PC Strategy Games

Command & Conquer 1.

Command & Conquer

Platform: PC
September 26, 1995
Set in a gritty, high-tech world C&C utilizes electronic intelligence and covert surveillance to determine who reigns supreme. Join the forces of either the Global Defense Initiative (GDI) or the Brotherhood of Nod, and fight for what you feel is right. [Westwood]
Metascore:
94
User Score:
8.9
Cobalt Core 2.

Cobalt Core

Platform: PC
November 8, 2023
Cobalt Core is a sci-fi roguelike deckbuilder with a unique single-axis combat system that will throw you for a loop. Many loops! Give orders to your crew by playing cards: Will you raise shields to protect your ship, dodge incoming missiles and cannon fire to avoid damage outright, or strike preemptively to disable your enemy's weapons? Outmaneuver your foes to stay just ahead of impending calamity, and reach the Cobalt Core!
Metascore:
94
User Score:
tbd
Sid Meier's Civilization II 3.

Sid Meier's Civilization II

Platform: PC
February 29, 1996
An empire-building turn-based strategy game. The game starts at the Old Stone Age in 4000 BC. Your tribe begins with a Settlers unit and has no knowledge about the surrounding area. As you found new cities and explore the surroundings, you may find hostile barbarians, villages, and other competing cultures. [Civ Fantatics' Center]
Metascore:
94
User Score:
8.7
Sid Meier's Civilization IV 4.

Sid Meier's Civilization IV

Platform: PC
October 25, 2005
Faster-Paced Fun - Gameplay has been streamlined for a tighter, faster, and more compelling experience.Greater Accessibility and Ease of Play - An easy-to-use interface will be immediately familiar to RTS and action game players, and newcomers to the series will be able to jump in and play. Tech Tree - Flexible Tech tree allows players more strategic choices for developing their civilizations along unique paths. More Civs, Units, and Improvements to enhance and grow your empire. Multiplayer -LAN, Internet, PBEM, and Persistent Turn-Based Server (PTBS) offer players all-new strategies and ways to play when competing or cooperating with live opponents. Team Play - Whether playing multiplayer or single player, team play offers a new way of setting locked alliances that result in shared wonder effects, visibility, unit trading, and shared territory that delivers a plethora of new strategic and tactical options. Civ IV comes to life! - Beautiful 3D world with dozens of fully animated units (including culturally unique units), and totally customizable armies. Cities and wonders will appear on the map. Wonder movies are back! [2K Games]
Metascore:
94
User Score:
8.2
Company of Heroes 5.

Company of Heroes

Platform: PC
September 13, 2006
A real-time strategy game set in World War II, Company of Heroes brings to life, in full cinematic detail, the greatest war mankind has ever known. Company of Heroes is built on Relic's next-generation Essence Engine and also utilizes the Havok Physics engine, delivering cinematic visual detail in a world completely driven by realistic physics. Gamers will experience the journey of the brave men of Able Company in a deep single-player campaign that begins with the invasion of Normandy through their fight across Europe, all set against the most dynamic battlefield ever seen in a game. Company of Heroes' completely destructable environment means no two battles ever play out in the same way. Advanced squad AI delivers startling new realism and responsiveness, bringing soldiers to life as they interact with the environment and execute advanced squad tactics to eliminate the opposition forces. [THQ]
Metascore:
93
User Score:
8.7
Dwarf Fortress 6.

Dwarf Fortress

Platform: PC
August 8, 2006
The deepest, most intricate simulation of a world that's ever been created. The legendary Dwarf Fortress is now on Steam. Build a fortress and try to help your dwarves survive against a deeply generated world.
Metascore:
93
User Score:
8.5
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty 7.

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

Platform: PC
July 27, 2010
StarCraft II continues the epic saga of the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg. These three distinct and powerful races clash once again in the fast-paced real-time strategy sequel to the legendary original, StarCraft. Legions of veteran, upgraded, and brand-new unit types do battle across the galaxy, as each faction struggles for survival. Featuring a unique single-player campaign that picks up where StarCraft: Brood War left off, StarCraft II presents a cast of new heroes and familiar faces in an edgy sci-fi story filled with adventure and intrigue. In addition, Blizzard again offers unparalleled online play through Battle.net, the company's world-renowned gaming service, with several enhancements and new features to make StarCraft II the ultimate competitive real-time strategy game. Features fast-paced, hard-hitting, tightly balanced competitive real-time strategy gameplay that recaptures and improves on the magic of the original game. New units and gameplay mechanics further distinguish each race. Vibrant new 3D-graphics engine with support for dazzling visual effects and massive unit and army sizes. Full map-making and scripting tools to give players incredible freedom in customizing and personalizing their gameplay experience. [Blizzard]
Metascore:
93
User Score:
8.2
Homeworld 8.

Homeworld

Platform: PC
August 31, 1999
Deported to a harsh desert world, exiles have struggled for three thousand years to regain the stars. Now it's up to you to guide them home through a brutal empire bent on annihilation. Homeworld boasts amazing ship graphics and gorgeous deep-space vistas, a unique command and navigation interface and white-knuckle real-time strategy. [Sierra]
Metascore:
93
User Score:
8.8
Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos 9.

Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos

Platform: PC
July 3, 2002
[Metacritic's 2002 PC Game of the Year] It has been nearly fifteen years since the war between the orcs and humans ended. An uneasy peace settled over the land while, for years, the drums of war were silent. Yet the kingdoms of men grew complacent in their victory - and slowly, the defeated orcish clans regrouped under the banner of a new visionary leader. Now a darker shadow has fallen over the world, threatening to extinguish all life - all hope. The drums of war play upon the winds once again - rising urgently towards the inevitable hour when the skies will rain fire - and the world will tremble before the coming of the Burning Legion. The Day of Judgment has come... [Blizzard]
Metascore:
92
User Score:
9.2
Sid Meier's Gettysburg! 10.

Sid Meier's Gettysburg!

Platform: PC
September 30, 1997
Experience victory in Sid Meier's Gettysburg! It's the most engrossing and sophisticated real-time strategy game ever. In a stunning 3D battlefield, you plan the tactics, lead the troops, and take history into your own hands. Attack from the trees to protect your brigade,rally around a General for a quicker recovery, entrench your troops as your cannons blast the hillside, and much, much more with just a click of the mouse! Complete multiplayer support via internet, LAN, modem and serial link. [Firaxis]
Metascore:
92
User Score:
7.3
Rome: Total War 11.

Rome: Total War

Platform: PC
September 22, 2004
Rome: Total War is the next generation in epic strategy gaming from the critically acclaimed and award winning Total War brand. The aim of the game is to conquer, rule and manipulate the Roman Empire with the ultimate goal of being declared as the "Imperator" of Rome. Set in a time when the mighty Roman Empire emerged to conquer the known world against powerful enemies; when gladiators fought to a bloody death in the Coliseum; when Spartacus defied the might of the empire; when Hannibal led his invincible army and his war elephants across the Alps to strike fear into the very heart of Rome itself; and when Julius Caesar finally smashed the Barbarian Gauls. This was a time of brutal confrontation between civilisation and barbarism, and of civil war as the ancient world's only superpower turned on itself. A completely new Total War engine uses innovative technology and groundbreaking design to bring the world of ancient Rome to life to deliver the biggest and most cinematic battles ever seen in a videogame. So the battles in Rome: Total War maintain the epic scale that fans of Total War are used to, but now use high-detailed 3D polygonal troops and allows huge cities to be displayed on the battlefields. The result is truly spectacular. [Activision]
Metascore:
92
User Score:
9.0
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings 12.

