Farlanders similar games & best alternatives

Farlanders

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2023

Should you play it?

Terraform, strategize, and construct a Martian colony in this retro-inspired turn-based city builder. Create a comfortable living for your citizens, research alien artifacts, and uncover the secrets of the Red Planet.

What works
  • Addictive and thoughtful gameplay
  • Unique turn-based colony builder with puzzle elements
  • Good value for price with many hours of content
  • Relaxing pacing with strategic depth
  • Well balanced resource and terraforming mechanics
Things to keep in mind
  • Story considered weak or cringy by some players
  • Random map generation can cause frustrating difficulty spikes
  • Limited replayability beyond campaign for some
  • User interface and quality of life features could improve
  • Morale system can be confusing and challenging late game

What to play next

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

Top picks

Games that feel the closest overall

  • Synergy

  • Nebuchadnezzar

  • Laysara: Summit Kingdom

  • Juno: New Origins

  • Hundred Days - Winemaking Simulator

  • MEMORIAPOLIS

  • Timberborn

  • Highrise City

  • Cities in Motion

Hidden Gems

Less popular games with surprisingly high similarity

  • Roots of Yggdrasil

  • Outlanders

  • Rogue Voltage

If you liked…

Recommendations by what you enjoyed most

  • Strategy

    Endzone - A World Apart

  • Autonomy

    Imagine Earth

  • Competence

    Blue Prince

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).

Farlanders: 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 Survival, Story. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Idle.

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 freedom to choose building placement, strategies, and tech upgrades with multiple approaches to objectives."

    Capsule for Imagine Earth Imagine Earth

    "Players have freedom to choose building placement, research paths, and strategies with multiple viable approaches."

  • Competence

    Game with the same Competence vibe

    4

    "Game challenges players with complex puzzles and strategic resource management requiring skill and learning."

    Capsule for Blue Prince Blue Prince

    "Game challenges players with complex resource management, puzzle-like terraforming, and strategic planning."

  • Competition

    Game with the same Competition vibe

    -3

    "Focus is primarily on personal progression and optimization rather than direct competition or leaderboards."

    Capsule for NGU INDUSTRIES NGU INDUSTRIES

    "Focus is primarily on personal pacing and optimization rather than direct competition or leaderboards."

  • Continuation

    Game with the same Continuation vibe

    3

    "Players report addictive, engaging gameplay with long sessions and desire to complete the campaign."

    Capsule for VLADiK BRUTAL VLADiK BRUTAL

    "Players report addictive gameplay with long sessions and desire to continue playing beyond campaign."

  • Cooperation

    Game with the same Cooperation vibe

    -5

    "Single-player experience focused on individual colony management with no multiplayer cooperation."

    Capsule for Oxygen: First Breath Oxygen: First Breath

    "Single-player experience focused on individual colony management without multiplayer or teamwork."

  • Creativity

    Game with the same Creativity vibe

    3

    "Players can terraform tiles, destroy and remake buildings, and optimize layouts creatively within puzzle constraints."

    Capsule for Dawnfolk Dawnfolk

    "Players creatively arrange buildings and terraform terrain to optimize colony layout and resource flow."

  • Domination

    Game with the same Domination vibe

    -5

    "No elements of exerting control over others; gameplay is solitary and non-confrontational."

    Capsule for Terra Nil Terra Nil

    "No elements of exerting control over others; gameplay is solitary and non-confrontational."

  • Escapism

    Game with the same Escapism vibe

    3

    "Players use the game as a relaxing, slow-paced distraction and stress relief, engaging in thoughtful planning and economic simulation."

    Capsule for Prosperous Universe Prosperous Universe

    "Turn-based, relaxing gameplay provides distraction and stress relief through thoughtful planning."

  • Expectation

    Game with the same Expectation vibe

    -4

    "Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and enjoyment rather than obligation or pressure."

    Capsule for Deep Rock Galactic Deep Rock Galactic

    "Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and enjoyment rather than obligation or pressure."

  • Experimenting

    Game with the same Experimenting vibe

    4

    "Encourages trying new layouts, production methods, and terraforming strategies to optimize performance."

    Capsule for Captain of Industry Captain of Industry

    "Random terraforming tiles and multiple strategies encourage players to try new approaches and adapt."

  • Exploration

    Game with the same Exploration vibe

    2

    "Exploration of new maps and buildings with hidden areas adds discovery elements."

    Capsule for Worms W.M.D Worms W.M.D

    "Exploration of underground layers and map layouts adds some discovery, though maps are somewhat constrained."

