Games involving evolution are few and far between. Games that do the concept well are even rarer. It is an exciting topic, as it is how all life began and was able to survive for such a long time, but it is tricky to strike the balance between tedium and enjoyment when it comes to evolution: after all, it spans millions of years and is often seen as incredibly complex.

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For players looking for games with evolution, and specifically games that take that concept and put it in an open world, there are still some brilliant options available to play.

Updated January 27th, 2024 by Sam Carrick: Evolutionary simulations are still thin on the ground in terms of gaming, but the games that do it well are ones that players come back to again and again to try different things and maybe create different evolutions. The idea of something growing from humble, potentially even single-celled beginnings to a living and functioning thing is exciting even to gamers who usually stick to one genre that doesn't tend to cover this aspect of life. The games that offer these evolutionary simulations offer more to players than just that, but here are the best ones that include evolution as part of the game.

10 Slime Rancher

A simple option for understanding the basics

Slime Rancher puts players in charge of Beatrix LeBeau, a young slime rancher with big dreams. The goal is to make it big in the slime ranching business and make a living from the farm. The evolution here is pretty basic: slimes can be bred to create hybrid slimes, taking aspects of both parent slimes to become something new, or if two of the same parent slimes are bred, then the offspring will also be the same. This is the most simplistic look at evolution, but it is still a good simulation of it at the base level.

Evolution is explored in its most basic form in Slime Rancher, focusing on the idea that offspring can have new characteristics to improve survival. Still, it's a good option for a beginner look and is a more relaxing option than some others.

9 Dawn of Man

A brutal survival game

Dawn of Man is a survival/city-builder game focusing more on the evolution of human technologies instead of the most traditional idea of evolution. Players are put in charge of a group of Stone Age settlers and must carry them all the way through to the Iron Age while developing new technologies to help ensure survival. It is a brutal and extremely difficult experience, especially when winter comes. The growth of the community can destroy it, so fast progression is not the goal, much like the real-life progression of evolution.

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Dawn of Man is a narrow look at how humans evolved to new environments and survived against all odds, including a look at all of the evolution necessary to get humanity into the future.

8 Species: Artificial Life, Real Evolution

Players are given complete freedom to create and evolve species

This game gives players as much or as little control as they want. Taking a look at natural selection, players can either guide their creatures through by selecting the mutations they want, or they can sit back and watch evolution happen, whether that means their creatures survive or not. There is even the option of creating a global catastrophe, affecting all the species in the world through an ice age or a flood.

Species: Artificial Life, Real Evolution is an evolution simulator in the truest sense of the word. It relies on science above all else to create an authentic open-world evolution experience.

7 Spore

The best known evolution simulator

Spore is a classic of this genre. One of the biggest of its kind, it offers players the freedom to create their own species and watch as they either survive or fail to do so. There are other 'tribes' of species in the world for the player to interact with, developing social and hopefully intelligent creatures. The goal is for players to take their creations through all the distinct stages of Spore's evolution. As players will discover, this is not as simple a goal as it seems to be on the surface. Other tribes can be dangerous to the player species, and not all evolutions are helpful. As in real life, creations can go extinct with just a few generations of bad evolution, meaning players have to consider what direction they want their species to go in early.

Spore is a defining game of the genre and is still worth playing despite it showing its age at times. The evolution simulation is one of the best parts of the game, as it can be tricky to succeed in every stage.

6 Maneater

An action-packed look at evolution

Maneater is a more comedic look at evolution. Players control a female bull shark trying to hunt down the fishermen who killed her family. To do this, players must explore the available underwater open world and kill all the named human characters while trying to avoid predators. Evolutions are available to help in the quest: these can be unlocked by defeating apex predators and completing story events. These evolutions range from armored skin to abilities that will help the player kill humans quicker and more efficiently. Maneater is an action-packed look at evolution, which focuses entirely on how predators can evolve to become more efficient killing machines and jump to the top of the food chain.

Maneater is a sillier look at the topic of evolution, but it still begins to explore the idea of food chains and mutations. The evolution is essential to being able to complete the mission, and there are many options for players to unlock.

5 The Isle

Surviving and evolving on The Isle is a challenge

The Isle is a dark look at the realities of evolution. In an online experience, players can select a dinosaur to control and must adapt quickly to survive while all the other dinosaurs are evolving alongside. Surviving even until adulthood is a real challenge and surviving past that depends entirely on the characteristics of the player-controlled dinosaurs on the island. Players begin as small and weak dinosaurs and must earn points to progress into stronger animals. Getting these points can be challenging as players will need to be able to survive long enough to get enough for the next stage. The Isle is brutal, which makes for a realistic evolution simulation due to the brutal nature of outlasting weaker species.

The Isle is an interesting take on the concept of evolution in gaming and another take on the dinosaur genre. Players must be the best to survive.

4 The Sapling

A cute and fun option with in-depth cutomization

The Sapling puts players entirely in control of their own ecosystem. There is the option to meticulously create plants and animals to put in a world together and observe. Alternatively, players can turn on random mutations and see what happens. In the first instance, players are given specific requirements to ensure species are suited to the planet they will be on. Both modes are excellent for thinking about how evolution works and how the species interact together. Players can explore how specializations impact the chances of survival for their own custom species.

The Sapling is a quirky simulation game with an open world spanning a planet. Players can take this game at their own pace and decide how best to let their species experience the world, whether that means they survive for generations or die off quickly.

3 Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey

An incredibly detailed look at evolution specifically in monkeys

Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey is an incredibly faithful game about the concept of evolution. Players begin their journey controlling an ape in a jungle in Prehistoric Africa. This jungle is filled with threats to the character's life, and players must survive these threats while also managing their needs. As the player progresses, more areas become open to exploration, which is critical, as this is where the characters learn new skills and develop mutations. These mutations are vital for the clan to survive for longer, which is a realistic representation of how mutations work in real life.

Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey is a brilliant option for players looking for games with evolution simulation. It relies on pushing forward and exploring the open world.

2 Eco

An environmental game which reacts to how the player plays

Eco is a fantastic governmental simulator with an open world that the players can adapt as much as they see fit. There is an online multiplayer option for players or a local single-player option. Still, in either, players must consider every choice they make to balance their needs with the need to protect the surrounding ecosystem. Player decisions can harm species of plants and animals but can also save them. The evolution of the environment can be either positive or negative depending on the player actions, as overfishing will ruin the delicate ecosystem just as much as unsustainable fuels will.

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Every choice players make in Eco affects the world around them. Evolution is not as evident here, but it does look at how human interference can affect the evolution of species.

1 Pokemon: Scarlet And Violet

The original evolution simulation, but this time in an open world

Pokémon: Scarlet And Violet is the best example of evolution in an open world in recent history, and it is also the best option for players to explore. Pokémon has had evolution ever since its first iteration. This, however, is the first fully open-world installment in the franchise's history. As always, players collect their Pokémon on their journeys, and evolution involves new mutations that make the cute creatures better in battle situations.

Pokémon is the godfather of games with evolutionary aspects involved. The open world introduced in Scarlet & Violet adds a lot of depth to the concept and allows players to spend hours traveling the world to find the best Pokémon possible and make them even better through the evolution system.

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