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings

Platform: PC
September 30, 1999
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is the sequel to the award-winning, best-selling real-time strategy game "Age of Empires." Age of Empires II spans a thousand years, from the fall of Rome through the Middle Ages in which players lead one of 13 civilizations into greatness. The game keeps the epic scope of Age of Empires' game play while evolving the combat and economic features. [Microsoft]
Metascore:
92
User Score:
9.0
Thronefall 13.

Thronefall

Platform: PC
October 11, 2024
A minimalist game about building and defending your little kingdom.
Metascore:
92
User Score:
tbd
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri 14.

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri

Platform: PC
February 12, 1999
Legendary designer Sid Meier presents the next evolution in strategy games, with the most addictive, compelling gameplay yet. Explore the alien planet that is your new home and uncover its myriad mysteries. Discover over 75 extraordinary technologies. Build over 60 base upgrades and large-scale secret projects for your empire. Conquer your enemies with a war machine that you design from over 32,000 possible unit types. [Firaxis]
Metascore:
92
User Score:
8.7
Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor 15.

Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor

Platform: PC
April 30, 2008
The galaxy is being consumed by the fires of war as we enter the final act of the Dread Lord saga. Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor is the second expansion pack to the award-winning PC strategy game, Galactic Civilizations II. Galactic Civilizations II: Twilight of the Arnor expands the gameplay of Galactic Civilizations in all new ways. New campaign detailing the final chapter in the Dread Lords wars. The Terror Star arrives, capable of destroying any star. Unique technology trees for all 12 civilizations. Unique planetary improvements for each civilization. New 3D engine powered map editor. New Scenario Editor for creating highly detailed custom games. New Campaign Editor for players who want to create their own custom epic campaigns for themselves or to share with others. New Metaverse Tournaments: Specific maps & scenarios recorded to the Metaverse with prizes for top players. [Stardock]
Metascore:
92
User Score:
8.3
Against the Storm 16.

Against the Storm

Platform: PC
December 8, 2023
Banished meets Slay the Spire. Against the Storm is a roguelite city builder set in a fantasy world where it never stops raining. You are the Queen's viceroy - a pioneer sent into the wilds to establish and manage new settlements inhabited by beavers, lizards, and humans. Your goal is to survive long enough and gather the valuable resources necessary to rebuild and upgrade the Smouldering City. It's the only safe haven against the Blightstorm - a vile cycle of destruction ravaging everything in its path. Do you have what it takes to weather the storm?
Metascore:
91
User Score:
8.6
Myth: The Fallen Lords 17.

Myth: The Fallen Lords

Platform: PC
October 31, 1997
Myth is arguably the first real-time strategy game to put the player in a true 3D landscape, with an emphasis on tactical battlefield action rather than base construction. Myth also happens to be one of Bungie's most successful pre-Halo releases, and shows off the company's range and ability in genres outside of first-person shooters. A single player mode features an engrossing and enjoyable plot, with you battling the evil and eponymous Fallen Lords, their evil leader, Balor and all manner of undead creatures, but Myth's multiplayer is where it really stands out. Bungie.net's game-matching technology has been much-emulated since, and at Myth's release, was something truly special. Multiple game modes including King of the Hill, Steal the Bacon and even co-op added huge variety to what was an outstanding and standard-setting game - and it still is. If ever an older game deserved another visit, it's Myth, with a huge, loyal and highly motivated following. [Bungie]
Metascore:
91
User Score:
8.5
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist 18.

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist

Platform: PC
August 25, 2022
Spend your teenage years on an alien planet in this narrative RPG with card-based battles. Explore, grow up, and fall in love. The choices you make and skills you master over ten years will determine the course of your life and the survival of your colony.
Metascore:
91
User Score:
7.8
Mission: It's Complicated 19.

Mission: It's Complicated

Platform: PC
February 14, 2020
Mission: It’s Complicated is a narrative-based, visual novel where you match super-awesome superheroes to go on missions during the night and dates during the day. The more compatible the pair of superheroes are, the more likely that they will fall in love and save the world.
Metascore:
91
User Score:
7.0
Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar 20.

Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar

Platform: PC
February 14, 2007
The year is 2226 and the Drengin Empire reigns supreme across the galaxy. But something utterly evil is devouring the Drengin Empire from within. Expand your Galactic Civilizations II experience with espionage agents, player designed opponents, new alien races, new ships, unique planetary environments, asteroid fields, improved graphics and much more. [Stardock]
Metascore:
91
User Score:
7.9
Crusader Kings III 21.

Crusader Kings III

Platform: PC
September 1, 2020
Paradox Development Studio brings you the sequel to one of the most popular strategy games ever made. Crusader Kings III is the heir to a long legacy of historical grand strategy experiences and arrives with a host of new ways to ensure the success of your royal house.
Metascore:
91
User Score:
8.4
Satisfactory 22.

Satisfactory

Platform: PC
September 10, 2024
Satisfactory is a first-person open-world factory building game with a dash of exploration and combat. Pioneering for FICSIT Incorporated means charting and exploiting an alien planet, battling alien lifeforms, creating multi-story factories, entering conveyor belt heaven, automating vehicles, and researching new technologies.
Metascore:
91
User Score:
tbd
Balatro 23.

Balatro

Platform: PC
February 20, 2024
Balatro is a poker-inspired roguelike deck builder all about creating powerful synergies and winning big. Combine valid poker hands with unique Joker cards in order to create varied synergies and builds. Earn enough chips to beat devious blinds, all while uncovering hidden bonus hands and decks as you progress. You're going to need every edge you can get in order to reach the boss blind, beat the final ante and secure victory.
Metascore:
90
User Score:
tbd
Factorio 24.

Factorio

Platform: PC
August 14, 2020
Factorio is a game about building and creating automated factories to produce items of increasing complexity, within an infinite 2D world. Use your imagination to design your factory, combine simple elements into ingenious structures, and finally protect it from the creatures who don't really like you.
Metascore:
90
User Score:
8.2
Black & White 25.

Black & White

Platform: PC
March 26, 2001
Peter Molyneux's highly anticipated "god game," a blend of the genres including strategy, sim, RPG, and puzzle, features the player as a new god in the lands of Eden who must reign with the help of uniquely evolving animals in either a benign or evil fashion.
Metascore:
90
User Score:
7.8
Sid Meier's Civilization III 26.

Sid Meier's Civilization III

Platform: PC
October 30, 2001
In Civilization III, you'll find new pathways to explore and strategies to employ, greatly expanded diplomacy, more powerful combat, a new trade system, new technologies, more powerful tools to build and manage your empire, and the most detailed and beautiful art, animations and sound ever found in the genre. [Infogrames]
Metascore:
90
User Score:
8.3
Sid Meier's Civilization V 27.

Sid Meier's Civilization V

Platform: PC
September 21, 2010
With over nine million units sold worldwide, and unprecedented critical acclaim from fans and press around the world, Sid Meier's Civilization is recognized as one of the greatest strategy franchises of all-time. Now, Firaxis Games will take this incredibly fun and addictive strategy game to unprecedented heights by adding new ways to play and win; new tools to manage and expand your civilization; extensive modding capabilities; and intensely competitive multiplayer options. Civilization V will come to life in a beautifully detailed, living world that will elevate the gameplay experience to a whole new level making it a must-have for gamers around the globe!
Metascore:
90
User Score:
8.1
Dota 2 28.

