Deal | Back to the first great cities: Historical city builder around $5 for the first time on Steam

Sumerians starts out pretty small: with a handful of settlers and a few simple mud-brick huts. Over the course of the game, this grows into a thriving city with several thousand inhabitants. The progress is hard to miss, as impressive temples, lavish palaces and massive ziggurats eventually rise among the modest homes.

In terms of gameplay, Sumerians is all about city building and economics. Above all, players have to make sure their growing city does not fall out of balance. After all, residents need food, fields have to be cultivated and all the work that needs to be done requires a sufficient workforce.

One particularly interesting aspect is the separation between the private and state economies. While private businesses largely supply residents with goods on their own, state-run operations are managed directly by the player. And this is where grain comes into play: It not only ends up on the dinner table, but also serves as wages for state workers. If the city grows too quickly or things aren't running smoothly in the fields, food and labor can quickly become scarce.

Anything that cannot be obtained locally has to be acquired through trade. Resources such as copper, tin or gold, for example, are sometimes imported from other regions. Research gradually unlocks new buildings, production options and trade routes.

In Steam reviews, Sumerians is praised primarily for its unusual setting, well-designed economic system and relaxed approach – there is no warfare, after all. Walls and weapons still play a role, however, and are relevant for the security of the city as well as certain buildings and upgrades.

Criticism is directed at the sometimes sluggish progression, cluttered UI and limited long-term appeal. Sumerians appears to run out of steam somewhat in the later stages of the game: Once the city has several thousand inhabitants and the ziggurat has been built, some players feel there are not enough goals and challenges left. Overall, however, the city builder is still well received on Steam: 87% of more than 320 user reviews are positive.

70% off on Steam for the first time

Sumerians normally costs $16.99 on Steam. A 70% discount, however, brings the price down to $5.09 until September 7. According to SteamDB, previous discounts topped out at 60%. The current deal therefore not only marks a new all-time low, but also brings the city builder around the $5 mark for the first time. On the Steam Deck, Sumerians is rated as “Playable.”

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.