Summary
- Some strategy games offer fluid gameplay without designated regions, like Dungeon Of The Endless.
- Darkest Dungeon 2 combines combat-focused gameplay with permanent progression for a brutal yet rewarding experience.
- Wildfrost excels with tactical combat encounters in a deck-building format, allowing for diverse builds.
Strategy games are often centered around warfare and conquest, with players typically vying for control over territory. This can sometimes lead to a lack of decision-making, as players losing territory often enter death spirals, and those that manage to take it are typically able to do as they wish.
There are some strategy games, however, that forgo designated regions and territory entirely, replacing any sense of control with fluid gameplay. From the dungeon-crawling strategy of Dungeon Of The Endless, to the deck-building gauntlets of Wildfrost, there's something here for all kinds of players.
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7 Dungeon Of The Endless
Tower Defense & Resource Management
Dungeon of the Endless
- Released
- December 11, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen
- Developer(s)
- Amplitude Studios
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike, Real-Time Strategy, RPG
This roguelike dungeon-crawler excels with its distinctive combination of tower defense, resource management, and meaningful exploration. In the game, players attempt to make their way through an industrial dungeon rife with alien foes, escorting a fragile power crystal with the help of myriad defenses.
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As a dungeon-crawler, players have no ability to capture and control territory. Instead, they're always on the move. The wave-based nature of the enemy encounters also ensures players are given time to strategize, while simultaneously providing constant pressure to keep them moving.
6 Darkest Dungeon 2
A Crucible Of Turn-Based Combat
Darkest Dungeon 2
- Released
- May 8, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Red Hook Studios
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike, RPG
Ditching the town management of its predecessor in favor of grueling road trips through a failing kingdom, Darkest Dungeon 2 is a brutal strategy game that excels with its immersive atmosphere and dismal tone. Darkest Dungeon 2 is a combat-focused experience, offering a gauntlet of unforgiving turn-based battles that work to test the knowledge and skills of the player.
As a roguelite, Darkest Dungeon 2 relies on a permanent death structure that sweetens the deal with permanent progression. However, this makes the game no less brutal, and players will frequently find themselves in frustrating death spirals. Overcoming this brutality, however, can be tremendously rewarding as players finally move past the points that had them stuck.
5 For The King
Strategic Exploration & Turn-Based Battles
For The King
- Released
- April 19, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- Ironoak Games
- Genre(s)
- RPG
For The King is a strategy roguelike that shines brightest when enjoyed in online co-op. In the game, players control a party of three adventurers in a fantasy setting, fighting an abundance of foes and bosses in accessible turn-based battles.
The strategic overworld exploration plays almost like a board game and, combined with the fast-paced battles and miniature dungeon-crawls, offers a diverse experience. Best of all, For The King features a variety of classes and items to play around with, allowing players to strategize and adding a great deal of replay value to the experience.
4 Battle Brothers
Playing The Mercenary In A Hostile World
Battle Brothers
- Released
- April 27, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Overhype Studios
- Genre(s)
- Indie Games, Tactical, RPG, Strategy, Adventure
As a roaming mercenary company in a harsh and hostile low-fantasy world, players aren't afforded the opportunity to own and control territory in Battle Brothers. In fact, they're given little time to even rest, with the constant pressure of paying wages and feeding the company weighing on their shoulders.
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This results in a fast-paced, unforgiving strategy game in which there's rarely a dull moment. However, the roaming nature of the game can sometimes lead to frustrating turns of bad luck. Stumbling across a pack of bloodthirsty orcs when not properly equipped to fight them and, as a result, losing valuable soldiers on the retreat, can sting a little. Players have to plan carefully if they want to succeed.
3 Wildfrost
A Tactical Roguelike Deck-Builder
Wildfrost
- Released
- April 12, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ // Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Developer(s)
- Deadpan Games, Gaziter
- Genre(s)
- Digital Card Game, Strategy, Roguelike
Deck-builders provide great strategic experiences for fans that don't want to worry about controlling territory. Wildfrost is particularly great for fans of strategy games thanks to its tactical combat encounters, which take place on dynamic battlefields that offer plenty of room for expression.
In the game, players must manage a leader character alongside a variety of companions, dispatching enemies and empowering their units with myriad cards. In addition to its innovative cooldown system and tactical gameplay, Wildfrost excels with a generous abundance of loot, allowing players to craft diverse and unique builds across each run.
2 StarCraft 2
Compact Base-Building & Constant Conflict
StarCraft 2
- Released
- July 27, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Blizzard
- Genre(s)
- Real-Time Strategy
StarCraft 2 is a real-time strategy game that plays at a breakneck pace. Though it requires a great deal of time and patience to learn (at least to compete in its multiplayer versus mode), it can be a tremendously rewarding experience. Best of all, StarCraft 2's multiplayer matches don't revolve around territory. Instead, the game is a decidedly combat-focused experience that never gets dull.
While it's true that players vie for control over all-important mineral lines, StarCraft 2 is a game without borders, offering a fluid battle for resources. The focus on micromanagement is a clear strength, offering an expressive sandbox of strategy that rewards practice and creative thinking.
1 Dune: Imperium
A Dense & Strategic Puzzle
Dune: Imperium
- Released
- March 13, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Dire Wolf Digital
- Genre(s)
- Strategy, Deckbuilding, Board Game
Dune: Imperium is a digital board game that tasks players with making strategic decisions on a diverse board of possibilities. Tasking players with gathering resources from various board spaces and developing a strong deck of powerful cards, Dune: Imperium is a game of constant decisions that's packed with opportunities for risky gambits and clever comebacks.
Since players can't simply overwhelm their opponents and coast by on early victories, Dune: Imperium requires players to think ahead and plan for the endgame. This is thanks to the general lack of territory in the game, with every board space being available to potentially every player in the lobby.
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