I’m itching to play something like Cities Skylines, but also something that isn’t just about growing and growing, rather building within certain (spatial?) limitations and/or solving problems or something. I hope this isn’t a contradiction, but I’d also like if it had a bit more focus on individual buildings and livability rather than optimizing car traffic, if that makes any sense. I guess i’m looking for something that is a bit more than just a city sculpting sandbox, but less than a full blown metropolis-society-simulator.
If you’re not adverse to old games, try The Settlers 2. Both the gold edition and the 10 year anniversary edition are good (and despite being called “edition” are rather different).
The Settlers is a slow game, there’s no Zerg rush. It’s also cute and cosy - but with a surprising depth in economics and supply chains.
The campaigns have levels ranging from tiny to elaborate. Challenges range from simply exploring the map, over defending against an enemy, to managing limited supplies.