Summary
There’s no doubt that survival games haveexploded in popularity over the last decade, with them often providing an intense and difficult challenge. Still, because of how differently a lot of these games play from one another, it does mean a fan of one game isn’t exactly guaranteed to love another, even if they do consider themselves a lover of the genre in general.
There are quite a few survival games on Steam thatprovide a free demo for players to test outbefore they go all-in with making a purchase, allowing them to get used to the gameplay loop to see if it’s something that might be up their alley. Survival games can often incorporate unique mechanics to help them stand out, but these can also be divisive, so it never hurts to download a demo first to get a feel for how the game works.
Some of the games listed below have not yet been fully released, but they all still offer a demo for players to try to help decide whether the full experience will be worth the purchase later down the line.
1Vector Zone
Players Must Become The Leader Of A Survivor Group
Vector Zonedrops players into a massive sandbox sprawling with weapons and resources, but alsobloodthirsty zombieswho may be pretty weak on their own but can be terrifying when part of a bigger horde. What helps set the game apart from other similar survival titles is that players aren’t just trying to keep themselves alive, since they will assume the role of a group leader who must try and find as much food and equipment as possible for their allies back at camp, and for their survival.
This adds a whole extra layer of tension to the moment-by-moment gameplay since while in most games it can be easy to simply skip over an item if it’s too much hassle to grab, inVector Zone, everything becomes useful because there’s always going to be someone who could use it. The game also involves a pretty in-depth building system, allowing players to gradually evolve their small and humble camp into a much bigger fortress over time. Survival Sphere Studios has stated thatVector Zonewill be released very soon, but players should download the demo first to see if it stands out enough from its competitors.
2Trans-Siberian Railway Simulator
Surviving On The Longest Railway In The World Is Far From An Easy Task
While players will start in a cozy locomotive traveling across the longest railway line in the world for the first few moments of this game, they’ll quickly realize that this is far from a simpletrain simulator. At random intervals, the vehicle will completely break down, forcing the player to venture into the beautiful landscape of Siberia to find supplies to keep them alive for the journey ahead, while also managing a whole host of health meters.
Hunger, thirst, illness, and even alcohol must all be maintained by the player when traveling on foot, but because of how many bandits andferocious animalsare out in the wild, it can make exploration extremely difficult and a true challenge for even the most seasoned survival fans. The game currently offers an expansive demo, which gives a good insight into the mechanics and the core gameplay loop that players will be immersing themselves in if they choose to buy the full version when it releases.
Last Train Homehas been advertised by its developers as a “Survival RTS Game,” and while that might sound a little odd at first, Ashborne Games has somehow managed to merge the two genres extremely well in this intense game set during the Russian Civil War. Players take control of a group of Czechoslovak soldiers who are desperately trying to escape the conflict via armored train, but along the way, they will be forced to do battle with soldiers who will do everything in their power to block their retreat.
Because the player is always on the backfoot during encounters, often having barely any weapons or ammunition compared to the militarized enemy forces, it does make every battle feel like a fight for survival. During said battles, players will need to keep their eyes peeled for any items or resources that they can use to fend off enemies and to raise their allies' morale. Outside of combat, it’s extremely important to ensure that the group is healthy enough to make it to safety, while also keeping a close eye on the state of the train itself. This is undoubtedly a fascinating take on the survival genre that is well worth trying out beforehand considering just how unique it is as an experience.
Anyone who loves single-player survival experiences that are as scary as they are challenging needs to try outRoad to Vostok, an upcoming game that feels very similar to theMetroseries in its mysterious and bleak tone and aesthetic. The aim is pretty simple - travel across the long and dangerous border zone to enter Vostok, but since the border is crawling with nightmarish creatures and shifty humans, it means that the journey is going to be far from easy.
Alongside looting every house in sight, players will also need to trade items with any merchants they find to try and get a hold of the items and resources that they need the most, especially when their character begins suffering from a medical illness. What ramps up the challenge of the game is the area of Vostok itself which, when entered,will automatically activate permadeath. If the player dies at this point, they will lose all their equipment, along with their save files, and while some will love this brutal challenge, others might find it a little too tricky, but the demo gives a good idea of the kind of challenge that can be expected.
5When The Light Dies
A Survival Game With A Few Roguelite Elements Thrown In For Good Measure
Anyone who has ever played the hit survival gameDon’t Starvewill probably recognize the art style and some of the mechanics found inWhen the Light Dies, but this game also incorporates a handful ofroguelite elementsthat help set it apart. While there are plenty of upgrades and skills that players can acquire as they progress through the game, by far the biggest challenge ofWhen the Light Diesis simply staying alive in the first place, especially considering that the player will need to replenish both their health and sanity regularly.
Letting the lantern’s light die out can also spell a quick end for a character, as not only will the darkness rapidly drain their sanity, but it will also encourage the monsters that lurk in the shadows to become much more aggressive. There’s also a very innovative risk and reward system built into the game where players can spend some of their sanity to learndark magic, which will keep them safe in the long term but will have disastrous effects later down the line. Anyone skeptical about whether this mixture of genres is something they’d enjoy should without a doubt give the free demo a shot.
