Summary
Humankind has been extremely fixated on family genealogies and dynasties for centuries. From the various wars fought because of succession disputes in the past to modern society being obsessed with the British royal family, people have been interested in the powers associated with the “right” name. Those who have power desire to continue wielding it, while those who don’t have it yet, seek to establish their own. Although most people may not be obsessed with establishing their dynasties and family legacies in real life, several video games allow players to roleplay and satisfy their desire to create a powerful clan or house.
The idea of creating a virtual family that consists of the player’s heirs is an alluring prospect that a lot of titles have played around with. While it’s true that this mechanic isn’t all that prevalent in the realm of gaming, it’s only a matter of time before players can easily fulfill their wildest fantasies in this department as games become more and more complex. A lot of games have already toyed with this concept, enjoying varying results.
Updated July 11, 2025, by Rie Takumi: Finding games where gamers canbuild a family dynastyfrom scratch is hard, but narrowing down particular gameplay aspects helps. Games likeCrusader Kings 3andMount & Blade 2: Bannerlordgive players the feeling of properly building an empire with their family as the center. Players trade on proper allotment of their family members over professions and political marriages.
Games likeWildermythandRogue Legacy 2, on the other hand, allow players to continue the game as the next generation. Acquiring traits and skills, then passing them to children lets players have stronger skill sets and abetter chance of moving forward. Others, likeFounders’ Fortune, put a premium on the continuation of families within the same settlement as well.
Family dynasties are possible throughRimWorld’s Biotech expansion pack. Colonists can get pregnant naturally, through surrogacy, or growth vats. Children are also obtainable through scenarios, quests, and events.
A child’s stats can be predicted through its parents’ stats and external birth conditions. Players can predict which germline genes andqualities are passed down via pregnancyto construct their family tree. Raising children well is critical for new traits and skills to appear. Xenogerms can also be applied to babies, but these genes can’t be passed down via pregnancy.
Metascore
Very Positive (2,272 Steam reviews)
Centered around a Scottish clanliving in the Highlands,Clanfolktasks players with ensuring their dynasty’s survival. Building a safe settlement with proper ventilation, heating, and other considerations is a must, especially during winter. Caring for the land and livestock will also keep the clan alive and ready for any possible threats.
Matching clanfolk with the right partner is crucial for preparing the next generation. Skill proficiencies and traits are passed through pregnancies, including traits that negatively impact learning and labor speed. Lastly, senior clanfolk need care until they pass on.
Very Positive (844 Steam reviews)
Players settle in Honeywood to establish their family dynasty inEchoes of the Plum Grove. Starting with a plot of land, players farm, fish, cook, forage, and craft their way to comfort and a solid base to start a family with.
Couples can adopt children or try for pregnancy. Pregnancy canoccur in any genderand will last for three days. Orphans in town can be adopted, though they can turn down offers if they’re not too familiar with the player couple.
Very Positive (1,737 Steam reviews)
AlthoughFounders' Fortuneis a colony sim, establishing family trees is an important mechanic. Matchmaking migrants and villagers with good traits and skills ensure the next generation has greater chances of success. The buck doesn’t stop at childrearing though, as kids must be nurtured.
Children need to have a happy childhood, a good education, and a healthy amount of chores. Kids who grow up under these circumstances carry more Education Points and Positive Experiences into adulthood. These resources greatly contribute to mastering professions and helping the colony grow.
Mostly Positive (329 Steam Reviews)
Fans ofDuneare in luck. InStar Dynasties, players take control of the head of a feudal house within a politically divided galaxy after the destruction of Earth. Players must work with and compete with rival aristocratic families to ensure that their bloodline and faction become the dominant power in the galaxy.
Each campaign features a procedurally generated galaxy that differs each time and players must adapt to the traits of their generational offspring as time goes by. As the universe is trapped in a scientific dark age, technology remains stagnant and foreign. Factions will fight over “pre-collapse” artifacts and knowledge to maintain superiority. If players enjoy a game that intermarriesStellarisandCrusader Kingswith plenty of political intrigue and murder, then this might be the right game.
13.5 hours
OpenCritic
62/100
Would-be matchmakers and avidThe Simsfans may findLakeburg Legaciesa fun treat. As the leader of Lakeburg, it’s the player’s job to match villagers up to the right jobs and keep productivity up. It’s also up to the player to help their villagers find the right partner.
Any villager, regardless of sexual orientation, can marry and have children. Players can freely roleplay and think up scenarios for their couples, or min-max skills to create generations of efficient workers. Depending on their management and matchmaking skills, Lakeburg can persist forup to a 100 years.
N/A
Being a mostly-mobileMMORPG-style gamemay turn off a lot of players fromWorld Neverland - Elnea Kingdom. But gamers looking for long-term games where they can create generations of the same family would miss out.Elnea Kingdomlets players date and start a family with any NPC citizen in its eight kingdoms.
Multiple dates with befriended NPCs allow players to propose, or anticipate a proposal from their chosen partner. Unfortunately, same-sex marriages aren’t available, and these relationships can only end in friendships. Players who marry NPCs can have children, who players can choose as their next character. With a bit of work, they can create extensive family trees, like other players have.
Citizen of Rome - Dynasty Ascendantgets down to brass tacks by being mostly text-based. What it lacks in visuals, it makes up with a deep focus on continuing a family dynasty. Starting as a commoner family, players need to make savvy decisions to climb the ranks per generation to make it assenators in Rome.
To do so, they need to educate their children carefully, manage their properties to grow their wealth, and arrange strategic marriages. Raising well-heeled kids also means players have a better character to play once their current character dies. The game can be brutal at times, but as an open-ended game, players always have a chance to raise their family back up.
One Hour One Lifeis aclassic survival MMOwhere players live only 60 minutes per life. In those 60 minutes, they work with other players to develop their community, have a child with another player, and leave a legacy behind. Once that hour is up, players resurrect in another world, where technology and civilization may be behind or way ahead of their previous life.
Veterans have played since launch, but its still-active community welcomes new players. Every instance the player spawns into works together to keep their families going or, depending on how far down the tech tree the world is, reinvent the wheel or orbital alignment coordinates.One Hour One Lifeis also a fantastic game to roleplay in. Persistent players who want to build a family dynasty often track their genealogy.
Very Positive (675 Steam Reviews)
A game that plays likeBanishedbut incorporates RPG, strategy, andbusiness management elements,Saeligcenters around a player’s character and family as they attempt to build a profitable and powerful family.
Similar toThe Guild 2,players can opt to start in a quiet hamlet or large town. Each offers its distinct advantages and disadvantages and will determine what professions players are allowed to pursue. Though noted to be a little buggy and repetitive,Saeligstill offers a charming simulation of establishing a powerful lineage in a medieval world.
