18 Games Like Raft: Top Survival & Crafting Picks in 2026
If you loved Raft, you’ve probably asked yourself what to play next.
If you loved Raft, you’ve probably asked yourself what to play next. The search for games like Raft is all about finding that same mix of survival, crafting, and discovery that keeps you hooked for hours. You want the tension of gathering resources before night falls, the challenge of building something out of nothing, and the thrill of exploring dangerous environments with friends.
This review is here to help. We’ve put together 18 survival games that capture the same feeling Raft delivers while adding their own twists. Some throw you into vast oceans or harsh wilderness, others test your teamwork against tough enemies, but all of them promise that same addictive loop of gathering, crafting, and surviving.
Our Top Picks for Games Like Raft
Some survival games come close to matching Raft’s mix of crafting, tension, and teamwork. Out of all the options, these five stand above the rest for how well they capture that same feeling.
Stranded Deep
SURVIVAL
You start stranded on a tiny island after a plane crash, armed with almost nothing. Crafting rafts, spears, and shelters while fighting off sharks and storms makes survival feel immediate and personal, just like in Raft.
Subnautica
SURVIVAL
This one takes the ocean theme further by sending you into alien waters. Exploring the deep sea, managing oxygen, and building underwater bases adds a layer of mystery and danger that keeps you pushing deeper into the unknown.
Green Hell
SURVIVAL
Set in the Amazon rainforest, Green Hell focuses on realism. Tracking calories, treating wounds, and even fighting off hallucinations turns survival into a psychological challenge, perfect if you want something harsher than Raft.
These five are the strongest starting points if you’re looking for your next survival adventure. But there’s plenty more ahead, so keep reading to discover all 18 games worth trying.
18 Games Like Raft: Craft Your Way To Survival
Stranded Deep
Best Ocean Survival Game With Sharks and Crafting
- Our Score
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
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- ★
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- ★
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- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Linux
- Creator/s
- Beam Team Games, Beam Team Publishing
- Average Playtime
- Around 25–60 hours, depending on survival style
- After a plane crash leaves you stranded in the middle of the
- Pacific Ocean
- ,
Stranded Deep
- throws you into a fight mission for survival and your life where every choice shapes your fate. The world is
- procedurally generated
- , meaning no two islands or seas are ever the same, and each run demands new strategies in this
- best survival game
.
You’ll scavenge wrecks, craft tools, and slowly piece together shelters, rafts, and even advanced creations like a gyrocopter. Survival goes beyond building. You need to manage health, hunger, thirst, and exposure, which adds weight to even the simplest daily tasks.
One day might be spent fishing for food, while another could see you patching wounds, farming potatoes, or braving storms at sea. The atmosphere balances calm beauty with constant risk: sunsets and clear waters quickly turn into wild weather and close encounters with sharks or whales.
Open-world survival across a procedurally generated oceanic archipelago makes
Stranded Deep
a strong match for players who love Raft’s loop of gathering, crafting, and enduring.
My Verdict:
It keeps you on edge while rewarding creativity and persistence, making every hour feel like a battle you’ve genuinely fought to win.
Subnautica
Top High-Pressure Survival Game in an Alien Ocean
- Our Score
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
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- ★
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- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows, macOS
- Creator/s
- Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Average Playtime
- 30–70 hours depending on exploration depth
Subnautica
- begins with a
- crash landing on an alien ocean planet
- , and survival means heading straight into the depths. The world stretches from
- shallow coral reefs
- to
- volcanic trenches
- ,
- bioluminescent rivers
- , and
- endless cave systems
, each hiding both beauty and danger.
Exploration is tied to managing oxygen, collecting resources, and slowly building the equipment needed to go deeper.
Bases on the sea floor act as safe havens, while submarines and diving suits open the way to uncharted zones.
Every layer of the ocean feels alive.
Peaceful fish swim in schools while predators stalk the shadows, forcing you to decide when to fight and when to flee.
Resource gathering feeds directly into crafting; one dive might bring food and water, while another might yield rare minerals for advanced gear.
