Games like Awakening of Darkness: Build, Survive and Defend
Looking for games like Awakening of Darkness: Build, Survive and Defend? Here are top open world city builder recommendations with a fantasy, medieval, post-apocalyptic, historical and dark fantasy focus, selected from player-similarity data — start with Heart Keeper, Sunbreak War or Luxmithar.
Enter the world of HUGE waves of enemies and dynamic battles! To protect yourself, you will strategically build powerful defenses, including turrets and various structures. These essential tools can be unlocked by leveling up or collecting resources scattered throughout the map. Choose from an arsenal of unique weapons, each designed with special abilities and tailored to different strategies. Bu… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Heart Keeper.
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Day night cycle strategy gameBuild during the day, fight at night - defend your territory with your mind and swords! 【Building strategy】 During the day, players need to construct and upgrade buildings, allocate resources to develop the economy, and deploy soldiers to establish defenses. ⚔️【Battle Control】 At night, players need to control the lords and command the soldiers to participate in … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Sunbreak War.
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Luxmithar is a 2D survival defense roguelite built in Godot, where you defend a crashed forge-ship against escalating waves of hostile forces. Each run unfolds across multiple days as you harvest resources, expand a modular grid-based world, and construct layered defenses to hold back relentless alien incursions. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Luxmithar.
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- 86%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, replayabilityMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, optimization86% User Score 1,486 reviews
Build a city and defend it in this Tower Defense game blending Roguelite mechanics with turn-based building Strategy. Choose your hero, utilize synergistic tower upgrades, and face epic battles in procedurally generated landscapes. Nordhold is a tower defense game for strategy enthusiasts who crave high replayability through endless combinations. Build and manage a cozy medieval Nordic village wh… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Nordhold.
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- 70%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, musicMost mentioned negative aspects:graphics, grinding70% User Score 166 reviews
Roadmap About the GameKingdom's Deck is a game about survival and growing your kingdom. As the ruler of the land, you must navigate the challenges of staying alive, taking care of your people's requirements, building a powerful army, and protecting your fort from approaching threats Step into the role of the king, entrusted with the fate of an entire realm. Your journey is guided by your co… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Kingdom's Deck.
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- 85%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, story85% User Score 436 reviews
Tower Factory is a game where you have to build a factory that allows you to create enough towers to defend yourself from enemies. You'll need to find and destroy the enemy castle before it becomes too powerful and its monsters overwhelm you! Features: Constantly build, expand, and upgrade your factory. Acquire resources to build more and better towers. Explore the map to locate the enemy… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Tower Factory.
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Broken Crown is a fantasy real-time strategy game built for players who miss the depth and intensity of classic RTS titles — reimagined with modern systems and large-scale battles. Build your base, gather resources, recruit armies, and command your forces in battles where formations, positioning, and decision-making truly matter. In a world shattered after the fall of the Crown, factions rise fr… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Broken Crown.
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- 87%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, musicMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability93% User Score 6,164 reviewsCritic Score 80%10 reviews
Defend the last bastion of humanity with your squad of heroes! Exterminate fiendish monsters with magic and brute force by night and re-build your battered city defenses by day in this tactical RPG with rogue-lite mechanics. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Last Spell.
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Darkness invades the world, and the light of the entire continent is devoured. Somewhere in the world, the last magical lighthouse shines its final light. Guard it, for it is the last hope of this world! Meow Tower - Doomsguard is a game rich in roguelike elements. The instant changes and strategies during battles will determine whether you win or lose. It is a strategic RPG game that combines … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Meow Tower - Doomsguard.
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- 56%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:atmosphere, musicMost mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, grinding83% User Score 18 reviews
1. Bribe your enemies! You no longer need to simply defeat your enemies! Offer them gold and turn them to your side. Wear down their health to break their fighting spirit, and eventually they’ll have no choice but to accept your offer! 2. Position your mercenaries on the battlefield! Remember! Your strategy can lead your entire team to victory—or total defeat. 3. Command your mercenarie… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Gold and Graves.
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Play the role of young Ember, curiously resourceful by day and mystically fierce by night.Don't let her appearance fool you! That's a foxtail, not a ponytail! One-half blazing, roguelite combat One-half strategic, lightweight survivalKey Features: Explore a dream forest as young Ember, collecting, discovering, building and preparing for the dangers of night. Battle relentless terr… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Ember the Werefox.
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- 78%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:story, music81% User Score 48 reviewsCritic Score 76%3 reviews
Flooded is a reversed city-builder, in which you need to optimize your production on an island that shrinks over time. Gather enough resources to flee to safety, while the surrounding world is getting flooded. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Flooded.
