City-Builders

[MasterSmithFandango]

Alright, I'm getting a little bored with E:TW after my second world conquest and I'm looking for something different. I was wondering which games in this genre are super duper good, preferably something with a historical base. Any suggestions, or is this genre not really represented here at the Codex?

 

[Luzur]

SimCity? The Settlers?

those Roman City-building games?

 

[Ashery]

Of those that I've played (Caesar 3 + 4, Pharaoh, Emperor (briefly), AD1701, possibly a couple others I've forgotten), Pharaoh is probably the most enjoyable.

Of the Pharaoh generation you have, in order of release, Caesar 3, Pharaoh, Zeus, and Emperor (Could be a mistake there, going from memory). Caesar 3 lacks the refinement of Pharaoh, but is still enjoyable (eg controlling what luxuries markets get by placing warehouses far away, whereas Pharaoh allows you to control which goods the market collects directly). Haven't played Zeus as I'm not a fan of the tone present in the game, but I've heard good things about it. Emperor was a step back design wise, but I didn't spend all that much time with it (For some reason I couldn't have a working installation of both Pharaoh and Emperor on my hard drive at the same time).

Didn't care too much for AD1701.

This post brought to you by your neighborhood parenthesis (I shouldn't post right after waking up).

 

[asper]

Dwarf Fortress... Needs a little patience with the interface, but it's not so inaccessible as some say. Highly recommended...

 

[Occasionally Fatal]

This: http://afteractionreporter.com/2009/02/ ... art-1-wtf/

ought to make learning DF much less painful.

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

Now, I'm not a graphics whore or anything... but... umm... anything else?

 

[Luzur]

Stronghold.

 

[IlkuWarrior]

Stronghold.

This. And make sure it's the very first one. Crusaders isn't bad, but the first one has more charm, and the rest are utter rubbish...

I wish there were more good Stronghold-like games...

 

[spacemoose]

there's also city life

 

[Luzur]

those pictures of that lovely city makes me want to nuke it.

 

[JarlFrank]

Stronghold.

This. And make sure it's the very first one. Crusaders isn't bad, but the first one has more charm, and the rest are utter rubbish...

I wish there were more good Stronghold-like games...

This.
Actually, get both the original and Crusader. Fuck Stronghold 2 and Stronghold Legends, they suck, especially Stronghold 2. Original is the best, and Crusader is awesome for multiplayer.

 

[someone else]

There is Tropico, more of a island builder but its fun, more of a hands off game.

 

[Frau Bishop]

First and original Stronghold? SSI 1993, yay! I played it some time ago and it's still good.
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/stronghold

 

[Luzur]

First and original Stronghold? SSI 1993, yay! I played it some time ago and it's still good.
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/stronghold

there is only one SSI Stronghold im aware of.

 

[Panthera]

First and original Stronghold? SSI 1993, yay! I played it some time ago and it's still good.
http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/stronghold

Haha, you beat me to it. I loved this.

 

[Longshanks]

Pharaoh, Caesar 3, Zeus, Emperor are all worth playing, There are no major differences between them, so just play in the setting that most appeals. Stronghold is very good, but is not much of a city builder.

If your looking for something more graphically advanced, you won't find anything to match the older games. There've not really been any good 3D city builders. Well, maybe Simcity 4. Then there's the Tilted Mill games - Caesar 4 and Children of the Nile (even has an enhanced edition!). They're decent enough to play through, but the improved graphics are not enough to recommend them over the older titles. Personally, I still prefer the look of the earlier games anyway. Tilted Mill also has a free browser game, Nile Online, that I've not played.

 

[Destroid]

My friends tell me children of the nile is good. It's still old but newer than many of the games mentioned here.

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

I've been rocking Caesar III... pretty fun. I was just looking for a little pastime, and in that it succeeds.

 

[Trash]

Grand Ages: Rome looks pretty nifty for a modern day one.

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

Zeus with the expansion pack is my personal favorite.