Rimworld is a new standard in survival/strategy sims, and has emerged from early access with grace. Now the REAL fun can begin...

Bad North strips away just the right amount of complexity and headache that real-time strategy games tend to have, resulting in a core experience that is challenging, rewarding, and very replayable.

If the developers move quickly, Space Hulk: Tactics might yet be the best strategy game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. For now, the grim darkness of the far future is still grim and dark -- and not in a good way.

An admirable return to form, Valkyria Chronicles 4 feels like a safe bet for both newcomers and veteran commanders alike.

An admirable return to form, Valkyria Chronicles 4 feels like a safe bet for both newcomers and veteran commanders alike.

As it stands, Frozen Synapse 2 is truly an interesting experiment -- an attempt to expand the scope while keeping the original's focus and the directive that a successful mission always ends the same way: with everyone but you dead. It is a capable game that should appeal more to hardcore wargamers than more casual strategy enthusiasts, however, as I suspect its unintuitive menu will put off a lot of strategic-minded people with no patience for obtuseness.

In the end, Two Point Hospital is one of the best strategy games of 2018, managing to surprise me with its extremely competent game design, amazing polish, and superb production values. It has a few faults, like any product, and all of them could be easily fixed by patches should the developers choose to. Regardless of changes, Two Point Studios debut title is a serious contender to the bastion of modern classics.

A unique, focused 4X game that proves to be historically authentic and surprisingly deep in terms of mechanics and gameplay. An excellent debut.

A rich, detailed and highly replayable espionage adventure, touting the right mix of strategic and tactical choices within its entertaining fiction.

Inferno shouldn’t be mistaken for a simple expansion pack, it adds core gameplay loops that improve upon Endless Legend enough to where I consider it a required purchase.

In the end, Rise of the Republic is yet another great addition to Total War’s best entry. It’s pacing is a bit harsh, but it adds new mechanics and experiences while retaining the base game’s excellent battle balance, shying away from Warhammer’s unfortunate MOBA-like rush but bringing it’s good campaign map ideas into the fold. The way it circles back to the start of Rome II’s base campaign drives home the dedication and love put into the game as a whole and makes this expansion a must buy for anyone interested in the early days of the Roman Republic.

The Banner Saga 3 is a great game, and crushing enemies both small and large, human and supernatural is still just as fun.

Gladius’s attention to combat goes beyond most 4X games, and it works. In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war.

Evolution will amuse movie fans and infrequent sim hands, but linearity and lack of meaningful decision-making undermines its lavish production values.

Despite its short-comings, Sanctus Reach is one of the best turn-based strategy games around.

The Broken Alliance expansion is an important one. It is to Deadlock as Brood War was to Starcraft; interesting unit additions and thoughtful writing elevate a dry but highly competent base game. Essential for Deadlock fans, and compelling for the curious. So say we all.

Ultimately, Distant Stars is an interesting expansion that expands the game’s content without pushing any boundaries. It doesn’t increase the game’s scope but given how bare the current mid-game is and the sheer number of new anomalies added in the DLC, it is hard to pass this up.

Evolutionary rather than revolutionary, Ancestors: Legacy takes the best of the genre, adds a dash of Dark Age and at the end of it comes out as one of the strongest entries to the RTS stable this year.

A worthy proof of concept; great ideas and experiments tempered by conservative implementation. As long as your expectations are managed with care, you’ll still find plenty of enjoyment here.

BattleTech is a rote tactics game that manages to stand out on the strength of its deep lore and surprisingly-deep business management model.

I’ve never cared about the people under my command in any game more than in Frostpunk. The window-dressing isn’t perfect. Aspects of the experience are frustrating; a couple of failed games can leave one a tiny weeny bit annoyed. I am not even sure if some of the scenarios are even possible! Yet if the perfect game is a series of choices where every choice has meaning, then Frostpunk is it.

The Intrigue expansion is another win for Stardock, building GalCiv3 up to become a giant amongst space 4X games.

Great maps, great units, great strategies, not so great online.

A fun and well made TBS title held back by lackluster plot and mission design.

Bridge Constructor Portal is a fantastic puzzle game, and a thoroughly Portal title.

With its own objectives, mechanics, and campaign end-goals, Rise of the Tomb Kings is the best DLC in the whole Total War: Warhammer franchise.

This charming, clever and addictive historical sailing sim is marred only by some rather Dull combat mechanics.

Rise and Fall is a novel yet slightly disappointing expansion that accomplishes very little of worth. In fact, it often feels at odds with what Sid Meier’s Civilization is, changing the game’s flow into a senseless time intensive marathon. While past Firaxis expansions often gave you creative and interesting new tools to play with as you see fit, Rise and Fall instead seems hellbent on corralling the way you play, and the end result is a more restrictive game than what we had on launch.

Warring States is a capable and surprisingly enjoyable tactical game. While the units are varied, and the combat has some depth to it, it is still feels like a very simple game -- while playing on the PC, I kept wondering what it would be like on the mobile, and if it wouldn’t be more at home in that platform. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a casual and straightforward game about Ancient China that will challenge you, look no further.

Despite its charms, Railway Empire jumps the tracks with its dull tech trees, dated looks, and hobbled competitive modes.

Super-weapons are hella fun, but this expansion is oddly skippable if you're not sold by its lean feature-set.

More puzzle than strategy, Into the Breach comes with enough bells, whistles and giant robots to keep the formula fresh over repeat plays.

Veterans of the genre will love this mash-up, but newcomers will buckle under the weight. Writing aside, it’s a mighty fine attempt.

Surviving Mars is treading old ground, despite the new soil. For better or worse, it offers a comfortable colony management experience that trades innovation for familiarity.

All Walls Must Fall uses familiar tactical concepts, but introduces some new ideas, a fresh setting, and its own intense sense of cool to create an original and compelling experience.

If you care about the British Isles, this Immersion Pack gives them a lot more flavour than the free changes alone can offer. Like most DLCs of this tier, this is far from essential.

For those wanting a light-hearted experience filled with great content and progression, this cheap little title will offer you exactly that.

A game that invigorates with the pure, fierce joy of play that only very best board games can deliver.