Economic strategies review and description. Best economic strategy games: TOP economic development games

2019-09-01

Economic strategies are not just a genre of games, but a real training for the mind. In this world, players have the opportunity to become the real owner of cities, empires, but for this you have to think a lot, solve the most familiar everyday tasks, determining the fate of the whole world.

This compilation contains the TOP 25 of the best economic strategies that can drag on for long game hours. Each of them has its own component.

1. Forge of Empires

Forge of Empires was able to raise the bar for economic strategies, showing how highly this genre can be rated. The game starts out as a simple dreary hut that eventually grows into a huge city. During construction, gamers have the opportunity to build the metropolis of their dreams.

The game is not just addictive, but affects many stages of human development. Initially, the project shows what life was like in the Stone Age. Then, as it develops, the nation passes from one era to another. The latest era is industrialization.

During the game, the opportunity opens up to conduct scientific research, build various buildings, and improve the city. Here for everyone there is something that he will like. Those who want to make an incredibly beautiful metropolis can decorate it with trees, place fountains, incredible buildings, statues.

There is an opportunity to fight, showing strategic ingenuity. During battles, it is necessary to take into account not only the characteristics of the units, but also the terrain, the privileges of the enemy, the strengths of the parties.

The game is considered one of the most progressive and popular. It does not need to be downloaded, just register on the official website. The game has a lot of different chips. Here, gamers are offered complete freedom of action - you can arrange and build a village the way you want. All buildings are connected by roads, without them, residents do not move.

In economic strategy, there are a huge number of technologies open for research. From the Stone Age to the present, the player studies science, develops new systems, applies them to the army, improving life.

2. Total battle

Among the economic strategies, Total battle, launched in 2018, is distinguished. This is an MMO for browsers. Here, players will not only have to engage in strategic developments, but also upgrade their troops, conduct open world research, take part in tactical battles, and more.

Total battle is a tactical strategy game played in real time. It has a fantasy setting in which bloody battles are fought in an attempt to capture territory.

The player has the opportunity to literally restore his unique kingdom from the ashes. According to the story, it was destroyed by enemies, and all relatives were executed. The gamer according to the scenario becomes a lord. He is trying to create a real empire from the ruined city.

In this strategy, you have to become a military leader, conduct political negotiations, strike at enemies with all your might, enter into various alliances. You can dispose of your kingdom as you see fit.

To achieve the goal, you have to conduct research in various fields of science, technology, develop your own troops. On your way to prosperity, you will have to face the opposition of not only hostile players, but also monsters.

3. Elvenar

Elvenar is a turn-based and economic strategy game. Its plot is tied to a fantasy world. Immediately the gamer will have to choose a faction that will manage. Each of them has its own abilities and skills. Elves are the protectors of the forest. They have incredible magical powers. Their life is closely intertwined with magical creatures - helpers. People tend to use machines instead of human labor. They rely on scientific advances. They are excellent with any type of melee weapons.

As you level up, unique buildings open up. With their help, it is necessary to transform the city, improve opportunities. With enough attention to construction, a small village can be turned into a huge, beautiful city with a patrol and towers.

Since this is a real-time strategy, you will have to play not only with bots, but also with real people. As events unfold, you will have to analyze every move, improve buildings, strengthen patrols, improve heroes.

4. Heroes at War

Heroes at War is a medieval economic strategy game. Gamers are waiting for the struggle for resources, the development of the kingdom. The main task of the gamer is to build up military power and increase influence.

You will start the game by managing a weak kingdom without an army. From the first tasks you begin to understand the cruelty of the virtual world. Initially, a pretty pretty girl is shown in front of the gamer. She is your mentor. The girl offers to start building her own world.

There are several types of resources in the game. For their extraction it is necessary to build sawmills, quarries, farms, mines. An important role of the game is scientific progress. As the scenario progresses, new research will open up before the gamer.

The main force is the army. Militias, guards, druids and other fighters must be united for attacks on neighboring lands, to protect their city.

Multimedia game. It can be played not only on a PC, but also on a mobile device by downloading the appropriate application. A huge amount of development of the castle, a variety of construction, exploration of the world, battles - all this awaits the gamer in this game.

5. Settlers 7: Right to the Throne

The game is a city building simulation developed by Blue Byte Software.

The seventh part of the game is a serious project. It has everything that fans of the series liked so much, although the developers have made a lot of new things. Gamers have to fight for the throne, build a city. The strategy starts from the village. Soldiers are hired here.

A huge city is to be built. To make it easier, all the buildings were divided into types. Houses are located around the central site, and industrial buildings are located not far from the farm. Prestige points help you unlock new buildings. Gradually, the city grows, transport systems appear. The game provides several options for passing: economic, military and scientific. Each of them has its own characteristics. The scientific path of passing the strategy helps to focus on conducting various scientific studies that allow you to destroy all enemies.

6 Tropico 6

The economic strategy of Tropico 6 is another project with a political bias, where you have to become the ruler of the island nation and lead it through several eras. The key feature of the game is that not just an island, but a whole archipelago is available to gamers. He looks very realistic.

In past parts, gamers could build up the island as they saw fit. Now you have to think about how best to arrange the buildings.

In the previous parts, gamers were asked to immediately lead the colony, becoming president. In this part, you are just a governor appointed by the king. At any time, you can lose this position if you do not fulfill the whim of the king. Initially, it is necessary to carry out various assignments in the form of establishing trade relations with other countries. As soon as the governor has accumulated enough influence, you can arrange a revolution and overthrow the local ruler, taking his place.

In order not to get bored, the developers decided to organize entertainment. True, they are limited to the circus, tavern and theater. You have to move on foot, there are not even horses.

With the development of the island, eras change. Echoes of world wars, the Cold War reach here, and then modernity comes. Transitions from one era to another open up new possibilities. At these moments, the available tasks change, the economy becomes more complex, the inhabitants become smarter sharply. They begin to criticize the style of government. And the farther, the more difficult it is to manage the archipelago. Trying to please some leads to falling out of favor with others.

The sixth part of the game has something new to offer. It is based on previous versions. They were carefully finalized, generously supplemented with innovations.

7Sid Meier's Civilization V

This is not just an economic strategy, but the fifth part of the famous Civilization series of games. This time the developers decided to surprise by adding a lot of new and unexpected. Now gamers have the opportunity to send spies to other cities, steal technology, report on what is happening, and also stop the actions of enemy spies.

During the passage of the game, you have to collect faith points. First, there is the formation of a certain prophet who helps civilization, raises the spirit of the nation. All this helps to make the nation original, to develop a religion, for which bonuses are awarded.

Diplomacy has changed in this part. Now it has become more simple, but primitive. There was an opportunity to open their embassies, retail outlets in other cities, countries, build temples. Neighbors willingly donate buildings for state needs.

The military side of economic strategy has not gone unnoticed. Now there are long-range ships, ports, the ability to shoot back with long-range ships helps to defend and attack. The project provides for a battle with the Roman Empire, barbarians and more. The creators did not stint on adding a large number of various wonders of the world, factions and more.

8. Grand Ages: Medieval

Grand Ages: Medieval allows you to travel back to the Middle Ages, to the year 1050. During this period, European countries are developing at a rapid pace, new continents are being formed, trade relations between countries are being established, new cities are being laid. It was at this time to become the head of one settlement.

After going through all the hardships, the gamer needs to lead his people through the era, to achieve greatness and prosperity. How this will be achieved depends only on the ingenuity, skills of government and the ability to conduct trade and diplomatic relations.

