Survival horror games have been a popular genre in the last decade with 7 Days to Die being one of the most popular titles to come from it. Ever since its release in 2013, we have seen many games like 7 Days to Die released. The many different post-apocalyptic worlds and unique creatures, environmental hazards, and sometimes multiplayer are all tropes of the genre. It is always interesting to see how a survival horror game will pan out. With the many titles to choose from there is one for everyone.
If you are a fan of 7 Days to Die we have prepared a comprehensive list of similar games. We have picked the top 20 survival horror games that share elements with 7 Days to Die. Even if you haven’t tried out 7 Days to Die yet if you see yourself like many games on your list you might as well try it as well. Nonetheless, let us get into our top 20 picks for the best games like 7 Days to Die.
The Forest
Our first pick is The Forest, a game that puts you in a place of a lone survivor of a jet crash aside from your son. Before you pass out you see some natives take away your son to an undisclosed location. As you play you quickly realize you have crash landed on an island full of cannibals. Furthermore, the worst of all you do not yet know the fate of your son. You must survive the dangers on the island while uncovering its secrets and locating your son.
The game developed by Endnight Games is very well received and a must-play for all survival horror game fans. Furthermore, the game supports multiplayer and is one of the best ways to play the game. The thrilling experience of dwelling in dark and terrifying caves with your friends is something you do not want to miss out on. The game’s success and amazing story have led to a sequel called Sons of The Forest. Which sold over 2 million copies in 24 hours after entering early access.
DayZ
DayZ is a multiplayer-only zombie survival game in which you compete with other survivors for limited resources as you fight to survive. Navigating the land overrun with zombies encourages you to team up with strangers or friends. The nature of the game supports roleplaying and building up amazing stories. Players will quickly see the game has a lot of content with so much replayability thanks to the multiplayer aspect of the game. We highly recommend DayZ to anyone looking for an unforgiving and authentic open-world sandbox online game.
DayZ is a standalone game based on a very popular mod of the same name in ARMA 2. Developed and published by Bohemia Interactive the game since its release in 2013. The game has had a stable player base which attributes to its worth ever since.
The Evil Within
Developed by Tango Gameworks and published by Bethesda Softworks the hit survival horror game The Evil Within has captivated the hearts of many. The game was directed by the Resident Evil series creator, whose influence can be clearly seen in some parts of the game. Initially released back in 2014 on all consoles the game has seen a sequel in 2017. There is no news so far about the next installment in the series.
The game’s story centers on the protagonist Sebastian Castellanos as he is pulled through a nightmarish world full of horrid creatures. The Evil Within perfectly captures the balance between horror and survival. It is played in a third-person perspective where the player must scavenge supplies and learn to pick fights. Especially important since ammunition is limited and enemies are dangerous to face head-on. However, the creatures are not the only threat, the game throws many traps and repeating boss enemies. Uncovering the story and surviving is another highlight of the game. This is exactly why so many players replay the game a couple of times.
Subnautica
A unique entry on our list fits the survival horror genre by investigating a common fear, the endless sea, and unknown areas. The setting of the game puts the player in control of the lone survivor of the Aurora, a large spaceship that crashlanded mysteriously. Ryley, the survivor, must navigate the oceanic world all while looking for a way home. As he explores an unexpected and deeper narrative is uncovered placing the player in an interesting situation. The main horror of the game comes from exploring vast and endless depths while looking for materials to survive and find your way home. All while keeping a keen eye for any hostile creatures.
Subnautica is a very successful game that shines on blind playthroughs due to the way how it handles stories. It is a unique experience every survival horror fan has to experience. Furthermore, if the first game keeps you wanting more you are in luck since there is already a sequel out. The sequel further builds the world and brings in new and interesting setting that sets up more games for the future.
State of Decay 2
State of Decay 2 is a zombie survival game that focuses on scavenging for items as you navigate the desolate world. The game is played in a third-person view set in an open world and has multiplayer for up to four players. What makes this one of the games like 7 Days to Die is the base building mechanic. To get the perfect base and ensure their survival players must reinforce and improve their various facilities. The gameplay offers a lot of depth due to the many intriguing mechanics and unique characteristics of survivors.
The game developed by Undead Labs is published by Microsoft Studios and released in 2018. With a sequel coming maybe in the near future, this is the best time to play through the game.
Resident Evil 2
The Resident Evil series is a staple in the survival horror genre and has a compelling and interesting world to explore. When we say Resident Evil 2 we are referring to the 2019 remake of the original developed and published by Capcom. We can firmly say the game is one of the best survival horror games you can play. The best part is that you can go into it blind and learn about the vast world of Resident Evil.
