Games Like Rust

How long can you survive a post-apocalyptic world? A land overrun with an infected "zombie" population, where you compete with other survivors for limited resources. Will you team up with strangers and stay strong together? Or play as a lone wolf to avoid betrayal? This is DayZ – this is your story.

Why similar: Survival 30.2%, Open World 12.5%, Multiplayer 9.5%, Sandbox 8.4%, PvP 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: It delivers the same paranoia-heavy open-world survival loop where scavenging, hostile player encounters, and long-term server survival create unforgettable stories.

Hurtworld is a hardcore multiplayer survival FPS with a focus on competitive gunplay and strategic map control. Built for hardcore gamers, Hurtworld aims to punish.

Why similar: Survival 23.1%, Open World Survival Craft 22.2% ★, Crafting 11.6%, Open World 10.3%, Multiplayer 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: This is one of the most directly Rust-like games on Steam, with fast-paced multiplayer survival, base-building, and raiding at its core.

Traverse punishing environments, looting, crafting and evading the constant threats to your life. The unprecedented levels of character customization and progression are your ultimate tools for survival.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 27.6% ★, Survival 19.7%, Crafting 12.8%, Open World 12.2%, Sandbox 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: Its hardcore survival systems, open-world PvP, looting, and base-building make it one of the closest modern alternatives to Rust.

An Open World Survival Shooter blending hardcore PVP and PVE action. Secure precious loot in safe zones or build your own fortress in the wild. With intense gunfights, stunning visuals, and performance smooth enough for any system, the challenge awaits!

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 25% ★, Survival 21.5%, Open World 10.8%, Crafting 8.5%, PvP 7.6%

Why You'll Like It: It leans hard into survival-shooter gameplay with PvP, looting, and player bases in a way that feels very close to Rust’s combat-first sandbox.

7 Days to Die is an open-world game that is a unique combination of first-person shooter, survival horror, tower defense, and role-playing games. Play the definitive zombie survival sandbox RPG that came first. Navezgane awaits!

Why similar: Survival 26.1%, Open World Survival Craft 25.1% ★, Open World 11.2%, Multiplayer 8.9%, Building 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: Its mix of crafting, fortifying, open-world scavenging, and multiplayer survival scratches a lot of the same base-management and threat-pressure itch as Rust.

An online multiplayer survival game, now with sorcery, set in the lands of Conan the Barbarian. Survive in a vast open world sandbox, build your home into a kingdom, and dominate your enemies in single or multiplayer.

Why similar: Survival 23.1%, Open World Survival Craft 21.4% ★, Open World 12.1%, Crafting 11.5%, Building 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: If you like Rust’s cycle of gathering, building, defending, and raiding on multiplayer servers, this is one of the strongest large-scale alternatives.

Miscreated is a multiplayer online hardcore survival game set in a post-apocalyptic future. You will need to survive against mutants, players, and even mother nature herself.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 34.4% ★, Survival 24.2%, Open World 11.6%, Crafting 8.3%, Multiplayer 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: Its post-apocalyptic setting, PvP survival focus, scavenging, and base-building give it a strong Rust-adjacent feel.

Stranded on the shores of a mysterious island, you must learn to survive. Use your cunning to kill or tame the primeval creatures roaming the land, and encounter other players to survive, dominate... and escape!

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 31.9% ★, Survival 21.7%, Crafting 11.2%, Open World 10.5%, Multiplayer 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: Persistent servers, harsh early-game survival, deep crafting, and heavily defended bases make it a natural fit for Rust fans.

The Front is a survival open-world crafting sandbox game. You are a resistance fighter sent back in time to stop the rise of a tyrannical empire. Collect resources, craft tech, build shelters, and fight monsters to accomplish your mission.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 24.8% ★, Survival 17.4%, Crafting 13.2%, Open World 9.5%, Building 8.8%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a very Rust-like formula of open-world survival, base construction, PvP conflict, and progression on shared servers.

Once Human is a multiplayer open-world survival game set in a strange, post-apocalyptic future. Unite with friends to fight monstrous enemies, uncover secret plots, compete for resources, and build your own territory. Once, you were merely human. Now, you have the power to remake the world.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 28.4% ★, Survival 21%, Open World 12.3%, Multiplayer 10%, PvP 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: This online survival shooter combines open-world exploration, territory building, and multiplayer conflict in a way that should click with Rust players.

