Well, allow me to give you the lay of the land for the wildly popular survival game, Rust. In the world of Rust, you're thrust into a harsh, open-world environment with one simple goal: survive. You start with nothing - literally. Upon severing your digital umbilical cord, you'll find yourself buck-naked and holding nothing more than a rock and a torch for survival. The game touts an unparalleled mix of survival and player-vs-player elements, where everything from the elements to automation systems, wildlife, and, most notably, other players are constant threats. Rust doesn't hold your hand, and it does not play fair. Everything you build or acquire can be lost in an instant, leading to exhilarating high-stakes gameplay.
If you enjoy the unforgiving nature and heart-pounding experience of Rust, there's a whole host of games out there that offer similar experiences. They span across various settings - whether it's braving the post-apocalyptic horrors of the Wasteland in Fallout, or embracing the lonely tranquility of deep space in No Man's Sky. Just like Rust, these games push you to navigate and adapt to hostile environments while managing resources for survival. But before you challenge yourself with these games, there's one thing you need to remember about survival games - respect the world, or it'll eat you alive. Be prepared...
25. 7 Days to Die
7 Days to Die is quite similar to Rust in many respects, both revolving around the concept of open-world survival where players have the freedom to build their base, gather resources for survival, and deal with potential threats. However, 7 Days to Die incorporates a unique mechanic, a cycle of seven days where tougher enemies swarm on the seventh day, adding a level of suspense and strategy, much like the emergent encounters in Rust. The game also employs a more encompassing crafting and building mechanism, allowing a larger range of structures and more diverse utilization of resources, akin to the intricate attention to detail you would find in Rust.
The experience of confrontation and association with other players is another shared aspect of these two games. In 7 Days to Die, you can even engage in immersive NPC quest missions, providing a semblance of storyline within the harsh survival context, resembling the unpredictable player interactions in Rust. Plus, the game incorporates elements from horror survival genres, combining it with the hardcore survival mechanics, heavily emphasizing on stealth, resource management and strategic attack patterns, which might remind you of the exhilarating PvP battles in Rust.
7 Days to Die is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $25 USD.
24. DayZ
If you're a fan of Rust, then you'll certainly be interested in DayZ. The games are very similar when it comes down to the core mechanics—both are hardcore multiplayer survival games set in a sprawling, beautiful but dangerous open world. Much like Rust, DayZ requires you to muster all your courage to confront the constant threats, manage hunger, thirst and other biological needs as you scavenge for food, water, weapons and medicine to survive and fend off threats—in DayZ, these threats are primarily zombies rather than other players. All while also building a base, forming alliances, and navigating the attitudes of other players. In fact, one of the strong similarities is the challenge of dealing with the unpredictability of other human players as much as the in-game environment.
The setting is different though—it's a post-soviet state rather than a post-apocalyptic wilderness, giving a unique twist to the survival game genre that feels reminiscent of films like 28 Days Later. The game heavily focuses on realism, mirroring Rust's pledge to deliver on authentic experiences. The strategic element of survival is heavily emphasized as you struggle to fight the infected, the cold, animals, and sometimes, other players, making for a thrilling, atmospheric and tension-filled game of survival. And with any wrong decision possibly leading you to your end, each gameplay session unravels its own unique survival story. Thus, DayZ could be seen as offering an equally-if not more- intense, realistic survival experience as Rust.
DayZ is available on platforms like PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, typically priced around $44.99 USD.
23. Ark: Survival Evolved
Ark: Survival Evolved and Rust are incredibly similar, with both being multiplayer survival games that revel in challenging environments and free-form gameplay. In both games, players are dropped into a harsh world with the primary objective being to stay alive. You gather resources, build security structures, form alliances, and negotiate tense stand-offs, just as you would in Rust. Additionally, both games feature crafting and base-building mechanics, aimed at providing a strategic edge to surviving the constant threats. Ark: Survival Evolved goes a step further to include taming and riding dinosaurs, which adds an exciting depth and flavor to the entire experience.