The gameplay features third-person shooting elements, unlike the locked camera of the originals. In the spotlight is the rookie police officer Leon S. Kennedy who makes his way toward Racoon city to start his first shift at the police department. Before getting to the city he meets Claire Redfield who is looking for her missing brother, only to have the gas station overrun by zombies as well as the rest of Racoon City. This sets our protagonists in a tough spot as they figure out what is happening and survive the horrors that await them.
Don’t Starve
Don’t Starve is a survival video game and the first indie game on our list and one of the games like 7 Days to Die. The game is available on all platforms including mobile. Its gameplay features a top-down camera that looks upon the 2D world full of unusual creatures. Players have to collect basic materials and set up their base of operations as they explore the world and uncover its secrets. One thing is quickly apparent, and that is that something is lurking in the dark and shadows. If the player is ever found in complete darkness they are attacked by an unknown entity. This sets up a mechanic where players will always want to be in bright and safe areas not only to survive but keep their sanity. Players can experience hallucinations and projections of the unknown entity if they neglect their needs and sanity.
All this makes for a great gameplay loop as you explore the world, its creatures, and the technological developments you can make. Through the game, you will be put up against bosses which hold important items to help your escape from the desolate space you are in. Lastly, the game has a counterpart that supports multiplayer called Don’t Starve Together.
Project Zomboid
Project Zomboid is one of the best open-world isometric zombie survival games on the market. It is set in a post-apocalyptic and zombie-invested world. The ambitious project has some of the most in-depth mechanics within the horror survival genre. There is meticulous attention to detail in all the available mechanics. Upon starting the game players have to create their survivors by selecting special traits. Each trait has its ups and downs so be careful how you set your character up.
A big theme in the game is realism and it is excellently implemented. Just like in real life your character has their needs and has to learn how to fight, craft, treat themselves, and so much more. While the game has a bit of a learning curve getting the hang of it and setting up a large base all by yourself is extremely rewarding. Project Zomboid also features multiplayer support so you can share the experience with a friend or stranger online.
Dying Light
A survival horror game focused on parkour and the unique infection that plagues the game’s people. The story follows an undercover agent who has infiltrated a quarantine zone in the city of Harran. Our protagonist arrives at the zombie-interested city, and while the zombies are tolerable during the day, the night is a whole different story. As the sun sets the infected become extremely aggressive and fast, with more dangerous special variants coming out. The protagonist quickly gets infected and needs Antizin, a drug that slows the process of infection and suppresses its symptoms.
What starts as a drug hunt becomes a thrilling story of uncovering the truth behind the infection and userping the bandits that hoard it. As the game continues the truth is revealed and our agent manages to complete his mission as his fate is left undetermined.
The Long Dark
This is a first-person survival video game that has two main modes players can play through. First, you have survival mode which is set in an open world where the player selects the region they spawn in. The main goal is to survive for as long as possible by any means necessary. With a great emphasis on scavenging and utilizing whatever resources they have at their disposal, the player has a long journey ahead of them. By navigating the landscape and surviving harsh weather conditions ultimately the survival mode is made for the player to have their own fun and only ends in the player’s death.
While the second gameplay mode is the story mode, an episodic adventure game with survival elements that removes the permadeath from survival mode. The player takes control of a crash-landed pilot struggling to survive after a geomagnetic storm.
Little Nightmares
Little Nightmares is a puzzle-platform horror game set in a 2.5D world. In which the player traverses through various platformer elements and puzzles all while rendered helpless due to not having any combat abilities. Players have to rely on stealth and cunning tricks to hide from various terrifying enemies.
The story follows a nine-year-old girl in a yellow raincoat who awakens from a dream. Equipped with only a lighter she sneaks through the bowels of the Maw where she encounters many small skittish creatures. Going onward the girl parkours and hides to avoid her enemies all with the goal of ultimately escaping the hellscape she has found herself in.
Dead Island
Dead Island is a very successful game series and is a classic zombie survival game. The original title is the one we will be talking about here since it set the tone for future games. Dead Island features an open world just as do some of the other games like 7 Days to Die. Players control the characters in a first-person perspective as they cut down through hoards of zombies. With the option of 4-player multiplayer the game is always fun to go through.
The story starts at a high-profile party where our cast is awakened by a voice over the emergency intercom urging them to evacuate. Quickly they discover that most of the population on the island has been overcome by an infectious plague rendering them psychopathic and flesh-eating creatures. The rest of the story follows the survivors as they discover their miraculous immunity to the infection and struggle to survive as they uncover what’s really going on.
Until Dawn
Until Dawn is one of the best games to come from Supermassive Games and is an interactive horror video game. The game plays out like an interactive movie where the player’s choices determine what happens and which ending they get. This is done through a butterfly effect system where key choices change the direction of the game in an instant.
