Summary
Absolutely nosurvival gamein the industry right now lacks the basic standard elements of survival: cooking, building, and hunting. Understandably so, since that’s what survival is all about. The thing is, most of these mechanics draw inspiration from the olden times—specifically, the Middle Ages—when life was harsh, food was scarce, and one’s ability to survive depended on honing these skills.
This is why, despite theabundance of mega-hit survival gamesout there, the ones that truly stand out are thoseset in a realistic Medieval era,as they rely on the authenticity of their time period. What’s most captivating about these games is their immersive portrayal of the realistic aspects of this era, forgoing most fantastical elements like dragons or magicians in favor of genuine historical authenticity.
The Medieval times weren’t exactly known for their peace and prosperity. They were marred by wars, famine, and a considerable amount of political unrest, and this is exactly what one expects to see from survival games that are based on this era. However, withLife is Feudal, things are a little different. Instead of being weighed down by conflict, combat, and, well, a clear objective, this game is practically just a realistic representation of a normal day in the life of an average Medieval man. Some may even describe its gameplay as pleasantly stagnant and basic.
The game itself is a sandbox RPG with major survival elements and an uncanny resemblance toMinecraftin terms of its mechanics, save for itsingeniously realistic graphics. Just likeMinecraft, it gives players the freedom to do absolutely anything they want—crafting, building, and even potion brewing (conveniently known as alchemy in-game). Its intense realism makes the game almost too interactive and lifelike, and may even become overwhelming for players initially. With that said, once that early bird anxiety goes away, it becomes addicting and very fun to play.
Conan Exilesis an open-world survival game set in the world of the highly-celebrated fictional hero, Conan the Barbarian. While the game doesn’t exactly take place in the Medieval era, the backdrop and premise—with its dark ambiance, and olden architecture—feels like a fictionalized rendition of it, more or less.
Funny enough, despite being set in Conan the Barbarian’s time, the game does not feature him as the main character. Instead, theprotagonist is a convict, on the verge of execution, who receives help from Conan and is forced into the harsh environment of the Exiled Lands. Players have to ensure that their character survives as long as possible with the few resources available in the Exiled Lands. The gameplay, being non-linear, is fully adaptable and customizable.
Siege Survival: Gloria Victis, while naturally having the same vibes and backdrop as befitting a Medieval game, starts off slightly different from the previous two entries. Instead of being set in a relatively peaceful period that gives players enough margin to start from scratch and slowly build their way up, it begins with a bang. The game literally kicks off with the main city under siege and enemy soldiers pouring in from all around, practically confirming imminent defeat for the ‘good guys.’
Gloria Victistries to give its players a realistic strategy-survival experience; actively protecting their area and going to war in real-time instead of seeking conflict solely for thesake of progress and updates. Players have to ensure their stronghold survives the enemy onslaught—whether it’s by scavenging food, crafting equipment, sending out soldiers, or physically strengthening the walls of their increasingly shirking base. It cannot get more Medieval than that!
Kingdom Come: Deliveranceis an action RPG that’s set in one of the most flourishing Medieval empires in history, known as the Kingdom of Bohemia. Its historical accuracy distinguishes it as one of the few period-authentic pieces out there that truly represent the Middle Ages correctly. Every detail in the game, including costumes, items, weapons, buildings, and even people, is as faithfully depicted as possible, making the gameplay very immersive and engaging.
There’s also a considerable degree of creative freedom in the game due to the absence of distinct class systems. Players are allowed enough flexibility to opt for any role they want, however they want it. The skills, abilities, stats, looks, and clothes arecompletely customizable, and can be changed whenever its needed. Additionally, there’s a vast array of armor, weapons, and items available, all entirely at the players' discretion.
Medieval Dynastyis a co-op survival game that’s set in a massive Medieval open-world map. The game, like many other survival games, throws players in blindly, with no resources or survival skills, allowing them to build and cultivate—literally and metaphorically—their skills from the ground up.
Players start as either hunters or farmers and slowly make their way up the hierarchy. They have the freedom toexplore the expansive open-worldand construct in any area of their choosing, with the possibility of gradually expanding their base and transforming it into a town. The game also has dynamic weather and a co-op mode.
With all the Medieval talk going on in this list, it’s nothing short of unfair to not include a game centered around Vikings.Valheimis an upcoming survival game, still in Early Access, that fits whatevercriteria people have for a Viking game. It explores Norse mythology, culture, lore, and, to some extent, its history, and completely bases its gameplay on it.
Players are essentially fallen Viking soldiers who need to redeem themselves by defeating the six bosses found in the biomes throughout in the game.Valheimis set on a procedurally generated map that holds these multiple biomes, all with their own tricks and quirks. Like other survival games,Valheimalso uses similar game mechanics and objectives, which basically have players running around, finding resources, building bases, and eventually getting strong enough to fight the bosses. While the bosses themselves may be creatures of Nordic myth, the rest of the game stays fairly grounded in its survival trappings.