Dota 2

Platform: PC
July 9, 2013
Dota 2 features the characters and factions from the original Defense of the Ancients title with new features.
Metascore:
90
User Score:
6.5
Freedom Force 29.

Freedom Force

Platform: PC
March 24, 2002
From a distant corner of the galaxy, an evil alien race sets in motion a sinister plan to conquer the Earth. They unleash a powerful catalyst - Energy X - that imbues the planet's worst miscreants with super-powers to bring the planet to its knees. Now Earth's only hope lies with a new breed of heroes... The Freedom Force! Command a squad of comic book heroes in the defense of Patriot City. Choose from over a dozen heroes or create your own comic champions. Fight for freedom in over 20 action-packed missions. Restore order in a completely interactive 3D world. Take your heroes online and join the fight in multiplayer mode. [Electronic Arts]
Metascore:
90
User Score:
7.8
Into the Breach 30.

Into the Breach

Platform: PC
February 27, 2018
Control powerful mechs from the future to defeat an alien threat. Each attempt to save the world presents a new randomly generated challenge in this turn-based strategy game.
Metascore:
90
User Score:
7.8
Total War: Shogun 2 31.

Total War: Shogun 2

Platform: PC
March 15, 2011
Shogun 2 is the ultimate refinement of the original formula with a new, cutting-edge AI, more polish and online functionality than ever before. The result is the perfect mix of real-time and turn-based strategy gaming that invites both veterans of Total War and new players to experience the enjoyment and depth of the series.
Metascore:
90
User Score:
8.3
Empire: Total War 32.

Empire: Total War

Platform: PC
March 3, 2009
Empire: Total War is set in the 18th century, a turbulent era that is the most requested by Total War’s loyal fan base and a period alive with global conflict, revolutionary fervour and technological advances. The game features themes such as the Industrial Revolution, America's struggle for independence, the race to control Eastern trade routes and the globalisation of war on land and sea. Empire: Total War sees the debut of 3D naval combat within the Total War franchise. PC Gamers intuitively command vast fleets or single ships upon seascapes rich with extraordinary water and weather effects that play a huge role in your eventual glorious success or ignominious defeat. After pummelling your enemy with cannon fire, close in to grapple their ship and prepare to board taking control your men as they fight hand to hand on the decks. Empire: Total War also sees further enhancements to the Total War series signature 3D battles and turn based campaign map. Real time battles pose new challenges with the addition of cannon and musket, challenging players to master new formations and tactics as a result of the increasing role of gunpowder within warfare. And the Campaign Map – for many the heart of Total War – will see new improved systems for Trade, Diplomacy and Espionage with agents, a refined and streamlined UI, improved Advisors and extended scope taking in the riches of India, the turbulence of Europe and the untapped potential of North America. [Sega]
Metascore:
90
User Score:
7.0
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 33.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert

Platform: PC
November 22, 1996
Surrender is not an option. Dark experiments have permanently altered time. Or have they? Now, Soviet tanks crush city after city while Allied cruisers shell bases. Spies lurk, land mines wait, and strange new technologies aid both sides in their struggle for ultimate control.Command & Conquer: Red Alert gives you the opportunity to be more devious, cunning and ruthless than ever before. Easy to play and highly addictive, Red Alert puts the fate of the world in your hands! [Westwood]
Metascore:
90
User Score:
8.7
Sacrifice (2000) 34.

Sacrifice (2000)

Platform: PC
November 5, 2000
Sacrifice provides a truly fresh approach in the 3-D RTS genre, allowing players to act as both commander and combatant over huge, real-time, generated landscapes in single or multiplayer modes. Wizards will not be disappointed as Sacrifice serves up over 50 spells and creatures. [Interplay]
Metascore:
89
User Score:
8.7
Age of Mythology 35.

Age of Mythology

Platform: PC
November 1, 2002
Age of Mythology transports players to a time when heroes did battle with monsters of legend and the gods intervened in the affairs of mortal men. Players wage war using human armies and diplomacy, progress through development ages, enhance military and economic performance with improvements, and manage economics through resource gathering and trade. Mythology enters the mix when players call upon the gods to act on their behalf or reinforce their armies with more than 20 mythological creatures. Ensemble Studios' new 3D engine adds a deep richness of graphical detail and creates a unique new title based on the ancient cultural history of the Greek, Norse, and Egyptian cultures, which are divided into nine detailed civilizations. [Microsoft]
Metascore:
89
User Score:
8.9
Slay the Spire 36.

Slay the Spire

Platform: PC
January 23, 2019
We fused card games and roguelikes together to make the best single player deckbuilder we could. Craft a unique deck, encounter bizarre creatures, discover relics of immense power, and Slay the Spire!
Metascore:
89
User Score:
7.7
Homeworld: Cataclysm 37.

Homeworld: Cataclysm

Platform: PC
September 7, 2000
Homeworld: Cataclysm boasts 18 all-new ships, 25 new technologies, 17 single-player missions, and fantastic multiplay, while improving on the interface and technology that earned Homeworld 1999's highest accolades. [Sierra Studios]
Metascore:
89
User Score:
8.8
Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin 38.

Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin

Platform: PC
October 29, 2002
CMBB is the sequel to the award winning "Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord" game. CMBB is a 1 or 2 player, hybrid turn-based/realtime 3D simulation of WWII tactical warfare on the Eastern Front, from June 1941 through May 1945. It combines unparalleled game depth, stunning graphics and sound with a proven and easy to use interface in a true 3D environment. [Battlefront.com]
Metascore:
89
User Score:
7.4
World in Conflict 39.

World in Conflict

Platform: PC
September 18, 2007
War is Coming Home. West Germany, 1989. To avoid certain collapse, the Soviet army boldly advances into Europe. NATO responds only to be met on a second front -- a diversionary attack on the American homeland. You are a field commander, leading the era’s most powerful military machines in the campaign to retake America’s cities and suburbs. Superpowered Warfare - Unleash the arsenals of the great military superpowers in the gripping single-player story created by best-selling author and Cold War authority, Larry Bond. MassTech Engine - The latest version of Massive’s proprietary engine allows for a full 360° range of camera control, allowing you to get right down into the midst of battle. Demolish Everything - Destroy every object in the game – crush cars, destroy buildings, burn forests! Drop-in Multiplayer - Join on-going games and immediately help your team take control of the map. [Sierra]
Metascore:
89
User Score:
8.1
Star Control 3 40.

Star Control 3

Platform: PC
September 24, 1996
Star Control 3 takes the traditional build-an-interstellar-empire theme and bonds it to an adventure/mystery plot. It seems that the fabric of space is breaking down, Hyper Space (faster than light) drives no longer work, and there are signs of impending galactic Armageddon. Players are given command of the only remaining spacecraft capable of interstellar travel and, along with a smorgasbord of aliens that make up the League of Sentient Beings, are sent to the unexplored Kessari Quadrant to fix space and ward off doomsday. [SciFi Weekly]
Metascore:
89
User Score:
5.2
Decisive Battles of WWII Vol 2: Korsun Pocket 41.

