10 Survival Games Like Rust Ranked (2024) | Rust Alternatives

Hello, all Rust lovers out there! Ready to explore some thrilling Rust alternatives? Great! This article has the 10 best games like Rust providing you the same level of excitement through their gripping storyline and challenging gameplay. So, join me in this post to explore the best alternatives to one of the most popular games of all time, Rust.

The multiplayer-only survival game “Rust” was initially launched in Early Access in 2013. Later it received a full release in 2018. In the game Rust, multiple players will be dropped onto a randomly generated island where they must gather resources, make their tools, and construct survival-related items to stay alive. It’s no easy feat to survive the elements on your own in Rust. The game’s rigorous survival mechanics make it difficult to suggest to everyone. 

Rust offers both a social sandbox and a robust, working crafting system for those who are prepared to put in the time and persevere. However, after a time of playing Rust, you might be seeking some fresh challenges to face. Here’s where we step in. We’ve put up a list of the top 10 games like Rust that are both entertaining and challenging. So let’s get started with the list of Rust alternatives right away!

10 Best Games Like Rust For A Rusty Gameplay | Android, iOS, PC

Rust is a fiercely competitive survival game that enjoys arguing and yelling at players. Your experience playing Rust will be deceptive and full of cruelty, greed, and treachery that equally makes it frustrating and sublime. Rust is an experience that is more intriguing to discuss than to actually play due to its outdated survival mechanisms and massively unwelcoming player base.

In Rust, it sometimes seems like anything is possible, whether it’s stumbling across a tiny sheet metal city in the middle of nowhere or observing players betraying one another. The player-driven island forces you to embrace the fact that nothing is ever truly permanent. You must eventually rebuild everything from scratch.

It’s quite tough to find the same level of overwhelming experience in other action-adventure survival games. But, hey, it’s not impossible! Head down below and find out the 10 best games like Rust of 2023!

1. Ark: Survival Evolved

• Release Date: 29 August 2017                                                                                    
• Developer: Studio Wildcard

Ark: Survival Evolved is one of the most popular survival games like Rust. This exciting Rust alternative will transport you to a prehistoric world where you must gather resources, build shelters, and fight off dinosaurs. The game also features multiplayer options, allowing you to team up with friends and survive together. Have a look below to know what other features it has to offer –

Features of Ark: Survival Evolved

1. Open-world environment
2. Available game modes – Multiplayer and Single
3. Versatile day and night cycle
4. Both first and third-person perspective modes are available
5. Create a base for yourself with weapons and fire
6. Random activities
7. Feed and tame dinosaurs
8. Gather more resources
9. 48 Kilometre Square (km²) gaming universe
10. 36 Kilometre Square (km²) of land
11. 12 Kilometre Square (km²) of ocean
12. Explore 176 types of creatures
13. Presence of mythical creatures such as Phoenix, Golem, Wyvern, and Griffin

Game Information

• Genre – Action-adventure and survival game
• Crossplay – Ark: Survival Evolved supports crossplay.
• Platforms – Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Stadia
• Price – ARK costs ‎$19.99 on Steam

What are you waiting for? Try ARK now!

2. DayZ

• Release Date: 16 December 2013                             
• Developer: Bohemia Interactive, Dean Hall 

Get ready to explore a post-apocalyptic world! This Rust alternative DayZ will leave you mesmerized with its intense gameplay, where you have to scavenge for resources and fight off zombies and other players. Featuring permadeath, meaning that if you die, you lose everything, DayZ is one of the most unique games like Rust. Head on to know what other features it has to offer –

Features of DayZ

1. Influenced by ARMA 2
2. Survival shooter game
3. The story is set in a dim environment
4. The game is based on Zombies
5. Mysterious plague
6. The goal is to save yourself from the infected zombies
7. 65 players game
8. Comparatively simple gameplay
9. Attractive sound and graphics
10. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world
11. Permadeath option available
12. Multiplayer game

