Just before Christmas, there are lots of exciting releases on Steam – including what is probably the best construction game of the year
The Game Awards are over and the holidays are fast approaching. Things should really be getting quiet now before the next big releases await you at the beginning of next year.
But the grandiose gaming year 2023 still has an ace up its sleeve, because this week you’ll get what is probably the best construction game of the year. As every Monday, you can find out what other new releases await you on Steam in our big release overview
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Highlight of the week: Pioneers of Pagonia
(Genre: Building Strategy – Developer: Envision Entertainment – Release: December 13 (Steam))
Our Twitch star Kevin has already made up his mind: For him Pioneers of Pagonia is the build-up game of the year. And in our test everything points to the fact that the latest work by settler inventor Volker Wertich could overtake Park Beyond in the rating and thus become the top-rated building title of 2023.
Your main goal in the game is once again to build efficient settlements, optimize the transport routes and production chains and steadily expand your empire. You take care of food production by running farms and mills and ensuring that your population is well fed.
Military aspects also play a role: You train guards and soldiers to protect your settlements from threats. We particularly liked the detailed and lively game world in the test. The industrious workers and picturesque landscapes give Pioneers of Pagonia a wonderfully bustling atmosphere.
More releases of the week
Tuesday, December 12
- (Stargate: Timekeepers): A real-time tactics game in the style of Commandos and Desperados, in which you lead a new SG unit through 14 levels. The story of the Stargate series is continued, but without the familiar characters such as Jack O’Neill and Teal’c.
- (Stellaris Nexus): Here, the hour-long 4X space strategy is steamrolled down to crisp multiplayer games. It was supposed to be released last week, but the developers have chosen a tactically wiser release date due to the Game Awards, The Day Before and the like.
- (United 1944): A 16-on-16 world war shooter that combines crafting, base building and urban guerrilla warfare. J
- (Ready or Not): The spiritual successor to the SWAT games leaves Early Access and sends you on highly tactical missions.
Wednesday, December 13
- (Booze Master: Freezing Moonshine): Here you have to distil schnapps in the depths of winter and deal with all kinds of strange characters. If you like the Eastern European humor of the Playway games, this might be something for you.
Thursday, December 14
- (Custom Mech Wars): In this third-person shooter, you build your own mechs in an extensive editor and shoot your way through many missions alone or in co-op.
- (House Flipper 2): In this simulation, you buy run-down houses, clean and renovate them and then sell them again.
- (Mind over Magic (Early Access): In this mixture of construction and role-playing game, you build your own Hogwarts-style school of magic and then send your students into round-robin battles against undead enemies.
- (Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising): The next fighting game in the universe of the extremely popular anime mobile role-playing game.
Friday, December 15
- (Paranoid): In this horror game with an 80s setting, you play a traumatized man who lost his entire family under mysterious circumstances as a teenager. But ten years later, his sister, who he thought was dead, suddenly contacts him and announces her visit.
This week is obviously going to be very nostalgic, but which game are you most looking forward to this week? Finally settling like you used to in Pioneers of Pagonia? Commandos feeling with Stargate? Or would you prefer tactical action like in the old SWAT games thanks to Ready or Not? Let us know in the comments