The plot follows a teenage party at a lodge on Blackwood Mountain. The group of teens arrives at the lodge through a cable car only for strange things to start happening. As the night progresses the group quickly realizes they are not alone and suspects a killer is running about. What turns out to be an elaborate prank from one of the members of the group turns sour once unnerving creatures are discovered. The disfigured, hairless, and feral creatures named wendigos start hunting the group as they struggle to survive. Players have to make the right decisions and navigate all the teens towards survival in hopes they make it until dawn.
Left 4 Dead 2
Left 4 Dead 2 is a classic first-person shooting survival game developed and published by Valve. The gameplay involves four survivors arming up and moving through a select chapter of the game. These chapters have their unique maps, settings, and challenges they throw at the group of survivors. To complete a chapter you have to with your group get through to the safe room while shooting anything that gets in your way. It is quick and easy to mow down hundreds of basic zombies and ultimately that would be boring. Luckily the game has special infected that require the team to play a ascertain way which gives the game life.
Everything is crafted perfectly, from the gunplay to the map design all are made to perfect the player experience. Furthermore, the game has a large modding community that has created everything from skins to completely new maps. Left 4 Dead 2 is one of the games like 7 Days to Die which is a must-try for all survival horror fans.
Dead Space
For anyone that has been on the internet for a while knows the reputation Dead Space has. That is one of the most horrifying games of the past decades. Created by Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey, developed by Visceral games is a must-try title. Set in the future where humanity has colonized other planets. In this universe by the 23rd century, humanity has used up the most available natural resources. Forcing the government to set out to space and harvest resources by breaking apart other planets to gather materials. Upon discovering an alien artifact research attempt to create an infinite power source by reverse engineering it.
The plan ultimately backfires and causes the dead to reanimate and become Necromorphs, aggressive biological monstrosities. And as the player, you are thrown right into the fray and have to survive what the game throws at you. All the games in the series are a unique experience that is thrilling yet interesting. Definitely a must-play for any fan looking for a scary experience they will never forget.
The Last of Us
One of the most highly regarded and popular games of all time is The Last of Us, an action-adventure game. The game has one of the most captivating stories in gaming, so popular it got its own TV adaptation. In this universe, an outbreak of a mutant Cordyceps fungus ravages the United States and transforms any human hosts into aggressive creatures. These creatures are commonly referred to as the infected within the game universe. Our protagonist is Joel accompanied by a teenage girl Ellie.
The girl is special since she is immune to the Cordyceps and may be the key to finding the cure. The rest of the story follows the duo as they aim to reach Salt Lake City and hopefully cure the world. Throughout the journey, we get many beautiful moments and cherish the relationship the duo builds up.
Outlast
One of the classic survival horror games is Outlast, developed and published by Red Barrels. This unique title at the time was stunning and has held its own over the years. In the game, the player assumes the role of a journalist who navigates a psychiatric hospital. The journalist is set on finding out if any inhumane things are happening and sneaks into the hospital. Only to discover that the entire hospital is ransacked and littered with mutilated corpses of the staff. Informed by a dying officer of the dangerous inmates roaming about, our journalist is implored to escape.
Neglecting the wishes of the officer we go deeper into the building to record everything on our trusty camcorder. After narrowly escaping many deranged inmates we figure out there is a subterranean laboratory below the psychiatric hospital. Once here we discover the horrors of what really happened here.
Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation is a survival horror game based on the Alien movie series. The single-player game puts the player in control of Amanda Ripley as she explores a space station and completes objectives. This is all while facing various hostile human survivors as well as an Alien. Amanda has to resort to stealth and deceit to avoid the Alien and survive. What makes this game unique is the fact that the Alien has the ability to investigate disturbances and hunt the player by sight or sound.
However, the interesting part is that for sound the game can pick up your microphone for the most immersive experience.
Dead Rising
Dead Rising is a game franchise that takes place in fictional cities overrun by zombies. The first game and the one in question take place in a shopping mall in the town of Willamette. Unlike other additions to this list, Dead Rising likes to have fun and be silly at times. This can be seen through some of the weapons and ways you can kill groups of zombies.
Players gain control over Frank West, a photojournalist that ends up trapped in a shopping mall infested with zombies. Throughout the story we see Frank deal with the zombies and save various people in the mall. All while documenting everything as the survivors wait to be rescued from the mall and taken to safety.
Dead by Daylight
What better way to end our list than a fun yet thrilling survival horror game you can play with your friends. The game puts up four survivors against one killer with the goal of escape for the survivors. Survivors have to repair five generators and open up the exit gates while dodging the killer’s attempts to sacrifice them to the Entity. The killer roster features unique and interesting original characters as well as popular killers such as Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger.
The game is thrilling and scary especially since an actual player is piloting the killers. Which makes them unpredictable and scarier than simply playing against artificial intelligence. Furthermore, the game gets regular updates which improve the gameplay and balance of the game.
