Anvil Saga similar games & best alternatives

Anvil Saga

PC (Microsoft Windows), Nintendo Switch • 2023

Should you play it?

Anvil Saga is a management sim with RPG elements where you take control of a blacksmith shop amidst the Hundred Years' War. Each decision you make impacts the story and gameplay.

What works
  • Engaging management gameplay
  • Meaningful player choices
  • Charming pixel art and music
  • Active developer support and updates
  • Relaxing yet challenging experience
Things to keep in mind
  • Early access bugs and technical issues
  • Limited story and content length
  • Some ui and quality of life issues
  • Repetitive tasks after story completion
  • Lack of multiplayer or social features

What to play next

Similar games, hidden gems, and fresh directions from this game.

Top picks

Games that feel the closest overall

  • Tavern Keeper 🍻

  • News Tower

  • No Umbrellas Allowed

  • Crystal Story II

  • Defender's Quest: Valley of the Forgotten (DX edition)

  • Cubicle Quest

  • Roman Triumph: Survival City Builder

  • Game Dev Tycoon

  • RollerCoaster Tycoon® 3: Complete Edition

Hidden Gems

Less popular games with surprisingly high similarity

  • Crystal Story II

  • Escape from Ever After: Onboarding

  • Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander (LIGHTSPEED EDITION)

If you liked…

Recommendations by what you enjoyed most

  • Autonomy

    GreedFall

  • Progression

    Horripilant

  • Competence

    Strayed

Similarity map

Explore nearby similar games and see why they’re close.

How to use the graph
Similarity map

Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Why this game works” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

  • Purple star: this page’s game — everything on the map is relative to it.
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot for a screenshot preview, score, and top score gaps; click to compare in the panel on the right.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers (hidden on purpose).

Anvil Saga: A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Violence, Fantasy, Story, Thrill. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Leadership, Story, Fantasy.

Why this game works

A motivational profile of the game, with the closest similar game for each player motivation.

  • Autonomy

    Game with the same Autonomy vibe

    4

    "Players have meaningful choices affecting story, factions, and character builds, allowing personal direction and freedom."

    Capsule for GreedFall GreedFall

    "Players make meaningful choices affecting story, factions, and gameplay; freedom to manage workers and upgrades"

  • Competence

    Game with the same Competence vibe

    3

    "Requires skill in crafting, combat, base building, and resource management; some bugs reduce consistency."

    Capsule for Strayed Strayed

    "Players engage in managing resources, workers, and orders with some skill and strategy; some bugs reduce smoothness"

  • Competition

    Game with the same Competition vibe

    -4

    "Focus is on personal management and progression without player-vs-player or leaderboard competition."

    Capsule for Tavern Manager Simulator 🍻 Tavern Manager Simulator 🍻

    "Focus on personal management and progression without direct player-vs-player competition or leaderboards"

  • Continuation

    Game with the same Continuation vibe

    2

    "Players report addictive gameplay and replayability, but limited content and bugs reduce long-term engagement."

    Capsule for Flesh Eaters Flesh Eaters

    "Players report addictive gameplay and replayability but some stop after short sessions due to limited content or bugs"

  • Cooperation

    Game with the same Cooperation vibe

    -3

    "Gameplay centers on individual management and decision-making; limited evidence of cooperative multiplayer or teamwork with others."

    Capsule for Idol Manager Idol Manager

    "Gameplay centers on individual management; no evidence of multiplayer or cooperative goals"

  • Creativity

    Game with the same Creativity vibe

    2

    "Players can customize farms, craft items, and decorate homes, though furniture placement is limited."

    Capsule for Rune Factory 5 Rune Factory 5

    "Players customize and upgrade their smithy and workers but room decoration is limited and constrained"

  • Domination

    Game with the same Domination vibe

    -4

    "Interactions with NPCs are balanced; no evidence of exerting control or superiority over others."

    Capsule for Weed Shop 2 Weed Shop 2

    "Interactions with factions and NPCs are balanced; no evidence of exerting control or superiority over others"

  • Escapism

    Game with the same Escapism vibe

    3

    "Players use the game as a relaxing, immersive escape into a medieval blacksmithing world."

    Capsule for Blacksmith Master Blacksmith Master

    "Players enjoy relaxing and immersive medieval blacksmith setting as a distraction from real life"

  • Expectation

    Game with the same Expectation vibe

    -4

    "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment, no pressure or obligation indicated"

    Capsule for Murders on the Yangtze River Murders on the Yangtze River

    "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment; no indications of obligation or pressure"

  • Experimenting

    Game with the same Experimenting vibe

    3

    "Players explore different factions, strategies, and modding possibilities."

    Capsule for Retro Commander Retro Commander

    "Players try different faction alliances, worker traits, and strategies; some routines but room for exploration"

  • Exploration

    Game with the same Exploration vibe

    1

    "Some discovery of new areas and tasks as story progresses, but environment is mostly static and familiar."

    Capsule for Prison Simulator Prison Simulator

    "Some discovery of story branches and faction effects, but mostly familiar environments and tasks"

  • Expression

    Game with the same Expression vibe

    2

    "Customization through base building and crafting, though limited furniture options"

    Capsule for Survival: Fountain of Youth Survival: Fountain of Youth

    "Players customize house and smithy appearance within limited furniture constraints"

  • Fantasy

    Game with the same Fantasy vibe

    3

    "Medieval setting with lighthearted story and characters, some imaginative elements."

    Capsule for Stronghold HD (2012) Stronghold HD (2012)

    "Medieval fantasy setting with factions, story choices, and humorous fictional characters"

  • Fellowship

    Game with the same Fellowship vibe

    -4

    "Minimal social interaction; primarily single-player experience with limited community engagement."

    Capsule for Two Point Campus Two Point Campus

    "Minimal social interaction; mostly single-player experience with limited community engagement"

  • Growth

    Game with the same Growth vibe

    3

    "Players develop skills and unlock characters, weapons, and upgrades, showing learning and progression."

    Capsule for Juicy Realm Juicy Realm

    "Players develop skills, traits, and unlock new abilities; some learning curve and progression"

  • Health

    Game with the same Health vibe

    -5

    "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features"

    Capsule for Space Run Space Run

    "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features"

  • Idle

    Game with the same Idle vibe

    -3

    "Requires active management and attention; not designed for idle or background play"

    Capsule for Tropico 3 Tropico 3

    "Requires active management and attention; not designed for background or idle play"

  • Intimacy

    Game with the same Intimacy vibe

    -4

    "Limited emotional or close social relationships; interactions mostly surface-level or functional"

    Capsule for ATOM RPG Trudograd ATOM RPG Trudograd

    "Limited emotional or close relationships; interactions mostly functional or superficial"

  • Leadership

    Game with the same Leadership vibe

    2

    "Players manage and direct workers but no leadership over other players or social groups."

    Capsule for MR FARMBOY MR FARMBOY

    "Players manage and direct workers but no evidence of leading other players or complex group dynamics"

  • Progression

    Game with the same Progression vibe

    4

    "Strong focus on accumulating upgrades, items, and unlocking story content through progression."

    Capsule for Horripilant Horripilant

    "Clear progression through upgrading smithy, acquiring tools, skills, and unlocking story content"

  • Relaxation

    Game with the same Relaxation vibe

    3

    "Many players find the game relaxing and enjoyable despite some frustration from bugs."

    Capsule for Goblins of Elderstone Goblins of Elderstone

    "Players find the game relaxing and enjoyable with a chill atmosphere despite some bugs"

  • Sensation

    Game with the same Sensation vibe

    2

    "Pleasant pixel art and music provide moderate sensory enjoyment without intense stimulation."

    Capsule for Farlanders Farlanders

    "Pleasant pixel art and music provide sensory enjoyment but not intense stimulation"

  • Status

    Game with the same Status vibe

    -4

    "No social recognition or status systems; focus on personal achievement"

    Capsule for NO THING NO THING

    "No social status or recognition mechanics; focus on personal achievement"

  • Story

    Game with the same Story vibe

    3

    "Engaging narrative with choices affecting outcomes, though some find it predictable or less immersive than other RPGs."

    Capsule for Dark Envoy Dark Envoy

    "Engaging narrative with choices affecting outcomes; story is short but well received"

  • Strategy

    Game with the same Strategy vibe

    3

    "Requires planning production chains, employee assignments, and resource management."

    Capsule for Drill Deal: Borehole (Alpha) Drill Deal: Borehole (Alpha)

    "Requires planning resource management, worker scheduling, and faction relations"

  • Thrill

    Game with the same Thrill vibe

    1

    "Some tension in timed modes but overall low-risk, controlled gameplay."

    Capsule for Bejeweled 2 Deluxe Bejeweled 2 Deluxe

    "Some tension from timed orders and faction consequences but mostly controlled gameplay"

  • Value

    Game with the same Value vibe

    2

    "Players feel the game offers decent value for price given ongoing updates and content potential."

    Capsule for Denizen Denizen

    "Players feel the game is worth the price given current content and developer support"

  • Violence

    Game with the same Violence vibe

    -3

    "No focus on combat or destruction; gameplay centers on building and resource management."

    Capsule for 12 Labours of Hercules II: The Cretan Bull 12 Labours of Hercules II: The Cretan Bull

    "No focus on combat or destruction; gameplay centers on crafting and management"

  • Survival

    Game with the same Survival vibe

    1

    "Some resource management and avoiding failure, but low-risk environment overall."

    Capsule for Farming Simulator 25 Farming Simulator 25

    "Some resource management and avoiding failure but low risk overall"

Last update: 01/06/2026