In early 2021, an unknown game called Valheim burst onto the survival games scene after exploding in player count on Steam. For many players, there’s still not a game like Valheim that truly captures what it has to offer. From the architecturally sound base building to the Viking atmosphere and the different map environments teeming with new resources and bosses, there’s a reason why Valheim is still considered one of the best survival games in the genre.

However, this doesn’t mean there aren’t other games that share many similarities with Valheim. You can play a variety of survival titles that offer a comparable experience in at least one way. If you’ve been searching for a new game of Valheim’s caliber, then we have you covered. We have compiled a list of the 10 best games like Valheim, which are all easily playable in 2025 and share one or more gameplay aspects with the Viking survival game.

• Developer: Jagex
• Release Date: April 15, 2025
• Platforms: PC

The RuneScape franchise is most well-known in the MMO genre, as the default RuneScape and its counterpart, Old School RuneScape, are both some of the most successful MMOs on the market. However, developer Jagex took a long-awaited step outside that genre with its newest release, RuneScape: Dragonwilds. This is a survival game that has clearly taken some inspiration from Valheim, just like Valheim initially took inspiration from the RuneScape MMO. Dragonwilds features a similar aesthetic, the same kind of precise base building, and several unique skills you can level up by performing actions in the world. Dragonwilds is still unfinished, but the developer is delivering frequent updates to expand the skilling system, add to the story, and design new parts of the map. It’s arguably the closest 1:1 experience of Valheim to be found.

• Developer: Endnight Games
• Release Date: February 23, 2023
• Platforms: PC

Sons of the Forest is what you get when you add horror and a more brutal survival experience to Valheim. In terms of gameplay, Sons of the Forest and Valheim are fairly different; Sons of the Forest is a first-person shooter that emphasizes survivability and a more open-ended exploration path. The game begins with you crash-landing on an island filled with dangerous and mysterious creatures that all want you dead. You’ll have to scavenge in deep and dark caves and other areas to find tools and weapons you need to survive on the island. A couple of companions can help you out, especially when building your base, but you’re mostly on your own as you traverse the island looking for new resources. Sons of the Forest isn’t for the faint of heart, as there are intense moments, jump scares, and other horror elements around every corner. However, it’s another terrific survival game that shares Valheim’s hard-to-master combat and multi-environment map.

• Developer: Redbeet Interactive
• Release Date: May 23, 2018
• Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

If there’s one thing you’re taught early on in Valheim, it’s to not go into the sea unless you’re prepared to face what lies beneath. Well, in Raft, you don’t have a choice but to head into the sea. Raft is a survival game that starts you off floating on a small wooden platform surrounded by nothing but water. Through finding resources underwater and eventually finding land formations, you can transform your raft into a luxurious boat that can stand against any threat the game has to offer. However, this doesn’t mean danger isn’t lurking, as you have to fend for yourself when you dive underwater to look for more supplies. If the resource-gathering and base-building elements of Valheim are what you enjoy most, then you’ll find immediate satisfaction with Raft.

• Developer: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
• Release Date: December 16, 2014
• Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch

We’re headed back to the water with this entry, and Subnautica redefines a fear of the open ocean. If you weirdly enjoyed the sea monster and its appearances in Valheim, then you’ll be thrilled with what Subnautica has to offer. You’re the lone survivor of a spaceship crash that winds up in the middle of an unknown planet, which is almost entirely made up of water. Your job is to explore the ocean, find other missing members of your crew, and unravel the true nature of the planet’s origin and power. Subnautica features some of the best open-world exploration of any game, and its survival elements will test you for your entire playthrough. You’ll have to fend off sea creatures of all shapes and sizes, and this includes some truly terrifying leviathan-sized monsters that can eat you in a second if you’re not prepared. Subnautica offers a similar style of character and map progression as Valheim, as you need to explore different environments to access new resources that are required to progress to further areas. You’ll also partake in fantastic base building that offers the ability to craft underwater submarines.

