Guide: Best PS4 Survival Games

What are the best PS4 survival games? Survival games are one of the most popular genres of late, putting players in challenging scenarios and forcing them to overcome with limited resources. In this article, we’re going to list the best PS4 survival games, with an emphasis on titles that force you to scavenge for resources and craft items that will help keep you alive. If you’re looking for more of the Best PS4 Games, then check out our guides to the Best PS4 Single Player Story Games and Best PS4 RPGs.

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Below is a full list of the best PS4 survival games, presented in no particular order, as determined by our editorial team.

Rust Console Edition (PS4)

Rust Console Edition (PS4)Rust Console Edition (PS4)

Publisher: Double Eleven / Developer: Double Eleven

Release Date: 21st May 2021 (USA) / 21st May 2021 (UK/EU)

It’s rough around the edges, but Rust Console Edition’s persistent online gameplay systems make it unlike anything else on this list. This is a game where you start out stranded on a beach with nothing, but if you can survive assaults from other players you can gradually build a safehouse to work out of. This will persist on any server even after you turn off the game, but it can be raided and looted by industrious opponents while you’re away. A unique experience that doesn’t feel particularly polished on PS4 but is extremely addictive.

For more information, read our Rust Console Edition PS4 review.

Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition (PS4)

Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition (PS4)Minecraft: PlayStation 4 Edition (PS4)

Publisher: Mojang / Developer: Mojang

Release Date: 2nd Sep 2014 (USA) / 4th Sep 2014 (UK/EU)

Minecraft may not be the most obvious survival game from its appearance, but this is a release where you start out stranded in a colossus, unexplored world and must gather resources in order to construct a safehouse and begin building tools and weapons. The loop sees you largely safe during the day, but Creepers come out at night, so you’ll need to work fast in order to ensure your safety when the sun comes down. The best thing about this game compared to others on the list is that its vibrant presentation makes it appealing to players of all ages, where the survival genre tends to focus primarily on horror.

For more information, read our Minecraft PS4 review.

Song in the Smoke (PS4)

Song in the Smoke (PS4)Song in the Smoke (PS4)

Publisher: 17-BIT / Developer: 17-BIT

Release Date: 7th Oct 2021 (USA) / 7th Oct 2021 (UK/EU)

Left to fend for yourself in the hostile wilderness, Song in the Smoke takes familiar survival mechanics and ups the intensity by plunging you into a deserted world using PSVR. You’ll need to build clothes and equipment, and pay close attention to the environment in order to hunt and tame your prey.

The Long Dark (PS4)

The Long Dark (PS4)The Long Dark (PS4)

Publisher: Hinterland / Developer: Hinterland

Release Date: 1st Aug 2017 (USA) / 8th Aug 2017 (UK/EU)

More of a survival simulation than many of the other games on this list, The Long Dark incorporates body temperature and wind chill to create a survival experience unlike others. While you will need to pay attention to threats from the local wildlife, this open world excursion set within the Canadian wilderness emphasises your ongoing battle against the elements, and even features an episodic story mode for those who demand a bit more narrative in their endurance adventure.

For more information, read our The Long Dark PS4 review.

Stranded Deep (PS4)

Stranded Deep (PS4)Stranded Deep (PS4)

Publisher: BEAM Team Games / Developer: BEAM Team Games

Release Date: 21st Apr 2020 (USA) / 21st Apr 2020 (UK/EU)

Harsh, hostile worlds are the backdrop of choice for most survival games, but Stranded Deep plumps up for an idyllic island under the baking sun. Of course, given that you’ve crash-landed, you’re going to have to contend with many of the most basic human needs: thirst, hunger, and flesh-eating sharks.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners (PS4)

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners (PS4)The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners (PS4)

Publisher: Skydance Interactive / Developer: Skydance Interactive

Release Date: 5th May 2020 (USA) / 5th May 2020 (UK/EU)

A PSVR exclusive where you must survive the undead infested city of New Orleans. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is a survival game where you must persist against all odds, scavenging for supplies in a hostile location, while taking on missions from various survivors in order to earn caches of valuable resources. As this game is designed for virtual reality, its immersion is unparalleled, and with new content to expand the experience, this is one of the deeper PSVR titles you can buy.

Don’t Starve (PS4)

Don't Starve (PS4)Don't Starve (PS4)

Publisher: Klei Entertainment / Developer: Klei Entertainment

Release Date: 7th Jan 2014 (USA) / 8th Jan 2014 (UK/EU)

In terms of presentation, Don’t Starve is a little different to the other games on this list: it has a hand-drawn art style, and is presented from a top-down perspective. However, many of the same survival principles remain: you need to collect resources in order to sustain yourself in a hostile world. The loop is a little more geared towards short play sessions than some of the other releases on this list, so it can make for a great time filler despite its high level of difficulty.

For more information, read our Don’t Starve PS4 review.

Subnautica: Below Zero (PS4)

Subnautica: Below Zero (PS4)Subnautica: Below Zero (PS4)

Publisher: Bandai Namco / Developer: Unknown Worlds Entertainment

Release Date: 14th May 2021 (USA) / 14th May 2021 (UK/EU)

The ocean is a vast unexplored expanse, and it’s the backdrop for Subnautica and its frigid follow-up, Subnautica: Below Zero. Despite taking place beneath the ocean, many familiar survival mechanics feature here, as you gather resources to gradually delve deeper into the unknown. With a vibrant aesthetic and a foreboding underwater world, this is a different type of survival game that manages to feel fresh despite its surface similarities.

For more information, read our Subnautica: Below Zero PS5 review.

The Forest (PS4)

The Forest (PS4)The Forest (PS4)

Publisher: Endnight Games / Developer: Endnight Games

Release Date: 6th Nov 2018 (USA) / 6th Nov 2018 (UK/EU)

One of the most popular survival games on this list, The Forest sees you hunkering down in a terrifying landscape, where you’ll be confronted by a clan of mutants. The twist is that the peninsula’s cannibalistic tribe may not immediately appear aggressive, and will even try to communicate with you, raising questions of morality as well as survival.

For more information, read our The Forest PS4 review.

No Man’s Sky (PS4)

No Man's Sky (PS4)No Man's Sky (PS4)

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment / Developer: Hello Games

Release Date: 9th Aug 2016 (USA) / 10th Aug 2016 (UK/EU)

Most survival games focus on the Earth, but in No Man’s Sky you’ll find yourself navigating the universe, procedurally generated planets and discovering new species – both ferocious and friendly. You’ll need to pay special attention to your stock of resources, ensuring you always have enough oxygen and fuel to get about. You’ll also need to trade with local inhabitants, in order to expand your arsenal of equipment and even fleet.

For more information, read our No Man’s Sky PS5 review.

What do you think are the best PS4 survival games? Be sure to check out our list of Best PS4 Games, and then set up camp in the comments section below.

Source: https://www.pushsquare.com/guides/best-ps4-survival-games

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