Citystate

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2018

2018

Quick resume

Create a 21st century micro-nation and experiment with economic and political ideals. Futuristic skyscrapers or spreading slums, the Nation relies on your economic and city planning skills.

Global score

75/100

Genres

Casual, Indie, Simulator, Strategy

Similar games

Pros

Unique blend of city building and political simulation
Deep economic and policy management
High replayability with multiple ideologies
Active developer support and updates
Retro nostalgic graphics and intuitive ui

Cons

Steep learning curve with limited tutorials
Some bugs and ui inconsistencies
Limited building variety and city micromanagement
Performance issues with large cities
Minimal multiplayer or social features

Motivations

Autonomy

Game with the same Autonomy vibe

4

"Players have significant control over city planning, resource management, and strategic decisions, allowing personal freedom in gameplay."

Caesar™ 3
"Players have high control over policies, economic and political decisions shaping their city-state, reflecting strong personal freedom in gameplay."
Competence

Game with the same Competence vibe

4

"Game challenges players with complex economic and political systems requiring skillful balancing and strategic planning."

Citystate II
"The game challenges players to balance complex economic and political systems, requiring skillful management and learning from trial and error."
Competition

Game with the same Competition vibe

-3

"Focus is on personal city building and challenges rather than direct competition or leaderboards."

BalanCity
"Focus is primarily on individual city management and personal goals rather than direct competition or leaderboards."
Continuation

Game with the same Continuation vibe

3

"Players report long play sessions and desire for multiple playthroughs to explore different choices and outcomes."

Pentiment
"Players report long sessions and repeated playthroughs experimenting with different ideologies and strategies."
Cooperation

Game with the same Cooperation vibe

-4

"Gameplay centers on individual city management with limited multiplayer or cooperative elements."

Fabledom
"Gameplay centers on solo city-state management with limited or no multiplayer cooperative elements."
Creativity

Game with the same Creativity vibe

3

"Players can customize city layouts, production setups, flags, and government types, showing creative expression within game systems."

KAISERPUNK
"Players can customize flags, choose government types and policies, and design city layouts, enabling creative expression within constraints."
Domination

Game with the same Domination vibe

-4

"Interactions emphasize balanced team play and strategy rather than exerting power over others."

Monster Sanctuary
"Interactions are balanced and focused on managing society rather than exerting power over other players."
Escapism

Game with the same Escapism vibe

3

"Players enjoy the game as a complex simulation and distraction, though some find it mentally demanding rather than pure escapism."

Citystate II
"Players use the game as a mental challenge and distraction, enjoying the political simulation and city building as a form of escapism."
Expectation

Game with the same Expectation vibe

-4

"Players engage voluntarily driven by intrinsic interest and personal goals rather than obligation or external pressure."

Rust
"Players engage voluntarily driven by intrinsic interest in politics and city-building rather than obligation or external pressure."
Experimenting

Game with the same Experimenting vibe

4

"High experimentation with builds, professions, political roles, and strategies is encouraged and common."

WAKFU
"High experimentation with different political ideologies, policies, and city designs is encouraged and common."
Exploration

Game with the same Exploration vibe

2

"Players explore different maps and discover economic and political opportunities."

The Guild II Renaissance
"Players explore different political and economic systems and unlock new buildings and space colonies, though map exploration is limited."
Expression

Game with the same Expression vibe

3

"Customization of flags, government types, and city design allows for personal expression."

KAISERPUNK
"Customization of flags, government types, and policy choices allows for personal expression within the game."
Fantasy

Game with the same Fantasy vibe

2

"The game includes imaginative and humorous elements (e.g., giant meteor candidate), blending realistic political simulation with fantasy."

The Political Machine 2020
"The game simulates political ideologies and city building with some imaginative elements like space colonies, but mostly grounded in plausible scenarios."
Fellowship

Game with the same Fellowship vibe

-4

"The game is primarily a single-player experience with minimal social or community interaction described."

Time Break Chronicles
"The game is primarily a single-player experience with minimal social or community interaction."
Growth

Game with the same Growth vibe

4

"Players learn complex economic and political systems, improving skills over time."

Tropico 6
"Players learn complex economic and political systems and improve their management skills through repeated play."
Health

Game with the same Health vibe

-5

"The game is a sedentary computer simulation with no physical activity involved."

Grey Hack
"The game is a sedentary computer simulation with no physical activity component."
Idle

Game with the same Idle vibe

-4

"Requires continuous attention and active management of city systems rather than passive or background play."

Cities: Skylines
"Requires constant attention and active management of policies and city development."
Intimacy

Game with the same Intimacy vibe

-5

"No evidence of close social relationships or emotional sharing; gameplay is solitary."

A Dance of Fire and Ice
"No evidence of close social relationships or emotional sharing; gameplay is solitary."
Leadership

Game with the same Leadership vibe

4

"Players act as mayor, leading and managing their cities with decision-making authority."

SimCity™ 4 Deluxe Edition
"Players act as leaders managing their city-state’s policies and economy, making authoritative decisions."
Progression

Game with the same Progression vibe

3

"Players unlock new buildings and technologies, grow cities, and advance through population milestones."

Plan B: Terraform
"Players accumulate resources, unlock buildings, and develop their city-state progressively."
Relaxation

Game with the same Relaxation vibe

1

"Some players find the game relaxing and meditative, though others find it frustrating and challenging."

Cosmic Express
"Some players find the game relaxing and meditative, though others find it challenging and tense."
Sensation

Game with the same Sensation vibe

1

"Visuals are minimalist and clean, providing moderate sensory stimulation without intense excitement."

STATIONflow
"Visuals are retro and simple, providing moderate sensory stimulation without intense excitement."
Status

Game with the same Status vibe

-4

"Achievements and progress are mostly personal with limited social recognition or status elements."

Block'hood
"Achievements and progress are mostly individual with limited social recognition or status mechanics."
Story

Game with the same Story vibe

2

"Narrative emerges from political events and consequences but is abstract and player-driven."

Democracy 3
"Narrative emerges from player-driven political and economic decisions rather than a fixed storyline."
Strategy

Game with the same Strategy vibe

4

"Strong emphasis on strategic planning, resource management, and political balancing."

Rogue State Revolution
"Strong emphasis on strategic planning, balancing budgets, policies, and social classes."
Thrill

Game with the same Thrill vibe

1

"Some tension from managing crises and political opposition, but overall controlled and predictable gameplay."

Half-Earth Socialism
"Some tension from managing crises and riots, but overall controlled and predictable gameplay."
Value

Game with the same Value vibe

4

"Players perceive good value for price given depth, uniqueness, and ongoing updates."

DinoSystem
"Players perceive good value for the price, especially given the depth and ongoing updates."
Violence

Game with the same Violence vibe

-4

"Gameplay focuses on constructive building and management rather than combat or destruction."

RollerCoaster Tycoon® 2: Triple Thrill Pack
"Gameplay focuses on constructive city building and policy management rather than combat or destruction."
Survival

Game with the same Survival vibe

3

"Players must avoid bankruptcy and manage threats from competitors and market conditions."

Computer Tycoon
"Players must avoid bankruptcy and social collapse, managing threats like riots and economic downturns."

Analysis

Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Leadership, Survival, Violence, Strategy. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Violence, Thrill, Intimacy.

How to use the graph

Similar games map

Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

Where to buy

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Last update: 30/04/2026

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