The developers have provided for each gamer its own game mode. A single version is ideal for those who have just decided to get acquainted with the project, get used to the gameplay, and also study all its components. Unlike other strategies, real historical events are offered here. The authors managed to combine different eras, different ways of trading. And you have to start with a simple merchant class. Gradually it grows and improves. The range of goods is expanding, it becomes necessary to build additional cities, capture villages, and establish trade relations with neighboring countries.

The strategy has an army. In fact, she is very reserved. In the absence of money in the treasury, the soldiers immediately scatter to their homes and wait for better times. Therefore, it is important to regularly monitor the state of the economy and trade. In general, the project turned out to be quite interesting. It will be especially interesting for those who want to become the ruler of the world with a minimum of hostilities.

9 Factory Town

Factory Town - in which you have to build your own cities in the middle of the wasteland, in the wilderness. The urban strategy simulator is made in cartoon graphics, and created by the sole developer E. Asmussen.

The main task in this project is to build a city-factory. Every component must work perfectly. To realize this, it is necessary to collect resources, build industrial buildings, and establish production along the chain. In the process of city development, there is a need to study technology. They open one after another as the settlement prospers.

All processes are performed by hundreds of different tools. The developer tried to create the most realistic urban planning system, providing for the need to build roads for various purposes, conveyors, magic elements, and physical devices. There is terraforming of the soil, it becomes possible to artificially create rivers, streams.

10. Caesar III

The economic strategy of Caesar III allows you to take on the role of the mayor and start building your own metropolis. True, this will take a lot of effort. Over the course of eleven eras, one has to build, develop settlements, cities, farm, produce various goods, show achievements in architecture and more.

Caesar's strategy starts with the road. On one of the plots of land that was allocated for the construction of the city, from the very beginning there is nothing but a state road. The road in the game is of great importance - there is no road to the building, it will not be serviced.

Further, an important unit for the main is the house. After its construction, you can think about the plan of the future city. Having placed signs for tent settlers. Not many people can live in such a camp, but even a small number will be enough to start building the village.

You, as the mayor, have to take care of the settlers. They must get food, resources, build, help, develop, and for this they are offered perfect houses with beautiful views. Gradually, their children will need schools, institutes, and the townspeople themselves will want to visit restaurants and shops. All this is to be built in the metropolis.

11. Anno 2070

Anno 2070 takes you to the world of the future. The events of this strategy take place back in 2070, during a period of global warming, when the climate turned the land into a sea. The water world is ruled by two factions. Some collect what is left of nature, while others prefer technology and engineering, there are magnates. You have to play for one of these parties.

Technicians are an independent faction. They always have their own developments for sale, which can be purchased for special money - licenses. Tycoons are only interested in money. They are ready to get them in any way, not only by extracting minerals. They do not care what will happen to the environmental situation in the future - the main thing for them is to get a high income.

Ecologists are considered the most harmless. They monitor the environmental situation, rationally using resources.

After the cataclysm, the ocean level rose, leaving only one patch of land unflooded. Because of the flood, underwater cities appeared and not only. Each of them has its own characteristics. For example, in the underwater world they collect algae, extract rare types of oil, food, and much more.

The gameplay is easy to master. The game has a quite simple interface, there is an assistant telling and suggesting what to do and how to do it.

After choosing a faction, gamers will have to achieve their goals. Ecologists must take care of the production of electricity, maintain the ecological balance of nature and not only. Magtans can live in peace in the green world, although they like money. There is no good or bad in this project.

12. Planetbase

Connoisseurs of economic strategies will find the Planetbase game fascinating. This is a real space game in which you will have to build not a city, but an entire station for Martian settlers-colonists. The developers offer not just to become space explorers, but to try to survive in the aggressive Martian world by creating a thriving colony.

The game will have to think about the construction of the station. Any design error can become a tragedy, turn into a fatal outcome for all colonists.

Mars is an aggressive planet. There are sandstorms, calm. Under such conditions, wind turbines can fail, the energy charge in the batteries ends, and oxygen regeneration stops. Most people can simply die due to lack of air.

Outside the domes, there is a high level of radiation. Residents can receive burns of varying degrees, exposure. If the station is equipped with a small infirmary, then it may be cramped to receive a large number of victims.

Having found a balance, you can safely begin the development of a new settlement. Ships will fly to it, residents will begin to increase, large stocks of manufactured goods will be collected. For their storage, new premises will have to be built. Resources for this are taken from flying ships. True, they do not always bring what you need.

The main task of the gamer is to create an independent, stable colony that will flourish economically and become completely resource independent. Will it be possible to do this and with what attempt?

13. Frostpunk

Frostpunk is the only game where you not only need to build a settlement, but also survive. It is not so easy to do this. Here you can expect danger even from local residents. Unlike other simulators, where emoticons are placed above the townspeople to show their mood, everything is more complicated here. To prevent people from revolting, they need not only to be fed, cured, given at home, but also to fulfill their various requests. It's the residents that need to be taken care of. The course of events depends on their mood. Here everything is like in life.

Hard, exhausting work spoils the mood, as well as bad events: the death of animals, hunger. When the scale of discontent of the townspeople reaches the maximum, they will begin to try to remove the gamer from the post of mayor. In this case, the end of the game comes. To improve their mood, it is necessary to build a variety of entertainment facilities. And so the whole game goes: people need housing, factory workers can get sick, neighboring settlements will ask for help, coal supplies may run out, people show discontent. All this will not let you forget about the duties of the mayor. Not every gamer is able to immediately follow everything that happens in the city. Can you play the role of ruler?

14 Sim City 4

Among the economic strategies, it is worth highlighting SimCity 4. This is another part of the famous game series, only it has become different from the others. Here is a completely different graphics - more modern, clear. Unlike other projects in the series, the fourth part will have to manage the whole region. Dozens of cities can be built on the allocated territory. This feature allows you to place buildings for various purposes in different cities. For example, in one there may be an environmentally friendly sleeping area, and in the other - factories. Residents will travel there to work. Separately, you can create a shopping area, and for ease of movement, build a road between settlements, launch transport, and establish infrastructure.

The fourth part has a higher level of complexity. The gamer will have to start the game almost from scratch, with a small supply of money. They are enough for the construction of a minimum number of office space, zone planning.

As the game develops, cities fall under natural disasters: tornadoes, volcano explosions, robot attacks and more.

15. Industry Giant II

Industry Giant II is an economic simulation. The game takes place in America between 1900 and 1980. To choose from, gamers are offered several options for campaigns, each of which has its own initial capital, a limited time to complete tasks.

In the project, the developers modeled cities and villages. Gradually they grow, shops, buildings for various purposes appear, the pace is growing, industrial buildings are changing.

Time does not stand still. There are periods when crops ripen, agricultural activity flourishes, and sometimes, this direction brings losses. In the strategy, it is necessary to regularly monitor the state of transport, plan routes, and repair it. Otherwise, it can lead to a disruption in the delivery of resources.

16. Cultures 2: The Gates of Asgard

Cultures 2: The Gates of Asgard is an economic strategy game launched in 2002. The developers paid a lot of attention to the game's plot. As it progresses, different characters will join with the original appearance, with their own characteristics.

The game will control the Vikings. They have good health, increased stamina, and are religious.

The graphics of the second part, as in the first one, are represented by animated two-dimensional isometry. Cartoon characters, the whole gameplay is based on cartoon graphics. But it only decorates the project.

17. Banished

Banished is living proof that even games can live outside of time. Gamers have to build a village and not let it disappear. What is interesting is how the developers let the game start at different difficulty levels. At the most difficult, instead of a built barn, a warehouse, they give a small supply of supplies.

The most valuable resource in a strategy is people. Gamers have to build a big city. It is worth starting to implement this in the distribution of workers in areas. Some have to get food, others have to produce fuel, create tools.

Production is subject to the cycle of time. In the spring there are crops, plantings, and in the fall the harvest is harvested. In the summer, resources are harvested for the winter.

18. Port Royale 3

The economic strategies of German manufacturing were popular at the time. Gradually, the genre became niche, few new games are released, and there are no good projects left from the single-player project.

It would seem that in this strategy you will face thugs armed with sabers, meet the captain with a parrot on his shoulder, chests of gold. But it is not about pirates, but about merchants, caravans, trade. The strategy is to buy goods at a lower price and sell them at a higher price. The scheme of trade is classic, but various side elements harm the success of commerce. Prices for goods change regularly so that one type of goods today was cheap, tomorrow it has risen in price, and the day after tomorrow, it is given away almost for free. Even if you manage to buy some goods on the cheap, pirates can attack during its transportation.

19. Rise of Industry

Economic strategies are a special genre. He always kept to himself, requiring meticulous planning of every step. Rise of Industry looks more like an industrial direction of the strategy. In order to complete the training, you will have to get acquainted with 53 lessons. But even this is not enough, much is left aside.

The gamer will have to build production chains, build cities, build roads, organize various transportation, develop business. The atmosphere of growth is conveyed successfully. Smoke pours from the chimneys of factories, toy trucks rush along the roads. Players will have to find out how successful they are as businessmen.

20. The Guild 2: Renaissance

In The Guild 2: Renaissance, developers offer gamers to immerse themselves in the Middle Ages - the beginning of the Renaissance. During these times there was a cult dawn, a flourishing of the mind. Plunging into these eras, the gamer will have to become a simple medieval guy. Ways to achieve can be very different: plowing the fields, extortion, working in a blacksmith, working in a funeral parlor. Any way is good. The strategy involves the establishment of economic relations, surpassing competitors and doing business with maximum profit.

The graphics are good. You will have to get used to the interface, but there should not be any particular difficulties.

21. Northgard

Northgard is a city building economic strategy game with a lot of features. The action takes place during the time of the Vikings. The gamer will have to choose a clan. Each of the five offered has its own characteristics, a special bonus system.

The game map is randomly generated. The gamer will have to build different buildings, extract useful resources, fight other clans.

Critics praised the game, giving it 9 points. Here you have to not only build a village, but also protect it from enemy raids. Sometimes sea robbers can attack. To defend against them, it is necessary to build towers and other defensive structures.

The city has a technology tree. It helps to open bonuses for the extraction of useful resources, weapons, reduces fines, wood consumption. To open bonuses, you need to accumulate points. They are obtained for the study of the ruins, for raids on other settlements.

22. Railway Empire

This is not a simple economic strategy, but an opportunity to become a real manager of a railway station. The gamer will have to learn how to make money by driving trains, stations. The story takes place in America. At that time, the railway played a huge role in the development of the country, in the development of western lands. At that time, there were no cars, planes. People used horse-drawn carts and trains to get around.

Building the railroad was no easy task. It was difficult to decide through which cities it would be laid. The population was ready to shell out a lot of money, if only trains ran through their town. The decision on the direction of the tracks was taken by the owners of the stations.

In the strategy, the gamer will have to become not just the owner of the station, but take part in the development of America. Maybe it is your presence that will help pave the way to where it was really needed and could mean a lot in the history of the country.

23.Mashinky

Mashinky is a strategy game with simulation elements. The gamer will have to create a railway empire with trains, stations, develop the economy. Throughout the game pleases graphics. It helps to see the established company in all its glory.

The economic part is smartly thought out, diverse, multifaceted. The game does not let you get bored, this is the plus of this strategy.

A variety of gameplay can drag on for hours. The interface is user-friendly and doesn't take long to get used to.

24 Cities Skyline

Cities Skyline is an economic strategy where you can try as a mayor. You have to build a city, do everything that is required for its prosperity. There are several cards to choose from. There are not very many of them, but if you wish, you can create your own. There is an editor for this.

A huge area is allocated for the construction of the city. During the gameplay, you can buy new zones, expanding the territory.

The game begins traditionally with the laying of roads. Commercial, residential buildings, offices are placed next to them. For the convenience of mastering the principle of the game, a hint system has been developed. It helps to start developing the city quickly.

When building a city, it is important to take into account all the features. Incorrectly laid communications, errors in the distribution of zones, can lead to a serious tragedy. For example, the failure of a power plant can lead to the failure of all industrial buildings, and the lack of water leads to the death of the population.

When allocating city zones, the size of the budget should be taken into account. Initially, small amounts are allocated at the beginning of the development of the town. They are used up very quickly.

After the construction of the city, the mayor will have to solve a variety of issues, up to the organization of garbage collection. Will you be able to become a worthy manager of the metropolis?

25 Stronghold Kingdoms

Stronghold Kingdoms is an economic strategy that takes you back to the time of the feudal lords. The plot is quite predictable: build cities, establish trade relations, fight, defend. Wise rulers can claim to be kings.

The medieval plot allows you to choose one of two directions of strategy - become a farmer, do not touch anyone and hope that no one will attack your city. There is another way - to significantly expand the possessions by destroying neighboring castles, seizing lands.

In the game, all events are as close as possible to real situations. The map displays neighbors with whom you can correspond, make friends, join alliances. The game is ideal for those who want to become a duke, king, count. The higher the rank, the more people will obey, and if the gamer is a member of a strong faction, they will be afraid of him.

Cities can be attacked, they have to be defended by building towers, walls, ballistae. As a defense, all means are good. If the castle is powerful, fortified, then sudden attacks are not terrible. Weak castles will be quickly captured by the enemy.

Warriors are used for protection. The hero has archers and swordsmen at his disposal. The former can be placed on walls, while swordsmen have great melee attack power. Pikemen do not fight very well, but they live longer than others.

The gameplay involves mining. For this, mines and sawmills are built. The cost of their resources and the income from them is one of the components of a successful business.

The game uses a variety of settings. You can reduce or increase taxes, increasing the popularity of the selected type of product. In this strategy, you will have to face a variety of interpersonal relationships, including meanness.

After exiting the game, the life of the settlement completely freezes. Construction, trade and other actions are not performed offline. The only thing that can be - already hired troops who will look after the safety of the town.

Conclusion

Economic strategies are multifaceted and varied. They help to realize oneself as a businessman, a military leader, to become a real ruler of a city, and maybe a country. Strategy games give you the opportunity to go back in time, see the rise of nations, take part in the construction of a railway, or simply become a good trader by creating your own trading corporation. Find out what works best and whether you can rule the city as a mayor or rule the state as a king, you can only play the game. So who do you want to become, what do you want to realize yourself in?

Good admin. I love playing PUBG when I have time.

Caesar III

Release date: 2003

Genre: Economic Strategy, City Builder,

Mix of economic strategy and city-building simulator. The game takes place during the dawn of the Roman Empire. The player receives a small plot of land in his possession and begins to develop his own civilization, which will be able to compete with neighboring cities-states.

The game provides ample political and economic opportunities, and each new task can be completed in two ways - using diplomacy or brute military force. Caesar III is a classic city-building strategy that stood at the origins of the genre.

Industry Giant II

Release date: 2003

Genre:

The second part of the business and logistics simulator. The game is set in a time frame from 1900 to 1980, and the player takes on the role of a young businessman who must develop his business using limited capital and under a tight time frame.

In the process of passing, the player will develop his own business: expand production, build new stores, look for new markets, lay logistics routes, etc. During the growth of income and increase in the production of goods, the surrounding cities will also develop.

