There are games that are mechanically demanding such as first-person shooters and fighting games, but there are games that will test the player’s decision-making and adaptability skills - survival games being one of them. There are few genres in the market that puts the player into a position of immense awareness as survival games. Having limited resources and usually only one life; teams or individuals will have to adapt to their surroundings in order to stay alive; here are the best survival games for Android/IOS out at the moment.
Top Survival Games for Android/iOS Downloads
Ark: Survival Evolved
If you are secretly a beast tamer, this game might provide the challenge you’ve been looking for. Ark: Survival Evolved puts players in a world of dinosaurs where surviving against the hostile landscape is the name of the game. Establishing a home base, combating bandits, and gathering weapons will be the primary resources needed to survive. The best part is that you’ll have a chance to tame dinosaurs that will eventually aid your fight for survival. Interestingly, the game is technically free to play but has a subscription model of USD$4.99 per month that will give players additional resources, tools, and more to aid them. The graphics are comparable to consoles and definitely worth trying out!
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Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead
While the graphics lean towards the retro style of aesthetics, the gameplay is surprisingly intricate and detailed. Much like any survival game, you’ll start with nothing and will have to adapt to a series of randomly generated obstacles thrown your way. The inventory screen may come as a little shock due to how the game has intentionally revitalised pixelated graphics, but if you can get past this, you will have far more flexibility and tools to work with than many other survival games in the market. The number of skills to learn and traits to master allows this expansive game to be one of the most replayable games around now. The best part is that the game is free to play.
Crashlands
Crashlands gives players with a hero complex the perfect opportunity to shine. Stranded on an alien planet, you will be given the task to fight the villains, build a base out of nothing and use over 500 items to craft tools of war and survival. The graphics are rather cartoony but boasts minimal lag and a simple interface. One of the highlights is that the game was originally made for console, meaning that more updates and attention to the game’s quality are some of the studio’s top priorities. The controls have been cleverly transferred from console to mobile and remain concise but capable of dealing with the game’s complexity effectively. The game is sold for USD$4.99.
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Day R Survival
Unlike some other entries on the list, Day R Survival takes itself particularly seriously, truly highlighting the dire position of actually fighting for survival. The landscape is grim, bordering on post-apocalyptic, and portrays players as members of the military. Starving and radiation are constant issues that need to be avoided at all times. The progression system primarily consists of RPG elements and can take some time to wrap your head around, but the layered complexity of this game will add tons of replayability to look forward to. Considering that the title is free to play, there’s no reason to not give it a try!
The Escapists 2: Pocket Breakout
Think pokemon from the old Gameboy days and you can easily imagine how The Escapists 2: Pocket Breakout will look like. For millennials, this is truly a familiar style of gameplay that should be almost seamless to get into. Unlike your traditional survivor game, you aren’t stuck in a remote area with minimum tools to survive; instead, your goal is to escape prison, which means being intelligent, sneaky, and good with planning in order to win. The “prison break” theme is certainly refreshing and is a good way to have a relaxing time that still has the ability to draw you in. The game is a bit on the pricey side, starting at USD$6.99.
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Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition
The name of this title essentially explains the gist of the game you’re getting into. Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition has one of the best graphics on the market. Its cartoonish aesthetics could easily be mistaken for an old Disney animated movie that was hand-drawn back in the day. The theme of this title holds true to the stereotype of survival games where you will be placed in the wilderness and fend for yourself with the limited resources at your disposal. It’s one of the most played games within the genre and is priced at USD$4.99.
Last Day On Earth
Out of all the titles on this list, Last Day on Earth is probably the safest for newcomers to the genre based on how approachable its mechanics and themes are. The standard looting and shooting to stay alive are present as ever, but it adds fun challenges like zombies, a myriad of weapons, and vehicles. The game is modeled RPG, which means players will have a much easier time organising their inventory while having a clear visual of the environment and enemies lurking around. The popularity of this game also makes content easy to access as the developers are constantly updating the game. Very impressive for a free-to-play game.