Dorfromantik is a city-building game that's more directed than the freeform Townscaper but with none of the hectic demands of Sim City or Civ. It was officially released this week after some time in open access, and reviews are extremely positive—it sounds beautiful, relaxing and intriguing, a perfect trifecta of qualities. Check out Katherine Castle's review at Rock Paper Shotgun.
Ever since it launched into early access in March last year, Dorfromantik has been a constant source of nourishment in my gaming diet. I've played it in quick bursts when I've had a spare 20 minutes to fill, I've played it for hours on weekend mornings while I sip my first mug of tea, and I've played it for several more during the evenings as a way of unwinding after work – and that's just its original Classic mode. As it leaves early access today and enters its full 1.0 release, it now comes armed with almost half a dozen more, as well as a bevy of small but important quality of life improvements. Together, they help to elevate its simple concept of rotating and putting down tiles into an elegant work of art.