Game Information

• Genre – Survival, Open world game
• Crossplay – DayZ doesn’t support crossplay
• Platforms – PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Microsoft Windows
• Price – DayZ costs ‎$44.99 on Steam

3. Conan Exiles

• Release Date: 30 January 2017                                                                                    
• Developer: Funcom

Developed by Funcom, Conan Exiles is a survival game set in the world of Conan the Barbarian. The game features a large open world, where you have to gather resources, explore multiple biomes, and fight off enemies. Conan Exiles is the right choice for you if you are looking for games like Rust. I have given all the features and information about Conan Exiles down below. Have a look!

Features of Conan Exiles

1. Survive in a fictional prehistoric Hyborian Age
2. Get rescued by Conan
3. Navigate the exiled lands
4. Find a Biome in the North known as Frozen
5. Craft armors
6. Explore lands
7. Use Star Metal to make powerful armor
8. Volcano area
9. Lots of Biomes including Highlands, Savannah, Floodlands, and Ashlands
10. 53 sq. km area of gaming
11. Use natural resources to deal with thirst and hunger
12. Ward off dangerous enemies
13. Melee weapons
14. Thrall system

Game Information

• Genre – Survival, action-adventure game
• Crossplay – Conan Exiles supports crossplay
• Platforms -PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S 
• Price – Conan Exiles costs $39.99 on Steam

Try Conan Exiles and thank me later!

4. The Forest

• Release Date: 30 April 2018                                                                                 
• Developer: Endnight Games

How about some adventure in a remote forested peninsula? This Rust alternative called The Forest is going to be a gem in your till now gaming experience. It is a survival game that takes place in a mysterious forest. You have to gather resources, build shelters, and hunt animals to survive. The game features a day and night cycle, where players must survive both the harsh sunlight and the dark of night making it one of the most amazing games like Rust. Let’s explore its features given below –

Features of The Forest

1. Play in a remote forested peninsula
2. Take on the role of Eric LeBlanc 
3. Fight with cannibalistic monsters
4. Search for Timmy, son of Eric
5. Nonlinear gaming style
6. Open-world environment
7. First-person perspective 
8. No quests or missions
9. Take your decision to survive
10. Explores the caves beneath the forest 
11. Day Night cycle
12. Hunt animal
13. Build shelters

Game Information

• Genre – A survival horror game
• Crossplay – The Forest doesn’t support crossplay
• Platforms – Windows, PlayStation 4
• Price – The Forest costs $19.99 on Steam

5. 7 Days to Die

• Release Date: 13 December 2013                                                                                  
• Developer: The Fun Pimps

We cannot skip the survival horror game 7 Days to Die while talking about games like Rust. Featuring a large open world, this Rust alternative will take you to a post-apocalyptic world full of Zombies. You have to gather resources, build shelters, and fight off zombies to make sure you are alive. You must gather umpteen amounts of food and water to keep yourself alive throughout the game. Have a look below to see what other features it has to offer –

Features of 7 Days to Die

1. Multiplayer and single-player game
2. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic world
3. 15 GB game
4. Survive at any cost as long as you can
5. Fend off the elements
6. Fight off the Zombies
7. You can spawn into another world
8. Keep collecting food and water to survive
9. Cure yourself of illness and injury
10. Voxel-based game
11. Smooth terrain
12. Build simple items
13. Destroy objects
14. Physics simulated game environment
15. Keep searching for new tools to craft items

Game Information

• Genre – A horror survival game
• Crossplay – 7 Days to Die partially supports crossplay
• Platforms – Linux, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
• Price – 7 Days to Die costs ‎$24.99 on Steam

Your search for games like Rust will be incomplete with 7 Days to Die. Go for it now!

