Minecraft is certainly a magnum opus in the sandbox survival genre. It rose from humble beginnings and pioneered survival games that we know and love today. You really have to give credit to Notch for originality and the make-your-own-adventure approach of Minecraft.
Nothing beats Minecraft and its actively growing community. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to check out these 8 other Games like Minecraft.
Vintage Story
Release Date: September 27, 2016
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Linux
Vintage Story is highly underrated and isn’t talked about as much as it should be. It’s still in early access and was based on an earlier mod of Minecraft known as TFC. Like Minecraft, it’s a Voxel Survival game that shares many tropes of the beloved survival sandbox title. But despite its early access status, it puts Minecraft to shame.
Vintage Story reinvents the survival aspect of Minecraft, adding depth and complexity, and paving way for an immersive survival experience. While a more well-rounded survival experience is the main strong point of Vintage Story, it also strongarms the title. As Minecraft provides the most accommodating experience above all else.
While it’s still in early access, it’s still no doubt enjoyable in its current state. If you ever get bored with Minecraft and need a more in-depth survival experience, retreat to Vintage Story. In short, Vintage Story is what Minecraft should’ve strived to become.
The Raft
Release Date: May 23, 2018
Platforms: PlayStation, Linux, macOS, Xbox. Microsoft Windows
The Raft was initially clunky and unpolished as an oceanic survival experience. But we’ve come a long way from poking a shark with a stick. It’s amazing how far the game has made it in terms of mechanics.
Unlike Minecraft, there’s a decent story aspect but is it engaging and lengthy? Not at all. You can pretty much finish the game if your goal is the story. And you’ll miss out on a lot if you wish to do so.
But biome variety and wildlife are pretty limited in the Raft, something Minecraft does a whole lot better with its plentiful assortment of seeds. The Raft provides a relaxing survival experience but it’s lacking in terms of content-richness and we’re still waiting for that advanced scuba gear, considering you spend a lot of time underwater…
7 Days To Die
Release Date: December 13, 2013
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux
You have 7 days to die. A horde of zombies is coming and you have to set up camp, fortify your defenses, and fend off waves of flesh-eaters that become increasingly aggressive after each week. But is that all there is to 7 Days To Die? Not quite.
7 Days To Die, like Minecraft, is a survival, crafting, and building game. You can build shelters from scratch and construct marvelous architectural pieces. It’s come a long way from its barebones clunky days.
While procedurally generated, there are loads of points of interest and bases that visually tell a story of their own. It gets pretty immersive as each home’s story unfolds upon you. This feature is vaguely comparable to the rich biomes of Minecraft.
The Forest
Release Date: May 30, 2014
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation
The Forest is a solo survival horror experience at its best. It really takes a careful approach to survival, with no map or compass to help you along the way. You’ll be damned if you manage to end up with a blank sheet of paper as a map.
Enemy variety isn’t all that impressive. There are the cannibals and the Mutants. AI is pretty neat as your level of aggression, the time of day and the weather determine how cannibals will react toward you. But it can be a bit buggy with cannibals walking underwater and wandering to your base. But that’s pretty rare.
Unlike Minecraft, the Forest has its own little story with a neat ending. The Forest isn’t a walk in the park. It’s immersive yet horrifying. The Forest has its moments of beauty and horror, but it’s pretty oppressive, all things considered. So, is it worth the salt? Definitely.
Terraria
Release Date: May 16, 2011
Platforms: Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, macOS, iOS
Like Minecraft, Terraria is a stupendous sandbox game. It offers an engaging sense of progression. Paired with an incredible battle system and weapon catalog. It makes the best of both worlds. Like Minecraft, Terraria has an active community of dedicated modders with a respectable sprinkling of community-made maps to look at.
With 4 different playstyles to choose from, hundreds of weapons to master, and lots of bosses and enemy varieties to vanquish, Terrria doesn’t seem to ever get boring. It keeps giving on back. Terria has loads of flavor and play value to savor.
Stardew Valley
Release Date: February 26, 2016
Platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, Linux, Microsoft Windows
If you don’t like pixel art games, Stardew Valley might not be your cup of tea, but then again, I’ve never heard of a person that played Stardew Valley and didn’t like it. Stardew Valley is like a story-driven, friendship-building, farming equivalent of Minecraft, though they’re entirely different games if you look at the big picture.
The world is smaller and pre-crafted. I can’t really put it into words to explain why Stardew Valley is worth your time. Let’s put it this way. Is her*ine worth it? Heard a lot of good things about it. Is it addicting? Then, so is Stardew Valley.
Valheim
Release Date: February 2, 2021
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox
When Valheim first popped into the scene as an Early Access title, it felt fishy. But after finally trying it out, I can firmly say that it’s definitely worth your time. It scratches an itch that Minecraft left all these years.
The building is pretty in-depth and complicated to the point it can be sometimes overbearing which is a stark contrast to Minecraft’s accommodating crafting and building system.
There’s a respectable variety of Biomes that are sprinkled in a procedurally generated map. But resources can sometimes get scarce and difficult to find, and it’s pretty much a similar experience to starting out in Minecraft as a newbie.
If you need to sink your teeth into something new, and don’t have a social life or responsibilities to tend to, Valheim is just what you need.
Subnautica
Release Date: December 16, 2014
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, macOS
Subnautica is accessible, accommodating, and substantially holds your hand. Like Minecraft, you get to immerse yourself in beautifully crafted underwater worlds. But if you have thalassophobia, it might turn into a survival horror experience with Reaper Leviathans giving you jumpscares.
Unlike Minecraft which features procedurally generated seeds, caves, and terrain, Subnautica features a static map but it’s rich in terms of world-building and content. The survival experience isn’t all that challenging as the game keeps on giving just what you need.
If you wanted a survival game with an emphasis on exploration and a story to enjoy, then Subnautica takes the cake.
Conclusion
Revel and enjoy these 8 games like Minecraft. These games steer clear of Minecraft’s territory and try to do something different on their own turf. Word to the wise. Minecraft inspires creativity but skimps out on survival for accommodation predominantly and if you’re looking for a well-rounded experience, I can certainly vouch for these titles.
