The Sims is one of the longest-standing bastions of PC gaming, yet it’s always been so bright and cheerful. But what if you could apply that deep social simulation to a much more taxing environment, such as the post-apocalyptic wastelands of games like Fallout and Stalker? This is City 20, an ambitious new survival game and life sim that tasks you with managing resources and relationships alive as you strive to survive.
City 20 comes from developer Untold Games, which has spent the last five years crafting its “deep, systems-driven simulation of post-apocalyptic city life.” Inspired by European sci-fi including Stalker and The Road, this is a sandbox survival game tasking you with managing “a community on the edge” in “a landscape transformed by man-made disaster and influenced by the deep interconnectedness of a realistic social environment.”
In the wake of a societal meltdown caused by a radioactive leak in a nuclear facility, you’ll have to fight and scrounge for resources just to stay alive. Hunt, farm, craft, scavenge, build, and choose whether to ally yourself with others or look out for number one. Set in the eponymous sealed-off settlement of City 20, every citizen has their own motivations and perspectives. You’ll have to maintain relationships with them all – or go behind their back to cheat and steal for your benefit, if you believe the risks are worth it.
Untold Games promises a truly reactive sandbox with an environment and factions that respond to your every decision. Regularly hunting local wildlife like rabbits might seem like a great plan, but it’s also likely to lure more dangerous predators close to your town as they sense the potential for food. Interfere with the city’s water supply and its inhabitants will turn to more extreme measures in a desperate struggle to look out for themselves and their closest companions.
City 20 is set to launch on Steam in early access in 2024. You can head to the Steam page now to find out more and add it to your wishlist. “This isn’t just a game,” Untold Games says, “it’s the result of years of dedication and passion. With City 20, we’ve made the game we want to play, and we’re thrilled to share more of it with the world.”
In the meantime, browse more of the best sandbox games on PC in 2024, along with the best games like The Sims if you’re looking for something a little stark.
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