Computed from player tags · Not ranked by quality
24 games like They Are Billions (2026)
Every game below overlaps with They Are Billions on things players said about it rather than on our opinion of what feels alike. Each entry shows what it matched on, so you can throw out the ones matching on the part you did not care about.
The short version
- Closest match: Frostpunk, which both post-apocalyptic, survival, strategy and difficult.
- They Are Billions is tagged Base-Building, Colony Sim, Strategy, Zombies, Survival, RTS, Tower Defense, City Builder by Steam players. Those tags are what the matching runs on.
- 24 games qualify, each with at least fifty player reviews behind its sentiment figure.
- 1 are free to download, so you can test the resemblance yourself at no cost.
How these were matched
Steam tags carry the most weight, because players apply them and they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Souls-like, Atmospheric and Cozy exist as tags and as nothing else, which is exactly the vocabulary this question needs. Formal genres count for less, themes and a shared studio for more.
Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are thrown out before matching. Nearly everything is tagged Singleplayer, so matching on it is matching on nothing. That cutoff is computed from the catalogue rather than fixed, so it moves as the catalogue grows.
All 24, closest first
- 1
Frostpunk
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, survival, strategy and difficult; shares 13 player tags including City Builder, Survival and Resource Management; released around the same time (2018).
Frostpunk is the first society survival game. As the ruler of the last city on Earth, it is your duty to manage both its citizens and infrastructure. What decisions will you make to ensure your society's survival? What will you do when pushed to breaking point? Who will you become in the process?
Frostpunk at a glance Released 2018 Studio 11 Bit Studios Player sentiment 93% positive of 137,121 Price $29.99 City BuilderSurvivalResource ManagementStrategyPost-apocalypticSteampunkColony SimBuilding
- 2
IXION
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, survival, strategy and difficult; shares 12 player tags including City Builder, Strategy and Survival; released around the same time (2022).
IXION is an unrelenting, city-building odyssey across the stars. As Administrator of the Tiqqun, DOLOS’ prototype space station, you are tasked with balancing preservation and exploration as you manage infrastructure, resources and crew. Can you keep the flame of humanity alight in the cold dark?
IXION at a glance Released 2022 Studio Bulwark Studios Player sentiment 79% positive of 17,614 Price $10.49 City BuilderStrategySurvivalResource ManagementColony SimBase-BuildingBuildingManagement
- 3
Dwarf Fortress
Why it matched: both survival, strategy and difficult; shares 9 player tags including Colony Sim, Strategy and Base-Building; released around the same time (2022).
Build a fortress and try to help your dwarves survive against a deeply generated world. Keep your dwarves happy, grow their community and beware of digging too deeply. The deepest, most intricate simulation of a world that's ever been created.
Dwarf Fortress at a glance Released 2022 Studio Bay 12 Games Player sentiment 95% positive of 31,446 Price $29.99 Colony SimStrategyBase-BuildingCity BuilderManagementBuildingSurvivalResource Management
- 4
Oxygen Not Included
Why it matched: both survival, strategy and difficult; shares 9 player tags including Colony Sim, Base-Building and Survival; released around the same time (2019).
Oxygen Not Included is a space-colony simulation game. Deep inside an alien space rock your industrious crew will need to master science, overcome strange new lifeforms, and harness incredible space tech to survive, and possibly, thrive.
Oxygen Not Included at a glance Released 2019 Studio Klei Entertainment Player sentiment 97% positive of 143,589 Price $24.99 Colony SimBase-BuildingSurvivalResource ManagementBuildingManagementStrategyIndie
- 5
Against the Storm
Why it matched: both survival and strategy; shares 10 player tags including Strategy, City Builder and Base-Building; released around the same time (2023).
A dark fantasy city builder where you must rebuild civilization in the face of apocalyptic rains. As the Queen’s Viceroy, lead humans, beavers, lizards, foxes, and harpies to reclaim the wilderness and secure a future for civilization's last survivors.
Against the Storm at a glance Released 2023 Studio Eremite Games Player sentiment 94% positive of 37,338 Price $8.99 StrategyCity BuilderBase-BuildingColony SimManagementBuildingResource ManagementSurvival
- 6
Kingdom: Classic
Why it matched: both survival and strategy; shares 10 player tags including Strategy, Base-Building and Building; released around the same time (2015).
Kingdom is a 2D sidescrolling strategy/resource management hybrid with a minimalist feel wrapped in a beautiful, modern pixel art aesthetic.
Kingdom: Classic at a glance Released 2015 Studio Noio Player sentiment 91% positive of 22,707 Price Free StrategyBase-BuildingBuildingManagementResource ManagementSurvivalCity BuilderIndie
- 7
Planetbase
Why it matched: both survival and strategy; shares 10 player tags including Colony Sim, City Builder and Base-Building; released around the same time (2015).
Guide a group of space settlers trying to establish a base on a remote planet. Grow food, collect energy, mine resources, survive disasters and build a self-sufficient colony in a harsh and unforgiving environment.
