![]() For a truly authentic and grounded real-time strategy experience of humanity’s biggest conflict, Close Combat 5 easily has you covered.Ĥ6. Before there was Relic’s Company of Heroes, the Close Combat series was the flagship WWII tactics game that anchored itself almost completely in historical realism and authenticity.ĭue to the intricate interactions of troop morale, weapon effects, and line of sight, Close Combat incentivizes the use of well-thought tactics and methodical plans to achieve small-scale objectives, which can be incredibly rewarding when pulled off, but also demotivating when the enemy ambushes you and ruins everything. World War II is one of the most popular historical settings for strategy games, with simulation wargames, in turn, being one of the most extensive subsets of the genre to dig deep into the setting’s design potential. Close Combat 5: Invasion: Normandy Close Combat Invasion Normandyĭeveloper: Atomic Games Publisher: Mattel Interactive Platform(s): PC Alpha Centauri’s quality can be still felt to this day and since very few have successfully lived up to its high bard of quality, it easily makes its way onto this list.Ĥ7. It may be a bit clunky on the controls and UI, especially in comparison to modern strategy titles, but its gameplay does all the heavy lifting with no other game being able to effectively include a dynamic alien world almost as an extra player in every game. The novelty of establishing a fledgling colony and following your own faction’s ideology to create a bright future for humanity still holds strong and gives Alpha Centauri its timeless legacy. Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauriĭeveloper: Firaxis Games, Westlake Interactive Publisher: Electronic Arts, Aspyr Media, Loki Software Platform(s): PC, macOS, LinuxĪn oldie-but-a-goodie, Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri remains unconquered as the premier sci-fi planetary grand strategy 4X game, a la Civilization, but on an alien world. All-in-all, Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 is one of the best strategy games of all time.Ĥ8. The Warhammer 40000 setting also plays into Armada’s favor, providing a rich smorgasbord of factions with distinct fleets, ship layouts, and tactical advantages to make each round feel exciting and varied. Battlefleet Gothic immediately grips with its action-packed and micro-intensive ship-to-ship gameplay that effectively combines clever maneuvering and precise timing of active abilities for an overall bombastic and beautifully-modeled package, on top of several impressively lengthy narrative campaigns. Space combat games are, oddly, some of the least explored, yet some of the most exciting strategy out there, with Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 perfectly encapsulating the best features of sci-fi gaming. Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 Battlefleet Gothic Armada IIĭeveloper: Tindalos Interactive Publisher: Focus Home Interactive Platform(s): PC Though its looks may not be exactly stunning or flashy, Dominions 5 will easily pull you in with all the intricacies of mechanics and interconnected systems that make it a definitive hardcore strategy experience.Ĥ9. ![]() Speaking of factions, Dominions 5 has all other games of its ilk beat when it comes to faction diversity, as there are several dozen fantasy factions inspired by myth and legend from across the globe split over three distinct ages. Its incredibly deep and extensive magic and spell system alone is worth hours of study and deliberation, especially since each faction modifies it for their own needs. Kicking things off we have Dominions 5: Warriors of the Faith, the most in-depth fantasy grand strategy game you’ll ever encounter. ![]() Dominions 5: Warriors of the Faith Dominions 5: Warriors of the Faithĭeveloper: Illwinter Game Design Publisher: Illwinter Game Design Platform(s): PC, macOS, Linux We’re also leaving out MOBAs and card games, as those deserve lists of their own. Also, all the games here are incredible in their own right and the differences in quality between them are so granular that it’s perfectly fine if your personal ranking has the entries shuffled a bit. It’s about time to reflect and take note of some of the best strategy games that have graced us with their presence.įor this list, we’ll be ranking the top 50 strategy games of all time, with a limit of one entry per series or franchise. The genre really came into its own alongside the explosive growth of the video game industry, adding unprecedented technological freedom for developers to create riveting decision-making experiences. The strategy genre is a wide and massive beast of the gaming market with roots going as far back as the dawn of civilization.
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