As progress continues, the story unfolds through wreckage and mysterious alien structures, hinting at what happened on this strange planet. The visuals lean heavily on vibrant colors and glowing bioluminescence, making exploration as breathtaking as it is unsettling.
My Verdict:
Subnautica
is a perfect choice for Raft fans who want the same balance of scavenging, crafting, and survival, but in a setting that feels truly otherworldly.
Green Hell
Best Jungle Survival Game With Realistic Difficulty
- Our Score
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
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- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft Windows, GeForce Now
- Creator/s
- Creepy Jar
- Average Playtime
- 25–80 hours depending on playstyle
Green Hell
- drops you deep into the
- Amazon rainforest
, a setting that feels as dangerous as it is alive. The game isn’t about simple crafting, it’s about surviving the harshest conditions nature can throw at you.
Every action has consequences: eating the wrong mushroom can poison you, untreated wounds can fester, and exhaustion can break your focus. The jungle itself becomes an opponent, with unpredictable weather, hostile wildlife, and your own mind working against you.
Players spend their time foraging for food, building shelters, and crafting tools from wood, stone, and vines. Hunting animals provides much-needed nutrition, but staying alive also means keeping track of hydration, carbohydrates, protein, and fats. There’s also a psychological layer, prolonged isolation or constant stress leads to hallucinations, turning survival into both a physical and mental challenge.
Visually, the game leans on gritty realism: dense vegetation, muddy rivers, and eerie nights create an atmosphere that feels oppressive yet authentic. A hardcore tropical jungle survival sim with realistic health, nutrition, and psychological mechanics,
Green Hell
appeals to players who want a test of endurance that feels brutally authentic.
My Verdict:
It rewards patience and careful planning, offering an experience that’s less about relaxation and more about pushing your limits against one of Earth’s harshest environments.
Astroneer
Hardcore Space Survival With Chill Exploration Vibes
- Our Score
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
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- ★
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- ★
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- ★
- Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Cloud Gaming, GeForce Now
- Creator/s
- System Era Softworks
- Average Playtime
- 30–100 hours depending on exploration and building focus
Astroneer
- takes survival away from the oceans and jungles and instead places you on colorful
- alien planets
- spread across a vast solar system. The goal is not just staying alive but thriving through
- exploration, resource management, and base-building
.
With the unique Terrain Tool, players can reshape the land itself, digging tunnels, sculpting surfaces, or carving pathways to uncover hidden resources. This mechanic sets it apart, turning the environment into both a canvas and a challenge that you can play on the best gaming monitor.
Progress comes from building modular bases, setting up automation systems, and linking power networks to keep everything running. You might craft vehicles to cross massive planets, set up extractors to automate mining, or create rail systems that tie your network together.
Despite the vibrant art style and playful look, the game hides real depth: biomes differ drastically, and venturing underground into vast cave systems brings its own risks and rewards. A colorful, sandbox space exploration game with terrain-deforming mechanics at its core,
Astroneer
is perfect for players who enjoyed Raft’s crafting and teamwork but want a more creative, lighthearted take.
My Verdict:
Its mix of freedom, cooperation, and experimentation makes it stand out as one of the most approachable survival titles.
Valheim
Norse-Themed Survival Game With Boss Battles and Co-op
Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ macOS, Linux, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, GeForce Now Creator/s Iron Gate AB, published by Coffee Stain Publishing Average Playtime 40–150 hours depending on progression and co-op play
Valheim
takes survival to the realm of Norse mythology, dropping players into a procedurally generated world known as the Tenth World, something like the top simulation games. Designed for solo play or groups of up to ten, the game blends crafting, combat, and exploration with a sense of mythic scale. You gather resources to build shelters, forge weapons, and prepare meals, but survival also means venturing into the unknown to face hostile creatures and massive bosses.
The building system lets you construct everything from modest huts to sprawling Viking halls, with mechanics like structural integrity and ventilation adding depth to construction. Combat is stamina-based, encouraging timing and preparation rather than button-mashing. The world itself feels alive, misty forests, frozen mountains, and stormy seas all provide unique resources, enemies, and challenges.