Planetbase at a glance Released 2015 Studio Madruga Works Player sentiment 80% positive of 10,438 Price $7.49 Colony SimCity BuilderBase-BuildingStrategySurvivalResource ManagementBuildingManagement
- 8
Frostpunk 2
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, survival and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, City Builder and Survival.
Develop, expand, and advance your city in a society survival game set 30 years after an apocalyptic blizzard ravaged Earth. In Frostpunk 2, you face not only the perils of never-ending winter, but also the powerful factions that watch your every step inside the Council Hall.
Frostpunk 2 at a glance Released 2024 Studio 11 bit studios Player sentiment 75% positive of 26,953 Price $44.99 StrategyCity BuilderSurvivalResource ManagementPost-apocalypticSteampunkManagementBase-Building
- 9
Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition
Why it matched: both zombie, post-apocalyptic, survival and strategy; shares 7 player tags including Tower Defense, Zombies and Strategy.
Zombies are invading your home, and the only defense is your arsenal of plants! Armed with an alien nursery-worth of zombie-zapping plants like peashooters and cherry bombs, you'll need to think fast and plant faster to stop dozens of types of zombies dead in their tracks.
Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition at a glance Released 2009 Studio PopCap Games, Inc. Player sentiment 98% positive of 155,468 Price $4.99 Tower DefenseZombiesStrategySurvivalIndieTacticalPost-apocalyptic
- 10
Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic
Why it matched: both survival and strategy; shares 10 player tags including Strategy, City Builder and Base-Building.
Build a soviet republic from an impoverished country into a rich industrial superpower in a city builder with intricate production chains and a fully simulated global economy. Manage the lives of your citizens from education to work and party loyalty to criminal activity.
Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic at a glance Released 2024 Studio 3Division Player sentiment 91% positive of 27,164 Price $9.99 StrategyCity BuilderBase-BuildingManagementBuildingSurvivalColony SimResource Management
- 11
Foundation
Why it matched: both survival and strategy; shares 10 player tags including City Builder, Strategy and Resource Management.
Foundation is a grid-less, laidback medieval city-building game with a focus on organic development, monument construction and resource management.
Foundation at a glance Released 2025 Studio Polymorph Games Player sentiment 87% positive of 24,163 Price $23.44 City BuilderStrategyResource ManagementManagementBuildingIndieBase-BuildingColony Sim
- 12
Mindustry
Why it matched: both survival and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Base-Building, Resource Management and Tower Defense; released around the same time (2019).
An open-ended factory management game with RTS and tower defense elements.
Mindustry at a glance Released 2019 Studio AnukenDev Player sentiment 96% positive of 27,965 Price $9.99 Base-BuildingResource ManagementTower DefenseStrategyBuildingRTSSurvivalIndie
- 13
Kingdoms and Castles
Why it matched: both survival and strategy; shares 9 player tags including City Builder, Colony Sim and Strategy; released around the same time (2017).
Kingdoms and Castles is a city-building simulation game about growing a kingdom from a tiny hamlet to a sprawling city and imposing castle. Make trade agreements, alliance, and war with neighboring AI controlled kingdoms. Each villager and resource is individually simulated.
Kingdoms and Castles at a glance Released 2017 Studio Lion Shield, LLC Player sentiment 94% positive of 31,404 Price $19.99 City BuilderColony SimStrategyBuildingResource ManagementBase-BuildingSurvivalManagement
- 14
Timberborn
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, survival and strategy; shares 8 player tags including City Builder, Colony Sim and Building.
Humans are long gone. In a world struck by droughts and toxic waste, will your lumberpunk beavers do any better? A sandbox city-building game featuring ingenious animals, vertical architecture, water physics, and terraforming. Contains high amounts of wood.
Timberborn at a glance Released 2026 Studio Mechanistry Player sentiment 96% positive of 41,238 Price $34.99 City BuilderColony SimBuildingManagementSurvivalBase-BuildingStrategyPost-apocalyptic
- 15
Surviving Mars
Why it matched: both survival and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Colony Sim, City Builder and Strategy; released around the same time (2018).
There will be challenges to overcome. Execute your strategy and improve your colony’s chances of survival while unlocking the mysteries of this alien world. Are you ready? Mars is waiting for you.
Surviving Mars at a glance Released 2018 Studio Haemimont Games Player sentiment 80% positive of 28,730 Price Not listed Colony SimCity BuilderStrategySurvivalBase-BuildingResource ManagementBuildingManagement
- 16
Desperados III
Why it matched: both survival, strategy and difficult; shares 7 player tags including Strategy, Tactical and Isometric; released around the same time (2020).
Desperados III is a story-driven, hardcore tactical stealth game, set in a ruthless Wild West scenario. Play smart if you want to succeed. A good plan can make the difference between survival and finding yourself at the business end of a pistol.
Desperados III at a glance Released 2020 Studio Mimimi Games Player sentiment 97% positive of 16,591 Price $39.99 StrategyTacticalIsometricDifficultIndieSurvivalRTS
- 17
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun
Why it matched: both survival, strategy and difficult; shares 7 player tags including Strategy, Tactical and Indie; released around the same time (2016).
