City builders with a difference: These ten genre representatives couldn't be more different
City builders with a difference
Who doesn't like to watch their own city grow and prosper? The residents go about their daily tasks, any traffic is regulated and every day a good amount of money flows into the state coffers. This is a feeling that not only one genre can offer. Strategy games like the Civilization series let you build an empire with lots of small towns or a few very big ones. In Colony Sims like Rimworld, you have to manage a colony and ensure survival on a hostile world.Today, however, we want to look at a very old genre that has definitely withstood the test of time. From the text-based business simulation "The Sumerian Game" from 1964, the first SimCity from 1989, to gigantic games such as Cities: Skylines from 2015, City Builders have been with the gaming landscape since its very beginning.
Not very much has changed in the popularity of city builders either. Many players still enjoy this simple but very profound concept. "Build a city" sounds pretty simple at first, but many titles give this topic their own touch, which means that no city builder feels the same now. The fact that many players are still enjoying urban development can be seen again and again on the Steam sales charts.
Table of Contents
1 Actraiser Renaissance 2 Townscaper 3 Dice Legacy 4 Buildings Have Feelings Too! 5 Frostpunk 2 6 Terra Nil 7 Diplomacy is Not an Option 8 Let's Build a Zoo 9 Against the Storm 10 Gord For example, the beaver city builder Timberborn climbed to second place in the charts when it was released on September 15, 2021 and is therefore considered truer Surprise hit. At the moment, 95 percent of the approximately 2,000 user reviews are positive in nature. The cuteness of the beavers will certainly also play a role here, but it also speaks for the durability of the genre.Recommended editorial content At this point you will find external content from [PLATFORM]. To protect your personal data, external integrations are only displayed if you confirm this by clicking on "Load all external content": Load all external content I consent to external content being displayed to me. This means that personal data is transmitted to third-party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy . External content More on this in our data protection declaration. Right now it's really good to be a fan of city builders. There are always new representatives of the genre coming out, each with their own charm and mechanics. We have listed a few of the best new City-Builders for you, which you can play this year or next.
Actraiser Renaissance
This title came as a surprise at the last Nintendo Direct announced. Actraiser Renaissance is a remaster of the original Actraiser game from 1990. The game is a pretty fun mix of platformer and city builder and with the new version you can look forward to improved 2D graphics and a revised soundtrack. In addition, the title also received modern features, such as saved games and an adjustable level of difficulty. So if you want to have a little action in addition to building your city or just want to indulge in nostalgia, then Actraiser Renaissance is the perfect game for you.Townscaper
So to speak, is the exact opposite of the last title Townscaper. The title itself doesn't offer that much. You start in the middle of the sea and can build a small house with a click of the mouse. A few clicks next to it and the house has already been transformed into an apartment building. Townscaper is about building a cozy little town in the ocean. Depending on how you place your houses, you can build small gardens or huge parks, let canals flow, and so on. The very simple gameplay offers a lot more than you think at first glance and the community has already conjured up numerous really impressive buildings. Townscaper is the city builder for all those who just want to relax a little to the sound of the sea.Recommended editorial content Here you will find external content from [PLATFORM]. To protect your personal data, external integrations are only displayed if you confirm this by clicking on "Load all external content": Load all external content I consent to external content being displayed to me. This means that personal data is transmitted to third-party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy . External content More on this in our data protection declaration.
Dice Legacy
Dice Legacy is set on a mysterious "Ringwelt." As the name suggests, dice represent your citizens in this title. You can upgrade your dice citizens, protect them from possible dangers such as the weather, and build a city as you like it. Dice Legacy plays like a normal city builder with all the systems you like. What makes the title really interesting is the bizarre environment and the blocky residents that you have to take care of. We also have a test of Dice Legacy ready for you, should the purchase decision still be difficult for you.Buildings Have Feelings Too!
Do buildings have feelings? Maybe! But in Buildings Have Feelings Too they are sure to have them. Regardless of whether they are ancient buildings or modern row houses, all buildings walk around here, talk to each other and have their own hopes and dreams. For example, your houses may be afraid of being torn down one day. It is your job to persuade them and cheer them up again. As the game progresses, more and more unique building types are added, such as industrial complexes. Buildings Have Feelings Too is definitely a very unique experience and turns the subject of a city builder on its head.Recommended editorial content Here you will find external content from [PLATFORM]. To protect your personal data, external integrations are only displayed if you confirm this by clicking on "Load all external content": Load all external content I consent to external content being displayed to me. This means that personal data is transmitted to third-party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy . External content More on this in our data protection declaration.
Frostpunk 2
Now the first title that you have to wait a while for. Most of you will probably already know Frostpunk, but to summarize it briefly: In Frostpunk you run a small colony consisting of survivors from an eternal winter. Cold is your greatest enemy in this game and you have to generate enough heat to keep all of your residents alive.In addition to the ubiquitous frostbite, Frostpunk is also a little darker than the normal city in many other respects -Builder. For example, you can legalize child labor by law. Your people may hate you for this. If your subjects have had enough of you, you will be sent into exile. Frostpunk is a hugely popular title and hopefully the sequel will be at least as good as its predecessor. There is no release date yet, but you can put the title on your Steam wish list.
Terra Nil
Usually city builders are about building a city. In Terra Nile, however, you have to transform a barren wasteland into a thriving ecosystem. To do this, you first build a river, make the land fertile, and piece by piece let the flora and fauna return to this former wasteland. In addition, of course, you have to get a grip on the climate, keep an eye on biodiversity, and much more. Terra Nil is slated to be released sometime in 2022, but you can already download a demo of the game on Steam right now.Recommended editorial content At this point you will find external content from [PLATTFORM]. To protect your personal data, external integrations are only displayed if you confirm this by clicking on "Load all external content": Load all external content I consent to external content being displayed to me. This means that personal data is transmitted to third-party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy . External content More on this in our data protection declaration.
Diplomacy is Not an Option
Here we have a game that fans of titles like They Are Billions are sure to enjoy. Diplomacy is not an option is a mixture of tower defense and city building. So you have to build your city and the necessary defenses and then protect your fortress from incessantly invading hordes of enemies. However, you cannot negotiate with your opponents, trebuchets are much more effective anyway. Diplomacy is Not an Option is due to be released on January 26, 2022. As a foretaste, the developers have already published a demo on Steam.Let's Build a Zoo
Admittedly, this game doesn't have much to do with building a city. But you can still build a lot. Namely animal enclosures, feeding stations - both for the animals and for your zoo visitors, staff rooms, and whatever else is needed. Building your own zoo is not a very original concept and titles like Planet Zoo have already implemented this excellently. What sets Let's Build a Zoo apart from the crowd, however, are the various choices you can make in the title.Recommended Editorial Content This is where you will find external content from [PLATFORM]. To protect your personal data, external integrations are only displayed if you confirm this by clicking on "Load all external content": Load all external content I consent to external content being displayed to me. This means that personal data is transmitted to third-party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy . External content More on this in our data protection declaration. Do you want to obey all laws or act outside the legal system to make more money? Is the choice from over 500 different animals not enough for you? Then just create your own! Through "DNA splicing" you can create thousands of different animals, from cute small animals to real monstrosities. What actually happens to the animals that don't attract too many visitors? You can of course keep them in their enclosure or sell them to the local butcher. The choice is yours. An exact release date for Let's Build a Zoo is currently unknown, but the title is set to be released "soon".
Against the Storm
What's worse than rain? Nothing in Against the Storm. In this mixture of rogue-lite and city-builder you have to build new settlements, which are then inhabited by intelligent beavers, lizards and humans. Your job is to survive long enough to generate resources for the capital. It is the only place of refuge from the dangerous rain. In the game, you will constantly build new cities and at the same time improve your capital, so that at some point you will even conquer the rain yourself. Against the Storm will appear in Early Access for the Epic Games Store on October 18, 2021.Recommended editorial content Here you can find external content from [PLATFORM]. To protect your personal data, external integrations are only displayed if you confirm this by clicking on "Load all external content": Load all external content I consent to external content being displayed to me. This means that personal data is transmitted to third-party platforms. Read more about our privacy policy . External content More on this in our data protection declaration.
