Looking for a new fantasy world to hack-and-slash your way through, and build killer bases in while you’re at it? Conan Exiles absolutely nailed the survival sandbox experience while masterfully blending in light RPG elements, and it’s a delight to play.
Conan Exiles took the iconic sword-and-sorcery franchise we all know and love, and translated it flawlessly into a modern videogame. It threw us all back into the mythological Hyborian Age, letting us live out our Arnold Schwarzenegger fantasies from the 1982 Conan The Barbarian film.
It’s so rare to see a game balance out qualities from two different genres so well. It offered engaging RPG gameplay with its different skills and action combat, along with a gripping gathering and crafting loop.
Our list will help you find new titles that you’ll enjoy, as it contains the best 10 base builder games like Conan Exiles. While it’s a hard experience to live up to, the following titles all share similar attributes or features that make the gameplay so addicting.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Where Conan Exiles blends the best of RPG games with survival elements, Dragon Quest Builders follows in the same footsteps but with the JRPG genre. It’s a base builder filled with charm.
Builders 2 is a spin-off title in the iconic Dragon Quest series, and draws heavily from Minecraft. If you wanted games like Conan Exiles, with more story and objectives, it’s a perfect choice.
However, if you loved the clan elements of Conan, this title is a (mostly) single-player experience.
Despite the game’s bright and cheery visuals, in Builders 2 the world is in a dire situation. You play as the legendary Builder, tasked with helping humanity rebuild and survive against evil monsters. You’ll quite literally do this town by town, exploring different islands and collecting resources.
You aren’t alone though! You will have the company of the mysterious Malroth, as you set out on your adventure. The game’s writing and plot may seem basic at first, but it sweeps you up off your feet after a while.
The game’s story is full of plot twists and is very engaging. Where Builders 2 really shines is the building and NPC systems.
This game goes above and beyond with meaningful AI interaction with the other townspeople you encounter. They have their own lives, they can help out with tasks, and you’ll grow friendships with them.
It’s a nice change from Conan Exile’s more shallow systems. It also has a simple-yet-fun action combat system. If you’re a huge fan of JRPGs like Dragon Quest, you should read our titles like Kingdom Hearts list.
Valheim
Available on PC.
Get your swords ready for the brutal, procedurally-generated world of Valheim. If you wanted more games like Conan Exiles, this should be high up on your list—like it is on ours.
This game similarly takes place in a low fantasy setting and draws from the same inspirations as Conan does. It takes heavily from Norse mythology.
Gameplay-wise, this game is part Conan Exiles, part Breath of the Wild. It takes the best systems from both titles, and throws them in a blender to create an Iron Age, addicting smoothie.
Valheim features a food system similar to Breath of the Wild. Where instead of making hunger a necessity, food and drinks just offer buffs and boosts to your player’s stats.
The game also has a huge focus on exploration—encouraging you to adventure. It’ll have you going through different biomes, collecting resources, and forging gear.
The gameplay loop consists of visiting a biome, setting up a base or camp, and then taking down its respective ‘world’ boss. Not only will you be able to move on to the next biome, but it’ll also grant you special abilities.
Combat in Valheim is Dark Souls-like and skill-based. It’s slower compared to Conan but is satisfying once you master it. Bosses are challenging, and it’s so rewarding when you slay one.
This game was one of the biggest indie releases of 2021 for a reason. Also, we do have a list of titles similar to Valheim which has some other great survival base builders.
Portal Knights
Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS.
Old but gold, you can’t go wrong with the classics. Portal Knights was the action sandbox title before Conan Exiles threw their glove into the ring. Don’t worry, the game has aged well.
Portal Knights came out trailing the success of Minecraft, however, the team wanted to put their own spin on the survival formula. It has everything you can expect—crafting, mining, base-building and more.
Where the game really shines is the RPG elements it delivers. It’s actually quite comparable to the earlier mentioned Dragon Quest Builders 2, except this game has great multiplayer support. Not only can you play with friends, but you can play as the same character from your own world. Progression carries across between the two.
When it comes to survival games like Conan Exiles, this is the best choice if you want one that leans closer to the RPG side. There’s a proper class system, skills, and full-fledged quests.
As the name suggests, you take on the role of a knight and travel to different worlds through portals. Progressing through these worlds, levelling, crafting new gear, and taking on the level’s boss.
The world design is really refreshing, and is much more varied than the environments you see in Conan Exiles. It’s also full of color, and some of the boss content is really challenging.
