Over the last decade, survival games have exploded in popularity, to the point that the genre is arguably overexposed nowadays. Each month seems to coincide with the release of a couple of open-world survival games, most of which enter Steam Early Access and seem happy to never leave. Due to the sheer volume of competition and a few perennial titles that hog the spotlight, the industry moves on from new games pretty quickly, causing once-highly anticipated releases to be wiped from our collective memories.

Scavenging for resources, building makeshift huts, fighting off wildlife or zombies, and hanging out with friends; we know a survival game when we see one, and they have a habit of blending together. Most people are, at least, vaguely familiar with The Forest or 7 Days to Die, but they might want something else to play besides the staples. Let's highlight a couple of great survival games that have mostly been forgotten.

Released in 2012, Miasmata pre-dates the survival boom, so it doesn't try to adhere to the beaten-to-death formula that evolved throughout the 2010s. Consequently, the indie game remains one of the most distinctive examples of its type. While its age shines through in places, its core ideas have stood the test of time pretty darn well, and I would recommend it to most survival fans, as long as they don't mind a bit of jank.

These excellent survival games offer the most depth and complexity to satisfy the most extreme survival enthusiasts.

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