Decisive Battles of WWII Vol 2: Korsun Pocket

Platform: PC
July 31, 2003
Korsun Pocket is the long awaited sequel to "The Ardennes Offensive" in the Decisive Battles system. The game uses a greatly improved version of the Ardennes Offensive engine to recreate the desperate German attempt to escape encirclement on the Russian Front early in 1944. The battle is a tense and exciting struggle, with neither side having a decisive advantage, as the Russians struggle to form the pocket, then try to resist successive German rescue efforts and last ditch attempts at breakout. [SSG]
Metascore:
89
User Score:
6.8
XCOM: Enemy Unknown 42.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Platform: PC
October 8, 2012
Enemy Unknown couples tactical turn-based gameplay with action sequences and on-ground combat. Recruit, specialize and train unique soldiers and manage your personnel. Detect and interrupt the alien threat as you construct and expand your XCOM headquarters. Direct soldier squads in turn-based ground battles and deploy air units such as the Interceptor and Skyranger. The fight spreads around the world as the XCOM team engages in over 70 missions, communicating and negotiating with governments around the world.
Metascore:
89
User Score:
8.2
Rise of Nations 43.

Rise of Nations

Platform: PC
May 20, 2003
Dominate 6,000 years of history from the Ancient Age to the Information Age. Which forces will you deploy to lead your nation to global prominence? Trade, espionage, diplomacy?war? Whichever path you choose, you?ll experience the pulse pounding thrill and speed of real-time gaming combined with the epic scope and depth of turn-based strategy games ? brought together for the first time ever in Rise of Nations. Rise of Nations is a new historical real time strategy game from Big Huge Games' Brian Reynolds, designer of PC game classics such as "Civilization 2" and "Alpha Centauri." In Rise of Nations, you'll create new cities, improve city infrastructures and expand national borders. Conquer foes through military might using everything from sling-shots to cannons to stealth bombers to nuclear weapons; corner the market on key commodities and consolidate power under your rule; wheel and deal across time with history's eminent cultures. [Microsoft]
Metascore:
89
User Score:
8.7
Battle Suit Aces 44.

Battle Suit Aces

Platform: PC
October 7, 2025
As the Captain of the USS Zephyr, hunt for clues to turn the tide against the Frenzied swarm in this narratively-driven card-battling RPG. Get to know more than 50 fully voiced charming characters as you uncover their rich lives and learn what makes them tick. Directly impact the game’s narrative and cultivate a personalized adventure by strengthening your relationships with various Factions and their pilots. Between the plot-driven missions you’ll form lasting friendships with your crew. Will you help a crew member resolve a familial issue, continue the hunt for alien Relic suits, or decide to work with your favorite Faction to gain their favor and aid?
Metascore:
89
User Score:
tbd
Railroad Tycoon II 45.

Railroad Tycoon II

Platform: PC
November 2, 1998
Ride the Iron Horse. It can take you from New York to South Africa. It can take you from the year 1804 to the year 2000. It can take you from penniless manual laborer to powerful multi-millionaire. It can take you from a normal, well-adjusted, well-rounded person to an obsessed, singled-minded, one-tracked trainhead. This is a real railroad game, not just a strategy game that happens to involve railroads. If you want to hop on a plane, car or ship, hop on another game. This game is about trains for people who love trains. Everything about the game is centered around an authentic look and feeling of the railways. Period video and pictures are interlaced with the game. The design and interface are true to the character of the fabled late 1800's railroads. A.I. opponents are based on real people. And all maps are real (based on satellite photography from US Geological Service and other sources). [Gathering of Developers]
Metascore:
89
User Score:
8.5
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen 46.

XCOM 2: War of the Chosen

Platform: PC
August 29, 2017
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen adds extensive new content in the fight against ADVENT when additional resistance factions form in order to eliminate the alien threat on Earth. In response, a new enemy, known as the “Chosen,” emerges with one goal: recapture the Commander. This expansion includes new Hero classes to counter the “Chosen”, new enemies, missions, environments and increased depth in strategic gameplay.
Metascore:
88
User Score:
8.1
Medieval: Total War 47.

Medieval: Total War

Platform: PC
August 19, 2002
It opens with the preaching of the first Crusade in 1095. It ends with the fall of Constantinople in 1453. What happens in between is up to you. Guide your kingdom's fortunes through a period of brutal conflict and violent social upheaval. Lay siege to mighty fortresses as you command vast armies across the battlefields of Europe and North Africa. But be careful when forming alliances - and even more so when choosing enemies. For this is Total War: a world where empires fall even faster than they rise, and the penalty for fear is your life. [Activision]
Metascore:
88
User Score:
8.6
Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods 48.

Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods

Platform: PC
May 28, 2013
Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods lets players step into the boots of a pagan chieftain, approaching the brutal backstabbing world of Crusader Kings through invasion, adventure, and holy war.
Metascore:
88
User Score:
8.6
Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion 49.

Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion

Platform: PC
August 25, 2000
The official add-on to the best-selling, real-time strategy game "Age Of Empires II: The Age Of Kings" challenges veterans and novices to wage war on an epic scale with all-new civilizations, unique units and technologies, and campaigns based on infamous conquerors, such as Attila the Hun, El Cid, and Montezuma. [Microsoft]
Metascore:
88
User Score:
9.1
Mewgenics 50.

Mewgenics

Platform: PC
February 10, 2026
From the creator of The Binding of Isaac, Super Meat Boy and The End is Nigh comes... Mewgenics! A game where you hoard, breed, train and set cats out on epic adventures through a sprawling world of complete chaos. Level up your team as you venture further and further from your home, collect unique items, defeat epic bosses, gain mutations and return home so you you can breed and further your bloodline, in this turn based legacy roguelike draft sim about cats!
Metascore:
88
User Score:
tbd
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne 51.

Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne

Platform: PC
July 1, 2003
The Frozen Throne provides gamers with a vast new chapter in the epic Warcraft saga. In the single-player campaign, players revisit the war-torn world of Azeroth. Several months have passed since Archimonde and the Burning Legion were defeated at the battle of Mount Hyjal, yet a new threat has arisen throughout the land. One new Hero per race, each possessing powerful spells and magical abilities. A host of new units, each equipped with new abilities and spells, giving players the opportunity to create diverse strategic and tactical forms of combat. Player-built shops, unique for each race, equipped with items carefully designed to improve and aid the units of every race. Neutral Heroes, available for recruitment by all players, that can supplement and strengthen a player's army with all new spells and abilities. Expanded multiplayer options over Battle.net including multiple new game types, clan and tournament support. [Blizzard]
Metascore:
88
User Score:
9.2
StarCraft 52.

StarCraft

Platform: PC
March 31, 1998
In the distant future a small group of human exiles have been doomed to fight for survival on the edge of the galaxy. Through military strength, espionage and deceit, a unified Terran government has maintained an uneasy peace. As resources run short, however, these Confederate nations find themselves looking towards the rich worlds of their alien neighbors, the enigmatic Protoss. To further complicate matters, it seems that a previously unknown and deadly species known only as the Zerg has entered Protoss space and is destroying everything in its path. The time for war has come... As the military leader for your species, you must gather the resources you need to train and expand your forces and lead them to victory. 30 unique missions will challenge you across three different campaigns as you control the fate of the galaxy.
Metascore:
88
User Score:
9.1
XCOM 2 53.

XCOM 2

Platform: PC
February 4, 2016
20 years have passed since world leaders unconditionally surrendered to alien forces and XCOM, the world's last line of defense, was left destroyed and scattered. Now the aliens hold dominion over the Earth, building shining cities that promise a brilliant future for humanity on the surface, while hiding a sinister intent below and eliminating all who don't fall in like with their new order. Online those who live a the edges of the world have a modicum of freedom. Here, a force gathers once again to stand up for humanity. Consistently on the run, the remnant XCOM forces need to find a way to regroup, expose the nefarious truth behind the occupation, and eliminate the alien threat for good.
Metascore:
88
User Score:
7.3
Myth II: Soulblighter 54.

