What are the best voxel based games for the PC?

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Sep 17, 2018

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The 2 must play gamesWhy?

Best voxel based games for the PC	Price	Genre	Co-Op
90 Minecraft	$26.95	Indie / Survival / Sandbox	8 Player Online / 8 Player Couch / 8 Player LAN
90 7 Days to Die	$24.99	Survival / Open World	Yes
-- Lego Worlds	-	–	–
-- Space Engineers [Early Access]	$22.99	–	–
-- Terasology	Free	–	–

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7 Days to Die

Top Pro

Very challenging

Unlike seemingly similar voxel based and open world games, which tend to focus more on creativity and exploration, this one focuses heavily on survival. Learning how the weapons work, and how to build a fortified base tends to be the focus. See More

Top Con

Really laggy even on high end PCs

Can only get 20 fps on high settings, even on an PC with GTX 960 and Intel i5-4690k. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Mixed

Genre:Survival / Open World

Co-Op:Yes

Controller Support:No

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Top Pro

Randomly generated open worlds

Recently added in the Alpha 9 release, randomly generated worlds allow the player a new play experience every time they open up the game. This means every server will have a different dynamic based on their layout of the world. See More

Top Con

Crafting system is constantly getting dumbed down

Even though 7D2D is supposed to be a hard survival game (and most of the time it is), the crafting system is getting constantly dumbed down with new releases. For example, previously you had sticks, planks, and logs. Sticks could not be used to build huge wood log walls or frames. While now there's no more different kinds of wood and you simply punch a bush to get some wood. See More

Top Pro

Robust crafting system

Create everything from a chainsaw to various guns to defenses for your fort - the crafting system lists what you can make with the materials you currently have in the player's inventory. See More

Top Con

People who dislike Minecraft will dislike this game

If you like Minecraft, you might like this game, a lot actually. But if you HATE Minecraft, you'll quickly realize this game is basically Minecraft with better graphics. It just downright sucks. See More

Top Pro

Unique combination of voxel & polygon models with fun physics

The game is a mix between a voxel world and full polygon models for buildings, making for a versatile survival based world that brings exploration and creation to the zombie survival genre. Structural integrity is a real thing in 7 Days To Die. That means there cannot be unsupported floating blocks. The player can set up traps to take out hordes of zombies with a falling building. Weapons will also break and crumble but can also be forged to be awesome. See More

Top Con

Randomly generated open worlds has no generation options

Randomly gen has no option to customize how it is generated (like in minecraft for example) and could make it quite problematic if you want to have a good map, as there is no way to know how good or bad the map will be. Random gen also make unrealistic hills and road that almost go up/down vertically with vehicle spawning in such way they seems to be floating. See More

Top Pro

Creative mode

The game allows players to make custom maps without zombies attacking to set up scenarios or make player made game types. See More

Top Con

Not voxel art

Game doesnt even have a voxel art style to it, so shouldnt be on this list. whack. See More

Top Pro

Single, co-op, and multiplayer gameplay modes

Three different play modes including solo, with friends, or competitively over the internet gives a lot of choice as to how someone would like to play the game. Be it with friends or solo, the options are there. See More

Top Con

Currently in Early Access

While the game is currently selling for $24.99, it isn't actually finished yet, so there will be bugs. Be sure to adjust your expectations accordingly before making the investment. See More

Top Pro

Thoughtful and communicative developers allows for a stable community that keeps growing

Even though this is not directly related with the gameplay, it's still important especially for indie and early-access games. The developers behind 7DTD have always been communicative and have heard what the community had to say time and time again, releasing patches with bug fixes and new features in a timely manner. See More

Top Pro

Great replayability

No matter how many times you start a new game (random gen) you will never get the same experience. The crafting is the same, enemies are the same, game mechanics are the same but the gameplay is not. If you add the mods available for this game then you will have a whole new experience with added/altered crafting, different enemies, more quests etc... See More

