# Best Survival TTRPGs

Survival TTRPGs make endurance, scarcity, exposure, danger, or dwindling resources matter at the table.

## Guide

Survival TTRPGs are strongest when the rules make something scarce: oxygen, food, safety, ammunition, time, warmth, trust, or hope. Start with Mothership for sci-fi survival horror, Alien for cinematic franchise horror, The Wretched for focused solo survival, and Death in Space for rules-lite scavenging in a dying universe.

Survival overlaps heavily with horror and science fiction. For a broader comparison, use the Best TTRPGs hub.

## Games

- [ShadowDark](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/shadowdark) - Rank #7. Shadowdark RPG rejuvenates traditional tabletop RPGs by blending old-school elements with modern mechanics for a fast-paced and intuitive gameplay experience. The game emphasizes real-time mechanics, with torches that burn out after an hour of game time, adding urgency to exploration and combat. Character development is dynamic, with randomized abilities and a simple yet strategic system for tracking distances, initiative, and spell-casting. The absence of darkvision and the use of treasure for experience points encourage deep engagement with the game's dungeon-crawling adventures.
- [Cairn](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/cairn) - Rank #19. Cairn RPG is an exploration-focused tabletop RPG set in a mysterious, dark forest filled with strange creatures and hidden treasures. It builds on mechanics from "Knave" and "Into The Odd," emphasizing a classless system where characters develop through their experiences rather than traditional leveling. The game is noted for its simplicity, supporting both spontaneous play and deeper campaign structures.
- [Alien](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/alienrpg) - Rank #22. Alien RPG immerses players in the foreboding universe of the Alien franchise, blending survival horror with science fiction in a game of fear, power, and survival. Set in the iconic world of xenomorphs and corporate intrigue, players navigate a series of thrilling scenarios from commercial haulage missions to colonial marines operations. The game emphasizes cinematic play, with a rule system that enhances the tension and horror of the Alien universe.
- [Ten Candles](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/tencandles) - Rank #32. Ten Candles is a tragic horror storytelling game designed for one-shot sessions. Set in a world shrouded in darkness, players are survivors facing their final moments as they confront mysterious and malevolent forces. The game is uniquely played by the light of ten candles that gradually extinguish, representing the dwindling hope and life of the characters. This atmospheric mechanic not only serves as a timer but also intensifies the sense of impending doom.
- [Blue Planet: Recontact](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/blueplanetrecontact) - Rank #45. Dive into the depths of a water-covered world in Blue Planet: Recontact, a tabletop RPG where players explore the mysteries of an alien planet while facing environmental challenges and political intrigue. With its focus on sustainability, exploration, and intricate world-building, this sci-fi game offers a unique experience where players must navigate the delicate balance between progress and preservation.
- [Mörk Borg](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/morkborg) - Rank #78. Mörk Borg is a doom metal-inspired tabletop RPG characterized by its dark, apocalyptic fantasy setting and horror elements. This rules-light game prioritizes narrative depth and atmospheric gameplay, featuring streamlined mechanics that enable fast-paced, intense sessions.
- [Mothership](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/mothership) - Rank #1002. Step aboard the desolate, dark confines of space in Mothership, a sci-fi horror RPG where players navigate treacherous alien worlds and face off against cosmic terrors. With a streamlined ruleset focused on survival and psychological horror, Mothership immerses players in a tense, suspenseful atmosphere where every decision can mean life or death. Unique character classes, random tables for generating spooky encounters, and an emphasis on narrative-driven storytelling make Mothership a must-play for fans of sci-fi and horror RPGs.
- [Degenesis: Rebirth](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/degenesis-rebirth) - Rank #1009. Degenesis: Rebirth is a 'Primal Punk' post-apocalyptic RPG set 500 years after the Eschaton meteor fall. Using the KatharSys d6 pool system, it emphasizes survival, mutation, and the struggle between human cultures and the alien Primer. Classless and free-to-play, it features stunning art, 7 cultures, 13 cults, and deep worldbuilding across Europe and North Africa.
- [A Quiet Year](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/aquietyear) - A Quiet Year is a thought-provoking tabletop RPG where players collaboratively create a post-apocalyptic community struggling to survive over the course of one quiet year. With its unique card-based mechanics and focus on community-building and decision-making, the game offers a reflective and immersive narrative experience unlike any other.
