20 Best Games Like Anno 117: Pax Romana – Fan Favorites 2025
If you’re searching for games like Anno 177 Pax: Romana, this list dives straight into titles that capture that mix of city building, trade, and empire management we all crave.
As someone who loves shaping provinces and tightening production chains, I know the thrill of watching a small outpost grow into a thriving Roman Empire-style powerhouse. So I’m telling you, that same appeal shows up here: the satisfaction of taking control, organizing resources, and guiding your people through new challenges.
Whatever your style, these great games will offer strategic depth, fresh decisions, and plenty of room to grow your next empire.
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Our Top Picks for Games Like Anno 117: Pax Romana
Before you jump into the full list, here are the three titles that, in my experience, capture that mix of planning, strategy, and growing settlements into a thriving empire better than anything else:
- Tropico 6 (2019) – A sharp blend of political intrigue, economic prowess, and island-city management. Its flexible production chains and constant decisions make it perfect if you want new challenges beyond classic Roman provinces.
- Cities: Skylines (2015) – A modern city builder that rewards smart layouts and long-term planning. Watching your city come alive makes it one of the truly great games for anyone who loves to create and refine urban systems.
- Banished (2014) – A tough city building experience where every resource matters and your people’s lives are always on the line. Perfect for fans of similar games that demand careful planning from the very first hut.
These three are already top-tier picks, but keep scrolling, the full list brings even more depth, variety, and worlds to explore.
20 Best Games Like Anno 117: Pax Romana – Strategy Picks
Be ready to dive deeper into rich city building, tough land battles, expanding your empire, and shaping new provinces. This full lineup has plenty to keep you hooked. How many of these games like Anno 177: Pax Romana have you played?
1. Tropico 6 [Best Political-Economy City Builder]
| Our score | 10
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| Type of game | Political-economy / city-builder |
| Platforms | PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Switch |
| Year of release | 2019 |
| Creator/s | Limbic Entertainment (developer), Kalypso Media (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 30–100h |
| Best for | Fans of empire growth, economic strategy, island management |
| What I liked | Archipelago structure + humorous political mechanics |
In Tropico 6, you step into the shoes of El Presidente and manage your own island (or rather archipelago) nation, juggling infrastructure, economy, diplomacy and even military might. It keeps every session dynamic, letting you create a nation shaped by your choices, leadership style, and the direction you want its future to head toward.
The game’s visual aesthetic is colourful, satirical and lively. You’ll be building bridges between islands, organising trade, setting edicts and sometimes staging raids for world wonders.
The ability to expand across islands, perform strategic raids and govern with both political and economic tools gives Tropico 6 a unique twist. If you’re looking for a builder that values diplomatic skills and economic prowess in equal measure, this one hits hard.
One thing that stands out is how it lets you lead an emergent Roman Empire-style power (minus the Romans) across tropical islands, blending humour with deep strategic systems.
My Verdict: If you love mixing island-based city creation with high-stakes political manoeuvres and long-term empire-style growth, Tropico 6 is a must. It’s playful, deep and constantly keeps you deciding between progress, power, and popularity.
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2. Cities: Skylines [Best Modern Urban Management Sim]
| Our score | 9.8
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| Type of game | City-builder / urban management sim |
| Platforms | PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch |
| Year of release | 2015 |
| Creator/s | Colossal Order (developer), Paradox Interactive (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 40–200h |
| Best for | Players who want to create large, complex, realistic cities |
| What I liked | Flexible zoning, deep transport tools, modding support |
Cities: Skylines takes that familiar satisfaction you get from games like Anno 117: Pax Romana and shifts it into a contemporary sandbox where every decision shapes how your workers live and move. Instead of guiding a province through the age of empires, you’re growing a modern metropolis, adjusting zoning, traffic flow, and utilities across the land you claim.
As neighbourhoods grow, the game pulls you into balancing services and refining traffic, with room to experiment through layouts inspired by nature, Rome, or even the industrial revolution. Its massive modding scene lets you create detailed cities, test policies and add new tools, while ongoing support and extra research systems keep things fresh.
