Simply Put, No!

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In the forthcoming city-building game, Kaiserpunk, there’s a fusion of its core mechanics with strategic grandeur. Players will vigorously work towards expanding their territories and outsmarting competitors. Notably, this style of play has garnered some similarities to Civilization, due to aspects like diplomacy, conflict, and the significance of urban manufacturing.

As a gamer myself, I’d like to share some insights about Kaiserpunk, a game developed by Overseer Games. Contrary to what you might think, it’s not aiming to be a rival to Civilization. Instead, if we need to draw parallels, it’s more similar to Anno. The team at Overseer Games is a small independent outfit, working on their unique project, and the fact that their release date coincides with Civ 7’s launch is purely coincidental.

Recently, I had a chance to chat with Danijel Mihoković, along with Sandra Neudinger and Jakob Munthe from Elda Entertainment about how Kaiserpunk distinguishes itself from Civ 7.

Kaiserpunk Is Its Own Experience

As a passionate admirer of Kaiserpunk, I can’t help but notice the similarities some have drawn between it and classic 4X grand strategy games. However, the development team never aimed for this comparison during the game’s creation. In fact, Mihoković himself stated, “It’s flattering to read such comparisons, but honestly, Kaiserpunk was never meant to be compared to Civilization. Civilization is in a league of its own.”

While Civilization 7 undeniably offers an immersive 4X grand strategy experience, Kaiserpunk defies easy categorization. As Neudinger put it, “Kaiserpunk has its unique identity that sets it apart from other games.

As an avid fan, I must say that the creators of this game had a bit of a challenge in defining its genre since it primarily revolves around city construction, but with added layers of grand strategy. They’ve begun referring to it as a “grand city builder,” a term that seems fitting given the diplomatic, trade, and warfare elements on a global scale. It’s not quite a grand strategy game in the vein of titles like Hearts of Iron or Europa Universalis, as they delve much deeper, potentially setting unrealistic expectations. Ultimately, it remains a city builder at its core, so they decided to label it “grand city building.” This seems to be the most accurate description for the truly unique experience you’re in for.

At Overseer and Elda, their approach is to primarily focus on their own projects rather than scrutinizing what other developers are up to. They put their faith in the quality of their work, believing it will stand out when their game is released. Given the vast array of Steam games available, including both recent releases and timeless favorites, setting realistic expectations is crucial. There’s little benefit in closely examining potential competition in this context. Instead, they choose to rely on the strength of the product they are developing, much like Munthe advised.

In essence, considering Steam’s current state with approximately 15,000 games released annually, it might not be overly beneficial to focus too heavily on competition. Instead, one should believe in their own game and the product they are creating. There will always be a mix of games that don’t meet or exceed expectations, as well as various other factors at play. Ultimately, the best approach is to trust your own creation, do your best with it, and hope that people appreciate what you’ve made, rather than constantly comparing it to other offerings in the market.

Absolutely, I’m excited to share that any fans of Civilization, or Civ for short, are more than welcome to give Kaiserpunk a spin once it launches on March 21. Even if there might be some resemblances, the unique aspects of Kaiserpunk make it worth exploring. Rest assured, our dedicated team is gearing up to deliver even more exciting content post-launch, so I can’t wait for you to join us on this epic gaming adventure!

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2025-03-14 22:19