Myth II: Soulblighter

Platform: PC
November 30, 1998
Building on the excellent plot and gameplay featured in Myth: The Fallen Lords, Myth II: Soulblighter also upped the ante by incorporating destructible environments as well as new game modes. The near-infinite gameplay permutations that ensued, ensured that Myth fans had lots of new toys to play with in the game world. Myth II also enjoyed a comprehensive update in the shape of the the Myth II expansion pack: Chimera. [Bungie Studios]
Metascore:
88
User Score:
8.8
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft 55.

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft

Platform: PC
March 11, 2014
Hearthstone is a free-to-play digital strategy card game that anyone can enjoy. Players choose one of nine epic Warcraft heroes to play as, and then take turns playing cards from their customizable decks to cast potent spells, use heroic weapons or abilities, or summon powerful characters to crush their opponent.
Metascore:
88
User Score:
5.7
Unity of Command II 56.

Unity of Command II

Platform: PC
November 12, 2019
Unity of Command II is the sequel to one of the most critically acclaimed strategy games of all time; a game critics called 'the perfect gateway' into computer war games.
Metascore:
88
User Score:
7.6
Medieval II: Total War 57.

Medieval II: Total War

Platform: PC
November 13, 2006
Medieval 2: Total War boasts an impressive array of new graphical and gameplay enhancements, including the capability for a massive 10,000 dynamic characters to be taken into battle at any one time. On top of this, The Creative Assembly have implemented a fully redesigned multiplayer mode that offers a dynamic multi-battle campaign bolstered by an unprecedented level of visceral combat choreography that reflects the brutality of medieval warfare. Set in the most turbulent and bloody era in European history, Medieval 2: Total War allows gamers to lead their armies across the battlefields of Europe and the Holy Land before discovering the Americas and doing battle with the fearsome Aztecs. Medieval 2: Total War offers a vastly enhanced terrain model to create new graphically rich environments portraying breathtaking cliff top castles and enhanced settlement features that are unique to each civilisation. [Sega]
Metascore:
88
User Score:
8.9
Shogun Showdown 58.

Shogun Showdown

Platform: PC
September 5, 2024
Shogun Showdown is a turn-based combat game with rogue-like and deck-building elements. Position yourself and attack at the right time, upgrade your tiles and combo them to get ready to face the Shogun!
Metascore:
88
User Score:
tbd
Sid Meier's Civilization VI 59.

Sid Meier's Civilization VI

Platform: PC
October 20, 2016
Civilization VI offers new ways to interact with your world, expand your empire across the map, advance your culture, and compete against history’s greatest leaders to build a civilization that will stand the test of time.
Metascore:
88
User Score:
7.1
Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void 60.

Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void

Platform: PC
November 10, 2015
StarCraft II continues the epic saga of the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg. These three distinct and powerful races clash once again in the fast-paced real-time strategy sequel to the legendary original, StarCraft. Legions of veteran, upgraded, and brand-new unit types do battle across the galaxy, as each faction struggles for survival. Featuring a unique single-player campaign that picks up where StarCraft: Brood War left off, StarCraft II presents a cast of new heroes and familiar faces in an edgy sci-fi story filled with adventure and intrigue. In addition, Blizzard again offers unparalleled online play through Battle.net, the company's world-renowned gaming service, with several enhancements and new features to make StarCraft II the ultimate competitive real-time strategy game. Features fast-paced, hard-hitting, tightly balanced competitive real-time strategy gameplay that recaptures and improves on the magic of the original game. New units and gameplay mechanics further distinguish each race. Vibrant new 3D-graphics engine with support for dazzling visual effects and massive unit and army sizes. Full map-making and scripting tools to give players incredible freedom in customizing and personalizing their gameplay experience. [Blizzard]
Metascore:
88
User Score:
8.3
Rise of Nations: Thrones & Patriots 61.

Rise of Nations: Thrones & Patriots

Platform: PC
April 27, 2004
Developed by Brian Reynolds and Big Huge Games, Throne and Patriots, the expansion pack to the critically acclaimed, best-selling real-time strategy (RTS) game Rise of Nations, adds a multitude of new features to Rise of Nations including; six new nations, a wide variety of new single player campaigns, more than 20 new units, new wonders and an innovative new Government feature. With the new Government feature, any nation, old or new, can choose exactly how to be governed, which has far-reaching effects on how units perform in various situations. All-new single player campaigns will allow gamers to control the course of history during historical events that changed the world. [Microsoft]
Metascore:
88
User Score:
8.8
Sid Meier's Pirates! 62.

Sid Meier's Pirates!

Platform: PC
November 22, 2004
An entirely new game engine delivers updated gameplay, stunning new features, spectacular 3D graphics and enhanced surround sound, so players can fully experience the intrigue, adventure and danger of life as a pirate on the Spanish Main. In Pirates! you take the leading role of a Pirate Captain in the 17th century Caribbean amassing fortune and fame in an attempt to seize your rightful place as one of the most revered (and feared!) pirates in history. Test your skills as a sea captain exploring the high seas and exotic ports in a richly detailed 3D world. Overtake the enemy and seize valuable booty. Exchange plank-shattering broadsides in fierce naval battles, and engage in duels with worthy opposing captains. As your reputation and skills grow, so will the size and quality of your crew, and your ability to take on larger enemy ships, raid and plunder heavily fortified ports, and locate ancient treasure. There?s a whole cast of interesting and dangerous characters to meet, mysteries to solve, exotic island destinations to discover, and powerful alliances to forge! [Firaxis]
Metascore:
88
User Score:
8.3
Let's! Revolution! 63.

Let's! Revolution!

Platform: PC
July 19, 2023
Let’s! Revolution! is a colorful roguelite puzzle mashup about stopping a narcissistic King from ruining your world. Flip tiles to uncover the hidden path to the King. Use deductive reasoning to avoid his cronies or take them all down in strategic turn-based combat.
Metascore:
88
User Score:
tbd
Plants vs. Zombies 64.

Plants vs. Zombies

Platform: PC
May 5, 2009
Zombies are invading your home, and the only defense is your arsenal of plants! Armed with an alien nursery-worth of zombie-zapping plants like peashooters and cherry bombs, you'll need to think fast and plant faster to stop dozens of types of zombies dead in their tracks. Obstacles like a setting sun, creeping fog and a swimming pool add to the challenge, and with five game modes to dig into, the fun never dies! [Steam]
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.8
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles 65.

FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles

Platform: PC
September 30, 2025
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles includes two different versions of the game: enhanced and classic. The enhanced version adds fully voiced dialogue, an optimized and updated UI, graphical improvements, and a number of other quality of life features. The classic version unites the graphics and gameplay of the original game with the renowned War of the Lions translation and includes convenient features such as auto save.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
tbd
Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director's Cut 66.

Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director's Cut

Platform: PC
September 18, 2014
The Director’s Cut is a stand alone release of Harebrained Schemes' Dragonfall campaign, which premiered as a major expansion for Shadowrun Returns. The Director's Cut adds a variety of new content and enhancements to the original game: Five new missions, alternate endings, new music, a redesigned interface, team customization options, a revamped combat system, and more.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.3
RimWorld 67.