If you’re searching for a new sandbox RPG experience to share with friends, Portal Knights is a cheap go-to. The game has stood the test of time, and its multiplayer integration is well executed.
Trove
Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
Ever wondered what Conan Exiles’ sandbox RPG gameplay might look like as an MMO? Trove is the answer to your question. The long-running, voxel-based massively-multiplayer action game is a delight.
Conan Exiles only dips its toes into the RPG and sandbox genre. While its gameplay is fun, and you can lose hundreds of hours to it, it’s still only surface level. It doesn’t tap the potential of both genres.
In comparison, Trove dives head first into both genres. It has a Mariana trench level of deep customization. From base building to even customizing your character, you can build anything in this game.
You can even design your own items, from costumes to weapons, and submit them for other players to use. This even includes dungeons. The game also has a diverse range of content.
It blows most other sandbox RPG titles out of the water with all the activities you can do. Pets? Fishing? You can even create your own farm, go sailing, or create your own music.
Trove’s RPG elements are just as awesome too. There are over 15 classes, and you can swap between them with just one button. From dinosaur tamers to song-wielding bards.
It’s very reminiscent of games like Diablo and Borderlands, where the gameplay and progression are centered on loot. While there are levels, you’ll be collecting zany new gear with unique effects.
The pixelated cherry on top of the voxel cake? Trove is free-to-play. It won’t cost a cent to give the game a go, and it has a huge focus on group content as well as clan systems like Conan. If you’re a fan of base builder games like Conan Exiles, you’ll love this game.
Starbound
Available on PC.
Piloting spaceships, massive mechs, and surviving alien planets is an out-of-this-world change to a barbarian-filled low fantasy world. However, this is one of the best survival RPG hybrids you’ll play, and it happens to be one of the best survival games on Steam, too.
Starbound was first met with the reception of being dubbed a Terraria clone but set in space. It quickly jumped over that hurdle as it took a more RPG direction with its design and gameplay.
All the side-scrolling and pixels might not be anything like Conan Exile’s 3D world—but at least there’s still action combat? It’s not your typical RPG levelling, but there’s a clear progression system too.
This game throws you into a procedurally generated universe—with what may as well be an infinite amount of planets and celestial bodies to explore. Even the planets’ wildlife is procedurally made.
Starbound is kind of like a 2D version of No Man’s Sky in this regard. You take on the role of Protectorate, part of Earth’s galactic peacekeeping and research crew.
Lovecraftian-like tentacled beast is in the process of destroying Earth in this game. It’s up to you and the other survivors to take down this monster once and for all.
The game is full of RPG elements, from quests to dungeon delving. The combat is also more engaging than its planet-bound (pardon the pun) sibling, Terraria.
Starbound also has a strong modding community, with content ranging from gameplay overhauls to quality of life modifications. If you want more in-depth RPG elements, you can easily add it in. It’s a great pick for fans of games like Conan Exiles who want to try something new.
V Rising
Available on PC.
What if, instead of playing as a human exile hunting monsters, it was the other way around? In V Rising, the typical roles in most games like Conan Exiles are flipped. You take on the role of a vampire, rebuilding your bloody empire.
This best way to describe this game would be: the Dracula Simulator. It’s also a game that is greater than the sum of its parts and the influences it draws from.
These parts are Valheim’s fresh gameplay loop and survival mechanics. As well as a Diablo-like ARPG combat system, and Vampire: The Masquerade levels of bloodsucking fun.
The first thing you’ll notice is the game’s gorgeous, Gothic world. The visual direction the developers went with will be a huge change for Conan players, but it’s a breathtaking one.
It’s also played from a top-down perspective, and you get a range of kick-ass vampire abilities to use. The game is also multiplayer, so you can take on the disgusting humans with vamp-friends!
Or, you can choose to raid other vampire castles and take their resources. You can also just select to play solo, or with a tight-knight group of buddies. It’s a good alternative for Conan game nights.
The gameplay loop is similar to Valheim, in the fashion where progression is tied to slaughtering the world’s various bosses. You’ll also build up your base, and did we mention? You can even turn humans into your slaves. V Rising also has some interesting, innovative mechanics when it comes to the vampire system and drinking blood.
Eco
Available on PC.
Eco is a base builder that adds meaning to every house and town you construct. It’s a one-of-a-kind survival title and provides a unique spin on the genre because of this. It’s one of the best building games on Steam, and Conan Exiles fans will get a kick out of it.
The gameplay is wildly different to what you might expect from games like Conan Exiles, but it’s still got familiar elements and themes. Instead of slaying fantastical beasts, you’re saving the world with science.