• Developer: Miju Games
• Release Date: March 24, 2022
• Platforms: PC

If you ever looked at the Valheim map and thought to yourself, “I could create something better,” then The Planet Crafter might just be the next game for you. This survival game allows you to completely terraform an entire planet, giving you full control over what kind of fauna, flora, and environments are found in your new home. You’ll initially scavenge the planet for supplies so you can get a base set up, but then you can explore and make the planet hospitable for human life. The terraforming process includes maintaining heat, oxygen, and pressure levels, as well as deciding the terrain of a given area. The Planet Crafter doesn’t offer the combat or in-depth base building of Valheim, but it does offer the same level of exploration and resource-gathering.

• Developer: Keen Games
• Release Date: January 24, 2024
• Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Enshrouded is another survival game that shares plenty of aspects with Valheim. It features deep exploration and has a focus on combat, with the map holding several bosses you can fight to earn unique rewards that will aid you in advancing through other parts of the map. Enshrouded also has a substantial base-building system that allows you to make massive forts in multiple locations across the world. One thing that sets Enshrouded apart from Valheim is its RPG mechanics that offer new upgrades and abilities for your character as you level up. Enshrouded is a great survival experience that can be played solo or in co-op with up to 16 players on a single world.

• Developer: Stunlock Studios
• Release Date: May 17, 2022
• Platforms: PS5, PC

The unique parts of Valheim are what make it such a fun survival game, and V Rising offers plenty of new gameplay elements that aren’t seen elsewhere. For starters, the game sees you play as a vampire who’s just awoken from a long hibernation period. You have to rebuild your kingdom, but to do so you need to brave the outside elements, which aren’t kind to vampires. At all times, you need to avoid the sun and other light, or you’ll take severe damage. This adds an entirely new layer to the general gameplay loop you see in most survival games. V Rising also has in-depth combat with varied enemies, bosses, and even some PvP if you choose to play on a multiplayer server.

• Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
• Release Date: September 27, 2022
• Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch

Grounded is a survival game that takes the plot of “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” to an entirely new level. In Grounded, you play as a kid who has been shrunken down to the size of a grain of sand, and you’re trapped in your house’s backyard. You’ll have to contend with the elements as well as some of the creatures that inhabit the backyard’s different environments. From the relatively calm grassy areas to the dangerous underwater puddles to the spider-infested logs, the map is wonderfully varied. In these different parts of the map, you’ll encounter blueprints to tools and weapons, new enemies, and complete missions to continue progressing through the game. Obsidian has also recently released a playtest version of Grounded 2, which improves the core experience of the game in multiple ways.

• Developer: Creepy Jar
• Release Date: August 29, 2018
• Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch

When it comes to difficulty, Valheim certainly doesn’t hold your hand through some of the challenging combat engagements or survival aspects. If you’re looking for an increased level of difficulty compared to Valheim, though, check out Green Hell. Green Hell is a far tougher survival game that places you right in the middle of the unforgiving Amazon rainforest. You’ll have to always monitor your character’s vitals and watch out for the different environments that all pose a new kind of threat. In addition to the challenging environments, you’ll also face off against difficult enemies who inhabit the rainforest, and they’re always lurking nearby. Green Hell features some expansive base building, terrific yet arduous exploration, and a difficulty level that’s not often found in a survival game.

• Developer: Pocketpair
• Release Date: January 19, 2024
• Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Palworld is a survival game that combines elements from Valheim and Pokémon. The game allows you to catch creatures known as Pals that all have different types, levels, locations, and attacks. With your Pals, you can either keep them in a storage system, place them in your party, or put them to work at your base. Pals are especially helpful with base building and management, as some of them have unique abilities that can be utilized to upkeep stations, harvest materials, and build new structures. If you decide to take some Pals with you in your party, you can use them to battle other Pals, including a selection of bosses. Your character can also battle Pals using weapons that are crafted with resources you find in the world. The more you progress, the higher-level resources you can access, which gives you the ability to craft better weapons, gear, and tools. It’s all a seamless experience that focuses on the grind of exploring the map to find new Pals and resources. Like in Valheim, Palworld also features fairly strict survival elements, as you have to constantly manage health, hunger, and thirst.