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The Best PC Simulation and World-Building Games for 2020

Pilot a Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner or craft an ideal society in these excellent sim and world-building games.

Jeffrey L. Wilson
 & Jeffrey L. Wilson Managing Editor, Apps and Gaming

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS

Overview

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Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. Read our editorial mission & see how we test.

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

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  • Football Manager 2020 - PC

    Football Manager 2020 - PC

    Bottom Line:

    Bottom Line:

    Get It Now
    Learn More Football Manager 2020 - PC Review
  • Microsoft Flight Simulator (for PC)
    Best for Aviation and Simulator Enthusiasts

    Microsoft Flight Simulator (for PC)

    4.5 Outstanding

    Pros & Cons

      • Jaw-dropping re-creation of the real world using Microsoft imagery and cloud computing
      • Live data options, including location-accurate time, weather, and traffic
      • Clever “Travel To” optional feature truncates flight time while letting you control each phase
      • Plethora of flight customization and aircraft options, as well as additional challenge modes
      • Demanding simulation results in some performance issues, even on high-end hardware
      • Long initial load times
      • Some odd idiosyncrasies in real-world map

    Bottom Line:

    Bottom Line:

    Microsoft Flight Simulator is a one-of-a-kind experience made possible by a marriage of clever developers and cutting-edge technology. It’s a gift to the series’ dedicated fans, an appealing entry point for newcomers, and now the bar for the simulation genre.

    Specs & Configurations

    ESRB Rating E for Everybody
    Games Genre Simulation
    Games Platform PC
    Get It Now
    Learn More Microsoft Flight Simulator (for PC) Review
  • Out of the Park 2021 - PC

    Out of the Park 2021 - PC

    Bottom Line:

    Bottom Line:

    Learn More Out of the Park 2021 - PC Review
  • Civilization: Beyond Earth - PC

    Civilization: Beyond Earth - PC

    Bottom Line:

    Bottom Line:

    Get It Now
    Learn More Civilization: Beyond Earth - PC Review
The Best PC Simulation and World-Building Games for 2020

Compare Specs

Select Up To 3Select Up To 2
Your Selections
Football Manager 2020 - PC

Football Manager 2020 - PC

Microsoft Flight Simulator (for PC)

Microsoft Flight Simulator (for PC)

Out of the Park 2021 - PC

Our Pick
Football Manager 2020 - PC
Football Manager 2020 - PC
Microsoft Flight Simulator (for PC)
Microsoft Flight Simulator (for PC)
Out of the Park 2021 - PC
Out of the Park 2021 - PC
Civilization: Beyond Earth - PC
Civilization: Beyond Earth - PC
Football Manager 2020 - PC
Football Manager 2020 - PC
Microsoft Flight Simulator (for PC)
Microsoft Flight Simulator (for PC)
Out of the Park 2021 - PC
Out of the Park 2021 - PC
Rating
4.5 Outstanding
4.5 Outstanding
Best For
Best for Aviation and Simulator Enthusiasts
Best for Aviation and Simulator Enthusiasts
Games Platform
PCPC
Games Genre
SimulationSimulation
ESRB Rating
E for EverybodyE for Everybody

Buying Guide: The Best PC Simulation and World-Building Games for 2020

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About Our Expert

Jeffrey L. Wilson

Jeffrey L. Wilson

Managing Editor, Apps and Gaming

Since 2004, I've written about consumer tech for many publications, including 1UP, Laptop, Parenting, Sync, Wise Bread, and WWE. I now apply that knowledge and skill set as the managing editor of PCMag's apps and gaming team.

The Technology I Use

As a member of the App & Gaming team, I use a wide variety of apps and services. Google Drive is an essential file-syncing service for moving documents between team members in this work-from-home era. Scrivener has been an invaluable writing tool as I rework my fiction manuscript. YouTube Premium and YouTube TV deliver hours of entertainment (though I only use the latter service during the F1 and NBA playoff seasons).

In terms of hardware, I use a Lenovo Thinkpad Carbon X1 laptop for work and an Origin PC tower for playing PC games. I also have a Steam Deck, which lets me play my favorite titles under a shade tree. Of course, I have a smartphone, and the Google Pixel 9a is my handset of choice.

My main input devices are the Das Keyboard 4 Professional and Logitech MX Vertical Ergonomic Mouse, though I bust out the Hori Fighting Commander Octa or Hori Fight Stick Alpha when mixing it up in fighting games. I have a thing for arcade sticks. I collect Neo Geo AES games, too, but only if I can find the carts on the (relative) cheap.

For video and music consumption, I fire up my Lenovo Tab P11; it has a sharp screen and great Dolby Atmos-powered speakers. My Kindle Paperwhite has received much use, too. I have a standalone, Sony Blu-ray player connected to a TCL television when it's time to go full cinephile. I'm also a vinyl guy, so the Bluetooth-enabled Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT keeps the wax spinning.

My first computer was a Commodore 64. Long live BASIC and retro computers!

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