RimWorld

Platform: PC
October 17, 2018
A sci-fi colony sim driven by an intelligent AI storyteller. Inspired by Dwarf Fortress and Firefly. Generates stories by simulating psychology, ecology, gunplay, melee combat, climate, biomes, diplomacy, interpersonal relationships, art, medicine, trade, and more.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.9
Europa Universalis II 68.

Europa Universalis II

Platform: PC
November 12, 2001
From the medieval battles of Jeanne D'Arc to the fantastic empires of the Incas to the flaming wars of Napoleon, EU II invites you to take the seat as the ruler of a superpower for 400 epic years. The challenge begins in 1419 - the 100 years war between France and England - and ends with the rise and eventual fall of one of Europe's greatest strategists, Napoleon. Take on the role of the Colonizing Might of Spain, the feudal warlords of Samurai Japan as well as the small trading nation of Genoa. [Strategy First]
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.6
Monster Train 2 69.

Monster Train 2

Platform: PC
May 21, 2025
Powerful beings known as Titans have seized control of Heaven. A makeshift alliance is formed between former angels and demons, who must learn to work together against their common foe. Now, you must command these clans aboard newly forged trains, and embark on your journey through Hell, Heaven, and the Abyss, to defeat the Titans before they destroy this world. Chaos awaits beyond the gates! Monster Train returns with all new clans, new enemy factions, new challenges, new modes and more! Defend your Pyre in the classic three-tiered, vertical gameplay that made the original roguelike deckbuilder a hit.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
tbd
Tactical Breach Wizards 70.

Tactical Breach Wizards

Platform: PC
August 22, 2024
In Tactical Breach Wizards, you lead a team of renegade wizards in kevlar through turn-based battles to unravel a modern conspiracy plot. Combine their unique spells in clever ways, or rewind time to try every crazy plan you can think of to punch a Traffic Warlock through a 4th story window.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
tbd
Legends of Runeterra 71.

Legends of Runeterra

Platform: PC
April 29, 2020
Face off in dynamic, alternating combat full of opportunities to adapt and outplay. Make your move, but be ready to react, because your opponent has a plan of their own. It all comes down to this—can you outwit them and win?
Metascore:
87
User Score:
6.8
Sins of a Solar Empire 72.

Sins of a Solar Empire

Platform: PC
February 4, 2008
Sins of a Solar Empire represents the birth of the RT4X genre, seamlessly blending spectacular tactical combat with grand-scale space strategy. Players must conquer worlds, engage in diplomacy and trade with other civilizations, and use the resources at their disposal to enhance their economy, develop new technology and increase military power. They must then test their mettle on a 3D tactical battlefield, where their ships will fight it out in stunning visual glory. [Stardock]
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.3
Crusader Kings III: Roads to Power 73.

Crusader Kings III: Roads to Power

Platform: PC
September 24, 2024
The glory and might of the Byzantine Empire are yours to command in this Major Expansion to Crusader Kings III. The unique politics and cultures of the heir to the Roman Empire are on display through a new governing system, new ways for characters to progress up the societal ladder, and new activities for them to engage in. You can also explore a new exciting lifestyle as a landless Adventurer, seeking fame and glory across a living map of the medieval world. Administrative Government: Experience medieval rule outside of the feudal system with a new style of empire management. A web of Governors jockeys for position in the empire with intrigue and power, sometimes rewarding merit and sometimes rewarding perfidy. Only a truly skilled Emperor can keep these squabbling forces in line. The Family Estate: Run and manage a powerful Family Estate, the seat of your House’s power, even when you hold no other land. Construct new buildings and improvements to further your power and influence within an administrative empire. Influence System: Build up a character’s influence within an administrative empire to climb the rungs of bureaucracy. Raise your status in the realm and gather more power for yourself. Start as a landless noble on an estate, and compete for valuable provinces to govern before making your bid for the Purple. A Life of Adventure: Freely roam the map, untied to any realm or holding, going wherever the winds of fortune blow you. Fulfill contracts as a landless adventurer, even through the generations, building up a reputation of your own. Earn gold, prestige and fame traveling the globe until you decide to settle down and claim land you have earned through merit. Choose Successor or Caesar: Spend the influence you have gathered to determine the course of the Empire and get the successor you want, whether a royal family member, a powerful noble, a martial hero, or any other candidate you can rally the people behind. The Emperor can even opt to co-rule if the burden of the throne is too much for one person. New Byzantine Flavor Content: New events, monuments and activities built around the Byzantine theme, including chariot racing. Cosmetic Additions: A Byzantine-themed UI skin and new court fashions for your characters, new 2D event art, new on-map monuments of the Byzantine world, new on-map holding designs, and a Byzantine throne room for Royal Court sessions, among other aesthetic improvements. New music inspired by Orthodox holy chants is also included.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
tbd
Mini Motorways 74.

Mini Motorways

Platform: PC
July 20, 2021
Have you ever been stuck in traffic and wished you could do something to fix it? In Mini Motorways, the city's traffic problems are in your hands. From the makers of Mini Metro, Mini Motorways is a game about drawing the roads that drive a growing city. Build a road network, one road at a time, to create a bustling metropolis. Redesign your city to keep the traffic flowing, and carefully manage upgrades to meet the changing demands. How long can you keep the cities of the world moving?
Metascore:
87
User Score:
7.4
Titanium Court 75.

Titanium Court

Platform: PC
April 23, 2026
Welcome to Titanium Court! Table for one? You have a reservation I assume? You don’t!? Ah, I see. Just minding your own business before stumbling into a realm of magic and faeries, were you? Not to worry, happens all the time. Tell you what, why don’t I see if we can squeeze you in somewhere while you become acquainted with the many amenities offered by the Court. Amenities such as: Puzzling Battles: For tonight's entertainment, the Court is at WAR! Just a little something to pass the time, you see. Who's in command? Why do you ask? Are you volunteering? Oh don't worry, you won't be issuing orders to these faerie troops. They wouldn't follow them anyways. I think you'll have more success commanding the terrain itself to fall in your favor, haha. Puzzling Narrative: Lore dumps are strictly against my religion I'm afraid, so you'll have to uncover the secrets of the Court yourself. Some of them may even fundamentally change you as a person. Be careful with those! Diverse and fulfilling career options: Warlord, Arsonist, Celebrity, Insurance Fraudster. Your time within the Court will qualify you for many of these exalted and lucrative positions. A vast collection of fine art to-wait, what's this?
Metascore:
87
User Score:
tbd
Orcs Must Die! Unchained 76.

Orcs Must Die! Unchained

Platform: PC
April 19, 2017
Orcs Must Die! Unchained takes the Orcs Must Die! action tower defense game to a new level with team-based gameplay. Bust skulls with your best pals in PvE co-op Survival, or put your teamwork to the real test in Endless Mode.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
6.5
Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns 77.

Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns

Platform: PC
March 14, 2001
No, it's not another Warcraft clone. This well-received first title from TimeGate Studios introduces a unique combination of real-time gaming and turn-based strategy that sheds the old unit micromanagement scheme and emphasizes fantasy strategic combat.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.5
Shogun: Total War Warlord Edition 78.

Shogun: Total War Warlord Edition

Platform: PC
August 13, 2001
This stand-alone package includes the original complete "Shogun: Total War" game and the "Mongol Invasion" expansion which includes Kublai Khan?s invasion of Mongol hordes that try to conquer Japan and three new Japanese campaigns.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.4
Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts 79.

Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts

Platform: PC
September 24, 2007
Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts, the next chapter in the real-time strategy franchise from Relic Entertainment is powered by an upgraded version of Relic's proprietary Essence Engine with full Microsoft DirectX 10 support. Opposing Fronts features two unique armies with full length campaigns. Players can fight as the tenacious British 2nd Army during the heroic World War II liberation of Caen, France, or command the German Panzer Elite as they struggle to repel the might of Operation Market Garden, the largest airborne invasion in history. Players can battle online in exciting new multiplayer modes with these two all-new armies and utilize full compatibility with the original Company of Heroes for a total of four playable armies. [THQ]
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.5
Europa Universalis IV 80.

Europa Universalis IV

Platform: PC
August 13, 2013
Europa Universalis IV explores the world history in an experience crafted by Paradox Development Studio, the masters of Grand Strategy. The experiences of true exploration, trade, warfare and diplomacy will be brought to life in this epic title rife with rich strategic and tactical depth.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.7
Total War: WARHAMMER II 81.

Total War: WARHAMMER II

Platform: PC
September 28, 2017
Prince Tyrion, Defender of Ulthuan, guides the High Elves in their desperate efforts to stabilise the vortex as it roils above their home continent. Atop his palanquin-throne, the Slann Mage-Priest Mazdamundi directs his Lizardmen war-hosts as they surge northward from Lustria. He, too, is intent on preventing cataclysm, though the methods of The Old Ones must prevail. The Witch King Malekith and his sadistic Dark Elf hordes spew forth from Naggaroth and their labyrinthine Black Arks. He tastes great weakness in the vortex -- and great opportunity in its demise. Meanwhile a fourth, secretive race stirs, their motives obscured by sinister plots and machinations. The time for revelation is nigh... The second in a trilogy and sequel to the award-winning Total War: WARHAMMER, Total War: WARHAMMER II brings players a breathtaking new narrative campaign, set across the vast continents of Lustria, Ulthuan, Naggaroth and the Southlands. The Great Vortex Campaign builds pace to culminate in a definitive and climactic endgame, an experience unlike any other Total War title to date. Playing as one of 8 Legendary Lords across 4 iconic races from the world of Warhammer Fantasy Battles, players must succeed in performing a series of powerful arcane rituals in order to stabilise or disrupt The Great Vortex, while foiling the progress of the other races. Each Legendary Lord has a unique geographical starting position, and each race offers a distinctive new playstyle with unique campaign mechanics, narrative, methods of war, armies, monsters, Lores of Magic, legendary characters, and staggering new battlefield bombardment abilities.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
7.9
Zeus: Master of Olympus 82.

Zeus: Master of Olympus

Platform: PC
October 22, 2000
Recreate your favorite legends from Greek mythology as you build and rule beautiful city-states. Help Hercules defeat the Hydra, Odysseus win the Trojan War, or Jason retrieve the Golden Fleece. You'll make friends in high places, get involved in the affairs of immortals, and even meet Zeus himself. [Sierra Studios]
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.7
Cross Blitz 83.

Cross Blitz

Platform: PC
November 24, 2025
Cross Blitz is a unique deckbuilder where heartfelt adventure meets fierce, strategic battles. Whether you explore its rich story or its challenging roguelite mode, Cross Blitz will test your tactical mind as you venture forth and build the perfect decks - utilizing clever card combos and synergies as you fight against the many colorful foes scattered throughout Crossdawn Isle. Join the fearless pirate Redcroft as he strikes a deal to win back his stolen freedom from the merciless Princess Eingana; or help the pop-star Violet in her search for a mystical artifact to stop the evil escapades of a mysterious doppelgänger hijacking her stardom! Throughout each hero's adventure, you'll explore a variety of unique locations while unlocking a wealth of new cards, abilities and relics. Use your treasure trove of strategic options to perfect the ultimate deck that best suits your preferred playstyle.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
tbd
Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind 84.

Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind

Platform: PC
October 17, 2019
Life between myths. Lead your clan into legend or obscurity. Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind is a storybook strategy game, immersing you in a land of old gods and magic.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
7.8
Hex: Shards of Fate 85.

Hex: Shards of Fate

Platform: PC
April 19, 2016
A trading card MMO game.
Metascore:
87
User Score:
6.3
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade 86.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade

Platform: PC
October 9, 2006
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Dark Crusade is set in Games Workshop's world of Warhammer 40,000 - a dark, futuristic, fantasy universe where armies of technologically advanced warriors, fighting machines and hordes of implacable aliens wage constant war - and is traveled by millions worldwide. As a hybrid expansion, the game offers a complete standalone experience, allowing gamers to play as all seven races, including the all-new, mysterious Tau and the chilling Necron. Fans who own the entire Dawn of War series can look forward to new units across each of the five original races, expansive bonus content and the ability to play as any of the seven races in multiplayer. [THQ]
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.8
Commandos 2: Men of Courage 87.

Commandos 2: Men of Courage

Platform: PC
September 20, 2001
A tactical action/strategy game set against the backdrop of WWII. Take control of an elite group of commandos who must venture deep into enemy territory and utilize their combined expertise to complete a series of mission-based objectives. Go covert into new environments based on authentic WWII locations: the heart of the third Reich, a northern European submarine installation, and the headquarters of the Japanese army. [Eidos Interactive]
Metascore:
87
User Score:
8.8
Supreme Commander 88.

Supreme Commander

Platform: PC
February 20, 2007
For a millennium, three opposing forces of humanity--the Cybran Nation, the Aeon Illuminate and the United Earth Federation--have fought a bitter and bloody war over conflicting and unwavering systems of belief. There is no room for compromise. No room for mercy. No room for anything but the complete eradication of anyone with opposing belief systems. Labeled the Infinite War, this horrific conflict has shattered a once peaceful galaxy and only served to deepen the hatred and schisms between the three factions. Now, after centuries of struggle, the battle for supremacy has at long last reached a turning point. You are a Supreme Commander, and only you have the power to bring the Infinite War to an end once and for all. Set in the 37th century, Supreme Commander signals the next evolution in the RTS genre by being the first strategy game to deliver a truly strategic and tactical experience. [THQ]
Metascore:
86
User Score:
8.3
Startopia 89.

Startopia

Platform: PC
June 19, 2001
Any "Futurama" fanatics out there need another hit of space humor? Rebuild and manage a giant 2001-esque space donut/station and attract a variety of alien species to it in a game that plays like the deep space version of "Dungeon Keeper."
Metascore:
86
User Score:
8.6
Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai 90.

Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai

Platform: PC
March 22, 2012
This massive-scale, stand-alone expansion to Total War: SHOGUN 2 offers a completely new experience to players. Six new playable clans, including those supporting a modern imperial Japan such as the Satsuma and those allied with the old Shogun like the Nagaoka, are now available. Three great foreign powers must also be dealt with: America, Britain and France all have a vested interest in Japan’s future. How will you treat them? All this plays out across an expanded and improved campaign map, covering new island provinces in the far north and featuring all-new building and technology trees as well as brand new features such as railways and naval bombardments, seen for the first time in a Total War title.
Metascore:
86
User Score:
8.4
Ground Control 91.

Ground Control

Platform: PC
June 1, 2000
Two political factions have gone to war over a distant world and the secrets it holds in Ground Control, a visually stunning and frenetically paced action/real-time strategy game from Sierra Studios and Massive Entertainment. [Sierra Studios]
Metascore:
86
User Score:
7.5
Total War: WARHAMMER 92.

