Rating Open World Survival Games On Console
One of the most exciting genres to appear in the last decade of gaming has to be open-world survival. Many times, these games prosper on the requirement of socializing, the fear of loss and ultimately the tenacity and patience of the survivors. With the increased amount of games being introduced to the genre, it is often asked where someone might be able to find their enjoyment. While the PC is flooded with numerous titles, the console space is a bit more limited.
So if you are a console player, where should you begin? For starters, you should understand where you draw the line. Do you appreciate something more loose and creative? Or would you rather like something with a higher level of intensity and a greater feeling of accomplishment?
As someone who enjoys the genre thoroughly, I would consider myself a connoisseur of sorts. While I have not played all of the games in the console space, I have a significant amount of hours in several of the titles. Given that several popular PC titles will be coming into the console space, maybe now is the time for you to give the genre a try.
Ark: Survival Evolved
Developed by Studio Wildcard and Instinct Games
Ark: Survival Evolved is the pinnacle of modern open-world survival games. While it might not be the best when it comes to optimization, the game provides a variety in gameplay that helps give it longevity. Unlike games that are played with reliance on questing to further the story, Ark uses self-exploration and random discovery to help tell its story and the survivors’ journey through the many Arks. While the story could be told in the better with audio clips or small in-game video clips, the game, at its core, is a survival game.
The ability to tame and control creatures, manage your hunger and temperaments lead the game to its forte. The game allows you to play alone in single-player or in a vast multiplayer scenario. As a warning, due to the nature of the game, multiplayer game modes tend to find vile behaviors from time to time. However, some servers provide very accommodating communities to many players, both new beach Bobs and hardened survivalist veterans.
Since I have put the most hours into Ark: Survival Evolved, it is also the one I am most critical of. The Primitive+ mode, which adds a new layer of survival in a very 1500-1600s setting, takes away the late game tiers of teknology. The mode was widely popular at its release but has missed years worth of updates while Prime, the main game of Ark, has continued forward. The Primitive+ mode is unlikely to receive updates according to the product manager.
My last bit of advice is to avoid the Switch port at all costs. The game released in a bad state and has not had an update since the launch. The franchise is looking to bring on a sequel in the near future, despite not having released its final content for the first title. Genesis Part 2 is expected to release in March 2021.
- Survival Difficulty: Medium
- Building Difficulty: Medium
- PvP: Yes
- Dedicated Creative Mode: No (But admin controls allow for creative modes)
- Consoles Available: PlayStation, Xbox & Switch
Atlas
Developed by Grapeshot Games and Instinct Games
Atlas originally started as a wildly popular mod to Ark: Survival Evolved. The original intention was to bring more recognition to water exploration as well as creating a vibrant and decorated environment. Instead of incorporating Atlas as a total conversion into Ark like they previously did with Ark Primitive+, Studio Wildcard opened an offshoot studio called Grapeshot Games to develop a standalone title. The game had many promising attributes to help bolster its popularity, but unfortunately many did not pan out as intended. The setting draws close comparison to Sea of Thieves due to the naval and pirate themes, but it plays completely different.
Like Ark, managing hunger and temperament is part of the game. However, Atlas takes this a step further by also having to juggle vitamin deficiencies. Too much or too little of a particular vitamin attached to a food type can lead to diseases that you will have to battle. The game also introduces a bit more of a role-playing element to the game with the use of zones and NPCs as well as how you build your character.
Unlike many other games in the genre, Atlas utilizes a mega-server style multiplayer rather than single servers. This helps the game maintain an extremely large map, but also oddly compiles zones next to each other that can result in weird transitions from one zone to the next. One may be in the eye of a storm, with the adjoining zone being a bright sunny day.
- Survival Difficulty: Medium
- Building Difficulty: Medium
- PvP: Yes
- Dedicated Creative Mode: No
- Consoles Available: Xbox
Citadel Forged With Fire
Developed by Blue Isle Studios
If you wanted to have a Harry Potter-like experience mixed with an open-world survival, then Blue Isle Studios has you covered. Citadel Forged With Fire launched with the excitement of the players given the ability to use magic and learn spells to help them in their world. Additionally, the game allows you to tame mythical creatures to aide you in battle with world monsters and other players.
Unfortunately, this is about as exciting as the game gets since it has not received many updates since opening servers. The game is also a bit shallow in the experience. Gear, so far, seldom offers a variance in how affects a player. Unlike several other games on this list, once you hit the ceiling, there is not much more excitement to be had.
Luckily, Blue Isle Studios recently announced that new content would be coming soon to address many of the issues about it’s depth. This update would introduce new play areas, enemies and gear. Most of all, it looks to add new spells to your arsenal to use including what appears to be necromancy-like in nature. While it currently is on PC, the developer stated they anticipate the console to receive the update in up to four weeks from the PC launch.
Early magic has happened✨
Balarok's Revenge: The Spirits of Umbrus is NOW LIVE!
