Summary
Civilizationis a turn-based strategy franchise that has garnered popularity over the years, allowing players to either create cities by themselves against the AI or challenge other players to see who willdominate the world first. While there are plenty ofCivilization4X titles to enjoy, some players may wish to look for a different strategy title that plays likeCivilization.
With this genre of gaming being so popular, there are plenty of other strategy titles for players to enjoy, with some also taking a historical setting to create various powerful civilizations, while other games play like theCivilizationfranchise but instead take place in space. These are some of the best games for those who are looking for games that play likeCivilizationbut aren’t from the franchise.
Players who are looking for a game that plays likeCivilizationby focusing on a historical setting while also allowing the player to conquer through not only wars should look no further thanEuropa Universalis 4.
Although a grand strategy title, players that enjoyed the diplomatic side ofCivilizationmay also enjoyEuropa Universalis 4as it focuses not only on the wars a player is likely to rewrite, but also the moments of peace in between. While attempting tostay historically accuratethrough four hundred generations of history, players are able to bend these events slightly as they take control of various kingdoms and the trade routes between them.
7Warlock - Master Of The Arcane
Become A Powerful Wizard With Plenty Of Side Goals
The games that play likeCivilization, don’t always focus on realistic historical civilizations; some games, likeWarlock - Master of the Arcane, insteadtake players to a fantasy worldwhere they become a wizard, attempting to become the most powerful. However, they aren’t the only wizards attempting this, and therefore, they should expect resistance from others that are trying to become just as powerful.
A wizard shouldn’t only be creating armies inWarlock - Master of the Arcane, as, likeCivilization, players are also expected to situate themselves within the world using city management mechanics. Keeping these cities afloat is a sure way to success for players, as every decision counts if they hope to have a chance at becoming the most powerful.
Total War: Warhammer 2is much likeCivilizationbut even better due to not only being great for fans of theWarhammerfranchise but also due to it containing not only turn-based strategy mechanics ofCivbut also its own real-time battle systems, that allow a player to get involved in the most epic wars of theTotal Warfranchise.
With four races that allow for four different outcomes, the campaign ofTotal War: Warhammer 2is certainly something to get stuck into. Players will feel familiar with the turn-based half of the title as they move around their armies on the map while they build and manage settlements. In this mode, players can choose to take by force as they attack or deal with their issues diplomatically against the AI.
Remaining away from history, another exciting 4X strategy title for players who are looking for games that play likeCivilizationshould consider sending themselves out into space withStellaris. Naturally, since there are plenty of galaxies to explore,Stellarisfeels a lot bigger thanCivilizationwith players setting up trading routes with other space explorers across the known galaxies.
Once again, a player isn’t directed into only winning this grand strategy title through warfare, as diplomacy inStellariscan be just as rewarding. With avariety of species to take control of, they have their own advantages and disadvantages some benefit by aiming for certain goals as seen with the various civilizations available inCiv.
4X strategy titles come in all shapes and sizes, withEndless Legendbeing another option for players who are looking for a game that works and plays almost identically toCivilization. In this fantasy title, a player is tasked with creating their own legend as they control one of eight civilizations in a fight for survival in a dying world with harsh seasons.
Players will feel mostly familiar with the expanding and managing of their towns and cities as they create bustling places for their people to live while also making sure they have not only the resources to live but also the necessary things to keep morale high. UnlikeCivilization,this game also includes plenty of quests in this randomly generated world to add even more replayability to truly allow the player to create anEndless Legend.
Continuing on the theme of fantasy, another great game for those looking for something similar toCivilizationcan also be sure to enjoyAge of Wonders 4. Players start off the game by first making their own race of people by not only customizing their physical appearancebut also their traitsto help define the civilization the player wishes to create.
Once this has been done, the player is finally able to begin to grow their civilization withinAge of Wonders 4as they grow their empires through battle, trade, or diplomacy. The fun doesn’t end after a victory, as players may encounter their own creations when they startAge of Wondersagain through the in-game pantheon system.
Old Worldis likeCivilizationbut with plenty of quality of life improvements to make the 4X genre not only more accessible but also feel fresher. As a historical strategy title, it is up to the player to prepare their civilization to survive countless generations, even after their original leaders pass.
Due to this, family matters as players should be hoping to create strong heirs to keep their cities and control growing. Exploring the world ofOld Worldfeels identical toCivilizationas players navigate a hexagonal grid fighting opposing armies and searching for valuable resources, but instead of moving each unit only once, a player can move them until they are fatigued.
One of the best games for players to enjoy that plays likeCivilizationand is also by far the closest in gameplay, isHumankind. Instead of choosing an already existing civilization, players inHumankindcreate and define their own.
Players have access to up to 60 cultures that they can combine as they see fit to create the perfect civilization to hopefully conquer the world either through warfareor flowery speeches. As players progress throughHumankind, their empire will not only grow but a story will be created that plays out differently with each new playthrough of the turn-based strategy title.
