Games like Pax Historia

Pax Historia is an AI alternate-history sandbox where you run a country in your own words. Games like it are Hearts of Iron IV, Europa Universalis V, Victoria 3, Crusader Kings III, Civilization VII, NationStates, and WorldOS. LifeSim is a different take: you type anything, but you live one life in a real city.

Pax Historia calls itself “an alternate history sandbox game,” and its makers call it the first one powered by AI. You play as a country on a map of the world. You say what you do in your own words, and the AI decides how the other countries react. Players also make and share their own maps and starting points.

In its Y Combinator launch post, the team said it had 35,000 daily users. We could not find its prices on its own site, so we don't list them.

We make LifeSim, and LifeSim is not a strategy game. You don't run a country in it. So the list below is mostly other people's games: strategy games where you run a country too. We put LifeSim at the end, as a different take, for the part of Pax Historia that is about typing anything and seeing the AI answer.

1. Hearts of Iron IV

A grand strategy game of World War II, by Paradox Development Studio. You take any nation and run its army, its industry, and its politics. It is out since 2016 on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Like Pax Historia, a game can go a very different way from real history. Unlike Pax Historia, you give orders with menus, not in your own words.

2. Europa Universalis V

The newest Europa Universalis, by Paradox Tinto, out since November 2025 on Windows. You play five centuries of history and use war, trade, or diplomacy. Europa Universalis IV, from 2013, is still played too, and it also runs on Mac and Linux.

3. Victoria 3

A grand strategy game of the 19th century, by Paradox Development Studio. You build a society and balance the groups in it. It is less about war and more about money, laws, and people.

4. Crusader Kings III

A grand strategy game of the Middle Ages, by Paradox Development Studio. You play a noble family, not a country, through marriages, plots, and wars. When your ruler dies, you go on as their heir.

5. Sid Meier’s Civilization VII

A turn-based strategy game by Firaxis Games, out since February 2025. You lead an empire from the ancient world to the modern age.

6. NationStates

A free government simulation in the browser, made by Max Barry and online since 2002. You make a nation, answer issues, and watch your country change. It is all text, with a big community on its forums. Its Wikipedia page says users made more than 10 million nations.

7. WorldOS

A web site of AI worlds made by users, at worldos.cc. Some are war and history games, such as a world set in 1914. Like Pax Historia, you type what you do and the AI plays it out. Each turn costs Zaps, its credits, with free Zaps every day. Its terms say you must be 18. Read LifeSim vs WorldOS.

A different take: LifeSim

LifeSim is a life sim, not a strategy game. You don't lead a nation. You live one life, as one person, in any real city on a 3D map of Earth. Like Pax Historia, you type what you want, in your own words, and an AI answers: here it is the people around you, who have jobs, homes, and friends, and who remember what you did. It is free in the browser and on iPhone, with no ads. Pick it if you like typing anything and seeing the world answer, but want to be one person in it.

Eliges una ciudad. Cualquier ciudad, en un mapa real de la Tierra. Le das a tu personaje un nombre y una razón para estar allí. Luego sales a una calle real, y hay gente en ella.

No te están esperando. Tienen trabajos a los que ir, casas a las que volver, amigos que ven los viernes. Saluda a uno de ellos, con tus propias palabras, y ellos te responderán con las suyas. Diles algo y lo guardarán. Diles algo a sus amigos y se correrá la voz.

Al final de la semana tienes un lugar al que vas por las mañanas, alguien a quien evitas y alguien a quien no. Un jugador una vez se quedó trece horas seguidas. Lo comprobamos.

LifeSim es un juego gratuito, en el navegador y en iPhone. Sin anuncios y nada que comprar. La Temporada 1 está en beta.

For a deep war game, play Hearts of Iron IV. For centuries of history, play Europa Universalis. For a free nation in the browser, play NationStates. For more AI worlds in your own words, try WorldOS. For one life in a real city, try LifeSim.

For more AI games, read juegos de simuladores de vida con IA y text-based games where you type anything.

What is Pax Historia?

Pax Historia calls itself an alternate history sandbox game. You play as a country, say what you do in your own words, and an AI decides how the other countries react.

Is there a free game like Pax Historia?

NationStates is a free nation game in the browser, online since 2002. WorldOS gives free Zaps every day. LifeSim is free, but it is a life sim, not a strategy game.

Is there a game like Pax Historia on PC?

Yes. Hearts of Iron IV, Europa Universalis V, Victoria 3, Crusader Kings III, and Civilization VII are on Steam. You give orders with menus, not in your own words.

Is LifeSim like Pax Historia?

Only in one way: you type what you want and an AI answers. In LifeSim you don't run a country. You live as one person in a real city, and the people there remember you.

• Pax Historia: official site
• Y Combinator: Pax Historia launch post
• Hearts of Iron IV on Steam
• Europa Universalis V on Steam
• Europa Universalis IV on Steam
• Victoria 3 on Steam
• Crusader Kings III en Steam
• Sid Meier's Civilization VII on Steam
• NationStates on Wikipedia
• WorldOS: home page
• WorldOS: pricing