For most players, lore is the last thing that comes to mind when it comes to simulation games. Because most of the time, titles under this genre are mere digital recreations of real-world activities or scenarios. Whether it's washing a car or scrambling a surgery patient's guts, most simulation games don't care about world-building.

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That doesn't mean world-building in simulation games doesn't exist. Some of them were awesome enough to combine fantasy, slice-of-life, or parody elements into their simulation gameplay. Consequently, such games also managed to build up their own lore or add more context to their game world so that it's easy to get lost in them.

Updated on February 28, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Most people consider simulation games to focus more on the gameplay side of things, trying to emulate sophisticated gameplay loops in the best way possible. This is easier said than done, with some sims failing in this regard. This makes for a less-than-enjoyable experience that a lot of fans won't be too keen to check out. So, when simulation games end up providing some compelling gameplay for fans to enjoy, it's easy to see why players would be invested in these games for quite some time. However, some sims don't stop there. Along with a fun gameplay loop, these games also ensure that players are invested in the game's lore with some quality worldbuilding that helps everything feel all the more authentic.

19 Frostpunk

The Onset Of The Volcanic Winter Makes It A Grueling Task To Help People Survive

Frozen city
Frostpunk

Platform(s)
PC , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One
Developer(s)
11 Bit Studios
Genre(s)
City Builder , Survival
Released
April 24, 2018

The setting of Frostpunk is one of the most compelling parts of the game. Players must help a group of people try and survive at a time when there's no guarantee that people will have food on their plate, let alone a cozy bed and some warmth to survive the night. As a result, people will be expected to make some tough decisions for the greater good.

It's this focus on survival at all costs coupled with the smart writing in the smattering of story events that are present in the campaign that makes Frostpunk such a fun title to get into. It's easy to see why players are hyped for the sequel, which promises to be a step in the right direction and then some.

18 Total Extreme Wrestling 2020

The World Of Professional Wrestling Is Depicted Beautifully Here

Non-Football Manager Sports Sims- Total Extreme Wrestling 2020
Total Extreme Wrestling 2020

Platform(s)
Microsoft Windows
Genre(s)
Simulation , Strategy
Released
June 1, 2020
Developer
Grey Dog Software

Total Extreme Wrestling is a series of simulation games focused on the world of professional wrestling. Sure, the UI and presentation may not be the greatest, but there's a reason why so many wrestling fanatics can't get enough of this amazing title. Whether players check out the vanilla roster or mod in wrestlers and promotions from the real world, there's no denying that Total Extreme Wrestling is the perfect game for people who want to be bookers in their little world.

It helps that wrestlers interact with the player and each other in a realistic manner, with the developments surrounding the many wrestling promotions being pretty immersive. As players get immersed in this game, they'll find it hard to pull themselves away from a play session that has lasted way too many hours for its own good.

17 Game Dev Tycoon

The Life Of A Game Dev And The Recreation Of The Industry Is Done Brilliantly

Reviews for an RPG game for Game Dev Tycoon
  • Released: December 10, 2012
  • Developer: Greenheart Games
  • Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS

Pretty much every video game fan has dreamt about creating their own game, which is no mean feat. While the act of creating a game is as daunting as it gets, players can still channel this fantasy with Game Dev Tycoon. People start out as solo devs before making a successful game and helping their studio grow bigger.

After a few sales successes down their belt, players can move on to better prospects as they make their own engines and create bonafide AAA games. It takes a while to get going, but players who can stand toe-to-toe with the biggest companies in the gaming industry will be more than pleased by what they have to offer.

16 Football Manager 2024

Thousands Of Details About The Real Footballing World

Manchester City menu in Football Manager 2024
Football Manager 2024

Platform(s)
PC , PS4 , PS5 , Switch , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
Released
November 6, 2024
Developer(s)
Sega
Genre(s)
Management , Simulation , Sports

The Football Manager franchise has always been praised for its impressive attention to detail, and while all the teams, players, and tactics have been imported from the real world, the developers still have to craft engaging and realistic campaigns and interactions for prospective managers.