- [A Torch in the Dark](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/a-torch-in-the-dark) - A Torch in the Dark is a rules-lite solo dungeon delver using Forged in the Dark mechanics. Classless and low-prep, it emphasizes light management, inventory pressure, and procedural dungeon exploration beneath a demon-cursed city. Ideal for solo players seeking tense, roguelike survival with emergent storytelling.
- [After the Blast](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/after-the-blast) - After the Blast is a rules-lite post-apocalyptic survival RPG using 2d6 + stat resolution. Classless and quick to play, it emphasizes scavenging, radiation risk, and emergent storytelling over complex mechanics. Ideal for one-shots and wasteland hex-crawls.
- [Against the Wind](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/againstthewind) - Against the Wind invites players into a richly woven tapestry of survival and adventure in a world perpetually buffeted by furious storms and relentless currents. This unique tabletop RPG features a blend of resource management and narrative exploration, where characters navigate both treacherous landscapes and their own inner conflicts through innovative mechanics that emphasize resilience and adaptation. With its focus on forging powerful bonds and overcoming adversity, Against the Wind challenges players to find hope and unity amidst the chaos, making every session a story of triumph against the odds.
- [All Flesh Must Be Eaten](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/all-flesh-must-be-eaten) - All Flesh Must Be Eaten is a rules‑lite survival‑horror game using the Unisystem. Classless and scenario‑driven, it focuses on tense resource management, risky choices, and fast resolution. Ideal for gritty one‑shots or short campaigns with zombie threats.
- [Alone Among the Stars](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/alone-among-the-stars) - Alone Among the Stars is a rules‑lite solo journaling game about exploring strange worlds. Using a standard deck of cards and a few dice, you discover prompts and write short vignettes about what you find. Classless and ultra‑low prep, it focuses on reflective, creative play. Ideal for quiet sessions and writing warm‑ups.
- [Alone in the Ancient City](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/alone-in-the-ancient-city) - Alone in the Ancient City is a rules-lite solo journaling RPG about exploring the districts of a vast forgotten metropolis. Using a standard card deck and d6, players wander through crumbling neighborhoods, encounter strange inhabitants, and document their discoveries. Perfect for creative writing exercises and contemplative solo play sessions.
- [ARC: Doom Tabletop RPG](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/arc-doom-tabletop-rpg) - ARC is a rules‑lite, doom‑clock RPG about racing the apocalypse. Classless and low‑prep, it uses 2d6 risk rolls and a real‑time Doomsday Clock to drive hard choices and teamwork. Tight, fiction‑first scenes over crunch make it ideal for one‑shots and short, high‑tension campaigns.
- [Barbarians of the Ruined Earth](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/barbarians-of-the-ruined-earth) - Barbarians of the Ruined Earth is a rules‑lite post‑apocalyptic sword‑and‑sorcery game built on The Black Hack. Class-based, low‑prep play emphasizes scavenging, exploration, and brutal, fast combat across a weird wasteland. Ideal for one‑shots or sandboxes where survival, resource management, and pulp action drive the night.
- [Best Left Buried](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/best-left-buried) - Best Left Buried is a rules‑lite fantasy horror about desperate cryptdiggers braving lethal, resource‑starved dungeons. Using simple d20 tests and three core attributes, play moves fast while stress, scars, and dwindling light drive tense survival choices. Classless, low‑prep, and exploration‑driven—ideal for gritty crawls and short, high‑stakes sessions.
- [Breathless](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/breathless) - Breathless is a rules-lite survival horror RPG using polyhedral dice with degradation mechanics. Classless and low-prep, it emphasizes scavenging, item deterioration, and the exhausting toll of survival in a zombie-filled walled city. Ideal for one-shots and groups seeking tense, cinematic horror sessions.
- [Broken Shores](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/broken-shores) - Broken Shores is a rules-lite dark fantasy survival RPG using d100 resolution. Classless and exploration-driven, it emphasizes scavenging, crafting, and desperate survival in a drowned world. Ideal for solo or group play, hex-crawl exploration, and fans of brutal post-apocalyptic settings.