The title comes from the fact this game features a fully simulated ecosystem. From the plants to the animals, the game’s world is full of life, where everything has a meaningful role.
This is where you come in. You, and if you want, a community of friends, have to build a civilization and save the planet from an ever-approaching threat—an imminent meteor strike.
To do this, you’ll need to build a society that has advanced enough to stop the meteor somehow. You’ll collect resources, building towns, creating laws, and currencies—but what about the environment?
Every action a player takes—every tree you cut down, or animal you hunt will have consequences. Not only will you need to save the world, but you’ll also have to balance out not destroying it yourself.
The simulation gameplay even runs as deep as industrial waste polluting waters, killing local wildlife. Don’t worry, there are in-game data tools to help.
You can research and analyze everything from the climate to animal data in the form of graphs and heat maps. Eco is a truly unique experience that any sandbox or base builder fan should try.
Grounded
Available on PC, Xbox Series, and Xbox One.
This (literally) ant-sized game is one of our games like Conan Exiles recommendations worthy of your time and all the praise. Grounded turns your everyday backyard into a deadly survival experience.
What do you do? You’ve been shrunken down to the size of an ant. Birds, bees, and even the smallest insect is a threat—do you have arachnophobia? Just wait for the giant spiders…
Don’t worry though. Not all the creatures you meet in this game will be hostile. Some of the cute insects can be useful pets. It’s a great addition for any fans of taming from Conan Exiles.
While multiplayer in Grounded isn’t as expansive as Conan, you can team up with three other friends to take on the perils of your backyard together. There is a huge focus on teamwork and group play.
The highlight of this game lies in the surrounding environment. It features a living and breathing world, where even the insects will react to your actions. It’s extremely immersive.
Like any survival, crafting game, Grounded offers plenty in the way of base building and hacking together makeshift gear. The building is well-designed, fluid, and the controls are easy to learn.
Are you a fan of a good story? Because you can expect to find an engaging one full of exciting mystery here. It slowly unfolds as you explore more of the backyard and discover its secrets.
New World
Available on PC.
A massive world to explore, skill-based action combat, lite-survival elements and a low fantasy setting- what more could you ask for when it comes to games like Conan Exiles? This is a must-play.
New World takes the sword-fighting, magic-slinging experience to an MMO scale. If you wanted more out of Conan Exiles’ RPG systems, this game is worth looking into.
The survival elements in this game are lite in comparison to Conan. It features an interactive world with a huge focus on crafting, but you can’t just pop up a base anywhere.
With that being said, for base-building fans, the MMO still offers a strong housing system. You can purchase your own plot of land, get to creating your dream home and craft up cozy furniture.
Coming from Conan Exiles, you’ll find a sense of familiarity with New World’s skill-based action combat. There are strong similarities, especially with the importance of timing and attack choice.
New World also shares a kindred visual style and aesthetic too. It has the same sort of dark, gritty medieval look with the world and characters. You’ll also find plenty of customization options.
Where Conan Exiles fails to commit to being a full-fledged RPG is where this game stands tall. At the trade-off of fewer sandbox elements, New World has deep RPG systems and progression.
There are over 8 different classes to choose from and the typical MMORPG ‘class trinity’. There are various, deep skill trees and the game allows for a wide range of builds and playstyles.
Fallout 76
Available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, and Xbox One.
Fallout 76 has come a long way since its launch controversies. After years of content updates, bug fixes, and redirection, it has become a game worthy of being on our titles like Conan Exiles list.
The game is now deserving of the franchise’s household name. It’s one of the best co-op survival experiences I’ve played recently, and feels like a proper Fallout experience with multiplayer added on.
It features a massive map to explore, filled with a diverse range of environments, from cult-led towns to volcanic ruins. The world is full of life too, with plenty of wildlife and NPCs going about their day.
This game also features some of the best quest writing in the Fallout series. While 76 got some flak at launch for the lack of human NPCs, they’ve added them now, and it’s better than ever.
Can you believe that this game actually has more dialogue options than Fallout 4? In some ways, it feels like it goes back to the series’ roots, and it satisfies the traditional RPG craving that Conan Exiles lacks.
While you can’t break down every tree you see in Fallout 76, the game is still an excellent base builder. You can throw down a base almost anywhere, and it’s more than just cosmetic.
Bases actually have functionality—and can be used for crafting, or even as a player-run shop. Gameplay-wise, you can expect the usual Fallout gunplay and combat, but now you can quest with friends.