  • Expression

    Game with the same Expression vibe

    2

    "Some customization of colony layout and upgrades allows personal expression"

    Capsule for Empires of the Undergrowth Empires of the Undergrowth

    "Some customization in colony layout and building placement allows personal expression within constraints."

  • Fantasy

    Game with the same Fantasy vibe

    -2

    "Grounded in plausible colony building and logistics with robots; minimal roleplaying or improbable fiction elements."

    Capsule for The Colonists The Colonists

    "Grounded in plausible sci-fi colony building on Mars with realistic resource management."

  • Fellowship

    Game with the same Fellowship vibe

    -5

    "No social or community features; experience is solitary and individual."

    Capsule for DmC: Devil May Cry DmC: Devil May Cry

    "No social or community features; experience is solitary and individual."

  • Growth

    Game with the same Growth vibe

    4

    "Players develop skills in planning and execution, learn game mechanics, and improve through progression and campaign experience."

    Capsule for No Plan B No Plan B

    "Players learn mechanics, improve planning skills, and develop strategies through campaign progression."

  • Health

    Game with the same Health vibe

    -5

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

    Capsule for DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT DRAGON BALL Z: KAKAROT

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

  • Idle

    Game with the same Idle vibe

    -4

    "Requires constant attention and quick decision-making; not suited for passive or background play."

    Capsule for Ratropolis Ratropolis

    "Requires constant attention and thoughtful decision making each turn; no passive or idle play."

  • Intimacy

    Game with the same Intimacy vibe

    -5

    "No social or emotional relationship building; purely individual gameplay."

    Capsule for Touhou Luna Nights Touhou Luna Nights

    "No social or emotional relationship building; purely individual gameplay."

  • Leadership

    Game with the same Leadership vibe

    -5

    "No leadership or group management roles; player manages colony individually."

    Capsule for Microtopia Microtopia

    "No leadership or group management elements; player manages own colony only."

  • Progression

    Game with the same Progression vibe

    4

    "Players accumulate resources, unlock technologies, and expand their colony over time."

    Capsule for Oxygen: First Breath Oxygen: First Breath

    "Players accumulate resources, unlock technologies, and expand colony through campaign and free play."

  • Relaxation

    Game with the same Relaxation vibe

    4

    "Slow pace and thoughtful gameplay provide a relaxing experience with low pressure and satisfying long-term goals."

    Capsule for Prosperous Universe Prosperous Universe

    "Turn-based pacing and thoughtful gameplay provide a relaxing, low-pressure experience."

  • Sensation

    Game with the same Sensation vibe

    2

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

    Capsule for Anvil Saga Anvil Saga

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

  • Status

    Game with the same Status vibe

    -5

    "No social recognition or status systems; achievements are personal and not publicly ranked."

    Capsule for God of War Ragnarök God of War Ragnarök

    "No social recognition or status systems; achievements are personal and not publicly ranked."

  • Story

    Game with the same Story vibe

    2

    "Campaigns provide narrative context and missions with story elements, though some find storylines weak or secondary."

    Capsule for ARMA: Gold Edition ARMA: Gold Edition

    "Campaign includes a narrative that adds context and engagement, though story is considered weak by some."

  • Strategy

    Game with the same Strategy vibe

    5

    "Strong emphasis on strategic planning, problem solving, and resource optimization throughout gameplay."

    Capsule for Endzone - A World Apart Endzone - A World Apart

    "Strong emphasis on strategic planning, resource optimization, and puzzle solving throughout gameplay."

  • Thrill

    Game with the same Thrill vibe

    1

    "Some tension from RNG combat and time/resource management, but overall controlled and predictable."

    Capsule for Punch Club Punch Club

    "Some tension from resource scarcity and RNG, but overall controlled and thoughtful pace."

  • Value

    Game with the same Value vibe

    4

    "Players report good value for money with many hours of engaging gameplay and replayability."

    Capsule for Drop Duchy Drop Duchy

    "Players report good value for money with many hours of engaging gameplay and replayability."

  • Violence

    Game with the same Violence vibe

    -5

    "No combat or destruction; focus is on constructive building and terraforming."

    Capsule for Eden Crafters Eden Crafters

    "No combat or destruction; focus is on constructive colony building and terraforming."

  • Survival

    Game with the same Survival vibe

    4

    "Players must avoid failure and manage limited resources carefully to keep colony alive."

    Capsule for Captain of Industry Captain of Industry

    "Players manage scarce resources and environmental challenges to keep colony alive and growing."

Last update: 01/06/2026