I have always had a love for city building games such as the Anno titles by Ubsioft as well as titles such as Frostpunk and Civilization VI, even more so during the lockdown.
Civilization VI starts in the ancient era and you have to work your way through the years and build a civilisation that will last into the future surviving bandits as well as other players that will seek to destroy you. The reason this game is helping me through this lock-down is mainly due to the many different paths that you can take in order to thrive and win in this game, you can choose to win through domination and military strength but you could also choose to win with faith or science. The fact that its not all about military might add a new depth to the game. I can choose to be that of a religious country and spread my beliefs throughout the world or I could chase a science win and focus on the space race and human advancement. There are just a so many ways to build and survive in this game you could spend hours working on a science civilisation just to be attacked and destroyed by a player focusing on a culture win and wants the land you own for themselves. You can never tell what will happen. Check out Chris’s review of the Gathering storm expansion here
Frostpunk is more of a challenge city building game where you face hard choices and harsh living conditions. This City builder differs massively from the Sid Meier’s games, based in an alternative 1886, you are the last city after several volcanos erupted creating a volcanic winter, you have to make sure your citizens stay warm and fed and work, but you also have to find ways to keep the fire in the centre of your city ablaze and you are faced with decisions such as weather to burn the dead in the fire to keep it going and things such as child labour and whether amputees should work or not. This game if for the day where I have nothing to do, its a game that requires a bit more concentration than Civilization IV. This game kinda make me focus on something else I get lost in trying to heal, feed and keep all of my people warm without them revolting against me. The major difference between frostpunk and Civ games is that frostpunk is real time and not turn based keeping you on your toes.
I am currently playing both Anno 1800 and Anno 2205. They are both really good games set in different times
Anno 1800 is set in the 19th century and you run a company set on dominating the industrial revolution. You settle on islands on which you grow you and improve your cities, there are other companies competing with you for domination of the oceans and lands, but with a bit of diplomacy and caution you can thrive in this world.
Anno 2205 is set in the future and you run a trading corporation wishing to expand your business into creating a moon base and also to become the biggest corporation on the market. You start on earths green regions you work your way to the arctic region and then the moon. Each region has is own challenges and resources and you will need to prosper in each region in order to surpass the other companies.
These games has a lot of micro managing involved you have to make sure your employees in each sections are working to full potential and are happy otherwise they will not work and revolt against you and you will soon go bankrupt and loose at the game.
These city building games are just the tip of the iceberg there are so many different ones from surviving nuclear fall out to the dawn of man. I would recommend there games to anyone looking for something different to play from you’re normal games. Although the Anno titles are only on PC Civilization VI and Frostpunk are available on PC, Xbox and PS4.