About the mechanics, my niche is on the physics side, any game that incorporates static interactions get me bored very quickly, unless procedural algorythms help to persuade engine's physics limitations or the developers take in consideration wide variety of cases, pretty much like Project Zomboid does, but if I had to choose I would prefer a 2D game with its own simulated world rather than a game that attempts to emulate reality in a way that can't be accomplished, Spore does this pretty well, Rain World is a great case, I still play Toribash nowdays and Exanima was a breeze to play, but years ago all I had was Plazma Burst, if you know more games like this I would play them 100% and I also aim to make games like this, looks like I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do.
I believe 'First Cut' made a difference on my perspective, because it has no physics, but the ways you can interact make it very enjoyable to play, and I will finish with how Absolver handles combat because I just love it and it's sad to see it has been abandoned.
But survival games? No, really strange to find great projects like this one, or maybe I lack proper ways to be informed about them.