Cities: Skylines stands out for letting you shape massive, living cities with remarkable detail. Its policy depth, transport tools, and modding flexibility give it the strategic weight fans expect from empire-style builders.
Seeing tiny characters move through busy districts makes every choice feel meaningful, and it’s easy to tweak designs the moment you imagine a better route.
My Verdict: If you love watching a metropolis rise from empty land, Cities: Skylines delivers that same strategic satisfaction you get from Anno 117: Pax Romana, just reimagined through a modern, urban lens.
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3. Banished [Best Harsh Survival Settlement Sim]
| Our score | 9.6
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| Type of game | Survival settlement sim / strategy |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2014 |
| Creator/s | Shining Rock Software (developer & publisher) |
| Average playtime | 20–80h |
| Best for | Players who enjoy micromanagement, realism, and tough survival loops |
| What I liked | Brutal resource management, family aging system, seasonal pressure |
Banished feels like the opposite of a roman triumph: instead of basking in an emperor’s glory, you’re just trying to keep a tiny village alive long enough to see another season. It’s a small-scale, almost dark fantasy city builder where hunger, cold and poorly timed storms can wipe out everything you’ve worked for. And honestly, that’s part of what makes it addictive.
You lead a handful of exiles who have to survive using whatever they can gather. There’s no direct combat or military system, your real enemies are winter, resource shortages, and that moment when you realize all your labourers got old at the same time. Every villager has a life cycle, families form, kids grow up, and if too many elders die at once…well, you’ll see what happened soon enough.
Banished shines because every resource matters. Its aging system, labour shortages and seasonal tension make it a survival-first builder with features no similar games pull off this tightly.
The minimal UI lets you simply play, keep your supply chains tight, and react fast when things go wrong.
My Verdict: If you enjoy guiding a vulnerable community and pushing through brutal conditions, Banished nails that survival-first feeling you love in Anno 117: Pax Romana, just with harsher stakes and zero mercy.
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4. Frostpunk [Best Moral & Survival City-Building Challenge]
| Our score | 9.5
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| Type of game | Survival strategy / society management |
| Platforms | PC, PS4, Xbox One |
| Year of release | 2018 |
| Creator/s | 11 bit studios (developer & publisher) |
| Average playtime | 20–60h |
| Best for | Players who enjoy tough decisions, cold-weather survival and moral dilemmas |
| What I liked | Law system, atmosphere, desperate resource pressure |
Frostpunk throws you into a frozen world where your people will survive only if you’re willing to make brutal calls. You play as the leader of the last industrial-era settlement, shaping laws that directly influence daily life (child labour, extended shifts, harsh punishments), each with consequences you’ll feel immediately.
The aesthetic is bleak and stunning: snowstorms swallowing buildings, workers huddling near the generator, and that constant sense that one bad decision will collapse everything. Managing heat levels, coal supply, food production and citizen hope becomes a constant fight against the cold rather than any traditional enemy.
k stands out for how your moral choices reshape society. No other survival game ties lawmaking, resource strain and narrative consequences together this effectively.
What keeps the tension high is how every scenario adds new features that push your limits, which makes it one of the most interesting city-building games you need to try. My Verdict: If you like guiding people through impossible situations and making choices you’ll replay in your head later, Frostpunk delivers a gripping survival experience that hits harder than most strategy games.
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5. They Are Billions [Best Post-Apocalyptic Base Builder With Strategy Combat]
| Our score | 9.4
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| Type of game | RTS / survival base builder |
| Platforms | PC, PS4, Xbox One |
| Year of release | 2019 |
| Creator/s | Numantian Games (developer & publisher) |
| Average playtime | 30–120h |
| Best for | Players who enjoy tough defence layouts and constant pressure |
| What I liked | Wall-crafting, chokepoint strategy, escalating tension |
They Are Billions throws you into a world overrun by infected hordes, where every session feels like a battle to survive against impossible odds. You play as the leader of a fragile colony, expanding your base while prepping for the next wave.
