Top 12 Games Similar to Stonehearth in 2022 (Free and Paid)

Stonehearth is a village-building colony sim that gained immense popularity a few years ago. There are still quite a few players, but most have left the game and moved on. A big reason for that is that the developers have completely abandoned the game and there are only a few mods to keep it going. So if you’re a Stonehearth fan who’s bored and looking for an alternative, you’re in luck. We have compiled a list of games similar to Stonehearth, so you can continue building your village or city without any problems. Check out the best Stonehearth alternatives in this guide.

Stonehearth Game Alternatives (2022)

1. Rim World

Starting the list with a sci-fi colony, RimWorld is a top-down style building game with a space theme . rimWorld takes inspiration from popular city-building games like Fortress, Space Dwarves, and Dune. As a player in rimWorld, you start as three survivors of a shipwreck in an unknown world. It’s up to you to make sure these colonists survive and thrive in this world.

You manage your colonists’ mood, needs, health, and even combat. Colonists have their own personalities and act as such. As a builder, you have to construct entire buildings and fight against attacking enemies. Combine your colonists with pets for even more variety.

Rimworld is powered by an intelligent AI storyteller that generates stories by simulating world elements such as psychology, ecology, gunfights, melee combat, climate, and biomes. This means that all events that occur in the game are randomized and planned at the same time. So be prepared for what this Stonehearth alternative will throw at you while you manage your colony and hire more people.

Get RimWorld on Steam ( $34.99 )

2. Banished

Banished is a game similar to Stonehearth in many ways. The game follows a similar art style to Stonehearth and focuses on world-building elements. As the name suggests, Banished follows a group of exiled travelers who leave behind nothing but their clothes and cart. You must now take in the exiled people and rebuild their lives from scratch.

Similar to Rimworld, Banished people also have their own lives and follow normal life cycles , such as growing old, getting a job, starting a family, and even dying . There are more than 20 professions for people to choose from, and your job is to make their lives easier.

The good thing about this game is that city building is easy. Instead of waiting until buildings are unlocked, you can build any structure whenever you have the resources. There is no currency in the game, but Banished people can exchange resources with trade ships that arrive on their shores . These vessels are also essential to managing the town’s food system.

However, remember that ships can also bring death in the form of new diseases . With these different factors to deal with, this Stonehearth alternative requires a strategy to ensure your town succeeds and doesn’t fall into despair.

Get Banished on Steam ( $19.99 )

3. City: Skyline

Cities: Skylines is a game similar to Stonehearth, but it brings a different spin by jumping to the 21st century. As the mayor in the game, you are tasked with building an entire city from scratch. While all this may sound easy, Cities: Skylines comes with modern challenges that make building and running a city difficult. You can build as many buildings as you like to shape your city, but the mechanics of the simulation force you to deal with more aspects.

This means that as mayor, you will be in charge of the city’s various needs , including the economy, police, health care, water, electricity, and of course transportation. You can divide your space into districts and implement policies. Cities experience conditions such as day-night cycles and changes in traffic .

Like other city-building simulation games, the inhabitants of Skylines react to what’s around them. Therefore, if you do not manage your city correctly, they may not like it. As you can already tell, Cities: Skylines is a city-building game that goes a step further than just building. Therefore, be careful when trying this alternative.

Get Cities: Skylines on Steam ( $29.99 )

4. Frostpunk

Frostpunk is a social survival game that takes things in a much darker direction. This is to be expected since the game is made by the developers of This War of Mine, a survival game. In Frostpunk, you are the ruler of the last city on Earth . Set in a completely frozen world where survivors rely on steam-powered technology, Frostpunk’s environment is anything but friendly. As the ruler of this city, it’s up to you to not only build the city from scratch, but also protect your people from certain elements and maintain their spirit.

As before, you need to manage various aspects such as health care, diet, work, etc. Frostpunk allows players to develop existing technology and create a modern, futuristic world. But it goes deeper than that. At some point you will be given the opportunity to explore the surrounding area for more information.

