I'm pretty picky when it comes to city-builders - a requirement in a genre so full of excellent, unique attempts to put a spin on the ideas that SimCity laid down so long ago - but there's one that I've had my eye on for a while, and it's finally coming out in just a couple of months.
Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is the follow-up to 2020's critically acclaimed air combat game The Falconeer. But while that game was a dogfighter set atop the wings of a majestic eagle, Bulwark expands on its world, tasking players with setting up their cities across the treacherous waters of the Ursee.
I've been drawn to Bulwark thanks to its incredible art, which is a symptom of its building mechanics. Designed to somehow allow for both simple building but incredibly intricate design, the game allows you to build your settlements on towering cliffs, your cities clinging to the rock face, the Ursee crashing far below. Developer Tomas Sala suggests you'll be able to create your cities at the touch of a button, but keeping them thriving as you explore more of the world will be a touch trickier than that.
Announced during our very own Future Games Show in August 2022, the wait for Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles has been, in my opinion, far too long. But that wait is soon to end, as the game is set to release on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X on March 26. And if even that's too long to wait, a cross-platform demo will be available from January 30, allowing players to explore a full level. Building will be limited, and certain gameplay elements won't be available until launch, but given that this is the first time the game has been playable since that announcement 18 months ago, it should be plenty to keep citybuilding fans occupied.
Scratch that mayoral itch with our list of the best city building games.