Cities XL

Genre:

Cities XL - city-building simulator is similar in gameplay to the games described above: regulate the economy and take care of the needs of residents, engage in construction and improvement. The main task of the player is to create a successful metropolis. The game combines elements of economic strategy, it will be necessary to control the costs and revenues of the city, which are constantly lacking.

An interesting feature of the game is this division of the population of your city into social strata. There are rich, poor, middle peasants. Each social class has its own needs. The rich can live only in the elite areas of the city, so in order to increase taxes and the budget, it is necessary to create an elite area and create all the conditions for this. It is necessary to support the poor, for example, in the availability of work for them.

Cities XL 2011

Genre: Economic strategy, city-building simulator

Cities XL 2011-the second part of the series, as in the first part you need to build a successful metropolis and satisfy the inhabitants of the city. As well as in the first part, much attention in the game is paid to the social strata of society. There are 4 classes: unskilled workers, skilled workers, administrators (service personnel) and the elite.

Different social strata themselves decide where to settle. It all depends on whether you have created comfortable conditions. For example, if there is not enough security, police stations or other buildings in the area, then the elite will never settle in it. Among other things, you will need to deal with the city's economy, monitor production, agriculture, and commerce in the city. Provide citizens with sports and
cultural leisure.

Cities XL 2012

Genre: Economic strategy, city-building simulator

Cities XL 2012 is the continuation of the series. Made on the engine of its predecessor and has undergone very small changes. New buildings, maps appeared, some influences on the social strata of the population changed. But in general, it's still the same game with the same gameplay.

The game allows you to feel like a real city manager, balancing the economic and energy development of cities, forming transport infrastructure and planning housing construction, providing services and opportunities for recreation to all residents. In Cities XL 2012 you will be able to use over 1000 different unique buildings on 60 huge 3D maps with amazing detail and allow the game to rightfully be called the most realistic city-building simulator.

Release date: 1994

Genre: E economic strategy of the German school

The Settlers - released back in the early 90s, gained great popularity and marked the beginning of the Settlers series of economic games. Already in those distant times, a simplified system of self-sufficient economy was born. The game will have to create an economy based on a closed society that provides itself with all resources and products.

At first glance, the economy in the game is simple. For example, to get logs, you just need to put up a woodcutter's house and lead a path to it. However, two problems already arise here. First, the trees are running out. And secondly, the logs themselves, it seems, are not used. The first problem is solved by installing a forester's house, which will plant new trees. And the second - the construction of a sawmill. And such troubles with all industries (and there are many of them).

Genre: E

The Settlers II is about collecting resources and building a settlement; the creation of an army and expansion in order to capture new sources of resources; attacking the enemy with the aim of intercepting access to resources or destroying his army and camp. The game has both economic and military components.

One of my favorite strategy games. Rivet more troops and smash the enemy base here will not work. Very thoughtful gameplay with lots of dependencies. German pedantry, elevated to the absolute. Despite the fact that the game is not boring, but on the contrary - interesting. A carefully thought-out system of increasing difficulty smoothly leads to enlightenment, creating a competent game balance. Think, think and think again. Well, enjoy the beautiful, somewhat childish and cartoonish graphics.

Genre: German school economic strategy, real time strategy

As in the second Settlers, in Settlers III the goal of the game is to build a workable economy, aimed at producing soldiers, and then seizing enemy territories with their help. A major difference from its predecessor is the lack of roads. The player is invited to lead one of the three peoples: the Romans, Asians (actually the Chinese) and the Egyptians on the way to world domination.

A significant part of the game is the construction and arrangement of buildings. The production of all buildings requires stone and wood, as well as special builder units. All buildings in the game are divided into industrial, mining, agricultural, military and general. The first group includes buildings that extract natural resources, such as, for example, building materials or minerals (iron and coal) needed in the future for the production of troops.

Agricultural buildings include buildings that serve to produce food for the miners, as well as alcoholic beverages that are sacrificed to the gods. The group of military buildings includes watchtowers, barracks, a shipyard, and a workshop for siege weapons. The fourth group includes: dwelling houses serving for the production of porters, temples, market and docks.

Genre: E German school economic strategy, real-time strategy

There are four races in The Settlers IV: Maya, Vikings, Romans, and the Dark Tribe. In a single player game, you can complete the game campaign for each of the nations and play against the computer on a single map. Multiplayer allows players to fight each other, or play "free settle" mode, where you can develop your settlement without the threat of attack from the enemy.

The largest Russian gaming portal Absolute Games gave the game a score of 90%. The reviewer noted the high-quality gameplay of the game and beautiful graphics. Verdict: “As a result, we have Settlers 4 - a great, insanely playable, graphically perfect project. "Our Choice", highly recommended.

The Settlers: Rise of an Empire

Genre: German school economic strategy, real time strategy

The goals of the player in The Settlers: Rise of an Empire are as follows: development of the economic infrastructure of a medieval settlement (construction of roads and buildings, extraction of raw materials, production of goods), strengthening and protecting the fortress walls, taking care of the inhabitants. The settlers have various needs that must be met or they will go on strike. The new world is divided into four climatic zones, where seasons and weather conditions change, which affects the efficiency of resource extraction and the speed of empire expansion.

Rise of an Empire featured female settlers for the first time in the series. The population of cities directly depends on the number of marriages. Fairs are the best place to look for brides and grooms; they also maintain trade relations with other countries, bring solid profits and entertain the people. For the first time in the series, the Knight unit appears, reflecting the level of leadership of the player. Being a military unit, the Knight becomes a key condition for the development of the settlement and the completion of quests.

The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom

Genre: German school economic strategy, real-time strategy, city-building simulator

The game has the same gameplay that is presented in the latest 3D installments of The Settlers series. The player starts with a simple village and expands it sector by sector to eventually create their own kingdom. During this process, the player must organize production chains and build transport systems as correctly as possible.

In the game, the player is given the opportunity to choose between three unique development paths in which he can come to victory: military, scientific and commercial. Having embarked on the traditional military development path for RTS, the player creates his own army, in order to then defeat and destroy his enemies with the help of military power. While following the scientific path of development, the player must focus on researching technological improvements. And finally, following the trade path of development, the player will have to build their economy and try to capture the best trade routes that are on the world map. Whichever development path is chosen, unique units and abilities will be available on it.

Tropico

Light of Altair takes us to the distant future. Planet Earth was destroyed after World War III. The surviving countries signed an armistice agreement, but when the development of the planets of the solar system began, conflicts began over colonies. Humanity is divided into several factions. The player will have to start exploring the moon by building power plants, hydroponic farms, and a laboratory. For mining, improving the operation of buildings, improving the fleet, it is necessary to master new technologies.

In addition to the construction and management part, there was also a place in the game for the combat component, orbital battles will take place regularly, as other factions will constantly try to recapture colonies from you. It is up to you to decide whether to conduct diplomatic negotiations more often or to conduct hostilities. Light of Altair is a colony building simulator. The player will be fully responsible for the construction of the colony, from landing to the complete settlement of the planet.

East India Company

Genre: Economic strategy, economic simulator

In economic conditions close to real, players need to establish trade in tea, porcelain and silks. You have to take on the role of a British Negotiator (merchant) who is busy with the difficult task of raising trade between Britain and India. In addition to speculative relations, the player will need to compete with competitors from other countries, periodically turning relations into a state of war. The game is suitable for those who like to engage in constant barter in games, increasing wealth and using economic leverage over competitors.

The game is somewhat similar to Anno. True, in order to build a city, you need to capture it. The game is suitable for those who like to trade and sea battles. In general, the game is not bad, a little monotonous gameplay gets boring over time. Graphically beautiful and pleasant, but at the same time it is incomprehensible that the video card heats up strongly, although it does not shine with technological perfection.

