The Forest is a dark, terrifying, and challenging survival horror game in which players take on the role of EricLeBlanc.
After surviving a plane crash, you’ll find yourself on a thickly forested peninsula dominated by cannibalistic. monsters.
Survival is by no means guaranteed, so you’ll have to use whatever is handy — while also looking for your lost son Timmy.
This 2018 hit game offers both single and multiplayer modes and does its genre justice — but also poses interesting questions as the player wonders whether they’re just as scary to the cannibals.
If you enjoyed the experience of playing the The Forest & you’re on the lookout for more games like it. Try our 15 picks of similar games.
The Forest Game Features
Release Date: | 30 April 2018 |
Developer: | Endnight Games |
Publisher: | Endnight Games |
Platforms: | Windows PlayStation 4 |
Genre: | Survival horror, survival game |
Setting: | Real World |
Game Modes: | Single-player, multiplayer |
1. Dying Light 2 Stay Human
Dying Light 2 Stay Human ticks all the right boxes if you’re after a game like The Forest — it’s an open-world survival horror game that calls on players to scavenge for resources to craft new items, and the game’s world is populated by terrifying zombies that you’ll defeat with an advanced combat system. To top it all off, Dying Light 2 is brand new, just released in February 2022.
Dying Light 2 is a sequel, so it’s set in a world that’s been falling apart for a while. You’ll find humans here and there, and they’ve divided themselves into factions — each with their own interests. You’ll be playing as Aiden, a parkour pro whose abilities allow him to leap around the world. Combat is mostly hand-to-hand, but you’ll have some ranged weapons as well.
The NPCs that populate this world will change their attitude toward the player based on past actions, making Dying Light 2 even more interesting. You can explore this game solo, but gamers who prefer to play with their friends can take advantage of the multiplayer mode.
Dying Light 2 is one of those rare games that quickly became really popular, and it’s really not hard to see why once you start playing. This horror survival game is a very decent option to check out if you’re a little bored of The Forest.
- Developer: Techland
- Publisher: Techland
- Release Date: February 2022
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch
2. The Long Dark
The Long Dark is another survival game that shares more than a few similarities with The Forest. Gamers play the role of bush pilot Will Mackenzie, who crash lands in the frigid Canadian wilderness after a geomagnetic storm.
The Long Dark, played from a first-person PoV, has excellent graphics and goes to great lengths to create a realistic survival scenario. You’ll have to keep an eye on your hunger, thirst, stamina, and body temperature, and always consider the environmental factors that could ensure your survival or kill you.
Like in The Forest, you’ll constantly be on the lookout for essential survival items that you can use to craft new tools, including axes and weapons, and you’ll have a massive open world to explore. The Long Dark has multiple game modes, so if bare-bones survival is not relaxing enough for you, you might like to check out story more instead.
The Long Dark only has a singleplayer mode, and that makes this survival game a great choice for those long and lazy weekend afternoons.
- Developer: Hinterland Studio
- Publisher: Hinterland Studio
- Release Date: August 2017
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
3. Valheim
Valheim, a survival sandbox game set in a world where Vikings have to prove they’re ready to enter Valhalla — the Viking idea of paradise — has become very popular very quickly. Just in case you haven’t heard of it yet, Valheim has a third-person perspective and stylized, simple, graphics. The gameplay is everything but simple, though!
You’ll start off with absolutely nothing — and that doesn’t bode well in a world that’s tormented by an army of terrifying creatures that have it out for you, so you better hurry and collect resources to craft gear and weapons. Valheim has base-building elements that will really satisfy many players, and the fact that this Viking survival game makes cooperative play with up to 10 others possible is another major bonus.
Will you (and your friends) be able to defeat the five powerful bosses scattered throughout the world? Will you prove yourself worthy of Valhalla?
- Developer: Iron Gate Studio
- Publisher: Coffee Stain Publishing
- Release Date: February 2021
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox X/S
4. Rust
Rust is a gritty multiplayer survival game in which you’ll have to do your best to survive with the materials you manage to scavenge or steal. Although Rust isn’t a horror game, you’ll face plenty of threats. The procedurally-generated wildlife can be quite challenging, but the other players are the biggest danger.
If you’re the lone wolf type, you can try to stay ahead solo, but base-building is another important element of the game, and you’ll come up against powerful clans sooner or later. Maybe it’s better to join a clan, so you can raid other players together?
While you decide how to survive and thrive, never lose sight of your hunger and stamina, because that’s the worst way to go!
Still can’t picture it? Think of Rust as a weird and wonderful blend of The Forest and Minecraft, and you’ll understand what this survival game is all about.
- Developer: Facepunch Studios, Double Eleven
- Publisher: Facepunch Studios
- Release Date: February 2018
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
5. Green Hell
Green Hell is a first-person survival game Set in the jungle. You take on the role of anthropologist Mike Higgins, who starts the game at the edge of the Amazon jungle. Reminiscent of The Forest, you won’t just have to do your best to survive, but you’re also desperately trying to find your missing wife Mia, who was lost after venturing into a tribal village.
