Architecture is a dreamy career, at least for art and design enthusiasts. However, studying architecture is also a costly investment. In the United States, a five-year Bachelor of Architecture ranges from about $20,000 to $60,000 per annum. Whoa.
So, even if you badly want to pursue this track, if you don’t have the funds, you’ll be forced to choose another course instead. But don’t worry. You can live your architecture dreams by playing games. We’re serious. Here are the best architecture-themed games where you can design and build your dream house.
Best Architecture Games
1. ‘The Sims 4’
This game is expected to be on this list as designing and building houses are among its main features, unlike other games where these features are just on the side.
Actually, building houses isn’t just on “The Sims 4,” but on the entire The Sims series. Before you can control the life of your Sim, they must have a decent house first. You can build your home how you want, whether a small residence or a mansion that the whole neighborhood can envy.
Aside from building the exterior, you can, of course, continue designing the interior. So, it’s not just architecture but interior design, too.
2. ‘Terraria’
“Terraria” is an iconic sandbox adventure game that isn’t just about battles and exploration but also building in a procedurally generated 2D world. As you play it, you can hone your crafting, combat, and resource management skills, all while defeating the game’s strongest bosses.
Beyond those, you can build houses as well, which are essential for the game’s NPCs. Use various materials and furniture, then create the walls, door, lighting, and more. Once built, these houses will attract NPCs who provide items and services. It’s also a great way to unleash your creativity.
3. ‘Stardew Valley’
Being a farm life simulation game, of course, the Stardew Valley experience won’t be complete if you cannot build houses. The concept of this game is that you’ve inherited your grandfather’s land, so to preserve his legacy, you must keep his farmland beautiful.
“Stardew Valley” takes inspiration from other titles like “Story of Seasons” and “Harvest Moon.” But, for instance, in “Harvest Moon,” you cannot build houses. In “Stardew Valley,” this is possible. You can implement your personal home designs as you explore mysterious areas and embark on thrilling adventures.
4. ‘No Man’s Sky’
“No Man’s Sky” sounds like a survival game, but it isn’t. It is an expansive sci-fi adventure game that, like ‘Terraria,” is also set in a procedurally generated universe. Here, you can explore billions of planets, then engage in space adventures, gathering resources, trading, crafting, and, of course, combat.
It is a promising way to use your architectural skills, as the setting is sci-fi. You’ll basically build your base, allowing you to create structures on any planet in the game. That’s incredible. You can construct bases that will also serve as your homes, farms, and resource processing hubs.
But that’s not it. The bases you constructed can be shared with the community of other players. It feeds your creative and interaction skills.
5. ‘Subnautica’
What’s great about architecture-themed games is the opportunity to build houses in the most unfamiliar worlds, unlike in real-life where things are very limited. In “Subnautica,” the house building happens underwater.
You can create underwater houses known as seabases, and these bases have the power to craft submarines and equipment. You’ll have a good place to rest as you prepare for another day filled with adventure in the Subnautica worlds of coral reefs, volcanoes, and caves.
6. ‘Fallout 4’
How about building houses in a post-apocalyptic world? That’s “Fallout 4.” This game might be a surprise on this list as you might think it’s your ordinary action RPG where players navigate the wasteland, accomplish quests, and battle enemies. But did you know you can build houses here, too?
The game’s settlement-building system allows you to build and manage settlements. Unlike “The Sims 4,” which provides a ready catalog of materials, you’ll start by gathering the materials here for your structures, defenses, and amenities. You can then use them to create homes, shops, farms, and power supplies with customized designs and layouts. Managing the settlements you build is crucial as they play a role in defending you against attacks.
7. ‘Rimworld’
Like “No Man’s Sky,” “Rimworld” is set in space, on a distant planet where players must build a colony or they won’t survive. You must protect these colonies from raiders, so you’d need to build stuff like double walls to withstand impending attacks.
In “Rimworld,” mods are used to build houses as they will allow you to obtain things like doormats and create beds in homes, adding to its realism aspect. Despite these limitations, players can explore plenty of customization opportunities.
8. ‘Cities: Skylines’
The name says it all. This is your city-building simulation game where house design and construction, like in “The Sims 4,” are also major features. Here, you can design and manage a city from the ground up. So, you won’t just enjoy being an architect and urban planner but being a mayor, too.
“Cities: Skylines” has players controlling zoning, public services, road places, and infrastructure to ensure the city prospers. In residential zoning, you must designate areas for constructing houses. However, unlike direct house building, as with the other games on this list, you set zones where the citizen characters in the game build on based on demand and city conditions. This is the perfect game for you if you want something beyond architecture.
Design And Build Your Dream House
Those are some of the best architecture-themed games that will unravel your inner artist. What’s impressive about them is that you can build houses not just in simulated real worlds but also in space, in a post-apocalyptic setting, under the sea, and more.