The vibe is steampunk-grim, almost like an emperor trying to keep order while the world burns. Your team gathers resources, builds defences, and reinforces walls before a single mistake brings the whole place down.
It forces you to fight smarter, not harder. Optimising chokepoints, upgrading troops, and knowing exactly when to promote new units gives it a depth few RTS titles match.
What really keeps you hooked is the tension: procedural maps, sudden swarms, and that creeping feeling that a single breach can undo everything. The moment the infected slip through a weak point, the colony collapses fast, and you instantly start planning the next attempt. It’s the kind of pressure that makes each run feel fresh and genuinely exciting.
My Verdict: If you love strategic pressure and watching a base rise or fall based on every tiny decision, They Are Billions gives you that adrenaline spike no other survival RTS can match.
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6. Surviving Mars [Best Sci-Fi Colony Management Experience]
| Our score | 9.2
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| Type of game | Sci-fi colony sim / management strategy |
| Platforms | PC, PS4, Xbox One |
| Year of release | 2018 |
| Creator/s | Haemimont Games (developer), Paradox Interactive (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 30–150h |
| Best for | Players who enjoy logistics, tech progression, and long-term planning |
| What I liked | Life-support chains, dome layouts, rover automation |
Surviving Mars drops you on the Red Planet with nothing but drones, domes and a desperate need to keep everyone alive. Instead of building a province like in ancient Rome, you’re basically acting as a futuristic governor, juggling oxygen, water, power and the mental health of colonists who crack under pressure.
The vibe is clean, retro-sci-fi, with colorful domes glowing at night and rovers scurrying around like a tiny team handling the heavy lifting.
The blend of life-support logistics, research trees and hazard management makes this one of the smartest colony sims available, especially for players who love deep systemic play without feeling overwhelmed. And it also sits comfortably among the best sci-fi games if you like your strategy with a bit of atmosphere and long-term planning.
What keeps it engaging is how each breakthrough tech subtly shifts your strategy. One discovery might promote full automation, another changes resource flow entirely. Whether you go full sandbox or follow story-driven mysteries, the pacing always feels fresh.
My Verdict: If you enjoy carefully expanding a colony while fighting Mars’ brutal conditions, Surviving Mars delivers a satisfying mix of structure, discovery and sci-fi survival.
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7. Planetbase [Best Resource-Focused Planet Settlement Sim]
| Our score | 9
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| Type of game | Sci-fi colony sim / resource management |
| Platforms | PC, PS4, Xbox One |
| Year of release | 2015 |
| Creator/s | Madruga Works (developer & publisher) |
| Average playtime | 15–50h |
| Best for | Players who enjoy tight logistics, survival pressure and clear expansion goals |
| What I liked | Life-support loops, prioritisation system, clean modular bases |
Planetbase puts you in charge of a small off-world outpost where every oxygen generator, solar panel and meal matters. It’s not the latest entry in the genre, but it’s still one of the cleanest survival-management loops out there.
You guide your colonists as they build modules, automate tasks and expand the base while the planet throws sandstorms, droughts and harsh nights at you. Sometimes it feels like the environment itself decides whether to spare you or not, almost like the gods of the planet flipping a coin.
Planetbase stands out for its strict resource loops and smart scheduling system. Few colony games make efficiency feel this rewarding without overwhelming the player.
As you progress, mid-game goals kick in (plastic production, robotics, mining setups) and your crew naturally grows into a fully functioning workforce. It’s simple at first, but there’s enough depth to keep things interesting as your base expands.
My Verdict: Fans of survival-focused builders where every resource counts will find Planetbase incredibly rewarding. It’s a tight sci-fi management experience where every expansion genuinely feels earned.
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8. Humankind [Best Civilization-Scale Culture-Building Strategy]
| Our score | 8.8
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| Type of game | 4X strategy / empire builder |
| Platforms | PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One |
| Year of release | 2021 |
| Creator/s | Amplitude Studios (developer), SEGA (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 40–200h |
| Best for | Players who enjoy long-term planning, culture shaping and big-picture strategy |
| What I liked | Era evolution, cultural fusion system, flexible city-region structure |
Instead of dropping you into one fixed civilization, Humankind hands you a blank slate where your people evolve across eras. Every time you shift into a new age, you pick a fresh culture: Egyptians one run, Romans the next, then something entirely different.
