Whether in the mood to test your mind against other players or a single-player campaign, strategy games can be a seriously fun way to think your way to victory. Although not necessarily as explosively popular on gaming forums, there are still some classics and hidden gems on offer in our list for today.
7. Starcraft: The Forefather
It’s difficult to dive into the future without first delving into the past. Starcraft is a 1998 military science fiction real-time strategy game recently re-published as a remastered version, with widescale success in the Korean market. Starcraft revolutionized the entire genre, with many of your favourite RTS mechanics and the whole of eSports beginning here.
6. Blackjack: Now online!
Somehow, a game even older than Starcraft: Blackjack. First referenced in the 17th Century, the game remains one of the world’s most popular banking casino games after and, after some diving into blackjack basic strategy, can become an incredibly fun game
5. Crusader Kings III: A new take on a classic
Ever wanted to have your own medieval kingdom? Crusader Kings has you covered. Whether you want to roleplay your home country’s ascent to global domination or give your characters silly names, CKIII gives the player complete control over the kingdom. Develop your dynasty amidst almost constant expansions and gameplay updates.
4. Dwarf Fortress: 1970 in 2006
Although it sure feels like the oldest of the list, Dwarf Fortress was only released in 2006, originally developed as a BASIC language text-based adventure game. Despite the non-existent graphics, the game rose to cult status after its charm and engaging gameplay wooed its target audience over the years, now even being ported to Steam with a staggering 10/10 rating so far.
3. Chess: The revival?
With a fantastic revival of public opinion thanks to the efforts of several live-streamers, chess has finally become cool. Whether you choose to play with friends at home or on the ever-popular chess.com, chess has survived for centuries and isn’t likely to be going anywhere anytime soon.
2. XCOM 2: A gentle reminder
The second instalment in the famed turn-based series of games follows the military organization XCOM as they fight off an alien threat. Perhaps one of the more graphically stunning of the games on offer today, XCOM offers procedural generation and a unique atmosphere to explore, similar in theme to Starcraft yet taking its own spin on the concept.
1. Northgard: Aesthetics to boot
One of the more recently released games on this list, Northgard is a strategy game on a smaller scale, released by French-based studio Shiro Games and garnering some attention. A clan-based RTS game based on Nordic mythology with a unique and pleasant aesthetic.
Help! Which game do I choose?!
Although trying them all is a surefire possibility, and a way to siphon countless hours of your day into gaming, we don’t all have that sort of time. Regardless, here is my guide to getting the best out of your time.
For tabletop gamers, needless of any graphical fidelity or sound design, give classics like chess and blackjack a try. On the other hand, for the traditional gamer who still prefers to play something a little more engaging, Starcraft and Dwarf Fortress are good throwbacks. And lastly, for the more intricate gamer, give XCOM 2, Crusader Kings III and Northgard your best try, each game that has numerous systems and high graphical content.
