The 15 Best Real Life Simulation Games, According To Metacritic

For those who want a relaxing “other life” experience, real-life simulation games are an outlet of low-stakes relaxation. While other games focus on saving the realm, world or galaxy, simulation games focus on the ordinary experience.

From farms to suburban life, the options are vast and plentiful, but not every one of these games is the serene experience given by a game of high quality. With an endless amount of simulation games available, with new additions popping up, it can hard to know what to play. Here are the best real-life simulation games.

Updated October 18th, 2020 by Tanner Kinney: Life simulation games are a great form of escapism in an world that grows more insane by the day. These stable fictional worlds offer a sense of peace and tranquility that some people may not be able to find in real life. They’re also just fun experiences on their own. The top life simulation games offer varied experiences that either create a full recreation of real life, or offer a specific focus on one job or lifestyle. It can be equal parts relaxing and exciting to sample these types of games. For those that are looking to dabble in experiences new and old, we’ve added more options to consider.

15 Mega Mall Story (85)

In what can now be considered a relic of the past, mall tycoon games offered the thrilling experience of managing a department store and keeping guests happy. It may not be as exhilarating as crafting mind-bending rollercoasters in Roller Coaster Tycoon, but it’s still satisfying to see that number go up.

Mega Mall Story, from Kairosoft and available on iOS and eventually ported to Nintendo Switch, offers just that in a small package. Reviews consider it to be incredibly charming, easy to pick up and addictive to play. The Switch port has little coverage, but considering how few mall tycoon games exist currently, it’s nice to see a piece of what’s slowly becoming ancient cultural history.

14 Two Point Hospital (85)

One of the numerous games inspired by classic virtual sim titles, Two Point Hospital lives as a spiritual successor to Bullfrog’s Theme Hospital. The game went through tumultuous development as the team worked to find investment from a publisher or the people, but released to the fanfare of the niche community excited for the return of the classic hospital simulation game.

Each of the versions of the game has a relatively similar score, with the Switch being the highest rated version. The reviews praise its zany nature and fun gameplay, making an easy-going atmosphere of a subject that can often be relatively grim. While it’s not a game for everyone, the people it is for will enjoy it thoroughly.

13 VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action (85)

Metacritic considers VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action to be a simulation game. This is probably a stretch, but visual novels can be considered simulations of dialogue and speaking with people. Since a lot of conversation is done virtually these days anyways, might as well just go all-out and converse with fictional people, right?

VA-11 HALL-A has an incredibly well-written narrative with tons of interesting characters to chat with as you run your bar. Reviews praise the rollercoaster of emotions the game brings the player on. Additionally, the reviews frequently call it one of the best visual novels available, particularly on consoles. It may loosely be a simulation game, but it still provides a slice of dystopian life that people may want to experience.

12 Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale (86)

VR games, at their best, have the potential to offer some of the greatest life simulation experiences currently available. When VR works, it feels like you’re being transported into another reality. But when it doesn’t work, the dissonance can be a serious issue. Fortunately, Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale seems to be considered a solid enough VR experience.

Four players are tasked to work together and serve a series of increasingly demanding customers in crazy levels in a fantasy world. It’s a step away from the traditional cooking game, but can be considered in the same realm as Overcooked! or Cook, Serve, Delicious. Reviews mention the game is great to play with multiple people, and a fun experience for groups of friends with multiple VR headsets.

11 Game Dev Story (86)

Available on PC, Switch and mobile devices, Game Dev Story is one of many Story games from Kairosoft. As the title suggests, the game is about developing video games, but it’s more focused on managing a studio than the nitty-gritty details of actually making a game. From hiring the right combination to staff members, to picking a good genre in pre-production, to squashing bugs before release your studio can rise to the top of the industry by shipping better and better games. As time passes new consoles are released and you must adapt. For anyone who likes business sims and video games, this is a perfect little title.

10 The Sims 3 (86)

There seems to be a new Sims game for every console generation, with The Sims 3 coming during the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 generation. Sequels for simulations games can be odd, with a limited amount of space for expansion of ideas, instead usually focusing on the refinement of the formula already in place. While that is technically the case here, the game expands customization tools, interactions with other Sims (and people) as well as life goals and aspirations in a way that makes it feel like a leap forward instead of just a step.

