The Best City-building Games for PC Windows

Update : Frostpunk 2 added at rank #2.
1

Against the Storm (2023)

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91
Review score
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PC Windows

Dive into Against the Storm, a city builder where you brave the wilds, balance the needs of diverse races, and face the Blight Storm's wrath. Forge settlements, manage resources, and unlock new upgrades in this endlessly replayable roguelite adventure. Can you thrive amidst chaos and secure your legacy?


What we like:
  • Innovative mix of city building and roguelite mechanics
  • Engaging survival gameplay with replayability
  • Diverse fantasy races with unique needs
  • Strategic depth with resource and settlement management
  • Regular updates and active developer engagement
What could be improved:
  • Randomized elements may frustrate some players

  • city-building
  • rogue-like

2

Frostpunk 2 (2024)

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84
Review score
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Mac OS Android PC Windows

Develop, expand, and advance your city in a society survival game set 30 years after an apocalyptic blizzard ravaged Earth. In Frostpunk 2, you face not only the perils of never-ending winter, but also the powerful factions that watch your every step inside the Council Hall.


  • city-building
  • survival

3

Manor Lords (2024)

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81
Review score
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early access PC Windows

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.


  • city-building
  • medieval
  • real-time
  • strategy
  • economy

4

Townscaper (2020)

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95
Review score
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PC Windows Mac OS IOS iPhone Xbox Series X Xbox One Android Nintendo Switch

Townscaper is a relaxing and creative town-builder game that lets you design your own picturesque floating towns with ease. With its colorful blocks and shapes that you can mix and match, you can create your dream villages whether you’re fidgeting or multitasking. The absence of missions or objectives allows you to immerse yourself fully in your creative flow and design your perfect idyllic town in no time. Get Townscaper for a soothing and creative gaming experience!


What we like:
  • Simple mechanics
  • Stress-free
  • Perfect for fidgeting
What could be improved:
  • Limited building tools and updates
  • Lack of variety in buildings and structures
  • Unsymmetrical grid pattern
  • No greenery except in enclosed areas
  • Building larger structures can be tedious

  • city-building
  • experimental
  • sandbox
  • short
  • cute
  • minimalist
  • building
  • grid
  • procedural
  • relaxing
  • nature
  • family-friendly
  • stylized
  • colourful

5

Terra Nil (2023)

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81
Review score
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PC Windows Nintendo Switch Mac OS Linux IOS iPhone Android

Restore the environment to its former glory in Terra Nil, a reverse city-builder game that challenges you to rebuild a barren wasteland. Build grasslands, forests, wetlands and more using advanced eco-technology, and leave behind a pristine wilderness for the animals. With procedurally generated landscapes, each playthrough is unique, challenging and unpredictable. Terra Nil offers a peaceful, meditative experience with lush hand-painted environments, relaxing music and ambient soundscape. Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the ecosystem you've restored with Appreciate mode.


What we like:
  • Relaxing and engrossing gameplay loop
  • Gorgeous and vibrant hand-painted graphics
  • Procedurally generated maps create a unique experience with each playthrough
  • Effortless and straightforward game mechanics
  • Well-balanced difficulty that is not too challenging nor too easy
What could be improved:
  • Limited amount of content for its price
  • Limited replayability

  • city-building
  • relaxing
  • strategy
  • meditative
  • resource-management
  • puzzle
  • isometric

6

Tropico 6 (2019)

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90
Review score
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IOS iPhone Linux Mac OS PC Windows Xbox One

Tropico 6 is a city-building game that offers an engaging mix of elements such as ruling your own island dictatorship, sandbox mode with customizable goals, missions, and easy controller support. You can be a big picture person and make decisions that impact the entire island or get into the minute details of urban planning.


What we like:
  • Engaging mix of elements
  • Sandbox mode with customizable goals
  • Missions
  • Easy controller support:No need for mouse and keyboard or touchscreen
What could be improved:
  • Minor performance issues

  • city-building
  • simulation
  • economy
  • political
  • sandbox
  • management
  • strategy
  • construction
  • military
  • politics

7

Airborne Kingdom (2020)

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86
Review score
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Xbox One Xbox Series X Mac OS PC Windows Playstation 5 Nintendo Switch Playstation 4

Airborne Kingdom is a strategy simulator game that presents a unique concept of relocating a civilization to the skies. The game has a mysterious set up and setting, which intrigues and immerses the player in a vibrant and alive game world with organic world building and lore. Manage your air kingdom as you move to discover new resources, all while making sure your residents are happy, and enjoy the immersive experience of this visually stunning game world.


What we like:
  • Innovative mechanics
  • Beautiful visuals
  • Compelling gameplay
  • Relaxing and meditative
  • Ear-worm soundtrack
What could be improved:
  • Lack of replay value & short gameplay time
  • Limited depth in city development
  • Slow progression
  • High price for amount of content

  • city-building
  • relaxing
  • steampunk
  • resource

8

Cities: Skylines II (2023)

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75
Review score
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PC Windows Xbox One

Dive into Cities: Skylines 2, the city-building simulator that redefines urban strategy in gaming. Experience the thrill of crafting your own metropolis, managing trade, and shaping the lives of your citizens. With smart AI, realistic weather cycles, and endless possibilities for city design, you'll find high replayability and countless hours of creative enjoyment.


What we like:
  • Engaging balance between realism and fun
  • Intuitive UI and automatic linking of buildings to utilities
  • Ability to fine-tune services and manage trade
  • High replayability with multiple maps
  • In-depth tutorials and progression mechanism
What could be improved:
  • Performance issues with larger cities
  • Some bugs and graphical issues
  • Limited options for choosing building aesthetics

  • city-building
  • simulation
  • economy
  • management

9

SteamWorld Build (2023)

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76
Review score
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Nintendo Switch Xbox Series X Xbox One Playstation 5 Playstation 4 PC Windows

Break ground on a new frontier as the planet dies around you! Dig deep and build wide to excavate long-lost spacefaring technology, while ensuring everyone has the vital water, fuel and creature comforts they need! Do you have what it takes to reach the final frontier?


  • city-building
  • management
  • robots
  • steampunk

10

Cities: Skylines (2015)

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94
Review score
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PC Windows Mac OS Linux Xbox One Playstation 4 stadia Playstation 5 Xbox Series X

Build and maintain your own city with Cities: Skylines, where you must balance essential requirements like education, electricity, and healthcare while navigating your city's real economy system. With extensive traffic, district, and policy simulations, you have a multi-tiered and challenging environment to master. Customize and share your creations with other city builders. Don't miss out on this modern take on the classic city simulation game!


What we like:
  • Realistic city building simulation
  • Fun to plan, execute, and manage a city
  • Plethora of mods available
  • DLC adds interesting gameplay
  • Can enjoy the game without purchasing DLC
What could be improved:
  • Vanilla game is very basic

  • city-building
  • simulation

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