RimWorld is a game where you build and manage a colony on a distant planet. With survival challenges, random events, and diverse colonist personalities, it’s a unique mix of strategy and storytelling.
If you’re a fan and looking for more games that offer a similar vibe, we’ve got a handy list ready for you…
Dwarf Fortress
Dwarf Fortress, the granddaddy of all management simulation games, stands as a testament to the power of intricate mechanics and immersive story arcs. As the player, you are tasked with the monumental responsibility of guiding a group of dwarves to build a prosperous settlement in a vast and unforgiving world.
But this game is not for the faint of heart. Dwarf Fortress presents a steep learning curve, demanding patience and dedication from its players. The complexities of its gameplay mechanics require careful planning and strategic thinking. From designing intricate layouts for your fortress to managing its economy, every decision you make holds weight and consequence.
However, the challenges posed by Dwarf Fortress are not in vain. The game offers a uniquely rewarding experience that few others can match. What sets it apart from its contemporaries is the exceptionally detailed simulation it provides. Every aspect of your fortress, from the behavior of individual dwarves to the geological formations of the world, is meticulously modeled and interconnected.
It is within this richly simulated environment that the true magic of Dwarf Fortress unfolds. As you delve deeper into the game, you will witness the birth and evolution of a living, breathing world. The complex web of interactions between dwarves, creatures, and the environment generates tales that are as captivating as they are unpredictable.
Oxygen Not Included
Oxygen Not Included is another name that always comes up in lists of games similar to Rimworld. It’s a space colony simulation game where you manage your colonists and help them dig, build, and maintain a subterranean asteroid base.
Similar to Rimworld, you need to keep an eye on your colonists’ physiological needs and moods. Plus, the game also possesses a deep crafting system. Expect that a lot of desired resources won’t ‘just be there’. So resource management becomes crucial in this game.
Prison Architect
Prison Architect lets you take on a different kind of challenge: building and managing a maximum-security prison. In this game, you are not just tasked with building the physical structure. You must also manage staff, budget, and prisoner rehabilitation.
This game requires a balance in maintaining order and discipline while ensuring that the prison is a place of reform and not punishment. It’s a challenging juggling act that provides a slightly different experience compared to the others on this list.
Banished
Banished is a city-building strategy game where you lead a group of outcasts to grow and maintain a settlement. The citizens of Banished are your primary resource, and you need to manage them wisely as they age and can succumb to nature’s elements.
Survival is the focus here, much like in Rimworld. However, instead of a futuristic setting, Banished is steeped in the feeling of the early ages, offering a refreshing change.
Surviving Mars
Surviving Mars lets you take colony simulation to the, well, red planet of Mars. This game is more of a traditional city-builder mixed with survival, making it a great alternative to Rimworld.
You manage the infrastructure of your growing Martian base, carefully balancing resources to ensure your colony’s survival. Sure, there might be less human drama here, but trying to keep your colonists alive in Mars’ unforgiving environment more than makes up for it.
Tropico Series
The Tropico series allows you to rule over your own island nation across different eras. From Cold War politics to modern era innovation, each installment offers different challenges and settings.
Notably, the series injects humor into its gameplay with its tongue-in-cheek take on being a political leader. Whether it’s catering to different political factions or balancing your budget, Tropico guarantees plenty of management simulation fun.
Stonehearth
Stonehearth is a delightful mix of RPG and city-building elements. It sets itself apart with personalized stories, pleasant voxel-like graphics, and the combination of building and battling.
You would need to cater for your settlers, protect your settlement from monsters, design structures, and manage resources. It’s highly reminiscent of Rimworld, but has its unique aesthetic and storytelling quirks.
Unfortunately the game was abandoned by the developers but is kept alive by the modding community.
Judgment: Apocalypse Survival Simulation
If you’re after an end-of-the-world theme, Judgment: Apocalypse Survival Simulation might be right up your alley. You lead a group of survivors to rebuild amidst a demon apocalypse.
Apart from resource management and base building, you also need to worry about your colony’s defense too. Expect tactical combat which adds a layer of stress and difficulty to your task of survival.
Kenshi
Kenshi is not your typical base-building game, as it incorporates RTS-style gameplay and RPG mechanics. You control a character and can recruit others and build a town to thrive in a brutal, unforgiving world.
True survival is the key here, and everywhere you turn, dangers abound. Building your base is essential but so is exploring the landscape, enabling a dynamic, free-form gameplay catered to your style.
Colony Survival
A blend of strategy and first-person elements, Colony Survival mixes base-building with real-time survival dynamics. It requires you to defend your colony from monster attacks, apart from managing resources and building structures.
