Games like Populous on Steam Deck
4 of the 5 modern alternatives to Populous (1989) are rated Verified or Playable on the Steam Deck. The cheapest is From Dust at € 9,99. 2 are made by independent developers.
The Steam Deck runs most of the PC catalogue, but not all of it equally well. Only alternatives that Valve rates Verified (works out of the box) or Playable (works, with a tweak or two) are listed here. The ratings come from Valve, not from our own testing, and change as games are patched.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
WorldBox - God Simulator Indie
€ 19,50A sandbox god game where you grow civilisations and then wipe them out with plagues and meteors.
WorldBox - God Simulator runs on PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. Not available on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Verified.
Reus 2 Indie
€ 24,99An indie god-game where giants shape a living planet.
Reus 2 is also an alternative to 1 other classic
Reus 2 runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Verified.
The Universim
€ 34,99A modern god-game where you guide a civilisation across the ages.
The Universim is also an alternative to 2 other classics
The Universim runs on PC, Mac, Linux. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Playable.
From Dust
€ 9,99Terraforming as a god power: move water, lava and sand to guide a tribe, exactly Populous' core idea.
From Dust runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, Switch. It is Steam Deck Playable.
Not on Steam Deck
These alternatives to Populous are listed on the main page, but are not rated Verified or Playable on the Steam Deck:
All 5 games like Populous