This is a fun, fresh take on classic JRPG tropes and modern roguelike design, but its in danger of running out of steam too quickly.

A really solid strategy-RPG, and an excellent sequel to Wasteland's 2. A bit rough around the edges, but still worth playing.

CK3 is a worthy successor that delivers a powerful mix of grand strategy and RPG gameplay. This is possibly the most polished a mainline Paradox title has ever been at launch.

I can’t recommend Fae Tactics enough to those of you out there waiting for Square to take another longform stab at FFT. It may lack the abundance of micro managing you're used to, but the more straight on approach really puts the combat front and center, and I never missed upgrading menial unit equipment or cross classing or the like. Whether the trend catches or not, I can’t say, but don’t miss the truly fresh take on the classic formula.

Greek Wars nails that addictive 4X loop and it does so in an often-overlooked setting. One of the key issues with this genre is that fall-off point (typically around the late-mid-game) when you stop doing those titular 4Xs and start waiting for some turn counter to tick down while mindlessly mashing the end turn button. While there were certainly some down-time beats, all that layered complexity of diplomacy, economics, and trade means that there is almost always something to do and idle turns are relatively few and far between. If you’re interested in either the period or the 4X genre more broadly, Greek Wars is worth picking up.

Ultimately, Othercide is a unique entry into the genre that is definitely worth your time. It’s pacing issues and ramping difficulty might be the stuff of nightmares for some, but when it comes together, the clever timeline mechanics and risk-based troop management can be the stuff of sweet tactical dreams.

One of the best real-time strategy releases of the year, despite a rather lack-lustre story. Mimimi does it again.

If you can get passed some clunky performance, this is an excellent turn-based tactics game to add to the Switch's growing roster.

It's not an especially pretty game - this is kind of 'indie' project that old-timer wargame studios tend to put out. You'll have to get past the aged graphics and masses of UI menus and tiny buttons, but for those that try, a rewarding world of wonder awaits you.

Gears is right at home in the Turn-based genre. A truly excellent tactical experience watered down slightly with mandatory side-quests and a lack of any strategic dimension.

All things considered, Iron Danger is a great game. It may lack the sweeping epic scope of others and the marketing budget of a AAA game, but it lacks none of the quality. It’s a fun romp in fantasy Finland, setting stuff on fire and slinging spells left and right. It’s like 2001’s Achron that actually works!

If you liked Panzer General and the original Panzer Corps, then PC2 is a must buy. The “more so” comes into play as regards gamers who may have bypassed these games in the past, considering them more beer and pretzels or generic mainstream strategy fare. PC2 has added just enough modifications to push the realism level into the wargaming proper category, giving a distinct WWII feel without sacrificing the elegant simplicity that made its ancestors famous.

Despite the negative aspects described, there is something genuinely fun about playing Yes, Your Grace. It’s perfect for some casual, beer and pretzels gaming. But you are playing for the narrative not the gameplay mechanics. You will get at least two playthroughs out of the game, which amounts to approximately 10 to 20 hours of gameplay (the playtime on various Steam reviews seems to confirm this). If this was in a Humble Bundle or on sale, I would think you would be happy with your purchase. At full price, I would probably feel as though I could have spent my money on something better. With that said, the game feels like a labour of love, not some lazy cash grab. Just don’t expect particularly deep gameplay.

An excellent new addition to Three Kingdoms DLC roster, and a great way to skip the early game if you want to get stuck in to something meatier.

Aside from the bad gun aim mechanics sapping most of the moment-to-moment enjoyment, Taur is actually a very competent game. Its long list of research options and gun upgrades are enough to keep you interested, while the visuals make every second rather visually pleasing. If you’re on the lookout for a fun, casual tower defense game, definitely give Taur (the game, not the tower) a shot.

Overall, The Spire Rises is a very solid expansion for an excellent game if a very difficult, surprisingly intellectual strategy game is what you're looking for.

Some strategy gamers will find this kind of forced immersion awful, others will lap it up. Fans of the original will already be familiar with it. They'll discover a smoother interface and a new setting in a new culture. Forgoing the traditional control and power fantasies of strategic empire-building is a hard habit to give up. But for those that can make the sacrifice, Six Ages holds a wealth of wonders few other games can match.

All things considered, Warhammer 40,000: Gladius’ T’au DLC is a must for anyone who plays Gladius in TYOOL 2020. If you dislike the race (you should), you will at least appreciate them as enemies and find use of their various racial abilities for modding. The question now remains if we’re going to get the rest of important races - like both flavors of Eldar - in the DLC cycle, or will they be saved for a sequel?

Corruption 2029 holds its own. It is difficult to make a game like XCOM, as dozens of failed titles have proved, and this is the first one I played that manages to accurately reproduce Firaxis’ formula while adding its own share of interesting mechanics to it. Behind the pretty exterior and the amazing tactical gameplay, you’ll find a gem that’s definitely worth experiencing -- if you can stomach the relatively small scope and repeated maps. That really shouldn’t be a problem, though. After all, war never changes.

Hilariously funny, ridiculously cute, and generally well put together, it only suffers a bit from an increasing reliance on RNG over strategy as the game wears on.

An excellent new addition, but one that doesn't shake things up massively. The New story campaign is great and the new ships are a nice addition to the main campaign.

For all its comparatively minor flaws and one major issue that will most likely get patched by the time it releases, Broken Lines is a great strategy game that takes the usual tactical thinking and bends it just enough to feel fresh. Without the safety net of unmoving opponents or the ability to react on the fly, you have to consider what the AI might do more carefully and really utilise your powers and squad composition to get through a fight unscathed. So even with the occasional gruelling travel section, Broken Lines is still a pretty enjoyable ride. Kind of like that one war movie you love but no-one else gets.

The Last Autumn is as uncompromising and atmospheric as Frostpunk, but its real trick lies in making players relearn the game, and punishing them for underestimating it.

A great expansion that enriches the main campaign while also being interesting to play in its own right. Some excellent new units, characters and mechanics.

A challenging, visually vibrant sci-fi rogue-like following in the fine tradition of FTL et al - definitely worth checking out.

A very capable game that excels at the strategy layer, but the tactical sphere is a bit sterile and leaves you feeling cold.

The basic controls are simple that this still serves as an excellent gateway experience to more complex wargames, but it also contains within it deep mechanics that require mastering and that can transform the game into a more complex experience. If you were a fan of the first game, you'll definitely like this one.

An unforgiving AI enemy, high game configurability, and satisfying interaction makes AI War 2 a worthy inheritor of the mantle.