Welcome to our guide on the Best Survival Games for Solo and Co-op Play, as seen by the Blix team. A post-apocalyptic wasteland, brutal wilderness, zombie hordes – it all is survival games – a genre that challenges players to think on their feet, adapt to the environment, and use every ounce of strategy to stay alive. So, below are the top 10 survival games, where each title has received outstanding feedback for solo and co-op play.
Like before, with “15 Nintendo Switch Games to Dominate 2025” or “20 Addictive Xbox Multiplayer Games Worth Your Time in 2025” articles we’ve scoured expert reviews and community feedback to choose the most engaging, immersive, and critically acclaimed titles in the genre, whether you prefer to go alone or team up with friends.
Why is this guide necessary? We know survival games are not one-size-fits-all. Players want the best of the best, games that not only challenge their survival instincts but also provide rich co-op experiences: the journey is more rewarding when shared with others. Let’s dive into the best survival games out there!
Contents
- 1 Highlights
- 2 Best Co-op and Solo Survivals List
- 3 The Co-op Evolution of Genre
- 4 Survival Games: Quick-Glance Co-op Table
- 5 Valheim
- 6 How Co-op Works
- 7 Notable Features
- 8 Sons of the Forest
- 9 How Co-op Works
- 10 Notable Features
- 11 Green Hell
- 12 How Co-op Works
- 13 Notable Features
- 14 Barotrauma
- 15 How Co-op Works
- 16 Notable Features
- 17 Don’t Starve Together
- 18 How Co-op Works
- 19 Notable Features
- 20 Valhall
- 21 How Co-op Works
- 22 Notable Features
- 23 Killsquad
- 24 How Co-op Works
- 25 Notable Features
- 26 Ark: Survival Evolved
- 27 How Co-op Works
- 28 Notable Features
- 29 Project Zomboid
- 30 How Co-op Works
- 31 Notable Features
- 32 The Long Dark
- 33 How Co-op Works:
- 34 Notable Features:
- 35 FAQ: Co-op Survival Questions Players Actually Ask
Highlights
- A brief explanation of what co-op gave the genre rule
- A separate quick table of what you’ll get and how
- Best 10 Survivals pick
- Separate stressing that games’ benefits, what is needed for co-op, and how it works
- Additional: FAQ about general co-op survival game questions
Best Co-op and Solo Survivals List
- Valheim
- Sons of the Forest
- Green Hell
- Barotrauma
- Don’t Starve Together
- Valhall
- Killsquad
- Ark: Survival Evolved
- Project Zomboid
- The Long Dark
The Co-op Evolution of Genre
Co-op gameplay has totally reshaped the survival genre. Drove it from a solitary, often isolating experience into collaboration and shared challenges. Before – survival games focused on individual resource management, leaving players to fend for themselves in a harsh environment.
Nowadays, co-op permits to pool their skills (be it building shelters, fighting off hordes of zombies, or crafting essential tools). Communication, trust, and shared triumphs or failures make each session unique. Survival is just as much about the people you’re with as it is about the environment itself.
Survival Games: Quick-Glance Co-op Table
| Game | Player Count | Co-Op Style | Co-op Method | Teamwork Focus |
| Valheim | 1–10 | Open-world Viking survival | Online via private/public servers | High – shared building, boss fights, exploration |
| Sons of the Forest | 1–8 | Horror survival in the wild | Online only | High – combat, crafting, exploring together |
| Green Hell | 1–4 | Jungle survival with realism | Online (Steam friends, server join) | Very high – co-manage health, sanity, shelter |
| Barotrauma | 1–16 | Undersea survival & roleplay | Online multiplayer servers | Extremely high – roles like medic, engineer, pilot |
| Don’t Starve Together | 1–6 | Stylized dark-fantasy survival | Online, LAN, or split-server | Medium – resource sharing, character synergy |
| Valhall | 1–4 | Medieval survival-building hybrid | Online only | Medium – shared base-building and defense |
| Killsquad | 1–4 | Sci-fi action survival missions | Online matchmaking | Medium – character synergy in combat |
| Ark: Survival Evolved | 1–100+ | Dinosaur survival & base-building | Online + dedicated or public servers | Very high – tribe roles, large-scale projects |
| Project Zomboid | 1–32+ | Zombie apocalypse simulation | Online, LAN, or split-screen | Very high – custom roles, base building, defense |
| The Long Dark | Solo (co-op in dev) | Wilderness solo survival | N/A (co-op upcoming) | N/A – currently solo focused |
Valheim
- Platform(s): PC, Xbox X/S, Xbox360
- Release Date: February 22, 2024
- Metacritic Rating: 85
- Price: $19.99
Players have a procedurally generated world – all by Norse mythology. Craft weapons, build shelters, and conquer formidable foes to honor Odin. What less could be expected in those circumstances?