Co-op elevates the experience, as teamwork is often the key to overcoming both environmental threats and the epic bosses tied to progression. A Viking-themed survival sandbox with procedural worlds, cooperative play, and unforgettable boss battles,
Valheim
appeals to Raft fans who want survival mechanics with a grander, more mythical scale.
My Verdict:
It rewards patience, collaboration, and exploration, while always pushing you toward the next epic fight.
Sunkenland
Post-Apocalyptic Ocean Survival With PvE and Raids
- Our Score
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
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- Microsoft Windows
- Creator/s
- Vector3 Studio
- Average Playtime
- 25–80 hours depending on exploration and co-op play
Sunkenland
imagines a post-apocalyptic Earth where rising seas have swallowed cities with secrets, leaving only scattered islands and half-submerged ruins. Survival here means scavenging the remains of the old world while defending yourself from raiders and mutants. Players spend their time diving into sunken skyscrapers, collecting rare resources, and transforming scraps into tools, weapons, and vehicles.
Exploration extends below the surface, where dark waters hide both valuable technology and lurking dangers. On the surface, you’ll engage in clan warfare, fortify defenses with traps and turrets, and expand your territory piece by piece on your top gaming laptop.
The game’s oceanic survival focus makes it stand out. Its mix of deep-sea exploration, crafting, and constant underwater tension provides a harsher, more combat-driven spin on the Raft formula.
My Verdict:
Sunkenland
offers a world where every dive could be your last, and every base you build feels like a true stronghold against the apocalypse.
Conan Exiles
Savage Survival Game Set in the World of Conan
- Our Score
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
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- ★
- PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft Windows, GeForce Now
- Creator/s
- Funcom
- Average Playtime
- 40–200 hours depending on progression and multiplayer
Conan Exiles
- drops players into the savage
- Exiled Lands
- , a brutal open-world
- top-down action RPG game
inspired by the universe of Conan the Barbarian. After being cut down from the “corpse tree,” you start with nothing and must fight to survive sandstorms, freezing mountains, and hostile beasts. The game combines survival mechanics with RPG progression, allowing you to hunt, build, and fight your way toward dominance.
Activities span from crafting shelters and weapons to commanding thralls and even summoning godlike avatars in large-scale battles. The building system is versatile, letting you construct simple huts or entire fortified cities piece by piece. Combat is fast-paced and violent, mixing melee weapons, ranged attacks, and sorcery.
A community favorite aspect is the freedom of choice: players can engage in solo survival, cooperative play, or PvP sieges, each offering a very different experience. Visually, the game leans into gritty realism with deserts, swamps, and snowy peaks, all designed to make the Exiled Lands feel as dangerous as they are alive.
My Verdict:
An open-world survival RPG genre set in a barbarian world with crafting, exploration, and PvP,
Conan Exiles
appeals to players who enjoy harsh environments and the freedom to dominate through skill, strength, or strategy.
The Long Dark
Best Solo Survival Game in a Frozen Apocalypse
Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, macOS, Linux, Microsoft Windows, GeForce Now Creator/s Hinterland Studio Inc.
Average Playtime Around 40–100 hours depending on mode and playstyle
The Long Dark
drops you into a frozen Canadian wilderness after a geomagnetic disaster, where every step is a fight for survival. Unlike most survival titles, there are no zombies or mutants, just you, the cold, and the unforgiving landscape.
Managing hunger, fatigue, warmth, and calories becomes a constant balancing act, with every action carrying a cost. Exploration is deliberate and tense, with wolves, bears, and moose as ever-present threats, while limited resources push you to make tough choices.
Visually, the game takes a stylized yet bleak approach, with muted palettes and stark landscapes that highlight the solitude of survival. Community players on Reddit often praise the “no hand-holding” design, which forces careful planning and punishes recklessness.
My Verdict:
Fans love this game because it captures the pure essence of isolation and survival genre, making every decision matter in a way that few other titles achieve.
Rust
Most Competitive Survival Game With Intense PvP
Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Creator/s Facepunch Studios Average Playtime 40-80 hours (depends on servers and playstyle)
Rust
throws you into the wild with nothing but a rock and a torch. From that moment on, survival is entirely up to you. You’ll need to gather resources, build shelter, and craft weapons, all while avoiding (or ambushing) other players who want exactly what you have.
