18 Sandbox games like Heart of the Machine that you should try

It's been a few years since the zombpocalypse turned the world's cities into graveyards and sent the few survivors into hiding. Now you must gather them up and restore civilization to a ruined city, one building at a time.

Inspired by Nordic mythology and fused with nostalgia from the ’80s-’90s, Songs of Syx aims to deliver a unique city-builder experience on an epic scale. You start off as a colony-sim, and tend to your minions, micromanage your assets and try to stay off your neighbor’s radar.

A grand strategy game about dynasties rather than borders: characters have traits, stress, secrets and lifespans, and most of the story comes from managing relatives who want what you have. Far more approachable than CK2. Warfare is the shallow part, and once you understand the systems the difficulty largely disappears past the first century.

Gnomoria is a sandbox village management game where you help lead a small group of gnomes, who have set out on their own, to thrive into a bustling kingdom! Anything you see can be broken down and rebuilt elsewhere.

Crusader Kings II is a global RTS which takes place in the Middle Ages of Europe. The players will govern a house of nobility of that time, and ensure that its heritage will last for centuries.

Many will enter, one will win. It has taken a few millennia for the art of the arena to be perfected, but we've finally done it. Ultimate Arena puts you in charge of the greatest battle royale, the one that you pick who fights and the conditions they fight under. Take charge by setting up landmines, deploying care packages, and initiating arena events.

Equal parts deep, rewarding online PVP experience and creative sandbox for creating intense, shareable fight scenes, Your Only Move Is HUSTLE takes the classic fighting formula and turns it on its head. Take control of an over-powered fighter and use the power of precognition to plan out your every move, down to each moment.

Dorfromantik is a relaxing building strategy and puzzle game in which you place tiles to create ever-growing, idyllic village landscapes. With Dorfromantik, you can immerse yourself in a quiet, peaceful world at any time and take a break from everyday life.

Children of the Nile™ is a unique gem of a city-building game, unparalleled in both grandeur and attention to detail. As Pharaoh you will guide your people through thousands of years of history: from simple hunter-gatherers to the creation of an immortal civilization.

Rusty's Retirement is an idle-farming simulator designed to sit at the bottom of your screen allowing you to work on other tasks while caring for your farm! Grow crops: Plant crops and watch Rusty get to work as he waters, nurtures, and harvests.

Cities: Skylines is a traditional city-building game, which allows players to experience urban planning in all aspects including zoning, road placement, transportation, taxation, and improvement of welfare.

Tropico 4 is a simulator/strategy game, where the player takes control of a small island nation as its president. The game is the fourth installment in the series, which have seen lots of changes throughout its existence.

TROPICO RELOADED is the ultimate game compilation for hobby-dictators and those dreaming of their own Caribbean island.