Like Rust? Here are 8 survival games you’ll love
We know you love Rust as much as the next gamer. But if your survival skills are feeling a little, well… rusty, it might be time to try your hand at something new.
So, sharpen your spears, reload your weapons, and equip your gas masks, because you never know what challenges these eight new worlds are going to throw at you…
1. DayZ
First developed back in 2012, DayZ is a classic zombie survival game that packs a nostalgic punch. Set in the fictional post-Soviet republic of Chernarus, the goal of DayZ is simple – to stay alive and stay healthy in the wake of a brutal zombie apocalypse.
Each player begins the game with just the basics – simple clothing, a glow stick, and a piece of fruit – and from there, it’s up to you to scavenge food, water, and other equipment needed to survive in the vast 225km2 landscape.
The game has a brutal learning curve, which often puts off inexperienced players at the beginning – but once you get going, you’ll see why it still has a cult-like following after a decade.
2. Project Zomboid
DayZ not terrifying enough? Project Zomboid could be just the zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic survival game for you.
Set in the partially fictional Knox Country of Kentucky in the United States, the gameplay begins as the world starts to end – with the “Knox Infection” spreading rapidly via saliva, blood and, eventually, the air (though your character is mysteriously immune to the latter form of transmission).
You can choose to spawn in one of four starting towns, depending on your chosen occupation before the outbreak. As you make your way through the game, you’ll find that the surrounding area also begins to degrade with the elimination of humanity – a detail that adds to the game’s horrifying realism. Your only goal? Survival – and even that’s not guaranteed.
3. Conan Exiles
Crucified and left for dead under the scorching desert sun, all hope appears lost for your character… and that’s before the gameplay has even started. That’s how all players begin their journey in Conan Exiles, with the eponymous Conan coming to your rescue and leaving you to navigate the godforsaken landscape as an exile.
Since its original release in 2017, several new biomes have been added – including the Frozen North, Savannah, Floodlands, and Ashlands – expanding the explorable game map to around 53km2.
You can play in vanilla mode or enhance your experience with a range of mods available (some of which can get pretty hardcore – you’ve been warned). Either way, it’s bound to be a new favourite.
4. Scum
Battle Royale meets Prison Break in this multiplayer online survival game. Up to 80 players per server compete to survive and successfully escape the island they’ve been imprisoned on – not just through brute force, but through a combination of strength, dexterity, constitution and intelligence as they seek to remove the implant that’s keeping them from leaving.
Developed by Croatian studio Gamepires, it’s been available on early access since 2018 and only received a full release in June 2025. But what it lacks in years it makes up for in innovation. Players love the attention to detail given to worldbuilding, the build diversity offered by the points attribute system, and the hyper-realism around how disease and metabolism affect your character.
5. Palworld
Let’s take a break from zombie horror and forced imprisonment, and instead turn our attention to something you can play with your “Pals”. No, not your real-life human friends… we’re talking about the 187 different species of cute Pokémon-style monsters that populate the aptly named “Palworld”.
Players are let loose to explore the game’s open-world Palpagos Islands, managing their hunger levels, inventory, home bases and, of course, their Pals. You can choose to engage in combat with the Pals, ultimately weakening them enough to allow you to capture them and add them to your “Pal Spheres”. However, if you prefer to take an easier route, players can simply buy Pals through the game’s Black Market or trade with other players on the server.
6. Valheim
While Valheim is still classed as an “upcoming” game, it’s been available on early access release since 2021 – making it the newest feature of our list. Despite this, it has achieved unicorn status and become both a commercial and critical success.
Players are immersed in the open world as fallen Vikings, crafting tools, building shelters, fighting enemies, and foraging for food in order to survive. Throughout the game, players have the opportunity to work on a large number of skills, with the potential to increase them to level 100.
With an ultimate goal of destroying the seven bosses that lie within the game’s seven distinct biomes, players will certainly need to be skilled in order to prove themselves worthy to ascend to Valhalla.
7. ARK
Humans and dinosaurs may have never co-existed in the real world, but in ARK, there are 194 species to encounter – and you can ride pretty much all of them.
While realism may not be ARK’s strong suit, adventure certainly is. Besides one of the core game mechanics of taming creatures, players must learn to harvest, craft, build, and keep an eye on their health bar.
Released in 2017, the game has a tight-knit community of staunch fans who love the ability to traverse the open world, either through a first- or third-person perspective. It’s important to note that some players have found the controls janky and difficult to adjust to – though as one reviewer from IGN put it, “Even with all of those quirks, however, I'm still hungry to play more after the 60 hours I've spent so far.”
8. Minecraft
What, did you really think you’d manage to read a whole Fasthosts gaming blog without us shoehorning Minecraft? Well, this is less of a blatant shoehorn and more of a nod to one of the classics.
While Minecraft might not be the first game that comes to mind when you think of the survival genre, it has all the fundamentals. Players must navigate a pixelated world, slaying malicious mobs as they explore the never-ending game map – the biome of which can change from jungle, to desert, to fiery hellscape in an instant.
Some might brush this game off as being too family-friendly – but that’s where mods come in. Whether its paranoia-inducing encounters with The Boiled One or escaping the animatronic clutches of the unfriendly staff of Five Nights at Freddy’s, there are plenty of survivalist challenges to keep you on your toes.
Don’t just survive, thrive – with your own Fasthosts gaming server
The goal of any survival game is simple: to survive. But when it comes to your real-world gaming experience, don’t just settle for the bare bones – safeguard your gameplay with a Fasthosts UK Game Server.
Ready to dive into the dino-infested fantasy world of ARK, build your pixelated paradise in Minecraft, or just stick with old reliable Rust? You can get started with a Fasthosts server from just £5 per month. Speak to our expert team to find the right plan for you.