5 best city-building games (2022)

Sandbox city-building games have always been the go-to for any player who wishes to relax and unwind. The unique thing about these games is the fact that anyone can build their own dream worlds and cities. Sky is the limit in these games as they allow immense player creativity.

The primary positive about these games is the fact that they respect the players enough to let them do whatever they want. From making a vast living city or an empire that spans continents, these games have it all. Here are five of the best sandbox city-building and management games to play in 2022.

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5 best city-building games to play in 2022 include Cities: Skylines, Surviving Mars, and more

1) Cities: Skylines

One of the best city-building sims out there, Cities: Skyline is a sandbox game with a lot of freedom. The game revolves around players attempting to build a city from the ground up. With some starting cash, the game begins with almost nothing on the players' plates.

They have to build everything from the ground up. From housing to roads to providing jobs to residents, there is a little something to do all the time. Players must also be vigilant to not let their city's economy go down, which would entail dire consequences for citizens

Cities: Skylines has a lively modding community as well. They have added a ton of mods that are free to download and install. Cities: Skyline is a fantastic city-building game to start if players are just getting into the genre.

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2) Tropico 6

Tropico 6 is a dream game for anyone who wishes to be an authoritarian leader of a small island nation. Tropico 6 brings a ton of new features to the series, the most important of which is the addition of multiple islands and the ability to manage all of them. The game is filled with satire and comedic elements that will keep players glued to their seats.

Players can choose to be whatever leader they wish to emulate. Being benevolent and keeping citizens happy is a good thing, but there is a lot of fun to be had when not managing the country properly. Players can see the effects in real-time as citizens will riot and try to overthrow the President.

Tropico 6 is a wonderfully designed game with a lot of elements that make it special. It is a fan-favorite that can be enjoyed by gamers of all ages.

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3) Surviving Mars

This next entry can be best described as a survival city-building game. The survival part is at the forefront and players have to manage a colony on Mars in the game. The Red Planet is hostile and brutal to the colonists, requiring the management of a ton of life support systems and research on better technologies.

The game loop might seem like a bit of a challenge but it is incredibly fun to try out. The Mars setting does the survival and exploration genre a lot of justice as colonists encounter problems that can happen in reality. In terms of providing a concrete challenge, Surviving Mars is an excellent city-building game that will delight any player who tries it out.

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4) Aven Colony

Another entry that is based on another planet, this game takes place on an alien planet called Aven Prime. Players start off with almost nothing as they have to make the planet hospitable for colonists. It has all the tropes of a city-building game and expands on the concept by adding in the alien world. Colonists have to be protected from Aven Prime’s hostile environments and hazards.

The gameplay loop is simple yet engaging. Players will go through dynamic day and night cycles that impact gameplay, with nights harder to manage as temperatures drop really low. There are tons of other threats that can hinder progress as Aven Colony throws them at the player in a challenging but fair manner.

Aven Colony is a fantastic sandbox simulation that doubles as a city-building game that is extremely engaging and dynamic.

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5) Civilization VI

The last entry on this list does not fall directly into the category of city-building games, but it does revolve around making powerful empires that contain mighty cities. Civilization VI is the latest entrant for the series that spans over three decades. The franchise has always led the way in the turn-based strategy genre and this title is the best addition so far.

The game revolves around players picking their civilization of choice and starting off in an era that they wish to be in. The best way to experience the game is to start in the Ancient Era and build a civilization from there.

The city-building factor comes into play as an empire is only good as its biggest cities. Players have to compete with AI or other players for land and places to settle. They can also construct and manage districts, wonders, farms and much more.

There is a ton to learn in Civilization VI excluding the city-building game mechanics and it is a masterpiece that should be enjoyed by any gamer.