Travel The Orient In Daedalic Entertainment's Caravan
The Orient Trail
I was immediately intrigued by It Matters Games' Caravan [official site], a simulator that took me back immediately to the days of puttering about in my elementary school computer lab. I fought valiantly for Kid Pix and The Oregon Trail encased in their felt floppy sleeves, and when I won The Oregon Trail that basically cinched the rest of the day for me. Caravan, so far as I can tell, wants to take me back to those simpler times, leaving me free to roam the Orient and the Arabian peninsula, trading and exploring.
With trading, resource management and even a smattering of supernatural creatures (?!) you'll make your way across the deserts and other landscapes peddling your wares. And there's something totally relaxing about that. There's probably no way to die of dysentery, after all, and no rivers to ford, I'd suppose. There are, however, references to stories straight out of Arabian Nights. Oh, so that explains the supernatural creatures, I guess. Duh.
If Caravan sounds like it's in your wheelhouse, you can pick it up now on Steam and GOG. It's £10.79/13,49€/$13.49, including a launch discount, for Windows, Mac, and Linux.