Player interactions in both games are dynamic and unpredictable, making every session a unique rollercoaster ride of emotions. Rust and Ark: Survival Evolved encourage emergent gameplay and narratives, where the players shape the world and determine the course of their survival stories. Both games are incredibly immersive and, despite being harsh and unforgiving, can be utterly addictive. They are punishing yet rewarding, your efforts always gratified when securing a stronghold or outsmarting opponents. But it’s the creature taming and riding feature that provides Ark: Survival Evolved an edge and makes it more than just a Rust clone; it's a unique and compelling experience itself.
Ark: Survival Evolved is available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, typically priced around $49.99 USD.
22. The Forest
If your interest was captivated by the survival gameplay and the open-world adventure of Rust, then allow me to introduce you to The Forest. Much like Rust, The Forest is an open-world survival game that sets you amidst an uncharted wilderness full of danger and challenges. The game revolves around the player accommodating to the uninhabited and hostile environment after they crash land in this woodland. Similar to Rust, natural resources play a significant part in gameplay where resources like wood and stone are essential for crafting tools, weapons, and shelters, adding immense depth to the survival aspect of the game.
The Forest is not just about surviving in the wilderness, but also incorporates an element of horror that sets it apart, yet making it relatable to Rust fans. In Rust, the player usually encounters aggressive wildlife and can frequently run into other players who might be hostile. In The Forest, along the same lines, players will find themselves up against a cannibalistic tribe living in the forest. To make the game ever more immersive, the clash isn't a mindless slaughter. The tribe exhibits signs of intelligence, strategy, and fear, making the engagement unpredictable and intense, proving to be as challenging, if not more, as surviving against other players in Rust.
The Forest is available on Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4, typically priced around $20 USD.
21. Conan Exiles
If you are looking for a game with similar mechanics to Rust, you might want to check out Conan Exiles. Conan Exiles is a survival game with a vast open-world full of all sorts of dangers similar to Rust. While Rust is set in a post-apocalyptic world, Conan Exiles delves into the domain of fantasy, set in the brutal lands of Conan the Barbarian. However, both games have a strong focus on survival mechanics, multiplayer interaction, and base building. By scavenging and collecting resources, you get to create structures, tools, and weapons, exactly as you did in Rust. Moreover, Conan Exiles introduces new features like thrall system and gods, adding value for players looking for something familiar yet different.
The multiplayer scenario in Conan Exiles is quite like Rust. Just like in Rust, you will encounter other players in Conan Exiles who could be seen either as potential allies or enemies. You might team up with them to build massive structures or go to war, making the strategies more complex and engaging. The game strongly encourages player interactions which, depending on the decision you make, could lead to intense battles, treacherous betrayals, or firm alliances. Although Conan Exiles adds a layer of fantasy and supernatural elements, the core mechanics and concepts share many similarities with those in Rust, making it an engaging pick for Rust lovers.
Conan Exiles is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $40 USD.
20. Miscreated
Miscreated, just like Rust, is an intense multiplayer, post-apocalyptic, survival-based sandbox game that places a heavy emphasis on crafting and base-building mechanics. With a deeply immersive environment, players in Miscreated must learn to survive against the harsh elements, various wild-life, and other players. From building your base using a modular construction system to scavenging items and resources in the world, every decision you make is critical to your survival, much like in Rust. The game offers a wide array of weapons and vehicles to find or craft, further enhancing your survival playing style and strategic gameplay decisions.
Another appealing similarity between Miscreated and Rust is the dynamically changing weather system contributing to the immersive gaming experience. Incorporating a vast, post-apocalyptic world, affected by real-time weather including rain, thunderstorms, snow, and other environmental changes, Miscreated privileges strategy and patience. Again like Rust, PVP confrontations can be intense, with combat mechanics that include bullet physics and realistic damage. This game also has mutant creatures in the mix, providing a new challenge to users used to going head-to-head with other players. The broad range of exploration possibilities, tense player interactions, crumbled cities and hidden supplies return the Rust-like rush that survival game enthusiasts crave.
Miscreated is available on PC via Steam and is typically priced around $20 USD.
