My Top 20 Must-Have Recommendations
To create this list of recommendations, I looked at a variety of factors, including gameplay mechanics (and how different they might be from one another), graphics, positive reviews, and popularity. The goal was to provide you with a diverse selection of sim and tycoon games that appeal to different types of people, from a beginner just getting started, to a veteran.
20 – Transport Fever 2
Transport Fever 2 is one of those games that scratches a very specific itch. Unless you’re into it, I would advise checking out the rest of the list before you start adding things to the digital cart. Transporte Fever 2 places you in charge of building and managing a comprehensive transportation network spanning various eras, from the industrial revolution onwards. Connect cities and industries with railways, roads, ships, and airplanes. Strive for efficiency as you transport passengers and goods across vast, and I mean, VAST landscapes. Upgrade your vehicles and infrastructure to keep up with evolving technologies. That’s it, basically. The reason it isn’t further up on the list is not because it’s not worth it, it’s because the number 1 also does it, but adds a lot more flavor to it. However, Transport Fever 2 is still worth a go if you just want to focus on the transportation side of things.
19 – Fire Pro Wrestling World + Fire Promoter DLC
“What a weird entry” – I hear you thinking, wildly confused as to why Fire Pro Wrestling World is on this list. “When can we have a fully fleshed-out wrestling management game?”, is my answer! – “Smackdown VS Raw, you cry out” – “But do you really want to dust up your old Playstation 2?”, I conclude, defeating your logic. Well, until we get a proper wrestling management sim this is the closest thing we have to quench said thirst for managing and setting up those dream matches of yours.
All jokes aside, even the management aspect of Fire Pro Wrestling World is a bit sketchy on the best of days, however the sheer amount (and quality!) of modded content for the game allows you to set up a wrestling league of your own with the wrestling legends of your choosing. Want to have John Cena VS Andre The Giant? Go ahead. Hulk Hogan VS Stone Cold? What’s stopping you? Heck, just do whatever you want.
Fire Pro Wrestling World is also famous for its in-depth character customization options that allow players the freedom to build exactly the kind of wrestler they envision with its logic system. It’s a game that’s more fun in setting up the fights, than actually fighting them, but those are just my two cents.
18 – Anno 1800
Anno 1800 takes you on a journey to the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. It’s one of the best city builders to come out in the last decade. You’ll be doing a lot of the same things you would expect in an Anno game: manage resources, construct buildings, establish trade routes, satisfy your townsfolk, and provide enough materials for your production network to foster the growth of your town. Engage in diplomacy, compete with other nations, and navigate through an era of profound technological and social changes.
It’s a game about meticulous details and optimizing everything to its fullest extent. Similar to other Anno entries, it’s a highly complex affair that requires some dedication to learn its mechanics and how each part of a supply chain interacts with one another. Fortunately, there’s a great campaign to ease you into the shoes of an influential leader through the transformative period of the 19th century in Anno 1800.
17 – Planet Coaster
Planet Coaster offers something that no other game does: it’s the ridiculous amount of freedom in creating scenery for a rollercoaster park. Every nook and cranny can be customized to a sickening degree. Just have a look around on Youtube to see what the game is capable of. On top of that, it also packs an intricate system to create roller coasters. And on top of that, it’s a very competent tycoon management title, with a lot of effort having to be put into your park to keep your guests happy and the park afloat.
Planet Coaster is the ultimate theme park simulation game in the market. No other allows you to unleash your creativity and build an amusement park-like PC with its unparalleled creative tools. The game offers endless possibilities for designing and managing. Its price is so low that if you don’t already have Planet Coaster, it’s time to start delighting visitors with awe-inspiring attractions, create stunning landscapes and become the master of your own entertainment empire. If you’re an imaginative person, love amusement parks, and revel in attention to small details, Planet Coaster might be your perfect fit. My only gripe with it is the lack of water slides.
16 – IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad
IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad is probably the best World War II flight simulation experience right now. Forget War Thunder and World of War Planes and their arcadey nature, embrace having to spend an hour and a half just trying to figure out how the damn thing turns on. It has a steep learning curve, but as soon as you start to be a more proficient pilot, you’ll start to understand the thrill that is flying iconic aircraft and engaging in high-stakes dogfights on the skies of one of the world’s largest battles in Human History: The Battle of Stalingrad.
Aircraft and their cockpits are meticulously recreated, each own with their unique flight characteristics and models. Landscapes and maps are accurate and the weather is as realistic as it can be. If you’re one of those lucky bastards that have a VR Headset, try dive bombing with a Stuka. The amazing graphics of IL-2 should make for an unforgettable (if horrendous) experience.
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