These ten games are very approachable for players who are new to the genre, despite the fact that simulation games can be very demanding.
A lot of players may think of games like Euro Truck Simulator, Crusader Kings, and racing simulators when they hear the word “simulation game.” These are all games that require a lot of learning to play. On the other hand, simulation games come in many forms. There are management, business, survival, life, and walking simulators, as well as tycoon games and action games that try to replicate certain situations with more detail than most games.
The goal of this list is to include a wide range of sims that are easy for beginners to use and/or have simulation elements without necessarily catering to die-hard fans of simulation games. If you’ve never played a computer game before, many of these are great places to start. There should be something here for everyone.
Prison Architect
In this management game, players are in charge of planning, building, and running a prison. In Prison Architect, players are in charge of both their staff and their inmates. They are also responsible for the prison’s finances and more specific issues like the flow of illegal goods and possible escape routes.
Prison Architect is a great game for people who are new to management simulators because it lets players pick how big their prison is, how many prisoners it has, and the amount of security it has. You can start by taking care of a small jail with twenty minimum-security prisoners and then move on to bigger challenges while learning the game’s more complex features along the way.
Payday 2
It’s true that Payday 2 is mostly a shooter/action game, but when playing the game’s heists in full stealth, it feels a lot more like a simulation. By sneaking around and killing guards, answering their radios, hiding the bodies, and stealing keycards, Payday 2 gets players as close as it can to the feeling of actually pulling off a heist.
There are times when Payday 2 isn’t 100% accurate, though, and the AI can be annoying. Additionally, if players are caught and have to fight, the game changes drastically. However, the gunfights are exciting and do a good job of recreating the action from classic movie bank robberies.
Embr
In this online fire-fighting game, players put out fires on 25 different levels spread out over three districts. As they play, they unlock new tools. The game is meant to be fun and crazy, and it mimics how fires spread as they weaken buildings over time.
In Embr, players have to break windows and doors, fix gas leaks, and even fix electrical systems that aren’t working right. But Embr doesn’t get too technical. Instead, it focuses on making tools and gameplay that are simple and fun to use, giving players the power fantasy of fighting fires without making the game too realistic.
Overcooked
Overcooked is more of a chaotic multiplayer game than a simulation game, but it does a good job of simulating the stress of working in a kitchen, even with its sometimes crazy environmental dangers.
One to four players race through the different cooking levels of Overcooked to make as many dishes as they can. To win, players will have to clean plates, chop vegetables, fry burgers, and do other things as a team. The game’s cooking mechanics aren’t very thorough, but it does a good job of simulating the feel of a kitchen, especially when all four players are together.
The Escapists
In this realistic simulation game, players have to escape from ten different jails that get harder as the game goes on. The Escapists mimics the daily lives of prison guards and other prisoners. It also has a crafting system with a lot of tools and items to use, as well as a way to hide illegal items inside the prison. Players will have to deal with shakedowns, trade with other prisoners, and keep track of their ties with them while they plan their escape.
Players can escape in many different ways in The Escapists, which encourages player creativity. However, this freedom is rarely too much, in large part because the game is simple to understand.
Cook, Serve, Delicious!
The restaurant sim Cook, Serve, Delicious! is meant to be simple to learn but tough to master. It’s up to the players to turn a run-down restaurant back into a five-star establishment by running it and serving customers.
The players’ job is to come up with a menu, spend money on unlocks that will make their restaurant better, and serve guests by playing mini-games that are specific to each menu item. What makes Cook, Serve, and Enjoy!The theme, simple gameplay, and light management features make this a great simulation game for people who are just starting to play them.
The Long Dark
The simple art style, limited but effective use of color, and great lighting in this survival game make it a visual treat that, when the game is quiet, can turn into a nice walking simulator. But don’t get the wrong idea—The Long Dark is a very tough and hard game about staying alive in the winter. To stay alive, players have to deal with the weather, wild animals, and their own bodies’ limits. They have to plan their moves and manage their supplies well.
Even though The Long Dark is hard, it’s still a great way to start playing computer games because it’s easy to get into and makes you want to play it again and again. Players will have to watch their food intake, avoid getting sick, look for food, and stay safe. There’s a lot to keep track of, and some new players might find it too hard, but the graphics and the fact that you can just get lucky make it easier to get into than serious computer games.
Two Point Hospital
It’s clear that this game was inspired by the classic business simulation game Theme Hospital. Players have to build and run a hospital while trying to heal patients with strange illnesses.
People who play Two Point Hospital will spend their time handling staff, looking at their hospital’s data, and finding the best ways to run their business so that they can make as much money as possible. Even though the diseases in Two Point Hospital aren’t really sick, the game is cute and easy to play, making it a great place for people who have never played a business simulation game before.
House Flipper
Not everyone will enjoy this relaxing computer game about fixing up houses and selling them for profit. The main reason for this is that the gameplay is repetitive and can get boring. This is part of House Flipper‘s charm, though, since it’s meant to be a relaxed game.
Funny Shooter 2 gives players the option of creating their own home or fixing up houses to meet the needs of clients. Hitting walls with a hammer and using other tools to paint, clean, and plaster are just a few of the relaxing and beneficial things that can be done in the game. Being able to turn an ugly, run-down house into something beautiful is what makes House Flipper so great. Some people might not like how simple the gameplay seems, but House Flipper is designed with enough care and attention to detail to be a great light simulation game.
Spore
Spore has been around since 2008 and is still one of the easiest simulation games to get into. Its goal is to mimic evolution by letting the player decide the fate of a whole custom species.
People who play Spore take their species through five steps of evolution, beginning at the very bottom on a microscopic level. Spore is more of a science fiction adventure than a realistic simulation game, but it might be the best simulation game for beginners because it’s so easy to learn and play. If you want a hard game, though, Spore might not be the best choice.