- [Cast Away](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/castaway) - Cast Away is a rules-lite survival RPG using Diminishing Dice mechanics to model deteriorating conditions after disaster. Classless and low-prep, it focuses on two stats (Mental and Physical) where dice shrink as survivors tire, starve, or freeze. The Haunting system keeps dead players involved. Ideal for shipwrecks, plane crashes, and wilderness survival one-shots.
- [Castaway](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/castaway-2) - Castaway is a rules-lite shipwreck survival horror RPG compatible with Mörk Borg. Stranded on a hostile island, players must manage exposure, craft shelter, hunt, and gather while facing mysterious encounters. Classless and brutal, it emphasizes resource scarcity and environmental danger over combat. Ideal for fans of Robinson Crusoe with a grim OSR twist.
- [Curseborne](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/curseborne) - Curseborne, Onyx Path’s 2025 urban horror RPG, explores cursed lineages in a modern world. Funded in 2024, it blends gritty drama with flexible mechanics, echoing World of Darkness vibes with a fresh twist. Perfect for players craving supernatural intrigue and personal stakes.
- [Dead Belt](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/dead-belt) - Dead Belt is a rules-lite solo/co-op survival RPG where you play as a Belter scavenging derelict starships on the Gasping Frontier. Using just a d6, cards, and tokens, you navigate procedurally generated ships and manage oxygen.
- [Dead of Night](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/deadofnight) - Dead of Night immerses players in a chilling modern horror setting where they take on the roles of ordinary individuals grappling with unimaginable terror. Featuring a unique blend of narrative focus and tension-building mechanics, this game encourages characters' vulnerabilities to shape the unfolding story as they confront their deepest fears. With its emphasis on suspense and the unpredictability of horror, Dead of Night invites players to explore the darkness both within and around them, creating a memorable experience of dread and resilience.
- [Dead Reign](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/dead-reign) - Dead Reign is a post-apocalyptic horror RPG about surviving the zombie outbreak. Using a familiar d%/d20 Palladium chassis, it delivers fast, lethal fights, tense scavenging, and hard choices. Class-based, medium-prep, it focuses on teamwork, scarcity, and moral dilemmas. Ideal for campaign play and gritty one-shots.
- [Death in Space](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/death-in-space) - Death in Space is a rules‑lite sci‑fi survival game about scrappy crews trying to make it through a dying universe. With lean, OSR‑adjacent procedures and lethal combat, it favors planning, scavenging, and smart retreats over stand‑up fights. Ideal for tense one‑shots and gritty campaigns at the edge of civilization.
- [Deathmatch Island](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/deathmatch-island) - Deathmatch Island is a reality-show survival RPG about contestants trapped inside a violent spectacle built on paranoia, performance, and control.
- [Desperation](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/desperation) - Desperation is a rules-lite survival horror RPG containing two complete games: Dead House (blizzard-stranded Kansas town, 1888) and The Isabel (doomed fishing vessel in the Gulf of Alaska). Using the Desperation Engine, players decide who speaks rather than what happens—building a web of relationships then watching them collapse under pressure. Card-driven, GM-less, and playable in 1-2 hours.
- [Don't Rest Your Head](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/dont-rest-your-head) - Don't Rest Your Head is a rules‑lite psychological survival horror about insomniacs who awaken to the Mad City. Using small dice pools, exhaustion and madness fuel risky power at the cost of control. Classless and low‑prep, it excels at high‑tension one‑shots and short arcs.
- [Durance](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/durance) - On a remote prison planet, convicts and guards struggle to survive in a brutal hierarchy. This fast-paced, collaborative game emphasizes hard choices and conflicting codes of conduct as everyone fights for limited resources and power.
- [Endure](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/endure) - Endure is a rules-lite survival RPG using a 2d6 Risk Roll system. Classless and low-prep, it emphasizes an Endurance economy where resources constantly deplete, forcing hard choices. Ideal for wilderness survival, horror, and disaster stories inspired by The Martian and The Long Dark.
- [Enter the Survival Horror](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/enter-the-survival-horror) - Enter the Survival Horror is a rules‑lite, Forged in the Dark survival‑horror game about dark corridors, dwindling resources, and mounting dread. Classless and low‑prep, it frames tense exploration and tactical fights around a Doom Clock and clever inventory gambits. Ideal for one‑shots and short, nerve‑wracking campaigns.
