Summary
There are plenty of video games that are developed by AAA studios that are practically expected to be the next big thing in gaming, long before they even hit the market. However, it’s always more exciting when anindie darlingcan catch everyone by surprise and do even more with substantially less. Such is the case withDon’t Starve Together, the multiplayer update to the acclaimed game,Don’t Starve.
Don’t Starve Togetherperfectly translates the tension and excitement of the original game into amultiplayer experience, but it’s not the only title that achieves such magic. Accordingly, there are manymultiplayer games likeDon’t Starve Togetherfor fans of the fantastic survival game to enjoy.
Updated on Jun 09, 2025 by Mark Sammut:The specifications for each recommended game have been added, including their platforms and release dates.
Despite looking like a simple title,Project Zomboid’s fun gameplay and tough challengesmade it a huge hit among survival fans. Every death feels like a lesson learned as players try to develop a wealth of skills to tackle the zombie apocalypse.
This game becomes quite engaging with friends once everyone gets a hang of how the game is played. Each session ofProject Zomboidis rife with danger and thrills, with players ruing the loss of their partners in-game when the going gets tough… which it does. A lot.
Despite being in Early Access, many players considerValheimto beone of the best survival games ever made. The objective of gaining Odin’s favor in a world inspired by Norse mythology makes for a truly great time in every way.
The co-op gameplay of this title is incredibly engaging and keeps players invested for hours on end. It’s easy to see why most people predict that this game’s full release would serve as one of the most important moments for the survival genre!
Minecraftis a survival game that needs no introduction. The title has become one of the most popular indie titles of all time, featuring a vibrant community and etching its name in the annals of pop culture history.
The simple act of scrounging materials to survive in a world whose difficulty can be governed by the player leads to a session ofMinecrafteither being extremely relaxing or devilishly challenging. This experience is enhanced when shared with a friend, with the game’s servers being abundant and legendary in their own right.
It took around six years forSpace Engineersto come out of early access although fans of the game will argue that it was well worth the wait. The game looks great! At this point, it’s overflowing with content to the point where completing it all will take players hundreds of hours. That’s not a bad return at all for a title that costs less than $15!
The game shares quite a few similarities withNo Man’s Skyin terms of its core mechanics, but where the latter chooses to focus on providing an endless sandbox for players to explore,Space Engineersinstead devotes itself to giving its players a first-class multiplayer experience. Whether or not it truly succeeds in this regard is debatable, but it’s hard to argue thatwhat it does provide isn’t both unique and enjoyable.
It’s rare to find a game that’s able to challenge players without ever feeling unfair, but that’s exactly whatOutwardmanages to achieve. Better still, as well as online multiplayer, the game also offers local split-screen which is becoming increasingly rare in the modern age. It’s certainly not without its flaws, but they’re far outweighed by the many, many positives.
Its graphics are certainly nothing to write home about, but what it lacks in visual fidelity, it more than makes up for elsewhere. The game features a slew of old-school RPG mechanics and combines them with some of the more recent survival game concepts to great effect. Choices feel meaningful and gameplay is fluid which together leads to a wonderful experience whether playing on one’s own or together with a friend.
Released in mid-2020,Groundedis one of the most original survival games on the market and, for those old enough to remember it, will likely invoke fond memories of the classic eighties comedy,Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. That’s because the plot is somewhat similar, with players taking on the roles of young children who have been shrunk down to the size of ants.
In order to survive, they’ll need to brave an army of insects while being sure not to starve or dehydrate. Much of the game takes place within the confines of a single backyard, with new areas becoming available as the main story progresses. Naturally, these new areas contain stronger, more dangerous insects like spiders and bees, ensuring that the difficulty level increases together with the player’s skill.
Those who enjoyed being thrown straight in at the deep end inDon’t Starve Togetherwill likely have a lot of fun withRaft. They’ll begin their playthrough with nothing but a single scrap of wood, but will eventually find the materials and resources needed to expand that lonely plank into the game’s titular raft. Well, they will if they can survive for long enough to find what they need, anyway.
Like many other survival games set on deserted islands,Raftplaces a big emphasis on finding food and water. Some of the islands that players visit are also home to dangerous creatures like sharks and bears, which can make exploration both challenging and exciting due to the increased dramatic tension. Exploring and surviving with friends through the game’s online multiplayer mode only makes for a more enjoyable experience.
The hand-drawn art style employed by Deli Interactive’sWe Need To Go Deeperis incredibly reminiscent of the one used inDon’t Starve Together, making this a great option for those who liked the look and feel of Klei Entertainment’s smash hit. That’s not the only thing that’s similar though, with many of the survival elements found throughout the title feeling incredibly familiar as well.
Set on a submarine deep underwater,We Need To Go Deeperallows for up to four-player co-op and forces players to deal with unusual and often terrifying sea creatures. It’s one of the more challenging survival games on the market in that respect, but, for those looking to test both themselves and, most likely, their patience with their fellow players,We Need To Go Deeperis definitely the game for them.
It was always clear thatRusthad something special about it but it took quite some time for the game to truly realize its full potential. That said, watching the game’s evolution since it debuted in 2013 has been nothing short of remarkable with improvements made right across the board. It’s still recognizable despite these many changes, but the experience it provides is entirely different today. Well, apart from the griefers, that is. Sadly, they’re still just as prevalent as ever!
Originally based onDayZ,the game has gone on to find its own identityand has become one of the most popular online survival games out there. It features crafting, base-building, hunting, and PvP as well as a wide range of customization options. The game has now sold more than nine million copies and maintains a strong and dedicated fanbase to this day. This means that finding people to play with remains simple even in spite of the game’s advancing years.
After their plane crashes in the middle of nowhere, a group of eight survivors are left stranded in the wilderness and must adapt in order to survive. As they wait to be rescued, they have to work together in order to avoid falling victim to the mysterious entities that surround them. It may have taken developer Fntastic a little longer than some would have liked to getThe Wild Eightworking as promised, but, for a low-budget crowd-funded game, the end result is pretty damn impressive.
Some may not like the game’s minimalistic art style, but those able to look past its simplicity will find a lot to like elsewhere. It features a strong narrative, solid crafting mechanics, and an intriguing world that’s sure to pull players in. Where it really shines, however, is through its multiplayer mode which helps to provide players with a real sense of purpose and an added significance to all that they do.
