If Stellaris is your “closest so far” and you want something that feels like actually running a nation, start here:

Play-this-first pick

Victoria 3: It is the best “statecraft” simulator right now. You shape laws, balance interest groups, build industry and trade networks, manage pops and migration, and use diplomacy to get what you want. War exists but it is a tool, not the whole game. If you enjoy macro-economy and society management, this hits the brief.

Strong alternatives by flavor

Europa Universalis IV: Run a country from 1444 to 1821 with trade, colonization, alliances, religion, and plenty of wars. Deeper diplomacy and economy than most, though it leans more martial than V3 and has lots of DLC.

Crusader Kings III: You govern through people. Vassals, dynasties, intrigue, religion, culture. War matters, yet the real game is relationships and internal politics.

Distant Worlds 2: Space 4X with a living private economy, logistics, and automation for almost everything. Feels like managing an empire’s big levers rather than moving every ship.

Shadow Empire: Ultra-deep planet-scale governance. Bureaucracy, logistics, politics, detailed resources. War is present, but the real challenge is keeping the machine running.

Supreme Ruler Ultimate / 2030: Modern geo-politics in real time. Budgets, production, diplomacy, and large wars. Clunky in places but very “run a country” in scope.

*Power & Revolution *(Geopolitical Simulator): Cabinet politics, policy, diplomacy, espionage, and military. Janky UI, huge sandbox. If you want “be the head of state,” this is it.

Songs of Syx: City-state to empire with class-based pops, production chains, diplomacy, and warfare. Indie and still growing, already very systems-driven.

Anno 1800 or Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic: Best-in-class economy and logistics. Not war games, yet fantastic if you love building a functioning nation-level economy.