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Football Manager 2024, as one of the best sports management games of all time, builds upon previous iterations, and for the first time ever allows players to carry on their progress from FM23. The game is more immersive than ever, with improved graphics and tonnes of other new features.

15 Potionomics

A Mix Of The Modern World And Witches

Potionomics Video Game Sylvia and Customer
Potionomics

Platform(s)
PC
Released
October 17, 2022
Genre(s)
Simulation , Indie Games , RPG , Strategy
Developer
Voracious Games

In Potionomics, players assume the role of a potion seller (whose potions are too strong for any traveler). The premise is that the players inherited their uncle's potion shop, and they must learn to run the business.

That includes brewing potions and even dabbling in deck-building. As far as business management sims go, this one is one of the most charming and the quirkiest. At the moment, the game has no sandbox mode and has a rather short story period but the developers might fix that soon.

14 Railway Empire

Set In 19th Century America

Railway Empire image
Railway Empire

Platform(s)
PC , PS4 , Switch , Xbox One
Released
January 26, 2018
Genre(s)
Simulation
Developer
Gaming Minds Studios

A simulation game would have been the last place anyone would look at if they ever wanted to roleplay as an American western frontier tycoon, but Railway Empire manages that experience well. It's a railway tycoon simulator set during the turn of the century during the Industrial Age.

Players will have to lay down tracks and manage one of the vastest railway networks back in this time period. Along the way, players will also be directly helping the development of outlaw-ridden backwater towns, bringing law and order into the Wild West. It's a great game to play after finishing Red Dead Redemption 2's depressing ending.

13 Crusader Kings 3

World Building Based On Medieval History And Semi-Legendary Figures

Crusader Kings 3 King and Queen
Crusader Kings 3

Platform(s)
PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , PC
Released
September 1, 2020
Developer(s)
Paradox Interactive
Genre(s)
RPG , Grand Strategy

Seeing as Crusader Kings 3 is a grand strategy simulation game about the real Middle Ages, many players won't realize it actually has fantastic world-building, which in itself is proof of success. This is because while the game does strive for realism, either due to a lack of historical sources or due to gameplay priorities, Crusader Kings 3 features its fair share of historical inaccuracies.

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Chief among these and where the need for world-building comes in, is with obscure lands, rulers, religions, and cultures. This is particularly true for the 867 start date as fewer historical records survive for this time period, meaning that the developers had to create characters and much more based on partial or no information. For example, in some cases, they used semi-legendary figures such as the sons of Ragnar Lodbrok, but in other cases, such as obscure places on the map, they completely made up rulers, dynasties, and cultural traditions.

12 Planet Zoo

Real Zoo Details

Planet Zoo Africa Pack DLC
Planet Zoo

Platform(s)
PC
Released
November 5, 2019
Developer(s)
Frontier Developments
Genre(s)
Simulation

Planet Zoo is a construction and management simulation game that at first glance may not appear to contain much world-building or lore. However, similar in some ways to The Sims, Planet Zoo also takes place in a quasi-realistic world, as players will notice that the zoo guests speak a made-up language. This language can also be seen on various educational or information signs that can be placed in the game.

The tutorial and career mode also feature a made-up and lovable zoo owner, Bernard Goodwin, although even more charming is the head zookeeper Nancy Jones, who guides players along with her soothing Welsh accent. Furthermore, although most of the game is based on real zoology, the game does a fantastic job of bringing this information into the experience with every species having their own Zoopedia page. Players can use this information to not only provide their virtual animals with the best habitats and care, but they will also educate themselves about real biology in the process.

11 RimWorld

Depicts All Aspects Of Sci-Fi Civilizations

Impids
RimWorld

Platform(s)
PC , PS4 , Xbox One
Released
October 17, 2018
Developer(s)
Ludeon Studios
Genre(s)
Simulation

RimWorld was primarily inspired by Dwarf Fortress and it too is a colony management sim. But instead of fantasy dwarves in their halls of stone, RimWorld takes players out into alien environments in a sci-fi setting where players can manage their colonizers and even simulate intricate aspects of colonization such as medicine, trade, art, relationships, climate, and even psychology.

