20 Exciting Games Like Raft: Explore, Craft, and Survive

games like raft

You’ve probably spent countless hours getting lost in the thrilling world of Raft, crafting your floating haven, and trying to survive in the vast ocean. Now, we all know Raft is an amazing game, but what happens when you’ve tamed the seas and you’re craving more? Fear not, my friends, I’ve got your back!

In this article, I’ll be looking into 20 fantastic games that share some striking similarities with our beloved Raft. From deep-sea adventures to post-apocalyptic wastelands, these games offer a diverse range of experiences, but they all have one thing in common: they’ll challenge your survival, crafting, and exploration skills to the max.

Subnautica

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Subnautica is a game that takes us beneath the waves into the fascinating depths of an alien ocean. This immersive open-world survival game plunges you into a stunning underwater world teeming with mysterious creatures and hidden secrets. Just like Raft, you’ll be gathering resources, crafting equipment, and constructing your underwater base. But beware, not all marine life is friendly, so you’ll need to tread carefully as you unravel the mysteries of the deep.

The Forest

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Trading the open seas for a dense, terrifying forest, The Forest throws you into a fight for survival after a plane crash leaves you stranded on a mysterious island. If you loved building and defending your raft, then you’ll feel right at home constructing a secure base to fend off the island’s cannibalistic inhabitants. With a focus on survival, crafting, and base building, The Forest offers an eerie, thrilling experience that’ll have your heart racing.

Stranded Deep

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Stranded Deep maroons you in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by a vast expanse of water and a smattering of remote islands. This survival game is all about crafting, exploration, and resource management, making it an excellent fit for fans of Raft. You’ll find yourself building shelter, scavenging for food, and even constructing rafts as you navigate shark-infested waters. Can you survive and eventually find a way back to civilization? Only time will tell.

Green Hell

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Ready to trade ocean blues for jungle greens? Green Hell drops you in the middle of the Amazon rainforest with nothing but your wits to help you survive. This brutally realistic survival simulator will test your ability to adapt and think on your feet. You’ll need to craft tools, hunt for food, and fend off dangerous wildlife, all while keeping a close eye on your physical and mental health. If you thought Raft was a challenging experience, Green Hell is ready to up the ante.

Don’t Starve

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Don’t let the charming, Tim Burton-esque art style fool you; Don’t Starve is a formidable survival game that will push your resource management and crafting skills to their limits. With its quirky, randomly generated world, each playthrough offers a fresh, unpredictable experience. You’ll need to gather resources, build shelter, and, most importantly, maintain your sanity as you try to survive in this whimsical, yet unforgiving, world. Don’t Starve’s unique atmosphere and mechanics make it a must-try for anyone who loves Raft’s survival aspects.

Minecraft

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Minecraft, a game that needs no introduction. This iconic sandbox game has captured the hearts of millions with its simple yet engaging gameplay. If you’re a fan of Raft’s crafting and building mechanics, then Minecraft will feel like a natural fit. The game offers endless possibilities as you mine resources, craft tools, and build awe-inspiring structures in a blocky, procedurally-generated world. Plus, with its survival mode, you’ll face the challenges of hunger, hostile creatures, and the elements, keeping you on your toes.

No Man’s Sky

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From the depths of the ocean to the vastness of space, No Man’s Sky offers an expansive, procedurally-generated universe just waiting to be explored. Much like Raft, this game emphasizes exploration, resource gathering, and crafting, but on a cosmic scale. You’ll traverse countless planets, mine resources, and upgrade your spaceship and equipment as you unravel the mysteries of the universe. Whether you’re a lone explorer or want to team up with friends, No Man’s Sky offers an adventure like no other.

ARK: Survival Evolved

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How about adding a touch of prehistory to your survival experience? ARK: Survival Evolved drops you on an island teeming with dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures, where you’ll need to craft, build, and hunt to stay alive. Much like Raft, ARK puts a strong emphasis on crafting and base building, but with the added challenge of taming and riding dinosaurs. Whether you’re playing solo or with friends, ARK offers a thrilling, immersive experience that will keep you coming back for more.

Astroneer

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Blast off into the colorful, low-poly world of Astroneer! This charming space exploration game is all about crafting, resource management, and terraforming as you uncover the secrets of various procedurally-generated planets. With its intuitive crafting system and emphasis on exploration, Astroneer shares many similarities with Raft. The game offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, so you can embark on your interstellar adventure solo or with friends.

Terraria

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If you’re looking for a 2D sandbox experience with the same sense of adventure and resourcefulness as Raft, look no further than Terraria. This indie gem combines elements of action, adventure, and survival, letting you explore, build, and craft your way through an expansive, pixelated world. With a vast array of biomes, resources, and enemies to discover, Terraria’s depth and replayability make it an excellent choice for fans of Raft looking to try something new while keeping that familiar survival gameplay.

