10 Narrative games like Citadels that you should try

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Ranking compiled by Lluis Enric Mayans, Founder & Head of ContentUpdated May 19, 2026How this is calculatedOrdered by an attribute-similarity model, not editorial opinion.

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We filtered the 50 games similar to Citadels down to the 10 that fit the “Narrative” category. Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, Stronghold and Stronghold HD (2012) top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Citadels.

iRank17/ 100

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GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

The best narrative games like Citadels

10 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Citadels. Each one has been evaluated across 14 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium WarsClosest overall match

iRank86

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMeleeTacticalNarrativeHistoricalBase BuildingIsometric

Steam👍 90%· 9.2KRAWG👍 83%· 225MC85IGDB85· 4

Year 2007Dev Electronic Arts Los Angeles · Electronic ArtsPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Xbox

✓ Same family of tower defense games: real-time strategy, deep simulation and tower defense planning

≠ Its own twist: setting scifi, post-apocalyptic world and multiplayer gameplay, while skipping visual novel storytelling

Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars is a real-time strategy game developed by EA Los Angeles. It is the third game in the Tiberium sub-series and continues the plot of Tiberian Sun. ###Plot The year is 2047, 17 years after the events of the Firestorm Expansion pack.

Where it drifts furthest from Citadels: setting.

Genre100Combat100Tone100Visuals100Progression69Game mode54

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Steam Xbox

#2StrongholdClosest on setting

iRank96

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalMeleeNarrativeMedievalHistoricalBase BuildingManagementIsometric

Steam👍 96%· 10K

Year 2001Dev Firefly Studios · Take-Two InteractiveOn PC · Mac

✓ Both are tower defense games — sharing deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Its own twist: sandbox freedom, sandbox world and open world exploration, while skipping visual novel storytelling

Where it drifts furthest from Citadels: world.

It predates Citadels by 12 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Tone100Progression92Setting90Combat79Visuals77

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Steam

#3Stronghold HD (2012)

iRank88

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloTacticalNarrativeMedievalHistoricalBase BuildingManagementIsometric

Steam👍 96%· 10KRAWG👍 82%· 310MC81

Year 2012Dev FireFly StudiosPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Same family of tower defense games: deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Stands apart with sandbox freedom, sandbox world and open world exploration, while skipping visual novel storytelling

Stronghold is a real-time strategy game, the first installment in Firefly Studio’s Stronghold series. Gameplay### The game takes place in Medieval Brittan of XI century.

Where it drifts furthest from Citadels: world.

Genre100Tone100Progression92Setting89Visuals77Combat68

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Steam GOG

#4Kingdom Rush Frontiers - Tower DefenseClosest on game mode

iRank90

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloMeleeNarrativeIsometricMagic

Steam👍 97%· 10KRAWG👍 88%· 92IGDB80· 1

Year 2013Dev Ironhide Game StudioPlaytime ~5hOn PC · iOS · Android

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, real-time strategy and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, punishing difficulty and vibe casual, while skipping deep simulation

The world's most devilishly addictive defense game is back - welcome to Kingdom Rush: Frontiers! Bigger and badder than ever before, Kingdom Rush: Frontiers is a whole new level of the furiously fast, enchantingly charming gameplay that made the original title an award-winning hit.

Where it drifts furthest from Citadels: setting and tone.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals60Combat41Tone35Setting0

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloNarrativeMedievalBase BuildingMultiplayer

Steam👍 90%· 38KOC78· 25

Year 2018Dev Noio · Raw FuryOn PS4 · Linux · Android

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, deep simulation and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling, survival mechanics and deep RPG systems, while skipping real-time strategy

Where it drifts furthest from Citadels: visuals and game mode.

Released 5 years after Citadels.

Genre100Tone100Progression71Setting60Game mode20Visuals0

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Steam GOG Xbox

#6Unholy HeightsClosest on progression

iRank68

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloNarrativeBase BuildingManagementCozy

Steam👍 89%· 1.6KRAWG👍 30%· 20IGDB80· 1OC66· 10

Year 2013Dev Teyon · AGM PLAYISMPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · Nintendo

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with deep simulation, real-time strategy and tower defense planning

≠ Stands apart with puzzle design, turn-based strategy and cozy, relaxing feel, while skipping visual novel storytelling

Welcome to Unholy Heights, a mashup of Tower Defense and Apartment Management Simulation! The Devil has converted a tenement building into monsters-only housing, and has big plans for the future. Sucker monsters into moving into your building, charge them rent and keep them happy by buying them furniture.

Where it drifts furthest from Citadels: world and visuals.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100Tone29World0Visuals0

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloNarrativeMedievalBase BuildingHardcore

Steam👍 86%· 12KIGDB75· 2OC73· 12

Year 2016Dev Licorice · Raw FuryOn PS4 · Linux · PC

✓ Same family of tower defense games: tower defense planning, deep simulation and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with survival mechanics, roguelike runs and adventure storytelling, while skipping real-time strategy

Where it drifts furthest from Citadels: world and visuals.

Released 3 years after Citadels.

Genre100Game mode100Tone67Setting59Progression58World0

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloNarrativeHistoricalMedievalBase BuildingManagement

Steam👍 91%· 23KIGDB70· 2

Year 2015Dev Licorice · Raw FuryOn Linux · PC · Mac

✓ Same family of tower defense games: deep simulation, tower defense planning and strong narrative focus

≠ Its own twist: adventure storytelling, survival mechanics and deep RPG systems, while skipping real-time strategy

Where it drifts furthest from Citadels: combat and world.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100Setting85Tone51Combat0

GenreStrategySubgenreTower Defense

SoloNarrativeBase BuildingManagementIsometric

Steam👍 78%· 1.1KRAWG👍 18%· 56

Year 2011Dev Power of 2 · Tripwire InteractivePlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Fits the tower defense games cluster, with tower defense planning, deep simulation and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with precision platforming, sandbox freedom and survival mechanics, while skipping real-time strategy

Dwarfs!? is a two-dimensional RTS developed by Power Of Two. ###Gameplay The players control a mining colony of dwarves, who dig for treasures. The players have to mine the resources and to protect the colony from environmental hazards, such as water and lava and different enemies.

Where it drifts furthest from Citadels: world and setting.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100Tone49Visuals29Setting0

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Steam

#10Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive

iRank88