- [Escape from Dino Island](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/escape-from-dino-island) - Escape from Dino Island is a rules-lite survival adventure using Powered by the Apocalypse mechanics. Play as brave but out-of-their-depth heroes fleeing an island overrun with dinosaurs. Class-based archetypes, fast 2d6 resolution, and collaborative worldbuilding create tense, cinematic one-shots in the Jurassic Park vein.
- [Fallout](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/fallout) - Fallout is a post-apocalyptic tabletop RPG set in a world devastated by nuclear war, where players navigate a harsh, radioactive wasteland filled with mutated creatures, factions, and moral dilemmas. Key features include a unique S.P.E.C.I.A.L. character system, a focus on exploration, survival, and decision-making, and a richly detailed world filled with dark humor and moral ambiguity. Fallout stands out for its blend of retro-futuristic aesthetics, gritty storytelling, and emphasis on player choice and consequence in a world on the brink of collapse.
- [Fearsome Wilderness](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/fearsome-wilderness) - Fearsome Wilderness is a rules-lite survival RPG using the Year Zero Engine. Marooned prisoners face American folklore cryptids in a hostile forest. Hex-crawl exploration, base-building, and nightmare mechanics create tense resource-management play. Ideal for horror-survival campaigns with emergent storytelling.
- [Forbidden Lands](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/forbiddenlands) - Forbidden Lands is a sandbox survival fantasy RPG where you play rogues and raiders exploring a cursed world. Winner of four ENNIE Awards, it features hex-crawl exploration, base-building, and the acclaimed Year Zero engine. Discover lost tombs, fight monsters, and build your own stronghold in this open-world retro fantasy.
- [Frontier Scum](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/frontier-scum) - Frontier Scum is a rules‑lite acid‑western OSR game about wanted outlaws scraping by on the Lost Frontier. Classless, fast to run, and low‑prep, it uses simple saves and brutal consequences to push hard choices. Ideal for quick heists, bounty jobs, and gritty survival sessions.
- [FROSTBITE](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/frostbite) - FROSTBITE is a rules-lite arctic survival RPG using d20, d4, and d6 dice. Players must manage WARMTH resources creatively to survive a frozen Icelandic wasteland and signal for rescue. Low-prep and print-ready on a single page, it emphasizes player ingenuity over combat. Ideal for one-shots and survival horror fans.
- [Green Dawn Mall](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/green-dawn-mall) - Green Dawn Mall is a rules‑lite survival-horror about teens lost in an endless, uncanny shopping mall. Using simple d6 tests (5–6 = success), it emphasizes exploration, odd encounters, and resourceful problem‑solving over combat. Low‑prep and quick to run, it’s ideal for tense one‑shots or short campaigns focused on discovery.
- [Grimwild](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/grimwild) - Grimwild immerses players in a richly woven, dark fantasy world teetering on the edge of collapse, where nature has taken on a terrifying life of its own. The game features a unique blend of survival mechanics, folklore-inspired creature encounters, and environmental storytelling that challenges players to navigate moral dilemmas and forge their own destinies. With its emphasis on exploration and the tug of war between humanity and the wild, Grimwild invites adventures that are as haunting as they are unforgettable.
- [HOSTILE](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/hostile) - HOSTILE is a near‑future, blue‑collar sci‑fi survival RPG using classic 2d6 task resolution. Classless and low‑prep, it emphasizes hazardous jobs, hard vacuum, and resource management over heroics. Ideal for tense one‑shots, salvage runs, and ongoing colony campaigns with a gritty, industrial vibe.
- [In the Light of a Ghost Star](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/in-the-light-of-a-ghost-star) - In the Light of a Ghost Star is a rules-lite sci-fi RPG set on a frozen, abandoned Earth lit by a dead white dwarf. Scavengers from Martian cities brave ghosts, machines, and strange life to recover ancient treasures. With streamlined mechanics, inventory rationing, and a hex crawl, it emphasizes exploration and survival in a weird, post-human world.