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- 75%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, replayabilityMost mentioned negative aspects:story, stability78% User Score 182 reviewsCritic Score 60%1 reviews
Defend the Rook is a roguelike tactics board combat combined with tower defense elements. Defeat the invading hoards to stay alive and save the land! Enjoy more tactics than a normal TD game, combined with the added challenge of building towers and fighting off waves of enemies! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Defend the Rook.
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The light must never go out. In the middle of a cold, endless sea stands a solitary lighthouse. Around it, your island begins to take shape, tile by tile, piece by piece. The sun breaks through the clouds and hope is in the air, but something eerie lurks beneath the surface. ShoreTiles is a strategic building and defense game where strategy, wits and luck all contribute to your island’s ulti… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to ShoreTiles.
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- 89%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability89% User Score 2,885 reviews
A roguelite city builder set in a relaxing fantasy world. Explore and rebuild your kingdom to bring it back to its former glory. Defeat hordes of enemies with an always unique team of defenders. Harvest, capture, build, mine, cook, brew, feed and grow. But be prepared to watch it all burn! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Super Fantasy Kingdom.
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- 79%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability79% User Score 426 reviews
A survival city-building game with flying cities. Build, automate, and defend a flying city to survive in a wacky, nightmare-infested, post-apocalyptic world full of strange science and dreams.Advanced society is long gone, the world is overrun by the Dream Plagues. The only survivors are small nomadic tribes that don’t attract too much attention. And now, the discovery of a long-abandoned project… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Dream Engines: Nomad Cities.
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- 70%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding69% User Score 521 reviewsCritic Score 69%2 reviews
Roll and use your dice to gather resources, construct buildings, expand your settlement and face the menacing threats of a mysterious ringworld. Dice Legacy Definitive Edition includes all the content from the original Dice Legacy release plus the three major updates. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Dice Legacy.
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In a world full of wild islands, your goal is to build, expand, and survive. Start with a small village, organize your people, and explore new lands while facing hostile creatures, fighting for territory, and trying to survive in an always unpredictable environment. Each island can bring something new: valuable resources, different enemies, or groups you may choose to ally with. Between explora… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Windowed Realms.
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- 96%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:graphics, atmosphereMost mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, story96% User Score 55 reviews
As Hell’s Governor, your task isn’t just building a city—it’s transforming chaos into order in a realm ruled by sin. Here, every decision and every soul counts. In this city builder, you’ll craft an infernal hell city from the remnants of despair, balancing limited resources while harnessing the power of lost souls. Navigate the dark challenges inspired by the seven deadly sins and confront col… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The HELL.
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- 71%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding71% User Score 139 reviews
The sacred World Tree has withered, and with it humanity. Now that a new sapling has sprouted, you must become its caretaker and guide it so that life that once was may return. Ark of Charon is a new type of game that combines colony simulation and tower defense, where players embark on a journey to guide a giant, beast-like sapling of a World Tree to its nursery. Players take on the role of the… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Ark of Charon.
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- 96%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding96% User Score 164 reviews
You embody a brave knight, whose mission is to defend the kingdom from the invasion of orcs. You will need to strategically place towers and walls to prevent the enemy orcs from invading and reaching the royal treasury. This thrilling real-time strategy tower defense game immerses you in a three-dimensional world, where every decision matters and every action impacts the outcome of the battl… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Brave and Glory.
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- 78%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:atmosphere, grinding88% User Score 40 reviews
You are a mote of light shining in the dark. You are also the only thing standing in the way of the approaching darkness. There are no phases or waves in Everwarder - there's you, your units, and a procedurally-generated world with unique challenges for each run. How long will you last until you're snuffed out and forced to return to limbo? Tower defense like no otherEvery run starts with your cr… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Everwarder.
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- 85%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:story, music85% User Score 211 reviews
You! the most outstanding pioneer who graduated from this kingdom, are finally about to embark on your legendary journey. Construct towns across various levels to fend off waves of attacks from diverse enemies until you establish a firm footing and complete your exploration! Build your own mini town Expand progressively on the barren map, construct a complete town, and uncover rarer buildings an… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Border Pioneer.
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Defend the flame. Shape your strategy. Survive the unknown.Forge your mana dominion in a fast-paced rogue-like RTS where strategy, magic, and survival collide. At the heart of your settlement lies your campfire. If it falls, the run ends. Every decision, every unit, and every building must serve one purpose: keep the fire alive. Build and expand your magical base in real time, gathering resources… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to ManaBorne.
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A calm yet strategic roguelike puzzle city builder where you create small, evolving towns one tile at a time. In Triple Realms, you place buildings and structures to form efficient little settlements that generate resources and fuel the growth of your capital. Each run gives you a new set of tiles, forcing you to adapt, experiment, and discover new ways to build. Like a living puzzle, every plac… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Triple Realms.