19. Unturned
Unturned is definitely a fantastic choice if you're looking for something similar to Rust. Just like Rust, Unturned is a survival game with an emphasis on player interaction, hand-crafted environments, and direct combat. In both games, you're thrown into a hostile world where you need to gather resources to craft items and build structures. Surviving in the harsh environment, fending off threats from wildlife and other players who are also struggling to survive in the world keeps you engaged consistently.
A key difference, however, is the charmingly blocky, playful graphics of Unturned that adds an interesting twist to the survival genre. Despite its cartoonish look, don't be fooled: the dangers are very real and survival is a true challenge. The game allows you to go solo or band together with friends, similar to Rust. The crafting system, where you create tools, weapons, and fortify your base with various defenses, also bears a resemblance to what we love about Rust. Friendly or hostile player interactions shape the gameplay profoundly and those unpredictable elements make each playthrough unique and exciting.
Unturned is available on platforms such as PC via Steam, typically priced around free-to-play USD. That’s right, it’s free-to-play! A premium mode that offers additional benefits and gameplay enhancements is available for purchase, but the core game itself costs you nothing to start exploring the survival scenario it offers.
18. State of Decay 2
State of Decay 2 and Rust share quite a few similarities that makes them both appealing to the survival genre lovers. Both games are based on a post-apocalyptic environment; in State of Decay 2, hordes of zombies continue to endanger humanity, while in Rust, radiation and other players are your main threats. They share a high-stakes permadeath system with the goal of staying alive and gathering resources for survival. The open-world setup ensures that exploration and discovery take center stage, furthermore, working together with other players (or against them) to survive in a challenging world, sum up the multiplayer aspect of these games.
A good part of the appeal of both State of Decay 2 and Rust is their focus on base building and managing resources. In State of Decay 2, you have to build up and manage a base of survivors, guiding your team to gather resources and fend off zombies. Rust also allows you to build and protect your shelter while scavenging for resources, but the emphasis is more on PvP elements. The crafting mechanics in both games let you create tools, traps, weapons, and more, ensuring hours of strategic gameplay. With day and night cycles affecting gameplay and threats, these games promise unpredictable dangers at every turn.
State of Decay 2 is available on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, typically priced around $30 USD.
17. The Long Dark
If you're a fan of Rust, then The Long Dark would certainly appeal to you. Like Rust, it's a survival game that forces you to contend with the elements and the wilderness as you gather resources and make critical decisions to stay alive. The backbone of this game is a thoughtfully-crafted narrative and the art style is stunning and unique. Its survival mode offers a sandbox experience similar to Rust wherein you're dropped into the frigid Canadian wilderness and left to your own devices to survive as long as possible. The exploration aspect, resource management, and the need to constantly be aware of your surroundings makes it resonate with the gameplay style of Rust.
The Long Dark offers a more immersive, solo experience, focusing less on PvP and more on PvE. This is a game about survival, about making fire, staying warm, finding food, and not being eaten by wolves. It's a game where you have to keep track of your calorie intake, your body temperature, and all the small and big things in between – quite like Rust but with more demanding survival elements. There's also a sense of isolation - you versus the world kind of vibe. The Long Dark can provide you with the same intensity and challenge found in Rust, but wrapped in a beautifully desolate package that's underpinned by a rich, episodic story mode.
The Long Dark is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, typically priced around $29.99 USD.
16. The Isle
Just like Rust, The Isle throws you into a world where surviving isn't a given, it's a hard-earned privilege. The game allows you to experience survival in its rawest form, just as you would in Rust. Navigating through an open world environment, you will face numerous challenges that test your skills and patience. In Rust, these are human opponents trying to keep their loot from you while in The Isle, you're coming up against varied species of dinosaurs. Each game has an intrinsic sense of danger that makes for an electrifying gaming experience.
The Isle also reflects Rust's emphasis on player-generated narrative - similar to Rust, there's no defined 'end' or 'victory' condition. Your survival and progression are entirely reliant on your ability to interact with the environment, and adaptation abilities. Moreover, just like Rust, The Isle offers a blend of PVE and PVP gameplay scenarios, emphasizing both the struggle for survival against the natural world and social interaction (or conflict) among players. Instead of building structures and fortifications like in Rust, you evolve your dinosaur, gaining new abilities and attributes to better survive against the other players and AI dinosaurs.