Frostpunk does a great job of giving players control over their resources, but it also introduces scenarios that require conscious emotional decisions that can hold players back. As a ruler, you will have to make some difficult choices , including deciding the fate of your people. A decision that may seem small may turn out to be significant later on. This game is similar to Stonehearth, but Frostpunk is also a game that may come back to haunt you later.

Get FrostPunk on Steam ( $29.99 )

5. Anno 1800

One of the most popular ANNO games in the series, ANNO 1800 is a city-building game set in the 19th century. As the ruler of ANNO, you must command the industrial revolution and everything that comes with it. Like other city building games, you have to build an entire city and turn it into a metropolis. Of course, this is an amazing combination of modern technology while still maintaining tradition.

Players in ANNO 1800 can manage their own cities, but they also have the option to explore other locations by sending their people on expeditions around the world or settling in new regions. However, keep in mind that you are not alone in this world, as the AI ​​enemies have their own cities.

As a ruler, you must use a variety of tactics, including diplomacy and war, to keep your city safe. By recruiting adversaries, you can establish trade routes and make profits. Yes, ANNO 1800 is a Stonehearth-like game that expands on city building and brings it closer to Age of Empires.

Get ANNO 1800 at Ubisoft Store ( $21.00 )

6. Founder’s property

Going back to Stonehearth’s art style, Founder’s Fortune boasts similar graphics that veteran players will love. Set in a fantasy land, Founder’s Fortune is a village-building game that includes resource management, research, defense, training, and more. You are responsible for building the entire village while meeting the needs of its residents.

Founders’ Fortune relies on the psychology of your colonists , so you’ll need to manage their moods, expectations, and even health. Your villagers may have children too, so make sure they are happy and well-fed. For that, be sure to use the farming system to provide delicious food to everyone in the city.

Founder’s Fortune has great building mechanics, but takes it a step further. While you can place an existing design, you can also design your own home and build it to your liking , providing versatility. For those who want to learn more, Founder’s Fortune also has research that leads to better architectural elements, furniture, and overall technology.

You can fund all the projects in your city by trading with traveling traders. Similar to FrostPunk, Founders’ Fortune comes with harsh winters and Tiki Goblins , so be careful if you want to survive. If you want to play an interesting game similar to Stonehearth, install Founders’ Fortune.

Get Founders’ Fortune on Steam ( $21.99 )

7. Ignomia

Ignomia is a strategic foundation building game currently in early access. The game takes inspiration from popular builders like Dwarf Fortress and Gnomoria. The developer strives to get the best of both worlds, and reviews show the same. Although the game borrows assets from Gnomoria, the entire engine was rewritten from scratch.

Ignomia is a colony building game that focuses on base building, resource management, and a healthy variety of choices. You can see the entire colony from above , making it easier to monitor your base. New players may find the graphics aren’t as beautiful as ANNO or Frostpunk, but it maintains a good visual fidelity that remains appealing.

The best part is that Ignomia is free to play and maintain , and the developers are known for caring about their community. So if you download and play this title, be sure to drop your feedback. Check out another kind of Ignomia alternative to Stonehearth.

Get Ignomia on Steam ( Free )

8. Strange Realm

Joining the early access list is Odd Realm, which is essentially a top-down colony sim building game. While the main focus here is building your base and taking care of your people, Odd Realm expands on that concept. The entire game is set in a procedurally generated world , which translates into a wealth of landscapes to choose from. Whether it’s a magical mountain range or a dead giant’s ribcage, there’s certainly variety.

You also have a lot of freedom while building because you are not limited by design. It can be installed freely above ground or underground. Choose from over 100 buildable blueprints , ranging from structures to cosmetics. Additionally, there are two distinct races in the game world, with three more to come.

So if you don’t like modern humans, check out the ancients. Once the base is set up, Odd Realm allows players to explore the city by going underground and discovering lost stories. However, do not forget that there are enemies in this world who will see your base destroyed.

