You could also try Don't Starve Together. You and your partner have to work together to build a base to survive on a deserted island where everything could potentially kill you.
I highly suggest you check out videos of whatever games you find interesting. Don't just buy it randomly or jump on the hype train like I did so many times. Don't preorder too! Wait for GOTY and get it on sale! Or Get a bundle. Check out: Humblebundle for really good deals. I really need to stop buying games at full price... *sigh*. I've bought so many games just because the trailer looked fun and ended up not even playing it. Biggest hype train I fell onto atm is Star Citizen... 200 bucks and I barely played a few hours... and that's lagging and rubber banding to hell and back. Blew up a few ships too... I'm just hoping by the time it comes out I can run it decently lol.
Okay! That makes things both easier and harder haha. For the PC side, it opens up a ton of options. On the other hand, it makes finding a phone game harder, as not all games are both Android and Iphone compatible. I think MOST are, but as I don't have an Iphone I can't attest to any of them working that way. I'd like to get more into the specifics of things. You say you and your BF have different tastes, so you've compromised on a builder game. What aspects of a builder interests the two of you? Like does your BF prefer combat, while you prefer something else? Or maybe one of you likes real time and the other prefers turn based? Hard core gamer vs casual? This info will allow suggestions to be narrowed down more! BUT I'd like to make one more plug for Amplitude Studio's Endless series! First take a quick peek at the following vids: First, the intro video for Endless Legend Here's one of the faction's personal intros Does that interest you any? The magic of the Endless series is their unique and rich world building. For some people, it can really capture their imaginations! The basic idea is that the Planet Auriga is a semi-sentient world that is shifting ever forward towards an endless ice age. There are seasons in game, and when winter strikes food is scarce and movement impeded. Winters get longer and longer as the seasons pass. Each faction then has to venture out, explore the world, unlock its mysteries, and discover a way to overcome the impending cataclysm. Whether it be by building a gigantic fortress to withstand the storms, conquering all the other nations to gather the world's resources together, or even finding a way to take to the stars. The Sandbox potential is huge too. When you build cities, you can place their districts to exploit more lands. You can build wonders that affect the map (for example, a gigantic shining magical tower that reaches towards the sky). There are natural wonders all over the world to seek out and possibly exploit. Native peoples to assimilate or conqure, etc etc. The downside is mainly the 30 dollar price tag, but I've seen steam sales lower the price down to 10 or even less. The good news is that as an old game you don't need a powerful PC to run it. Endless Space 2 is much the same as above, only in space and on a Galactic scale. There's less a tangible feeling of building massive sprawling cities, but there's more detail placed on the actual different types of people/races on your planets. My favorite race, the Riftborn Something about helping a people save their kind from total exctinction in a completly unfamiliar universe sings my soul haha. Sophons These guys are such so lovably science crazy XP. The way ENFER (The Sophon Super AI) talks about the Sophon people's great power causing them to have great irresponsibility then immediately refer to himself as perfection was hilariously ironic. I'll have to think more on Phone games with a cooperative building aspect though. I'll admit my experience with said games has been limited hahaha.
Well, I like mmorpgs and dueling games. I play leisurely, and I like to meet people while playing. My boyfriend likes fps, rhythm games and fighting games. He's pretty hardcore, likes to finish games as fast as possible and level as fast as possible. He believes that a city builder game will allow me to be creative while have him be technical and efficient. I'm not too sure how that will work though.
Hum, okay I do have a few things in mind that are quiet different from my previous suggestions. First up, Path of Exile. http://store.steampowered.com/app/238960/Path_of_Exile/ This game is a top down hack and slash style game. It's online, so kinda of an MMO, but the areas are instanced except for the towns. This means that when you visit town or use the chat, you can meet people. However only those you like will encounter you in battle. It's coop, and has dueling/fighting. Now comes PoE's most distinctive feature, the Passive Tree and customization! PoE has IMMENSE nearly UNLIMITED customization! So much so that it's easy to become overwhelmed. However, if experimenting to find the optimal gear and stats to take is not your thing, you can just copy someone else's build. It allows you to be both creative or technical and efficient. Best of all? It's FREE. Another possibility is Helldivers http://store.steampowered.com/app/394510/ This is a insanely fun coop based top down twin-stick shooter. Haha that was a mouthful eh? Helldivers is a much more structured and bite sized experience than PoE. Teaming up to clear missions and fight off wave after wave of enemies is a ton of fun! While in PoE the passive tree can overwhelm you, Helldiver's upgrades are all very easy to understand. The fun lies not on depth, but in breath. There are just sooo many options and strategies to try. Finding the right gun for the situation or your own play style can be a nice experience. The downside is the 20 dollar purchase price, but it does go on sale occasionally. I picked up for half price awhile back.