I'm also surprised at some of the games on that list. Valheim at #8? I didn't realize it was that popular. Postal at #14?
Odd list for sure but I'm not surprised about Valheim - it's one of the best survival/open world games ever IMO (300k justified overwhelmingly positives).
Valheim wall of text:
There's nothing rocket scientific about Valhem. In many ways it's several well designed and somewhat minimalist systems coming together to make a very pleasing whole.
I'm guessing the only folks that might really not like Valheim are graphics folks that only play the shiniest
Valheim draws because:
- fully solo playable and enjoyable, unlike many such games (feels single player to me)
- not required to be online (for solo)
- incredibly immersive despite lowish poly graphics (bliz style in a way since they do this)
- media (screenshots/video) does not do it justice vs how it plays.
- boss based tech gates/progression that's never rushed and feels good (souls lite bosses)
- food system that feels useful and good without feeling burdensome
- solid crafting
- very solid combat, mobs do more than just come at you like zombies (perform or be destroyed, some might even call it souls-like or souls-lite, blocking is a thing, for ex)
- plenty of mob variety (appearances and behaviors) across biomes
- lots of diverse biomes with excellent random gen and exploration
- weather, weather/climate effects that make sense and feel logical
- mod friendly (I run ~15 QOL mods in my latest go)
- solid and enjoyable building system
- viking themed everything
- motivations for doing things other than just "make your own adventure and exhaust tech tree"
- enjoyable from the moment you spawn in - minimal hand holding and immediately interesting
- solid thread of PvE content and motivation that you just don't find in most survival games that tell you to make your own adventure or murder and steal from each other endlessly
- boats and good sailing mechanics
- solid UI (mods for it as well)
- solid performance
- minimal bugs
- early access game that felt like gold when it hit
- low price of $20
- plenty of replay due to all the random gen