6. Subnautica

• Release Date: 16 December 2014                                                                                   
• Developer: Unknown Worlds Entertainment

This action-adventure Rust alternative called Subnautica takes place in an underwater world. To survive in the game, you have to gather resources, build items, collect blueprints, and explore the hidden islands full of mysterious creatures and challenges. This is one of my favorite games in the list of games like Rust due to its amazing underwater graphics. Head on to know the other features it has to offer –

Features of Subnautica

1. Open world game
2. First-person perspective
3. Control Ryley Robinson, the only survivor of the Aurora
4. Ryley Robinson is on 4546B, a remote ocean planet
5. Gather resources
6. Craft tools
7. Collect the blueprints for crafting
8. Build submersibles and bases
9. Communicate with the wildlife
10. Gameplay is set underwater
11. Explore the hidden islands
12. Day and Night cycle
13. Presence of dangerous fauna like Bone Sharks, Crabsquids, Stalkers, Ampeels, Sea-dragons, Ghost Leviathans, etc.
14. Four game modes are available – Survival, Freedom, Hardcore & Creative

Game Information

• Genre – Survival, action-adventure game
• Crossplay – Subnautica doesn’t support crossplay
• Platforms – macOS, Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
• Price – Subnautica costs $29.99 on Steam.

7. The Long Dark

• Release Date: 1 August 2017                                                                                   
• Developer: Hinterland Studio

Exploring the frigid Canadian wilderness of Long Dark will provide you with the most unique Rust alternative experience. If you are looking for games like Rust with a little twist, The Long Dark is your thing. You must gather materials, build shelters, and fend off creatures in the game’s harsh environment. In the game’s story mode, you have to struggle to survive against all obstacles. Want to know what other features it has to offer? Head on!

Features of The Long Dark

1. Open-world survival simulation game
2. Explore the frigid Canadian wilderness 
3. First-person perspective
4. Available game modes are – Story, Survival, and Challenge mode
5. Available game regions – Mystery Lake, Coastal Highway, Pleasant Valley, Forlorn Muskeg, Desolation Point, Timberwolf Mountain, Mountain Town, Broken Railroad, Hushed River Valley, Bleak Inlet, Ash Canyon, and Blackrock Mountain
6. Interconnected game regions
7. Make sure you are alive throughout the game
8. Gather food, water, and other supplies
9. Craft multiple items
10. Build weapons like axes, knives, etc.

Game Information

• Genre – A survival game 
• Crossplay – The Long Dark Costs doesn’t support crossplay
• Platforms – Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
• Price – The Long Dark costs ‎$19.99 on Steam

The Long Dark is my personal favorite! Give this a try now!

8. Deadside

• Release Date: 14 April 2020                                                                                    
• Developer: Bad Pixel, Bad Pixel Games

Deadside, my eighth choice in this list of games like Rust, will transport you to the post-Soviet nation. In this survival, shooter Rust alternative, you have to gather materials, construct shelters, and fend against monsters in a sizable open environment. Additionally, the game has multiplayer capabilities that let you cooperate with friends to complete challenges. Want to know what other features it has to offer? Have a look below –

Features of Deadside

1. Hardcore shooter multiplayer game
2. Huge possibilities in gameplay
3. A realistic post-apocalyptic world
4. Full of NPCs
5. Survival game
6. Balance the dynamic of a shooter
7. Realistic aspects of life
8. Live in a dead civilization
9. No presence of Zoombies
10. Presence of dense forest
11. Access 225 sq. km area full of forest, roads, and rivers
12. Face the Gang of Cannibals

Game Information

• Genre – Shooter video game 
• Crossplay – Deadside probably supports crossplay
• Platforms – Microsoft Windows
• Price – Deadside costs $19.99 on Steam.

9. Green Hell

• Release Date: 29 August 2018                                                                                   
• Developer: Creepy Jar, Forever Entertainment S. A.

