City Building Games like Sim City

[RepresentingCaution]

I have an urge to play a city-building game. I'm looking for something free and laid-back that I can play on my desktop computer. Facebook games are OK as long as they don't have time-limited events. I want to be relaxed, not addicted. I'm not looking for competitive. Light cooperation is OK.

 

[Placeholder]

I think there's a quickie one called "Dwarf Fortress"?

 

[Alski]

I think there's a quickie one called "Dwarf Fortress"?

calling Dwarf Fortress a quickie.

 

[Corty]

Some of my favs:

Cities: Skylines on Steam

Cities: Skylines is a modern take on the classic city simulation. The game introduces new game play elements to realize the thrill and hardships of creating and maintaining a real city whilst expanding on some well-established tropes of the city building experience.

store.steampowered.com

Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic on Steam

Build a soviet republic from an impoverished country into a rich industrial superpower in a city builder with intricate production chains and a fully simulated global economy. Manage the lives of your citizens from education to work and party loyalty to criminal activity.

store.steampowered.com

Save 35% on Manor Lords on Steam

Manor Lords is a medieval strategy game featuring in-depth city building, large-scale tactical battles, and complex economic and social simulations. Rule your lands as a medieval lord – the seasons pass, the weather changes, and cities rise and fall.

store.steampowered.com

The next one is more like a diorama building but it is an extra chill type of game:

Tiny Glade on Steam

Tiny Glade is a small diorama builder where you doodle whimsical castles, cozy cottages & romantic ruins. Explore gridless building chemistry as the game adorns your glades with procedural detail. No management, combat or goals: just kick back and turn forgotten meadows into lovable dioramas.

store.steampowered.com

This one is like tiny glade but cyberpunk style:

Dystopika on Steam

A city-building sandbox for futuristic cities. No goals, no management, just creativity and dark cozy vibes.

store.steampowered.com

 

[Racosharko]

something free and laid-back

Free

Top games tagged City Builder

Find games tagged City Builder like Victorian Idle, Planet Extraction, Tiny Kingdom, Gourdlets, Hive Time on itch.io, the indie game hosting marketplace. Constructing and managing cities, towns, or settlements. City builder games typically involve zoning land, placing build

itch.io

 

[LesserSarcasm]

There is this one that us almost city builder, requires some imagination and games can be as long or short as you want it's called factorio.

 

[John_Owl]

Not sure if you'd consider it a city builder, but I'm particularly fond of the Dungeon series and similar games. Xbox has one that's called Against the Storm, which (it's been a while) I think was a mix of city builder and classic warcraft army-builder.

 

[TASTYLEADPAINT]

Cities skylines 1 is the closest you will get to a sim city like city builder. The only problem is that it's a game published by paradox meaning if you want to have a good time you are gonna need to buy every single dlc which cost a stupid amount of money

 

[Alski]

Xbox has one that's called Against the Storm, which (it's been a while) I think was a mix of city builder and classic warcraft army-builder.

I didnt think they ported it to consol . Against the storm is a roguelite citybuilder, there are no armies that im aware of.

 

[John_Owl]

I didnt think they ported it to consol . Against the storm is a roguelite citybuilder, there are no armies that im aware of.

as I said, it had been a while since I played it. And I meant more the unit selection thing from the "army builder". Select a unit, tell them what to do, kinda like in warcraft, when you'd select your warriors and have them go chop wood.

 

[beast_regards]

Against the Storm kinda sucks.

It's the city builder, but it is also rogue-like, forcing you to replay the first optimalization phase of city-building again and again, each time with more impossible modifiers which often negate the bonuses you made from the progress in the "skill tree". Not to mention, it's always on the timer. Remember the timed missions which give you like 10 minutes to do something? Well, Against the Storm is that, but city-builder.

It is a very addictive game and runs well on the low-end computers. The gameplay is ... well, not that much of fun later on.

You can't finish the game on the difficulty you started it on.

In fact, the difficulties which you would be forced to play on eventually aren't even unlocked at the start.

 

[melchi]

If it has to be free virtual villagers early editions are free.

Virtual Villagers® Official Site - by Last Day of Work

Virtual Villagers - A New Home: Care for a tribe of little people by teaching them the basics of survival. Help them explore the secrets of the island! How will you lead your tribe?

www.virtualvillagers.com

Timberborn also has a free demo.

Timberborn - Timberborn demo is here! - Steam News

You get a beaver! You get a beaver! Everyone gets a beaver!

store.steampowered.com

 

[RepresentingCaution]

If it has to be free virtual villagers early editions are free.

Virtual Villagers® Official Site - by Last Day of Work

Virtual Villagers - A New Home: Care for a tribe of little people by teaching them the basics of survival. Help them explore the secrets of the island! How will you lead your tribe?

www.virtualvillagers.com

Timberborn also has a free demo.

Timberborn - Timberborn demo is here! - Steam News

You get a beaver! You get a beaver! Everyone gets a beaver!

store.steampowered.com

I think I've played most of Virtual Villagers already, but it might be worth revisiting.

 

[CarburetorThompson]

Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic is a good game, but it is very difficult to start learning, there is a lot of mechanics to worry about and it can be quite difficult.

That being said the game has pretty good modding support which adds a lot more content to the game

 

[Kaze_NG]

Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic is a good game, but it is very difficult to start learning, there is a lot of mechanics to worry about and it can be quite difficult.

That being said the game has pretty good modding support which adds a lot more content to the game

W&R:SR Good game. I recommend starting it on realistic mode for the first time, just as I did.

 

[ElijahRyne]

I have an urge to play a city-building game. I'm looking for something free and laid-back that I can play on my desktop computer. Facebook games are OK as long as they don't have time-limited events. I want to be relaxed, not addicted. I'm not looking for competitive. Light cooperation is OK.

Create Your Own Nation in Politics and War - Free Strategy Game

The ultimate online political game. Create your own nation, form alliances, and wage wars in this free political strategy game.

politicsandwar.com