Cities: Skylines

Release date: 2015 Latest version 2016

Genre: city building simulator

City building simulator. The game is a modern city-building simulator with special attention to small details. In addition to the standard construction of the main buildings, Cities: Skylines will require laying communications, creating roads, electrifying buildings, etc.

The game has great opportunities in the construction and infrastructure. Initially, the player begins his journey with a small quarter, which later can grow to a multi-million metropolis. Also, the player must constantly monitor the parameters that affect the inhabitants of the city and their mood.

Transport Fever

Release date: 2016

Genre: economic simulator, management,

Economic strategy with elements of a logistics simulator. The game captures a wide time frame - from 1850 to 2050. During this period, the player will be able to go through a long journey from a simple steam locomotive and horse-drawn carts, to high-tech hovercraft trains and modern electric vehicles.

In Transport Fever, the player will be able to fully build rail connections between cities, organize freight transportation, and manage public transport. Of the key advantages, it is worth noting the wide opportunities in the development of the transport business, excellent graphic design and generated cities.

Banished

Release date: 2014 Latest version 2016

Genre: city building simulator

Strategic city-building simulator. The game offers to take control of a small settlement of people who are cut off from the whole world. Since there is no way to return to a civilized society, the settlement begins to develop, turning into a new city.

The main task of the player will be to constantly monitor the condition of the inhabitants. They have many parameters that are responsible for happiness, health and hunger. Each inhabitant can die or get sick, so in addition to building a city and developing infrastructure, the player must take care of the surviving settlers.

Railroad Tycoon 3

Release date: 2003

Genre: Economic strategy, games about trains

Economic strategy in railway business networking. The player takes control of a small railroad company that has a tight budget and minimal income. To correct the current situation, the player must become a real businessman.

The game touches on many economic details. In addition to the usual progress in the development of the railway, the player will be able to invest in other companies or receive third-party investments. The game will be able to please with a large number of real-life trains, as well as great opportunities in the development of your own enterprise.

offworld trading company

Release date: 2016

Genre: Real-time strategy, economic strategy

City-building strategy in a sci-fi setting. The game takes place on the colonized Mars, which has become a profitable place for the extraction of valuable resources. Several mining companies are in constant competition, and the player will be able to choose one of them and try to completely oust competitors from the planet.

The main goal of the game is to develop the extraction and processing of valuable resources as quickly as possible, and then absorb smaller companies. Since the action takes place on an uninhabitable planet, the player should take care of life support systems and connecting communications between processor buildings and mining installations.

Forge of Empires

release date: 2012

Genre: Browser MMO

A multiplayer browser-based military-economic online game, the gameplay of which is based on the development of your settlement, from the Stone Age to the oceanic future. And although the territory initially available for building is very limited, it will gradually expand, giving the player the opportunity to build more and more buildings and decorative elements.

PLAY

Despite the large bias in the economy in the game there are battles. So, for example, on the global map, you can capture new provinces, expanding your empire, negotiate and interact with your neighbors, bargaining with them or fighting. There are also guilds (unions) in the game that allow players to help each other.

The economic strategy genre for PC can be divided into 3 major sub-genres: global strategies, economic managers, tactical strategies combined with city-building simulators. At different times, one or another subgenre became popular due to its prominent representatives. We invite you to get acquainted with the list of the best economic strategy games for the PC platform in our opinion.

Release date: 2018
Genre: economy simulator survival in post apocalypse, steampunk
Developer: 11 bit studios
Publisher: 11 bit studios

Frostpunk, a city-building simulator with elements of the economy, sends the player into the post-apocalypse, when an eternal irresistible cold has fallen on humanity. It's a real-time strategy game set in a steampunk setting that requires you to build cities in the midst of permafrost. Here you will literally have to survive, adapting to the surrounding climate and slowly developing your city with the help of steam engines.

A lot of gameplay elements do not let you get bored, because you constantly need to monitor not only the amount of resources, but also the hope of the population, which in no case should leave them.

Sid Meier's Civilization V

Release date: 2010
Genre: global turn-based strategy, development of civilization
Developer: Firaxis Games
Publisher: 2K

Sid Meier's Civilization V is another part of the global economic strategy on PC, which has already fallen in love with the public with its previous versions. The developer of this brainchild is the company Firaxis Games. As in the previous parts, the player will take on the role of the ruler of one of the proposed states and lead it to victory. You can play both with computers and with real people in network mode.

Screenshots of Sid Meier's Civilization V

The game begins in ancient times and continues to our days. To win, the player will have to develop his state, moving up the technology tree. Victory is possible in several ways. You can completely capture other powers, or you can hit science and be the first to conquer space, which also counts as a victory.

Release date: 2015
Genre: city building simulator, construction and economics of the city
Developer: Colossal Order Ltd.
Publisher: Paradox Interactive

Next in line is a city-building strategy with elements of the Cities Skyline economy, which attracts with its proximity to the real world. Here the player can feel like the owner of the whole city: divide it into residential, commercial and industrial areas, build road junctions, assign public transport and much more.

There is no plot or scenario component to be found here. Cities Skyline is a classic sandbox game that allows the player to build their own world. You just need to choose the starting area and you can build your own city. And if the game suddenly gets bored, you can find a huge number of custom modifications that nicely modernize the gameplay.

Release date: year 2012
Genre: economic strategy, state development
Developer: InnoGames
Publisher: InnoGames

Economic strategies on a PC are not always voluminous games installed on a computer. So, the popular game Forge Of Empires is completely browser-based, but no less popular because of this. As is usually the case in such games, the player's path begins with a small village that needs to be developed. Over time, the city can turn into an entire empire.

You can develop your state on your own, without interacting with neighboring countries. However, if desired, the player can establish diplomacy with neighbors, which will speed up or slow down the development of the empire. The entire gameplay is divided into different eras, which change as you play. In total, there are about 18 such epochs.

Release date: 2011
Genre: dictator simulator, banana republic economic development
Developer: Haemimont Games
Publisher: Kalypso Media Digital

If you are tired of the usual economic strategies, then turn your attention to the game Tropico 4. Here the player will have to be in the shoes of a dictator and develop his banana republic. One of the main features is the individuality of each resident of the city. You can track his relationship to the government, salary, usefulness and the like, as well as just shoot him in case he is a threat.

In addition to the usual sandbox, the scenario component is implemented in Tropico. The player will have to mix between different small states and solve their local problems. In this way, tasks will be completed and open up new opportunities, as well as missions in the game.

Release date: year 2012
Genre: economic strategy about the Middle Ages
Developer: firefly studios
Publisher: firefly studios

Many real-time strategy fans are familiar with the Stronghold Kingdoms universe. This time, Firefly Studios has presented a multiplayer strategy called Stronghold Kingdoms, where each player is engaged in the construction and economy of his castle, and at the same time builds diplomatic relations with other kings.

Single player is not provided here, because this is MMORTS. That is why many fans of the series did not like the game, because it is extremely similar to the usual browser-based strategy, of which there are already a huge number on the Internet. There is very little left of the first Stronghold Kingdoms games in this version: similar locations, the same models of buildings and units, as well as settlers.

Release date: 2018
Genre: economic manager, train strategy
Developer: Gaming Minds Studios
Publisher: Kalypso Media Digital

Those who are tired of the same type of economic strategies, in which it is necessary to develop the state in the Middle Ages and more ancient times, can try the railway tycoon simulator. The player will plunge into the world of North America in the 19th century.

The developers have successfully chosen the genre of the game to simulate making money on the railroad. The player must establish his own transport company, then plan the development of his business and bring it to the financial top. Many people think that this game is exclusively about driving trains. Naturally, this is not so. The railway here is just a tool with which you can earn money and have a good time.