Subsistence is a sandbox, first person, solo or co-op, PvE open-world survival game. Struggle through changing seasons to build a base, develop technology and gear-up in the hostile environment. Defend yourself from wildlife, the elements and AI hunters (who also build bases in the world).

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 31.4% ★, Survival 21.2%, Crafting 13.3%, Open World 9.3%, Multiplayer 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: Even though it is slower and more survival-focused, its first-person crafting, base-building, and constant pressure feel very familiar to Rust players.

You're a survivor in the zombie infested ruins of society, and must work with your friends and forge alliances to remain among the living.

Why similar: Survival 23.2%, Crafting 16.9%, Open World 13.1%, Multiplayer 10.3%, Sandbox 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: Beneath the simple visuals is a surprisingly Rust-like loop of scavenging, building bases, fighting other players, and surviving on community servers.

As the lone survivor of a passenger jet crash, you find yourself in a mysterious forest battling to stay alive against a society of cannibalistic mutants. Build, explore, survive in this terrifying first person survival horror simulator.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 37.2% ★, Survival 25.9%, Open World 11.7%, Crafting 11.3%, Building 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: Like Rust, it blends gathering, crafting, shelter-building, and constant danger in a first-person open survival setting.

Raft™ throws you and your friends into an epic oceanic adventure! Alone or together, players battle to survive a perilous voyage across a vast sea! Gather debris, scavenge reefs and build your own floating home, but be wary of the man-eating sharks!

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 28.4% ★, Survival 24.5%, Crafting 11%, Multiplayer 10.4%, Open World 7.4%

Why You'll Like It: While much more cooperative and less brutal, it still delivers an excellent survival-crafting-building loop in first person.

Struggle to survive in a harsh medieval world. Hunt wildlife, mine resources, build structures, and craft weapons and armor in order to protect yourself. You may form a guild, bring war to all opposition, and try to seize the throne and become king!

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 27.3% ★, Survival 19%, Crafting 12.8%, Open World 11%, Building 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: It translates Rust’s base raiding and PvP survival tension into a medieval setting with castle-building and siege warfare.

A brutal exploration and survival game for 1-10 players, set in a procedurally-generated purgatory inspired by viking culture. Battle, build, and conquer your way to a saga worthy of Odin’s patronage!

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 28.1% ★, Survival 19%, Crafting 11.5%, Open World 10.7%, Building 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: It captures the addictive gather-build-progress rhythm of Rust, but with a more co-op and exploration-oriented tone instead of ruthless PvP.

Myth of Empires is a multiplayer war sandbox game featuring a high degree of freedom and multiple civilizations. Players must survive, craft, create, and lead troops in their quest to conquer PVE or PVP territory and build their own empire. Xizhou Civilization Pack is now officially released!

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 30.1% ★, Survival 18.5%, Building 12.2%, Open World 12.1%, Sandbox 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: It brings together survival, large-scale building, clan warfare, and persistent-world PvP in a way that mirrors Rust’s social and territorial gameplay.

Choose your path across a primeval continent shaped by the Mask's power. From lush rainforests to scorched sands, recruit and lead unique tribesmen, build automated production lines, and construct everything from local bases to colossal airships, uncover the secrets of the Mask

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 27.9% ★, Survival 18.6%, Crafting 14.3%, Open World 11.5%, Building 10.9%

Why You'll Like It: Its open-world survival, extensive building, and multiplayer sandbox systems make it a strong option if you want more progression layered onto Rust-style survival.

Sent to find a missing billionaire on a remote island, you find yourself in a cannibal-infested hellscape. Craft, build, and struggle to survive, alone or with friends, in this terrifying new open-world survival horror simulator.

Why similar: Survival 31.7%, Open World 17%, Crafting 14.4%, Multiplayer 12.8%, Building 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: It is a strong pick for players who mainly love Rust’s first-person survival, building, and hostile-world tension, even though PvP is not the focus.

Nomadic Survival MMO. Build wooden walking machines to travel to new lands. Create clans and fight for territory. Resources deplete fast, so take your sword and scavenge, pirate, and trade to stay alive.

Why similar: Survival 29.9%, Open World 16.1%, Crafting 15.1%, Building 9.8%, Multiplayer 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: Its clan-based PvP, mobile bases, crafting, and full-loot survival structure capture a lot of Rust’s high-risk sandbox energy.