Shadow Tactics is a hardcore tactical stealth game set in Japan around the Edo period. A new Shogun seizes power over Japan and enforces nationwide peace. In his battle against conspiracy and rebellion, he recruits five specialists with extraordinary skills for assassination, sabotage and espionage.
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun at a glance Released 2016 Studio Mimimi Games Player sentiment 96% positive of 38,415 Price $3.99 StrategyTacticalIndieIsometricRTSDifficultSurvival
- 18
Going Medieval
Why it matched: both survival and strategy; shares 9 player tags including City Builder, Colony Sim and Strategy.
Build and manage your own castle settlement in a land reclaimed by wilderness. With detailed management, survival strategy, and a moddable sandbox world, Going Medieval challenges you to build the mightiest colony this side of the apocalypse.
Going Medieval at a glance Released 2026 Studio Foxy Voxel Player sentiment 89% positive of 21,362 Price $22.49 City BuilderColony SimStrategyManagementSurvivalRTSBase-BuildingIndie
- 19
Manor Lords
Why it matched: both survival and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, City Builder and Base-Building.
Manor Lords is a medieval strategy game featuring in-depth city building, large-scale tactical battles, and complex economic and social simulations. Rule your lands as a medieval lord – the seasons pass, the weather changes, and cities rise and fall.
Manor Lords at a glance Released 2024 Studio Slavic Magic Player sentiment 84% positive of 90,905 Price $25.99 StrategyCity BuilderBase-BuildingManagementBuildingResource ManagementSurvivalRTS
- 20
Factorio
Why it matched: both survival and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Base-Building, Resource Management and Strategy; released around the same time (2016).
Factorio is a game about building and creating automated factories to produce items of increasing complexity, within an infinite 2D world. Use your imagination to design your factory, combine simple elements into ingenious structures, and finally protect it from the creatures who don't really like you.
Factorio at a glance Released 2016 Studio Wube software Player sentiment 98% positive of 233,978 Price $35.00 Base-BuildingResource ManagementStrategySurvivalManagementBuildingCity BuilderIndie
- 21
60 Seconds! Reatomized
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, survival, strategy and difficult; shares 5 player tags including Strategy, Difficult and Post-apocalyptic; released around the same time (2019).
The post-apocalyptic dark comedy is back - remastered and even more radioactive than before! Scavenge supplies, rescue your family, and stay alive in your fallout shelter. Make difficult decisions, hunt mutant roaches... and maybe survive. Or not.
60 Seconds! Reatomized at a glance Released 2019 Studio Robot Gentleman Player sentiment 94% positive of 19,535 Price $9.99 StrategyDifficultPost-apocalypticSurvivalManagement
- 22
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
Why it matched: both post-apocalyptic, survival, strategy and difficult; shares 5 player tags including Strategy, Post-apocalyptic and Tactical; released around the same time (2018).
A tactical game combining the turn-based combat of XCOM with story, exploration, stealth, and strategy. Take control of a team of Mutants navigating a post-human Earth. Created by a team including former HITMAN leads and the designer of PAYDAY.
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden at a glance Released 2018 Studio The Bearded Ladies Player sentiment 90% positive of 20,534 Price $34.99 StrategyPost-apocalypticTacticalSurvivalDifficult
- 23
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012)
Why it matched: both strategy; shares 10 player tags including City Builder, Colony Sim and Building.
The highly anticipated sequel to the best-selling Stronghold, Stronghold Crusader HD throws you into historic battles and castle sieges from the Crusades with fiendish AI opponents, new units, 4 historical campaigns and over 100 unique skirmish missions.
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) at a glance Released 2013 Studio Firefly Studios Player sentiment 97% positive of 21,059 Price $1.99 City BuilderColony SimBuildingBase-BuildingStrategyManagementResource ManagementIsometric
- 24
Dawn of Man
Why it matched: both survival and strategy; shares 8 player tags including City Builder, Colony Sim and Survival; released around the same time (2019).
Command a settlement of ancient humans, guide them through the ages in their struggle for survival. Hunt, gather, craft tools, fight, research new techs and face the challenges the environment will throw at you.
Dawn of Man at a glance Released 2019 Studio Madruga Works Player sentiment 87% positive of 17,830 Price $12.49 City BuilderColony SimSurvivalStrategyIndieRTSResource ManagementManagement
Common questions
What game is most like They Are Billions?
Frostpunk, on the evidence we have. It both post-apocalyptic, survival, strategy and difficult. That is a statement about overlap, not a promise you will like it as much: two games can share every tag and still feel different to play.
How is "similar to They Are Billions" decided?
By overlap on the tags Steam players applied to each game, the formal genres, the themes both sit in, and whether the same studio made them. Tags carry the most weight because players write them, so they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are ignored: matching on "Singleplayer" is matching on nothing. Every entry below shows exactly what it matched on.
Are these ranked by quality?
No. They are ordered by how much they overlap with They Are Billions. Where two games overlap equally, the better received one goes first, but that only moves a game a place or two. Each entry shows its own player sentiment so you can weigh that separately.
Do you get paid for these recommendations?
No. The order is computed from tag and genre overlap and nothing else. No placement here can be bought, and a game appearing high on this page is a statement about resemblance rather than an endorsement.