Release date: 2018
Genre: economic manager, fantasy strategy
Developer: Realmforge Studios
Publisher: Kalypso Media Digital

When analyzing the economic strategy of Dungeon 3, it is worth considering it as an independent offspring, independent of the previous parts. Oddly enough, the player will play for the forces of evil, helping the Lord of Darkness to unite all the forces of evil and defeat good, along the way rebuilding dungeons and prisons.

Fans of cooperative games will also be satisfied, because here it is not necessary to advance through the storyline alone. You can create your own session, wait for friends to connect and start getting rid of enemy mobs together, as well as rebuilding your kingdom of darkness.

Release date: 2018
Genre: economic MMO strategy about the Vikings
Developer: Plarium
Publisher: Plarium

Vikings: War Of Clans is, for the most part, an economic strategy MMO for mobile platforms and PC. The player will have to immerse himself in the world of the Northern Kingdoms by founding his own village. As you level up, you'll be able to build new buildings to extract resources, upgrade your town hall, and learn new technologies in the Oracle.

The main drawback of the game is that it has too much donation, without which it is almost impossible to resist other players. So this is definitely not the kind of game that you can calmly spend the evening after a hard day. Here the player requires perseverance and a lot of free time. And the gameplay component is practically absent. The whole gameplay boils down to the fact that the player moves between buildings and presses buttons, after which he waits many hours for the end of the process.

Release date: year 2014
Genre: economic simulation of settlement development
Developer: Shining Rock Software LLC
Publisher: Shining Rock Software LLC

Next in line is the city-building simulator Banished, in which there are no elements of diplomacy with other rulers and a lot of attention is paid to the internal economy. The player enters an isolated world where he will have to focus on his people and develop a large city. It is necessary to focus not only on the extraction of resources and the construction of new buildings, but also on the well-being of people, otherwise the game will be lost.

The technology tree is not implemented in this game. The player must use all available means to survive the harsh winter or hot summer. The plot here is practically not worked out. The game begins with a few poor cartwheel travelers founding a small village.

Release date: year 2009
Genre: indirect control strategy
Developer: 1C:InoCo
Publisher: Paradox Interactive

Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim is a rather idiosyncratic real-time indirect-control strategy game that's been over 15 years since its release. However, even today you can find amateurs who are still improving their bases.

The player will have to feel himself in the shoes of the sovereign of Ardania, the country of the fantasy setting of the game. The whole strategy is divided into many small scenarios, each of which involves the player performing various tasks. Each session has a main building - the palace. If the player loses it, then the game will be over not in his favor. If you deprive the enemy of this building, then the game will end in victory. Some believe that the gameplay of the game strongly resembles Warcraft III.

Release date: year 2013
Genre: global historical strategy
Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Publisher: Paradox Interactive

The global economic strategy on the PC Europa Universalis IV sends the player to the Middle Ages and offers to live the period up to the Napoleonic Wars. Such a setting is often quite well accepted by the audience and the game in question is no exception. In 2013, she was recognized as the strategy of the year by the magazine "Igromania".

The player chooses the state for which he will play, after which his diligent development begins. The game does not start from a small village, as is usually the case. It all depends on the chosen state. You can engage in diplomacy, religion, building new structures, hiring troops, and so on.

What lures people into urban planning and economic strategies with business development? For some, the opportunity to feel a bit of power over the fate of the settlers or staff entrusted to you, others amuse the vanity of the inner architect, who was left without a formal education, but who wants to build houses.

However, even among such adventurers there are those who want to experience the full power of the factors and difficulties that managers have to face. This top 10 economic and urban strategy games is dedicated to all the mentioned categories of players.

Let's start with games with a regional and country-by-country scale of control. This strategy from the authors of Europa Universalis is almost its complete medieval counterpart. And she is no less interesting in execution.

The plot of the strategy

On behalf of one of the states in Europe, Asia or Central America, you will have to make sure that it lives from 1066 (or earlier) to 1453 as successfully as possible compared to all the others.

Game process

If in Europa Universalis relations are built between states, then relations with specific members of the ruling families and their courtiers come to the fore. It is not even necessary to start playing as a king - for a start, the title of mayor may be enough, and then follow the example of Pepin the Short and start your dynasty. Need to find a finance minister? Take a closer look at your nephew or trust the talented upstart baron. Need to defeat the enemy king? If you are lucky and find a casus belli, you can capture him in battle, but if he has an offended favorite, you can send greetings through him in a glass of poison or on the tip of a dagger.

Is it worth playing?

Alas, the place of the economy here is almost completely occupied by diplomacy. On the one hand, this is not bad, but on the other hand, this is still a top about economic strategies. If you want to start playing “serious strategy games” but are afraid of the complexity, or if you were conquered by The Sims: Medieval in your time, perhaps this game can be an enjoyable entertainment for you.

Like the previous top game, this strategy is here thanks to the possibility of minimizing hostilities at the expense of economy and diplomacy.

What is the game about?

On behalf of the selected European country, you have to win a place in the sun or even the whole world.

Gameplay

The well-being of countries and their constituent provinces can depend on many factors. In trade, one should not neglect involvement in existing trade flows or the creation of new ones; sometimes the existing fleet should be used not for the sake of capping, but for the exploration and colonization of new lands. Are you not lucky enough to be a small poor country on a couple of pieces of stone? Find strong allies, give your daughter a successful marriage, pit your neighbors and expand your lands when no one can oppose you.

Although there is no obvious goal here, and the game ends with the victory over Napoleon (purely in time), the local detailed implementation of economic processes between countries and regions deserves special praise and special attention from you.

You may be surprised by our decision, but we decided to put one of the best games in the Civilization series at the eighth place in our top. There is still some kind of direct management of cities there.

The head of the chosen nation will have to lead his nation through time to world leadership. You can conquer the whole world, force everyone to recognize yourself as a leader, or fly away to win a star.

If we leave aside everything related to the management of a large state, then intracity management is a simplified version of the same The Settlers, however, you most likely will not see your residents in person. A city is started by the Settler unit, which creates a settlement on a hex with more food, production points, or both.

The Worker unit equips the city with access to resources nearby, and one military unit can be garrisoned. In addition to building units, buildings, or wonders, the player can customize the production activities of city dwellers on the spaces around the city for food, gold, production points, or science. Also, specialists can be assigned to work in city buildings - scientists, engineers, merchants and artists.

They increase the growth of the corresponding resources (production or science points, gold, culture) and hasten the birth of a great specialist in the city, capable of advancing the research of a technology or paradigm. Successful trade and diplomacy with neighbors can ultimately lead to world leadership.

Great strategy that won't work for everyone

We agree that this game is not about building and managing a city or other economic facility. However, in many respects its economic system was optimized compared to the previous part, and most importantly, the achievement of dominance by peaceful means became a reality. Wanted a little more than simple construction and arrangement? Pay attention to her. Well, on.

Seventh place is occupied by a surprisingly successful game based on the film, judging by the reviews, the strategy of 2018, which combined the management of an amusement park and a zoo, where you have to grow pets and make sure that they do not run away and devour each other and visitors. Unlike most games of the genre, it is available not only on PC, but also on Xbox One and Playstation 4 consoles.

What is the story about?

For the N-th time, the unknown geneticists cast a net and caught another isolated island. “Well, now we can do it all right?” they thought and continued their experiments with dinosaurs. You will have to take control of their competent breeding, maintenance and provision for review by tourists from all over the world.

How is it played?

Starting from one island, Isla Matanceros, the player must slowly, because. time rewind is not provided here, but it is true to build a high-rated park with dinosaurs. This includes the discovery of new species of pangolins with further cultivation and release into a fenced area, and the construction of service and entertainment buildings of the park.

