8 Narrative games like Cities: Skylines II 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 41 games similar to Cities: Skylines II down to the 8 that fit the “Narrative” category. House Flipper, Planet Coaster and Townscaper top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Cities: Skylines II.

iRank64/ 100

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GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder

The best narrative games like Cities: Skylines II

8 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Cities: Skylines II. 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.

#1House FlipperClosest overall match

iRank75

GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder

SoloMultiplayerRelaxingCasualNarrativeSandbox WorldOpen WorldManagementBase Building

Steam👍 94%· 109KRAWG👍 76%· 351MC62IGDB62· 4OC62· 27

Year 2018Dev Ultimate Games · PlayWayPlaytime ~7hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Both are city builders — sharing deep simulation, sandbox freedom and vibe relaxing

≠ Its own twist: visual first person and visual 3d, while skipping exploration and discovery

House Flipper is a unique chance to become the one-man renovating crew. Buy, repair and upgrade devastated houses. Give them a second life and sell at a profit! At your disposal is a collection of tools and parts.

Where it drifts furthest from Cities: Skylines II: visuals.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100World100Progression97Visuals0

GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder

SoloMultiplayerCasualRelaxingNarrativeSandbox WorldManagementBase BuildingIsometric

Steam👍 91%· 72KRAWG👍 74%· 294MC83IGDB83· 12OC85· 58

Year 2016Dev Frontier DevelopmentsPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of city builders: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and vibe casual

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, visual third person and visual 3d, while skipping open world exploration

Surprise, delight and thrill crowds as you build the theme park of your dreams. Build and design incredible coaster parks with unparalleled attention to detail and manage your park in a truly living world. Piece-by-Piece Construction: Planet Coaster makes a designer out of everyone.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Progression97World93Visuals68

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Steam

#3TownscaperClosest on visuals

iRank86

GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder

SoloCasualRelaxingNarrativeSandbox WorldOpen WorldBase BuildingExplorationIsometric

Steam👍 95%· 21KIGDB80· 1OC73· 16

Year 2020Dev Oskar Stålberg · Raw FuryOn Xbox · Android · PC

✓ Both are city builders — sharing sandbox freedom, deep simulation and vibe casual

≠ Its own twist: cozy, relaxing feel and procedural generation, while skipping multiplayer gameplay

Genre100Visuals100Progression81Tone80Game mode78World74

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Steam GOG Epic

#4Megastore Simulator

iRank81

GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder

MultiplayerSoloCasualRelaxingNarrativeOpen WorldExplorationBase Building

Steam👍 81%· 14K

Year 2011Dev weltenbauer. Software Entwicklung · Astragon EntertainmentPlaytime ~5hOn PC

✓ Both are city builders — sharing deep simulation, vibe casual and vibe relaxing

≠ Its own twist: co op, online features and visual first person, while skipping sandbox freedom

Construction Simulator is back – bigger and better than ever! Get back to work with a vehicle fleet whose size will knock your socks off.

Where it drifts furthest from Cities: Skylines II: visuals and game mode.

It predates Cities: Skylines II by 12 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Tone100Progression76World49Game mode42Visuals0

GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder

SoloCasualNarrativeSandbox WorldManagementBase BuildingIsometric

Steam👍 91%· 4.4KRAWG👍 79%· 70IGDB90· 1

Year 2016Dev Raylight Games · Toplitz ProductionsPlaytime ~5hOn PC · PS · Xbox

✓ Same family of city builders: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and vibe casual

≠ Where it differs: brings setting cartoon, crafting mechanics and visual topdown, while skipping vibe relaxing

BUILD UP YOUR OWN GAMES EMPIRE Form your own game studio in the early 1980s starting in a small garage. Develop your own game concepts, create a team and develop megahit video games. Research new technologies, train your staff, upgrade your offices, moving up to bigger and better locations.

Genre100World91Progression84Tone79Game mode78Visuals66

GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder

SoloCasualNarrativeBase BuildingManagement

Steam👍 87%· 775IGDB40· 1

Year 2014Dev Alawar Entertainment · Buka EntertainmentPlaytime ~4hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Both are city builders — sharing deep simulation, vibe casual and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling and cozy, relaxing feel, while skipping sandbox freedom

Darkestville Castle Coming Soon About the Game Become a leader of a little group of settlers to create a thriving colony which will envy even the developed nation! Who says it would be easy?!

It predates Cities: Skylines II by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Progression97Game mode78Tone67

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Steam

#7Space Colony: Steam EditionClosest on progression

iRank78

GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder

SoloNarrativeOpen WorldSandbox WorldBase BuildingManagementExplorationIsometric

Steam👍 80%· 658MC74IGDB77· 3

Year 2015Dev FireFly StudiosPlaytime ~3hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Same family of city builders: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings cozy, relaxing feel, setting space and setting scifi, while skipping vibe relaxing

Half way across the galaxy with limited resources, a mega corporation looking over your shoulder and a ragtag crew expecting a pay cheque, it's up to you to survive and turn a profit. You have a base to build and hostile alien threats to neutralise, but ignore your crew and the colony is doomed.

Where it drifts furthest from Cities: Skylines II: tone.

It predates Cities: Skylines II by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100World100Progression100Game mode77Visuals67Tone32

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Steam GOG

#8Jurassic World Evolution

iRank80