2022: A Bumper Crop of Builders
I’m a big fan of city builders, theme park sims and all those games where you create a brand new world and see what happens. Do the citizens thrive and prosper? Or does that tornado/earthquake/flood I might have accidently set loose on my little city turn it into a wasteland? Bwahaha.
The last few years haven’t exactly been rich with choice when it comes to the genre, but it looks like 2022 might be different. There are an astonishing number of city builders and sims on the horizon. Here are some we’re keeping an eye on.
10 Kerbal Space Program 2
Part physics sim, part puzzle game and all fun, the original Kerbal Space Program has been a fan (and modder) favorite for years. The sequel starts with a stunning graphical upgrade. It includes more of everything that made the original so engaging. There are lots of new features and mechanics, too, like colonies, interstellar travel and better onboarding for new players.
9 Ixion
This one looks amazing. Set on an intersellar spacestation, your task is to build a thriving community as you search for a new home for humanity. Combining politics, economic simulation and building, the setting and art style help this one to really stand out.
8 Frostpunk 2
The original Frostpunk was a unique builder and management sim set in a future ice age. The sequel looks to take Frostpunk’s graphics and gameplay to a new level. This time around the valued resource is oil instead of steam. Frostpunk 2 looks to be grim and challenging in the best ways possible. The developer has grown the team and while this one might not appear in 2022, we’re keeping our fingers crossed.
7 Sapiens
Unlike some of the games on our list, Sapiens has a more cartoony art style. It still looks to be a lot of fun as you advance your civilization from a tribe of hunter-gathers to the agrarian age and beyond. Developed by Majic Jungle, Sapiens is scheduled for mid-2022.
6 Farthest Frontier
As the title implies, this game is about building a thriving city on the edge of civilization. All the challenges of an unfamiliar wilderness — new plants, animals and environments — are there to overcome. Farthest Frontier has a gorgeous, detailed art style and looks like it takes familiar mechanics in new directions.
The best is yet to come, after the break. Keep reading!