We will have to simultaneously monitor the well-being of animals that can starve, get bored, go wild and eat the rest, and technical equipment. For example, problems with electricity will lead to exactly the same result as in the movie. Disgruntled employees of different departments can also add problems by organizing sabotage, so keep your cursor on the rating and other indicators.

As you progress through the career mode on Isla Matanceros, the player will discover four more potential sites, including the cinematic Isla Nublar. You can try them out in the sandbox, don't hesitate to allocate funds for your dream park. Separately, I would like to note the opportunity to join a safari group and watch the dinosaurs from the cockpit of their vehicle: they still tried on the graphics here.

Perhaps this game can be offered both to people who love themselves, and to those who will look for a reason to release the tyrannosaurus rex to freedom. The spectacle is amusing, although without much blood. Marathon runners from tycoons should look for something more interesting.

In sixth place is the continuation of the adventures of El Presidente on the eye-pleasing islands somewhere in tropical latitudes. When you start, you will need to register through Steam, Origin or another similar system.

You have been appointed governor of a distant colony on the other side of the world. But not forever endure the whims of this crowned half-wit? Ride the revolution and enjoy the sole rule. Or at least try.

The sixth part continues to develop the ideas proposed in the fifth. Starting in the era of colonial dependence, the player will have to slowly develop and rebuild the local settlement, while simultaneously completing tasks from the crown. Over time, it will be possible to rebel and declare independence, and from that moment on, the game for the “banana republic” will become noticeably more interesting.

The immortal El Presidente will have to maneuver between various political forces, recruiting ministers from among them, and at the same time try to be re-elected for another term. Alas, getting rid of the dissatisfied with the help of prisons and repression will not work, you will have to rely on the carrot in the face of ecology, propaganda and cultural entertainment.

Successful management of the economy, which differs little from other games of this genre, will allow not only to avoid popular unrest or a military coup, but also to increase capital in a personal account in a Swiss bank. A small but pleasant innovation is raids (depending on the era - pirates, spies, hackers, etc.), with which you can search for treasures, rescue drowning people and rob other people's ships and countries. In particular, you can steal one of the wonders of the world, which will become your tourist attraction.

The dictator simulator in the usual sense of the word for us still remained in 2011, although this part still carries the spirit of a small but very proud state somewhere between North and South America. It can be recommended to both fans of Latin American flavor and habitual players in economic strategies to have some rest.

Introducing the fifth place in the top city-building RTS from the authors of This War of Mine. Now players have the opportunity not only to play the city builder to the end (there is no sandbox mode here), but also to make a number of important ethical decisions during the game that will affect the ending.

Story and gameplay

In the alternate 19th century, the world is plunged into the darkness and cold of a new Ice Age. The best minds of the British Empire had built several huge heat generators ahead of time, not far from the untapped mineral reserves in the north. However, huge construction projects undermined the British economy, and the generators were abandoned. Now, through the ice and snowstorms, the surviving remnants of human civilization rushed from all over the planet to one of these generators ...

At the beginning of the game, the player has at his disposal a small group of workers, engineers and their families - the elderly, women and children. With their help, you need to build houses and establish heat supply in them: outside the window is -20⁰С, and a decrease in temperature will lead to damage to equipment, illness and death of settlers.

However, in the future, in order to maintain a growing town, it will be necessary to think about social policy: whether to increase the working shift for miners, whether to allow the issuance of normal portions of food from limited supplies, whether to allow children to work on an equal basis with adults. Hence the main question asked by the authors of the game: is it possible to remain human under difficult conditions?

Is it worth it to launch?

It will not work to replay this game many times - as soon as all the ways to reach the endings become known, interest in it immediately subsides. And yet, this strategy can be advised not only to fans of 11 bit creativity, but also to fans of a clear plot in games of this genre.

When the authors of two well-known RTS series, Blue Bytes (The Settlers series) and Related Designs (Anno series), take on a joint project, you involuntarily expect something unusual or wonderful. In fact, they just got a good ecological strategy about the future of mankind. It is difficult to say whether Ubisoft influenced this or the case for other reasons. In any case, this game takes the fourth place in our top.

What's going on in the game?

As we were warned, by 2070, due to global warming, both polar caps have melted, which led to the flooding of most of the land. The people who remained literally afloat on special ships, the Arks, decided to populate the free territories. Now the new factions will have to decide the fate of the further development of mankind, taking into account or ignoring its past mistakes.

When choosing a solo storyline, the player will have to play sequentially as two factions - the Global Trust, which strives for unlimited mining of useful resources, and Eden, whose environmentalists develop more environmentally friendly ways to obtain resources.

There is also a third faction, specialized in technological development, but you can only communicate with it through diplomacy. During the game, the player will encounter, in addition to the main factions, pirates, Rogue Traders, oil barons and other business NPCs of varying degrees of friendliness. Enemies can attack both on water and under water, so if you want, you can arrange a clash of armadas from submarines.

The gameplay, from laying roads between buildings to researching new technologies, is not much different from other economic strategies. However, one of the factors affecting the frequency of natural disasters, resource extraction and the well-being of residents is the environment. If there is nothing to breathe in the city, and fish in coastal waters float up belly-up after an oil spill, then the population will resent, and your control over it will be threatened.

This game is a rather instructive strategy that can be recommended to both adults and schoolchildren. You should not look for any genre revelations in it, but the multiplayer mode will allow you not only to exchange resources in the sandbox, but also to complete joint missions.

Railroad Tycoon series

Sid Meier is known not only for the Civilization series, but also for the Railroad Tycoon series about building a railroad network. When working on the first game in the series, he formed one of the rules of game development: not the developer or the computer, but the player should get pleasure. As a result of following this rule of the game, the series walked a fine line between casualness and a large number of tables and details of cargo transportation, leaning one way or the other. This series opens the top three of our top.

Build roads!

In the campaign mode, the player will be able to experience the difficulties of building the Transcontinental Railroad or establishing a railway connection between North and South Korea, depending on the chosen region and story.

The construction of railways and the transportation of goods on them, if you have not thought, actually involve a huge number of factors - from the banal purchases of trains and the construction of tracks to the issuance of securities and the development of stations. The first part of the campaign tells about the history of the US railroads, and by the third part they already affect the entire globe.

Despite the lack of a detailed transportation process, the player can be pleased with fairly detailed lists and authentic models of locomotives and other types of rolling stock that were common at certain points in the history of the 19th-20th centuries.

In addition to campaigns, the game has single-player scenario and sandbox modes. In the third part of the game, the ability to play online with three other players via LAN or the Internet was screwed.

If you agree in your heart with Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory that trains are great, this game can either reinforce your love or make you remember a joke about sausage lovers and its production.

Since this is still a tycoon, it is important here not just to build roads, but to make them a source of profit. Since everything coincided with you - both love and greed - then feel free to become the new Vanderbilt. In addition, the last part of the series was released back in 2006, so there should be no problems with launching for weak and medium PCs.

The Settlers series

The silver medalist is one of the iconic European RTS with an emphasis on economics. Unlike other urban planners, its developers at Blue Bytes staggered from antiquity to the Middle Ages and back. Like many games of this genre, The Settlers went to mobile platforms and browsers in the 2010s, although the announcement of the new part at Gamescom 2018 in Cologne promised a return to the PC.

The Settlers plot

As such, there is no through plot for all games in this series. From the second to the fourth part, as well as in their sequels, the creators leaned towards the once popular Romans, and with them the Egyptians, Mayans, Vikings and other peoples of antiquity. From the fifth to the seventh part, a conditional Middle Ages was observed. Regardless of the setting, there was always one thing in the center of the plot - a small group of people had to gain a foothold on the piece of land they got, equip it and defend it from opponents.