- [Into the Dungeon: Revived](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/into-the-dungeon-revived) - Into the Dungeon: Revived is a rules‑lite OSR fantasy game using simple d20 saves and inventory‑driven resource play. Classless and low‑prep, it focuses on tense, survival‑minded dungeon and wilderness exploration with fast, lethal combat. Ideal for quick sessions, open tables, and sandboxes that reward caution and clever play.
- [Long Haul 1983](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/longhaul1983) - Long Haul 1983 is a solo journaling RPG of survival on empty highways. Using cards, dice, and a microphone, you play a truck driver navigating a hollowed-out 1983 world, leaving voicemails for someone who never answers. Rules-lite and atmospheric, it delivers a haunting journey of resilience.
- [Low Fantasy Gaming](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/lowfantasygaming) - Low Fantasy Gaming immerses players in a gritty, realistic world filled with danger and intrigue, where survival is not guaranteed and every choice has consequences. With its streamlined ruleset, focus on character customization, and deadly combat mechanics, the game offers a challenging and immersive experience that pushes players to think tactically and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of low fantasy settings.
- [Moonbase Blues](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/moonbase-blues) - Moonbase Blues is a rules-lite sci-fi horror scenario compatible with Mothership RPG 1e. Set on an isolated moonbase observatory, players face light-borne contaminants and infected colonists in an uncanny tide of blue. Features a bi-fold brochure layout, facility maps, random tables for hazards, terrified NPC survivors, and an audio distress signal handout. Ideal for one-shots or campaign integration.
- [Mountaintop Isolation](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/mountaintop-isolation) - Mountaintop Isolation is a solo journaling survival game where you document your struggle to endure a blizzard trapped alone in a remote ski cabin. Using cards, dice, and a tumbling block tower, you balance dwindling resources against the creeping cold. Ideal for intimate, reflective solo play.
- [Mouse Guard](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/mouse-guard) - Mouse Guard is a mission-structured fantasy RPG of duty, weather, travel, and small heroes protecting a dangerous world much larger than themselves.
- [Mutant Crawl Classics](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/mutant-crawl-classics) - Mutant Crawl Classics is a post-apocalyptic, OSR-inspired game of deadly expeditions into ancient ruins. Class-based and swingy, it uses d20-style saves and character funnels to forge resilient survivors. Low prep and exploration-driven, it emphasizes scavenging, resource management, and hard choices in a lethal wasteland.
- [Mutant: Year Zero](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/mutantyearzero) - Mutant: Year Zero is a post-apocalyptic survival RPG using the Year Zero Engine. Players control mutated humans scavenging the deadly Zone while managing their home settlement, the Ark. Classless and resource-focused, it emphasizes exploration, mutation powers, and base development over combat optimization.
- [Never Going Home](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/never-going-home) - Never Going Home is a rules-lite WWI survival-horror game using straightforward tests plus card-hand pressure. Classless and low-prep, it follows a front-line Unit through lethal missions, dwindling supplies, and the corrupting Whispers. Ideal for short campaigns and players who enjoy grim stakes and tough choices.
- [Night Witches](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/night-witches) - Night Witches is a Powered by the Apocalypse RPG about the all-female Soviet 588th Night Bomber Regiment in WWII. Players alternate between daytime interpersonal drama and nighttime bombing missions, facing both Fascist enemies and sexist comrades. Classless and narrative-driven, it emphasizes heroism, sacrifice, and endurance through modified PbtA moves.
- [Other Dust](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/other-dust) - Other Dust is a rules-lite post-apocalyptic RPG set on the Tomb World of Earth, centuries after civilization's collapse. Using familiar OSR mechanics compatible with Stars Without Number, it emphasizes sandbox exploration, enclave building, and survival in a world of mutants and ancient ruins. Class-based and GM-driven, it provides extensive tools for emergent wasteland campaigns.
- [Outbreak: Undead (2nd Edition)](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/outbreak-undead-2e) - Outbreak: Undead (2e) is a survival-horror tabletop RPG focused on realism, resource scarcity, and tough choices. Classless and modular, it supports gritty campaigns about planning, panicking, and pushing through the worst days. Ideal for fans of grounded, rules-forward apocalypse play.
- [Paleomythic](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/paleomythic) - Paleomythic is a rules‑lite stone‑and‑sorcery survival game using opposed dice pools and conditions. Classless and low‑prep, it focuses on foraging, crafting, and hard choices in a harsh prehistoric world. Ideal for quick sessions and sandbox play with players who enjoy exploration, scarcity, and myth‑tinged danger.