Total War: WARHAMMER

Platform: PC
May 24, 2016
In an era of ceaseless conquest, a myriad warriors clash in epic battles as entire races wage war on one another, each led by a notorious hero seeking dominion over the world. All at your command. The courageous Karl Franz marshals the men of the Empire, looking to unite the fractured elector counts under a banner of strength against their common foes. Hungry for the vicious brutality of combat, the Greenskins flock to the tribe of Grimgor Ironhide; Orcs and Goblins alike filled with an insatiable thirst for carnage. High King Thorgrim helms the stoic Dwarfs forth from their mountain strongholds, marching to right the serious injustices wrought upon them over the millennia. Yet the motives of the Vampire Counts under Mannfred von Carstein are shrouded in murderous secrecy, his armies raised from the decrepit ranks of the dead. And while the Old World is torn by betrayal, war and the unleashing of unfathomable power, a rising threat still whispers in the winds from the north. The fabric of reality itself begins to rend and buckle.
Metascore:
86
User Score:
7.4
Toy Tactics 93.

Toy Tactics

Platform: PC
September 19, 2024
The ultimate quest for glory. Draw formations on the battlefield and direct toy troops to surround, deceive, and outsmart your rivals. But beware! When contenders collide, physics will send helmets flying like a scene out of a cartoon. Lead your army to victory in the wobbliest strategy game around!
Metascore:
86
User Score:
tbd
Magical Princess 94.

Magical Princess

Platform: PC
April 28, 2026
Raise your daughter while she attends a magical academy. Choose which classes she attends, jobs she does, training she undergoes, and more in a character raising sim packed full of story and over 50 endings to reach. How she grows up to be the world's cutest princess depends on you!
Metascore:
86
User Score:
tbd
Total Annihilation 95.

Total Annihilation

Platform: PC
September 27, 1997
Long ago, the galaxy had known peace. Paradise was ruled with the hand of science, and the hand was that of the galactic governing body known as the Core. Ironically, it was the Core's ultimate victory, the victory over death itself, that brought about the downfall of its paradise and started the war that would decimate a million worlds. The immortality process, known as "patterning," involved the electronic duplication of brain matrices, allowing the transfer of consciousness into durable machines. Effectively it meant immortality, and the Core decreed the process mandatory for all citizens in order to ensure their safety. However, there were many citizens unwilling to toss aside their bodies so casually, many indeed who regarded patterning as an atrocity. They fled to the outer edges of the galaxy, forming a resistance movement that became known as the Arm. War began, though it was never officially declared by either side. The Arm developed high-powered combat suits for its armies, while the Core transferred the minds of its soldiers directly into similarly deadly machines. The Core duplicated its finest warriors thousands of times over. The Arm countered with a massive cloning program. The war raged on for more than 4,000 years, consuming the resources of an entire galaxy and leaving it a scorched wasteland. [Cavedog Entertainment]
Metascore:
86
User Score:
8.8
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword 96.

Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword

Platform: PC
July 23, 2007
Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is the second expansion pack for Civilization IV and focuses on the late-game time periods after the invention of gunpowder and delivers 12 challenging and decidedly different scenarios created by the development team at Firaxis Games, as well as members of the Civilization Fan Community. Firaxis Games delivers a massive increase in new units, buildings, and technologies to the epic game with additional focus on the late-game time periods. The expansion pack includes ten new civilizations, such as Portugal, Babylon and Netherlands and their associated unique units and buildings. Sixteen new civilization leaders including leaders for the ten new civilizations, as well as additional leaders for existing civilizations. A new gameplay feature allows players to create corporations and spread them throughout the world. Each corporation provides benefits in exchange for certain resources. Now available much earlier in the game, an espionage feature offers players many new ways to spy on opponents, stir citizen unrest and defend their government's secrets. New random events such as natural disasters, pleas for help, or demands from their citizens will challenge players to overcome obstacles in order for their civilizations to prosper. Five new wonders await discovery including the Statue of Zeus, Cristo Redentor, Shwedagon Paya, the Mausoleum of Maussollos, and the Moai Statues. Winning the race to Alpha Centauri now requires more strategic planning and tactical decision making. Apostolic Palace: The United Nations becomes available earlier in the game, providing a way for players to win a diplomatic victory earlier. New resolutions will also be added which will expand the available diplomatic options. Advanced Starts: A major fan request, this new feature enables players to "buy" components of a custom-tailored empire and begin play in the later part of the game, allowing them to experience many of the new features of the expansion pack in a shorter amount of time. Enhanced AI: The AI has received many enhancements, making it tougher to beat on the higher difficulty levels. [2K Games]
Metascore:
86
User Score:
8.5
Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich 97.

Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich

Platform: PC
March 8, 2005
Freedom is threatened yet again and only Minute Man and his heroic Freedom Force can save the day in the follow up to one of the most critically acclaimed games of 2002. Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich brings dynamic storytelling, fast-paced tactical role-play, and larger-than-life characters from the comic book pages to the computer screen. In this title, the league of heroes must travel back in time to defeat Blitzkrieg, defender of the Reich and his homicidal henchmen. With action spanning from the blasted battlefields of World War II to the dazzling depths of distant dimensions, Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich will give Freedom Fans more than they can handle. [Digital Jesters]
Metascore:
86
User Score:
7.6
Panzer Corps 2 98.

Panzer Corps 2

Platform: PC
March 19, 2020
Panzer Corps 2 is the ultimate Second World War strategy game! Enjoy the time-proven gameplay formula which has been appreciated by millions of players over the years, brought to a whole new level of refinement up to the latest technical standards.
Metascore:
86
User Score:
6.0
Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm 99.

Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm

Platform: PC
March 12, 2013
StarCraft II continues the epic saga of the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg. These three distinct and powerful races clash once again in the fast-paced real-time strategy sequel to the legendary original, StarCraft. Legions of veteran, upgraded, and brand-new unit types do battle across the galaxy, as each faction struggles for survival. Featuring a unique single-player campaign that picks up where StarCraft: Brood War left off, StarCraft II presents a cast of new heroes and familiar faces in an edgy sci-fi story filled with adventure and intrigue. In addition, Blizzard again offers unparalleled online play through Battle.net, the company's world-renowned gaming service, with several enhancements and new features to make StarCraft II the ultimate competitive real-time strategy game. Features fast-paced, hard-hitting, tightly balanced competitive real-time strategy gameplay that recaptures and improves on the magic of the original game. New units and gameplay mechanics further distinguish each race. Vibrant new 3D-graphics engine with support for dazzling visual effects and massive unit and army sizes. Full map-making and scripting tools to give players incredible freedom in customizing and personalizing their gameplay experience. [Blizzard]
Metascore:
86
User Score:
8.0
Townscaper 100.

Townscaper

Platform: PC
August 26, 2021
Build quaint island towns with curvy streets. Build small hamlets, soaring cathedrals, canal networks, or sky cities on stilts. Block by block. No goal. No real gameplay. Just plenty of building and plenty of beauty. That's it. Townscaper is an experimental passion project. More of a toy than a game. Pick colors from the palette, plop down colored blocks of house on the irregular grid, and watch Townscaper's underlying algorithm automatically turn those blocks into cute little houses, arches, stairways, bridges and lush backyards, depending on their configuration.
Metascore:
86
User Score:
7.5
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