The fun comes from watching your choices reshape the entire direction of your civilization every time you step into a new era. You’ll expand regions, manage influence, guide your population and decide how your society develops, visually and mechanically.
Humankind is one of the best strategy games, thanks to its cultural fusion mechanic, letting you build a civilisation that feels genuinely unique each playthrough. It’s perfect for players who enjoy era progression but want more control over identity and direction.
The art style mixes clean modern UI with warm, painterly terrain, making huge maps easy to read as your territory grows.
My Verdict: This game is a great fit for strategy fans who want civilisation-scale decisions without getting locked into a single predefined culture. Its era shifts keep each campaign fresh and full of surprises.
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9. Pharaoh: A New Era [Best Ancient Empire City-Builder]
| Our score | 8.6
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| Type of game | Historical city-builder / management strategy |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2023 (remake) |
| Creator/s | Triskell Interactive (developer), Dotemu (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 30–120h |
| Best for | Players who want deep systems, historical style and classic management loops |
| What I liked | Monument building, Nile-based production, layered service systems |
Pharaoh: A New Era revives one of the most iconic ancient-Egypt management games with a clean modern look and the same depth that made the original a classic. In this game you’re shaping full Egyptian provinces, managing irrigation, feeding your people and developing neighbourhoods that move through different social tiers.
The visual style is bright and hand-painted, and watching the Nile flood each year still feels incredibly satisfying.
This remake keeps the intricate supply chains, district services and monument construction fans loved, while making everything smoother and easier to read. It’s faithful, polished and perfect for players who enjoy complex historical management.
As you move through the campaign, each scenario pushes you to refine layouts, balance resources and juggle cultural needs like entertainment and religion. The pacing keeps you engaged without overwhelming you, and every completed monument feels like a proper achievement.
My Verdict: Pharaoh: A New Era is a strong pick for strategy fans who enjoy historical management with plenty of moving parts. It’s a classic experience refreshed for modern players without losing what made it great.
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10. Crusader Kings III [Best Medieval Grand Strategy & Dynasty Simulator]
| Our score | 8.5
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| Type of game | Grand strategy / dynasty simulation |
| Platforms | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S |
| Year of release | 2020 |
| Creator/s | Paradox Development Studio (developer), Paradox Interactive (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 50–300h |
| Best for | Players who enjoy political scheming, role-playing and long-form strategy |
| What I liked | Dynasty storytelling, vassal politics, event depth |
What makes Crusader Kings III stand out right away is how it treats power: not as something you command, but something you negotiate through generations. Managing power quickly turns into a balancing act between ambitious heirs, scheming vassals, and marriages that spark more problems than they solve. Alliances rise and fall with a single court slip-up, and the painterly world map gives each realm its own flavor as your influence stretches across vast provinces.
The mix of character-driven storytelling and deep political mechanics makes CK3 unlike any other grand strategy game. Decisions spark consequences, and the emergent drama is endlessly replayable.
Your dynasty can soar with a few smart decisions, or implode when an heir develops terrible habits. That blend of intrigue and light economic play keeps every run unpredictable.
My Verdict: Crusader Kings III is perfect for strategy fans who want long-term storytelling mixed with political depth. Every run becomes its own medieval saga filled with surprises.
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11. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI [Best Turn-Based 4X Empire Builder]
| Our score | 8.4
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| Type of game | Turn-based 4X strategy |
| Platforms | PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, iOS |
| Year of release | 2016 |
| Creator/s | Firaxis Games (developer), 2K (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 50–300h |
| Best for | Players who enjoy macro-level empire control across eras |
| What I liked | Flexible policies, deep tech trees, endless replayability |
Civilization VI drops you onto a fresh map and lets you guide a faction from the ancient age all the way into the far future. Instead of watching one settlement grow in real time like in Anno 117: Pax Romana, here every choice shapes the bigger picture, from diplomacy and culture to military decisions and how your people live as your provinces grow.