Conan Exiles

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Venture into the brutal, unforgiving world of Conan Exiles, where you’ll fight to survive in a harsh, desert landscape inspired by the Conan the Barbarian universe. Much like Raft, this open-world survival game puts a strong focus on crafting, base building, and resource management. But be prepared to face both human and supernatural foes as you carve out your own piece of the Exiled Lands. With its savage, visceral combat and rich lore, Conan Exiles offers an intense experience that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat.

Rust

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If you’re looking for a game that combines Raft’s survival and crafting mechanics with a healthy dose of PvP action, Rust might just be your next obsession. In this unforgiving multiplayer sandbox, you’ll start with nothing and have to gather resources, craft tools, and build a base to survive against both the elements and other players. Trust no one as you navigate the ruthless, competitive world of Rust, where the only goal is to stay alive at any cost.

7 Days to Die

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Picture this: you’re stranded in a post-apocalyptic world teeming with zombies, and you’ve got just seven days to prepare for their next onslaught. That’s the premise of 7 Days to Die, a unique blend of first-person shooter, survival, and tower defense that will test your resource management, crafting, and base-building skills to the limit. If you enjoyed the survival and crafting aspects of Raft, you’ll love the high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled gameplay that 7 Days to Die has to offer.

Grounded

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What happens when you shrink down to the size of an ant and find yourself in a backyard teeming with colossal bugs? Grounded is a unique survival game that answers that very question. With its fresh perspective and emphasis on crafting, exploration, and base building, Grounded shares many similarities with Raft. You’ll need to gather resources, craft weapons and tools, and construct a safe haven as you navigate the treacherous world of insects and other backyard hazards. If you’re looking for a survival experience with a twist, Grounded is definitely worth checking out.

The Long Dark

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Swap the ocean for the frozen wilderness with The Long Dark, an atmospheric survival game set in a post-apocalyptic, frozen wasteland. This game challenges you to survive the harsh elements, scavenge for resources, and maintain your physical and mental well-being. The Long Dark’s focus on exploration, resource management, and survival closely mirrors the mechanics of Raft, but with the added challenge of dealing with extreme cold and the constant threat of frostbite. If you’re up for a grueling, immersive survival experience, The Long Dark is calling your name.

Valheim

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Step into the world of Vikings with Valheim, a captivating survival game set in a procedurally-generated Norse mythology-inspired realm. Fans of Raft’s survival, crafting, and base-building mechanics will find plenty to love in Valheim. You’ll need to gather resources, construct a stronghold, and battle fearsome creatures as you progress through the game’s rich, immersive world. With a strong emphasis on exploration and the ability to play solo or with friends, Valheim offers a rewarding experience that’s hard to put down.

SCUM

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For those looking for a hardcore survival experience, SCUM delivers in spades. Set in a massive open-world environment, this game boasts incredibly detailed mechanics, including metabolism, body temperature, and even dental health! Much like Raft, SCUM places a strong focus on crafting, exploration, and survival as you navigate the hostile landscape filled with both human and AI-controlled threats. If you’re up for a gritty, realistic challenge, SCUM is the game for you.

Empyrion: Galactic Survival

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Reach for the stars with Empyrion: Galactic Survival, a space-themed survival game that combines elements of Raft’s crafting, exploration, and base-building mechanics. In this vast, open-world adventure, you’ll mine resources, construct bases, and even design your own spaceships as you traverse a procedurally-generated galaxy. With its intricate crafting system, diverse planetary environments, and the freedom to play solo or with friends, Empyrion offers a thrilling and immersive experience that’s sure to keep you entertained for hours.

Eco

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For those who enjoy Raft’s resource management and crafting aspects but want to focus on the environmental impact of their actions, Eco offers a fresh and thought-provoking experience. Set in a lush, open-world environment, Eco tasks you with building a civilization while carefully managing its impact on the ecosystem. You’ll need to balance resource extraction, crafting, and construction with sustainable practices to ensure the survival of your virtual world. With its unique, environment-focused gameplay, Eco provides an engaging and educational experience unlike any other.

Satisfactory

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Last but certainly not least, we have Satisfactory, an industrial sandbox game set on an alien planet. This game takes the resource management and crafting elements of Raft and cranks them up a notch, challenging you to build and optimize massive factories to exploit the planet’s resources. With its sprawling 3D world, intricate machinery, and the ability to play solo or with friends, Satisfactory offers a compelling mix of exploration, engineering, and strategy that will keep you coming back for more.


Those were 20 fantastic games that share some of the core elements we all love about Raft. From deep-sea exploration to interstellar adventures, and from dense forests to post-apocalyptic wastelands, these games offer a diverse array of experiences that cater to different tastes and playstyles. Each one brings something unique to the table, but they all share the common thread of survival, crafting, and exploration that made Raft so captivating.

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