7 city builder and medieval games like Manor Lords you should play

Developed by Slavic Magic, Manor Lords has quickly taken the gaming world by storm. The game already has more than 170,000 concurrent players, and it doesn't seem like stopping any time soon. Manor Lords is a medieval city-builder, with real-time strategy combat and resource management, all packed into a bundle of enjoyable gameplay.

There are plenty of games like this one out there, but not all of them are worth checking out. So we've compiled a list of seven city builders and medieval games like Manor Lords that truly deserve more attention.

NOTE: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion.

Here are seven city builder and medieval games like Manor Lords you should play

1) Songs of Syx

Songs of Syx has a lot to offer. This title will remind you of games like Dwarf Fortress and Rimworld. It is clear to see that Songs of Syx borrows a lot of different elements from various city builders and is so well polished that it all fits like a glove. You will start with a small group of 10 people and it is your responsibility to clothe them, feed them, and improve their quality of life.

Eventually, you will grow from a group of 10 settlers to a population of 30,000. Apart from focusing on your people, you can also head into the overworld and wage war with your neighbors.

Even with such an insane amount of people, all performing different tasks, the game runs smoothly thanks to its pixelated art style. If you liked Manor Lords, then Songs of Syx is definitely a game you don't want to miss out on.

2) Cities Skylines

A massive city in Cities Skylines. (Image via Colossal Order)

Cities Skylines is probably the closest game to Manor Lords on this list. The objective is the same: you start with a small village or town and work to evolve it into a huge city while keeping your people happy. While there is no combat in this title, it will constantly throw challenges your way that may even make you wish you were in the middle of a war.

While the game delivers a solid and intuitive gameplay experience, what ties it all together is the excellent performance. If you've played Manor Lords and enjoyed it, you need to give Cities Skylines a try.

3) Ostriv

Ostriv only has one developer working on it. (Image via yevhen8)

Ostriv is a city-building game that puts you in the shoes of the Governor of an 18th-century Ukrainian town. Your main objective is to manage your population, grow it, take your small plot of land, and make a city or even a sprawling town out of it. The game has an economy system and lets you do some cool things like buying crops from your villagers and selling them back at a higher price.

All of this might make Ostriv sound a little basic, but the true beauty of this game lies in its details. There is something very calming about watching your villagers build a house, beam by beam. While it may feel a little slow, the calming soundtrack does a wonderful job of immersing you in the intricacies of city building. You should give this a go if you're looking for games like Manor Lords.

Also Read: 10 best beginners tips for Manor Lords

4) Farthest Frontier

You can build some marvelous cities in Farthest Frontiers. (Image via Crate Entertainment)

Farthest Frontier is another medieval city builder but the systems in this game run a lot deeper than most others in the genre. Farthest Frontier doesn't just let you construct a building or gather a resource to solve your issues, instead, it makes you approach your problems the same way people in the medieval era approached theirs.

Agriculture runs extremely deep, and you will have to take everything about your soil into account before you start to farm on it. Moreover, you will also need to come up with a plan for your crop rotation to ensure you have food throughout the year. This is just one of the many challenges that Farthest Frontier throws at you. If you're looking for a challenging city builder like Manor Lords, then look no further.

5) Anno 1800

Anno 1800 is another city-building game that makes you meticulously manage resources to keep your people happy. Anno also offers a challenging experience, so there will be a lot of trial and error involved until you finally figure out a way to operate in the green. Anno is not your average city-builder; while most games would force you to expand, this one doesn't.

The option to expand your territories is up to you, but what you can't choose is to trade; there is no choice in that aspect since trading in this game is crucial. Trading will also introduce you to the AI players on the map; some AIs will help you and try to forge relations, while others will expand territory with no remorse. This can make for some exciting moments in the story.

Anno 1800 is full of surprises, and you'll learn something new each step of the way. It's a little hard to learn, but once you get the hang of its systems, the sky is the limit for you and your island.

Also Read: Is Manor Lords multiplayer co-op?

6) Stronghold

Stronghold still holds up well despite being a decade old. (Image via FireFly Studios)

For a game that is older than many players, Stronghold has held up extremely well over the years. Moreover, the game has also been splashed with some shiny new textures ever since the definitive mode came out. Stronghold is a city builder that gives you the option to complete either military or economic campaigns.

The goal is to expand and you can do this through your coffers of gold or with the swords of the bold. There is not a single time when Stronghold feels stale and just watching your villagers perform simple tasks like making bread can be an enjoyable experience. Stronghold paved the way for a lot of systems we see nowadays and you should try it out.

7) Banished

Banished is an amazing experience. (Image via Shining Rock Software)

Banished is one of the best city-building games out there, and the fact that every city builder within the past decade has been compared to this game should tell you how good it is. The setting is simple: you take control of a group of exiled travelers who settle down to make their village. Now, it is up to you to help them survive and grow their settlement.

However, in Banished, death is always just one mistake away, which adds a lot of atmosphere to everything and makes the game feel extremely rewarding when you figure things out. There aren't a lot of games that do city building as well as Banished and you should give it a go.

Check out our other articles covering Manor Lords: