The Ultimate 2022 City Building Game Guide: Unveiling the Top Simulation Gems!

The mechanics of city building games make them timeless, as they effortlessly immerse players in a state of flow. Gamers can easily become absorbed in the process of designing zones, researching services, implementing policies, and managing logistics. Witnessing cities evolve and exploring ways to enhance systems is all it takes for players to dedicate countless hours to a single game over several years.

Game studios constantly innovate the genre, to the extent that some games are now utilized for research and simulation of real-world urban development policies. Other games combine city building with complementary genres to introduce fresh excitement and novel challenges, or provide players with captivating new environments to explore.

10 Pioneers Of Pagonia

Scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2023, Pioneers of Pagonia immerses players into an archipelago setting, where the objective is to rebuild settlements following the devastation caused by a cataclysm. By navigating from island to island, players embark on exploration quests, claiming territories, discovering resources, strategizing logistics, and forging alliances with neighboring villages, ultimately aiming to unite the entire archipelago.

9 Terra Nil

In contrast to The Settlers, which was developed by Volker Wertich, Pagonia differs in its lack of RTS controls. The player's ability to strategize and make decisions will dictate combat, patrolling, and the development of villages. Mastering the game's fundamental systems is crucial since each map is procedurally generated, ensuring a unique experience with every playthrough.

Released: March 28, 2023

Players are tasked with revitalizing a desolate world and restoring its barren landscape in Terra Nil, a unique game that diverges from the conventional city-building genre. This environmental strategy game allows players to embark on a journey from ground zero, utilizing eco-technology to convert desolate fields, toxic soil, and polluted oceans into picturesque habitats for various animal species. However, in this intriguing twist on the traditional city-building concept, players must ensure that any technologies employed to transform the wasteland are also responsibly dismantled and cleaned up before they depart from the area.

In effect, Terra Nil is still a city-builder, except players are rebalancing environments to leave healthy homes for wildlife.

8 Laysara: Summit Kingdom

Release Date: 2023

City-builders typically begin in plains or flat landscapes, but Laysara: Summit Kingdom breaks away from tradition by starting at the literal summit. This is Quite OK Games' first venture into the genre, offering players the task of building a prosperous mountain society that is vulnerable to avalanches, thunderstorms, and various other natural disasters at any given moment.

To ensure the well-being of the villagers across all three levels of the mountain, resource management plays a crucial role. Players must choose whether to allocate their valuable materials towards constructing artificial barriers to prevent avalanches or focus on upgrading and enhancing transport networks. They also face the dilemma of whether to take the risk and venture to the peak early on in order to obtain precious resources.

Potential players have time to decide, as the game has no precise release date aside from a general 2023 release window. A demo is live on Steam and GOG for download.

7 Night Is Coming

Release Date: 2023

Night Is Coming, scheduled for release in 2023, seamlessly blends the elements of settlement construction and spine-chilling horror to craft an immersive tactical survival simulation.

During the game, players will primarily engage in the construction and administration of settlements situated in the majestic Carpathian Mountains. Assigned settlers will carry out crucial tasks such as resource gathering, mining operations, and establishing sturdy homes and fortifications. Furthermore, they will delve into various crafts, enhancing both their personal abilities and the overall development of the towns.

6 Pharaoh: A New Era

: Efficiently training settlers becomes crucial in times of darkness or unfavorable weather conditions. Settlements face imminent waves of monstrous creatures, influenced by the intriguing Slavic mythology, unless their ruling baron is defeated beforehand. However, evading such challenges inevitably leads to more challenging and life-threatening battles.

Released: February 15, 2023

Pharaoh: A New Era is a modernized version of the popular city-builder game Pharaoh, created by Sienna Studios in 1999. While it stays true to the essence of the original game, it includes enhancements in terms of user experience and visuals, making it appealing to both new and returning players who have a passion for ancient Egypt.

What sets Pharaoh: A New Era apart is its ability to capture the nostalgic charm and mechanics of the original game. Despite having a steep learning curve, the game features a user-friendly and informative interface, enabling players to grasp the gameplay mechanics easily. The main objective is to create a thriving city along the banks of the Nile, with a focus on effectively managing resources and infrastructure.

Additionally, A New Era incorporates the element of the Nile's flooding, a crucial factor that players must take into account when planning and developing their cities. This feature adds a layer of strategy to the game, allowing players to adapt their strategies and make informed decisions to ensure the survival and prosperity of their cities.

5 Celestial Empire

Coming in 2023, Celestial Empire showcases stunning visuals and takes inspiration from Chinese history and aesthetics. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, this game captivates with its intricate details and immersive depiction of gods and demons. The enticing trailers offer a glimpse of a floating world, presenting an exciting conquest that awaits players.

At its essence,

4 Gord

revolves around enhancing the state of a city as the governor in charge. Strategizing infrastructure development, establishing trade routes along the historic Silk Road, and effectively handling interactions with deities and supernatural beings are pivotal to achieving triumph in this gaming experience.

Release Date: August 18, 2023

Gord, similar to Night is Coming, places players and their settlers in dangerous situations where they must battle to protect their tribe. Menacing Slavic horrors dwell in the shadows, but they can be vanquished through close combat and powerful spells. Overcoming these adversaries is also vital for conquering Scenarios, which are specific objectives within this dynamically created world.

In addition to combat and Scenarios, the management of the tribe's development and mental well-being presents its own difficulties. Settlers can be negatively affected by death, hunger, illness, and other adverse circumstances, leading to a decline in their sanity and potential breakdown or fleeing. Constructing a secure city with vital resources will promote the well-being of the population and provide players with more time to accomplish their objectives.

3 Desynced

Release Date: August 15, 2023

Desynced, set in a vast planet abundant with vibrant forests, picturesque deserts, and flourishing meadows teeming with extraterrestrial creatures, offers players a sci-fi experience unlike any other. Guided by their AI companion ELAINE, players are tasked with deploying their drones to explore this planet and locate a suitable, resource-abundant location for constructing facilities to repair their ship.

2 Landnama

Progression in this game relies on both exploration and automation. By utilizing advanced customizable parameters, drag-and-drop scripting, and logical pathing, players can effectively manage resources and achieve objectives. Additionally, the online multiplayer mode offers a dynamic experience, allowing players to choose between an easier or more challenging gameplay based on their preferred level of enjoyment.

Release Date: July 31, 2023

Landnama is a unique combination of a dungeon crawler and city builder, taking inspiration from Viking themes. Players will embark on a journey of exploration, expansion, and survival as they settle on dangerous and unknown lands, revealed through hex tiles. The pressure of Winter's Toll looming ahead adds a sense of urgency, emphasizing the importance of each clan's contribution.

What sets Landnama apart is its unconventional approach to gameplay; there is no combat to be found. Instead, players will face a different kind of challenge - constructing settlements that can endure the harsh demands of winter. Sonderland, the developers, even encourage players to take breaks and appreciate the mesmerizing music and art while checking on their clans.

1 Cities: Skylines 2

Release Date: October 25, 2023

Eight years after the genre-defining original, Cities: Skylines 2 brings new features, upgraded tools and AI, and expanded elements to the table.

The mechanics of road and zoning tools, public and cargo transportation, traffic AI, and city services have been enhanced in Skylines 2 to improve their functionality. Additionally, climates have been introduced to complement the four seasons, adding a unique element to each of the 441 map tiles. This means that players will have to face weather-related challenges when planning their cities. Furthermore, changes to the economic and production simulations will test players' skills in creating a successful city.

Paradox Interactive plans to release a blog post on every new or returning mechanic leading up to the game’s release on their website.