Townsmen for Android

Townsmen perfectly captures the Medieval vibe it's going for, and that makes it a commendable nation simulator. It doesn't hurt that the game gives you a truly enjoyable experience in terms of graphics and music, too. While some more social gameplay elements would make it truly awesome, it's still just as fun as a trip to the Renaissance Fair.

This game puts you in charge of a new civilization set in the Medieval period. You get a shiny castle and can order your villagers to build you new buildings that can unlock more resources and developments. Essentially, if you've played games like Sim City or Civilization, it's a lot like that. However, this game does not have a strong focus on war and battles like other Renaissance games, which is a welcome change. That gives it more room to focus on the excellent rendering of buildings and developments, as well as its cute charm. The great vibe is somewhat spoiled by an always-on banner ad that gets in the way of seeing your map, but it was easy to ignore after a while. Townsmen gives you a fast-forward feature that saves you from waiting a long time for your buildings to build. You can sign in with Google+, as well, but there's not much in terms of sharing or interacting with other players here.

That's one of the many ways this game bucks the normal traditions of mobile gaming, and it makes for an interesting experience. If you've spent hours building up cities in other simulators, this game may be right up your alley. Its loyalty to the roots of open-ended resource building games may bore some, though.