Rust vs Stonehearth
Rust
Rust is hardcore survival game where the only aim for every player in the game is to survive. Being a survival game, your character will have needs that you'll need to fulfill or risk getting ill or worse... dying from it. There are tons of recipes for you to craft a wide variety of items from as long as you've got the resources you need, and you can also hunt and built a shelter.As fun as this game may sound, the community in this game can be a bit toxic. Most players have a kill-on-sight policy (even if you're naked and literally have nothing with you) and this means playing alone can be very frustrating. If you're planning to play this game, you might want to get a larger group of friends - maybe somewhere around 5 or more players - or you'll quickly realize you want your money back now.
Stonehearth
Stonehearth is the game you'll want to play if you enjoy playing Minecraft because you can build your very own city. Although the game is basically a sandbox game like Minecraft, it has a building aspect that's much more similar to Craft the World... except that in Stonehearth, everything's in glorious 3D. In this game, you play as the leader of a small handful of adorable-looking pioneers who are looking for a new place to settle down. There isn't a lot of digging involved in Stonehearth though you still need to get your pioneers to collect resources from the environment or to plant and harvest their own.Like in Craft the World, you'll need to provide shelter for your people and equip them with the necessary equipment so they can fend off attacks during the night. However, when it comes to crafting, Stonehearth has a much more diverse and in-depth crafting system. The building system in this game is also pretty unique though it can be rather restrictive when compared to Minecraft since the most "building" you'll be doing is mainly houses for your villagers. Of course, let's not forget about the game's much better-looking graphics!
In some way, Stonehearth is more of a survival/town-building game than a pure sandbox game like Minecraft. However, it is perfect for players who enjoy having an entire town of minions to order around, and the satisfaction of leading and developing a tribe. For a price tag of $24.99 (on Steam), Stonehearth can be a bit on the costly side, but if this is the sort of game you're into, the game will always be worth the price. You can show your support to the indie developers behind this game as well... so there's that!