In a similar vein to Rimworld, each colonist has a job to fulfill, and you need to ensure they’re all working harmoniously to make your colony prosper. The night brings the monsters, and you need to manage your time and resources wisely in planning every day’s work and defense.
Gnomoria
Gnomoria is a sandbox village management game where you help lead a small group of gnomes who have set out on their own. Your job is to ensure their survival by making a thriving settlement while defending against hostile creatures.
One of the key aspects of Gnomoria is resource management. Your gnomes will need to gather materials, such as wood and stone, to construct buildings and create essential items. But it’s not just about gathering resources; you’ll also need to carefully allocate them to ensure the smooth functioning of your settlement. Will you prioritize building new homes for your gnomes or focus on crafting weapons to defend against the lurking dangers?
Speaking of dangers, Gnomoria is not without its fair share of threats. From marauding goblin raids to fearsome underground creatures, your settlement will constantly be under siege. You’ll need to train your gnomes in combat and equip them with the best weapons and armor available. But be careful, as even the most skilled warriors can fall in battle, leaving your settlement vulnerable to further attacks.
Gnomoria is a game that offers a deep and engaging village management experience. With its intricate mechanics, challenging gameplay, and charming world, it will keep you entertained for hours on end. So gather your gnomes, sharpen your axes, and embark on an adventure like no other in the world of Gnomoria!
Factorio
Factorio is a game about resource management and industrial automation in an open world. Here, you’ll face challenges as you contend with the indigenous wildlife while constructing and maintaining an industrial infrastructure.
You will love Factorio if you enjoy the resource management and base-building aspects of Rimworld, with the added challenge of automation thrown in.
Northgard
Northgard stands out as it incorporates real-time strategy elements alongside the classic simulation management features. Set in an age of exploration and rich Norse mythology, you control a group of Vikings who aim to control the mysterious new continent.
Just like Rimworld, Northgard challenges players to plan and think strategically, but in a setting steeped in folklore and legend. This is indeed a treat for fans of strategy and simulation games.
Planetbase
Planetbase, a game set in space, challenges players to manage a group of settlers trying to establish a base on a distant planet. From constructing buildings to managing resources, the objective is survival in a hostile environment.
If you enjoyed the survival aspect and resource management of Rimworld, Planetbase is the game for you. Each planet has different conditions creating a uniquely challenging experience every time you play.
Life is Feudal: Forest Village
Life is Feudal: Forest Village is a town-building simulator where you guide the lives of your villagers. Here, your management skills shape the future of the village.
Similar to Rimworld, this game offers complex mechanics including farming, hunting and disease. If you enjoyed the sense of community in Rimworld, you will likely enjoy exploring the dynamic relationships that develop among your villagers in Forest Village.
Farworld Pioneers
Farworld Pioneers is a game where players must colonize new lands to ensure the survival of their people. This game offers a blend of survival and management simulation, stirring the explorer in each player.
You will build homes, gather food, and research technologies for improvement, similar to the goals of Rimworld. However, Farworld Pioneers brings a new dimension to the genre with its emphasis on exploration and colonization.
First Feudal
First Feudal is a strategy and management game where you play the role of a feudal lord. You are tasked with building and growing your medieval settlement while managing resources and tasks.
Coming in as a solid alternative to Rimworld, it offers a similar strategic survival experience, only this time, set in the medieval ages. Its unique setting and diverse challenges make it a compelling choice.
Going Medieval
Going Medieval is a unique mix of survival, strategy, and simulation game set in the medieval dark age. You construct and manage a settlement to protect your villagers from outside threats.
With mechanics similar to Rimworld such as crafting, building and researching advancements, you’d be engrossed in the same level of strategic management that Going Medieval offers.
Sheltered
Sheltered is a post-apocalyptic base management game where you keep your family alive in an underground bunker. Scavenge outside, upgrade your bunker, and protect your family from a dystopian world.
If you were drawn to the survival and base-building facets of Rimworld, Sheltered’s post-apocalyptic theme adds an extra layer of challenge to this mix, making it a worthy alternative to play.
Maia
Maia is a colony management game set on a hostile, alien world. You will need to colonize, explore, and survive on this extremely dangerous planet.
Maia is for those Rimworld players who love the colony-building aspect but desire a change in scenery. The odd sense of humour and distinct personality that this game brings creates a refreshing experience within the classic management simulation genre.
Conclusion
Games that feel like “RimWorld” combine planning, creativity, and unexpected twists. The titles we’ve gathered are all about making choices, building something, and sometimes watching it all go sideways. Ready to dive into more unpredictable and fun adventures?