To that end, it's not for the faint of heart. RimWorld can get more personal and immersive than Dwarf Fortress since the people players will control are prone to haunting levels of psychological accuracy. But hey, no one said planetary colonization was going to be easy, especially with hostile aliens involved.

10 Papers, Please

Set In A Fictional Communist State

0_0003_Papers, Please
Papers, Please

Platform(s)
Android , iOS , PC , PS Vita
Released
August 8, 2013
Developer(s)
3909 LLC
Genre(s)
Simulation

Papers, Please delves into the complexities of bureaucracy where players assume the role of an immigration inspector who must judge, approve, or deny immigrants at the border of their fictional communist nation.

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The job is more important than most players think since their role is pivotal in ensuring that spies, bombers, and smugglers don't get inside the border town and into the state. The only problem is, that the inspection procedures are primitive, so it's up to the players' astute judgment and deduction skills to determine the genuine immigrants from the fake ones.

9 Elite: Dangerous

The Most Immersive Sci-Fi Simulator

Elite: Dangerous Sunset
Elite Dangerous

Platform(s)
PC , PS4
Released
December 16, 2014
Developer(s)
Frontier Developments
Genre(s)
Flight Simulator

As far as world-building goes in sci-fi sims, Elite: Dangerous is one of the pack leaders, along with the likes of the yet-to-be-released Star Citizen. This space sim allows players to do most of the interesting stuff available in space-themed sci-fi settings.

That includes piloting and customizing starships, shooting lasers as a ground troop, and exploring unknown worlds. The game was made to be as immersive as possible and it's easy to become absorbed just from the flight sequences alone. The learning curve is naturally steep but, give it some time and patience, and it won't let go.

8 Stardew Valley

Normal Village Life Meets Fantasy Mines And Forest Spirits

sophia stardew valley extended hearts
Stardew Valley

Platform(s)
PC , Xbox One , Android , iOS , PS4 , Switch
Released
February 26, 2016
Developer(s)
ConcernedApe
Genre(s)
RPG , Simulation

For a farming or rural life simulator, Stardew Valley sure goes above and beyond. This cute and cozy 16-bit-style game starts as a millennial city kid's dream of going off-grid on some farm and retiring early. Soon enough though, players will discover to their delight that the titular town holds a little bit more personality than just any old provincial retreat.

It probably helps that Stardew Valley is filled to the brim with hot and quirky singles, most of whom are gender-fluid or at least bi-curious. But this town's charm makes players feel like Stardew Valley is alive and welcomes their weary urbanized souls to a second home, with many potential romances. There are also plenty of fantasy elements to the game, which players will discover more of as they explore the various levels of the mine. One of the wholesome things about Stardew Valley is how the community center is restored, with players making offerings to forest spirits known as Junimos.

7 Kerbal Space Program

Kerbal Astronauts Define The World

Kerbal Space Program Breaking Ground
Kerbal Space Program

Platform(s)
PC , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
Released
April 27, 2015
Developer
Squad
Genre(s)
Simulation

It's a good thing Kerbal Space Program opted to feature little green men as its astronauts instead of the usual, boring Homo Sapiens Sapiens; otherwise, it would have had as much charm. This space and astronaut lifestyle simulator is one of the cutest simulations out there.

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It's all thanks to the personable and comical aliens called Kerbals. They're a species of small green humanoids who somehow are only slightly ahead of humans when it comes to the space race. They also have a home planet named Kerbin and players will have to be 'kerful' with these aliens if they want to bring them home.

6 The Sims 4

The Classic Semi-Satirical Lore Of The Sims Franchise

how 2 increase or flower arranging skill in sims 4
The Sims 4

Platform(s)
PS4 , Xbox One , PC
Released
September 2, 2014
Developer(s)
Maxis
Genre(s)
Simulation

The Sims have always had great characterization and backstories for their NPCs even in the older games. They happily extended this made-up semi-satire lore to the usual population of The Sims 4. NPCs in The Sims 4 all have their own personalities, quirks, and unique families,

Some of them are stereotypes, like the uber-rich Landgraab family who don't need any introduction as to why they became wealthy. Other families consist of reclusive vampires, sitcom-style housemates, and the video game equivalent of the Kardashians all helping to make the simulation more colorful.

