Summary
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown offers challenging gameplay with rewarding combat encounters.
- Thronefall combines tower defense with real-time strategy in a minimalistic way.
- Slay The Spire is a modern classic deck-builder with fast-paced gameplay.
Strategy games are a broad and varied genre, including everything from skill-based real-time combat to deep and thoughtful turn-based systems. As a result, it's hard to pin down just a few strategy games that everyone should play.
Best Strategy Games That Make Perfect Use Of Simple Gameplay
These strategy games might feature relatively simple gameplay mechanics, but they make perfect use of them, delivering unforgettable experiences.
So, in the interest of variety, these titles provide a diverse selection of strategic experiences, both new and old. From the firm but fair tactics of Into The Breach to the dark and gritty dungeon-crawling of Darkest Dungeon, there's something here for all kinds of strategy game fan.
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
A Challenging Experience That Everyone Should Try
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
- Released
- October 9, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Firaxis Games, 2K Games, Feral Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Firaxis Games
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based Strategy, Action, Tactical, Strategy
Every strategy game fan should consider trying XCOM at least once. While it's not a game for everybody, with its harsh and unforgiving structure, it's also packed with opportunities for expression, and its difficulty often facilitates dynamic and nail-biting combat encounters.
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Some games take a while for players to truly immerse within their worlds and stories, but these are games that will have players sold in 2 hours.
It's easy to be put off by XCOM's level of challenge, with its permanent death and snowballing difficulty, but this also makes it more rewarding. Overcoming the odds when outnumbered, finishing a mission without losing a squad member, or just managing to save a doomed teammate; these are what make XCOM worth playing, but whether it's worth the time investment comes down to the individual.
Thronefall
A Deceptively Simple & Innovative Take on Tower Defense
Thronefall
- Released
- October 11, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- GrizzlyGames
- Publisher(s)
- GrizzlyGames
- Genre(s)
- Strategy, City Builder
- Platform(s)
- PC, Nintendo Switch
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Thronefall is a minimalist indie game that combines tower/base defense with lightweight action and economy management. There's also an added layer of real-time strategy, kept equally minimalist via a clever control scheme and elegant design.
What results is an experience that's wonderfully diverse and expressive without ever being overly complex. Fans of straightforward tower defense games looking for something with a bit of an edge may want to check out Thronefall, but even those who find the genre tired are likely to find joy in this game's clever systems.
Dune: Spice Wars
A Thematic & Experimental Strategy Game
Dune: Spice Wars
- Released
- September 14, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Shiro Games
- Publisher(s)
- Funcom, Shiro Games
- Genre(s)
- Real-Time Strategy
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Dune: Spice Wars is an intriguing combination of 4X and real-time strategy, blending mechanics from the two genres skillfully. While this results in a strange learning curve that many players may find hard to come to grips with, those who exercise a little patience will find a vast sandbox of potential strategies.
This variety of strategies is what makes Dune: Spice Wars so engaging, along with its deeply thematic game mechanics. In addition, Spice Wars is complemented by a selection of asymmetric factions, keeping gameplay fresh across multiple matches.
Into the Breach
A Combination of Dense Tactics & Clever Problem-Solving
Into the Breach
- Released
- February 27, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
Fans of team-based tactical experiences are more than likely to enjoy Into the Breach. Excelling with its bite-sized combat encounters and turn-based tactics, Into The Breach tasks players with managing a small trio of mechs against an overwhelming alien invasion.
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These turn-based games brought something so special to the table, that they deserve to be considered as candidates for a sequel.
The trick to each combat, however, is not defeating the aliens, but doing so without letting harm come to any civilians. This fun twist, along with the game's abundance of open information, allows Into The Breach to offer a tremendously puzzling experience that remains deeply strategic.
Dune: Imperium
A Wildly Diverse Digital Board Game
Dune: Imperium
- Released
- March 13, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Dire Wolf Digital
- Publisher(s)
- Dire Wolf Digital
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- Strategy, Deckbuilding, Board Game
While Dune: Imperium is a digital adaptation of a tabletop game, it remains a must-play experience — especially for fans of deck-builders. Combining classic board game mechanics such as worker placement and deck-building, Dune: Imperium is both an innovative and diverse experience.
In the game, players use cards to access a variety of board spaces, working to overwhelm their opponents in valuable conflicts, improve their reputation, and acquire better cards. With a variety of unique leaders, cards, and board spaces, Dune: Imperium is a veritable sandbox of strategies.
Darkest Dungeon
A Brutal Dungeon-Crawler With a Clear Vision
Darkest Dungeon
- Released
- January 19, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
Darkest Dungeon is a brutal turn-based strategy game with a light management layer. Featuring a stark, Gothic aesthetic with a hand-drawn style, Darkest Dungeon maintains a decidedly unique look throughout, but it's the game's challenging and borderline unfair gameplay that gives it such a unique tone.
With an abundance of unique classes, each with their own varied abilities, and a vast array of items and upgrades, Darkest Dungeon gives players the tools to develop a multitude of strategies. And it's important that players mix up their approach frequently, as the myriad dungeons must often be attacked in different ways.
StarCraft 2
An Expressive but Inaccessible RTS
StarCraft 2
- Released
- July 27, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
StarCraft 2 is a real-time strategy game with an emphasis on reactive play and skill expression. Its focus on micromanagement and expressive controls allow StarCraft 2 to achieve its high-speed style, and while this makes it somewhat inaccessible to broader audiences, it also allows for a great deal of player agency.
Macromanagement is also an important factor, resulting in an experience that seamlessly blends base-building, unit production, and real-time combat. The three asymmetric factions, each wildly different from the other, also help to keep gameplay diverse, allowing players to express themselves in unique ways.
Slay the Spire
A Modern Classic Deck-Builder
Slay the Spire
- Released
- January 23, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Mega Crit
- Publisher(s)
- Humble Bundle
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike, Deckbuilding
- Platform(s)
- Android, iOS, PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
While there are many deck-building strategy games to choose from, Slay the Spire remains a modern classic that's well worth experiencing. Tasking players with crawling to the top of a tower rife with aggressive foes, Slay the Spire excels with its roguelike elements and fast-paced deck-building.
In the game, players must fight various enemies as one of the game's unique characters, making use of a deeply customizable deck of cards. While simple, Slay the Spire quickly ramps up, asking players to refine their decks and make the most out of every turn in order to succeed.
6 Best Strategy Games With Simple Controls
For newcomers to strategy games or casual players who want to increase the intensity just a touch, these games offer deep tactics but simple controls.