ICARUS similar games & best alternatives
ICARUS
2021
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Quick resume
ICARUS is a PvE survival game for up to eight players. Explore a savage wilderness in the aftermath of terraforming gone wrong. Survive the Open World, complete timed Missions or build your Outpost. Explore, build, craft and hunt while seeking your fortune and prospecting for exotic matter.
Global score
74/100
Genres
Action, Adventure, Simulator
Similar games
Pros
- Immersive survival mechanics
- Extensive base building and crafting
- Strong multiplayer cooperation
- Frequent developer updates
- Challenging and rewarding progression
Cons
- Performance and optimization issues
- Grind-heavy gameplay
- Steep difficulty for solo players
- Limited character customization
- Mission timers can frustrate casual players
Motivations
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Autonomy
Game with the same Autonomy vibe
3"Players have freedom to choose playstyle (domination or destruction), manage minions, customize tower and equipment, but missions are mostly linear with some scripted events."
Overlord II
"Players have freedom to build bases, choose missions, and develop talents, but must operate within mission timers and game mechanics."
-
Competence
Game with the same Competence vibe
4"Game is challenging with skill trees, survival mechanics, combat, and crafting requiring mastery."
Plains of Pain
"Game offers challenging survival mechanics, skill trees, and complex crafting systems requiring mastery."
-
Competition
Game with the same Competition vibe
-3"Focus is mostly on personal progression and survival; multiplayer is cooperative rather than competitive."
10 Miles To Safety
"Focus is primarily on personal progression and survival; multiplayer is cooperative rather than competitive."
-
Continuation
Game with the same Continuation vibe
4"Many players report long play sessions and habitual engagement despite grind and slow progression."
Mist Legacy
"Many players report long playtimes and habitual engagement despite grind and difficulty."
-
Cooperation
Game with the same Cooperation vibe
4"Strong emphasis on cooperative multiplayer play, teamwork, and shared survival goals."
HumanitZ
"Game shines in multiplayer cooperative play with teamwork needed for survival and mission success."
-
Creativity
Game with the same Creativity vibe
4"Extensive crafting, base building, and world customization allow creative expression and experimentation."
Don't Starve
"Extensive base building with customizable structures and crafting encourages creative expression."
-
Domination
Game with the same Domination vibe
-4"Interactions emphasize shared survival and cooperation rather than dominance or power over others."
Escape the Backrooms
"Interactions emphasize shared survival and cooperation rather than dominance or power over others."
-
Escapism
Game with the same Escapism vibe
4"Immersive world and survival gameplay provide strong escape from real life"
Conan Exiles
"Immersive survival environment and challenging gameplay provide strong escape from real life."
-
Expectation
Game with the same Expectation vibe
-4"Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment rather than obligation or pressure."
The Witch of Fern Island
"Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment rather than obligation or pressure."
-
Experimenting
Game with the same Experimenting vibe
3"Players explore crafting, base building, and survival mechanics, experimenting with strategies and progression."
Rem Survival
"Players explore different crafting paths, base designs, and survival strategies."
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Exploration
Game with the same Exploration vibe
3"Game features multiple biomes and maps to discover, with puzzles and secrets encouraging exploration."
Force of Nature 2: Ghost Keeper
"Game features multiple biomes and caves to discover, though some find exploration limited or repetitive."
-
Expression
Game with the same Expression vibe
3"Character customization and base design allow for personal expression, though some limitations noted."
Infinite Veil
"Character customization is limited, but base building and crafting allow personal expression."
-
Fantasy
Game with the same Fantasy vibe
-2"The game is grounded in realistic scenarios about plants and life events, with minimal fantasy elements."
Urban Jungle
"Game is grounded in realistic survival scenarios on a terraformed planet with minimal fantasy elements."
-
Fellowship
Game with the same Fellowship vibe
4"Strong community and multiplayer focus foster a sense of belonging and shared interest."
Railroads Online
"Strong community and multiplayer focus foster sense of belonging and shared goals."
-
Growth
Game with the same Growth vibe
4"Players develop skills, unlock tech trees, and improve their equipment and bases over time."
Empyrion - Galactic Survival
"Players develop skills, unlock tech trees, and improve talents over time."
-
Health
Game with the same Health vibe
-4"Game is sedentary with no physical activity; some players report frustration and fatigue from difficult controls."
Mana Spark
"Gameplay is sedentary with no physical activity; some players report frustration and fatigue."
-
Idle
Game with the same Idle vibe
-3"Requires focused attention and planning; not suited for casual or background play."
Door Kickers 2: Task Force North
"Requires sustained attention and planning; not suited for casual or background play."
-
Intimacy
Game with the same Intimacy vibe
2"Multiplayer encourages social interaction and cooperation, though not necessarily close emotional bonds."
River City Ransom: Underground
"Multiplayer cooperation encourages social interaction but not close emotional relationships."
-
Leadership
Game with the same Leadership vibe
2"Some players take lead roles in coordinating survivors, but leadership is shared and situational."
Project Winter
"Some players take leadership roles in coordinating group survival and resource management."
-
Progression
Game with the same Progression vibe
5"Strong emphasis on accumulating items, upgrading skills, crafting better equipment, and base building."
ZED ZONE
"Strong emphasis on accumulating resources, crafting upgrades, and advancing tech and talents."
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Relaxation
Game with the same Relaxation vibe
-1"Game can be tense and challenging but also offers moments of flow and satisfaction."
Kenshi
"Game can be tense and challenging but also has moments of flow and satisfaction in building."
-
Sensation
Game with the same Sensation vibe
3"Atmospheric visuals and sound design provide immersive sensory experience."
DARK SOULS™ II
"Visuals and sound design provide immersive sensory experience with atmospheric environments."
-
Status
Game with the same Status vibe
-2"Limited social status mechanics; recognition mainly within cooperative groups rather than broad visibility."
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
"Limited social status mechanics; recognition mainly within small multiplayer groups."
-
Story
Game with the same Story vibe
1"Some narrative and lore elements exist but story is minimal and not central."
Nova Lands
"Narrative is minimal and mission-based; story elements exist but are not central."
-
Strategy
Game with the same Strategy vibe
4"Requires planning, resource management, and tactical decision-making to survive and progress."
PUMPKIN PANIC
"Requires planning, resource management, and tactical decision-making for survival and mission success."
-
Thrill
Game with the same Thrill vibe
3"Survival threats and predator encounters create suspense and excitement."
Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey
"Survival threats, hostile wildlife, and environmental hazards create suspense and excitement."
-
Value
Game with the same Value vibe
3"Players report good value for time spent with frequent updates and content."
Everdream Valley
"Players report good value for time invested, especially with frequent updates and content."
-
Violence
Game with the same Violence vibe
3"Combat with animals and AI hunters is core gameplay involving killing and defense"
Subsistence
"Combat with animals and environmental threats is a core gameplay element."
-
Survival
Game with the same Survival vibe
5"Central focus on managing resources, avoiding death, and overcoming threats in a hostile environment."
Sword of the Stars: The Pit
"Central focus on overcoming threats, managing resources, and staying alive in a hostile world."
Analysis
Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Cooperation, Fellowship, Intimacy, Leadership. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Survival. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Fantasy, Relaxation.
How to use the graph
Similar games map
Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.
- Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
- Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
- Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
- Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.
Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.
Last update: 30/04/2026