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A 2D Strategic Base Defender game set in Medieval times. As relentless Waves of enemy forces threaten your Stronghold, you must gather Resources, Fortify your Defenses, and lead your Rebellion. Prepare to strengthen your Base and manage your Resources. But be aware of the Storms! Step into the shoes of Elian, a brave young hero on a mission to defend his home village of Regera from relen… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Defender's Dynasty.
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Wandering Monolith is a Roguelike, Tower Defense game with Deckbuilding elements. Each playthrough is divided into these stages: Summon your towers - Strategically place your towers on the battlefield. Expand board - Watch as the board grows and changes with every decision you make. Defend your core - Protect your core at all costs from invading enemies. Pick your upgrade - Choose… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Wandering Monolith: Rogue TD.
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Overview: Phantom Forest is an immersive open-world survival game that seamlessly blends the atmospheric intensity of a Souls-like experience with the strategic challenges of an Action RPG (ARPG) and the creativity of city building. Set in a hauntingly beautiful world, players must navigate through treacherous landscapes, battle formidable foes, and establish thriving settlements in the midst of a… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Phantom Forest.
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- 71%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:graphics, replayability93% User Score 28 reviews
Games taking too long? Strategies too complex? Not here! Build your unique defense base in real-time with simple yet strategic space defense facilities! Repel the enemy, keep our energy cycle running! In Space Cycle, every choice matters. Pick and upgrade your defenses wisely! Let luck and strategy lead you to victory! If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Space Cycle.
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- 45%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, atmosphereMost mentioned negative aspects:graphics, grinding71% User Score 14 reviews
Emberwake is a 2D survival strategy game where you must protect the last ember of hope in a world plunged into darkness. Lead your villagers, gather resources, build defenses, and fend off relentless waves of undead as you struggle to keep your campfire alive. Your campfire is the heart of your village, providing warmth, light, and the will to survive. During the day, send your villagers ou… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Emberwake.
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- 79%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, story79% User Score 152 reviews
What you do during the day pays off at night: gather resources, place buildings, merge structures, trade resources, choose your NPCs wisely, send them on expeditions, deploy soldiers, merge units, and position your troops strategically. Factory Buildings: Produce the main resource you need to build and upgrade your base. Ammunition Buildings: Create ammo for soldiers, defenses, and special atta… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to City Defense Z.
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- 52%Game Brain Score52% User Score 3 reviews
A mini action city-builder in a post-post-apocalyptic world. Grow your settlement. Fend off waves of enemies. Restore nature. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Existential Treads.
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Join our Discord to claim the beta test access! About the Game Fadedlands: The Reckless Squad is a challenging, fast-paced turn-based game with roguelike elements. Do you think turn-based means just standing still and attacking? Here, positioning is key! Predict enemy skills, move flexibly, and dodge deadly strikes! The timing and positioning of your skills determine victory or defeat! … If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Fadedlands: The Reckless Squad.
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- 86%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding86% User Score 865 reviews
Welcome to Drill Core, where corporate greed meets strategic planet-mining! By day, lead an elite crew of miners, carriers, and guards as they carve a path through hostile alien worlds. Build advanced facilities, upgrade deadly turrets, and prepare for relentless nightly assaults from alien lifeforms. Will you chase maximum efficiency at any cost, or play it safe and fight to survive? Drill Core i… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Drill Core.
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- 78%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, storyMost mentioned negative aspects:stability, optimization92% User Score 36 reviews
What is Arhaekon? A challenging roguelike, turn-based RPG dungeon crawler set in a grimdark world on the brink of collapse. You lead small bands of units through procedurally generated dungeons, battling corruption and eldritch abominations to save humanity. Is it finished? Yes, Arhaekon left Early Access and is officially released since July 4th 2025. Why play this instead of other similar… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Arhaekon.
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- 66%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:music, story76% User Score 38 reviews
Stronghold Defenders is a Tower Defense game with a twist. Unlike normal Tower Defense games, you have gathering units and resources to manage as well as your defending units that are used to attack enemies. This adds another strategy layer to the game where you have to make decisions every turn on what resources you want to gather and if you want to recruit a defender or a gatherer. You also ne… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Stronghold Defenders.
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- 77%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability93% User Score 2,799 reviews
The Cataclismo left us broken. Construct fortresses and defend against waves of Horrors in this mix of tower defense and real-time strategy. Lead an expedition beyond the gates of the last city, and reclaim mist-shrouded ruins as you rebuild humanity—stone by stone. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Cataclismo.
