Best Survival Games on Steam

Steam currently has 8,239 Survival games available to download and play. Explore our list of the best picks ranked by Player Score. Our Player Score rankings are calculated directly from reviews left on the Steam store and will be updated in real-time as more players leave their feedback. Survival game rankings were last updated on 1/3/2025.

Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:

1. Terraria

Dig, fight, explore, build! Nothing is impossible in this action-packed adventure game. Four Pack also available!

Terraria banner

Terraria holds the #1 spot for "best Survival game on Steam" with a Player Score of 97. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,365,406 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,331,381 positive reviews and 34,025 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $9.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $9.99
Release Date 5/16/2011
Developer Re-Logic
Publisher Re-Logic
Steam App Id 105600

2. Left 4 Dead 2

Set in the zombie apocalypse, Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2) is the highly anticipated sequel to the award-winning Left 4 Dead, the #1 co-op game of 2008. This co-operative action horror FPS takes you and your friends through the cities, swamps and cemeteries of the Deep South, from Savannah to New Orleans across five expansive campaigns.

Left 4 Dead 2 banner

Left 4 Dead 2 has achieved a Player Score of 97, placing it in the #2 spot for the best Survival games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 929,991 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 907,076 positive reviews and 22,915 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $9.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $9.99
Release Date 11/16/2009
Developer Valve
Publisher Valve
Steam App Id 550

3. RimWorld

A sci-fi colony sim driven by an intelligent AI storyteller. Generates stories by simulating psychology, ecology, gunplay, melee combat, climate, biomes, diplomacy, interpersonal relationships, art, medicine, trade, and more.

RimWorld banner

RimWorld has achieved a Player Score of 97, placing it in the #3 spot for the best Survival games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 201,670 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 197,614 positive reviews and 4,056 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $34.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $34.99
Release Date 10/17/2018
Developer Ludeon Studios
Publisher Ludeon Studios
Steam App Id 294100

4. Resident Evil 4

Survival is just the beginning. Six years have passed since the biological disaster in Raccoon City. Leon S. Kennedy, one of the survivors, tracks the president's kidnapped daughter to a secluded European village, where there is something terribly wrong with the locals.

Resident Evil 4 banner

Resident Evil 4 has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Survival games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 163,739 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 159,905 positive reviews and 3,834 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $39.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $39.99
Release Date 3/24/2023
Franchise Capcom
Developer CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
Publisher CAPCOM Co., Ltd.
Steam App Id 2050650

5. Counter-Strike

Play the world's number 1 online action game. Engage in an incredibly realistic brand of terrorist warfare in this wildly popular team-based game. Ally with teammates to complete strategic missions. Take out enemy sites. Rescue hostages. Your role affects your team's success. Your team's success affects your role.

Counter-Strike banner

Counter-Strike has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #5 spot for the best Survival games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 246,205 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 239,892 positive reviews and 6,313 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $9.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Counter-Strike on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $9.99
Release Date 11/1/2000
Developer Valve
Publisher Valve
Steam App Id 10

6. Bloons TD 6

The Bloons are back and better than ever! Get ready for a massive 3D tower defense game designed to give you hours and hours of the best strategy gaming available.

Bloons TD 6 banner

Bloons TD 6 has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #6 spot for the best Survival games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 341,684 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 332,497 positive reviews and 9,187 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $13.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Bloons TD 6 on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $13.99
Release Date 12/18/2018
Franchise Ninja Kiwi Games
Developer Ninja Kiwi
Publisher Ninja Kiwi
Steam App Id 960090

7. Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition

Zombies are invading your home, and the only defense is your arsenal of plants! Armed with an alien nursery-worth of zombie-zapping plants like peashooters and cherry bombs, you'll need to think fast and plant faster to stop dozens of types of zombies dead in their tracks.

Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition banner

Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #7 spot for the best Survival games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 135,705 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 132,432 positive reviews and 3,273 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $4.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $4.99
Release Date 5/5/2009
Franchise PopCap EA
Developer PopCap Games, Inc.
Publishers
Steam App Id 3590

8. Deep Rock Galactic

Deep Rock Galactic is a 1-4 player co-op FPS featuring badass space Dwarves, 100% destructible environments, procedurally-generated caves, and endless hordes of alien monsters.

