Building a shelter with which to defend oneself and cultivate resources is a necessity in survival games, so making that shelter fit the player's needs is a crucial step on the journey to survive, and eventually conquer. In order to achieve these lofty goals, players must have a base to store items and refinery systems, keep and process their provisions, and most importantly, have a place that's protected from outside threats.

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In many games, the player's base is little but an add-on to the larger elements, but there are players who quite enjoy base building, and strive to create huge, impenetrable structures that are a testament to their building abilities. These games aim to focus more intently on the player's base than the typical video game, and as such, allow for some great mechanics and features that truly allow players to let their creative freedom shine, and make their base stand out from the crowd.

10 Enshrouded

Build Your Ideal Fantasy Village

Why Play Enshrouded​​​​​?

• Fantasy village building with NPC automation
• Massive world to explore with a fantastic storyline

For the player who has always wanted to rule over a hold in Skyrim like a Jarl, this game is perfect. Become the Flameborn in this exciting title and reclaim a majestic kingdom that was once lost and restore it to its former glory, starting with the player's very own base. This game offers great building mechanics, and the player is able to make their base as compact, or as expansive, as they wish with the game's fantastic building system. Players can choose from a plethora of modular pieces, and then proceed to add detail as they see fit.

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Players can craft their own bases from the ground up and eventually expand them into full villages, complete with NPC automation systems. Players are able to create beautiful structures with the mechanics available to them and are able to unlock more options through quest rewards. Start with a shell made from pre-made wall, floor, and roof tiles, and from there, expand and decorate to make it perfect. Explore a world full of fantastical surprises and construct a magnificent castle; either solo or with friends, thanks to the available multiplayer option.

9 Minecraft

Good Ol' Faithful

Why play Minecraft?

• Innumerable opportunities for base creation
• Free exploration and complete creative freedom

This classic title is one that is made to suit any needs a player's base may have. Players can have an in-house smithery, farms for both animals and crops, an entryway to their own personal mine, or anything one could possibly dream up. Minecraft has literally thousands of blocks that a player can build with, and innumerable biomes to settle in.

Whether it be taking over villages, building castles, or excavating a massive underground bunker, Minecraft is a game with possibilities that are quite literally endless, and more content is being added all the time, like their annual mob vote that allows the community to have a say in what gets added next. With Minecraft, players are only limited by the bounds of their own imagination.

8 Dysmantle

Post-Apocalyptic RPG, But You Can Destroy Everything

Why play Dysmantle?

• The player gets better at surviving over time
• (Almost) completely breakable map

Ever wanted a video game where the player is able to break (almost) everything in sight? Dysmantle is the title that answers this call. The world - in this universe - has been taken over by the living dead, and those left alive must fight to stay that way. A core piece in survival is, of course, making a shelter; Dysmantle makes this part fun by providing the player with a map that is entirely breakable.

Using parts the player gathers from surrounding materials, they are able to construct a base to shield them from the undead stalking just outside their walls. Survival may be challenging at first, but the player must learn to adapt and build up their defenses in order to become the answer to the widespread, ghoulish threat.

7 Nova Lands

Conquer Alien Islands

Why play Nova Lands?

• Research system tied into craftable tech
• Fun, pixelated visuals

Nova Lands is a newer title that popped up on Steam in June of 2023; with bright, fun visuals and a gameplay system not unlike that of Stardew Valley, this unique little gem seems like it has fantastic possibilities for base building and automation. It is also worth noting that the game boasts a hefty amount of unlockables via an Animal Crossing-like museum system as well as several very large skill trees. In this game, the goal is to establish humanity's presence on other planets by creating bases and technology to harvest resources.

Part farming sim, part exploration, this charming indie game has a promising concept that is similar in nature to Undertale in giving the player the choice to either befriend or defeat the boss characters presented to them. Players gain the ability to produce better, new, and improved technology through the - incredibly expansive - tech research tree's reward abilities. With this technology, players are able to further their territory and establish bases on multiple islands, each one completely customizable to the player's liking.

6 ARK: Survival Ascended

Stranded On An Island Full Of Dinosaurs

Why play ARK: Survival Ascended?

• Tons of DLC to explore
• Build a base from the ground up and defend against the dinosaurs.

With elements closely related to those of Jurassic Park, ARK: Survival Ascended is a popular title that revolves entirely around the idea of surviving in a wilderness filled with hungry dinosaurs. Building a shelter is crucial to achieving this goal, and as such, the building mechanics allow for a diverse array of possibilities that may rival Minecraft itself.

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The player can mold their base exactly to their liking with different material types and numerous forms of more advanced technology. Making it tougher and more durable is key when fending off the dinos; from traps to various defenses and unique weapons, there are many ways that one can choose to not only defend but customize as well; the many DLC packs also offer additional content, like new places to set up camp and new dinosaurs to face in battle and tame.

