Tired of cars, oxygen, and primitive skyscrapers? Then head on over to the sci-fi future of city builders where everything is either in space or in a gritty post-apocalypse world. Sci-fi city builders are more flexible in their rules; their very setting allows them to disobey some contemporary conventions.
As a result, they're more compelling and immersive, especially if they take place in an unlikely timeline or some alternate reality. Regardless, these following sci-fi city builder games ought to give players a chance to make the digital future a little brighter.
10 Aven Colony
- Release date: 2017
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
In some far-flung fictional future, humanity has finally found another home planet to call its own (and to eventually pollute once more). It's called Aven Prime and it's ripe for some city-building. As developers of this colony, players need to make it as habitable for humans as possible.
But it's an alien planet with a harsh and exotic environment— one that isn't suitable for human beings, initially, that is. Aven Colony's futuristic take on being a mayor and the intricacies of settling into new alien planets will surely be a treat for sci-fi buffs.
9 Frostpunk
- Release date: 2018
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Mac operating systems, Xbox Cloud Gaming
Frostpunk takes place in an alternate reality right near the end of the Industrial Age. Instead of progressing into the Modern Age, the Earth froze over, killing civilization as we know it. A small bastion of humanity is all that remains and they must tighten their belts and brace for a permanent winter using what little raw resources and food they have.
To that end, Frostpunk also doubles as one of the most desperate survival games out there. The atmosphere here is intense and palpable and can even send shivers down players' spines. Players not only build facilities but also decide what oppressive edicts to enact in order to keep the remnants of society functioning.
8 Airborne Kingdom
- Release date: 2020
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Ever wanted to build a fancy kingdom in the skies in a steampunk setting? Airborne Kingdom is the game for that. It's one of the most novel entries in the city builder genre thanks to its vibrant art style and special ideas about simulation.
At its core, the game revolves around building and sustaining a floating metropolis while also aiding the people below like some kind of Elysium for the elite. Since their city floats, players can explore the landscape with these megalopolis marvels in one of the most stunning takes on city building ever.
7 Anno 2205
- Release date: 2015
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows
Anno 2070 also counts here but Anno 2205 is the stronger candidate due to its further leap into the future of mankind. In Anno 2205, humanity grew bored with Earth and settled on the Moon. Also, the moon turned out to be a generous source of a new raw resource that would revolutionize energy for mankind.
So the game sees players jumping back and forth between their Earth and Moon colonies to reinforce a solid economic pipeline that would save Earth from its eventual decay. As far as all Anno games go, Anno 2205 has one of the most advanced graphics and renditions of the future, making it feel more unique compared to its prequels.
6 Planetbase
- Release date: 2015
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Mac operating systems, Classic Mac OS
Planetbase is yet another colony simulator and base builder but this time around, it takes place on a remote planet that's a far cry from the comforts of Earth. Players are tasked with terraforming and colonizing the planet complete with its own set of challenges.
For the most part, players need to assume the role of architect and manager as they command and delegate their colonists. Apart from the red desert planet, other planet types include frozen, gas giant, and storm, providing a good variety for players.
5 Surviving Mars
- Release date: 2018
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Classic Mac OS
Speaking of desert planets, Surviving Mars is another contender in the sci-fi city builder genre. It's about colonizing Mars, plain and simple. To that end, it holds similarities with Planetbase and other games about terraforming and colonizing another planet.
The learning curve is pretty steep due to the pile of systems and mechanics; players might find themselves overwhelmed since there are also survival elements thrown into the mix. However, the attention to detail and the realism in Surviving Mars make the game more than immersive.
4 Cliff Empire
- Release date: 2018
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows
For its different take on sci-fi, Cliff Empire is a great recommendation. Cliff Empire portrays a world after a nuclear apocalypse; the surface became uninhabitable, so the rest of humanity resorted to building cities high up in the tallest mountains, hence the game's title.
And sure enough, the cities players can build in Cliff Empire are awe-inspiring. This city builder has one of the most beautiful visuals and art styles in its genre. Coupled with the peculiar setting, it's unforgettable; it's like having a small digital diorama of a city. The best part is that those visuals don't demand much from the typical gaming PC.
3 Imagine Earth
- Release date: 2021
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X, and Series S
While on the topic of alluring art styles, Imagine Earth is also among the most imaginative. Players must also establish colonies on distant worlds in this game. The difference is that the game's art graphics are semi-cartoonish in scale.
Players will be able to see the curvature of the planet they're colonizing while building and managing it. This gives the game a Civ feel to it, which is deliberate since the game also doubles as a 4X title on top of being a city builder.
2 Endzone - A World Apart
- Release date: 2020
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X, and Series S
If players are looking for something as bleak as Frostpunk, then Endzone - A World Apart is right up there with the gloominess. It's set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Earth is constantly threatened and battered with radiation, toxic rain, sandstorms, and droughts.
Those are just some of the challenges players will face while trying to rebuild humanity. With the lack of conventional resources, players must make do with scraps, building dingy hovels and crude contraptions for their citizens. It's no futuristic utopia, but who's to blame?
1 Ixion
- Release date: 2022
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Linux
Ixion adds its own twist to the genre. Instead of taking place on planetary solid ground, it takes place in space, specifically on a space station platform. Thus, building space is ironically more limited due to the logistical nightmare involved in building a colony in the void.
But that ought to keep the game more interesting. Players must then balance resources and exploration along with infrastructure in order to keep what's left of struggling humanity alive, likely because the billionaires in this game's universe didn't fund the space projects enough due to their Twitter fixation.