15 Best Immersive Sim Games of All Time

Simulation games might not be the most popular out there, but they help bring out-of-reach experiences to players, and thus deserved to be tried.

#15 Disney Dreamlight Valley

Platform: PS4 PS5 Xbox One XSX|S PC Switch
Release Date: December 05, 2023

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox | Nintendo

Are you ready to head into the valley? Don’t worry; this isn’t a bad valley. This is Disney Dreamlight Valley! 

What’s that? Why, it’s a magical place where all sorts of wondrous things happen. Or, at least, it was until certain things happened to it. The characters of Disney and Pixar stories lived here, and they fled to their homelands when a spread of dark thorns wrecked the valley!

But that’s where you come in! You can help free the valley and bring the characters back to not only live in it but be your friends and traveling partners! Plus, the game is always updating with new content, so what’s not to love?

#14 F1 23

Platform: PC PS4 PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: JUNE 16, 2023

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox

There are two kinds of racing games out there. There are the kinds where you are simply racing to have fun and be the best racer out there, and there are the ones that try to get an authentic experience. F1 23 aims to deliver the most authentic simulation of the F1 circuit you’ll ever play.

From how the cars look to how they drive, you’ll feel as though you’re truly one of the F1 racers and must use everything at your disposal to win the races ahead of you.

Alongside the simulation elements, you can customize your experience to suit your needs, get put into a deep story mode, and more.

#13 Big Ambitions

Platform: PC
Release Date: March 10, 2023

Steam

Many simulator games let you do jobs you couldn’t do before. But how about one that lets you build a business empire that will sprawl across New York City? Big Ambitions is that title. You’ll work your way through the business world and see the ups and downs of trying to make businesses succeed. Start a small company, then make more, or take the one you have to unprecedented heights! The game has near-infinite possibilities for you. You simply have to be willing to try them out and the business savvy to make them succeed. So do you have it within you to make a massive business empire?

#12 Russian Fishing 4

At first, fishing might seem like an odd activity to do a simulator on. But if you think about it, are you good at fishing? Or, more specifically, how many times have you had the chance to do fishing beyond your local lake? Exactly.

Games like Russian Fishing 4 allow players to go to diverse landscapes and catch all manner of fish. The team is made up of people who love fishing and want to give a fun experience to fellow anglers.

To that end, they have over 100 species of fish to catch, and you can outfit your rod and reel to be precisely what you desire.

#11 F1 Manager 2022

If you desire a simulator game for an activity or job you won’t likely do, check out F1 Manager 2022.

The game puts you in the role of a general manager for an F1 club. Your job is to ensure your club is strong during the race season, gets as many great finishes as possible, then outfit your car with better gear and personnel. The simulator will ensure you feel the pressure of every race from multiple positions. Plus, you’ll have to answer to the owners if you’re not doing well enough.

So do your best on and off the track to come out on top!

#10 Snowrunner

Have you ever been on the road in the winter and had a semi-truck blast by you? Then, you look at them and say, “I wouldn’t want to drive that in the cold!”

Well, in Snowrunner, you’ll be able to without the risk of endangering your life. The title puts you behind a powerful big rig and sets you off on jobs that’ll take you from one extreme environment to the next. Each job will pay well, and you’ll need to use that money to upgrade your truck and expand your fleet of vehicles.

Make sure they can handle any rough terrain and prove you are the best driver out there.

#9 Euro Truck Simulator 2

Let’s keep it going with the truck simulators. If you thought the other one was a bit extreme, Euro Truck Simulator 2 is a slower-tempo game that’ll give you beautiful scenery instead of harsh terrain.

In this case, the title allows you to drive all over Europe as you pick up and drop off cargo. Countries you’ll visit include: the UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, etc. There are over 60 cities to see, and each has been recreated in stunning detail. So it’ll be like you’re actually there, except you’re not.

Plus, customize your truck so that it runs better and looks cooler.

#8 House Flipper

House flipping has become so popular in pop culture that multiple TV shows are based around it. If you want to try it out for yourself but without the financial risk, check out House Flipper.