⁰The next epic chapter in Citadel’s history has made its debut in the core game! A brand new world to discover, new quests, gear, mutants, abilities and MORE!Learn more: https://t.co/YkESNW6Q0b pic.twitter.com/cjQKd7nOiy
— Citadel: Forged With Fire (@PlayCitadel) February 1, 2021
- Survival Difficulty: Low
- Building Difficulty: Low
- PvP: Yes
- Dedicated Creative Mode: No
- Consoles Available: PlayStation & Xbox
Conan Exiles
If you are an 80s latchkey kid, then Conan the Barbarian is probably something you are familiar with. The setting of Conan Exiles provides a rather decent open-world survival game as well. The game puts you in the shoes of an “exiled” individual put into the exiled lands and left to die. It just so happens that Conan cuts you down from your cross and invites you to survive the harsh lands full of settlements, wild beasts and dungeons to explore. Additionally, world bosses make for a great addition to the formula of Conan.
The game provides a lot of variety to the world. It establishes a climbing system allowing you to build in creative areas and even the ability to summon your deity. Well, sort of. Some months back, the developer, FunCom, removed gods from many aspects of the game to rework the system. Individuals would often use them to demolish an enemy base entirely in a matter of seconds to minutes.
There have been quite a few updates and several DLCs for cosmetics for the game. Most recently a new map had been added with Isle of Siptah, providing a new land to explore and chase thrall. Yes, you can turn other NPC warriors into your very own thrall. Of all the open-world survival games I have played, Conan Exiles probably has the most untapped potential.
- Survival Difficulty: Low
- Building Difficulty: Medium
- PvP: Yes
- Dedicated Creative Mode: No
- Consoles Available: PlayStation & Xbox
DayZ
Developed by Bohemia Interactive
If you enjoy exploring a zombie wasteland, this game is probably not for you. DayZ is not for the weak-hearted. Players need to have true grit to learn the mechanics of the game, survive some of the harshest settings of the genre and hope that any player encounter will allow you to leave unscathed. The game itself is rich with development history from it’s Arma III-mod days to a standalone title.
Like some of the better games of the genre, the best way to learn is to put yourself into the situations. What sets this game apart from others is its unforgiving, hardcore setting. If you die, you are likely to lose everything you had in that character’s life. If you are lucky enough, you might be able to stockpile enough to begin base building.
The game recently had the introduction of a new map with the Livonia map expansion. However, the game does not receive a ton of updates. If you want to experience a hardcore game in the vein of “the Dark Souls” of open world survivals, look no further than DayZ.
- Survival Difficulty: High
- Building Difficulty: High
- PvP: Yes
- Dedicated Creative Mode: No
- Consoles Available: PlayStation & Xbox
Drake Hollow
Developed by The Molasses Flood
Drake Hollow is in the unique position of blending many open-world survival mechanics into a base defense game. The game offers a charming setting, very akin to Fortnite, while also providing players a storyline to progress through the game.
Additionally, Drakes add a twist to the game giving the player status benefits to traverse the islands as in search of resources. The tradeoff is the players having to tend to the Drakes needs and protection. Drake Hollow can be seen as somewhat of a steeping-stone for the genre.
For a more in-depth synopsis of Drake Hollow, check out my review here.
- Survival Difficulty: Low
- Building Difficulty: Low
- PvP: No
- Dedicated Creative Mode: Yes
- Consoles Available: Xbox
Fallout 76
Developed by Bethesda Studios
I know what you must be thinking: “Really? Fallout 76? The game that launched to extreme dismay to Fallout fans everywhere?”
While that may be, the beauty of games in this genre is recovery is something that can be attained if the right updates are put in. It took some time, but Bethesda took a game that was at the brink of collapse and created something brilliant. The game itself offers one of the most natural open-world survival games in the genre, not to mention one of the most perfect settings.
Since the Wastelanders update, which introduced the highly requested return of world NPCs, the game has rebounded with many brilliant updates. Bethesda should figure out how to incorporate PvP into the open-world without it being a nuisance to those who wish to not deal with hostile players. That said, Fallout 76 could very well be one of the better games in the genre as it continues to grow and re-earn the trust of fans of Fallout.
- Survival Difficulty: Low
- Building Difficulty: Low
- PvP: Kind of
- Dedicated Creative Mode: No
- Consoles Available: PlayStation & Xbox
Grounded
Developed by Obsidian Entertainment
Obsidian Entertainment has been a highly regarded developer and a very prominent one in the western RPG market. However, sometimes stepping out of a comfort zone helps a studio shine even brighter. Sometimes, it is then when you see the true diverse talent in creation that a studio has. With Grounded, Obsidian has developed arguably the most optimized open-world survival games ever released. Essentially, survivors are cast into a Honey I Shrunk The Kids role, attempting to survive the dangers of the backyard.
The game provides quite a bit of depth and continues to update adding more insects and items to craft with each release. The game also does enough to point you in the right direction to understand and learn the mechanics of the game for progressing.
Unlike many on this list, the game is not intended to be a player hostile environment. But that does not mean your friends cannot be jerks on occasion. Like Fallout 76, Grounded has the potential to be one of the best open-world survivals in the genre. I am excited to see how the game continues to develop.
- Survival Difficulty: Low
- Building Difficulty: Low
- PvP: No, unless your friends are jerks.
