Surely! This can all depend on the player’s preferences, and how it is implemented.
A powerful aspect of castaway games is isolation and solitude, making the player feel vulnerable to their predicament, and the challenges present on the island (such as the elements, or wildlife). This might be difficult as desolation isn’t usually an ideal element for audiences seeking a casual survival experience.
On the topic of survival experience, one compelling element is overcoming obstacles to survive, such as finding resources during exploration (for wanderer-minded players), finding/building a shelter (for settler-minded players) and other situations that can bring a sense of achievement (if you survived) for those who enjoy strategic and survival-focused gameplay.
Another open-ended approach is a skill development and replayability. A well-designed survival game can allow players to become more skilled at certain tasks the more they play, increasing their odds of avoiding death or mishaps, and being able to experience each play-through differently. If the survival mechanics are too punishing, repetitive, or shallow, it may only be satisfying to play the game once. Remember, you never get a second first impression.
And finally, the most difficult part of a survival game (in my opinion) is giving the player an emotional attachment to their character. This may seem odd, but there are quite a few games that made me feel highly invested in my character/playthrough. Three examples that I can think of (two of which are both the same genre, apologies for my narrow interests) is Project Zomboid, Frostpunk, and on Roblox, Apocalypse Rising.
Each of these games, especially on higher difficulties, can be extremely punishing to play. But as you learn, and overcome more and more harrowing experiences that makes you wonder how on earth you survived that, you become better at each playthrough, and sometimes get a new personal peak that can be heartbreaking when you do eventually lose it all, and have to start all over. For many, the best part isn’t the destination, but the journey.
These are what I can think of for the moment. I hope these give you some ideas!