You won’t start off flipping houses; that comes later. You’ll start instead as a handyman. Work around the town, do small jobs people need, then when you have enough money, you can buy a property!

Once you have a home, put the hammer to it to make it the house you feel will sell. With various tools at your beck and call, you’ll have all you need to renovate. Make what you want for yourself, or make a home for others. It’s all up to you.

#7 Car Mechanic Simulator 2021

Being a car mechanic is one of the most detail-oriented jobs around. You have to know the ins and outs of multiple types of vehicles to be good at your job. Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 will let you see how well you can be in that role by giving you a highly-detailed experience.

As you start your local repair shop, you’ll have to recognize over 4000 car parts. Any number of these can come from the 72 types of cars you’ll see in the game.

Go through the motions and try to find out the issues, then fix them. Then, as you grow, expand your garage and ensure you can take on any problem, no matter how big or small.

#6 American Truck Simulator

If going to Europe isn’t your cup of team, then how about the Western United States? American Truck Simulator gives you a chance to go to states like California, Nevada, and Arizona as you do all manner of trucking jobs.

You’ll start as a simple driver making the rounds. But if you play it smart and invest wisely, you’ll become the head of your own transportation company! Take it to the farthest possible reaches to become the best company in the business.

With multiple types of trucks to drive and many ways to customize them, you’ll find there’s a lot to do before you even hit the road.

#5 F1 2022

One of the benefits of simulator games is that they can help depict real-life events as they unfold. F1 2022 is an excellent example of that. The simulator allows players to become an F1 driver during the current season. In addition, all the courses in the 2022 races will be available to you. So you’ll get to go full speed down the tracks that your favorite racers go down.

When the race is over, the work doesn’t stop there. You’ll need to ensure your ride is ready for the next race too!

Then, head to multiplayer and put your skills against other players.

#4 Farming Simulator 22

You might not realize it, but Farming Simulator 22 is the latest in a long line of successful simulator titles that not only has a large fanbase, but it’s an eSport.

No, really, it’s an eSport!

Its longevity is because it accurately depicts everything that farmers have to do on their farms with little handholding. Like a farmer, you’ll have to make it work and try out things to see if it fits what you need. For example, there are over 400 machines in the game to help cultivate your land. Plus, 100 brands of products to ensure you grow what you want.

You can make multiple kinds of farms and crops. So dive in and see what you grow!

#3 Powerwash Simulator

Without a doubt, Powerwash Simulator is a game many of you won’t think you’ll want to play until you try it yourself.

The game’s premise is simple. You start your own powerwash business and must prove you’re worthy of the job. You’ll go from place to place and clean various items. The goal is to get them as clean as possible. There might be spots you don’t recognize at first, so the game will give you hints on where to aim your jet of water.

The better you do, the larger the items you can powerwash! You’ll find the game very cathartic, so try it out!

#2 Simcity 4

The original SimCity remains one of the best games ever created. Simcity 4 isn’t precisely that title, but it holds up on its own. The game from 2003 will give players a deep experience where they not only help make a city but connect it to others. Your goal is to make a massive region of cities connected by roads.

Then, once you’re all connected, it’ll be your job to keep the cities running and safe. You’ll have to fight off crime waves that plague your cities, fend off natural disasters, and more.

Watch your city as it grows, and then build around the needs of your citizens so they’ll all be happy!

#1 Microsoft Flight Simulator

Many of these simulators are about tasks or jobs you likely won’t do yourself but are curious about. In Microsoft Flight Simulator, though, you have an opportunity to learn from the best to do something obtainable: become a pilot.

“But it’s just a simulator, right?” you might ask. But that’s the rub. Actual people use this simulator to fly real planes. So you’ll learn the ins and outs of flying all types of aircraft and thus have a head start on things should you want to go up in the sky later on.

The details and graphics of the simulator aren’t to be ignored. From the planes to the landscapes, the buttons that control the plane, etc. All of it has been crafted to make an authentic flying experience.