Project Zomboid is the ultimate in zombie survival. Alone or in MP: you loot, build, craft, fight, farm and fish in a struggle to survive. A hardcore RPG skillset, a vast map, massively customisable sandbox and a cute tutorial raccoon await the unwary. So how will you die? All it takes is a bite..

Why similar: Survival 28.6%, Open World Survival Craft 23.9% ★, Open World 12.1%, Multiplayer 8.5%, Crafting 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: It is less of a shooter, but its emergent survival stories, base security, and harsh multiplayer sandbox consequences strongly echo Rust’s tension.

Take the role of a plane crash survivor stranded somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Come face to face with some of the most life threatening scenarios that will result in a different experience each time you play. Scavenge. Discover. Survive.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 33.4% ★, Survival 22.8%, Crafting 11.7%, Open World 9.6%, Multiplayer 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: It shares Rust’s first-person survival and crafting foundation, but it is much more isolated and PvE-driven.

Awaken as a Vampire. Hunt for blood in nearby settlements to regain your strength and evade the scorching sun to survive. Raise your castle and thrive in an ever-changing, open world full of mystery. Gain allies online and conquer the land of the living.

Why similar: Survival 26.7%, Crafting 16.6%, Open World 16.3%, Multiplayer 11.1%, Building 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: It keeps the survival-crafting-base-building loop and adds PvP servers and castle progression, though with a more structured action focus than Rust.

You’re a castaway stranded in the middle of nowhere. Storm is gone, the worst certainly not. Look for food and resources, craft gear, make shelters. These are the basics, you need much more to stay alive on this cut-off-the-world, yet not desert island. Build & burn, sail & explore, be Out of Reach!

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 30.5% ★, Survival 21%, Crafting 12.1%, Open World 10.5%, Multiplayer 7.4%

Why You'll Like It: This is another multiplayer survival sandbox built around gathering resources, building bases, and fighting other players in a shared world.

ICARUS is a solo or multiplayer PvE survival game. Explore a savage wilderness in the aftermath of terraforming gone wrong. Complete narrative quests as either Open World operations or Individual Missions. Explore, build, craft and hunt while seeking your fortune and prospecting for exotic matter.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 26.9% ★, Survival 21.2%, Crafting 12.4%, Open World 9.2%, Multiplayer 8.9%

Why You'll Like It: Its first-person crafting, environmental survival pressure, and satisfying base-building make it a good fit if you enjoy Rust’s survival systems more than its raiding.

Imagine DayZ or Rust but you're a duck. A persistent world survival game with PVP, PVE, crafting, base building and hat wearing ducks, wielding weapons.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 25.7% ★, Survival 19.1%, Crafting 15.1%, Multiplayer 9%, Open World 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: It channels Rust-like PvP survival, raiding, and progression in a more eccentric package that still hits many of the same notes.

Will To Live is a MMORPG-shooter whose action takes place in a severe post-apocalyptic world. Explore the world, engage in fights with mutants and other survivors, join the clans in the struggle for existence and prove your right to Live.

Why similar: Survival 32.8%, Open World Survival Craft 21.6% ★, Open World 14.2%, Multiplayer 11.4%, Crafting 6.8%

Why You'll Like It: Its post-apocalyptic online survival-shooter structure and player danger make it appealing if Rust’s hostile multiplayer atmosphere is what you want most.

Experience a big adventure on a tiny scale! Enjoy multiplayer survival in a vast, hazardous world. Preparation is key when you're this small & at the bottom of the food chain. Craft weapons & armour, tame & ride creatures, build encampments & explore a strange new land.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 24.5% ★, Survival 18.6%, Crafting 12.5%, Open World 9.7%, Multiplayer 8.6%

Why You'll Like It: Its open-world survival, resource gathering, and creative building make it a good lighter alternative for players who enjoy Rust’s crafting side.

HumanitZ is an isometric, open-world sandbox survival game set in a world ended by a zombie outbreak. Survive alone or with friends by scavenging, crafting, building, and fighting to last as long as ‘humanly’ possible. You can’t change the past, but you can fight for the future of humanity.

Why similar: Survival 20.9%, Open World Survival Craft 18.5% ★, Crafting 13.9%, Open World 11.9%, Multiplayer 8.9%

Why You'll Like It: This multiplayer survival game offers scavenging, crafting, and base-building in a dangerous open world that will appeal to Rust players looking for a zombie twist.

