single-player experience with involved base-management mechanics. Unlike most games on this list, Chernobylite also includes a full story for players to experience and different paths to complete it.
Branching Out
It’s always nice to find a new game that scratches that itch you didn’t even know you had. We aren’t trying to encourage you to drop your favorite game, but there are many great games with similar mechanics to 7 Days to Die that are worth a look. If you’ve seen all there is to see or want a break to try something new, we highly recommend checking out any of the titles in this list.
Now that we’ve shown off some of our favorite survival games, we want to hear about yours! Share your thoughts on these games or your own personal favorites with us on Twitter or join us on Discord!
