The Best Survival Games for Xbox Series X

Update : Miniland Adventure added at rank #22.
1

Palworld (2024)

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88
Review score
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early access PC Windows Xbox Series X Xbox One

Embark on a thrilling adventure in Palworld, a game that fuses the fun of creature-collecting with hardcore survival challenges! Build, battle, and bond with your Pals in a vast, dynamic world. Whether you're crafting the perfect base or exploring uncharted territories with friends, every decision carves your path to survival. Are you ready to conquer this wild, whimsical world?


What we like:
  • Unique blend of creature-collecting and survival
  • Engaging base-building with the help of Pals
  • Wide variety of Pals for strategic gameplay
  • Multiplayer mode to share the adventure
  • Expansive world full of exploration and challenges
What could be improved:
  • Combat mechanics and base management need refinement
  • Some themes and humor may not appeal to all

  • survival
  • crafting
  • open-world
  • collector
  • creature
  • pokemon

2

Valheim (2021)

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88
Review score
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early access Linux Android PC Windows Xbox Series X Xbox One

Valheim is an epic, Viking-tinged survival-creation game with blocky graphics and a modern twist. You are dropped in a wild forest with runes to guide you on your mission to conjure and defeat supernatural beasts. Players must craft weapons and armor, puzzle out how to summon the beasts, and build structures for shelter along the way.


What we like:
  • Simple default building system
  • Instant rebuilding/repairing
  • Randomly generated 3D universe
  • Easy-to-read color highlights for structural integrity
  • Level up abilities by repeating actions
  • Robust physics engine underlies all actions
What could be improved:
  • Wonky battling system
  • Limited traversal over rivers and oceans at this point

  • survival
  • crafting
  • open-world
  • cooperative

3

Stranded: Alien Dawn (2022)

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86
Review score
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PC Windows Xbox One Xbox Series X Playstation 5 Playstation 4

Stranded: Alien Dawn drops you into an unknown alien world, where you'll lead survivors, build a high-tech outpost, and make tough decisions to survive. With engaging gameplay, a variety of planets, and a peaceful non-combat option, you'll experience a unique, unpredictable journey. But beware, time may slow and crafting can get repetitive in this thrilling survival sim.


What we like:
  • Engaging gameplay
  • Variety of planets and moons
  • Non-combat peaceful option
  • Customizable difficulty settings
  • Beautiful graphics
What could be improved:
  • Time can feel slow
  • Crafting becomes repetitive
  • Lack of depth in some systems
  • Requires internet connection to play

  • survival
  • simulation
  • base-building
  • management
  • crafting
  • colony
  • hunting
  • destruction
  • cooking

4

The Eternal Cylinder (2021)

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83
Review score
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Xbox Series X/s Xbox One PC Windows Playstation 4 Xbox Series X Playstation 5

The Eternal Cylinder is a deep narrative-focused game that pushes the creativity of game design to its limits. You play as a species known as the Trebhum, which have an ability to rapidly evolve by consuming certain items. You must explore the strange foreign world and find a way to stop the Eternal Cylinder from destroying everything.


What we like:
  • Over 50 unique mutations
  • Gorgeously detailed visuals
  • In-depth story
  • Creative puzzles and challenges
  • Helpful accessibility options
What could be improved:
  • Linear progression limits player choice
  • Some puzzles can be difficult or frustrating

  • survival
  • puzzle
  • exploration
  • surreal
  • platform
  • narration
  • open-world
  • story

5

Endling (2022)

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78
Review score
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Playstation 4 Android IOS iPhone Playstation 5 Xbox Series X PC Windows Xbox One Nintendo Switch

Endling puts you in the role of the last fox on Earth. Driven from her forest home by a devastating fire (started by humans), our poor vulpine heroine is forced to find a makeshift den in which to deliver her pups, while simultaneously trying to track down her kidnapped baby. As each night falls, you'll need to venture forth from your makeshift den and forage or hunt for food, while also protecting your brood from trappers and other opportunistic humans.


What we like:
  • Heart-wrenching story
  • Stunning visuals
  • Powerful soundtrack
  • Adorable fox pups that grow and learn skills as they explore with you
  • Tough decisions between food or rescuing pup
What could be improved:
  • Can feel like stuck in a rut without making much progress

  • survival
  • skill

6

The Riftbreaker (2021)

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84
Review score
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Xbox Series X PC Windows Xbox One Playstation 4 Playstation 5 Android

The Riftbreaker is a base building, survival game with action RPG elements that borrows from a lot of other games. Play as Ashley S. Nowak and enter the hostile planet Galatea 37 in your powerful Mecha-suit to build a base and defend yourself against thousands of creatures trying to eliminate you. The Riftbreaker offers high-quality graphics, great sound and music, flexible custom difficulty settings, varied biomes, and hours of gameplay that provides endless replayability.