Get Odd Realm on Steam ( $14.99 )

9. Hammer Helm

If you like city building but want a little more freedom, HammerHeml is for you. The game is similar to Stoneheath in terms of city building, but adds variety in other areas as well. With HammerHelm, you become a dwarf exiled for thinking differently. Newly homeless, you decide to build a safe haven for other dwarves who also want to live on the surface. Therefore, it is your duty to create a huge dwarf town and manage the needs of the people to keep them happy .

What sets HammerHelm apart, however, is its blend of base building and third-person action. So you can get out and explore while building your city. A fast-paced combat system is also added to some of the action. Players can equip their dwarves with weapons and armor to ensure they are ready for battle. Check out HammerHelm and combine building and combat.

Get HammerHelm on Steam ( $14.99 )

10. Against the Storm

Against the Storm is a Stonehearth alternative that takes a beautiful basic building code and combines it with the dark premise of FrostPunk. You act as the Viceroy of the Burnt Queen, charged with developing the smoldering city in any way she can. You live in a destroyed world, where your city is the last one standing. However, instead of endless frost, we get wilderness and its storms.

Additionally, Against the Storm takes building to the next level. Rather than focusing on a single city, you are tasked with creating a series of settlements filled with different races and cultures. Your villagers are essential to your progress to keep them happy. However, the weather keeps changing, so be sure to change your strategy to keep the city safe.

In addition to races, there are many enemies in the game, so be careful. But more importantly, Against the Storm is also a roguelike builder . This means that your resources can be carried over to the next game in case the current one ends. So if you’re looking for a highly detailed branching city builder, check out this game similar to Stonehearth.

Get Against the Storm ( $19.99 ) on Steam

11. Tropico 6

Tropico 6 is the latest addition to the long-running series in the base-building genre. As El Presidente of your land, it’s up to you to develop the island nation of Tropico and lead it through different eras. Tropico 6 carries over the building aspects of the previous games, but now you can manage different islands and connect them through bridges. Tropico 6 comes with a new transportation system that allows players to move their population around in different ways.

After all, you are the dictator, and Tropico 6 allows gamers to be just that. The latest version also added a new research system that allows users to earn more political points. If you want to take it a step further, you also have the option of giving a campaign speech . However, that doesn’t stop the game from allowing players to steal something unusual: wonders of the world, including the Statue of Liberty.

Finally, you should know that Tropico 6 comes with an online multiplayer mode that supports up to four players. So if a game like this Stonehearth feels trite to play alone, pair up with someone else.

Get Tropico 6 on Steam ( $39.99 )

12. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

If you think AOE is far from Stoneheart, you might be right and wrong at the same time. However, we had to include one of the best base building story-driven games on this list as a special mention. For those who don’t know, Age of Empires II is a very popular activity-building strategy game . The world of AOE is not determined by a single city, but revolves around a large number of civilizations and stories. You can start off with a solo map, but playing the Conqueror campaign is fun.

The AOE map is divided into different biomes, each with its own specialization. It is combined with various civilizations that have their own cultural history, including military units. Once you start building, you’ll see a wide variety of structures you can create, including the popular “Wonders of the World.” Additionally, players can advance their city through different eras, including the Dark Age, Feudal, Castle, and Imperial eras, unlocking new structures and units.

AOE’s AI is actually smart and has quite a bit of strategy built into it. Therefore, if you just want to build, please avoid placing enemies on the map. Alternatively, once you have deployed your troops, you can resort to all-out war against other players. The Definitive Edition has been remastered to 4K, so it features enhanced graphics that can run on today’s best graphics cards. If you want a game similar to Stonehearth, but with its own unique spin, check out AOE 2.

Get Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition on Steam ( $19.99 )

Check out the games you can play like Stonehearth

This concludes our list of games similar to Stonehearth. These games are made up of different city-building elements, so you might end up liking them all, or just picking a few. However, if you want to check out more games, we recommend reading our list of the best sandbox games like Minecraft that also have city-building elements. Still, what are your favorite Stonehearth alternatives? Do you know any other games that should be added to the list? Please write your recommendations in the comments section below.