The Isle is available on PC (Steam), typically priced around $20 USD.
15. H1Z1: Just Survive
In terms of similarities to Rust, H1Z1: Just Survive offers some very engaging gameplay perspectives that you would find enjoyably familiar. Just like Rust, it's all about survival in a harsh, post-apocalyptic environment where every decision you make can either act as your safety net or your downfall. The game sets you off in a crumbling world, where players must scrounge up resources, build shelters, and team up with others to survive against both the zombie-infested world and hostile players. The element of player versus player (PvP) combat is also ever-present, creating a sense of tension and competition that's inherently similar to Rust.
Moreover, the crafting and building aspects of H1Z1: Just Survive are another shared factor with Rust. You would take joy in the fact that there's plenty of room for creativity and strategic planning when it comes to establishing your base. Protect your gathered resources and prepare for potential raids, further adding to the feeling of the survivalist challenge. H1Z1: Just Survive also boasts a day-night cycle and unpredictable weather conditions which influence gameplay, adding an extra layer of immersion and realism akin to Rust.
H1Z1: Just Survive is available on PC, typically priced around $19.99 USD.
14. Far Cry: Primal
Far Cry: Primal, much like Rust, provides an immersive survival environment that drops you into the middle of nowhere, forcing you to fend for yourself. Both games thrive on the concept of emergent gameplay, letting player decisions shape the narrative and world around them. Far Cry: Primal takes you back to the Stone Age, where your survival skills are tested against wild beasts and rival tribes. You'll be hunting for food, crafting weapons and tools, and securing shelter - gameplay mechanics that echo Rust's raw and punishing survival experience.
Another notable similarity lies in the danger of the open world. Much like Rust, Far Cry: Primal maintains a constant sense of peril. The world is filled with predatory wildlife and rival tribes, providing a similar level of threat and unpredictability you’d find in Rust. Taming wild animals - a unique feature in Far Cry: Primal - also introduces a companion element that resonates with the cooperative aspects of Rust, and it's both challenging as it's rewarding, which further imitates the intensity of Rust's survival elements.
Far Cry: Primal is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows, typically priced around $20 USD.
13. Last Oasis
Last Oasis and Rust are both survival games that evolve in open-world environments with crafting and building mechanics. Just like in Rust, Last Oasis places a heavy emphasis on player interaction as you might encounter other players who can either be friends or foes in your journey. The two games are also focused on resource gathering and base building, with a wide variety of materials to forge weapons, build shelters, among other things. The PvP element is also a shared feature where one can engage in combat with other players across the game's vast landscapes.
Unique to Last Oasis is its nomadic survival theme, which offers a whole new experience. Just like in Rust, item availability in this game is location-based, thereby encouraging players to stay mobile as they traverse through different terrains using incredible wind-powered walking machines. Its dynamic combat system is worth noting too as it mirrors the harsh reality of survivalism where only the last man standing carries the day. This coupled with its clan system that allows players to form and join clans to better protect themselves and their property, is reminiscent of Rust's gameplay too
Last Oasis is available on Windows PC via the Steam platform, typically priced around $30 USD.
12. Green Hell
Like Rust, Green Hell places great emphasis on survival mechanisms, deeply immersing the player into the harsh realities of trying to stay alive in a hostile environment. The game throws you into the heart of Amazon rainforest, forcing you to contend with the jungle’s elements, fauna, and challenges, similar to the way Rust drops you into a post-apocalyptic landscape with nothing but your wits. Both games have a strong focus on crafting, gathering resources, and building bases to protect from environmental threats and in-game enemies.
While Rust introduces hostility from other players, Green Hell differs by offering an intense solo survival experience. The game challenges you with realistic survival techniques including starting fires, making tools, treating wounds, and even monitoring your psychological state. Still, Green Hell shares Rust's emphasis on stunning, immersive graphics and atmospheric audio that make for a highly engaging gaming experience. If you are a player who enjoyed the deep survival mechanisms and harsh realities of Rust but would like to try something with a unique twist, then Green Hell could be exactly what you're searching for.