Nightingale is an open world survival crafting game, where you’ll adventure across the mysterious and dangerous Fae Realms. As a daring Realmwalker, you’ll defeat monstrous enemies, survive hostile environments, and build elaborate estates in a visually stunning Gaslamp Fantasy world.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 26.7% ★, Survival 18.9%, Crafting 13%, Open World 11%, Multiplayer 9.1%

Why You'll Like It: It features online survival crafting, strong building systems, and dangerous exploration, though it is more PvE-focused and fantastical than Rust.

Scavenge abandoned ruins, craft gear from scrap and salvaged materials, and fight the environment itself as hunger, exposure, and exhaustion push you to your limits. There are no second chances—only adaptation or death.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 27.9% ★, Survival 19.3%, Crafting 15.2%, Open World 11.3%, Building 9.3%

Want to survive? - Arm yourself and survive. Crafting, shooting, transport and much more awaits you in the Survival game. What happened to the world around and why he died - you may find out. But is this the main question now?

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 33.8% ★, Survival 23.4%, Open World 9.8%, Multiplayer 7.6%, Crafting 7.3%

MIST SURVIVAL is a Single-player, survival stealth sandbox game Players will experience the Apocalypse stimulation in the form of virus pandemic, the players have to deal with it to survive through the difficulties such as finding shelter and food, threats from the environment and climate: wild animals, bandits, infected, and dense mist t

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 32.2% ★, Survival 32.1%, Open World 14.2%, Crafting 10.5%, Sandbox 4.8%

Try and survive in the world of Nomad. Build a base and protect it from raiding players. Scavenge food, weapons and medical supplies across the island. Team up with others and make a base. Make your mark on the world of Nomad.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 33.3% ★, Survival 24.2%, Multiplayer 11.5%, Open World 11%, Crafting 10.1%

Muck is a survival-roguelike. Collect resources, find items & build a base to survive for as long as you can.

Why similar: Survival 35.1%, Crafting 20.4%, Multiplayer 13.6%, Open World 13.2%, Building 12.2%

Dig, fight, explore, build! Nothing is impossible in this action-packed adventure game. Four Pack also available!

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 31.2% ★, Survival 17.6%, Crafting 11.8%, Sandbox 9.7%, Multiplayer 8.4%

Action-focused, open world survival shooter, PvPvE against fellow mercenaries and lethal XOIDS. Raid for resources alone or with team-mates, build and defend your base, stash your gear and survive against the odds. You are the hunters. You are the hunted. And the robots never sleep…

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 24.8% ★, Survival 17.4%, Crafting 13%, Open World 9.1%, Multiplayer 8.6%

Next Day is a multi-player SURVIVAL game with elements of RPG, in an imaginary country in Eastern Europe. Carry out an array of tasks, learn skills, and develop your character. Have shootouts with opponents and earn a reputation.

Why similar: Survival 36.3%, Open World 18.2%, Crafting 12.2%, Multiplayer 12.2%, Post-apocalyptic 5.3%

Don’t Starve is an uncompromising wilderness survival game full of science and magic. Enter a strange and unexplored world full of strange creatures, dangers, and surprises. Gather resources to craft items and structures that match your survival style.

Why similar: Survival 35.4%, Open World Survival Craft 29.2% ★, Crafting 14.8%, Sandbox 7%, Open World 6.1%

Crushed — is an Singleplayer and Multiplayer First-Person Survival Sandbox in an Open World! Challenge the wild and be ready to survive in harsh conditions. Explore the world, get resources, cook food, build a house, farm, hunt, and enjoy nature.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 26.6% ★, Survival 18.1%, Crafting 11.6%, Open World 10.8%, Building 7.5%

Fight, Farm, Build and Explore Together in the standalone multiplayer expansion to the uncompromising wilderness survival game, Don't Starve.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 49% ★, Survival 35.4%, Multiplayer 4.4%, Crafting 3.4%, Open World 3.2%

Wild Omission is an open world sandbox survival game with severe weather set in an infinite procedurally generated world. Play alone or with friends.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 21.3% ★, Survival 16.5%, Crafting 13%, Open World 9.6%, Building 8.1%

Awaking on an island with no memory, you have just one memento of the life you led before… A child's photograph. Who is this? You must search the island for useful tools that will aid in your escape. As time passes and hopes of survival hang by a thread, you realise that this island is not as it seems.

