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Terra Nil

7 Games with a sci-fi setting like Terra Nil that you should try

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Ranking compiled by Lluis Enric Mayans, Founder & Head of ContentHow this is calculatedOrdered by an attribute-similarity model, not editorial opinion.

We filtered the 38 games similar to Terra Nil down to the 7 that fit the “Sci-Fi” category. Rusty's Retirement, Imagine Earth and Space Colony: Steam Edition top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Terra Nil.

iRank82/ 100

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GenreStrategySubgenreCity Builder
Tags
CasualRelaxingSolo
Year 2023Dev Free Lives Games

Quick answer

Within the “Sci-Fi” category, the closest game to Terra Nil is Rusty's Retirement — scoring 75/100 on our similarity scale. Imagine Earth and Space Colony: Steam Edition follow close behind.

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The best games with a sci-fi setting like Terra Nil

7 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Terra Nil. Each one has been evaluated across 16 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.

#1Rusty's Retirement
Rusty's Retirement
StrategyCity Builder
SoloCozyCasualRelaxingSandbox WorldSci-FiPost-ApocalypticManagementBase BuildingIsometric
Steam👍 97%· 15K
Year 2024Dev Mister Morris GamesPlaytime ~18hOn PC · Apple Macintosh

✓ Fits the city builders cluster, with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and cozy, relaxing feel

≠ Stands apart with fantasy world, visual pixel and visual 2d, while skipping puzzle design

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.

Where it drifts furthest from Terra Nil: visuals.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100Tone92Setting83World60
#2Imagine Earth
Imagine Earth
StrategyRTS
SoloRelaxingSandbox WorldProceduralSci-FiPost-ApocalypticBase BuildingManagementIsometric
Steam👍 82%· 955OC80· 12
Year 2021Dev Serious BrothersPlaytime ~2hOn PC · Xbox

✓ Shared with Terra Nil: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and puzzle design

≠ Stands apart with real-time strategy, setting space and crafting mechanics, while skipping vibe casual

Planetary Colonization Imagine Earth is a real-time planet simulation and a build up strategy game. Your job as a space colony manager is to explore and populate distant planets. Build up thriving and profitable colonies on a global scale and trade resources and goods into space.

Where it drifts furthest from Terra Nil: visuals.

Game mode100World100Progression77Setting71Tone58Genre50
Space Colony: Steam Edition
StrategyCity Builder
SoloNarrativeCozySandbox WorldSci-FiBase BuildingManagementIsometric
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 open world exploration, setting space and exploration and discovery, while skipping puzzle design

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 Terra Nil: setting and world.

It predates Terra Nil by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Progression90Visuals69Tone56World49
#4Jurassic World Evolution
Jurassic World Evolution
StrategyCity Builder
SoloNarrativeSandbox WorldSci-FiManagementBase BuildingIsometric
Steam👍 87%· 55KIGDB74· 13OC71· 99
Year 2018Dev Frontier Developments · Universal PicturesOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ Fits the city builders cluster, with deep simulation, sandbox freedom and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings dark, oppressive atmosphere, open world exploration and melee combat, while skipping puzzle design

Where it drifts furthest from Terra Nil: tone.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals100Progression95Setting74World55
Dyson Sphere Program
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSandbox WorldSci-FiBase BuildingManagement
Steam👍 98%· 91KRAWG👍 85%· 84
Year 2021Dev Youthcat Studio · Gamera GamePlaytime ~8hOn PC

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

≠ Stands apart with open world exploration, setting space and exploration and discovery, while skipping puzzle design

Dyson Sphere Program is a sci-fi simulation game with space, adventure, exploration and factory automation elements where you can build your own galactic industrial empire from scratch. In the distant future, the power of science and technology has ushered a new age to the human race.

Where it drifts furthest from Terra Nil: visuals and setting.

Genre100Game mode100Progression88World46Setting36Visuals0
X-COM: Terror From the Deep
StrategyCity Builder
SoloSci-FiBase BuildingManagementIsometric
Steam👍 91%· 925RAWG👍 62%· 128
Year 1995Dev MicroProse Software · 2K GamesPlaytime ~1hOn PC · PS

✓ Both are city builders — sharing turn-based strategy, deep simulation and setting scifi

≠ Its own twist: roguelike runs, horror tension and dark, oppressive atmosphere, while skipping puzzle design

X-COM: Terror From the Deep is a strategy game, the second installment in the X-COM series and a sequel to X-COM: UFO Defense that moves action from the outer space into the Earth’s oceans. The story unexpectedly references to Lovecraft’s novels, as you fight aliens that want to reawaken their unstoppable leader who slept under the sea for hundreds of years.

Where it drifts furthest from Terra Nil: tone.

It predates Terra Nil by 28 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Progression100Visuals77Setting51Tone0
Maia
StrategyRTS
SoloProceduralSandbox WorldSci-FiBase BuildingManagement
Steam👍 44%· 1.1K
Year 2013Dev Simon Roth · Machine StudiosPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Shared with Terra Nil: deep simulation, sandbox freedom and procedural generation

≠ Where it differs: brings real-time strategy, survival mechanics and setting space, while skipping puzzle design

About This Game Maia is a strange and hostile alien world, toxic to humans, yet lush with new life. Your mission is to colonise this poison eden, survive it's dangers and establish humanity's first foothold in the stars.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mixed, against very positive for Terra Nil.

It predates Terra Nil by 10 years, with what that implies technically.

Game mode100World100Progression95Setting53Genre50

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