Every year, there are more and more games being releasedwith harder challengesand levels, which can includepermadeathelements. In other words, the stakes are high, because if you die, you are going back to the starting line.
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Permadeath features can be incorporated in various other ways. If you are playing as only one character, and you die, then you may end up losing all your progress and having to restart. If you are playing in a party, and a member dies, you may not see them again, and the story progresses without them.
Updated by Stefania Ikeda-Stavridi on August 20, 2025:We have updated our list to include five more great games to try out for fans of the permadeath feature. We have also rearranged the rankings according to their Metascores, and added more relevant information to each entry.
Immerse Yourself In Finnish Mythology
Noitais achallenging roguelikethat is well worth playing. With its permadeath feature, death means a full restart. You control Noita, a sorcerer who delves intodungeonsand keeps on fighting monsters and solving littlepuzzles. Most of the monsters are based onFinnishmythology and can pose quite a challenge. You will soon realize that most of your deaths can be avoided byusing common sense. For example, do not use an electric wand when underwater.
With a procedurally generated world, you get to explore whole new maps every time you play. The game would have been more appreciated had it been released before the wildly popularHades. The lower than deservedMetascore of 76is due to being compared to that game.
14Project Zomboid
Survive In A Zombie-Infested World
Project Zomboidis a decade old and still quite popular with permadeath andzombiefans, but notably, it doesn’t have a Metascore available. It isone of the best zombie survival gamesthat has you exploring a wide world while trying to stay alive. You can play solo or in multiplayer and do anything you want, from looting to building to farming to fishing.
Take care, though, not to getinfected, because that isinstant death. After every death, you are a bit smarter than before andknow what mistakes not to repeat. Some fans have expressed distain for the vanilla version of the game. However, by adding various mods, it can become pretty entertaining. It’s a game that has become great thanks to its community.
Project Zomboid
13Don’t Starve
Surviving In An Unforgiving World
Whether you playDon’t Starvealone or in multiplayer, it is still one of thehardest survival games. There are various ways for you to die, such as from monster attacks, bad weather, or starvation. Once you die, that is it; there isno respawn. You have to create a new character and start all over again.
With every death, you become smarter and know not to repeat the same mistakes. Don’t Starve offers you some means of protection against death, such as amulets and stones, but if you are not carrying them, it is going to be apermadeathfor you. Due to its difficulty, it’s a game not meant for everyone, as seen on itsMetascore of 78; It is, however, a great game to enjoy with a group of friends.
Don’t Starve
12Until Dawn
Make It Out Alive
Until Dawnis a horror adventure game that makes the deaths of characters morehauntingthan in other games. It is designed to emulateslasher moviesand won’t have anyone returning to life after you have seen them brutally die.
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If you make the wrong choice, it can have fatal consequences, leaving you with one less character. Thebutterfly effectis strong in Until Dawn, and every choice shapes the story differently. There are waytoo many possible endingsto explore, from very bad ones to pretty good ones. However, some gamers may find the heavy emphasis on quick-time events and decision-making stressful, hence, the bit lower than deserved,Metascore of 79.
Until Dawn
11Fire Emblem
Heroes From Another World Saving The World
Fire EmblemisNintendo’s iconic turn-based tactical role-playing series that gives you permadeath nightmares — or at least it used to, as acasual modehas now become a strong addition to the newer games in the franchise. You are usually playing asroyaltytasked with saving the world from a looming threat.
To accomplish your quest, you will gathervarious charactersand form a party. There are many options to choose from, and if one of them dies, they do not come back but are just replaced. If a main character dies, then the game ends with aGame Over. With aMetascore of 80,Fire Emblem: Engage is a great example of what the franchise has to offerin combat, music, and character design.
Fire Emblem Engage
10Cult Of The Lamb
Become A Cult Leader
Cult of the Lambshines as a delightful and charming adventure, earning a commendableMetascore of 82. Its cute art style andadorablecharacters immediately draw players into its whimsical world, reminiscent of a storybook come to life.
In many ways, it shares similarities with the acclaimed titleHades, whereeach death propels the story forward, keeping you engaged and eager to uncover what lies ahead. However, Cult of the Lamb introduces its own unique twist with true permadeath looming in the background. If your cult’sfollowersdwindle tozerofor more than two days, it’sgame over, and you must start anew.
Cult of the Lamb
9Minecraft
Explore And Create In A Vast World
If you die inMinecraft, yourespawnin your bed in yourcarefully crafted base, and if you are quick, you can even recover your lost items. Everything changes if you play inHardcoremode, however. You get only one life, and death is permanent.
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Gotta' craft ‘em all.
You immediately realize how dangerous this seemingly simple game truly is. You could die from falling into a ditch or from an unseen creeper. Hours of gameplay can disappear in a moment of carelessness. Minecraft doesn’t have aMetascore of 82for nothing, however, as you can just switch to the Creative mode, when things get too tricky.
8Darkest Dungeon
Descend Into Darkness
Darkest Dungeonstands as a masterpiece ofdarkand atmospheric storytelling, earning a well-deservedMetascore of 84. It’s a game that beckons to those who relishexplorationand revel in learning the rules throughtrial and error.
This approach may not suit everyone, but for those who embrace it, Darkest Dungeon offers an addictive and immersive experience like no other. Once again, it’s not your character who faces permadeath, but theadventurersyou hire to do your bidding. The stakes remain high as each loss is keenly felt; Once a hero falls inside thedungeon, there’s no turning back for them.
Darkest Dungeon
7Tactics Ogre: Reborn
Remake Of A Classic Masterpiece
Tactics Ogre: Rebornstands as a testament tothe timeless appeal of classic tactical RPGs. With aMetascore of 84, this remake showcases the enduring greatness of the original while breathing new life into its beloved gameplay and narrative. However, it’s important to note that, despite its critical acclaim, this remake remainstrue to its roots, which may not appeal to everyone.
This version of the game is notablycruelerthan its predecessor, with characters facing death more easily and permanently. Once a character falls in battle, there’s no resurrection, andthe story progresses without them.
Tactics Ogre: Reborn
6Valkyria Chronicles
Valkyria Chroniclesis a military-themed, turn-basedanime RPGthat is a bit gentler with its permadeath features than other games. You play as thecommanderof a small squad, which you handpick yourself, and fight in various battles.
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Once one of yoursquadmembers gets badly wounded or enters a critical state, you may send the medic to help them out. You only have three turns to do so, and if an enemy reaches them first or time runs out, they are gone forever. While losing a party member is never fun, you dounlock new charactersfrom certain deaths. With aMetascore of 86, it is definitely a strategy game to be on the lookout for, as well as, the series’ other titles.
