5 survival games with the best storylines

Survival games task players to stay alive in harsh conditions with limited resources. Typically, they are required to manage their limited supply and use it strategically. Unlike action games where the protagonist has a vast arsenal with almost limitless ammunition and health reserves, the odds are usually stacked against players in survival games, making for a more realistic and grounded experience.

They also usually feature immersive storylines, usually narrated through exploration, interactions, solving mysteries, and completing quests. Due to these reasons, survival games have grown in popularity over the years.

In this article, we list five survival games that feature memorable storylines.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinions.

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Survival games are better with a storyline

1) Dying Light

Dying Light is an iconic survival game by Techland, and it follows the story of undercover agent Kyle Crane, who visits the city of Harran in the Middle East to recover sensitive information for his agency.

Instead, he discovers that the city is under quarantine, as a deadly virus infection has resulted in civilians turning into zombies. The game excels in blending survival mechanics and a wide selection of weapons with excellent parkour mechanics. Once done with the base game, you can grab the Dying Light The Following DLC, which expands the initial storyline as Crane tries to cure the infection.

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2) The Last of Us

This masterpiece was developed by Naughty Dog and follows the story of Ellie and Joel, where players control the latter while protecting the former. The game is structured around a post-apocalyptic United States where Ellie and Joel are on a mission to find a cure for humans infected by a deadly fungus.

The survival game also features a single-player campaign expansion called 'Left Behind' which portrays the story of Ellie and her best friend Riley. The title features a variety of weapons and a crafting system that can be used to upgrade the equipment.

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3) Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4 is still considered to be the best game in the Resident Evil franchise. It contains a lot of upgraded mechanics from previous titles and was the first game to use lasers instead of crosshairs for realism.

The story follows Leon S. Kennedy, who is tasked with rescuing and bringing back the president's daughter, Ashley Graham, who was kidnapped by a mysterious group and kept in a village in Spain. Upon arrival, Leon discovers that the area is infected by a mind-controlling virus and that everyone is an enemy.

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4) We Happy Few

We Happy Few is one of the more underrated games in this genre. Released in 2018 by Compulsion Games and Gearbox, it takes place in an alternate universe that saw a different outcome to the Second World War than the one we know to be true. Everyone in the game is unaware of the rest of the world due to the effects of hallucinogenic drugs, putting them in a state of artificial happiness.

Players take control of three characters who want to escape the fictional city known as Wellington Wells, which is suffering from societal collapse. Every playable character has a different skill set and ability. Players must strategically get the characters out of what they soon find to be a living hell.

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5) Alien Isolation

Alien Isolation is a survival game based on the original Alien movie, where players must make good use of stealth to have any chance of survival. The antagonist of the game, the Xenomorph, is unkillable and can only be scared off for a short while using fire.

It was critically acclaimed upon release, particularly due to its advanced AI and atmospheric design, which made the game a nerve-wracking experience. Players are required to strategize, using stealthy tactics to trick the AI and find a way to escape Sevastopol space station.