How to play?

The gameplay in most of the games in the series is similar to Black&White (god simulator) except for divine interventions. In addition to the construction of buildings and protective structures, the player must organize the extraction and production of resources, and hence the need for exploration and other things.

Directly ordering the little men will not work, you will have to create the necessary conditions for their activities. The same goes for troops: with the exception of a few units, you simply hire or gather troops and send them into battle with the hope of success.

All of the above could be both complicated by the change of seasons, the need to monitor demographics (without women, the village is dying out) and the presence of people of several professions for the construction of industrial buildings, or simplified: in later versions of the games, warehouses are filled automatically. When going through story missions, you must remember that winning at any cost is not a method, first you need to achieve stable development. The multiplayer modes in this series are not the most popular due to some contradiction between the principles of competition and the leisurely passage familiar to the local gameplay.

Due to the rendering of control processes in the later games of the series, they can be advised to all fans of the urban genre. The earlier parts and their updated versions are best left for review to connoisseurs of more detailed modeling of management processes. You can buy all parts both on the official Ubisoft website and on Steam.

And yet, the name came first. Two games are known under it. The first is the great ancestor of all the participants in this top. Its creator, Will Wright, was called a genius, and Maxis got their hands on a brand that lives on to this day. The second is the last game in the series to be released for PC.

The plot of the best city-building simulator

The player in the person of the mayor of the city will have to reasonably lead his locality to well-being and prosperity.

SimCity Gameplay

In the first game, you can start from scratch, or take a ready-made city that is experiencing one or another plot event - an earthquake, a lockout, an attack by Godzilla, and the like. There is no goal as such, and the session can go on indefinitely, but the balance in the city is maintained with great difficulty.

There are few parks and many factories - residents are indignant that they have nothing to breathe, many residential buildings and few roads - huge traffic jams, pandemonium and again unrest. The construction of a nuclear power plant will provide the city with electricity and an exclusion zone in the distant future.

The new SimCity, in a sense, generalizes all the experience of Maxis in modeling urban processes and urban planning. The player chooses one of 14 regions and builds in it the city he wants, with the possibility of narrow specialization. An innovation can be called a multiplayer mode, which allows you to jointly develop several neighboring cities, establishing an exchange of resources between them.

Fans of retro should definitely get acquainted with the mastodon from the world of urban planning. Today, there are both paid (SimCity Deluxe) and free (Micropolis) versions of the game to play on PC, mobile devices and in the browser. If you don’t want to spoil your eyes with pixels, then you can pay attention to his grandson, but he will already require an Internet connection to turn on.

Do you think that not all games of the top economic and city-building strategy games have received a worthy assessment? Or are you ready to add a few more to our list? Write about it in the comments!

Economic strategies, where players take on the role of "Master" of the city, attract attention due to the ability to personally manage the economy and construction, and sometimes deal with the invasion of enemies and natural disasters. The most important thing in all this is the need to think with your head, because in order for the economy of your state to develop successfully, sometimes you have to make difficult decisions.

So, if you like economic strategy games and have a desire to play one of them, then check out our list of TOP 10 economic strategy games on PC.

10. Total War: Rome 2

Of course, this game can hardly be called an economic strategy, because in addition to the economy, it combines war and global strategy, but still it managed to take tenth place in our top, because Total War: Rome is one of the best global strategy games in which the player will have to stand at the head of one of the factions of ancient Rome in the period from 270 BC. to 14 AD

Prove that it is your family that deserves to become the most powerful and get all the power. Develop the economy of your faction in order to achieve success as quickly as possible.

9 Civilization 3

On the shoulders of the player will be the management of the whole state. It will be important to make economic and political decisions that will lead your state to triumph and make it great.

You can use any tactic to achieve victory. The recalcitrant can always be subdued with the sword, and with those who are afraid, peace negotiations can always be held and a common conclusion reached.

Prove that you are a talented ruler, and not a slob, unable to prudently manage the available resources.

8. Rise of Venice

A game that shows the world of economic strategies from a new perspective. After all, only here you have to deal with the unique Venetian architecture.

This game is undeniably worthy of taking a place in the top economic strategies. The main storyline will introduce the player to the events of the 15th century during the heyday of Venice.

Rise of Venice will surprise the player with an unusual implementation of actions, as well as a rather intriguing gameplay. Keep in mind that the passage of the game will probably drag you out for one hour, and therefore it is better to do all the household chores in advance.

7. Anno 2070

Among lovers of economic strategies, the Anno series of games is one of the oldest and most beloved. The project is dedicated to the construction and development of their own cities of different eras. You have to deal with all aspects of economic life, from resource extraction to trade wars with competitors.

In Anno 2070, the player will have to manage a huge city. In order for the city to develop, it is important to control all areas of its life. Make sure that the townspeople live well in the city, otherwise they may just run away. Increase the population, improve existing buildings and erect new ones.

Each stage of construction carries with it certain problems, and therefore the player will be required to make serious and responsible decisions.

6. The Guild 2

The sixth position is occupied by another game related to economic strategies. Despite the fact that the game was released back in 2007, it still remains in demand among fans of this genre.

The Guild 2 will immerse the player in Europe of the Middle Ages. Passions boil, events heat up, and this makes it even more interesting. The story can change depending on the decisions the player makes, so when choosing something, think about how this decision can affect the future.

5. Cities XL 2012

Cities XL 2012 is considered the best economic strategy game of 2012. However, the game remains popular among fans of games of this genre to this day.

The player will take on the role of a major city planner. The peculiarity of this project is that it is necessary to build not one city, but several at the same time.

The player is offered more than 1000 different buildings and dozens of fairly detailed maps.

Please note that you have a huge responsibility for the citizens of the city and maintaining order and stability.

4 Civilization 5

And again Civilization. This time, the fifth part of the legendary series of economic games, which is one of the most famous in the field of economic strategies released for PC. Of course, all games in the series are good in their own way, but the fifth part of Civilization raised the bar to unprecedented heights.

In the fifth version of the game, more buildings appeared, everything became much more realistic and interesting. The player will have to take care of the development of his nation and lead it through the centuries. You will have to start with the most primitive society and smoothly move on to the present.

In order to make it easier to play, it is very important to earn the respect and love of the citizens of your city.

3. Port Royale 3

Port Royal 3 takes a well-deserved third position in the ranking of the best economic strategies.

The plot of the game is based on the events of the 17th century, taking place in the Caribbean. Just then, the conflict between France, Holland, Spain and England flares up.

The whole game is based on trading. You will have to deal with the production and sale of certain resources. It is up to you to choose to become an honest trader or earn a reputation as an adventurer.

2. Second place went to Stronghold: Crusader

This is a strategy that will tell about the famous Crusade. The player will take part in the battle for dominance in the Middle East, but most of the gameplay is not war, but the construction and development of the state's economy.

The game has become popular due to its beautiful graphics and adherence to the classics of the genre. The last part of the famous series called Stronghold Kingdoms for the first time gives players from all over the world the opportunity to clash in battle with each other.

1 SimCity

The first place undoubtedly goes to the best and one of the oldest in the category of economic strategy games series. The whole series has long been known to players, and for its unique gameplay, as well as the abyss of opportunities for the construction and development of a virtual city, it deserves to be in the first place.

Sim City player is the main creator, master, boss or God, whichever you prefer. You have to build not just a city, but a huge metropolis with its own economy and developed industry. It is worth noting that not everything is so simple, because a wide variety of difficulties can arise on the player's path, starting with a natural disaster and ending with an invasion of alien forces.