Games like The Forgotten City: Why Ikariam is worth a look
You've played The Forgotten City or are interested in it and are looking for other games that immerse you in an ancient world? Then Ikariam could be an interesting alternative for you. Whilst The Forgotten City is a story-driven puzzle adventure set in ancient Rome, Ikariam offers a different gaming experience in the ancient Mediterranean: a strategy building game that runs directly in your browser – free and without download.
This page compares both games objectively so you can decide for yourself whether Ikariam is right for you.
What makes The Forgotten City special
The Forgotten City was developed by Modern Storyteller and published by Dear Villagers. It was released on 28 July 2021 on Steam and is categorised in the genres of adventure, indie and role-playing game.
Core features according to Steam
- Travel 2,000 years into the past to a cursed Roman city
- A deadly time loop that serves as a central game mechanic
- Conversations with inhabitants and puzzle solving as core gameplay elements
- Single-player experience with full controller support
- Steam achievements, Steam Cloud, Family Library
The Forgotten City is not a free-to-play title and is aimed at players seeking a narrative, self-contained experience.
What Ikariam offers
Ikariam is an ancient strategy building game that runs entirely in your browser. Instead of a linear story, the focus is on long-term development of an island civilisation, research, economy and diplomacy.
Research as a central element
Ikariam offers an extensive research tree. In the economy research area alone, there are numerous levels that are unlocked one after another – from simple beginnings to long-term research projects:
- Preservation (12 research points)
- Pulley (24 research points)
- Prosperity (112 research points)
- Wine culture (336 research points)
- Geometry (2,236 research points)
- Architecture (3,672 research points) – enables the construction of architects' offices
- Culinary specialities (10,764 research points) – allows training chefs in the barracks
- Bureaucracy (106,560 research points)
- Utopia (241,200 research points)
- Future of the economy – multiple levels up to 5,328,000 research points
Further gameplay elements
- Pirate fortress & privateering missions: In the pirate fortress, you can order privateering missions. The expansion level determines the number of missions, crew and range. Short privateering missions tend to be more efficient per unit of time than very long ones.
- Sea chart archive: Reduces travel times between islands – from level 1 with small savings to several hours saved at higher levels.
- Naval units such as the balloon carrier: A floating fortress with balloons that requires prerequisites such as a naval shipyard at level 7 and a floating support point.
Where Ikariam differs from The Forgotten City
Both games share an ancient setting, but are otherwise very differently designed. An objective comparison:
- Genre: According to Steam, The Forgotten City is an adventure/indie/role-playing game with a puzzle and story focus. Ikariam is a building and strategy game with research, economy and island management.
- Game structure: The Forgotten City is a single-player experience with a self-contained story centred around a Roman time loop. Ikariam is designed for the long term – research like "Future of the economy" reaches into the millions in research points.
- Platform: The Forgotten City runs via Steam and requires an installation. Ikariam runs in your browser and can be started without download.
- Cost: According to Steam data, The Forgotten City is not a free-to-play title. Ikariam is freely accessible in the browser.
- Game focus: Whilst you conduct dialogues and solve puzzles in The Forgotten City, in Ikariam you build buildings, conduct research and decide on privateering missions or the construction of special units.
So Ikariam does not replace the story experience of The Forgotten City – it offers a different way to engage with ancient times.
Comparison table
| Feature | The Forgotten City | Ikariam |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Steam (download/installation) | Browser (no download required) |
| Free-to-play | No | Yes |
| Setting | Ancient times (Roman city, 2,000 years back) | Ancient times (island civilisation in the Mediterranean) |
| Genre | Adventure, indie, role-playing game | Building/strategy game |
| Game mode | Single-player | Online browser game |
| Playable immediately | After purchase & installation | Directly in the browser |
Frequently asked questions
Is Ikariam really free to play?
Yes, Ikariam is a browser game and can be started directly without a purchase price.
Do I need to install Ikariam?
No. Ikariam runs in your browser; installation is not required.
Does Ikariam tell a story like The Forgotten City?
No. According to Steam, The Forgotten City is a narrative adventure with puzzles and a time loop. Ikariam, on the other hand, is a strategy building game with a research system, economy and units such as the balloon carrier – the "narrative" emerges from your own actions.
Are there other browser alternatives?
Yes. If you're interested in a historical setting in the browser in general, Kingsage is also worth a look – a medieval strategy game in the browser.
Try Ikariam
If you're attracted to ancient settings and feel like building your own civilisation instead of following a predetermined story, you can start Ikariam directly in your browser – free and without installation. This is the quickest way to find out whether this type of game appeals to you as a complement to The Forgotten City.