5 Most Single-Player Friendly Survival Games For Solo Gamers

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Survival games have always been popular, and it’s easy to see why – the core idea of scavenging for supplies, fighting off threats, and building up your strength is really engaging. Lately, many survival games have focused on letting players team up online, which is great. But sometimes, you just want to enjoy a really good game all by yourself.

Popular survival games like Minecraft, Valheim, and Grounded are often best enjoyed with friends. However, many multiplayer-focused games don’t offer a compelling experience for solo players. If you’re looking for a fantastic survival game you can enjoy on your own, here are five to consider.

5) I Am Future: Cozy Apocalypse Survival 

Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch

Price: $19.99

If you’re interested in a new survival game built specifically for solo players, check out I Am Future. It came out on Steam in 2024 and is now available on consoles. What sets it apart from many other survival games is that it’s designed as a purely single-player experience – there’s no cooperative or player-versus-player combat.

Okay, so I’ve been playing I Am Future, and it’s a really chill survival game. You can totally tweak the difficulty to make it super easygoing, or you can keep the harsher elements like hunger and annoying pests if you want a proper challenge. Basically, you’re trying to survive in a world after something went down, but it’s not just about that – you’re also trying to figure out who you are and what happened to everyone else. It’s a cool mix of relaxing and intriguing!

4) V Rising

Platform(s): PC, PS5

Price: $34.99

If you’re searching for a well-made vampire game with a good story mode, check out V Rising. It blends the open-world survival genre with a unique vampire theme. First released as an Early Access title in 2022, the full version 1.0 launched in 2024. While V Rising offers both cooperative and competitive multiplayer, it’s also enjoyable to play on your own.

In V Rising, you become a vampire who’s just woken up. To stay alive, you’ll need to hunt for blood to get stronger and build a castle to protect yourself from the sun. The game has options to make it easier to collect materials and finish challenges if you prefer playing alone, making it a good choice for a solo survival experience.

3) Icarus

Platform(s): PC (PS5 and Xbox planned for early 2026)

Price: $34.99

While it can be challenging to play alone, the 2021 survival game Icarus is a great choice for a single-player experience. It’s designed as a player-versus-environment (PvE) game where you try to survive in a harsh, wild setting. You can play with others in campaign or sandbox modes, but it’s also enjoyable as a solo adventure. Icarus even includes a special skill tree just for solo players, making the game more manageable when you’re on your own.

In Icarus, you’re dropped onto a dangerous, Earth-like planet with poisonous air and hostile creatures. To survive, you’ll have to manage your oxygen, search for food, and construct a base. The game features diverse environments to explore, offering plenty of resources to gather and skills to improve. If you enjoy challenging survival games with a focus on single-player gameplay, Icarus could be perfect for you.

2) 7 Days to Die

Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S (with older version still available on PS4 and Xbox One)

Price: $44.99

If you like survival games with zombies, then 7 Days to Die is for you! This 2024 release takes place in an open world overrun by the undead and strikes a good balance between playing with friends and going it alone. While you can team up with or compete against others, many players prefer the solo experience 7 Days to Die offers.

This game combines the thrills of a zombie shooter with the strategy of building and crafting to survive. You’ll collect materials to create a base that can withstand waves of zombies, and as you progress, you’ll learn new skills and fighting moves to help you defend against them.

1) The Long Dark

Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Price: $34.99 (or $19.99 if you just want the Survival Mod, no story content)

First released in 2017, The Long Dark is the oldest game on our list, but it remains one of the best for anyone looking for a challenging single-player survival experience. It’s designed as a first-person, open-world adventure where you can explore and survive. You can choose to play through a story-driven campaign or simply try to survive in a vast, open sandbox world, and players continue to enjoy both ways of playing.

In The Long Dark, you’re dropped into a frozen wilderness after a quiet apocalypse. Survival depends on smart thinking and outsmarting the elements. Over time, the game has been improved with new features and ways to play. It’s a truly challenging but rewarding survival game that you can customize to fit how you like to play. If you’re looking for a high-quality, solo survival experience, The Long Dark is hard to beat.

When you play survival games by yourself, do you like a tough, demanding experience, or something more relaxed and comfortable? Share your thoughts in the comments below and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-15 00:41