City builders

Cities: Skylines II vs Anno 1800 vs Manor Lords: Gameplay and Getting Started

All three grow a settlement from open land, but the management focus changes. Cities: Skylines II is a modern city and traffic sandbox, Anno 1800 revolves around inter-island production and trade, and Manor Lords combines organic medieval villages with seasonal resources and small battles.

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Comparison summary

Choose Cities: Skylines II for modern roads and public services, Anno 1800 for deep production chains and long-term trade optimization, or Manor Lords for an organic medieval settlement that also faces military pressure.

01

Choose Cities: Skylines II

You most want to solve roads, traffic, zoning and public services while shaping a modern metropolis.

02

Choose Anno 1800

You enjoy layered production chains, population needs and trade routes that reward long-term optimization.

03

Choose Manor Lords

You favor the organic shape of a medieval settlement and do not mind managing seasons, resources and battles.

Cities: Skylines IICities: Skylines IIAnno 1800Anno 1800Manor LordsManor Lords
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Steam rating57%63,808 reviews81%30,171 reviews84%77,760 reviews
GameGeeker review7.0Read the review8.6Read the review7.2Read the review
Critic score74Metacritic onlyMetacritic 7482avg of 2Metacritic 81OpenCritic 8271OpenCritic onlyOpenCritic 71
GenresSimulationStrategy · SimulationStrategy · Simulation · Early Access
Release date2023-10-242019-04-162024-04-26
LanguagesEnglish · Simplified Chinese · Japanese · French12 languages totalEnglish · Simplified Chinese · Japanese · French11 languages totalEnglish · Simplified Chinese · Japanese · German19 languages total
PlatformsWindowsWindowsWindows
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Key comparison criteria

What you plan

Cities manages modern urban systems, Anno manages a multi-island economic network, and Manor Lords concentrates on a medieval territory.

Economic complexity

Anno emphasizes production chains, Cities balances taxes and services, and Manor Lords depends more on seasons and local resources.

Conflict pressure

Cities is largely peaceful, Anno includes naval conflict and rivals, and Manor Lords directly connects recruitment and territory disputes to the economy.

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FAQ

What is the biggest difference between these three games?
All three grow a settlement from open land, but the management focus changes. Cities: Skylines II is a modern city and traffic sandbox, Anno 1800 revolves around inter-island production and trade, and Manor Lords combines organic medieval villages with seasonal resources and small battles.
Which one should a newcomer buy first?
Choose Cities: Skylines II for modern roads and public services, Anno 1800 for deep production chains and long-term trade optimization, or Manor Lords for an organic medieval settlement that also faces military pressure.
Can I change the games in this comparison?
This page keeps the three featured games fixed. To swap or add a game, open the custom comparison and edit the lineup there.