The Best Xbox Game Pass Survival Games
Survival games, also known as roguelikes, are incredibly challenging games with vast worlds and minimal story direction. Players must die and die again until they perfect their strategy and skills to progress. If you're looking for an intense gaming experience, Game Pass offers a wide selection of unique and compelling survival games. Here are some of the most enjoyable games that will push your limits:
Signalis
This 2.5D survival horror game throws players into a derelict spaceship. The walls are glowing, and strange materials block their way. With limited space in their backpack, players can only carry a few items. Solving the game's puzzles requires constant backtracking through the ship. Signalis stands out as one of the best survival games on Game Pass, featuring an interesting forced third-dimensionality style.
Darkest Dungeon
While many survival games focus on grinding, this RPG takes a different approach. It emphasizes permadeath and the mental health of the heroes. Fail to protect them, and their mental state deteriorates as they succumb to paranoia, fear, or other factors. The dungeons you'll face are as dangerous as your heroes, which forces you to be strategic and make the most of limited resources. Darkest Dungeon is a worthy addition to the Game Pass lineup.
Valheim
Valheim immerses players in a Viking-inspired survival game. Players must craft weapons, gather food, and defend against dangerous foes. Managing hunger and thirst becomes crucial, and gathering resources like wood, stone, and iron is essential for survival. The procedurally generated open world offers plenty of opportunities for exploration and adventure.
The Bunker
In The Bunker, players assume the role of a man infected with an unknown disease. Trapped in a narrow WW1 bunker with only a radio for company, they join a small team of scientists working on a cure. However, something lurks in the dark corners of the basement, and survival becomes the top priority. This narrative-focused survival game offers an exceptionally well-told story as players desperately search for the cure.
Soma
Life on Earth has become unsustainable, and the only hope lies in starting a new life elsewhere. Players and their crew members discover the underwater facility known as PATHOS-II, but the ship is deserted, and strange monsters roam around, posing a constant threat. In addition to managing hunger, players must navigate this thought-provoking narrative-driven experience and avoid becoming prey to the lurking monsters.
Vampire Survivors
In the Xbox Game Pass library, Vampire Survivors offers a unique take on survival. Players are turned into vampires and must survive hordes of enemies. This action-packed game challenges players to click furiously on their keyboards as they face zombies, bats, witches, and other horrors. Upgrading weapons and stocking up on garlic after each fight becomes crucial for survival. Whether playing alone or with others, Vampire Survivors delivers an adrenaline-pumping experience.
Stranded Deep
Although Stranded Deep may not fit the traditional definition of a survival game, it offers a compelling experience. Players find themselves marooned in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on a fishing boat. Managing hunger and thirst becomes essential as they explore the tropical island. However, things are never as simple as they seem, and players must overcome various challenges to survive.
