Summary
The video game industry has a long, storied history of games that allow the player to grow over a long period of time. Sometimes this progress is gradual and subtle, leaving only the time-lapse to put into perspective the actual growth that took place. Other games make each period of time distinct and monumental. Reaching the next era in such games is a big event. Usually, it means a plethora of new possibilities that will help the player advance past their fellow man and/or AI.
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There is an immense sense of satisfaction that comes withgrowing a bastion civilization from the ground upand watching as that civilization evolves into something great and powerful. It’s one of the biggest reasons why these games are so successful — not every title shows the progression of civilization and technology in such an epic manner, making the player’s conquests and victories feel all the more special!
Updated on June 07, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:Video games allow players to fulfill their wildest fantasies in a way they could scarcely dream of, letting them take on the role of anyone and anything as they accomplish a wealth of challenges, experience compelling stories, and participate in numerous feats of skill that push them to their very limit. One particularly alluring fantasy that games allow players to enjoy is watching time progress at a massive scale, with entire eras and dynasties being created over decades, if not centuries! While executing this concept can be pretty challenging, games that satisfy players in this regard end up gaining lifelong fans who cannot stop singing praises of these titles.
18Victoria 3
Paradox Interactive is a studio that specializes in making immersive grand strategy games that will take away hours from a player’s life once they get over their steep learning curves and understand what makes these titles so unique.Victoria 3is one such titlethat is set in a time period that starts from the Industrial Revolution and ends around the time World War 2 broke out.
Victoria 3’s tutorialization has made it easier to jump into this game and understand its mechanics properly. While some fans lament the dearth of content in these titles, Paradox Interactive games are known for integrating the basic systems early on, adding more content via expansions and the like. It’s a strategy that earns them the most bang for their buck, and most fans can’t complain once they boot up this game and get lost in its complexities for hours on end.
17Age Of Empires 4
After the longest time, the announcement ofAge of Empires4was a treat for fans who simply couldn’t get enough of this legendary RTS series. The launch of this title was a muted yet celebrated one, with many people both praising and criticizing how this game essentially felt likeAge of Empires 2with better graphics and more refined gameplay.
The campaign was also structured pretty neatly, taking on the aura of a history documentary with great voice acting as the exploits of some of history’s greatest figures were detailed in bold and interesting campaigns where players had to use their minds while planning out how to build bases, siege castles, and everything else along the same lines.
16Sid Meier’s Civilization 5
TheCivilizationgames are known for combining grand strategy gameplay and a distinct brand of quirkiness present in most Sid Meier games that fans have grown to love over time. The fact that fans have their own personal preferences when it comes to theCivilizationgames shows how magical each entry is, withCivilization 5holding a special place in the hearts of many gamerswho were lucky enough to experience the magic of this title for themselves.
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Civilization 5’s beloved grand strategy gameplay allows players to rise up from prehistoric times to the future while controlling one of many famous historical leaders of the world. It’s a unique combination that lends itself to some truly spectacular gameplay as players form alliances, wage wars, and make their nations as prosperous as possible.
15Wildermyth
Wildermythis one of the more unique takes on procedural generation in a video game, letting players weave unique and exciting stories in each campaign. Players control heroes in different chapters of a campaign, with each successive outing happening years after the first event.
As a result, heroes age and their children take over as the primary heroes instead, which gives a pretty epic feel to the events ofWildermyth. It genuinely feels like players are crafting an incredible story through the ages as theyfight against massive monstrosities and dastardly villains.
14Europa Universalis 4
Europa Universalis 4isa grand strategy game made by Paradox Interactive. That statement alone is enough for most veterans of thestrategy genre to understand what the game’s all about.
Governing the rise or fall of an empire becomes positively riveting in this game. The systems ofEuropa Universalis 4are deep and complex, and new players should expect a steep learning curve early on. However, if they can weather the early storm, then the wealth of gameplay at their fingertips is simply astonishing.
13The Movies
Unlike most of the other games on this list,The Moviesdoesn’t go through the ages in a truly dramatic manner. Instead, it takes a look solely at the movie industry and how it evolved over the ages, making for a rather unique experience that hasn’t been replicated in the simulation genre.
Players who want to make the wackiest movies around should giveThe Moviesa whirl. There’s nothing quite like it, and most people would love a modern take onThe Moviesthat could use procedurally generated systems to create something truly remarkable.
12SimCity Creator DS
The main release ofSimCity Creatoris a pretty by-the-numbers city creator that doesn’t really go through the ages in any way. However, the same can’t be said for its Nintendo DS counterpart, which is an entirely different can of worms.
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The DS version of the game lets players start from ancient times before going all the way to the future. While the mechanics might not be all that deep, the novelty of playing such a unique take on aSimCitygame is worth the price of admission in itself.
11Age Of Mythology
The idea of combining the gameplay ofAge of Empireswith the lore and wonder of mythology was a match made in heaven. The end result,Age of Mythology, is still considered by many to be one of the best strategy games around.
Players worship and fight for several gods across multiple civilizations, governing everything from the manner in which they generate their resources to the units they can bring to a battlefield. While a player’s progress through the ages takes a backseat to the game’s mythological setting, it still serves as a great way to reward a gamer’s efforts.
10Age Of Empires 2
Real-time Strategy (RTS) games are a prolific and popular genre. They have been a point of much love, especially from those with a competitive spirit.Age Of Empires 2embodies much of what makes these games great. The key in this game is to manage one’s growth, through the accumulation and defense of one’s land and resources.
Ensuring a steady supply of these things will allow players to dominate over other factions; thus, they can push their civilization into greater and greater ages. Fans of this title simply can’t stop playing the game, and it helps that Microsoft has kept this title relevant by pushing out updates for it years after development.
9Civilization 6
TheCivilizationfranchise has made a name for itself by allowing players to grow their own civilizations and pit them against other opponents to see whose will thrive. There is more than one path to victory, especiallywhen mods are involvedinCivilization 6.
As such, players race through history to reach their chosen faction’s end goal before anyone else reaches theirs. The sixth game in the franchise does this especially well. The different civilizations feel more distinct than ever and can evolve in a number of unique ways.
