2018 was a great year for gaming, delivering the likes of God of War, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to critical and commercial success. When it comes to Steam-based PC games, though, one game dominated the fan vote like no other: Rimworld. The sci-fi colony simulator was top of the Steam250 list with a highly favorable 8.66/10 average vote, edging out the competition to give Rimworld a nice spot in gaming history.

Rimworld has actually been on Steam for several years, but had previously existed as an early access title. Despite its status, the Dwarf Fortress-style game was a popular hit with players (being supported by thousands of modifications on the Steam workshop probably didn't hurt things, either). It officially reached Version 1.0 this October, qualifying it for the top player-rated games of 2018. Having maintained an impressive 8.66 average score after 36,709 votes, it looks like fans clearly think the space-settling settlement simulator is out of this world.

For the uninitiated, Rimworld is essentially Dwarf Fortress in space with non-ASCII graphics. Players start building a settlement from the basics of their immediate environment, hunting wildlife and settling the land as they brace for inevitable disasters like raids, fires, and disease. As they progress and research technology, they become a force to be reckoned with - though nearby clans may be tempted to wage war to get their hands on the player's valuables. An AI storyteller inspired by Left 4 Dead triggers events based on what's happening, ensuring Rimworld is always testing the player as they fight to survive.

Much like Dwarf Fortress, some truly outrageous sagas can play out in-game, like an angry alpaca destroying an entire base or a prisoner breaking free and setting fire to the ammunition storage on their way out. If there's one thing that can be said about Rimworld, it's definitely the kind of game where your settlement can be a well-oiled machine at one minute and a hole in the ground the next. It's unforgiving nature, however, is something fans seem to love.

The list of top player-rated games is still subject to change if other titles that released in 2018 are added to Steam at a later date, but for the moment it seems as if indie developer Tynan Sylvester's title is safe. He's still actively working on improving the game, which has seen plenty of quality of life improvements in the last year ahead of its official release. Rimworld beat out tough competition like Celeste (one of Game Rant's Top 10 Games of 2018), Beat Saber, and Subnautica, and we look forward to seeing what Rimworld will provide in future updates.

Source: Steam250, SteamDB (Via Twitter)