5 Subnautica: Below Zero

Build To Survive On 4546-B

Why Play Subnautica: Below Zero?

• Sci-fi underwater survival
• The player has the ability to build multiple bases as they see fit.

The modular style of Subnautica's base creation system allows for ease of access and simplicity when constructing one's base in the oceans of 4546-B; the game's successor, Subnautica: Below Zero offers an additional layer of depth by adding something that the first game lacked - more diverse customization options, including things like larger rooms and glass roof options among many other great features.

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Not only can the player alter the paint color on their base, but they can also change the colors of their vehicles, and implement new construction features. Subnautica: Below Zero takes the rather simple construction system and offers several different customization options to decorate with. From the beds with aesthetically pleasing covers to the fun little trinkets the player can adorn their (purely decorative) desk with, Subnautica: Below Zero adds a significant amount of customization that its predecessor left wanting in many of its fans. Of course, mods are always an option for the player who wants to be extra particular about the way their home looks.

4 Voidtrain

For Those Who Want Their Base To Travel With Them

Why Play Voidtrain​​​​​​​?

• Unique concept with an equally unique environment
• Build and customize a train to travel the void with

Voidtrain is a survival title that presents gameplay elements similar to those of Raft. Players must swim through the open void, attached to their train with nothing more than a small tether, while they scavenge bits of scrap that they pass by on their journey.

With these collected scraps, players are able to lengthen their train and fill it with all sorts of useful items, and even craft their own weapons and armor. When players lengthen their train, they are eventually able to take their tiny trolley to a full-on steam engine; players are also free to add walls and decor as they see fit and personalize their train as much or as little as they'd like.

3 Lumencraft

Light Is The Player's Best Friend

Why Play Lumencraft​​​​​​​?

• Top-down base builder with rogue-like tower defense elements
• The entire map is breakable and moldable to the player's liking

In a universe where humanity no longer has access to electricity, and therefore, light, players must adapt to survive as they search for a new source of light known as Lumen. Players must build to combat the alien threat posed against them as they search for this invaluable resource, adding weapons, turrets, and defenses in order to stave off the insectoid aliens.

Rain bullets on enemies and expand player turf by implementing devastating weapons that are sure to take down even the biggest, meanest things out there, and then use the collected resources to further expand defenses. Players must also drill through the ground to search for Lumen crystals that will be the savior of humanity; the final light in their growing darkness.

2 Chernobylite

Explore And Survive In The Exclusion Zone

Why Play Chernobylite​​​​​​​?

• Recruit and manage NPC companions and their tasks
• The map is a close recreation of Chernobyl's exclusion zone

Chernobylite is a fascinating sci-fi title in this genre that allows for lots of base customization within a rather simple system; use the shell provided by the game, and fill it with all the necessities required to survive, and eventually, expand. Players must use the surrounding resources and construct a base in order to protect themselves and adapt to the harsh and unforgiving environment. Install things like air purifiers, gardens, storage units, and basic furniture in order to ensure the maximum chance of survival while still providing comfort for both the player character and teammates.

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One of the best parts about this game is that The Farm 51 - the game's developers - used real, 3D scans of Chernobyl's Exclusion Zone (that they took in person) in order to render the digital environment in Chernobylite, making the map a near one-to-one creation of the real deal. Players can claim an abandoned building within which they are able to install machines and protect themselves from radiation, and from there, proceed to upgrade. As the player levels up, they are eventually able to expand, as they are able to have up to three bases at a time; each one of them can be leveled up and expanded. For fans of the Fallout franchise, this title is definitely worth checking out.

1 Oxygen Not Included

Conquer Alien Planets! ...From Underground

Why Play Oxygen Not Included?

• Challenges player's abilities to effectively build and manage colonies
• Tons of content with a fun art style

For players who want to manage an entire colony rather than build it themselves, Oxygen Not Included is a fantastic addition to one's library. With its charming, 2D art style and its rather demanding resource management mechanics, this title is surely one that poses a fun challenge for players. Create expansive bases that sprawl underneath the planet's surface, and customize each and every room to be the most efficient it can be.

The base, in this game, is built room-by-room, each one serving a purpose of the player's choice. The size of these rooms is entirely up to the player, though laying things out efficiently is essential in order to succeed. Expanding the base in Oxygen Not Included significantly streamlines the process of harvesting the planet's resources, as it allows the player to store additional machines, essentials, and more; expansion is rewarded by the player being able to recruit new NPCs, and thus, speed things up. Fans who enjoy this game may also enjoy Fallout Shelter.

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