How Co-op Works
Supports up to 10 players in online co-op, allowing teams to explore, build, and battle together in a shared world.
Notable Features
- Expansive open-world environment with diverse biomes.
- Deep crafting and building systems.
- Dynamic combat mechanics with a focus on strategy.
Gameplay
Sons of the Forest
- Platform(s): PC
- Release Date: February 22, 2024
- Metacritic Rating: 80
- Price: $29.99
As the sequel to “The Forest,” this game immerses players in a mysterious island filled with cannibalistic creatures and hidden secrets, emphasizing survival horror elements.
How Co-op Works
Allows up to 8 players to team up online, combining resources and skills to survive against the island’s horrors.
Notable Features
- Enhanced AI and larger map compared to its predecessor.
- Introduction of NPC companions to aid in survival.
- Multiple possible endings based on player choices.
Gameplay
Green Hell
- Platform(s): PC, Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Release Date: September 5, 2019
- Metacritic Rating: 70
- Price: $19.99
A game about survival techniques (crafting, hunting, and maintaining mental health) in the Amazon rainforest. Beautiful and dangerous place, beautiful and harsh challenges.
How Co-op Works
Online co-op for up to 4 players, enabling shared survival experiences and collaborative problem-solving.
Notable Features
- Realistic survival mechanics, including a unique inspection mode for injuries.
- Dynamic weather system affecting gameplay.
- Emphasis on mental health, with hallucinations impacting gameplay.
Gameplay
Barotrauma
- Platform(s): PC
- Release Date: March 13, 2023
- Metacritic Rating: 75
- Price: $24.99
A 2D co-op survival horror submarine simulator where players navigate the icy waters of Jupiter’s moon Europa, combating alien threats and managing submarine operations.
How Co-op Works
Supports up to 16 players in online co-op, each taking on roles such as captain, engineer, or medic to ensure the submarine’s survival.
Notable Features
- Procedurally generated missions offering varied gameplay.
- Deep role-playing elements with skill progression.
- A dynamic damage system requires teamwork to repair and maintain the submarine.
Gameplay
Don’t Starve Together
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Release Date: April 21, 2016
- Metacritic Rating: 74
- Price: $14.99
A standalone multiplayer expansion of the original “Don’t Starve,” this game challenges players to survive in a dark, whimsical world filled with strange creatures and supernatural forces.
How Co-op Works
Allows up to 6 players to join online forces, gather resources, build shelters, and fend off nightmarish entities.
Notable Features
- Unique hand-drawn art style with a Tim Burton-esque feel.
- Seasonal events introduce new challenges and content.
- A variety of playable characters, each with distinct abilities.
Gameplay
Valhall
- Platform(s): PC
- Release Date: September 17, 2020
- Metacritic Rating: 73
- Price: $29.99
A survival-strategy role-playing game set in the medieval era, where players establish and manage their settlement, facing resource management and external threats.
How Co-op Works
Introduced in an update, the co-op mode allows up to 4 players to collaborate in building and defending their settlements.
Notable Features
- Detailed building mechanics with a focus on medieval architecture.
- Dynamic economy system influenced by player decisions.
- Realistic aging system affecting characters and NPCs.
Gameplay
Killsquad
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Release Date: July 16, 2020
- Metacritic Rating: 74
- Price: $19.99
Killsquad: fast-paced, top-down action survival game about bounty hunters. They (you) travel across planets to satisfy dangerous warrants. The game mixes action and survival: face waves of enemies while scavenging for resources and upgrading kit.
How Co-op Works
Up to 4 players in online co-op. Players choose different character classes and operate together, tackle missions with a specific bounty to hunt (and unique challenges to overcome.)
Notable Features
- Character Class System: Players can choose from multiple character classes, each with unique abilities and playstyles.
- Challenging Enemy Waves: Dynamic missions with increasingly difficult waves of enemies.
- Loot and Upgrade System: Collect loot and upgrade weapons to survive tougher challenges.
