Games Like Life is Hard

Build a fortress and try to help your dwarves survive against a deeply generated world. Keep your dwarves happy, grow their community and beware of digging too deeply. The deepest, most intricate simulation of a world that's ever been created.

Why similar: Dwarf 60% ★, Strategy 21.2%, Simulation 16.6%, Economy 2.2%

Why You'll Like It: As the definitive colony management sim, it provides the deep, complex dwarf-focused simulation that inspired many modern town-builders.

WorldBox is the ULTIMATE god simulator and sandbox game. A petri dish for your fantasy civilizations. Create your own world or destroy it using many powers. Watch civilizations grow, form kingdoms, colonize new lands, sail to far continents, wars to ignite, empires to fall and towns to burn!

Why similar: God Game 45.9% ★, Simulation 21.6%, Pixel Graphics 13.7%, Medieval 13.3%, Indie 5.4%

Why You'll Like It: This game captures the god-simulation aspect perfectly, allowing you to influence the lives and development of your civilization on a massive scale.

LiF:Forest Village is a city builder with survival aspects in a realistic harsh medieval world. Shape, build and expand your settlement, grow various food to prevent your villagers from avitaminosis and starvation. Possess them for additional micromanagement or simply to wander around.

Why similar: Strategy 42.1%, Medieval 28.5%, Simulation 25.4%, Indie 4%

Why You'll Like It: This game provides a realistic take on medieval town building with a strong emphasis on survival and resource management.

Build a prosperous settlement in a unique simulation of a feudal economy - each family runs their shop, owns their goods, and trades with other villagers in a free market. You will manage the land, build houses, organise events, set taxes, and balance supply and demand while engaging in diplomacy!

Why similar: Strategy 24.3%, Medieval 19.1%, Simulation 17.6%, Economy 12.6%, Pixel Graphics 12.1%

Why You'll Like It: It shares the pixel-art aesthetic and focuses on the social hierarchy and management of a medieval village.

Build and manage your own castle settlement in a land reclaimed by wilderness. With detailed management, survival strategy, and a moddable sandbox world, Going Medieval challenges you to build the mightiest colony this side of the apocalypse.

Why similar: Strategy 41.2%, Simulation 30%, Economy 28.7%

Why You'll Like It: This title offers a 3D take on medieval colony survival, focusing on building, defense, and managing the needs of your villagers.

In this city-building strategy game, you control a group of exiled travelers who decide to restart their lives in a new land. They have only the clothes on their backs and a cart filled with supplies from their homeland. The townspeople of Banished are your primary resource.

Why similar: Strategy 40%, Simulation 28.5%, Medieval 16.7%, Indie 7.5%, Economy 7.3%

Why You'll Like It: This classic survival city-builder is a foundational title for anyone who enjoys the resource management and famine-prevention mechanics of Life is Hard.

A sci-fi colony sim driven by an intelligent AI storyteller. Generates stories by simulating psychology, ecology, gunplay, melee combat, climate, biomes, diplomacy, interpersonal relationships, art, medicine, trade, and more.

Why similar: Strategy 43.5%, Simulation 32.8%, Indie 10.9%, Atmospheric 7.3%, 2D 5.5%

Why You'll Like It: While sci-fi, its deep colony management, character-driven storytelling, and survival challenges make it an essential experience for fans of the genre.

In this city-building game, you will lead a group of survivors in their search for a new home. Manipulate the landscape, manage limited supplies, plant crops, hunt wildlife, gather resources, and develop trade routes to build a bustling and unique town.

Why similar: Medieval 33.3%, Simulation 23.2%, Strategy 22.2%, Economy 14.7%, Indie 6.6%

Why You'll Like It: This city-builder focuses heavily on managing resources and population growth in a challenging, changing environment.

Gnomoria is a sandbox village management game where you help lead a small group of gnomes, who have set out on their own, to thrive into a bustling kingdom! Anything you see can be broken down and rebuilt elsewhere.

Why similar: Strategy 46.4%, Simulation 34%, Indie 12.9%, Pixel Graphics 5.2%, 2D 1.4%

Why You'll Like It: A sandbox colony management game that shares the blocky, management-heavy gameplay loop found in dwarf-themed simulators.

Settle an untamed wilderness with the might of Dwarven engineering and thoughtful planning! Design and build your colony towards fame and fortune in a deeply-simulated fantasy world. Chill out in peaceful mode with a bustling settlement, or fight for survival against monsters and invasions!

Why similar: Dwarf 45.6% ★, Strategy 17.1%, Simulation 12.9%, God Game 12.6% ★, Medieval 10.1%

Why You'll Like It: A deep simulation game that captures the dwarf-centric management and atmospheric building style of the seed game.

Clanfolk is a colony sim set in the Scottish Highlands. Harness your environment to survive - fish, gather, hunt, and farm as you prepare for the winter. Build an inn, trade with other clans, have children and marry them off - live life and prosper across the generations.

Why similar: Simulation 43.8%, Pixel Graphics 29.3%, Indie 18.3%, 2D 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: A medieval colony simulator that emphasizes survival, family lineage, and adapting to harsh environmental conditions.

Become a real medieval feudal lord: start with a small village and build it up into an enormous impenetrable castle. You will have to repel enemy raids: hide behind thick walls, lure your enemies into strategically placed traps, and even lead your loyal peasants into battle.

Why similar: Strategy 28.8%, Medieval 26.7%, Simulation 24.4%, Economy 9%, Indie 6.8%

Why You'll Like It: This title focuses on the early stages of medieval settlement, requiring players to manage resources and villagers to build a kingdom.

Songs of Syx is a fantasy city-builder with vast battles simulating thousands of citizens and soldiers. Start off as a small village and build, scheme, and fight your way towards a mighty empire. The mechanics are deep and true to life, where tiny events can spiral into the collapse of kingdoms.

Why similar: Strategy 28.8%, Medieval 21.1%, Simulation 20.1%, Economy 17.7%, Pixel Graphics 12.3%

Why You'll Like It: This game allows for massive-scale colony management with a focus on city-building, trade, and military expansion.

Protect and guide your people as you forge a town from untamed wilderness at the edge of the known world. Harvest raw materials, hunt, fish and farm to survive. Produce crafted items to trade, consume, equip and fight with as you battle for your survival against the elements and outside threats.

Why similar: Strategy 39.7%, Medieval 33.3%, Economy 27%

Why You'll Like It: A detailed medieval city-builder that emphasizes the struggle against nature and the necessity of careful resource planning.

Hearthlands is a medieval/fantasy city-building real time strategy game in which you take a role of a king in a procedurally generated world. You can not control your subjects directly; instead you focus on city-building, resource management, diplomacy, magic, etc.

Why similar: Strategy 27.3%, Simulation 20.2%, Medieval 17.9%, God Game 16.1% ★, Economy 10%

Why You'll Like It: A medieval city-builder that focuses on the logistics of managing a town and its economy without direct control of individual citizens.

Of Life and Land is a charming settlement-building strategy game paired with a rich simulation experience. Every animal and plant strives to find its place in nature while you lead your villagers to their future. Expand to different regions and trade with local factions to gain needed resources.

Why similar: Strategy 33.5%, Simulation 25.4%, Medieval 24.9%, Economy 16.2%

Why You'll Like It: This simulation game captures the essence of managing a growing community with a focus on nature and resource balance.

Build your own Slavic settlement. Overcome the hardships of medieval life and don't anger the Gods!

Why similar: Strategy 39.7%, Simulation 28.3%, Medieval 23.5%, Indie 8.4%

Why You'll Like It: A top-down city-builder that focuses on the harsh realities of medieval survival and strategic resource management.

Harness your Demigod powers to lead a group from rags to riches in this 3D Fantasy Kingdom Management Sim with RPG elements. Command from the sky or take control in 3rd Person to BUILD, BATTLE, and RULE. Navigate a world of interesting Nobles, earn their respect, and decide their Fates.

Why similar: Strategy 41.9%, Medieval 32.9%, Simulation 25.2%

Why You'll Like It: A hybrid of god-simulation and colony management where you influence the lives of your subjects while building a kingdom.

Turn-based historical simulation strategy. Develop the Greek civilization from the small village to the great city-state when it will dominate the world!

Why similar: Strategy 37.1%, Simulation 27.3%, Economy 17.2%, Indie 12.9%, 2D 5.4%

Why You'll Like It: A strategy game that focuses on the development and survival of an ancient civilization through resource management.

Pioneer a living world full of warmth, heroism, and mystery. Help a small group of settlers build a home for themselves in a forgotten land. Establish a food supply, build shelter, defend your people, monitor their moods, and find a way to grow and expand, facing challenges at every step.

Why similar: Strategy 48.5%, Simulation 26.4%, God Game 14% ★, Indie 7.2%, Adventure 3.9%

Why You'll Like It: This voxel-based colony sim features charming art and a focus on building, crafting, and defending your settlement.

Kingdoms and Castles is a city-building simulation game about growing a kingdom from a tiny hamlet to a sprawling city and imposing castle. Make trade agreements, alliance, and war with neighboring AI controlled kingdoms. Each villager and resource is individually simulated.

Why similar: Strategy 41.4%, Medieval 31.4%, Simulation 21.1%, Economy 6.1%

Why You'll Like It: A lighthearted but challenging medieval city-builder that focuses on expansion and defending your town from external threats.

Humans are long gone. In a world struck by droughts and toxic waste, will your lumberpunk beavers do any better? A sandbox city-building game featuring ingenious animals, vertical architecture, water physics, and terraforming. Contains high amounts of wood.

Why similar: Strategy 57.7%, Simulation 42.3%

Why You'll Like It: A unique colony-sim focused on water management and engineering, perfect for those who enjoy complex resource systems.

Civitatem is a medieval city builder where you help your villagers raise a new settlement in dangerous lands by making use of their skills and available world resources.

Why similar: Strategy 36.4%, Simulation 25.5%, Medieval 16.5%, Indie 11.4%, Economy 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: A medieval city-builder that emphasizes the struggle of a small group of people trying to survive and grow into a prosperous town.

Foundation is a grid-less, laidback medieval city-building game with a focus on organic development, monument construction and resource management.

Why similar: Strategy 28.4%, Medieval 25.2%, Simulation 23.4%, Economy 13.3%, Indie 5%

Why You'll Like It: A grid-less medieval city-builder that emphasizes organic growth and the social needs of your population.

Villagers is a beautifully illustrated and richly detailed town-building game where you build a thriving community using the people and resources around you. Success or failure depends on your ability to create a town that can grow and prosper, and overcome the harsh realities of medieval life!

Why similar: Strategy 41.4%, Simulation 31%, Medieval 16.8%, Indie 10.7%

Why You'll Like It: This game focuses on the life cycles of villagers and the management of a growing medieval community.

In Reus, you control powerful giants to shape the planet to your will. You can create mountains, oceans, forests and more. Enrich your planet with plants, minerals and animal life. There is only one thing on the planet that you do not control: mankind, with all their virtues and and all their vices.

Why similar: God Game 45.9% ★, Strategy 28.7%, Simulation 14.6%, Indie 9%, 2D 1.8%

Why You'll Like It: A unique god-game where you control powerful giants to shape the world and help civilizations thrive.

Jump straight into managing your own planets as you guide a civilization through the ages. Build the ultimate empire in The Universim, a new breed of God Game in development by Crytivo.

Why similar: God Game 53.5% ★, Strategy 26.4%, Simulation 20.2%

Why You'll Like It: A modern god-simulation game that lets you guide a civilization from the stone age to the space age.

Bastide is a 13th-century city-building strategy game where you lead a village of peasants toward survival and prosperity. You must contend with bandits, starvation, disease, and brutal winters as you work to develop your settlement into a fortified town.

Why similar: Strategy 49.8%, Simulation 36.1%, Indie 14.1%

Why You'll Like It: A medieval town-building game that emphasizes the daily lives and needs of your villagers in a realistic setting.

This Merchant Life is a trading strategy game set in the troubled medieval kingdom of Peregrine. Turn a rickety wooden cart, two horses and a few coins into a thriving entrepreneurial triumph!

Why similar: Strategy 58%, Medieval 23.6%, Indie 18.5%

Why You'll Like It: This game focuses on the economic and trading aspects of medieval life, which is a core component of town management.

Build and expand your very own settlements in high mountains! Carefully plan production chains and satisfy various needs of your three-caste society while dealing with mountain hazards such as weather breakdowns and avalanches. Are you skilled enough to make your town thrive?

Why similar: Strategy 41.6%, Simulation 26.3%, Economy 20.3%, Atmospheric 7.1%, Indie 4.7%

A sandbox village simulation fundamentally about people, their thoughts and their needs. Luckily they are not alone in their burden, for you possess divine powers. And you would surely never add to the plight of the common man... Right?

Why similar: God Game 26.1% ★, Strategy 23.3%, Medieval 17%, Simulation 14%, Economy 10.1%

Kingdom's Life - Large turn-based global strategy game in pixel style. You have to create your own people and state. Can you lead the state to political, economic, technological and military triumph? It depends on you.

Why similar: Strategy 29.6%, Simulation 20.1%, Medieval 16.8%, Economy 13.7%, Pixel Graphics 11.2%

A brutal godlike village sim that melds the god game, management, and tower defense genres! Fight off hoards of monsters at night, and expand your village in the day time. Inspired by games like Black and White, Rimworld, and Dwarf Fortress but not quite like any of them.

Why similar: God Game 30.6% ★, Strategy 30.4%, Simulation 17.3%, Pixel Graphics 13%, Indie 6.5%

Craft The World is a unique sandbox strategy game, the mix of Dungeon Keeper, Terraria and Dwarf Fortress. Explore a random generated world populated by dangerous creatures, build a dwarf fortress, gather resources, and craft all the items, weapons, and armor you need.

Why similar: Dwarf 65.5% ★, Strategy 13.8%, Simulation 7.3%, God Game 6.4% ★, Indie 3.5%

TownCraft is a chill-out crafting and city-building game. Instead of just surviving, you must turn your empty plot of land and its rarely-used road into a bustling town full of shops, workers and taverns.

Why similar: Strategy 46%, Simulation 37.2%, Indie 16.8%

Forge an empire under the watchful eyes of the gods! Take care of your people, develop efficient production chains and trade with other landlords. Ensure their survival through harsh winters and disasters.

Why similar: Strategy 40.8%, Simulation 31.4%, Economy 27.8%

Creo God Simulator is a game of city building, resource management, survival, and a ton of villager smiting. As the divinely chosen Creostrider, it's your job to build a society bit by bit, while convincing your new population to believe in you as their one true god.

Why similar: God Game 35.4% ★, Strategy 21.8%, Simulation 18.5%, Economy 10.2%, Indie 8.2%

Sunset Kingdom is a kingdom management game. In Sunset Kingdom your aim is to become the monarch of a prosperous land! Prepare to expand your kingdom, buildings roads and bridges between towns, castles, farms and more! Fend of bandit raids, get crushed by vikings, let your people starve to death and try again!

Why similar: Strategy 45.2%, Simulation 34.8%, Indie 15.1%, Medieval 4.8%

Pixel Survivors is a god management game. Create some land and build structures to keep your small society settled. See how long you can keep your village alive!

Why similar: Simulation 42.9%, Strategy 30.4%, Medieval 10.7%, Indie 9.2%, Pixel Graphics 6.8%

Rise of Man is a pre historic strategy game with city building and survival elements. Can you guide your people through the ages and conquer all the challenges ahead of them.

Why similar: Strategy 47.2%, Simulation 36.8%, Indie 16%

Crafting Town Is : A Crafting game with Simulation&Building where you can Craft and Develop your Village, Source Management and Quests.

Why similar: Medieval 28.3%, Simulation 25%, Strategy 17.4%, Pixel Graphics 15.3%, Atmospheric 6.8%

Become the King in a story-driven 8-bit style game, where choice matters. And try not to die instantly...

Why similar: Strategy 28.4%, Medieval 28.1%, Simulation 24.9%, Pixel Graphics 14.8%, 2D 3.8%

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.

Why similar: Strategy 40.8%, Simulation 31.2%, Economy 28%

Ostriv is a city-building game that puts you in a role of a governor of an 18th century Ukrainian town to challenge your creative skills and management abilities.

Why similar: Strategy 38.7%, Simulation 24.9%, Medieval 18.5%, Economy 17.9%

Experience a city-building game, where the citizens are fully simulated and every decision you make impacts their lives. From the Stone Age to the Iron Age and beyond, watch your civilization evolve and progress under your guidance.

Why similar: Strategy 35.1%, Simulation 27.8%, Economy 14.5%, Pixel Graphics 11.8%, Medieval 10.8%

Lead your noble family in this medieval colony sim, facing off against class conflict, religious struggle, and political treachery. Tend to your people’s needs, uncover the lost knowledge of a fallen empire, and engage in nefarious plots against your enemies.

Why similar: Strategy 41.2%, Simulation 31.6%, Economy 27.2%

Evertown is a RTS (real-time strategy) game with some survival elements. The goal is to raise your town to make it safe (the longest you can).

Why similar: Strategy 44.3%, Simulation 27.8%, Indie 15%, Adventure 12.9%

Land of the Vikings is a survival colony sim game. Build and lead your village, and expand it into a thriving city. A wise Jarl must manage resources, survive harsh conditions, and guide their fellow Vikings to work together through social conflict. Skál!

Why similar: Strategy 48.1%, Simulation 26%, Economy 26%

Forge a new kingdom in a land recovering from the Fracture. Which of the surviving races will you lead to rebuild, explore, and conquer the unknown? The dwindling yet immortal Ancients? The bold and resourceful Humans? The life stealing Ardyn? Or the secretive Gwdir who shape living groves?

Why similar: God Game 27.4% ★, Strategy 24.5%, Simulation 19.9%, Pixel Graphics 12.1%, Indie 8.2%

From a small village of a dozen people to a small kingdom of thousands of people. Arrange for residents to work, gathering, fishing and hunting, farming and mining, processing and manufacturing. Trade, accumulate supplies, increase your strength, and fight evil forces and monsters.

Why similar: Strategy 33.6%, Simulation 30.2%, Pixel Graphics 15.2%, Medieval 13.5%, Indie 7.5%

Take on the role of leading a camp of weary peasants, make strategic decisions to fight for survival against the elements. If you're capable, the camp will grow into a settlement, and then a hamlet. Do you have what it takes to grow it into a city?

Why similar: Strategy 47.7%, Simulation 36.1%, Indie 16.2%

A town sim where you raise generations of residents. Unlock new stores and facilities, help your residents find love, or cash in on the stock market!

Why similar: Strategy 38.9%, Simulation 31.6%, Pixel Graphics 15.3%, Economy 9.4%, 2D 4.8%

Feudal Baron: King’s Land is classic-style city-builder. Turn a humble settlement into a medieval town, build workshops and churches, repel raids, and manage your subjects. Ensure steady supplies – or squeeze every last penny from the people.

Why similar: Strategy 42.4%, Medieval 34.9%, Economy 13.6%, Atmospheric 9.1%

Start with nothing and build up your viking settlement in harsh Nordic climate in this survival strategy town building game. Start with nothing and prepare for winter. Set forth on raids on other viking settlements and defend yourself from them.

Why similar: God Game 39.7% ★, Strategy 35.4%, Simulation 25%

Settlements Rising is a medieval city building and colony management game. It offers a lively colony experience with simulated villagers, dozens of professions and resources, natural disasters, and raids, while providing full control over the colony through trade, production chains and datas.

Why similar: Strategy 33.5%, Simulation 24.4%, Medieval 23.8%, Economy 11.2%, Indie 7.1%

Strategy, trade and empire building on the old Silk Road. Spice Road is a town building, social and economic simulation game full of original challenges.

Why similar: Strategy 44.1%, Simulation 32.8%, Indie 12.2%, Economy 10.8%

A dwarfish colony sim set in a fantasy world. Inspired by Rimworld and Banished. Dig deep to uncover riches and challenges, recruit dwarves to produce goods, and trade with other settlements (or raid them) to help your colony succeed.

Why similar: Dwarf 71.3% ★, Simulation 20%, Indie 8.7%

Unlimited world size&Migration. Digdog Studio's new Building/Survival Game, manage mysterious eggs, survive in an unlimited world, run away from darkness, build, research, craft, rest, prey, build your own tribe or even a town. Finally beat the darkness or live with it. Very Hardcore

Why similar: Strategy 40.4%, Simulation 31.4%, Indie 14.4%, Adventure 13.8%

A colony-building game combined with grand strategy elements. Play as a tribal leader, guiding your people from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age. Survive, multiply, and compete for territory among ancient nations.

Why similar: Strategy 58.7%, Simulation 41.3%