Why similar: Survival 36.6%, Crafting 18.2%, Open World 16.1%, Multiplayer 10.7%, Sandbox 7.2%

THE LONG DARK is a thoughtful, exploration-survival experience that challenges solo players to think for themselves as they explore an expansive frozen wilderness in the aftermath of a geomagnetic disaster. There are no zombies -- only you, the cold, and all the threats Mother Nature can muster.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 39.1% ★, Survival 29.6%, Open World 12.1%, Crafting 8.3%, Sandbox 3.9%

Survive a brutal open world alone or with friends. Explore a procedural wasteland scorched by chaos. Build and defend your base, trade for what you need, complete deadly quests, and fight to claim faction outposts before someone else does.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 24% ★, Survival 16.6%, Crafting 12.9%, Open World 10.1%, Multiplayer 7.9%

Explore a post-apocalyptic island, craft, build, tear down enemy bases, defend and nuke your rivals! Life's about surviving in this multiplayer game, no matter what it takes!

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 30.2% ★, Survival 18.4%, Crafting 13.9%, Open World 10.2%, Multiplayer 8.9%

MyIsland is a relaxed and beautiful survival game,You will drift and survive on the tropical islands, hunt and travel, build houses and development farming, and create your own warm homeland.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 36.8% ★, Survival 22.6%, Crafting 11.7%, Open World 10.3%, Multiplayer 8.2%

Age of Survival is survival simulation crafting game from Silky Sullivan. Your player has been stranded on an island not far off of the coast of Africa where you will encounter many creatures, and players alike.

Why similar: Survival 34%, Crafting 16.3%, Open World 13.8%, Building 10.4%, Multiplayer 10.1%

Your fight for survival begins on the frozen shores of Tarvhas, where bitter cold and vicious creatures conspire to defeat the unprepared. Uncover the land’s dark history as you and fellow explorers traverse an unforgiving and hostile world to tame the Savage Lands.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 32% ★, Survival 20.5%, Crafting 11.3%, Open World 10.3%, Multiplayer 7%

Survisland is a super hardcore sandbox survival game that pays great attention to restoring the real survival experience. The character has rich and realistic actions and reactions to , and the process logic of making props is no different from reality.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 25.2% ★, Survival 17.7%, Crafting 12.2%, Building 9.4%, Open World 9.1%

Strayed is a fast paced open world VR survival game where every session feels like a new adventure. Start with nothing on a fresh island, gather materials, craft weapons, build bases, and battle other players for the best loot.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 27.7% ★, Survival 14%, Crafting 11.2%, Open World 8.4%, Building 7.4%

A base-building open-world survival shooter that replaces your typical base with a giant drill. Alone or with friends, explore an island plagued by eruptions, upgrade your drill, and fight robots to uncover what's been hiding beneath the surface.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 24.4% ★, Survival 16.5%, Crafting 12.9%, Open World 10.1%, Multiplayer 7.7%

Hide & Hold Out is a multiplayer survival game taking place in a devastated water world. Gather, build, team up with your friends and establish the foundations of your future floating empire utilizing the heavy guns of your battle ships!

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 38.4% ★, Survival 22.9%, Crafting 10.8%, Open World 8.8%, Multiplayer 8.6%

⚗️ Project Cobalt is a survival action game set on a hostile island 🌴. Scavenge containers, mine resources, craft tools, hunt animals, and endure storms as you fight hunger, disease, and exhaustion all while uncovering the dark truth behind a failed experiment.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 24.6% ★, Survival 20.8%, Crafting 16.4%, Open World 12.6%, Building 10.2%

PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, the high-stakes winner-take-all shooter that started the Battle Royale craze, is free-to-play! Drop into diverse maps, loot unique weapons and supplies, and survive in an ever-shrinking zone where every turn could be your last.

Why similar: Survival 46.6%, Multiplayer 16.5%, PvP 10.4%, FPS 7.8%, Shooter 7%

Investigate a starship crash, explore a hostile world, build shelters and survive nightly attacks of the Rot. Tear down any structure and experience total freedom of action.

Why similar: Open World Survival Craft 31% ★, Survival 21.7%, Crafting 15.2%, Building 9.8%, Open World 9.6%