What we like:
  • Good storyline and rewarding gaming experience
  • Customizable gameplay options
  • Hours of gameplay with almost endless replayability
  • Exciting and balanced base building, resource gathering, and combat
  • High-quality graphics, great sound and music
What could be improved:
  • Fairly demanding on PC
  • Lacks gameplay depth in research and weaponry
  • Cumbersome weapon and armor upgrades

  • survival
  • base-building
  • tower-defense
  • resource-management
  • mech
  • real-time
  • strategy
  • rpg
  • bullet-hell
  • aliens
  • top-down
  • action
  • resource
  • shooter
  • arpg

7

Wizard With a Gun (2023)

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73
Review score
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Nintendo Switch Xbox Series X/s Xbox One Xbox Series X Playstation 5 PC Windows

Dive into 'Wizard with a Gun', an enchanting survival adventure where you craft bullets, battle beasts, and bend time! Team up with friends or brave it alone in a world where your magical firepower is your lifeline. Customize your wizard and tower, uncover secrets, and master the art of gunomancy in this bewitching, chaotic realm.


What we like:
  • Stunning art style
  • Engaging crafting and customization
  • Co-op gameplay enhances fun
  • Unique time-travel gameplay mechanic
  • Captivating story with deep lore
What could be improved:
  • Potential grind for gear
  • Some clunky inventory management

  • survival
  • sandbox
  • crafting
  • cooperative
  • rogue-like
  • isometric
  • twin-stick
  • set
  • boss
  • shooter
  • magical
  • tower
  • exploration
  • online
  • resource

8

Grounded (2020)

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89
Review score
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Nintendo Switch Android Playstation 5 Playstation 4 Xbox Series X Xbox One PC Windows j

Grounded is an exciting survival game that sees you playing as one of four teenagers who find themselves miniaturized and exploring the backyard of Dr.Tully, the inventor of the SPAC.R shrinking device. You'll need to hunt for resources, craft tools and armor and build shelters in order to survive the hostile creatures that inhabit this new world. With a great variety of biomes to explore, landmarks to discover and surprises around every corner, Grounded provides an epic adventure in a surprisingly small space!


What we like:
  • Unique setting
  • Varied biomes to explore
  • Visually impressive sights
  • Great character development and story telling
  • Challenging yet accessible difficulty levels and accessibility options
What could be improved:
  • Occasional glitches and bugs
  • Lacklustre quest design at times
  • Quests requiring backtracking

  • survival
  • crafting
  • sandbox
  • cooperative

9

Chernobylite (2019)

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84
Review score
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Xbox Series X/s Xbox Series X Playstation 5 Xbox One Playstation 4 PC Windows

Uncover dark secrets in Chernobylite Enhanced Edition, a survival horror RPG set in Chernobyl's exclusion zone. As Igor, you'll search for your lost fiancee while battling supernatural foes and enduring a harsh environment. Your decisions shape the engrossing story. With stunning visuals, intelligent AI opponents, and non-linear storytelling, can you survive the chilling truth?


What we like:
  • Original content with strong worldbuilding
  • Gorgeous environments with immersive atmosphere
  • Engrossing story with compelling characters
  • Variety of missions and intelligent AI opponents
  • Impressive implementation of non-linear storytelling
What could be improved:
  • Frustrating choices and limited map variety
  • Disappointing achievements with no reward
  • Unresponsive gunplay and flawed enemy AI
  • Excessive dialogue and empty zones

  • survival
  • stealth
  • survival-horror
  • sci-fi
  • crafting
  • horror
  • supernatural
  • first-person
  • post-apocalyptic
  • shooter
  • heist
  • base-building
  • rpg
  • military
  • atmospheric

10

No Man's Sky (2016)

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89
Review score
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PC Windows Android Mac OS Xbox Series X osvr psvr Playstation 5 Xbox One Playstation 4 Nintendo Switch

No Man's Sky is a massive universe-sim sandbox experience that lets you explore an infinite number of planets with unique lifeforms and environments. Upgrade your ship and suit for survival and choose your own path - whether you want to be a trader, fighter, or explorer. The game offers great graphics and good VR support with the ability to play with friends and share your discoveries.

Buy

What we like:
  • Deliver on promises
  • Great graphics
  • Cross-play enabled
  • Good VR support
What could be improved:
  • Some bugs present
  • Not challenging enough
  • No co-op progression

  • inventory
  • survival
  • exploration
  • sci-fi
  • crafting
  • pirates
  • resource
  • trading
  • aliens
  • discovery
  • multiplayer
  • sandbox
  • space
  • management
  • open-world

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