The tech and civics trees let you shape your identity as you play, and the clean art style makes each region immediately recognisable. And the turn-based pace gives you room to think ahead, especially when planning supply routes or managing borders with aggressive neighbours who want to fight more than talk.
Civilization VI excels at delivering that “big picture” control. The era progression, flexible policies and massive replay value make it perfect for players who love strategy with long-term consequences, and it’s also a great pick for anyone who enjoys turn-based strategy games with room to think each move through.
Mods, scenarios and unique civ abilities keep the game feeling fresh, even years after the latest entry launched.
My Verdict: Civilization VI shines when you want full control over history itself, letting you grow cultures, build alliances and guide your people across centuries with choices that actually matter.
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12. Kingdoms and Castles [Best Charming Medieval Settlement Builder]
| Our score | 8.2
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| Type of game | Medieval town-builder / light defense sim |
| Platforms | PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5 |
| Year of release | 2017 (PC), 2023–2024 (consoles) |
| Creator/s | Lion Shield (developer & publisher), BlitWorks (console publisher) |
| Average playtime | 10–40h |
| Best for | Players who want a cozy medieval builder with raids and dragons |
| What I liked | Simple layout tools, fun tower defense tension |
Kingdoms and Castles starts you with a tiny hamlet, a keep, and just enough workers to get things moving. From there, you gradually shape a thriving medieval realm, laying out houses, farms, granaries, towers, and walls while your peasants hustle through real-time seasons.
As your settlement grows, trouble starts knocking. Vikings poke at weak spots, dragons scorch whatever you forgot to protect, and the odd disaster keeps you on your toes. But nothing feels too harsh, it just nudges you to tighten defenses and rethink a few layouts.
Kingdoms and Castles earns its spot thanks to how cleanly it blends approachability with smart strategic play. The escalating threats give you a sense of progression, the defense layouts genuinely matter, and the charming voxel look makes it easy to read the whole map even when things get busy.
Once you settle into the flow of reinforcing walls, stocking essentials, and adjusting your layout as new threats appear, the game becomes surprisingly absorbing, easy to relax with, but rewarding enough to keep you experimenting for hours.
My Verdict: If you like the strategic loop in games like Anno 177: Pax Romana but want something more relaxed and charming, Kingdoms and Castles is a cosy medieval alternative with satisfying defensive play.
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13. Aven Colony [Best Alien Planet Colony Builder]
| Our score | 8
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| Type of game | Sci-fi management sim / colony builder |
| Platforms | PC, PS4, Xbox One |
| Year of release | 2017 |
| Creator/s | Mothership Entertainment (developer), Team17 (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 15–60h |
| Best for | Players who want a structured sci-fi builder with hazards and progression |
| What I liked | Atmospheric biomes, steady difficulty curve |
Aven Colony drops you straight onto an alien world where the air isn’t breathable, the plants glow at night, and the terrain itself feels hostile. Your job is to grow a functioning outpost by juggling power, air quality, water networks, food production and morale, all in real time. It starts gently, almost like a short demo designed to get you comfortable, but the moment you land in later regions, you’ll be dealing with spores, toxic storms, freezing nights and other planetary quirks.
As you expand, you unlock specialised modules through research: geothermal plants, drone hubs, VR centers, chemical refineries…each pushing your industrial setup in a new direction.
Aven Colony stands out for how cleanly it blends survival systems with futuristic infrastructure. The alien ecology forces smart decision-making, the research tree shapes your long-term growth, and each biome feels distinct enough to keep you experimenting.
The campaign missions guide you through trickier biomes with clear goals, while sandbox mode lets you build freely without that big Ubisoft-style sprawl.
My Verdict: If you enjoy Anno-style logic but want it on a stranger, more atmospheric world, Aven Colony is a great pick: structured, great-looking, and always engaging without feeling overwhelming.