- Dedicated Creative Mode: Yes
- Consoles Available: Xbox
Minecraft
Developed by Mojang
The one that kickstarted the genre. We cannot have this list without mentioning Minecraft. The amount of depth that Minecraft provides on top of continuous robust, and rarely game-breaking, updates is astounding. The game provides the charm for literally anyone to be able to jump into a world to learn, create and survive. There is enough simplicity to the game that can make for any style of play to be entertaining at any stage of progress. Not much more can be said about Minecraft because the game allows itself to do the talking. The game is also an excellent entry point to the genre, providing a lot more depth to others on this end of the spectrum.
- Survival Difficulty: Low
- Building Difficulty: Low
- PvP: Yes
- Dedicated Creative Mode: Yes
- Consoles Available: PlayStation, Xbox & Switch
No Man’s Sky
Developed by Hello Games!
If space and planetary exploration is something up your alley, then No Man’s Sky is the perfect game for you. The game allows you to build bases, upgrade gear and ships, discover new life and play with others. What is unique about the game is the fact that it postures itself as a single growing entity, where all players in the game are in the same universe with the chance to encounter someone else’s discoveries. Planets are unique with their own set of rules of life, habitats and inhabitants. On planets, you have the ability to manipulate the landscape as you search out minerals to further your expedition. All in all, this is one of the best exploration games on the market, let alone having a survival mode.
While the game took a while to get rolling, it has continued to deliver with numerous free updates that bring new aspects to the game as well as numerous situations to find yourself in. Since its release, Hello Games has introduced 17 updates to the game, including seven in 2020 alone. What is most impressive is that most of the games have done little to affect the gameplay in a negative way. No Man’s Sky, in a way, should be considered an open-world universe.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Building Difficulty: High
- PvP: Yes
- Dedicated Creative Mode: Yes
- Consoles Available: PlayStation & Xbox
PixArk
Developed by Snail Games
PixArk attempts to blend the style of Minecraft with the illusion of Ark: Survival Evolved. The idea is to bring prehistoric and fantasy creatures into the world and allow players to do quests and build their own settlements. The game, like Ark, allows for players to tame creatures to assist in furthering their explorations. Unfortunately, it does not hit the stride it attempts.
Why? – This game was purely a money grab by Snail Games using the Ark license. While it attempts to use the block charm of Minecraft, the game itself is a total disaster. The game suffers from a lack of direction despite the use of a questing system. Even if you do start to figure things out on your own, it rarely provides a fun, entertaining experience. I would avoid PixArk at all costs. It is one of the worst open-world survival games on the list.
- Difficulty: Low
- Building Difficulty: Low
- PvP: Yes
- Dedicated Creative Mode: Yes
- Consoles Available: PlayStation, Xbox & Switch
State of Decay 2
Developed by Undead Labs
State of Decay as a franchise began its roots on the Xbox 360 as one of the infamous summer spotlight games. With the sequel, Undead Labs wanted to up the ante by providing more elements of survival, larger maps, more variety and overall a better experience. State of Decay 2 allows for players to play in a cooperative state, letting players bring one of their elected citizens to a friend’s world to assist and scavenge the lands.
With the introduction of the blood plague and a scarier, more aggressive enemy-type, difficulty of the game can vary. As far as survival games it is one of the easiest games to modify to the experience you would like, without the use of additional coding. The game currently provides five different difficulties ranging from super easy to insanely difficult. With the announcement of State of Decay 3, and Undead Labs officially being part of the Xbox Games Studios, we can see this franchise pushing the limits on open-world survivals.
- Survival Difficulty: Varies
- Survival Difficulty: Varies
- PvP: No
- Dedicated Creative Mode: No
- Consoles Available: Xbox
Vigor
Developed by Bohemia Interactive
Bohemia Interactive finds a second title on this list with Vigor. What sets this game apart from other survival titles is that this is more of an instanced situation. In the vein of what is now Escape From Tarkov, Vigor takes the approach of pitting players into an open-world map for you to scavenge as well as take on other players to possibly take their gear as well.
While DayZ is considered the most difficult on this listing, Vigor finds itself on the lighter end of the spectrum due to the limited volume of loss. When players load into worlds, they only risk what is brought with them, and that gear can also be insured as to prevent loss. Theoretically, players can enter a world with nothing but fisticuffs and make out like a bandit.
Base building is also a little different, as you build your instanced base through upgrades that are done once a player meets a qualifying threshold. This may be easier for players who prefer to not be part of tedious base building when they lack the creative touch.
- Survival Difficulty: Medium
- Building Difficulty: Low
- PvP: Yes
- Dedicated Creative Mode: No
- Consoles Available: PlayStation, Xbox & Switch
You may notice that this listing does not include every single open-world survival game that has been released on console. The reason being is I cannot rate something I have not tried. That said, the following are some titles you may be interested in:
Releasing soon:
Another great source of all things open-world survival is my good friend Jade Plays Games. This survival specialist runs a continuous weekly Survival Show, updating viewers on all things in the open-world survival realm. Check out a recent of his below:
