Case said:
Have you considered Ixion?
I think I’ve looked into it, but I’m not sure about the art style. Thanks for the suggestion!
The Anno series is fantastic for city building! Here’s a breakdown:
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Anno 1404 to 1800: Classic city building with resource management, naval battles, and beautiful graphics. Each version has its quirks.
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Anno 2070: Adds underwater segments and multiple factions. Very interesting twist!
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Surviving Mars + Green Planet DLC: More futuristic, but the terraforming and human resource management keep it interesting.
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Timberborn: Super cute but can turn more into factory management over time.
Hope this helps you pick!
@Sawyer
+1 for Anno! They’re gorgeous games, though sometimes a bit macro-heavy late game.
I can suggest Fabledom if you want something whimsical and forgiving. It’s simple and very fairytale-like, so it’s not super complicated. I’d also recommend Tropico 6 if you haven’t tried it. I was hesitant about its complexity, but I ended up loving it!
@Dakota
Avoid Fabledom on console, though. There’s a well-known bug where villagers freeze if you have too many, which can corrupt your save on Switch.
Not on your list, but check out Dawn of Man. It’s set in prehistoric times, so it’s unique and easy to pick up. It’s not super lengthy, but it’s polished and fun!
Fabledom might be up your alley. It’s not too complicated and has a charming fairytale vibe!
If you’re into the classics, check out Zeus: Master of Olympus.
Always loved SimCity 3000. It’s simple and a bit dated but perfect for casual building.
Try They Are Billions for a survival city-builder twist. My new favorite is Stranded: Alien Dawn, where you manage a group on an alien planet. You can customize it a lot, and I find it super enjoyable.
Against the Storm is the best mix of city building and roguelite. It’s so well balanced!
Pippin said:
Against the Storm is the best mix of city building and roguelite. It’s so well balanced!
It’s great, but read the OP…they’re looking for something different!
I’m not a huge city builder person either, but Anno 1800 really hooked me!
A bit offbeat, but consider Civilization 5 or 6 and Rimworld. Civ games give you plenty of city-building vibes without too much complexity. Rimworld is more of a colony sim, but you’ll love it if you enjoy managing resources and watching your town grow!
Timberborn lets you play at your own pace. It’s a nice mix of relaxed and challenging, with lots of map options. Rimworld or Settlers 2 (an old gem) could be fun too. Whatever you choose, enjoy!
Tropico is a great choice!
Laysara: Summit Kingdom has you building cities on mountains. It’s in Early Access but pretty solid.
Banished all the way.
Despite its flaws, Surviving Mars is a really interesting game.
I personally love Timberborn. Highly recommend it!