On This Page Show
The Forest is a terrifying and mysterious survival game that tasks players with staying alive after crash landing in a dense forest.
Full of challenge and atmosphere, fans of the genre have latched onto this immersive title. To keep the anxiety and difficulty coming, we’ve whipped up a list of games like The Forest that survival fans will love.
While not all of these games focus on crafting or survival, each title should give you a satisfying and fearsome challenge. Listed in no particular order, here are the best games similar to The Forest that you should check out!
The Forest Alternatives to Play Today
These are some of the best games like The Forest to play on your PC, XBOX, PS4, PS5, and Switch consoles.
1. Green Hell
When it comes to games like The Forest, Green Hell is arguably the most similar, tasking players with surviving in the Amazon rainforest.
Starting with minimal resources, you must forage for supplies while searching for your missing wife.
With its tropical setting, challenging crafting mechanics, and inclusion of hallucinations, Green Hell is a tense open-world game like The Forest that will satisfy any survival genre fan.
2. Rust
While The Forest is mainly about players fighting against the environment, Rust offers a similar survival adventure, except players only battle other players.
In this open-world online multiplayer game, players start with absolutely no resources and must scavenge what they can while slowly building up their base.
Make no mistake though, the enemy players you encounter are often ruthless and cruel, so you’ll rarely find help or mercy. If you have what it takes, Rust is one of the best games like The Forest for players who want a challenge.
3. Valheim
Valheim is a third-person, open-world survival game that is currently in early access, which plunges players into the vast universe of Norse mythology.
Playing as a lost Viking soul attempting to reach the glory of Valhalla, you must scour the landscape of Valheim, defeating evil monsters and surviving along the way.
In addition to its rich base-building mechanics and hectic combat, Valheim also supports online cooperative play with up to ten players, so you and your buddies can battle as Vikings together.
4. ARK: Survival Evolved
Stranded on a mystical island full of deadly dinosaurs and other ancient beasts, ARK: Survival Evolved challenges players to survive and subsist by taming wildlife, crafting weapons, and building proper shelter.
The game can be played either solo or online, with both PvE and PvP options.
While the focus on taming and discovering creatures is unique, ARK: Survival Evolved is one of the best games like The Forest that emphasizes survival and quick thinking instead of mindless action.
5. Dying Light
When compared to other games like The Forest, Dying Light stands out with its parkour-style free-running mechanics and large hordes of zombies.
Set in the crumbling city of Harran, players investigate a mysterious virus and attempt to retrieve data hidden deep in the quarantine zone. With an emphasis on weapon crafting, evasion, and survival, Dying Light puts a grounded spin on the zombie genre.
While it might not be as challenging, Dying Light is plenty scary, and one of the better games like The Forest for players who prefer extra action.
6. Grounded
If you like The Forest but want a game with a more whimsical twist, Grounded is a perfect option. Playing as a teenager shrunk down to the size of an ant, you must navigate a dangerous backyard landscape full of insects, environmental hazards, and more.
As you uncover the game’s main mystery, you must survive day after day by smartly utilizing the resources around you. While many of the mechanics of Grounded are staples of the survival genre, its unique perspective makes it one of the coolest games like The Forest.
Better yet, you can experience this tiny-sized but sprawling adventure in either single-player or multiplayer modes, supporting up to four friends at once.
7. The Long Dark
The Long Dark shares a lot of similarities with The Forest, putting players in the shoes of a pilot who crashes in the snowy Canadian wilds and must survive or die trying.
Playing from a first-person perspective, you’ll explore a selection of regions while keeping track of important survival stats like hunger, body heat, fatigue, and more. In addition to the grueling weather and lack of resources, players must also contend against vicious wildlife like wolves, bears, and more.
While you can’t play The Long Dark with your friends, the game offers a handful of different modes, including Story mode, Survival mode, and more.
8. Subnautica
While most other games like The Forest take place in sparse woods or the outback, Subnautica offers an underwater adventure that heavily emphasizes crafting and exploration.
Playing as a space explorer who crash lands on an alien ocean planet, you must dive below the waves and find a way to survive while uncovering the world’s mysteries.
To do so, you’ll have to collect and identify tons of oceanic compounds, face off against terrifying sea creatures, and keep a curious mind. Unless you’re incredibly afraid of the ocean, any fan of the survival genre will love Subnautica.
9. State of Decay 2
If you’re into zombie games but prefer more strategy than shooting, State of Decay 2 is a great survival game to check out.
In this sequel, players must hold out against endless zombie hordes as they play from a third-person perspective, collecting resources and reinforcing their home base. Luckily, you don’t have to be alone in this fight against the undead, as State of Decay 2 supports up to four players in its cooperative multiplayer mode.
With a large map to explore, story missions to complete, and tough encounters to fight through, State of Decay 2 is a treat for fans.
10. Don’t Starve
Don’t be fooled by its cartoon-like visuals, as Don’t Starve is one of the most punishing and addictive crafting games of all time. Arriving in a mysterious world with dwindling resources, players must quickly scavenge any food and supplies possible before nighttime sets in.
With deadly enemies waiting in the shadows, your primary goal is to outlast your opposition and in the meantime, don’t starve. Thanks to its free expansion, Don’t Starve Together, this challenging survival game also lets you play with a friend, testing your teamwork as you work together.
Out of the vast selection of games like The Forest, Don’t Starve is one that will keep you playing for hours on end.
More great games list:
