(Best PC Games) In the world of video games, the allure of power and control is a theme that resonates deeply with many players. The ability to rule a kingdom, city, or settlement offers an escape into a realm where every decision, strategy, and action can shape the course of an entire civilization. From intricate political maneuvering to managing the day-to-day affairs of a bustling metropolis, these games provide a sandbox for leadership, creativity, and sometimes, tyranny. This article explores 19 games that stand out in this genre, each offering a unique perspective on rulership and governance.
1. RimWorld
Release Date & Production House: Released in 2018, RimWorld is a creation of Ludeon Studios.
About the Game: RimWorld is a colony simulation game that drops players into a remote planet where they must manage colonists with unique personalities and backgrounds. The game’s AI storyteller generates events that create a dynamic narrative.
Why Play: RimWorld offers a deep simulation of human behavior, from mood swings to relationships, making for an unpredictable and engaging experience. It’s a test of strategy, survival, and psychology.
Ruling Aspect: Players control the fate of their colonists, decide the layout of their colony, manage resources, and respond to crises, from pirate raids to natural disasters.
2. Crusader Kings Series
Release Date & Production House: Developed by Paradox Development Studio, the series began in 2004, with the latest installment, Crusader Kings III, released in 2020.
About the Game: This grand strategy series focuses on dynasty management and medieval politics. Players navigate through historical scenarios, managing their realm and family dynasty through generations.
Why Play: The Crusader Kings series is renowned for its depth in strategy, character-driven stories, and historical accuracy. It’s a mix of personal drama, political intrigue, and tactical warfare.
Ruling Aspect: Players engage in everything from arranging marriages and securing alliances to leading armies and managing the internal politics of their kingdom.
3. Europa Universalis
Release Date & Production House: Europa Universalis IV, the latest in the series, was released in 2013 by Paradox Development Studio.
About the Game: This grand strategy game allows players to control a nation and guide it through history, from the Late Middle Ages into the early modern period. It combines diplomacy, trade, military warfare, and exploration.
Why Play: For fans of history and strategy, Europa Universalis offers a complex and rewarding experience. It’s a game where long-term planning and strategic thinking pay off handsomely.
Ruling Aspect: Players are tasked with guiding their nation through centuries, making decisions that affect its development on the world stage, from political alliances to colonial expansion.
4. Victoria Series
Release Date & Production House: Developed by Paradox Development Studio, Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun was first released in 2003, followed by Victoria II in 2010.
About the Game: The Victoria series is a grand strategy game set during the colonial era of the 19th century. Players manage a nation’s industrialization, political reforms, and colonization efforts.
Why Play: This series is ideal for those who love detailed economic and political simulations. It requires balancing national interests with the needs of the populace, making for a nuanced and intricate gameplay experience.
Ruling Aspect: Players are responsible for managing every aspect of their nation’s development, from trade and economics to diplomacy and warfare.
5. Hearts of Iron
Release Date & Production House: Developed by Paradox Development Studio, the latest installment, Hearts of Iron IV, was released in 2016.
About the Game: Hearts of Iron is a series of grand strategy games focusing on World War II. Players take command of any nation involved in the war and manage its military campaigns, production, research, and diplomacy.
Why Play: For history buffs and strategy enthusiasts, this game offers a deep and realistic simulation of WWII, where strategic decision-making can change the course of history.
Ruling Aspect: Players have control over military strategies, diplomatic relations, and the wartime economy, with the power to alter historical events.
6. Stellaris
Release Date & Production House: Released in 2016, Stellaris is another grand strategy game from Paradox Development Studio, set in space.
About the Game: Stellaris combines space exploration with empire management, alien diplomacy, and space warfare. Players can create unique species and civilizations to lead through the challenges of the galaxy.
Why Play: The game stands out for its vast procedural galaxies, complex alien cultures, and dynamic storytelling. It’s a universe of endless possibilities and discoveries.
Ruling Aspect: Players oversee the expansion of their interstellar empire, manage complex economies, and engage in diplomatic or military encounters with other spacefaring civilizations.
7. Total War Games
Release Date & Production House: This series, developed by Creative Assembly, started in 2000 with Shogun: Total War. The most recent major release is Total War: Three Kingdoms (2019).
About the Game: Total War games combine turn-based strategy with real-time tactics. Each game is set in a different historical period, where players manage the economic, civil, and religious aspects of their nation and command its armies in massive battles.
Why Play: The series is known for its epic scale, historical accuracy, and the thrilling blend of turn-based empire management with real-time battles.
Ruling Aspect: Players engage in strategic planning, diplomacy, and resource management at the empire level, and then switch to commanding troops in large-scale battles.
8. Anno 1800
Release Date & Production House: Developed by Blue Byte and published by Ubisoft, Anno 1800 was released in 2019.
About the Game: Anno 1800 is a city-building real-time strategy game set during the Industrial Revolution. Players manage resources, explore new lands, and build their cities while navigating the complexities of the 19th century.
Why Play: It’s an excellent blend of city-building, resource management, and strategy, all set against the rich backdrop of the Industrial Age.
Ruling Aspect: Players control the growth of their cities, manage the needs of their citizens, engage in trade, and influence political decisions.
9. Sid Meier’s Civilization
Release Date & Production House: The Civilization series, created by Sid Meier and developed by Firaxis Games, began in 1991. The latest installment, Civilization VI, was released in 2016.
About the Game: Civilization is a turn-based strategy game where players build and manage an empire from the ancient era to the modern age. It involves city building, resource management, diplomacy, and warfare.
Why Play: Civilization is renowned for its deep strategy, replayability, and the ability to craft unique historical narratives. Each playthrough offers a different experience, allowing players to shape the course of history.
Ruling Aspect: Players make critical decisions that affect the growth and development of their civilization, from founding cities to engaging in international diplomacy and global warfare.
10. Factorio
Release Date & Production House: Released in 2020 by Wube Software, Factorio had a long development phase with active community involvement.
About the Game: Factorio is a game about building and managing factories, automating production, and balancing resource chains while defending against native wildlife on an alien planet.
Why Play: It’s a paradise for those who love complex systems, efficiency optimization, and logistics. The game offers a compelling blend of strategy, creativity, and problem-solving.
Ruling Aspect: The player is in charge of every aspect of the factory’s layout, production methods, resource management, and defense mechanisms.
11. Cities: Skylines
Release Date & Production House: Developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive, Cities: Skylines was released in 2015.
About the Game: Cities: Skylines is a modern take on the classic city simulation. The game allows players to build and manage everything from small towns to sprawling metropolitan cities.
Why Play: With its detailed simulation and expansive modding capability, it offers a deep and realistic urban planning experience. Players can experiment with countless city-building strategies and designs.
Ruling Aspect: Players are responsible for urban planning, including zoning, road placement, taxation, public services, and public transportation of an ever-evolving city.
12. Age of Empires
Release Date & Production House: The Age of Empires series, developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft, started in 1997. The latest, Age of Empires IV, was released in 2021.
About the Game: Age of Empires is a real-time strategy game series where players build a civilization from a small tribe to a full-fledged empire across different historical periods.
Why Play: Known for its historical themes and blend of civilization building with real-time strategy combat, it offers a rich and educational gaming experience.
Ruling Aspect: Players focus on gathering resources, building armies, developing technology, and engaging in warfare or diplomacy to expand their empire.
13. Imperator: Rome
Release Date & Production House: Developed and published by Paradox Interactive, Imperator: Rome was released in 2019.
About the Game: Set in the centuries surrounding the establishment of the Roman Empire, this grand strategy game focuses on managing a nation through the complex political and military landscape of the ancient world.
Why Play: For those interested in ancient history and grand strategy, Imperator: Rome offers a deep and engaging experience, combining military conquest with intricate internal politics.
Ruling Aspect: Players manage various aspects of their empire, including military, economic, political, and cultural, guiding their nation through the challenges of the ancient world.
14. Fable Series
Release Date & Production House: The Fable series, developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios, began in 2004. The latest major release was Fable III in 2010.
About the Game: Fable is an action RPG series set in a fantasy world. The series is known for its humor, moral choices, and the ability to shape the character and environment based on player decisions.
Why Play: The Fable series offers a unique blend of action, role-playing, and life simulation, where your choices directly impact the game world and how characters interact with you.
Ruling Aspect: In Fable III, players literally become the ruler of a kingdom, making decisions that affect the entire realm, from domestic policies to foreign relations.
15. Tropico Series
Release Date & Production House: The Tropico series, developed by various studios including Haemimont Games and Limbic Entertainment, began in 2001. The latest installment, Tropico 6, was released in 2019.
About the Game: Tropico is a construction and management simulation game series where players assume the role of “El Presidente,” the dictator of a small Caribbean island nation.
Why Play: Tropico blends city-building with political and economic simulation, offering a humorous take on dictatorship. It challenges players to manage resources, develop infrastructure, and handle international politics.
Ruling Aspect: As El Presidente, players control all aspects of the island’s development and politics, from building infrastructure to manipulating elections and managing foreign relations.
16. Dwarf Fortress
Release Date & Production House: Created by Tarn and Zach Adams (Bay 12 Games), Dwarf Fortress was first released in 2006 and continues to be updated.
About the Game: Dwarf Fortress is a complex, detailed simulation game where players manage a colony of dwarves, aiming to build a successful fortress.
Why Play: Known for its depth and complexity, the game is a mix of city-building, resource management, and survival. It offers an unparalleled level of detail in its simulation of the world and its inhabitants.
Ruling Aspect: Players oversee every aspect of their dwarven colony, from resource management and crafting to defense and exploration.
17. Songs of Syx
Release Date & Production House: Developed by Gamatron AB, Songs of Syx is an indie grand strategy city-building game, still in early access as of my last update.
About the Game: Set in a fantasy world, Songs of Syx is a mix of city-building, strategy, and simulation. The game focuses on building an empire from a small settlement, managing resources, and dealing with both internal and external threats.
Why Play: It’s a game for those who love building intricate systems and seeing them evolve. The game offers a blend of micro and macro management, with detailed city-building and large-scale empire management.
Ruling Aspect: Players handle everything from city layout and resource distribution to large-scale military campaigns and diplomatic relations with other factions.
18. Prison Architect
Release Date & Production House: Developed by Introversion Software and later by Double Eleven, Prison Architect was first released in 2015.
About the Game: Prison Architect is a construction and management simulation game where players design and run their own prison.
Why Play: The game challenges players to build and manage a secure prison, balancing the needs and wants of inmates and staff, while also keeping finances in check.
Ruling Aspect: Players are responsible for every aspect of their prison, from the layout and facilities to managing the inmate population and staff, making it a test of both ethical and resource management skills.
19. OpenTTD
Release Date & Production House: OpenTTD, an open-source simulation game based on Transport Tycoon Deluxe, was first released in 2004 and is continuously updated by its community of developers.
About the Game: OpenTTD is a transport tycoon game where players build and manage a transport network using trains, planes, ships, and trucks.
Why Play: Ideal for players who enjoy complex management simulations and creative freedom in designing transport systems. It offers an intricate economic model and a vast array of building options.
Ruling Aspect: Players take on the role of a corporate CEO, making strategic decisions about routes, infrastructure, and investments to build a successful transport empire