Gameplay
Ark: Survival Evolved
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Ios
- Release Date: August 29, 2017
- Metacritic Rating: 70
- Price: $49.99 (Base game, expansions sold separately)
Ark: Survival Evolved places players on a creepy island crammed with dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. The goal is to survive by gathering resources, crafting tools, and building shelters while fending off both creatures and other players. And game possesses both PvE and PvP gameplay.
How Co-op Works
Supports online co-op for up to 4 players. Form tribes, gather resources, and tame prehistoric creatures together. Tribe dynamics almost require specialization: some focus on resource gathering while others tame creatures or build strongholds.
Notable Features
- Tame and Ride Dinosaurs: Capture, tame, and ride over 80 different dinosaurs.
- Massive Open World: Explore expansive biomes, each with unique challenges.
- Building and Crafting: Construct elaborate structures with a robust crafting system.
Gameplay
Project Zomboid
- Platform(s): PC
- Release Date: November 8, 2013
- Metacritic Rating: 75
- Price: $19.99
Project Zomboid is an isometric, open-world zombie survival game. Players must survive in a zombie-infested world with realistic survival mechanics, building, farming, and fortifying shelters while avoiding or resisting zombies.
How Co-op Works
Supports online co-op for up to 4 players, who join the same game world to build fortresses, scavenge for supplies, and fend off zombie hordes. Each player can specialize in different survival skills – carpentry, cooking, combat, or something.
Notable Features
- Realistic Survival Elements: Need for food, water, and rest, as well as the possibility of infection.
- Dynamic Zombie AI: Zombies learn and adapt to player behavior.
- Endless Replayability: Procedurally generated world and multiple difficulty levels.
Gameplay
The Long Dark
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Release Date: August 1, 2017
- Metacritic Rating: 85
- Price: $34.99
We are in the frozen wilderness, where The Long Dark challenges players to survive. Aside from the cold, it is a post-apocalyptic world after a geomagnetic disaster. So we have to struggle against nature – hunger, warmth, and illnesses. Indeed, a sprawling, cold world.
How Co-op Works:
Co-op mode is currently in development, but the single-player experience is a solo challenge, so players rely on their skills and instincts to survive. Future co-op updates are expected to add multiplayer elements.
Notable Features:
- Realistic Survival Mechanics: Manage temperature, fatigue, and injuries.\
- Story Mode and Sandbox Mode: Choose between a narrative-driven experience or freeform survival.
- Dynamic Weather: Changing weather conditions and day/night cycles create unique challenges.
Gameplay
FAQ: Co-op Survival Questions Players Actually Ask
How do I team up with friends in these games?
Most survival games make it pretty easy—either invite your friends directly or set up a private server. Valheim and Don’t Starve Together are great at this—you just host, and your pals can hop in. Some games (looking at you, Ark) might need a bit more setup, like spinning up a dedicated server or joining public ones. Just make sure everyone’s got the right IP, version, and, ideally, a mic that works.
Is there a player cap, or can I bring the whole squad?
Yep, limits exist—and they vary. 7 Days to Die lets you go big with 16-player servers, while Sons of the Forest taps out at 8. Games like Project Zomboid and Green Hell are more intimate, usually 4-6 max. So before inviting the entire Discord, double-check the cap—someone always ends up stuck in the lobby if not.
Can I play solo, or is it just better with friends?
Totally doable solo. Games like The Long Dark are designed for lone wolves. But if you’re jumping into something like Green Hell, be prepared—it’s brutal on your own. Co-op definitely makes things smoother and often funnier (like when your buddy gets mauled because they ignored yet another warning). Still, if you’re a control freak or just like the quiet, solo survival still slaps.
Do we all get jobs, or is it just chaos?
Depends on the game—but yes, a lot of them let players take on specific roles. In Valheim, someone’s building the base, someone else is off taming boars. Barotrauma takes it even further—you’ve got captains, medics, mechanics… it’s basically submarine chaos management. Good teams divide and conquer. Bad teams… well, let’s just say base fires happen.
Is the game different when playing co-op vs. solo?
Absolutely. Mechanics usually stay the same—crafting, building, scavenging—but co-op adds pressure and unpredictability. Enemies might scale based on your group size (hi, 7 Days to Die blood moons), and you’ll need to actually communicate. It’s not just “I need food,” it’s “Hey, who took all the meat again?” Co-op turns survival into a group effort, for better or worse.
