Deal | This city builder breaks the mold – now just $2.84 on Steam for the first time

Anyone looking for a change from traditional city builders, where players follow rigid development plans and focus on accumulating as much money as possible, may find Urbek City Builder to be something of a hidden gem. Shortly after the Steam Summer Sale, the 2022 title has now reached a new all-time low. According to SteamDB, its first-ever 85% discount reduces the regular price from around $18.99 to just $2.84.

At its core, Urbek is a typical city builder in which players construct a city from scratch and gradually turn it into a sprawling metropolis. However, the first genre convention the game completely abandons is money. There is no currency system at all. Instead, players manage more than 30 resources, including food, coal, unskilled workers and skilled labor. New buildings and districts can therefore only be developed once the necessary resources and requirements have been met. This leads to another feature that sets Urbek apart from traditional city builders such as Cities: Skylines and SimCity.

Cities grow organically

When placing buildings, players have to consider more than whether there is enough space. They also need to think about how well a structure fits into its surroundings. Buildings develop depending on their environment and can, in turn, influence the areas around them. Residential houses in densely populated neighborhoods with good basic services, for example, gradually grow into multi-story buildings. Parks, bars and libraries can help create alternative cultural districts, while luxury stores and high-quality infrastructure encourage the development of wealthier residential areas.

On Steam, Urbek City Builder has received nearly 1,900 user reviews, with a solid 89% positive rating. Anyone interested in an unconventional city-building experience is unlikely to go far wrong here. According to user reviews, however, the game offers only limited long-term motivation. New players should also expect some initial frustration, as the tutorial is said to be rather superficial. On the plus side, the game is rated as Verified for Steam Deck, making the city builder a potentially appealing option for playing on the go.

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