Gathering resources and crafting new survival items is a critical part of the gameplay, but you can’t just keep moving all the time — players will also need to build themselves shelters and keep healthy by learning about traditional medicine.
Green Hell’s advanced PvE elements mean that the open world you play in will always throw you new challenges — surviving is tough enough on its own; try it while you’re hallucinating! The combat mechanics are a little tricky, which might stop some players from getting very far in Green Hell, but it’s a great survival game.
- Developer: Creepy Jar
- Publisher: Creepy Jar, Forever Entertainment
- Release Date: February 2018
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
6. Project Zomboid
Many The Forest players will be excited to try wilderness survival games like Green Hell or Rust, but if you’re after another horror game, Project Zomboid is a great option. Played from an isometric perspective, Project Zomboid has a simple goal — survive for as long as you can.
To make that happen, you’ll have to make sure you don’t get too hungry, stressed, or tired… while also, of course, staying ahead of the zombie herds. Project Zomboid is set in a quarantined Louisville, Kentucky, and features a neat skill system where you’ll have to read books to upgrade your knowledge.
The longer you manage to stay alive, the stranger the world becomes, and though Project Zomboid is strictly a zombie game, not all zombies are the same.
Players who are looking for a horror game they can enjoy with their friends don’t need to look any further, because Project Zomboid offers a multiplayer mode.
- Developer: The Indie Stone
- Publisher: The Indie Stone
- Release Date: November 2013
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux
7. Subnautica
This famous action survival game offers a vast open world to explore, and while Subnautica definitely isn’t a horror game, it does offer plenty of terrifying creatures that will jump scare you and threaten your life.
There are four unique game modes to explore, but The Forest players who are in it to survive will likely want to stick with survival mode or hardcore mode. You’ll be stuck on a remote ocean planet with a complex ecosystem and limited resources. Dive to explore everything the world has to offer, but make sure that your oxygen doesn’t run out as you discover the teeming wildlife and advance your skills.
Subnautica is great for players who love survival and exploration, but who quickly get bored and need quests and a plot to stay interested. Unfortunately, this game doesn’t have a multiplayer mode, but you’ll have some well-written NPCs to keep you company.
- Developer: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Publisher: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Release Date: January 2018
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch
8. Ark: Survival Evolved
Ark: Survival Evolved is a survival action game set in a prehistoric world — complete with all the dinosaurs and other terrifying giant creatures you’d expect to find there, as well as an ever-shifting climate that may just send massive disasters your way.
Players, who can switch between first- and third person perspectives, should build a base as soon as they can, start a fire, and craft weapons to increase their odds of survival. You’re limited in how much you can carry, so you’ll have to leave some of your stuff behind/
Many of the creatures you’ll encounter in Ark: Survival Evolved are hostile, but taming and riding dinosaurs and other creatures is also a key part of staying alive. This cross-platform game offers a multiplayer mode that allows you to play with friends or strangers.
If you primarily loved the horror aspects of The Forest, Ark: Survival Evolved isn’t for you — but if you like a good survival challenge, you’ll have a blast in this world.
- Developer: Studio Wildcard
- Publisher: Studio Wildcard
- Release Date: August 2017
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Stadia
9. Days Gone
Days Gone is an action survival game set in a world ravaged by a zombie pandemic. You’ll be playing as Deacon St John, a former outlaw turned survivalist who’s on a quest to find his long lost wife, who he thought was dead.
The world of horrors he has to fight his way through to get to her is massive — so you’ll have lots of exploring to do — but danger hides behind every corners. Players need to craft improvised melee and ranged weapons to stay alive, and as well as testing their combat skills, they can use stealth mode to stay out of sight.
Players who really enjoyed the cannibalistic creatures in The Forest will feel right at home in this world, which harbors flesh-eating monsters called Freakers. The game has a day and night cycle that means you’ll have to look out for different threats depending on the time of day.
You can play Days Gone in multiple different ways, and thanks to the open-world mechanics, you’ll always have more to uncover. This game has realistic graphics and smooth gameplay, and it’s unlikely you’ll get bored any time soon even though Days Gone is a singleplayer-only game.
- Developer: Bend Studio
- Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Release Date: April 2019
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4
10. DayZ
The game’s name speaks for itself — DayZ is a survival action game set in a world overrun by zombies, and your aim is to stay alive and healthy. That’s easier said than done, because although zombies are the main threat you face, the entire environment is working against you. Something as simple as rotten food can kill you.
DayZ takes place in a fictional but realistically grotty former Soviet republic, and the backdrop definitely adds to the gloomy atmosphere. You’ll explore and scavenge for food and other resources that can help you along your way, including warm clothes, new weapons, and extra storage space.
Brutal melee combat is your go-to way of defending yourself, so DayZ is the perfect game for action-hungry gamers. This multiplayer game allows you to decide whether you want to forge alliances with the other players you’ll meet and interact with via proximity-based voice chat, or you prefer to make your own way in a world that’s guaranteed to be violent.