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- 94%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:music, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:gameplay, character development94% User Score 124 reviews
Wishlist Now! Music By About the GameThe Last Spell Prologue lets you experience the first five days of the final game. You start with only 3 heroes at your disposal, and their weapons are... not the best ones. But they can still make use of cool skills to get rid of those damned monsters! Build up your defenses, protect your city, and slay the very first hordes of enemies you will encounter i… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The Last Spell: Prologue.
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- 76%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability81% User Score 1,184 reviewsCritic Score 50%1 reviews
The Apocalypse is here. Demons all around. Now, it’s time to fight back! Build, manage and defend your base in a post apocalyptic colony simulation. Will you survive Judgment day? If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Judgment: Apocalypse Survival Simulation.
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- 69%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:story, grinding68% User Score 235 reviewsCritic Score 58%2 reviews
The quiet hamlets of the Vale stand defenseless... No walls, no moats, not even a presentable fence. You'll have to use your resources wisely to transform each village from farm-town to fortress. Build defenses, train troops, and hold the line with powerful heroes in ValeGuard, a Defensive Strategy game. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to ValeGuard.
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Crystant is a post-apocalyptic survival game where you play as a test subject trapped in an underground laboratory. Step by step, you explore the corridors ahead, facing mysterious creatures and unknown events. IntroductionYou wake up from a sudden quake, reminded of your current predicament—locked away in a windowless laboratory. Suddenly, the door opens. Blinding white light floods in, rev… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Crystant.
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Humanity is being hunted. Hordes of Vilekin rise from the tall grass, and mainly boys and old men remain to hold the line. You are Gray, a child thrust into a holy war, who must be the very best in controlling the same monsters who hunt him. Join humanity's last crusade against extinction. Fear Tall Grass is a dark fantasy creature-battler fused with board-game movement, strategic combat time… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Fear Tall Grass.
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Bloodfront is a top-down dark fantasy survival game where you build a village by day and defend it from endless demonic hordes by night.There are no second chances. When the village falls, the run ends. Prepare by day. Survive the night. Repeat until you fall. In Bloodfront, each run is a single, escalating survival challenge. During the day, you gather resources, construct buildings, and posi… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Bloodfront.
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- 55%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, musicMost mentioned negative aspects:story, stability77% User Score 22 reviews
Defend the CastleHow long can you survive - when each day only makes the enemy stronger? Defend the Castle is an intense day-by-day tower defense game where you fight off waves of attackers in a world that never gives you a moment to breathe. Each day brings 5 waves of enemy assaults, and you have only 60 seconds to survive. But this isn't just a game about defense. It's a game about choices… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Defend the Castle.
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- 71%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:story, gameplayMost mentioned negative aspects:music, stability71% User Score 51 reviews
GAME EDITIONS About the GameTake on the role of the Tlatoani, the divine ruler of Tenochtitlán. Build your city upon the waters of Lake Texcoco, lead your people to glory, and bring the long war against the Moon Goddess to its final reckoning. Build the Heart of an Empire Construct over 25 unique building types, each upgradeable across four levels except the Story-Exclusive ones. Terrafor… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Aztecs: The Last Sun.
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- 79%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability80% User Score 4,907 reviewsCritic Score 74%2 reviews
Lay claim to unspoiled lands and pave the way for a fierce Viking tribe. Craft the ultimate settlement solo or together with up to x3 friends. Trust in the Gods and the power of the Eye of Odin and summon intelligent NPC villagers to provide camaraderie and relief from the toils of survival. In ASKA, strive to build a self-sustaining Viking tribe, working, crafting, hunting and fighting together.… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Aska.
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- 88%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability88% User Score 5,433 reviews
A challenging godlike village simulator designed to bridge the gap between the complexities of village simulation with the simplicity of classic 90s real-time strategy. Inspired by games like Towns, Gnomoria, Warcraft, Banished and Dwarf Fortress but not quite like any of them. Updated frequently. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Rise to Ruins.
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- 89%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, story91% User Score 3,108 reviewsCritic Score 83%1 reviews
The King is Watching is a roguelite kingdom builder. Rule by the power of your royal gaze! Decide between producing resources, training armies, or balancing both, while adapting to unique events every run If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to The King is Watching.
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- 91%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:grinding, monetization95% User Score 28,576 reviewsCritic Score 91%6 reviews
Rebuild civilization in the face of apocalyptic rains. If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Against the Storm.
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- 89%Game Brain ScoreMost mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, graphicsMost mentioned negative aspects:replayability89% User Score 93 reviews
Siegebreaker is a fast-paced tower defense game where every decision matters. Confront the might of four corrupted gods across handcrafted maps, and adapt your strategy with unique towers, meaningful upgrades, and powerful synergies. Created by the last benevolent deities, you are a divine construct—the final defense in a world of magic and chaos, now consumed by corrupted gods. Place your defe… If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Siegebreaker.
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