Top 10 NEW Survival Games of 2022

Hey, the survival game trend is still going strong in 2022. If you're looking for something to play soon, we've got 10 games from the survival genre or games with survival gameplay elements that you should keep an eye on this year.

10. V Rising

Let's get started with number 10, with "V Rising." Now, this is a bit of a different game. Rather than being a survival game as a human, this is a title that puts players into the role of a vampire. In this, players are awakened from a slumber that lasted centuries. Weak and needing blood, you begin your journey of gathering up easy prey before you're able to kind of rebuild your castle and your whole vampire life, if that's what you want to call it. However, being a vampire means sticking to the shadows during the day and thriving in the open at night. 

It's open-world and you'll be able to play online, either competitively or cooperatively, which could make for some pretty interesting situations. Be a vampire, a raider, or a diplomat. You're going to have a lot of choices, it seems. 

Ultimately, "V Rising" is pretty cool, and we definitely recommend it if you're playing on PC. 

09. Little Devil Inside

Now, next over at number nine, "Little Devil Inside" will probably catch your attention immediately if it hasn't already from a visual standpoint. It's a unique-looking, 3D-action-adventure, light survival title from the indie studio Neostream. 

Now, overall, the game puts players to the task of hunting down and taking out creatures that lurk in this fantastical world. From what the developers have claimed, "Little Devil Inside" takes on some mechanics similar to the "Harvest Moon" series. 

Now, in this game, players are hunting down creatures as a job, and you're also going through everyday life unfolding. From going on missions, gathering your resources, and other diversions, it looks as if "Little Devil Inside" is a game that has plenty of survival elements, even if they're a bit simplified. To stay alive, you'll have to endure the hostile weather conditions, fish, and cook to keep your vitals up. We know it's not going to be a full-on dedicated survival game, but these elements will definitely make it feel like a survival game. And either way, this game looks pretty awesome. 

08. (1) Rooted

Next up, we're going to combine two games into one at this point because they're actually kind of similar, but they've both gained traction, so we figured they were worth mentioning. The first game is "Rooted." 

This is a third-person-ish survival game set in a post-apocalyptic abandoned world, where, of course, there's a big focus on gathering materials and building a base and all that in these very gorgeous-looking Unreal Engine 5 woods, but also you're exploring abandoned buildings and warehouses that have become overgrown. It looks eerie, creepy, and lonely. That being said, it also looks very early. There are some parts that look pretty janky and not so hot. So we're going to judge it more when we see more and we get to actually get our hands on it. But some people found it interesting, so we wanted to mention it. 

(2) Derelicts

Another game that's very similar and that has also been gaining traction is called "Derelicts." This is also a very small project made by a very small team of one person. And this is a first-person open-world survival game with abandoned elements, with creatures, and some sci-fi elements. And it is also running on Unreal Engine 5, and it does actually look pretty gorgeous. This one looks a little more complex than "Rooted," but since they are kind of similar situations, we did want to just give them a mention here. Both of them don't have release dates, but we're keeping an eye on them.

 

07. Nightingale

Next up, at number seven, we have "Nightingale." This is an open-world, first-person, PvE survival game that just immediately seems like way more than those typical buzzword descriptions. I mean, look at the style. It's clearly fantasy-styled but also a kind of late 1800s gas lamp style. This means more fun gadgets, musket-style weapons, and cool looks for your characters. Now, along with that, some really incredible monster enemy designs. You're fighting, you're questing alone or with other friends, and you're building. But you're building cool buildings and operations from the time period. Now, the magic spin on this, while still kind of mysterious, just seems really compelling, too. 

Story and objective-wise, the game itself describes you as being stranded in a mystical world, and you need to become a skilled Realmwalker and navigate through all of these interdimensional portals to find the last bastion of humanity. It sounds crazy. I barely know what any of that means. But crafting, building, and fighting with a bit of a different feel and vibe than what we've seen before sounds good to me. 

06. Dead Matter

Now, next over at number six, "Dead Matter." This game has a long history now, after many delays, crowdfunding campaigns, and pushes. It still has a lot of potential either way. 

This is a new open-world, survival-horror-type game. For those of you who haven't heard about it, players are dropped into a post-apocalyptic world where zombies flood the world, which sounds like pretty much every other game. But as you can see from the gameplay on screen here, it's a little different. You've got to scavenge for items and seek shelter. And it's a mix of video games you're probably already familiar with, like "Tarkov" or "DayZ." There's a lot of working with other players or fighting against hostile players that are trying to get your stuff. And the developers behind this game, Quantum Integrity Software, are also making a game that focuses on customization here. There are plans to bring full modding support to the Steam Workshop. So there's potential for other players to really lend a hand in crafting something unique for this when it finally does launch. 