Top Pro

What you build is not only for creativity, but also for gameplay purposes

In 7DTD players don't build their homes only as bases or places to sleep in, or build cool looking things just for the fun of it and to test their skills. Every 7 days, a large horde of zombies will attack the player wherever he or she is, trying to destroy them and what stands in the way of the player and the horde. This is why the player needs to think about how to build traps that will help them kill a lot of zombies and how to make a strong enough house that will not be destroyed easily. See More

Top Pro

Constant sense of vulnerability, which keeps the player alert and on edge the whole time

As the player makes progress in the game by interacting with the environment, killing zombies or building things, they are rewarded with skill points that can be used to unlock new skills such as combat strength, higher stamina or new crafting options. But even though the skill system can seemingly make the game easier, the severity and size of the zombie hordes will keep increasing with the time spent in game and the progress made by the player, keeping them on the edge and making them feel a constant pressure that an attack may come at any time and that they should be prepared. See More

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13 Other Games Considered

Lego Worlds

Top Pro

It's Lego

Top Con

Bad camera angles

The camera sometimes glitches through the floor. See More

Top Pro

Has advanced tools for building things out of Lego blocks

Compared to other games that focus on building structures out of voxels, Lego Worlds offers advanced tools for building the world around you. The game includes tools for managing large amounts of surface area easily. Actions like flattening a surface, creating a sphere or extruding an area don't require tedious manual labour and can be done quickly. It allows for much quicker turnaround time from idea to end result. See More

Top Con

Map size is limited

While the map is large, it isn't as massive as it is in other voxel based games. See More

Top Con

Steep learning curve

The game gives access to a lot of advanced functionality right from the get-go with very barebones explanations on what the tools do. See More

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Space Engineers [Early Access]

Top Con

Servers are a "lag hell"

Due to the nature of physics simulation of custom built ships, the game requires top hardware to host the game, still making it a "lag hell" if there are more than 10 players. See More

Top Pro

Destructible ships

Players are able to smash ships into each other with satisfying destruction physics. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Mostly Positive

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Top Con

Still not a whole lot to do

Being an early access game there is still a lot of missing features such as missions, thus leaving no much to do other than the free building mode. See More

Top Pro

Prefabricated ships available in game that are modifiable

For those that do not want to build a whole ship from scratch there are prefabricated ships available upon start that are also modifiable so users can customize to their liking. See More

Top Pro

Easy to build

Space Engineers makes it easy to build any items or objects making sure any skill level can easily have fun in game. All one needs to do is select what they would like to build from the menu and then choose the parts they would like to add. See More

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Terasology

Top Pro

Active community

The community is very active in the development of the game, they participate regularly to Google Summer of Code and Google Code In. See More

Top Pro

Open Source

Terasology is fully open source and licensed Apache 2.0 for code and CC BY 4.0 for artwork (unless indicated otherwise - see credits for minor exceptions) . See More

Top Pro

Extremely modular

The engine allows mix-and-match of features that you need. See More

Top Pro

Free sandbox alternative

The game is inspired by other titles like Minecraft and Dwarf Fortress. See More

Top Pro

Fully moddable

In the game you can create a mod and submit it as a module. You can select multiple modules when you make a new world. See More

Top Pro

Well written in Java

Java is well documented. See More

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Marvel Super Heroes

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Planet Explorers

Top Con

Developers switched to another project

Developers have switched to another project, causing development of Planet Explorers to halt completely. See More

Top Pro

Lots of transportation options

Users can build their own vehicles which makes the options pretty much limitless. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Mixed

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Top Con

Jack of all trades master of none

The scope of the game is quite large when compared to something like Minecraft, which means there are quite a few mechanics in the game that just do not feel that fleshed out. While there is much one can do in the game, when closely looking at how these things work one can see their failings easily. See More

Top Pro

Massive game world

The world is almost too big to traverse on foot. See More

Top Con

Development progress is slow

Often many devs that do Early Access bite off more than they can chew which tends to slow down development when they inevitably need to switch engines or do rewrite large portions of the game from scratch. See More