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14. The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom 2010 [Best Trade-Focused Medieval Builder]
| Our score | 7.8
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| Type of game | Medieval builder / strategy with tactical expansion |
| Platforms | PC |
| Year of release | 2010 |
| Creator/s | Blue Byte (developer), Ubisoft (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 20–100h |
| Best for | Players who enjoy strategic resource flow and flexible playstyles |
| What I liked | Layered production chains, satisfying territory control |
The Settlers 7 drops you into a colourful medieval world where every little workshop, mill and convoy links into a bigger production web. Instead of juggling demons or fantasy forces, everything is grounded in smart planning: moving goods efficiently, choosing which regions to claim and deciding how you want your faction to grow.
You can pick a strategic path (economic, tech-heavy, or military) that completely shifts how you build and expand. Your layouts actually influence how fights play out, and the campaign teaches the basics at a steady pace before you jump into skirmishes or multiplayer, where the replay value really opens up.
The Settlers 7 stands out for how tightly its production loops connect to territory control. Your layout actually affects combat strength, and the different strategic paths keep every match feeling fresh.
The visual style is bright and almost board-game-like, making it easy to read what’s happening as your network expands.
My Verdict: If you like strategy games where smart resource flow and territory choices decide the winner, The Settlers 7 is still one of the most satisfying medieval picks out there.
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15. Port Royale 3 [Best Caribbean Economy & Trade Strategy Game]
| Our score | 7.6
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| Type of game | Caribbean management sim / naval strategy |
| Platforms | PC, PS3, Xbox 360 |
| Year of release | 2012 |
| Creator/s | Gaming Minds Studios (developer), Kalypso Media (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 20–120h |
| Best for | Players who like managing routes, fleets and long-term growth |
| What I liked | Convoy control, flexible trading networks |
What makes Port Royale 3 stand out right away is how alive its Caribbean map feels. Every port has its own supply levels, needs and prices, so moving goods isn’t just about profit, it becomes a whole strategic layer where timing matters as much as the cargo itself.
You’ll build up towns through plantations, workshops and production lines, all while sailing between them with convoys you customise ship by ship.
Port Royale 3 earns its spot thanks to how cleanly it mixes convoy strategy with a reactive Caribbean marketplace. The shifting prices, active seas and town specialisation keep each run feeling different.
The seas aren’t quiet either. Pirates, privateers and rival nations can disrupt your routes, which adds a bit of tension. It’s strategic without being stressful, and the naval battles give your fleet upgrades real purpose.
My Verdict: Great pick if you enjoy shaping networks, tuning fleets and watching your influence spread across the Caribbean. It keeps a great balance between depth and comfort, giving you plenty to manage without ever feeling heavy.
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16. SimCity 4 (Deluxe) [Best Classic City-Building Sandbox]
| Our score | 7.5
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| Type of game | Urban simulation / management sandbox |
| Platforms | PC, Mac |
| Year of release | 2003 |
| Creator/s | Maxis (developer), Electronic Arts (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 40–200h |
| Best for | Players who enjoy deep systems and long-form experimentation |
| What I liked | Transport depth, long-term progression |
SimCity 4 throws you into a huge region where each map can grow into its own massive urban hub, all connected through highways, rail and utilities. You spend your time shaping neighbourhoods, tweaking zoning, managing power and water, and slowly watching traffic patterns morph as your population climbs.
As you expand across different tiles, each area develops its own personality, from industrial clusters to dense downtown centres and quieter suburban zones, creating a region that feels handmade. It’s the kind of game where one tiny adjustment in traffic flow can change the vibe of an entire district, and that’s exactly why it still holds up today.
The game’s layered utilities, rich transport tools and surprisingly intricate industry links make it one of the most flexible sandboxes ever released. Add the enormous modding scene, and it becomes a bottomless well of replay value.
The visual style is clean and readable, and the Deluxe Edition adds extra scenarios that challenge you with specific goals while still letting you experiment at your own pace. And if you love this kind of urban sim, it’s worth checking out some of the best games like SimCity to find even more management-heavy sandboxes.
My Verdict: Ideal for players who love tinkering, balancing infrastructure and slowly shaping something huge over time. Few classics still play this smoothly.