Green Hell is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, typically priced around $25 USD.
11. Nether
If you're a fan of Rust, you'll be intrigued by Nether. Both are open-world multiplayer survival games, which offer vast landscapes to traverse and plenty of challenges to overcome. However, Nether adds its unique twist with a post-apocalyptic setting, and the inclusion of terrifying creatures that haunt the devastated cities. Much like Rust, Nether stresses the importance of survival mechanics, however, it also packs a strong emphasis on combat and exploration. Additionally, it brings a sense of unpredictability, as players must always stay alert due to the Nether - teleporting entities that can spawn anytime, anywhere.
Similarities extend to crafting, customization and community interaction too. In Rust, crafting is pivotal for survival and advancement. In Nether, it is equally important. You'll scavenge for resources, craft weapons, trade supplies and customize your gear to survive the world’s horrors. There's also an established in-game economy, encouraging players to engage with each other via trading. Furthermore, Rust’s tense atmosphere is emulated in Nether. The constant threat from both other players and the Nether entities keeps you on your toes, resulting in an intense, thrilling gaming experience.
Nether is available on Windows, typically priced around $3 USD.
10. Don't Starve Together
If you enjoyed the strategic survival elements fused with a sense of suspense in Rust, you might want to try Don't Starve Together. Not only does this game require you to scavenge for materials and craft tools for survival like Rust, but it also demands that you manage your hunger, health, and sanity levels under the duress of lurking environmental threats. The unique hand-drawn art style adds to the sense of mystery and trepidation, making gameplay an intense and exciting challenge. Any player that appreciates the foreboding atmosphere and demanding gameplay of Rust will definitely find a similar vibe in Don't Starve Together.
What sets Don't Starve Together apart, and might be of interest to a Rust fan, is its distinctive multiplayer aspect. The game offers a cooperative survival experience that allows you to team up with others to face horrors and stay alive, reminiscent of the community-building aspect of Rust. Difficulty increases with the number of players, and there's a shared sense of responsibility towards each other's survival which adds another layer of depth to the survival genre. You'll have a blast creating strategies, negotiating roles, and improving your survival skills with your friends or fellow players from around the world.
Don't Starve Together is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC, typically priced around $15 USD.
9. Survival Postapocalypse Now!
Survival Postapocalypse Now! is a fantastic game that truly captures the essence of surviving in a post-apocalyptic world, much like Rust. The game mechanics, the emphasis on player interaction, and the need to gather resources to survive are key features in both games. Both games offer a vast open world to explore, where every decision you make matters for your survival. Survival Postapocalypse Now! also includes a unique day-night cycle and changing weather conditions, which can impact your gameplay. Just like in Rust, you'll need to adapt and strategize based on these environmental changes.
Not only that, but Survival Postapocalypse Now! also allows you to build your own bases and defenses, similar to what you've experienced in Rust. The building mechanics are straightforward and user-friendly, allowing the players to construct their own shelters for protection against other players and the harsh environment. The PvP component is another shared feature between the two games. Both encourage encounters with other players, where interactions can lead to alliances, treachery, or intense combat sessions. The thrill of encountering other players with unpredictable motivations adds an adrenaline rush to the survival experience. This is truly a game for those who have mastered the art of survival in Rust and are looking for another compelling challenge.
Survival Postapocalypse Now! is available on Steam and typically priced around $20 USD.
8. Minecraft: Survival Mode
Well, if you're a fan of Rust, then Minecraft: Survival Mode would definitely be up your alley. Both games revolve around the concept of survival in an open world environment against all odds, coupled with elements of crafting and building. Minecraft however has a unique blocky aesthetic, its world is made up of charming voxel-based visual elements, giving it a distinctive and instantly recognisable look. Moreover, like Rust, Survival Mode in Minecraft also entails gathering resources, exploring environments, dealing with wildlife, combating enemies, and crafting tools and structures. But the possibilities in Minecraft often seem endless, with the capacity to create complex machines, build monumental structures and even modify the game through coding.