Green Hell, my ninth pick for the listicle of games like Rust, will leave you in the  Amazon rainforest setup. You have to gather resources, build shelters, and fight off wildlife and other dangers. The game also has a story mode, where you can uncover the secrets of the rainforest. Still not sure whether Raft is a perfect Rust alternative or not? Explore the features given below –

Features of Green Hell

1. Breathtaking deadly Amazonian rainforest
2. Multicolored vibrant graphics
3. Attractive sounds and tones
4. The environment keeps changing dynamically
5. Crop different types of plants
6. Versatile animal species
7. Rich ecosystem
8. Realistic occurrence and behavior of the animals
9. Realistic survival techniques
10. Craft tools and weapons
11. Gather materials, water, and food
12. Make camps and start fires
13. Hunt animals 
14. Get rid of diseases and stay healthy
15. Keep your psychological health good as well
16. Isolated situation

Game Information

• Genre – Survival, adventure, Simulation game
• Crossplay – Green Hell doesn’t support crossplay.
• Platforms – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
• Price – Green Hell costs $24.99 on Steam.

You can’t miss gaming in the Amazonian rainforest! Install Green Hell ASAP!

10. Raft

• Release Date:  23 May 2018                                                                                  
• Developer: Redbeet Interactive, Redbeet Interactive AB

Want to experience a sea adventure while searching for games like Rust? The adventure, survival, and simulation game Raft, developed by Redbeet Interactive will take you into the middle of a rough and tough sea where you have to survive at any cost. Fight with bosses and dangerous creatures, collect food and other resources, and do whatever you need to survive in this Rust alternative. Let’s see what other features it has –

Features of Raft

1. Set out for sea adventures
2. Sail in a 2×2 tiny raft in rough oceans
3. Collect food
4. Craft multiple items
5. Do farming
6. Make sure you survive
7. Upgrade the raft
8. Find out the civilization under and above the water
9. Tough challenges in every step
10. Encounter with dangerous creatures
11. Multiple Boss battles
12. Swim to collect objects
13. Thrilling storyline
14. Single-player and Multiplayer

Game Information

• Genre – Survival, adventure, Simulation Indie game
• Crossplay – Raft doesn’t support crossplay
• Platforms – Microsoft Windows
• Price – Raft costs $19.99 on Steam

Top 10 Games Like Rust For Android

I have shortlisted some games like Rust which are available on Android devices. Want to know what they are? Have a look below!

Top 10 Rust alternatives for Android devices –

1. Survival Island: EVO
2. Survival Island Free
3. Last Pirate: Survival Island Adventure
4. Survivor Adventure: Survival Island
5. Forest Survival
6. LastCraft Survival
7. Survival and Craft: Crafting In The Ocean
8. Last Island: Survival and Craft
9. Survival Simulator
10. ARK: Survival Evolved

Top 10 Games Like Rust For iOS

I have shortlisted some games like Rust which are available on iOS devices. Want to know what they are? Have a look below!

Top 10 Rust alternatives for iOS devices –

1. ICARUS
2. The Walking Zombie 2
3. SurvivalIsLand
4. Desert Skies
5. Badlands
6. The Survivalists
7. Raft
8. ARK: Survival Evolved
9. Unknown Planet
10. Survival RPG 2: Temple Ruins

Top 10 Games Like Rust For PC

I have shortlisted some games like Rust that are available on PC. Want to know what they are? Have a look below!

Top 10 Rust alternatives for PC–

1. ARK: Survival Evolved
2. DayZ
3. Conan Exiles
4. The Forest
5. 7 Days to Die
6. The Long Dark
7. Subnautica
8. Deadside
9. Green Hell
10. Raft

That’s all for today guys. Now, you have a list of all the games like Rust for every device. Go and Explore!

Wrapping Up

If you are a fan of Rust and looking for more survival games to play, then this list is for you. These games offer similar gameplay mechanics and challenges as Rust but with their unique twists and features. Whether you prefer a prehistoric world filled with dinosaurs or an underwater world full of mystery, there’s a game on this list for everyone. So, grab your friends and get ready to survive in these 10 best games like Rust!

Frequently Asked Questions