PvP is intense, unforgiving, and often unpredictable, making every encounter feel personal. What makes
Rust
stand out is its brutal realism and chaotic player dynamics. One moment you’re peacefully farming mushrooms, the next you’re gunned down by a fully geared clan.
My Verdict:
The tension never stops, but neither does the satisfaction when you finally take control of a server. If you’re into hardcore survival with raw competition and massive replayability,
Rust
is essential.
Don’t Starve Together
Stylized Co-Op Survival With Dark Humor
- Our Score
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
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- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Creator/s
- Klei Entertainment
- Average Playtime
- 30–150 hours depending on playstyle and server settings
Don’t Starve Together
- throws players into a
- twisted, hand-drawn wilderness
- where survival is brutal and nothing is explained, similar to the
- favorite game like Rust
- . You’ll need to
- gather materials, craft tools, cook food
, and avoid going insane, all while hostile creatures and the environment try to kill you. The game’s signature challenge comes from how little it holds your hand. Players learn by doing, failing, and then trying again.
- The world is full of
- seasonal threats, random events, and punishing bosses
- , so building a safe and sustainable camp becomes a key goal. The game’s
- permadeath system
- adds high stakes, especially in multiplayer where one player’s mistake can doom the group. Its
- sketchy, gothic art style
makes every moment feel both charming and tense.
My Verdict:
A unique take on the best co-op game that mixes stylized visuals with harsh mechanics,
Don’t Starve Together
is ideal for Raft fans looking for a more unforgiving and mysterious challenge, especially if they enjoy learning the hard way.
Sea of Thieves
Best Pirate Adventure Game With Naval Exploration
Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Xbox Series X, Windows, PlayStation 5 Creator/s Rare Ltd.
Average Playtime 50–200 hours depending on goals and crew activity
Sea of Thieves
drops players into an open-ended top pirate game where the goal is simple: sail, loot, and survive together, the perfect game like Valheim. You’ll take command of a ship (alone or with friends) and explore a shared world full of rival crews, sea monsters, and buried treasure.
Every voyage unfolds differently, maybe you’re fighting a Megalodon, maybe you’re getting robbed by another crew, or maybe you’re singing shanties with strangers at an outpost. The game thrives on unscripted chaos, where PvE and PvP constantly intertwine.
Combat is real-time and clunky in the best way, sailing feels weighty and physical, and teamwork is essential to success. The cartoonish water effects, storm systems, and day-night lighting make each journey feel cinematic.
A perfect fit for Raft or Valheim players who crave emergent multiplayer storytelling with an oceanic twist, where every mistake becomes a memory, and every voyage tells its own tale.
Spiritfarer
Cozy Management Game About Death and Farewells
- Our Score
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- ☆
- ★
- Nintendo Switch, Android, PlayStation 4, macOS, Xbox One, iOS, Linux, Windows
- Creator/s
- Thunder Lotus Games
- Average Playtime
- 30–50+ hours depending on completion goals
Spiritfarer
- is the
- greatest cozy game
- where you ferry lost souls to the afterlife, one heartfelt goodbye at a time. You play as
- Stella
- , a gentle guide for spirits crossing over, accompanied by her cat Daffodil. You’ll
- build and customize a boat
- ,
- sail to strange islands
- ,
- harvest resources
- , and
- forge bonds with quirky spirits
who join your ferry.
The gameplay loop blends light platforming, resource management, and story-driven progression, all wrapped in a stunning hand-drawn art style that looks like an animated movie in motion. Where
Spiritfarer
really shines is its tone and theme. The game takes death, a topic rarely touched in games, and transforms it into a peaceful, reflective experience filled with love, food, laughter, and memories.
My Verdict:
For fans of Raft or Stardew Valley who want something gentler and more meaningful,
Spiritfarer
offers a slow, soulful ride through themes of love, grief, and letting go.
Flotsam
Floating City Builder With Waterworld Survival Themes
Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Windows, macOS Creator/s Pajama Llama Games Average Playtime 15–30 hours depending on exploration and build pace
Flotsam
is a colorful city-building survival sim set in a post-apocalyptic, waterlogged world where your town floats across the ocean. Instead of building on land, you construct your town atop scavenged debris, floating platforms, plastic scraps, driftwood, and remnants of the old world.
