Choose Cities XL Platinum
Choose Cities XL Platinum if it's currently about 50% cheaper on the Steam Store. Cities XL Platinum launched in 2013.
Cities XL Platinum vs Banished
Cities XL Platinum and Banished both land in Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Simulation games on Steam. Cities XL Platinum (2013) is 1 year older than Banished (2014). Banished scores higher on Steam reviews (90% positive) than Cities XL Platinum (49.8% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Banished
Choose Banished if you want a Strategy and Indie experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 90% positive across 25,649 reviews.
Both Cities XL Platinum and Banished sit in Simulation on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Cities XL Platinum |  Banished | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2014 |
| Genres | Simulation | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 49.8% positive (612 reviews) | 90% positive (25,649 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Focus Entertainment | Shining Rock Software LLC |
Side by side
- Both are Simulation games on Steam.
- Cities XL Platinum (2013) is 1 year older than Banished (2014).
- Banished scores higher on Steam reviews (90% positive) than Cities XL Platinum (49.8% positive).
- Cities XL Platinum is currently ~50% cheaper on Steam than Banished (9.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
Cities XL Platinum vs Banished — FAQ
- Which is better, Cities XL Platinum or Banished?
- On Steam reviews Banished scores higher (90% positive) than Cities XL Platinum (49.8% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Banished is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Cities XL Platinum or Banished first?
- If you want chronology, Cities XL Platinum (2013) came out before Banished (2014). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Cities XL Platinum and Banished similar?
- They overlap on Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.