The Sims Games
So you want to know what are the best Sims games in existence? Well, considering they've been the top-downloaded game on the normal PC digital storefront Steam for the last seven years in a row, with millions upon millions of downloads to their name, we'd say they're probably worth an intro.
The Sims franchise offers one of the best life simulation experiences in gaming, where you can trudge through countless careers, spend countless hours with the many Sims friends you can make, and build all the homes you want – some of them even fit for a franchise as big as The Sims to live in. Some may even say life itself a simulation, but if it is then it's one with very… limited options. Certain Sims games in the main series feel restrictive in what you can do, which is why we've also included other, similarly themed but different games that give you a much wider berth to walk within.
Havendock
This is The Sims meets Minecraft, but with a focus on building and maintaining your own community rather than building one block at a time. Havendock sees you starting up a self-sustaining colony on a new island paradise, setting up market spaces and designing residential houses before sending helpful drones out to populate the area.
Rather than mining for ores you'll collect resources from the ocean and through the atmosphere, which can then be used to research projects in the three research labs on the island. Our favourite is the plant lab where you can develop seeds that contribute towards the development of a forest, ensuring that no space on the new landmass goes unused. Joining Harvest Moon and Cube Planet of Minesweeper on the list of the best indie games on PC.
Minecraft
Countless hours were sunk into seeing what people could do with the various types of Minecraft mods. No, we don't consider Minecraft to be a Sims game but it does encompass some of the same things: you can mine, build, and explore, and it's one of the most popular games out there.
Why not try having your Sims build castles craggy with horror; your Sims having a nightime swim in a fitted mine full of water – if you want your Sim to drown, no-one can stop you; or start an Ender's Game-style space program. No Sims 4 mods or downloads necessary.
American Truck Simulator
Being a virtual truck driver is part Sims game, part simulation game. Any way you slice it, it's a beautiful job, delivering food and supplies across the beautiful sights of America. Building up a business as an American Truck Simulator semi-truck driver is good fun, but, ultimately, anything more than a humble trucker's life gets a little grindy. Fortunately, there's plenty of small, bite-sized jobs and open areas ripe for exploration.
Bear and Breakfast
Bear and Breakfast is just… cute. In the main menu, you're the owner of a bed and breakfast. As the owner, you don't cook or serve food. You don't clean. What you do is expand your business deeper into the forest by collecting walnuts and letting the hammers do the construction work. Why? To allow for more puns relating to bears.
This little game will make your heart grow three sizes, or else your insides will melt from how sweet it is. You play as Bear (naturally) who is running a bed and breakfast; they live in their bear cave – think hobbit house of a good size – and are just dandy relaxing until the human comes along and wants to expand your business. The accompanying narrative is told with simple dialogue screens, making it a joy to play, especially if you're a fan of point-and-click adventure games.
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is essentially one huge chunk of The Sims, made into its own game. You start off with a small farm, and get to make it your own, working it until you can expand to create a beautiful farm. You'll grow crops, meet people in the town, and expand your livestock – and like The Sims, Stardew Valley is a story-based game too, so you get a nice narrative with it. It's easily one of the best PC Games.
Strange Horticulture
Strange Horticulture is part point-and-click adventure, part detective game, and all weirdness. Set in the mysterious town of Undermere – and it really is very, very strange indeed – you