- [Perseverant](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/perseverant) - Perseverant is a rules-lite collaborative story game about surviving a brutal wilderness. GM-less, zero-prep, and playable in a single 2-4 hour session. Players co-create the environment and face mounting challenges where traits deplete over time, forcing desperate choices. Ideal for one-shots and narrative-driven groups.
- [Perseverant RPG](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/perseverant-rpg) - Perseverant is a rules-lite survival story game about desperate journeys through hostile wilderness. GM-less and zero-prep, it emphasizes collaborative worldbuilding, brutal resource management, and the ever-present threat of betrayal among travelers. Ideal for one-shots and players who enjoy narrative drama over tactical combat.
- [Pirate Borg](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/pirate-borg) - Pirate Borg is a dark fantasy pirate RPG about cursed seas, undead threats, and fast, filthy adventure on a doomed black ocean.
- [Polaris RPG](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/polaris-rpg) - Polaris RPG is a post-apocalyptic underwater survival game where humanity fled to the seas after the surface became uninhabitable. Players navigate faction wars, scarce resources, and underwater horrors as genetically modified survivors. Crunchy yet approachable mechanics support deep sea exploration and community struggles in a hostile aquatic world.
- [Primal Quest - Essentials](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/primal-quest) - Primal Quest – Essentials is a rules‑lite stone‑and‑sorcery RPG. Classless and fast to teach, it uses straightforward d20 tests with tight resource play to drive tense, survival‑forward exploration. Low‑prep and table‑ready, it’s ideal for gritty hexcrawls, emergent sandboxes, and convention one‑shots.
- [RECON](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/recon) - RECON transports players to the heart of the Vietnam War, blending military tactics with immersive roleplaying as they navigate the chaotic jungles and political turmoil of the era. With its focus on realism and teamwork, RECON features detailed character creation and mission-based gameplay, encouraging players to think strategically and adapt to dynamic combat scenarios. Unique in its dedication to historical accuracy, the game fosters deep engagement with the moral complexities of war, challenging players to confront the decisions of both their characters and the larger conflict.
- [Runecairn](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/runecairn) - Runecairn immerses players in a rich world inspired by Norse mythology, where they must navigate treacherous lands filled with ancient magic and powerful beings. This tabletop RPG features a unique rune casting mechanic that drives the narrative and character development, challenging players to harness mystical forces and forge their own destinies in a world on the brink of chaos.
- [Ryuutama](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/ryuutama) - Ryuutama is a cozy, Japanese-inspired RPG where village folk—bakers, healers, farmers—embark on a grand journey across a world born from seasonal dragons. Classless and heartwarming, it emphasizes travel, camping, and wonder over combat and loot. Ideal for gentle group storytelling and family-friendly tables.
- [Sleepaway](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/sleepaway) - Sleepaway is a rules-lite horror RPG where camp counselors protect their wards from the shape-shifting Lindworm. Using the Belonging Outside Belonging system, it emphasizes collaborative storytelling, Weak and Strong Moves, and eerie Rituals. GMless and diceless, it blends nostalgia with existential dread for unforgettable one-shots or campaigns.
- [Solo Gamemaster's Guide](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/sologamemastersguide) - Solo Gamemaster's Guide is a comprehensive resource for players who want to experience the thrills of tabletop roleplaying games on their own. With detailed guidance on crafting compelling narratives, managing multiple characters, and creating immersive worlds, this guide empowers solo players to delve into epic adventures solo-style like never before. Its unique approach to gamemastering combines traditional RPG elements with solo storytelling techniques, offering a truly unique and engaging gaming experience.
- [SQUISHY!](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/squishy) - SQUISHY! is a rules-lite survival horror TTRPG using a d10 resolution system. Designed for minimal prep and fast character creation, it gets players from zero to scary in no time. Perfect for one-shots, larger groups, and newcomers who want challenging horror without complex mechanics.
- [Stay Frosty](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/stay-frosty) - Stay Frosty is a rules‑lite military sci‑fi game using streamlined OSR/Black Hack–style rolls. Classless, low‑prep missions focus on tight objectives, dwindling resources, and squad tactics under pressure. Ideal for one‑shots or short arcs where survival and decisive action matter.
- [Stoneburner](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/stoneburner) - Stoneburner is a rules‑lite sci‑fantasy survival game using the Breathless step‑die engine. Solo‑friendly and classless kits drive quick, low‑prep play focused on demon‑haunted delves, resource juggling, and colony growth. Ideal for short, high‑stakes sessions where choices about light, tools, and risk define whether your dwarves rebuild—or burn.
- [Survive the Night](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/survive-the-night) - Survive the Night is a rules‑lite horror one‑shot built for fast, cinematic survival. Using a simple d6 system and genre‑archetype playbooks, it leans on tension, resource scramble, and tough choices over build math. Low‑prep and party‑friendly, it shines at campfire scares and convention tables where escaping alive is the win condition.
- [SURVIVE THIS!! Zombies – Ultimate Edition](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/survive-this-zombies-ultimate-edition) - SURVIVE THIS!! Zombies is a rules‑lite OSR modern horror game using d20 tests and class‑based play. Low‑prep and modular, it focuses on tense resource management, scavenging, and desperate choices during outbreaks. Ideal for gritty one‑shots or ongoing campaigns about surviving the worst day of your life.
- [Tales of Argosa](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/tales-of-argosa) - Tales of Argosa is a low-fantasy adventure RPG built for dangerous exploration, rough-edged heroism, and sandbox play with old-school pressure and modern usability.
- [The Beast](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/the-beast) - The Beast is a rules-lite one-page RPG about low-rent monster hunters in 18th-century Eastern Europe. Using simple d6 mechanics and equipment ratings, players track a terrifying Beast through cursed forests while struggling against weather, weariness, and their own mortality. Classless and zero-prep, it emphasizes atmosphere, smart preparation, and the certainty that going in alone means going mad and dying.
- [The End of the World: Wrath of the Gods](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/the-end-of-the-world-wrath-of-the-gods) - Wrath of the Gods is a rules‑lite modern‑day survival game using a simple positive/negative d6 pool. Classless and low‑prep, it focuses on crisis decisions, scarce resources, and moral tradeoffs as mythic cataclysms unravel society. Ideal for one‑shots or short arcs with story‑first play.
- [The End of the World: Zombie Apocalypse](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/the-end-of-the-world-zombie-apocalypse) - The End of the World: Zombie Apocalypse is a rules‑lite modern survival RPG using simple dice pools and stress tracks. Classless and low‑prep, it centers on tense, cinematic decisions, scavenging, and group dynamics under pressure. Ideal for one‑shots or short arcs where danger escalates fast and hard choices define the story.
- [The Midnight World](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/themidnightworld) - The Midnight World is a darkly atmospheric tabletop RPG that plunges players into a hauntingly beautiful realm where nightmares and reality intertwine. Emphasizing the complexities of human emotion and the weight of choices, this game features a unique dual-layer storytelling mechanic that allows players to explore both their characters' inner struggles and the eerie, surreal landscape around them. With a blend of rich lore, evocative art, and innovative resolution systems, The Midnight World invites players to confront their fears while crafting unforgettable tales of bravery and despair.
- [The Morrow Project](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/the-morrow-project) - The Morrow Project is a post-apocalyptic RPG about teams waking into a broken future with missions, military structure, and the burden of rebuilding after collapse.
- [The Mutant Epoch](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/themutantepoch) - The Mutant Epoch is a rules-lite post-apocalyptic RPG using the Outland System. Players lead excavation teams into ruined cities and toxic wastelands, battling mutants and raiders while scavenging for ancient technology. Percentile-based mechanics, extensive random tables, and lavish illustrations support emergent sandbox survival.
- [The One Ring (Second Edition)](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/the-one-ring-2e) - The One Ring (Second Edition) is a Tolkien fantasy RPG built around journeys, weariness, and hope in the twilight of the Third Age. Classless and exploration‑driven, it emphasizes travel challenges, shadow risk, and fellowship phases over build minutiae. Ideal for story‑led campaigns and grounded heroic play.
- [The One Ring RPG](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/the-one-ring) - The One Ring is a survival-focused fantasy RPG set in Middle-earth between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Features detailed journey mechanics, Shadow corruption tracking, and the struggle between Hope and Despair. Players take on roles like Scholar, Warden, or Treasure Hunter while facing the growing Shadow.