9 Animal Crossing: Wild World (86)

Another series that focuses more on refinement and improvement over vast change, Animal Crossing: Wild World takes the original game, polishes it and throws it onto a Wi-Fi capable handheld console. The entire experience feels like it belongs in mobile format, being able to fish, hunt bugs, and collect fruit whenever and wherever for even a couple minutes at a time.

For a game about nothing but the capitalistic grind of acquiring debt, paying off said debt and repeating the process for a bigger house, the series is loved by plenty and this is a solid entry.

8 Reigns (87)

The crossroad of being a royal monarch and Tinder, Reigns sees you take the role of the monarch of a fictional medieval kingdom who can choose to listen or ignore advisors by swiping right or left in this mobile, PC and Switch title. Every decision comes with consequences and a balance between the four pillars of the kingdom, the church, the people, the military and wealth. If one becomes too powerful or nonexistent, the king’s rule comes to an untimely end. Other random scripted events can impact the kingdom and must be navigated, as any good ruler should.

7 Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator (88)

Dating sims are one of the more prolific sub-genres, with a vast selection available and more being added every day. A game rarely sticks out as much as Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator but it’s entirely earned. The Game Grumps developed visual novel follows a single dad who just moved cul-de-sac with his daughter, where several other single dads live. After that, the romancing begins. At face value, the game takes an over the top look as “dads dating dads” and uses to tell a well-crafted and compelling narrative and social anxiety and toxic masculinity.

6 Animal Crossing: New Leaf (88)

The fourth iteration in the series, it makes sense that the latest handheld entry in the series was previously the highest-rated Animal Crossing title.

The series recognized the pride people took in their towns and handed them the agency to make a wide variety of changes but putting the player in the role of the mayor. Having full agency over town projects was a welcomed addition and came with the lovable Isabelle as the dedicated assistant and secretary.

5 Stardew Valley (89)

Occasionally, a simulation series fails to make the improvements and iterations fans want and another developer steps in to fill the space. That is the case with Stardew Valley, the Harvest Moon “inspired” small-town farming simulator made by Eric Barone, a single human being. The game takes the formula established by Harvest Moon, gives it a 2D pixel art style and nearly perfects every aspect of the game. Farming, mining, fishing, and relationships are all complex systems with rewarding progress. The addition of monster fights and a “main quest” makes the game a complete package that can take you away from the grind of corporate life.

4 Animal Crossing: New Horizons (90)

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a game that released with an ideal theme at (by no planning of Nintendo) the perfect time. It may not be as expansive as a game like New Leaf was in terms of features and customization, at least at launch, but New Horizons finally gives fans of the series a title on a console. The handheld/console split nature serves the game beautifully, and it was a hugely successful game commercially.

The game tasks players with building a deserted island into a full island paradise. Players have full reign in morphing the terrain and creating the exact world they want to create, with some minor hiccups in the process. It may not be considered the best game by fans of the series, but newcomers and general audiences fell in love with everything that New Horizons had to offer.

3 The Sims 2 (90)

Perhaps as a result of small iterations being less and less impressive as a series progresses, The Sims 2 sits with a higher score over The Sims 3 and a lower one than The Sims. The Sims 2 was an exercise in adding depth, giving Sims more defined personality types and even influencing them with horoscopes and aspirations. The game also features a direct control option over the Sims, something missing in the original. The game does not have a “story” but some of the pre-built neighborhoods feature character arcs and small storylines.

2 Epic Astro Story (91)

Another title form Kairosoft, Epic Astro Story is some of their best work. The game is a combination city management game and a space exploration title. Players are tasked with building a space colony and making sure it thrives in this sci-fi setting.

To acquire more loot and land, players must explore space. The system that sets this apart from the rest of Kairosoft’s other titles is a battle system that breaks up the typical city management gameplay.

1 The Sims (92)

Naming your game after the genre it’s in is bold but the original, and The Sims backs it up. The 2000 title was very influential over games to come. This microscopic view of SimCity left players to control and influence the lives of their Sims, between actions they could make them take and the home furnishings they provided them. The game was new in the majority of what it did at the time, even if it seems antiquated now.

NEXT: The Sims 5: 5 Things We Already Know (& 5 Very Likely Possibilities)

电子产品排行榜