PC games on Steam have the possibility of being enjoyed while they are in the process of being created; this is called early access. All sorts of genres of gaming have used this early access process to improve their titles for the possible players that may enjoy them. One such genre that has had plenty of early access titles is the simulation genre.

Many of these projects have been in early access for years in the hope of getting them to their final forms; others are freshly added to Steam and have already attracted an audience. Therefore, these are by far the best early-access simulation games players can try out on Steam.

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The Best Real Life Simulation Games

There is an impressive variety of life simulation games available, and these are easily the best out of all of them.

8 The Isle

Players have the choice between dozens of dangerous dinosaur creatures to control in the open-world simulation survival title where they get to truly experience the life of a dinosaur. As the world changes around the player it will be up to them to survive in this kill-or-be-killed world.

Thankfully, it doesn't always need to be so stressful as this Dino simulation also has its own sandbox mode. In this mode, players can start the game as an adult dinosaur and simply explore the world around them, instead of attempting to grow old and bear their own offspring in the regular survival mode.

7 Derail Valley

Sometimes the best simulation experience is just one that allows players to start their career in riding trains and that's exactly what Derail Valley does. Created by a small group of friends, Derail Valley allows players to relax as they make cargo deliveries between various industrial sites.

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20 Best Co-Op Simulation Games, Ranked

Even though simulation games tend to emulate real-life experiences, they can be fun to play, especially the ones with a co-op mode.

With six types of locomotives to try out from diesel or steam, players have full control over how much realism their train experience will have. Players are sure to make mistakes no matter how much control over the realism they have, and they aren't warned as their train falls off the tracks.

6 Techtonica

Techtonica is set underneath the surface of an alien planet which makes for an interesting adventure without even considering the automation needed to create the perfect factory system.

Due to being underground, there are also some sandbox elements to Techtonica as players can destroy the surrounding terrain to make more space for their factories. Since this game is only in early access, players can expect this incredible factory simulation to only get better.

5 Worldbox - God Simulator

As the name of Worldbox suggests, in this title players get to simulate what it means to be a God. As a God, players can either allow their fantasy civilizations to prosper, giving them everything they need to build further homes, or stay well-fed, or instead summon a horrid crab monster to kill them all.

The world has become the player's own personal sandbox as they are free to simulate any scenario their mind can think of. Using their divine powers, a player could start a war between the two kingdoms they have allowed to grow or cause something much worse.

4 Slime Rancher 2

Farming titles like Slime Rancher 2 are another successful simulation early-access genre players are likely to explore. With the success of the original Slime Rancher, which was also developed using early access, Monomi Park hopes to repeat this process with the second game, so the developer can create the perfect cozy experience alongside their players.

Like in the original game, players collect slimes and combine them with the plots of other slimes to make fascinating hybrids. In this sequel, players will encounter new slimes that they can combine with fan favorites of the previous title.

3 BeamNG.Drive

Similar to the mindless fun of Derail Valley, BeamNG.drive is a title that focuses mainly on the collision between cars. Players don't only need to crash cars as this hyperrealistic simulation also creates the thrill of driving as players are free to take these various vehicles to different areas and simply drive them around.

Besides this, there are even various scenarios for players to get involved in such as being requested to make a delivery in a large truck or taking part in time trials to beat their previous record. Overall, BeamNG.drive truly allows players to freely drive to their hearts' content.

2 Satisfactory

Factory building may not sound that entertaining to some players, but others have had a great time exploring this open-world early access title. Satisfactory gives players the freedom to build their own humongous factories that create all sorts of resources needed to create perfect automation.

What makes this simulation even better than some mentioned is the fact that it can be enjoyed in co-op, which means players aren't alone in simulating their ideas; with the help of others, it is only a matter of time before they become one of the best FICSIT employees in Satisfactory.

1 Project Zomboid

Out of all the simulation games that are currently in early access one of the greatest of them all that many players have been enjoying is Project Zomboid. In this hardcore sandbox survival title with realistic survival mechanics, players will need to stay warm, avoid sickness, and defeat zombies if they hope to make it through each day.

Since its original release in 2013, Project Zomboid continues to be in early access where The Indie Stone developers team continues to add additional content to this exciting zombie survival simulation. The improvements have not slowed down in the past ten years with players enjoying the experience either alone or with friends.

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