Your crew of quirky drifters must gather food, distill water, rescue stranded people, and recycle ocean trash into tools and buildings. The game’s cheerful visual aesthetic contrasts its survival roots, featuring a bright, saturated palette, clear skies, and an upbeat tone that makes the apocalypse feel strangely wholesome.
Despite the scary visuals, dangers still exist: polluted zones, food scarcity, illness, and unexpected weather events. What sets
Flotsam
apart is how it lets your entire city move, you’re not stuck in one place. Once an area runs dry, raise anchor and tow your whole base toward new waters and discoveries.
My Verdict:
Flotsam’s mix of lighthearted tone and strategic complexity, especially those who want something more mobile and modular.
V Rising
Vampire-Themed Survival Game With Base Building
Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Windows, PlayStation 5 Creator/s Stunlock Studios Average Playtime 30–100+ hours (massive replay via PvP, base raids, and updates)
V Rising
is a vampire-themed and greatest open-world game that blends base-building, ARPG combat, and online multiplayer chaos. You awaken as a weakened vampire in a gothic world and must feed, craft, build, and fight your way to power.
Players gather resources by night, hunt humans for blood types that grant unique perks, and build sprawling castles as their base of operations. The gameplay loop involves crafting gear, raiding enemy strongholds, and slaying powerful bosses to absorb their abilities and evolve.
PvE and PvP servers offer entirely different experiences, from slow, methodical building to brutal clan warfare with full loot mechanics.
V Rising’s dark fantasy aesthetic is top-tier: brooding forests, cursed villages, and haunted castles come alive with detailed isometric visuals and dynamic lighting that changes from day to deadly sunlight. The world feels alive and dangerous, especially when other players are out for blood.
My Verdict:
V Rising
sinks its fangs into fans of survival crafting, PvP raiding, and vampire lore. It’s addictive, atmospheric, and ruthless, perfect for players who want to build empires and burn others to ash.
Grounded
Backyard Survival Game With Bugs and Shrinking Fun
Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 Creator/s Obsidian Entertainment Average Playtime 40–100+ hours (replayable with co-op, base-building, and survival modes)
Grounded
is a first-person backyard survival game where you’re shrunk to the size of an ant and forced to survive in a hostile world of bugs, uncover secrets, grass blades, and lawn furniture, it’s similar to games like Palworld. You’ll gather resources, craft tools, and fend off giant insects while uncovering the strange mystery behind your miniaturization.
Gameplay revolves around daytime exploration and nighttime defense.
Build fortified bases, unlock crafting stations, and upgrade gear to take on aggressive spiders, diving bell beetles, and other backyard bosses.
Grounded
nails the whimsical-but-dangerous aesthetic with oversized props, realistic bug animations, and surprisingly eerie lighting.
My Verdict:
Grounded
takes a silly concept and turns it into one of the most polished survival games around, perfect for fans of Honey I Shrunk the Kids, The Forest, and Valheim with a twist.
We Happy Few
Dystopian Survival Game With Drug-Fueled Paranoia
Our Score ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, GeForce Now Creator/s Compulsion Games Average Playtime 20–60+ hours (story-driven, high replay with survival mode and alternate endings)
We Happy Few
is a narrative-driven survival adventure set in a drug-fueled, retrofuturistic 1960s England. You play as one of three rebellious citizens in the city of Wellington Wells, where society has chosen blissful ignorance over reality. To survive, you must sneak, craft, conform, or fight your way through a collapsing world obsessed with artificial happiness.
The core gameplay mixes exploration, stealth, survival mechanics, and resource management. You’ll scavenge supplies, craft weapons, avoid detection, and decide how to handle the deranged citizens hooked on “Joy” pills. Combat is optional, but intense when needed, especially when your cover is blown.
My Verdict:
With its mix of story arcs, crafting, and moral choices, it’s perfect for fans of survival games who want their experience to feel personal, unpredictable, and just a little off-kilter.