Deep Rock Galactic banner

Deep Rock Galactic has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #8 spot for the best Survival games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 329,699 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 320,673 positive reviews and 9,026 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $29.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Deep Rock Galactic on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Steam Price $29.99
Release Date 5/13/2020
Franchise Coffee Stain
Developer Ghost Ship Games
Publisher Coffee Stain Publishing
Steam App Id 548430

9. Factorio

Factorio is a game about building and creating automated factories to produce items of increasing complexity, within an infinite 2D world. Use your imagination to design your factory, combine simple elements into ingenious structures, and finally protect it from the creatures who don't really like you.

Factorio banner

Factorio has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #9 spot for the best Survival games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 203,107 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 197,719 positive reviews and 5,388 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is priced at $35.00 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.

Steam Price $35.00
Release Date 8/14/2020
Developer Wube Software LTD.
Publisher Wube Software LTD.
Steam App Id 427520

10. tModLoader

Dig, Fight, and Build your way through the world of player-created mods on Terraria with tModLoader - this DLC makes modding Terraria a reality!

tModLoader banner

tModLoader has achieved a Player Score of 96, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Survival games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 291,250 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 282,868 positive reviews and 8,382 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.

It is completely free to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play tModLoader on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).

Release Date 5/16/2020
Developer TML Team
Publishers
Steam App Id 1281930

More Survival Games

Explore even more rankings for the 100 best Survival games available on Steam.

ImageName
Actions
Terraria steam charts
31,675
5/16/2011
97
$9.99
Steam Charts
Left 4 Dead 2 steam charts
33,466
11/16/2009
97
$9.99
Steam Charts
RimWorld steam charts
24,989
10/17/2018
97
$34.99
Steam Charts
Resident Evil 4 steam charts
7,641
3/24/2023
96
$39.99
Steam Charts
Counter-Strike steam charts
8,450
11/1/2000
96
$9.99
Steam Charts
Bloons TD 6 steam charts
8,698
12/18/2018
96
$13.99
Steam Charts
Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition steam charts
3,135
5/5/2009
96
$4.99
Steam Charts
Deep Rock Galactic steam charts
9,111
5/13/2020
96
$29.99
Steam Charts
Factorio steam charts
23,143
8/14/2020
96
$35.00
Steam Charts
tModLoader steam charts
34,823
5/16/2020
96
Free
Steam Charts
Satisfactory steam charts
19,186
9/10/2024
96
$39.99
Steam Charts
Subnautica steam charts
4,211
1/24/2018
96
$29.99
Steam Charts
Resident Evil 2 steam charts
1,728
1/25/2019
96
$39.99
Steam Charts
The Walking Dead steam charts
168
4/24/2012
96
$1.49
Steam Charts
Oxygen Not Included steam charts
10,930
7/30/2019
95
$24.99
Steam Charts
Brotato steam charts
9,229
6/23/2023
95
$4.99
Steam Charts
Don't Starve steam charts
1,915
4/23/2013
95
$2.49
Steam Charts
Iron Snout steam charts
15
1/27/2016
95
Free
Steam Charts
Outlast steam charts
332
9/4/2013
95
$19.99
Steam Charts
Counter-Strike: Source steam charts
7,849
11/1/2004
95
$9.99
Steam Charts
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Soures & References

Steambase has best-in-class data powered directly by Steam, our data partners, and in-house experts. Reviews and rankings are enriched, analyzed, and updated in real-time to ensure we surface the most up-to-date insights. Learn more about the Steambase approach to data collection and our review methodology.

  • Valve Corporation. (2025, January 3). Steam Store. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, January 3). Terraria on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, January 3). Left 4 Dead 2 on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, January 10). RimWorld on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, January 9). Resident Evil 4 on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, January 3). Counter-Strike on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, January 12). Bloons TD 6 on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2024, October 29). Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, January 7). Deep Rock Galactic on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, January 10). Factorio on Steam. Steam Store.
  • Valve Corporation. (2025, January 3). tModLoader on Steam. Steam Store.

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