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How to Survive similar games & best alternatives

How to Survive

PC (Microsoft Windows), Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 • 2014

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Quick resume

“A real Gem” – Destructoid at E3 “Offers a different experience for zombie game veterans” – Co-Optimus“Has a lot more going for it than smashing brains and gory, red goo ... With a surprisingly deep crafting system” – GamesRadarYou're shipwrecked on an isolated island, a desperate castaway in a total freakshow world. How will you survive?

Global score

83/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Role-playing (RPG), Arcade, Tactical

Similar games

    Pros

    • Engaging crafting system
    • Fun cooperative gameplay
    • Varied weapons and enemies
    • Humorous survival guides
    • Good value on sale

    Cons

    • Short and repetitive story mode
    • Limited inventory space
    • Camera issues in co-op
    • Some bugs and crashes
    • Lack of deeper character customization

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Cooperation, Fellowship, Intimacy, Leadership. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Intimacy, Status, Leadership.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players can choose among multiple characters with unique skills and freely craft various weapons and items from found materials, allowing personal control over playstyle."

    • Competence
      3

      "Game involves skillful combat, crafting, and resource management with increasing difficulty and challenge modes, but some repetitive quests and limited skill trees moderate the challenge."

    • Competition
      -3

      "Focus is mainly on solo or cooperative play with friends rather than competitive ranked modes or leaderboards."

    • Continuation
      2

      "Players report engaging gameplay with some replayability via challenges and DLC, though some find the story mode short and repetitive."

    • Cooperation
      4

      "Supports 2-player local and online co-op modes with cooperative gameplay emphasized, though some camera and inventory sharing issues noted."

    • Creativity
      4

      "Extensive crafting system allows combining many found items into weapons, armor, and consumables, encouraging experimentation and creativity."

    • Domination
      -4

      "Gameplay emphasizes cooperative survival and shared objectives rather than dominating or exerting power over other players."

    • Escapism
      3

      "Players enjoy escaping into a zombie survival scenario with humor and engaging mechanics, providing distraction and fun."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily for fun and interest, often waiting for sales to purchase; no indication of obligation or pressure."

    • Experimenting
      4

      "Encouraged to try different crafting recipes and weapon combinations; exploration and experimentation are core gameplay elements."

    • Exploration
      3

      "Players explore multiple islands with varied environments, uncovering recipes, quests, and secrets, though maps are somewhat linear."

    • Expression
      2

      "Character choice and some customization via skill trees exist, but limited cosmetic personalization reported."

    • Fantasy
      3

      "Zombie apocalypse setting with exaggerated enemies and humorous elements provides imaginative fiction experience."

    • Fellowship
      3

      "Community and cooperative play foster social connection, though some players prefer solo play."

    • Growth
      3

      "Character progression through experience and skill trees, plus learning crafting recipes, supports personal development."

    • Health
      -4

      "Game is sedentary with no physical activity; players manage character's health but no real-world physical engagement."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires active attention to combat, resource management, and crafting; not suited for background or idle play."

    • Intimacy
      -3

      "Social interaction limited to cooperative gameplay; no evidence of forming close emotional relationships."

    • Leadership
      -2

      "No explicit leadership roles; cooperative play involves shared decision-making without dominant authority."

    • Progression
      4

      "Players accumulate items, weapons, and upgrades through crafting and leveling, driving forward progression."

    • Relaxation
      1

      "Some players find the game relaxing and fun, but survival pressures and combat can create tension."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Visual gore, sound effects, and combat animations provide sensory stimulation and excitement."

    • Status
      -4

      "No social status or ranking systems; achievements and recognition are mostly individual and low-profile."

    • Story
      1

      "Story is simple and mostly a vehicle for quests; some humorous narrative elements but limited depth."

    • Strategy
      3

      "Players must plan resource use, crafting, and combat tactics; higher difficulties require more strategic thinking."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Nighttime threats and survival mechanics add suspense and occasional tension, though some find it manageable."

    • Value
      4

      "Frequently praised for good value especially when purchased on sale; provides many hours of entertainment."

    • Violence
      4

      "Enjoyable combat with various weapons and gore effects; killing zombies is a core fun element."

    • Survival
      3

      "Players must manage hunger, thirst, fatigue, and health while combating threats, embodying survival gameplay."

    Last update: 29/04/2026