Another similar feature between the two games is that of a persistent online world where multiplayer interaction can shape the game's progress. Be it a group of friends or complete strangers on servers worldwide, you can work together to construct communities, or engage in PVP warfare much like Rust. The unpredictability of player interaction enhances the thrill and excitement in both games. Minecraft, though, offers a more approachable and relaxed alternative without diminishing the sense of danger - you've still got creepers, zombies and cave spiders to contend with!
Minecraft is available on virtually every platform possible - including PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and mobile devices, typically priced around $26.95 USD.
7. Subsistence
If you're a fan of Rust, then you should definitely give Subsistence a shot. It's a survival game just like Rust that excels in providing a realistic wilderness survival experience. Just like in Rust, you gather resources and craft tools to survive, but this time around the game throws in a more profound PvE element with AI hunters who can build, raid, and harass you non-stop. The interaction with the environment is very similar to Rust, as you can chop down trees, mine ores, and hunt animals. You can also upgrade your base with defenses and technological advancements, something Rust players will be familiar with.
The game’s building system is also akin to Rust’s with a variety of structures and base defense mechanisms to install. What sets Subsistence apart is its high level of realism, as you have to constantly monitor your nutritional intake, body temperature and other factors affecting your survival, offering a deeper and more challenging experience. The graphics are certainly a cut above Rust, with beautiful wilderness landscapes and highly detailed character models. The PvP element might not be as strong as it is in Rust, but Subsistence really pushes that self-reliance and survival against the environment theme to new extents.
Subsistence is available on the PC platform via the Steam store, typically priced around $14.99 USD.
6. Scum
Scum, like Rust, is a multiplayer online survival game that throws you into a hostile environment with the primary goal of survival. Although they both center on a post-apocalyptic theme, Scum adds an extra layer of depth with its advanced character customization and progression system. This means that your character's physical attributes and skillsets will significantly affect your gameplay, just like in Rust. Scum's highly interactive environment will remind you of Rust's engaging world where every decision counts.
Scum and Rust both offer an immerse and deeply interactive sandbox world where crafting, hunting, and building are vital for survival. Scum, however, adds a unique twist with its unique balance of PvP and PvE elements. You have to survive not only against other players but also against hostile AI-driven characters, making the gameplay experience more challenging and engaging. Moreover, Scum's high-quality graphics and realistic animations make the gameplay experience even more immersive and comparable to Rust.
Scum is available on PC via Steam and is typically priced around $30 USD. Just like Rust, it provides countless hours of multiplayer survival action in a world where every decision could mean life or death.
5. Deadside
Similar to Rust, Deadside is a hard-core multiplayer survival game, with a large open world and a mixture of both PVE and PVP elements. It focuses heavily on base building, crafting, and scavenging resources, all while contending with the constant threat of other players and various NPC enemies. A visible health, hunger and thirst bar adds an extra layer of immersive realism, much like in Rust, which keeps you constantly monitoring your character's needs. In both games, survival is underpinned by real-world logic rather than fantasy, enhancing the grittiness and tension of the gameplay. The large maps, teeming with various biomes, further accentuate the essence of exploration and stake claiming that's prevalent in both games.
Where Deadside further emulates Rust is in an unyielding environment where death can often be just around the corner. There is a lack of safety zones, with the entire map being fair game for attacks from other players, leaving you in a state of constant vigilance. The crafting and base building mechanics share the same level of intricacy and detail, requiring strategic planning, resource management, and defense skills. As in Rust, your progress and structures persist in the world, meaning you need to defend your base even when you're not online. A significant selling point here is that Deadside has NPC missions and numerous AI locations to stimulate and engage players. It provides a chance to team up and complete missions, adding a cooperative play option those who desire more than just survival.
Deadside is available on Steam, typically priced around $20 USD.