05. Occupy Mars: The Game

Now, next over at number five, "Occupy Mars: The Game" is a simulation survival game. As you can probably already tell from the title, players are tossed onto Mars, where the goal is to sustain life. This is done in a couple of different ways. First, you'll need to gather enough resources to build different structures. And then from there, you need to actually ensure there's enough power to keep the different places online. Managing all types of things, like, of course, power, oxygen, atmosphere, food, all that.

Now, this is a mix of simulation and strategic gameplay, from mining for goods and building solar panels to get power. It might not be for everyone, but for those that enjoy the wonders of space and are down to really play out what life could potentially be like when we start to colonize Mars, "Occupy Mars: The Game" might be worth picking up when it launches, likely later this year. 

04. Night is Coming

Next, over at number four, we have "Night is Coming." Now, this survival-building game is slated for 2022, and frankly, it looks sick. Combining survival and building elements with a horror fantasy world seems like a brilliant combination. 

You basically build out your own settlements, piece by piece, managing every element to keep people alive. From cutting down trees and making lumber, to hunting, finding food, and farming. But there are encroaching dark evil forces, and that's where what really looks like some pretty engaging combat comes in. And I love a deep town settlement builder, but when you throw in some really, really cool character and loot designs and some really cool enemy and creature designs, that seems to be a match made in heaven. 

Now, we're actually really surprised that we haven't heard more about this game because, I mean, look at it. It's one of the cooler-looking survival games coming out this year, and we really hope it lives up to it. 

03. Frostpunk 2

Now, next at number three, "Frostpunk 2." The original "Frostpunk" brought players a tough strategy game, as they attempted to build up a city in a harsh, never-ending winter. In it, players had really limited resources and a group of survivors to please. They needed a lot. Every choice you made was a critical one to keep everyone alive. So, on paper, it's not quite a survival game, but you really get the same desperate sensation. Now, with the sequel in the works, we're uncertain of just exactly when we'll get our hands on this one. It seems like this year. And in "Frostpunk 2," players will once again be put into the frigid storm the world is undergoing. But while the first game is based around a coal system to heat and power up the city, the upcoming one seems to be all about oil extraction. And as a result, players can expect another difficult survival strategy city-builder experience. 

You can also probably expect quite a few critical choices to pop up, which could flood precious resources into the city or turn the citizens against you, resulting in your demise, which happens a lot in the first game. If it's anything like that, these decisions will be absolutely crushing and hard to make. And we're sadistic, so we're looking forward to that. 

02. Sons of the Forest

Now, down to number two, "Sons of the Forest." The first game, "The Forest," from Endnight Games, was a survival title, as players were stuck in the woods looking for a means of escape and survival. It was a mix of survival and just a constant threat of creepy hostile enemies that left fans really digging it. That thing took off. There are still players discovering that game to this day. But there is a sequel coming. It's been in the works for a minute. It's called "Sons of the Forest," and players are seemingly taking a trek back into the woods as a means to hunt down the supernatural elements that lurk within them. From what we can tell so far, there is more emphasis on survival, with the players having to gather various resources and, of course, more hostile enemies lurking within the woods in the dark. You'll find that they can attack you and destroy your fortified base, which means that all that hard work might have to be completely redone before nightfall hits. If you played the first one, you know the drill. And if it's anything like the first game, it'll be a brutal yet satisfying traditional survival game. 

01. Raft

Now, down to number one, we have "Raft." "Raft" seems like a really good combination of a traditional survival game like "ARK" or something like that, mixed with something a bit more fun, like "Subnautica" or "Stranded Deep," with some boat-building co-op shenanigans like "Sea of Thieves." I really think that's the pitch right there. That's really it. And I think that's the win. 

This just launched at the time of writing this blog, but it seems like people are really loving it. There are so many games out there that half-assess the genre or just don't really bring anything fun or new, but "Raft seems to be doing it right. Celebrating some games that came before it, using those elements but just with a fun, different spin. You slowly build out a big floating home ship and try to survive a journey across a massive ocean. Of course, you have to worry about not only not dying in the traditional survival ways, but also sharks. So yeah, like I said, it seems like this one is worth checking out if you're really into the genre. 

But those are 10 survival games worth keeping an eye on throughout 2022. If you've got a new upcoming survival game that you're looking forward to this year, even if it just has some survival elements, whether it's a AAA big game or an indie game, let us know what you're looking forward to or currently playing in the comments.