Pc Games Where You Design A Home

For players looking to show off their architectural prowess, doing it in a video game is intuitive and user-friendly. Whether someone's building follows the science behind making a structurally sound home, or it's a whimsical artistic masterpiece, a video game can bring out the player's imagination to the building phase, then fruition.

Playing a game like The Sims 4 won't make a person an expert in architecture, but it will help them unleash their creative mind. The following house building games place people in real-life situations where they have to build under budget constraints or with limited resources.

Updated on August 27, 2021, by Reyadh Rahaman: Sometimes the games that feature the best building elements are those that possess the most natural danger. There's nothing that will make players love their home more than when its (hopefully) sturdy walls keep out monsters and hateful humans. Though, that doesn't mean one cannot decorate and renovate to their heart's content, as these house building games give players tons of crafting options and construction choices! Just be sure to gather adequate resources before night falls, as that is the time to stay indoors and do some interior decorating while the zombies and other hideous fiends wander about outside one's comfy abode.

13 Conan Exiles

As an open-world game set in the brutal and unforgiving universe of Conan: The Barbarian, Conan Exiles will force players to deal with a few unique challenges when building their base. Not only will savage beasts and other wandering threats assault the player, but other humans gamers can do so as well since there is a robust online multiplayer function.

However, if one can survive long enough to get a foothold on some desired terrain, players can put together impressive structures from the individual wall and floor tiles that grant a great degree of flexibility. Thankfully, there are some anti-griefing procedures that prevent players from destroying or building over another's hard work.

Conan Exiles was released on May 8, 2018, and is available on the following platforms:

Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Xbox Series X
Xbox Series S

12 Don't Starve

While the building aspects in Don't Starve don't include being able to build a literal house from individual components, there are still plenty of structures that can be built in-game to create something akin to a home. For example, players can surround certain areas with walls to keep out unwanted visitors and put down various kinds of flooring for benefits like increased movement speed and more.

There are even structures that can be built which will allow players to sleep indoors temporarily, such as the various huts which can grant shelter from the rain as well as provide recovery of one's health and sanity. If players have access to mods, such as when playing on a PC and using Steam's workshop, these housing options increase exponentially.

Don't Starve was released on April 23, 2013, and is available on the following platforms:

Android
iOS
Linux
Microsoft Windows
Mac OS X
PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
PlayStation Vita
Wii U
Xbox One
Nintendo Switch

11 Lego Worlds

Much like utilizing Lego bricks in real life, this video game is all about creative freedom, and, in regards to that concept, appropriately lets players build awesome homes as well as a tremendous variety of other structures. Lego Worlds offers infinite building options thanks to the sheer quantity of different bricks in the game, which is definitely something architectural enthusiasts should check out!

So far, players have been able to not only build their dream houses, but also recreate famous locations from their favorite movies, books, and even other video games. This is always a great sign when it comes to building games, as such pursuits act as the greatest kind of test for a title's potential.

Lego Worlds was released on March 7, 2017, and is available on the following platforms:

Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Nintendo Switch

10 Minecraft

Players who own the PC version of Minecraft can use mods to enhance the building experience. One can build their dream house and live in it if they choose to. Minecraft is a sandbox game that gives players various tools to build. Find a location where you want to build your house, level the terrain, create a Crafting Table, and build away. Players may want to make a bed before starting, as it acts as a respawn point in case baddies attack them. Evidently, a house made out of blocks can look brilliant.

Minecraft was released on November 18, 2011, and is available on the following platforms:

Microsoft Windows
Mac OS X
Linux
Android
iOS
Xbox 360
Raspberry Pi
Microsoft Windows Phone
PlayStation 3
Fire OS
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
PlayStation Vita
Universal Microsoft Windows Platform
Wii U
tvOS
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo 3DS

9 House Flipper

One can renovate the heck out of a home in House Flipper. The idea is to take dilapidated homes and remodel them into something that can be sold. Players get a variety of tools to turn around homes in this indie simulation game.

This hidden gem is available on the Steam Store for a bargain. With DLC, people can find new locations to build houses and plant gardens.

House Flipper was released on May 17, 2018, and is available on the following platforms:

Mac OS
Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Nintendo Switch
iOS
Android

8 Prison Architect

Played from the top-down perspective, Prison Architect gives users the tools to build a personalized penitentiary. Players will make areas like the infirmary, a cafeteria, and a workshop, as well as much more. This game accomplishes its goal of doing what it sets out to do; create a simulation game with a prison theme. There is a level of excitement contained in this game, as well as horror elements; Prison Architect is unlike any architecture game out there.

Prison Architect was released on October 6, 2015, and is available on the following platforms:

Microsoft Windows
Mac OS
Linux
PlayStation 4
Xbox 360
Xbox One
iOS
Android
Nintendo Switch

7 Cities: Skylines

One can build entire cities, including suburban houses, in Cities: Skylines. This game is open-ended, meaning there is virtually no end. Take control of the urban planning and road placement involved in the development of a city. The houses in Cities: Skylines are easily created in the game's sandbox mode, which offers more freedom. Without mods, however, players can't customize homes. You make the zoning, and houses improve if their occupants are looked after.

Cities: Skylines was released March 10, 2015, and is available on the following platforms:

Microsoft Windows
Mac OS
Linux
Xbox One
PlayStation 4
Nintendo Switch

6 Rimworld

The construction and management simulation game Rimworld is set on a distant planet where players need to build a colony to survive. Watch out for raiders since colonies will likely need double walls to withstand impending attacks.

Using mods adds layers of complexity to building houses; they let players get things like doormats and can allow them to create more beds in homes, adding more realism. The top-down perspective has its limitations, yet Rimworld has plenty of customization for fans of architecture.

Rimworld was released on October 17, 2018, and is available on the following platforms:

Microsoft Windows
Mac OS
Linux

5 Fallout 4

Although Fallout 4 can be criticized for its bugs and predictable plot points, it has a fun building component. The story revolves around the only survivor of Vault 111; one of danger and betrayal.

One can build thousands of items in the most complex crafting system thus far; build a single house or an entire settlement! Fallout 4 provides players with the tools to build standout homes of the wasteland. From the rubble, survivors can build and develop until they are satisfied with the result.

Fallout 4 was released November 10, 2015, and is available on the following platforms:

Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One

4 Subnautica

Unknown Worlds Entertainment's Subnautica takes the best elements of survival games and pushes them into the depths of an alien ocean world. Visit marine life as players partake in a perilous adventure.

In addition to creating underwater houses (called seabases), one can craft things like submarines and equipment. People can explore Subnautica's open-world as they descend into an ocean filled with coral reefs, volcanoes, and networks of caves.

Subnautica was released on January 3, 2018, and is available on the following platforms:

Microsoft Windows
Mac OS
Xbox One
PlayStation 4
Nintendo Switch

3 No Man's Sky

When the open-world game No Man's Sky was released, unfulfilled promises held it back from reaching its potential. Developer Hello Games has since done a turnaround with the game, integrating features that bring the game to life.

No Man's Sky is a game that encourages exploration, but there is also a substantial building component. The game's procedurally generated universe is the ideal setting for its building. If someone has some architecture chops, they can build a polished home. The Beyond Update 2019 brought depth to No Man's Sky's base designs.

No Man's Sky was released on August 9, 2016, and is available on the following platforms:

PlayStation 4
Microsoft Windows
Xbox One
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X
Xbox Series S

2 Terraria

This indie game has role-playing elements, but many will love it for its substantial building component. Not only can players build a house, but they can also build entire cities to house allies they meet along the way.

Terraria is a sandbox game in the sense that players get a great degree of creative potential. This is a title someone can invest over a thousand hours playing. It contains exploration and boss fights, so the game offers a lot more content than just building.

Terraria was released on May 16, 2011, and is available on the following platforms:

Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
PlayStation Vita
iOS
Android
Microsoft Windows Phone
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Mac OS
Linux
Nintendo 3DS
Wii U
Nintendo Switch
Google Stadia

1 The Sims 4

DLC The Sims installments bring more customization to an already great series. One can build modern and sleek homes that are the envy of the Sim neighborhood. Pour your imagination into quaint homes or construct a mansion for a family of Sims.

Players have the creative license to make stunning homes; paint the outside, or furnish the interior of a home. The Sims 4 could be the best building game for architecture geeks.

The Sims 4 was released on September 2, 2014, and is available on the following platforms:

Microsoft Windows
Mac OS
PlayStation 4
Xbox One

NEXT: The Sims 4: Insanely Beautiful Homes (& How Much They Cost)

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