5 Microsoft Flight Simulator

Satellite Data Has Been Used To Recreate The Real World

Screenshot from Microsoft Flight Simulator showing a small plane high above a city with the horizon in the background.
Microsoft Flight Simulator

Platform(s)
PC , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
Released
August 18, 2020
Developer(s)
Asobo Studio
Genre(s)
Flight Simulator

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is a good example that simulation games don't need fantasy or parody elements to have great world-building. They just need satellite data from Google Maps, because Microsoft Flight Simulator photo-realistically recreates the world from a satellite view.

So in a literal and technical sense, this is great world-building. Players can even fly above their houses if they want, or visit the airspace of their faraway relatives' houses if they want. More than anything, it's a demonstration of just how far graphics technology has developed in gaming, but quite impressive as far as world-building examples go.

4 Two Point Hospital

A Parody Of Hospital Life

Two Point Hospital
Two Point Hospital

Platform(s)
PS4 , Xbox One , Switch , PC
Released
August 30, 2018
Developer(s)
Two Point Studios
Genre(s)
Simulation

Two Point Hospital is a simulation where players build, design, and manage their hopefully functioning healthcare system. But that's only half of its charm; the other half is that the game world is quite cheeky and has a penchant for being a parody of the real world.

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If patients die inside the hospital, they turn into ghosts, and the announcer in the lobby is always spacing out or blurting tongue-in-cheek jokes. If anything, it looks like what a hospital from a sitcom would be. Players will surely keep coming back for more even if their hospital keeps going bankrupt.

3 Fallout Shelter

A World Based On An Established Post-Apocalyptic Franchise

Vault boy giving thumbs up as happy people enter the vault
Fallout Shelter

Platform(s)
Android , iOS , PC , PS4 , Switch , Xbox One
Released
June 14, 2015
Developer(s)
Bethesda Game Studios , Behaviour Interactive
Genre(s)
Simulation

Think of Sims except it's a nuclear bunker and everyone lives underground, trying to min-max their lives down to a few minutes of additional survival. That's Fallout Shelter. It would have been as stressful as that description, were it not for its cartoonish art style and relatively relaxing gameplay.

Fallout Shelter is partly a construction and management simulator where players act as the boss or proprietor of the nuclear bunker. They'll have to build the facilities and assign the correct survivors to their appropriate tasks. Thus, the people are also resources here. Since it takes place in the Fallout universe, its world-building is definitely top-notch.

2 Tropico 6

Set On A Fictional Communist Island

tropico 6 key art
Tropico 6

Platform(s)
PC , PS4 , Xbox One
Developer(s)
Limbic Entertainment
Genre(s)
Simulation
Released
March 29, 2019

Tropico 6 tasks players with bringing in a different kind of law and order. In this simulator, players take on the role of a dictator running their authoritarian communist island country. It's clearly a parody of Cuba and is part city-builder, part tycoon simulator.

Apart from developing their cities, players will also need a source of income, and tropical resorts or other attractions are some of the ripest opportunities here. What makes it different from other city and tycoon simulators, is that politics and ideology play important roles here; players can even choose their political policies based on how they want to run their country — whether that's a socialist utopia or a totalitarian dystopia.

1 Dwarf Fortress

Procedurally Generated Dwarf Civilizations

Dwarf Fortress - Vordak
Dwarf Fortress

Platform(s)
Linux , macOS , Microsoft Windows
Released
August 8, 2006
Developer
Bay 12 Games, Tarn Adams, Zach Adams
Genre(s)
Roguelike , Strategy , Simulation

Dwarf Fortress presents a simple premise. Players control a kingdom of dwarves and as always, dwarves love to mine and tunnel. So players will manage that underground kingdom and expand it so that their dwarves can accumulate more and more riches.

Now, despite the simple graphics, Dwarf Fortress' theme and the atmosphere are quite stellar thanks mostly to its idea. It's a great way to roleplay as cantankerous and gruff dwarves as it encapsulates their very essence more so than most other adventure RPGs where they're taken out of their natural habitat. As players further penetrate the depths of their fortresses, they will come to realize just how intricate the simulation is, making this the simulation game with the best world-building.

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