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17. Tropico 5 [Best Dictator-Sim With Historical Progression]
| Our score | 7.4
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| Type of game | Dictator-sim / historical management |
| Platforms | PC, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One |
| Year of release | 2014 |
| Creator/s | Haemimont Games (developer), Kalypso Media (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 20–80h |
| Best for | Players who enjoy politics, long-form growth and humorous dictatorship vibes |
| What I liked | Era shifts, flexible production lines |
Tropico 5 puts you back in the shoes of El Presidente, but this time your dynasty stretches across multiple historical eras. You start small and slowly evolve into a modern powerhouse, unlocking new buildings, tech upgrades and political systems along the way. And the whole thing has that signature Tropico charm: sunny landscapes, colourful architecture and citizens who aren’t shy about complaining when you push them too hard.
As you expand your territory, you juggle exports, tourism, foreign powers, rebellions and the occasional uprising that keeps things spicy. And it also offers the kind of flexible, open-ended progression you find in many of the best sandbox games.
Tropico 5 earns its spot for how well it ties era progression to strategic decisions. The political layers, industry specialisations and evolving tech give each phase a different rhythm, and the option to play co-op or competitive adds a ton of replay value.
Once your industries are humming and your advisors stop yelling about shortages, the game becomes a fun mix of politics, long-term planning and lighthearted chaos.
My Verdict: A great pick if you enjoy shaping a nation across centuries and mixing humour with strategic management. Tropico 5 gives you plenty to tweak without ever feeling overwhelming.
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18. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition [Best Classic Historical RTS Empire Builder]
| Our score | 7.2
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| Type of game | Historical RTS / empire expansion |
| Platforms | PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S |
| Year of release | 2019 (Definitive Edition) |
| Creator/s | Forgotten Empires (developer), Xbox Game Studios (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 40–200h |
| Best for | Players who want classic RTS strategy with long-term growth |
| What I liked | Smooth age progression, varied civ playstyles |
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition brings back one of the most beloved RTS experiences ever made. You start in the Dark Age with just a handful of villagers, then slowly expand your territory while gathering wood, food, gold and stone under constant pressure.
Each civilisation comes with its own units and tech paths, so figuring out the right mix of micro and macro becomes part of the fun. Some lean into cavalry rushes, others rely on strong archers, and a few reward players who enjoy running tight production chains while handling early threats.
AoE2 blends tight RTS combat with deep resource management. The age progression, civ variety and polished controls make every match feel different, whether you’re a casual player or someone who min-maxes every second.
The updated visuals make medieval maps pop with color, and the audio overhaul gives battles a weight they never had in the older versions. So for many RTS fans, it’s still the best Age of Empires game to learn, master and keep installed forever.
My Verdict: A great pick if you want a classic RTS that still feels sharp today. Age of Empires II: DE gives you strategic freedom, fast-paced battles and tons of replay value.
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19. Surviving the Aftermath [Best Post-Collapse Colony Survival Manager]
| Our score | 7
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| Type of game | Post-apocalyptic colony management / survival sim |
| Platforms | PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch |
| Year of release | 2021 |
| Creator/s | Iceflake Studios (developer), Paradox Interactive (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 20–100h |
| Best for | Players who enjoy survival loops, exploration and resource juggling |
| What I liked | Scavenging runs, tech-tree progression |
Surviving the Aftermath drops you into a world that’s barely holding together, and your job is to rebuild a functioning settlement from almost nothing. You grow your base piece by piece, gather resources in real time, scout the wasteland for supplies and send specialists to pick through ruined towns.
Colonists bring problems of their own (radiation, sickness, random events) and early mistakes can snowball fast, though nothing feels unfair unless you let small issues turn into demons later on. Research unlocks new industry lines, and crafting stations help stabilise things once you get your footing.
It strikes a sweet balance between survival pressure and logistical depth. The supply chains, scavenger routes and tech progression feel meaty without overwhelming you, and the world-map expeditions add a layer most management sims skip.