- Developer: Bohemia Interactive
- Publisher: Bohemia Interactive
- Release Date: December 2018
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
11. Grounded
Have you ever wondered how big and terrifying a place as benign as your backyard might be for an ant, or what terrifying threats the smallest of creatures might encounter there? Grounded allows you to find out. This survival action game shrinks you (and your friends, if you want, because it’s got a multiplayer mode) down to the size of an ant.
From there, you can switch between first- and third-person perspectives as you fight to stay alive, fighting creatures like giant spiders while you also work to collect water and food, and engage in base-building. As you progress, new areas become available to you. That brings opportunity, in the form of brand new tools and weapons, but also progressively more terrifying enemies.
You’d never think of Grounded as a good alternative to The Forest if you just saw this game’s thumbnail (which looks way too cutesy to do the game justice), but any gamer who enjoys survival action titles will have a great time in this world.
- Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
- Release Date: September 2022
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox X/S
12. Friday the 13th: The Game
The Forest players who are hungry for more horror simply can’t miss Friday the 13th: The Game, based on the famous movie. This open-world horror survival game is played from a third-person perspective, and features all the creepy locations you might recognize from the film.
Friday the 13th: The Game is a psychological horror survival game with a twist — you can play with up to eight friends, but rather than facing an AI enemy together, one of you will randomly be cast in the role of Jason Voorhees, the cook turned serial killer. If that’s you, you have a simple task. Kill as many of your fellow gamers as you can.
Everyone else tries to stay alive, and your defense options include traps, melee weapons, and ranged weapons.
- Developer: IllFonic, Black Tower Studios
- Publisher: Gun Media
- Release Date: May 2017
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
13. The Wild Eight
The Forest fans who are looking for a cooperative multiplayer alternative are sure to have fun with The Wild Eight. This survival horror game, which has open-world mechanics and gorgeous (if icy) procedurally-generated terrain also dumps players into a hostile wilderness after surviving a plane crash.
This time, though, you’ll be working together to beat the mysterious but undeniably terrifying creatures you’ll come face to face with as you try your best to survive long enough to be rescued. The Wild Eight also features crafting, scavenging, hunting, and shelter building. The game’s unique art style is another bonus.
- Developer: Fntastic
- Publisher: HypeTrain Digital
- Release Date: October 2019
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4
14. Hunt: Showdown
Are you looking for a terrifying game that offers the chance to explore, but mostly focuses on action? Try Hunt: Showdown, a multiplayer first-person shooter squarely within the horror genre, and with two exciting game modes.
Play as a bounty hunter in bounty hunt mode, and work together in teams of up to three players to discover clues that point you in the direction of the boss you’re trying to defeat while also fighting other monsters and trying to get your hands on the tools and weapons you need to survive. This mode supports 12 players in total, and is set in a terrifying version of 19th century Louisiana in which demons dominate the world.
The boss fights are definitely challenging, and there’s some strategy involved, too — will you take on the weaker enemies and part with your hard-earned ammo while earning XP, or should you save your bullets for the big boss?
If you don’t have that much time, try the quick mode to enjoy Hunt: Showdown’s battle royale option and test your skills against others’.
Hunt: Showdown is beautifully-designed, and the foes you’ll encounter will undoubtedly quench your first for more horror.
- Developer: Crytek
- Publisher: Cryteck PC
- Release Date: August 2019
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
15. Don’t Starve Together
This game looks almost cute, in an artistic indie way, at first glance — but make no mistake. Don’t Starve Together is an incredibly challenging survival game that calls on players to survive as long as possible, while coming face to face with a variety of bosses and dealing with the new hardships that each season brings.
Don’t Starve Together forces players to stay on their toes as they race the environment and struggle to collect the basic resources that keep them alive. Those include light sources, heat sources (in winter), and of course food.
Strike the right balance between exploring the procedurally-generated world as much as you can (because you’ll need resources from every biome eventually), but also hunker down and start building your base, in the right location, before winter catches up with you.
You can play Don’t Starve Together solo, but everything’s better in multiplayer — you won’t just have more fun, but you can also take advantage of the unique strengths each playable character brings to the table.
Don’t Starve Together is too cute to be called a horror game, really, but it’s definitely a survival game that The Forest players shouldn’t miss out on if they’re excited to take on a new challenge.
- Developer: Klei Entertainment
- Publisher: Klei Entertainment
- Release Date: April 2013
- Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Games Like The Forest: The Verdict
The Forest fans who are looking for equally exciting survival games to try out have a lot of options — and the games that made it onto this list are some of the best, whether you’re determined to stay within the horror genre or don’t mind branching out to explore brutal wilderness survival games.
The Long Dark, Dying Light 2 Stay Human, Rust, and Days Gone are some of your top options. Try Subnautica if you’re after a survival game that heavily relies on exploration and has an advanced skill and tech tree, and go for The Wild Eight if you’re after cooperative gameplay. Don’t Starve Together, which is nothing like The Forest in terms of scenery, but certainly offers a great survival challenge, deserves an honorable mention, too.