- [The Walking Dead Universe](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/thewalkingdeaduniverse) - The Walking Dead Universe immerses players in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a relentless zombie outbreak, where survival hinges on difficult choices and the dynamics of human relationships. Utilizing an innovative blend of narrative-driven mechanics and survival tactics, players create unique characters while navigating moral dilemmas and the ever-present threat of the undead. With a focus on collaboration, resource management, and character development, this game offers a distinctive experience that explores the fragility of civilization and the resilience of the human spirit.
- [The Warren](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/the-warren) - The Warren is a rules-lite survival RPG about intelligent rabbits facing a hostile world. Powered by the Apocalypse mechanics emphasize speed, wits, and community over combat. Classless and generational, it follows rabbit families through seasons of danger. Ideal for fans of Watership Down seeking tense, poignant storytelling.
- [The Wildsea](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/wildsea) - The Wildsea is a narrative survival-fantasy RPG set on an endless treetop ocean. Using a fast d6 pool with twists, crews sail chainsaw-prowed ships, scavenge, and survive weird hazards. Classless and highly creative, it favors low-prep, fiction-first play with strong setting prompts. Ideal for exploration-forward campaigns.
- [The Wretched](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/thewretched) - The Wretched is a rules-lite solo journaling RPG played with cards, a tumbling block tower, and a microphone. You are the last survivor of a salvage ship stalked by a hostile alien creature. Isolated and desperate, you chronicle your final days through audio logs while the creature lurks just outside your hull.
- [Those Dark Places](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/those-dark-places) - Those Dark Places is a rules‑lite industrial sci‑fi horror game using simple dice pools and stress checks. Classless and low‑prep, it focuses on claustrophobic missions, malfunctioning ships, and corporate pressure. Ideal for tense one‑shots and short campaigns where survival and hard choices drive the fiction.
- [Thousand Year Old Vampire](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/thousand-year-old-vampire) - Thousand Year Old Vampire is a solo journaling RPG about immortality, memory, and loss. Prompt-driven play follows one vampire across centuries as relationships vanish, memories erode, and the character survives long enough to become almost unrecognizable.
- [Torchbearer](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/torchbearer) - A survival-focused dungeon crawler where light, food, and supplies deplete constantly. Players must balance risk versus reward as they explore dangerous ruins, with mechanics that emphasize the physical toll of adventuring. Every decision matters when your torch is burning down and you are low on rations.
- [Twilight: 2000](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/twilight2000) - Twilight: 2000 is a retro-apocalyptic survival RPG using the Year Zero Engine. Classless and low-prep, it emphasizes resource management, base building, and hard choices in a World War III wasteland. Ideal for gritty sandbox campaigns and players who want survival to feel consequential.
- [Twilight: 2000](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/twilight-2000) - Twilight: 2000 is a post-apocalyptic military survival RPG from Free League. The fourth edition uses the Year Zero Engine for hexcrawling, scarcity, base building, and tense combat in an alternate 2000 where the war never really ended.
- [Vast Grimm](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/vast-grimm) - Vast Grimm is a rules‑lite sci‑fi horror game powered by Mörk Borg’s chassis. Classless, lethal, and fast to run, it focuses on grim survival, scavenging, and desperate missions against parasitic würms. Ideal for one‑shots or short campaigns where resource management and hard choices drive play.
- [Wolves of God: Adventures in Dark Ages England](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/wolves-of-god) - Wolves of God is a rules-lite OSR RPG set in 710 AD Dark Ages England. Players take on roles of Warriors, Saints, and Galdormen navigating a brutal post-Roman landscape. With class-based characters, Christian miracle-working, sorcerous galdor, and extensive sandbox tools, it emphasizes survival, exploration, and grim heroism in a low-magic historical setting.
- [Zombie World](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/zombieworld) - Zombie World is a rules‑lite, card‑driven survival RPG about a community fighting to live through the zombie apocalypse. Classless and low‑prep, it emphasizes tough decisions, resource pressure, and messy relationships over build math. Ideal for one‑shots and ongoing survival drama where cooperation—and sacrifice—matter.