Once your caravans start moving and your specialists clean out nearby hotspots, the whole camp settles into a satisfying rhythm that blends exploration with steady growth.
My Verdict: Great pick if you enjoy survival colony sims that reward careful resource flow and long-term planning without drowning you in systems.
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20. Anno 1800 [Best Industrial-Era Anno-Style City Builder]
| Our score | 6.8
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| Type of game | Industrial-era city-builder / strategy |
| Platforms | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S |
| Year of release | 2019 |
| Creator/s | Ubisoft Mainz (developer), Ubisoft (publisher) |
| Average playtime | 40–200h |
| Best for | Players who love logistics, long-term growth and complex production layers |
| What I liked | Multi-tier supply chains, gorgeous visuals |
Anno 1800 drops you right into the chaos and excitement of the Industrial Revolution, where every little choice can ripple across your whole network. You start with a modest port town and slowly turn it into a buzzing industrial hub, stacking production tiers, managing busy shipping lines, dealing with diplomacy and keeping markets happy.
Different territories push you toward different strategies depending on what resources they offer, so specialising each one becomes part of the fun. And because the game lets you pause whenever you want, you can tweak routes, shipments, layouts and logistics without feeling rushed. Ubisoft Mainz packed in a ton of detail, but it still plays smoothly once you understand the rhythm.
Anno 1800 nails the industrial-era fantasy through multi-tier production, complex shipping networks and a world that reacts to your decisions. The mix of logistics, diplomacy and visual flair makes it one of the strongest entries in the series.
Once your shipping routes hum and your factories sync up, the game settles into a hypnotic flow that rewards clever expansion and long-term thinking. And you’ll definitely enjoy the visuals too: smokestacks, crowded streets, fancy investor districts, and quiet countryside areas all packed with life.
My Verdict: Perfect if you enjoy rich management games with deep logistics and stunning worldbuilding. Anno 1800 gives you endless room to optimize and reshape your industrial empire.
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My Overall Verdict
If you’re trying to figure out where to start with games like Anno 117: Pax Romana, the right pick depends a lot on how you like to play. Some people want chill building, others want pressure, others want full strategy brain-rot. Here’s the easiest way to find your match:
- For newcomers who want something approachable → Kingdoms and Castles: Charming, simple to read, and the perfect warm-up before tackling bigger strategy systems.
- For players who want the classic macro-strategy experience → Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Turn-based and thoughtful, giving you plenty of time to experiment with long-term growth without pressure.
- For sci-fi fans who like logistics with survival spice → Surviving Mars: A clean blend of colony management, production loops, and Martian hazards that keep things interesting.
- For players craving industrial-era depth and layered systems → Anno 1800: A massive sandbox of production chains, trade routes, diplomacy and visual flair. Pure strategy comfort food.
Whatever your style (calm, tactical, sci-fi, or full industrial complexity), there’s a perfect entry point here to dive into Anno-style gameplay.
FAQs
The best game like Anno 117: Pax Romana is Tropico 6, thanks to its political layers, island-wide logistics and that mix of structure and freedom Anno players love. And if you prefer something calmer, Kingdoms and Castles is a great entry point.
Anno 117: Pax Romana is a real-time strategy and management game where you grow territories, balance production lines and keep your population happy. It’s all about shaping a thriving region without the pressure of fast combat.
What makes Anno-style games unique is how they mix relaxed resource building with deep production chains and long-term territorial growth. Few strategy titles combine planning, logistics and steady expansion in such a satisfying way.
Yes, Anno 117 is similar to Anno 1800, especially in how both use layered production systems, steady progression and real-time management. Anno 1800 leans more into industrial complexity, while Anno 117 keeps things rooted in ancient-era growth.
Yes, there are other Roman-era builders, with Caesar III and Nebuchadnezzar (not in this list) being notable picks. From this article, Pharaoh: A New Era scratches a similar strategic vibe thanks to its historical setting and resource web.
Anno 117 and games like Anno 117 don’t require powerful PCs, though having a decent processor and enough RAM helps during late-game expansion. Most players can run similar titles comfortably as long as they tweak settings when maps get busy.
