Top Strategy Games of All Time

• 30.

  
  8

  Octodad: Dadliest Catch

  A rewarding, idiosyncratic romp imbued with nonsense, humour, and pathos. Although less convincing than a trenchcoated, bowler-hatted, fake-mustachioed comic strip schoolboy standing on a chum's shoulders, no one but the... more

  Reviewed on: 30 Jan 2014   Platforms: PS4, PC

• 29.

  
  8

  Calculords

  Calculords takes the turn-based card game and makes it its own. Many a time when I've been lying in bed, waiting for my body to enter a state of slumber, I often think to myself: 'Why isn't there a turn-based card game that... more

  Reviewed on: 25 Feb 2014   Platforms: iPhone

• 28.

  
  8

  XCOM 2

  Vive la résistance! Is XCOM 2 good on consoles? XCOM 2: The Ballad of Warlord Kelly Some of the added mechanics in XCOM 2 mean Commander Alice get's heavily invested in her rag-tag team of guerrilla resistance fighters,... more

  Reviewed on: 6 Oct 2016   Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One

• 27.

  9

  The Sims 2

  The Sims 2 is worth getting ahold of under any circumstances - though it's far more likely to get ahold of you somehow. And I warn you: it won't let go. People insist on telling me that The Sims was the most unpredictable... more

  Reviewed on: 22 Dec 2004   Platforms: PC, Cube, PS2, Xbox

• 26.

  9

  Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising

  Advance Wars 2 is one of the greatest turn-based-strategy games ever made. If you own a GBA you really should own this game Advance Wars 2, the sequel to the excellent Advance Wars improves on its forerunner in almost every... more

  Reviewed on: 23 Dec 2004   Platforms: GBA

• 25.

  9

  Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

  So in conclusion, Dawn of War is a great game. Players who just wish to play single player should approach with caution, whereas online gamers should lap up this excellent title Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, known throughout... more

  Reviewed on: 14 Jan 2005   Platforms: PC

• 24.

  9

  Rome: Total War

  A glorious balance of turn-based management and real-time combat. As good as historical RTS gets. With the second series of Time Commanders in full swing at the time of writing, now seems like an opportune moment to publish... more

  Reviewed on: 6 Mar 2005   Platforms: PC

• 23.

  9

  Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Winter Assault

  Genuine gaming additions such as the new tech-trees ensure that Winter Assault is just as essential an online experience as the original DoW. Winter Assault is not an expansion pack. That is to say, those gamers that own... more

  Reviewed on: 11 Oct 2005   Platforms: PC

• 22.

  9

  Civilization IV

  An exceptional game that will keep megalomaniacs off the streets for months to come. Civilization IV showcases the very best that the turn-based strategy genre has to offer. War, huh? What is it good for? Well, winning games... more

  Reviewed on: 17 Nov 2005   Platforms: PC

• 21.

  9

  Advance Wars: Dual Strike

  A mind-bogglingly addictive strategy game you can carry with you. Does life get any better than this? Think 'Nintendo'. Think 'handheld console'. Think 'sophisticated wargame'. Wait a second, there. It's not such a smooth... more

  Reviewed on: 21 Nov 2005   Platforms: DS

• 20.

  9

  DEFCON: Global Thermonuclear War

  If you love strategy games or simply like interesting gaming experiences, this is for you. So, here's to Global Thermonuclear war. Who knew it would be so much fun? DEFCON was always going to be an easy sell for Introversion.... more

  Reviewed on: 11 Oct 2006   Platforms: PC

• 19.

  9

  Company of Heroes

  Company of Heroes doesn't so much raise the bar for RTS games, but twists it into knots and blasts it into orbit. Company of Heroes is a game that I've had marked down as "a bit special" since I got to play the preview code... more

  Reviewed on: 31 Oct 2006   Platforms: PC

• 18.

  9

  Supreme Commander

  With incredibly inventive mission objectives, a spectacular sense of scale and an overall feeling of strategy that puts other real-time strategies to shame, Supreme Commander is a classic. This one has been top of many people's... more

  Reviewed on: 16 Feb 2007   Platforms: PC

• 17.

  9

  Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars

  Whether you're an obsessive fan or a newcomer making your first tentative steps into the RTS genre, Command & Conquer 3 should be in your collection. Few games hold as many fond memories as the Command & Conquer series but... more

  Reviewed on: 3 Apr 2007   Platforms: PC

• 16.

  9

  World in Conflict

  Experts will tear through World In Conflict's campaign quickly enough, but it's just the starter, whetting the palette for the main course, a hugely engaging multiplayer extravaganza. Ever wondered what would have happened... more

  Reviewed on: 21 Sep 2007   Platforms: PC

• 15.

  9

  Final Fantasy Tactics: The War Of The Lions

  It might not have the best in-game graphics we've ever seen on the handheld, or the best multiplayer options, but few games have as much charm and tactical depth. First things first, Final Fantasy Tactics isn't for everyone.... more

  Reviewed on: 14 Nov 2007   Platforms: PSP

• 14.

  
  9

  Sid Meier's Civilization IV: Colonization

  It's all a bit hectic, and at times it may all feel a bit much to handle - but then that's the challenge, isn't it? Some video games are all about quick, visceral pleasures: head-shotting an enemy from halfway across the... more

  Reviewed on: 22 Sep 2008   Platforms: PC

• 13.

  
  9

  Empire: Total War

  Empire is without doubt or reservation the best Total War yet and is a game of unmatched scope and ambition, with its uniquely compulsive blend of turn-based strategy and real-time tactics. Preconception is probably the greatest... more

  Reviewed on: 12 Mar 2009   Platforms: PC

• 12.

  
  9

  World in Conflict: Complete Edition

  If you've never sampled the wonder that is calling a nuclear strike down on your enemy in World in Conflict, then this Director's Cut is unequivocally worth forking out your hard-earned cash for. On the back of the World... more

  Reviewed on: 19 Mar 2009   Platforms: PC

• 11.

  
  9

  Plants vs. Zombies

  With 50 levels, numerous unlockable modes that extend the lifespan significantly, stupidly addictive gameplay and fun-infused presentation you'd be a fool to pass up Plants Vs Zombies. It's not often a game completely exceeds... more

  Reviewed on: 14 May 2009   Platforms: PC

• 10.

  
  9

  Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II - Chaos Rising

  There's little wrong with Chaos Rising. In almost all respects, it's a better game than Chaos Rising, and from a campaign perspective, the best since Warcraft III. It is a problem that has befuddled RTS developers for years:... more

  Reviewed on: 10 Mar 2010   Platforms: PC

• 9.

  
  9

  Might & Magic Clash of Heroes

  The combat system is almost flawless. Bar the odd insane difficulty spike, even the dreaded grind is pleasurable. It attains that holy grail of game design: easy to learn, but hard to master. Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes,... more

  Reviewed on: 15 Mar 2010   Platforms: DS

• 8.

  
  9

  Plants vs. Zombies

  The basic gameplay isn't exactly original, but it's been executed so well on the Xbox 360 that it absolutely needs to be in your collection. PopCap Games should be a household name for gamers. If you haven't played Peggle... more

  Reviewed on: 10 Sep 2010   Platforms: Xbox 360

• 7.

  
  9

  Civilization V

  Civilization V is the most playable Civilization game to date. Yesterday it got so bad I played Civilization V while eating breakfast and dinner; I swapped lunch for a few snacks so I could spend more time defending my western... more

  Reviewed on: 21 Sep 2010   Platforms: PC

• 6.

  
  9

  Total War: Shogun 2

  Shogun 2 is a worthy successor to the original and shows that Creative Assembly has no desire to stop making great strategy games. The land of the rising sun holds a strange sort of fascination for westerners, more so than... more

  Reviewed on: 15 Mar 2011   Platforms: PC

• 5.

  
  9

  XCOM: Enemy Unknown

  XCOM works best as a panic management simulator. To get the most enjoyment from XCOM: Enemy Unknown, name your squad. Whether you opt for philosophers, authors, members of your favourite band, or even your Twitter pals, it's... more

  Reviewed on: 8 Oct 2012   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

• 4.

  
  9

  StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm

  A solo campaign that knocks the socks off the one from Wings of Liberty and a refined multiplayer mode are marred slightly by a reliance on the original game. In an era in which additional content can take so many different... more

  Reviewed on: 18 Mar 2013   Platforms: PC

• 3.

  
  9

  Card Hunter

  Card Hunter is excellent. Card Hunter is a browser-based free-to-play game which surprisingly isn't total rubbish. After you've finished reeling, here's another shock: Card Hunter is excellent. Strategy card games are in... more

  Reviewed on: 7 Oct 2013   Platforms: PC

• 2.

  
  9

  XCOM: Enemy Within

  One of the best games of 2012 is back, and it might be the best game of 2013. Enemy Unknown's replay value wasn't evident until you started playing Iron Man, a mode which would cruelly wipe you out and force you to start... more

  Reviewed on: 11 Nov 2013   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

• 1.

  
  10

  StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty

  StarCraft II can be daunting, distressing and demanding but it's one of the richest and most expertly produced video games of recent years. When we left off, in 1998, the insectoid Zerg had just betrayed the technologically-advanced... more

  Reviewed on: 30 Jul 2010   Platforms: PC