Plains of Pain similar games & best alternatives
Plains of Pain
2023
Related articles
Quick resume
Survive a brutal open world alone or with friends. Explore a procedural wasteland scorched by chaos. Build and defend your base, trade for what you need, complete deadly quests, and fight to claim faction outposts before someone else does.
Global score
84/100
Genres
Action, Adventure, Indie, Massively Multiplayer, Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Early Access
Similar games
Pros
- Immersive post-apocalyptic setting
- Deep survival and crafting mechanics
- Frequent developer updates
- Support for solo and multiplayer co-op
- Addictive gameplay loop
Cons
- Low multiplayer population
- Clunky inventory and building systems
- Early access bugs and crashes
- Steep learning curve for new players
- Some grind and repetition
Motivations
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Autonomy
Game with the same Autonomy vibe
4"Players have freedom to explore, build, craft, and choose their own pace and style of play in an open world with many options."
Forgotten Seas
"Players have freedom to explore, build bases, craft, and choose playstyle in a harsh open world."
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Competence
Game with the same Competence vibe
4"Game offers challenging survival mechanics, skill trees, and complex crafting systems requiring mastery."
ICARUS
"Game is challenging with skill trees, survival mechanics, combat, and crafting requiring mastery."
-
Competition
Game with the same Competition vibe
-3"Focus is mainly on single-player or cooperative play with friends; limited competitive elements and no ranked modes."
Rake
"Focus is mostly on solo or cooperative play with little active competitive multiplayer due to low player base."
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Continuation
Game with the same Continuation vibe
4"Many users report long play sessions and addictive grind encouraging habitual play."
Force of Nature
"Many users report long play sessions and addiction despite grind and difficulty."
-
Cooperation
Game with the same Cooperation vibe
3"Supports multiplayer co-op and community servers; players often team up for survival and base building."
Rem Survival
"Supports multiplayer co-op and community servers with base building and resource sharing."
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Creativity
Game with the same Creativity vibe
3"Players can build bases, customize tribes, and modify gameplay settings, though building is somewhat structured."
Soulmask
"Players can build bases, craft vehicles, and customize settlements, though building system has limitations."
-
Domination
Game with the same Domination vibe
-2"While PvP exists, limited server options and weekend-only PvP reduce dominance behaviors; cooperative and casual play is common."
PixARK
"Some PvP and raiding possible but low player counts limit domination dynamics; cooperative play emphasized."
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Escapism
Game with the same Escapism vibe
4"Immersive post-apocalyptic world provides strong escape from real life through survival challenges."
NEO Scavenger
"Immersive post-apocalyptic world offers strong escape from real life stress and routine."
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Expectation
Game with the same Expectation vibe
-4"Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment, no evidence of obligation or pressure."
Demise of Nations
"Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment, no evidence of 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 mechanics, test survival strategies, and experiment with crafting and base building."
-
Exploration
Game with the same Exploration vibe
4"Procedurally generated maps and daily worlds encourage discovery and curiosity-driven play."
One Way Heroics
"Procedurally generated maps and dynamic events encourage discovery and curiosity."
-
Expression
Game with the same Expression vibe
2"Some customization through upgrades and character appearance changes, but limited cosmetic options."
The Eternal Castle [REMASTERED]
"Some character customization and vehicle upgrades exist, but limited cosmetic options."
-
Fantasy
Game with the same Fantasy vibe
3"Post-apocalyptic fiction with imaginative threats and lore, though grounded in survival realism."
Don't Escape: 4 Days to Survive
"Post-apocalyptic fiction with imaginative vehicles and factions, though grounded in survival realism."
-
Fellowship
Game with the same Fellowship vibe
3"Small but dedicated community with cooperative play and social interaction via Discord and multiplayer."
UNLOVED
"Community interaction via multiplayer servers and Discord; cooperative play and shared goals."
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Growth
Game with the same Growth vibe
4"Skill trees, crafting progression, and learning survival mechanics support personal development"
Survival: Fountain of Youth
"Skill trees, crafting progression, and learning survival mechanics provide personal development."
-
Health
Game with the same Health vibe
-3"Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity; some reports of long play sessions without breaks."
STORY OF SEASONS: Friends of Mineral Town
"Primarily sedentary gameplay with no physical activity; some players report long continuous sessions."
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Idle
Game with the same Idle vibe
-4"Requires constant attention due to survival demands, combat, and resource management."
SCUM
"Requires constant attention due to survival mechanics, combat, and resource management."
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Intimacy
Game with the same Intimacy vibe
1"Some social interaction in multiplayer but limited evidence of close emotional relationships."
Farming Simulator 25
"Some social interaction in multiplayer but limited evidence of close emotional relationships."
-
Leadership
Game with the same Leadership vibe
2"Players can coordinate team strategy and roles, but no strong evidence of formal leadership or authority roles."
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions
"Players can manage bases and settlements, but no strong evidence of formal leadership roles."
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Progression
Game with the same Progression vibe
4"Strong emphasis on accumulating items, crafting upgrades, leveling up, and base building."
Dead Maze
"Strong emphasis on accumulating items, crafting upgrades, and base/vehicle development."
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Relaxation
Game with the same Relaxation vibe
-2"Gameplay is tense and challenging with sustained pressure; not primarily focused on relaxation."
Talvisota - Winter War
"Gameplay is tense and challenging with survival pressure and threats, not focused on relaxation."
-
Sensation
Game with the same Sensation vibe
2"Sound design and atmosphere provide immersive sensory experience, though graphics are modest."
Cold Waters
"Atmospheric visuals and sound design create immersive sensory experience, though graphics are basic."
-
Status
Game with the same Status vibe
-2"Little evidence of social status or recognition systems; low player base limits social evaluation."
TrenchesWIP
"Low player population limits social recognition and status seeking."
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Story
Game with the same Story vibe
2"Narrative is engaging but considered short and incomplete by many; side quests add depth but main plot is abrupt."
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
"Some quests and faction narratives exist but overall open-ended with no main plot yet."
-
Strategy
Game with the same Strategy vibe
3"Requires planning resource gathering, combat tactics, and base building to survive and progress."
Radiation Island
"Requires planning for survival, combat tactics, base building, and resource management."
-
Thrill
Game with the same Thrill vibe
3"Tension from survival challenges, disasters, and raids provides suspense and excitement."
Endzone - A World Apart
"Survival tension, meteor showers, and hostile encounters provide suspense and excitement."
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Value
Game with the same Value vibe
4"Players feel they get good value for price with many hours of gameplay and active development."
Kingdom of Atham: Crown of the Champions
"Players feel they get good value for price with many hours of gameplay and active development."
-
Violence
Game with the same Violence vibe
3"Combat and PvP are core elements involving destruction and fighting."
Anarchy Online
"Combat with enemies and PvP elements involve destruction and fighting."
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Survival
Game with the same Survival vibe
5"Core gameplay revolves around managing threats, resources, and staying alive in harsh conditions."
Distrust: Polar Survival
"Core gameplay revolves around managing threats, resources, and staying alive in harsh conditions."
Analysis
A very typical example of its motivational profile. 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, Leadership. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on 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