Top Con

In early access

The game is not yet finished and any design decisions can change. A good amount of the functionality is in an early state and bugs are common. See More

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Avorion [Early Access]

Top Pro

Beautiful, new and fun

The game is beautifully made. The visuals are fascinating. The ship building process is not traditional. You can build any kind of ship you like. Weapon variety is huge. Game mechanics are smooth and easy to understand. Less graphical requirements. It works like a charm even on on-board graphics, though OpenGl graphics are known to cause problems in the games and slight lag/performance issues. Almost everything is available in the Demo version. The demo map is huge enough that it'll take you 2-3 months to explore if you play everyday for 2-3 hours. Plenty of weapons are upgrade options in the demo version. Multiplayer on LAN and Internet and Hosting capabilities, making it easier to play with your friends See More

Top Con

Slow updates for Demo Version

The devs are concentrating more on the full version. The demo version has not been updated since the last released (2016) 8.1.5 . 8.1.5 is stable but no major/minor updates have been seen so far. See More

Top Pro

Free Demo

The demo of this game is available from the official website. The demo offers all the features of the game but in limited quantity. You can build custom ships but certain blocks are not available in the demo version, certain weapon types and logic upgrades are also not available in the demo version. See More

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Creativerse

Top Con

Badly optimized, huge memory hog and has a ton of microstuttering

Top Pro

Logical programing objects with switches, buttons, doors, lights etc.

GregariousPhylonoe's Experience

Very cute voxel game with mobs, a huge number of blocks for building (a lot more advanced than Minecraft plus almost all blocks can be rotated giving extra looks and allowing more creativity), taming of mobs and harvest, wash and feeding them for resources. Has very diverse server settings - and if you buy the game (you don't have to) you get your own hosted for free. Has logical programing objects as well as adventure-mode objects (chests, teleport between servers, buttons etc). See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Mixed

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Top Pro

Extensive resource generation system

Every creature can be killed for loot or tamed for resource farming. See More

Top Pro

Very large number of blocks and decorative items

These can be rotated for further variety in looks/texture. See More

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StoneQuest

Top Pro

Amazing graphics

The graphics are just insane with only few games looking comparable. See More

Top Con

High hardware consumption

In order to run it with an intermediate FPS rate on high or ultra graphics you need a high-end PC. See More

Top Pro

No installation required

The program can be directly launched after download, without the need for an installation or even a reboot. See More

Top Con

Still some bugs

The game is being updated on a regular base. However, it still contains a few bugs and unfinished elements like missing models etc. See More

Top Pro

Small size

The application only needs a few megabytes to be downloaded and saved on your disk. See More

Top Con

No modding

There is currently no possible way to create own ingame content or custom textures. See More

Top Pro

Free

The game is 100% free at the moment, with no ingame-purchasing or ads. However, donations are allways welcome. See More

Top Con

No single player or offline mode

In order to play the game, you need a permanent internet connection. Everyone can see anyone and there is currently no protection system against vandalism of ie. buildings yet. See More

Top Pro

Active development

Development streightly driven-ahead by enthusiastic guy who spends his whole free time with improving the game. See More

Top Pro

Multiplayer

All players are put together in a giant procedurally-generated world and can build whatever comes to their minds. See More

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Voxatron

Top Pro

Build your own version of the game with the included design tools

There are design tools included with the game that allows anyone to design their own monsters, levels and music as well as remix other user created content. This not only allows for unlimited replayability but also a great way to guarantee a longevity to the game. See More

Top Con

Still in alpha

The game is not complete yet which means there can be bugs as well as promised features that will never see the light of day. See More

Top Pro

Can be played in the browser

For users who have purchased the Humble Mozilla Bundle, Voxatron can be played in their browser by just typing in an URL. This is great for those people that do not want to use up storage on games. See More

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Stellar Overload [Early Access]

Steam Rating:Mostly Positive

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