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Squirrel's Pick Squirrel's PickThe best game on this page. If you only try one, try this.
City BuilderHistoricalBase-Building
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$25.99 ~43.2 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 84.2% of 89k
The Squirrel's verdictBoth are city builders built on economic micromanagement and organic settlement growth rather than scripted campaigns. Manor Lords trades Depraved's procedural Wild West maps, multiple cities, and native/bandit encounters for a fixed medieval region with historically grounded building chains. Fits players who want one settlement to grow in real detail, not several to expand across a randomized frontier.
Not for you if you need Depraved's random map generation, multiple simultaneous cities, or faction trading to stay engaged long-term.
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Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say. Budget Pick Budget PickThe best game here for the least money.
City BuilderColony SimSurvival
$19.99 ~41 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 85.4% of 8k
The Squirrel's verdictBoth are top-down colony builders with economic management, production chains, and building progression tied to population growth. Settlement Survival scales up further, pushing toward thousands of colonists and heavier logistics rather than Depraved's Wild West trading and random map events. Suited to players who want deeper supply-chain complexity over frontier atmosphere.
Not for you if you want the Wild West setting and random bandit/trader encounters rather than pure logistics and production-chain management.
3
City BuilderColony SimResource Management
$18.99 ~14 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 80.7% of 429
The Squirrel's verdictSettlements Rising is a medieval colony builder that reviewers describe as a comfortable execution of well-established genre mechanics rather than an original take — comparable to Banished and Farthest Frontier in structure, down to building names and descriptions. Resource chains, villager routing, and population-driven progression are all present. Rated Very Positive at 80.7% across reviews, with a median 14 hours played at $18.99.
Not for you if you want the Wild West setting, random map generation, or native trading encounters that define Depraved's distinct character.
4
Colony SimCity BuilderVikings
$25.99 ~16.6 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 73.8% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictForestry management is Land of the Vikings' clearest point of difference: over-clearing woodland degrades long-term wood supply, adding a resource-planning layer Depraved doesn't have. The Norse settlement loop otherwise covers familiar ground — growing populations, supply chains, economic tuning. Reviewers note warehouse workers going permanently idle when storage fills, halting production, and no defined end-game goal after release. Median playtime is 16.6 hours at $25.99.
Not for you if you need a defined end-game objective or can't tolerate production chains halting due to idle warehouse worker bugs.
5
ActionCity BuilderMedieval
$12.99 ~13.1 hr median no co-op complexity: light 72.1% of 355
The Squirrel's verdictBastide shares Depraved's core loop: managing a settlement's economy, farming, and resource chains from the ground up. It swaps procedural western maps and multiple-city play for a single fixed medieval layout, with reviewers noting unclear building information and no failure state. At $12.99 with a median 13 hours played, it suits players wanting a lighter, more contained settlement sim.
Not for you if you want Depraved's random map variety, multiple simultaneous cities, or a settlement sim with a clear win/lose condition and full building information.
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City BuilderCraftingMedieval
$24.99 ~21.1 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 66.3% of 419
The Squirrel's verdictEmpires and Tribes is a medieval economy builder where your character exists inside the world rather than planning from overhead — a structural difference from Depraved's top-down model. Resource chains and citizen micro-management are central to both. Reviewers praise the freedom to build almost anywhere but report frequent crashes and cart pathfinding that breaks after reloads, with 21 median hours played at $24.99.
Not for you if frequent crashes and pathfinding failures during long building sessions would destroy progress you're unwilling to lose.
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City BuilderPost-apocalypticColony Sim
~7.3 hr median no co-op complexity: light 65.7% of 583
The Squirrel's verdictPlayers who want a building loop without deep systems are the target here. Atomic Society puts you in charge of a post-apocalyptic settlement where social-policy decisions — on punishment, rights, community rules — sit alongside standard food, water, and housing chains. Reviewers consistently note the tech tree runs out fast, resources deplete within a few in-game years, and correct choices are often obvious. Median playtime is 7.3 hours.
Not for you if you want meaningful progression systems or a resource economy that sustains past the early game.
8
Thrive: Heavy Lies The Crown
PC
RTSColony SimGrand Strategy
$27.99 ~9.5 hr median co-op complexity: moderate 59.2% of 448
The Squirrel's verdictThrive: Heavy Lies The Crown adds RTS-style combat and mythological creatures to the city-builder framework, plus co-op that Depraved lacks. The building and economic micromanagement will feel familiar, but reviewers flag units getting permanently stuck, riots triggered by pathing failures, and pacing where most time is spent waiting rather than building or fighting. Median playtime runs around 9.5 hours.
Not for you if you need reliable unit pathing and steady forward momentum rather than long idle stretches between active decisions.