Best Sci-Fi Games With Turn-Based Combat, Ranked

Turn-based combat is a staple of many genres, including old-school RPGs and traditional roguelikes. The lack of time pressure and wealth of information provided in these titles often allows for gameplay that's both accessible and engaging.

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Science-fiction and turn-based strategy games are a popular combination. From the slick cyberpunk aesthetic of Invisible Inc to the strange science-fantasy world of Caves Of Qud, there's something here for all kinds of player.

8 Invisible Inc

Unique & Stealthy Tactics

Invisible, Inc.

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Turn-Based Strategy

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8 /10

Released

May 12, 2015

Developer(s)

Klei Entertainment

Publisher(s)

Klei Entertainment

Platform(s)

Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4

Genre(s)

Turn-Based Strategy

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

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Developed by the prolific Klei Entertainment (Don't Starve, Oxygen Not Included), Invisible Inc is a stylish turn-based stealth game with slow and methodical gameplay. Despite its deliberate tone and steady pace, Invisible Inc manages to be a tense, high-stakes experience thanks to its lethal turn-based tactics and the constantly ticking timer of each mission's security level.

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The slick, corporate cyberpunk setting of Invisible Inc provides a stylish sci-fi world for players to sneak through. Klei's penchant for elegant art direction is on full display here, presenting glossy, high-tech environments in an angular, isometric style.

7 SteamWorld Heist

Distinctive Turn-Based Gunfights

SteamWorld Heist is a spacefaring adventure that puts players in command of a robotic pirate crew of sorts, partaking in turn-based shootouts driven by a unique combat system; each gunfight in SteamWorld Heist is turn-based, with the added twist that players are able to manually aim their weapons. This allows for an expression of skill that other turn-based experiences often lack.

The rich and colorful world of SteamWorld Heist is also a highlight, offering players a combination of a sci-fi western atmosphere and Steampunk visuals that's sure to appeal to fans of science fiction shows such as Firefly. Furthermore, the ability to bounce bullets off walls allows players to execute trick-shots, making for a frequently satisfying combat system.

6 Gears Tactics

A Thematic Take On Grid-Based Tactics

Fans of the Gears Of War franchise and the turn-based combat of XCOM are more than likely to enjoy Gears Tactics. This dark and brutal title plays very similarly to the aforementioned XCOM but manages to work in a variety of additions that are thematically appropriate to the original Gears Of War games.

The buckets of gore and frequent dismemberment that Gears Of War is known for are present here. However, these thematic touches extend beyond the surface level and into the mechanics of the game; chainsaw charges and brutal executions are aplenty, complete with patently bulky characters and a melodramatic plot.

5 Griftlands

Unique Deck-Building In An Evocative World

Griftlands is a roguelike deck-builder with a unique dual combat system and RPG elements that allow it to stand out from the crowd. The game's biggest strength, however, might be its exotic, alien world, which provides a well-crafted vehicle for the game's unique deck-building and RPG mechanics, giving players lengthy runs peppered with striking world-building.

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The evocative writing and unique art style paint a vivid picture of the vibrant sci-fi world, heavy with world-building. However, the game's intuitive user-interface and the frequent brevity of its dialogue encounters keeps the game from getting bogged down in its own lore.

4 Quasimorph

A Gritty Turn-Based Extraction Shooter

Taking place in a gritty, grimdark world, Quasimorph offers a unique sci-fi setting with elements of body horror. This setting ties in directly with the game's hardcore gameplay, which itself revolves around high-intensity turn-based combat and survival mechanics.

Starvation, injury, and even psychosis are constant threats in Quasimorph, testing the player's knowledge, preparedness, and skill at every turn. Furthermore, despite the frequent violence and grim-dark imagery, Quasimorph's gritty pixel-art aesthetic prevents the game from becoming truly disturbing.

3 Caves Of Qud

Turn-Based Combat In A Unique Science-Fantasy World

As an open-world roguelike RPG, one of Caves Of Qud's greatest qualities is its immersive science-fantasy setting. Combining elements of science-fiction and fantasy in near-equal measure, Caves Of Qud is able to offer players a truly unique and utterly alien post-apocalyptic world to explore.

Despite minimalist visuals, the evocative writing and atmospheric soundtrack help to paint a vivid picture of Caves Of Qud's world. Exploration is also a relatively pain-free experience thanks to optional overworld travel, allowing players to cover great distances quickly, albeit with the added risk of getting lost.

2 XCOM 2

Unforgiving But Deeply Tactical Squad-Based Combat

XCOM 2 is a deeply tactical turn-based strategy game complemented by light management mechanics. The squad-based encounters of XCOM 2 are most certainly its biggest draw, providing intense, grid-based gunfights in which each squad member is under near-constant threat.

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The intuitive cover system and emphasis on flanking maneuvers gives XCOM a unique feel, and although its luck-based to-hit system may not be for everyone, it provides a palpable tension to each action. It's an unforgiving experience, but XCOM 2 is noteworthy for making the most of its science-fiction setting to elevate its rock-solid turn-based combat.

1 Into The Breach

Deeply Tactical & Well-Telegraphed Grid-Based Tactics

Into The Breach is a roguelike strategy game that combines turn-based tactics on a grid with elements of the puzzle genre. In the game, players control a squad of mechs, each with their own unique abilities, as they attempt to defend civilians from rampaging alien bugs.

The dynamic nature of Into The Breach, with its environmental hazards and expressive abilities, puts an emphasis on careful planning and precision. This is facilitated by a truly generous telegraphing system, which gives players access to the intentions of their enemies and the order in which the next turn will play out. As a result, Into The Breach manages to offer precise, tactical battles that rarely feel unfair.

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