4. Raft
If you enjoyed Rust, you might find Raft a compelling new challenge focused on survival in seas open. The concept behind Raft is strikingly familiar - spawn somewhere, gather resources, and survive for as long as you can before the hostile environment spells your doom. But here, the hostile environment is a vast, endless ocean rather than a parched land. You must use your wits and resources to expand your humble raft into a floating fortress, ward off threats from marine life (primarily a persistent shark), and gather valuable materials as you navigate random debris patches and small islands floating by.
What makes Raft similar to Rust is their deeply immersive survival mechanics. In Raft, like in Rust, every resource is valuable and gathering them puts you in a precarious position. The backbone of both games lies in constructing and fortifying your base, although in Raft your base is a mobile one bobbing atop the waters. Each game includes its unique threats, Rust with its hostile wildlife & other players, and Raft with its relentless shark and the pull of the sea's currents. Plus, both games support multiplayer, adding a cooperative and competitive edge to the fight for survival. You can team up with friends to sustain life together or join a server to collaboratively build and expand.
Raft is available on platforms such as Steam (PC), typically priced around $19.99 USD.
3. Dead Matter
Dead Matter, like Rust, is an excellent choice if you're into the survival genre. One of the key similarities lies in their intense base-building mechanics. In Dead Matter, you're allowed to claim a building you've come across as your shelter, similar to how you can craft your own structures in Rust. There's also the option to barricade pre-existing structures to add an extra layer of security against invasions -- another element that Rust gamers should find familiar. Plus, it brings a unique spin by incorporating an array of traps and defense mechanisms to protect your base against oncoming threats.
Another similarity between Dead Matter and Rust is in the player-versus-player (PvP) components. Dead Matter, like Rust, involves a high degree of strategy and skill with its incorporated PvP battles. Each encounter with other players is as unpredictable and exhilarating as in Rust. The game also includes a player-versus-environment (PvE) perspective, where you have to survive against numerous zombies. By introducing the survival horror element of zombies, it adds an interesting twist to the Rust-like gameplay!
Dead Matter is available on PC, typically priced around $35 USD.
2. Dying Light: Bad Blood
If you enjoyed the gritty survival and player-vs-player dynamics of Rust, then Dying Light: Bad Blood could be your new favorite. It incorporates a mix of combat, exploration, and loot collection that's eerily similar to Rust. However, it takes this formula and pushes it even further with a dark blend of zombie apocalypse and urban parkour. As you ascend buildings and traverse the decayed landscape, you'll be engaging other players and hordes of undead in brutal, visceral combat much like in Rust.
In comparing Dying Light: Bad Blood and Rust, the aspect of the survival genre can be seen in the resource gathering and crafting system. You'll be scrounging for supplies spread all over a detailed, expansive map full of traps and hidden places, all while facing the constant threat of other players. But it isn't all about combat. Much like Rust, strategy is key as you decide when to lay low and gather resources, when to engage players, or when to retreat and heal. Also worth noting, is a unique feature where you lure zombies to other players to create distractions, adding a new layer of strategy to its gameplay.
Dying Light: Bad Blood is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, typically priced around $19.99 USD.
1. Infectonator: Survivors
Infectonator: Survivors shares many elements with Rust that would make it an engaging experience for any Rust enthusiast. Like Rust, this game places a heavy emphasis on survival, only in this case, you need to survive a zombie apocalypse. You’re responsible for managing resources, constructing bases and ensuring the safety of your crew of survivors. This involves strategic planning as you send your squad out into the city to gather crucial resources and fighting off hordes of zombies. Teams are randomly generated and permadeath is in play, echoing Rust’s unyielding difficulty and risk-versus-reward gameplay.
The game also shares Rust's blend of sandbox and roguelike gameplay. Infectonator: Survivors combines real-time strategy, tower defense, RPG, and management-simulation into a mix that will both feel familiar yet fresh. Like in Rust, every run-through in Infectonator: Survivors offers a unique experience with randomly generated cities, events and survivor appearances—much like Rust's server-based gameplay. It allows you to lead your team, customize your characters, upgrade weapons and research new technologies. However, what makes this game stand out is its addition of the adrenaline-pumping suspense of battling off your infected enemies to maintain your stronghold.
Infectonator: Survivors is available on Steam, typically priced around $11.99 USD.
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