A rare species: political simulations. The best global strategy games on pc are ready to launch - conquer your enemies

Unfortunately, political simulators in recent times not released very often. Of the new products, we can only mention VirCities, released recently for iOS, Android and Windows Mobile mobile platforms. We have not really had time to study it yet, but decided to recall other memorable representatives of this genre.

Tropico 4

www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&am ..

Cozy island paradise dictator simulator. You need to manage the local El Presidente, and also try to make sure that he stays in his position as long as possible. Equip the city, establish infrastructure, make a fortune and hope that some sudden nuisance (for example, a typhoon) will not hit your ward's rating or his wallet hard. The game is primarily positioned as an economic strategy, but we must not forget about domestic and foreign policy: you don’t want, for example, to be blamed for the death of the American president, do you?

The most enjoyable feature of Tropico is definitely its humor and attention to detail. Do not even hope to do something stupid, and then avoid the problems caused by a rash act. No, of course, you can tighten the screws and do whatever your heart desires, but such a tyrant in power will not stay long.

Democracy 3

A political strategy in which there is nothing superfluous. You choose a country and set the terms of the president's office, after which you long and persistently try to make the world a little better, as well as enlist the maximum support of the population and win the next elections. All your actions lead to certain consequences, and, unfortunately, it is almost never possible to please all residents. The legalization of drugs, the introduction of a luxury tax or, for example, an increase in unemployment benefits will cause a positive or negative reaction from every segment of the population, will affect the economy and the general situation in the country. How much the overall picture will change is always difficult to predict. The consequences of the seemingly only correct decision to eliminate a crisis situation in some area can lead to the death of your president in a couple of moves.

The design of Democracy 3 is very ascetic and represents a huge table in which all segments of the population, laws, statistics and individual situations are connected. There are no running people, no buildings under construction or endless pop-up windows with tips or warnings from the series "need more gold" or "someone is dissatisfied". But if you want to understand the principles of governing the country and feel the heavy burden of the presidential share on your shoulders, then Democracy 3 is the best fit.

President for a Day: Flooding

In this step-by-step strategy, you will also have to play the role of the president, however, of a very specific country - Pakistan. Not everything is so smooth: two weeks before the re-election, a major flood occurs, and your ward will have to work hard to regain the trust of citizens: the state must not only be saved, but also brought to a more or less decent standard of living. At the same time, problems are pouring in one after another: people are starving and need shelters, cholera outbreaks begin, and even the rebels are not asleep, and God forbid they get their hands on nuclear weapons.

President for a Day: Flooding is a fairly simple, short, but bright and funny strategy, which, however, can completely discourage you from running for president (if you have one, of course). Unlike most games related to politics, President for a Day focuses on managing a country in an emergency, in fact, this is its highlight.

Masters of the World: Geopolitical Simulator 3

Geopolitical simulator in which you have to solve military, economic and social problems. More than 170 countries are represented in Masters of the World: Geopolitical Simulator 3, and each of them is unique due to the huge number of parameters.

Make international contracts, collect dirt on your neighbors, accumulate military power, build relationships with your citizens, improve infrastructures and try not to get confused by the huge number of possibilities of this game - there are so many of them that it is easy to lose sight of something. All your actions will be constantly displayed - nothing will be hidden from the weekly newspaper (and from the citizens).

SuperPower 2

Global strategy with 192 countries and multiplayer for 32 players. As in Masters of the World: Geopolitical Simulator 3, each state has its own characteristics (the most memorable is the level of corruption in Russia - 57.7%). In addition, sometimes you can adjust certain parameters states at their own discretion: choose major religions, prohibit women from participating in elections, or, for example, legalize child labor. True, it is not known how its citizens will react to such measures “necessary” for the country.

SuperPower 2 in to a greater extent aims at foreign policy: the results of all kinds of agreements, negotiations and treaties become visible almost immediately, and military actions are thought out right up to espionage and the launch of nuclear warheads. But if you overdo it with your aggression, almost the entire globe will take up arms against you.

All the games we have listed already assume that you will control a person who has achieved power. If you want to start your career from scratch, then try VirCities, an economic strategy with elements of a simulator of life in a metropolis, where the player will have to conquer the city using all his skills and go interesting way from an ordinary resident to a mayor who runs an entire city.

The main feature of this game is that only other gamers are fighting for a place in the sun with you - in VirCities there are no NPCs at all. And if you win the elections, it means that the majority of the players actually voted for you.

Warhammer 40,000 Series

Release date: 1992-2011

Genre: Real time strategy

The Warhammer 40,000 series is the most popular and one of the best-selling games. Fans are constantly waiting for the release. new game... The most famous is Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player chooses a race (Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Tau, Necrons, Orcs, Chaos, Eldars, new races appear with each game) for which he wants to play, after which he chooses a place on the planet or planets that he wants to capture and fights with the race that owns this earth.

The battle takes place in real time on the terrain on which the battle takes place. Players capture special points that give influence and build generators that give energy, structures, troops are built on these resources and improvements are made. Each race has its own troops, super units and heroes and abilities. The goal of the campaign is to conquer all lands and become the patron saint of all lands.

Civilization Series

Release date: 1991-2013

Genre: Global turn based strategy

In Civilization, a complete model of the development of mankind has been created from the most ancient times to the present. build a spaceship and fly to Alpha Centauri. The strength and development of civilization consists of the development and creation of new cities, the creation of production in the cities of troops, scientific and military research. Also in the game you can create wonders of the world.

For a civilization to flourish, the player must be able to focus and balance between scientific progress, military build-up, treasury replenishment, infrastructure and culture development, diplomatic contacts and trade with other civilizations. The player can take part in the historical events that took place, control the leaders such as Stalin, Napaleon, Ramses II, Catherine II, and so on. Which of the series is the best is hard to say. Someone says that the part is the best, someone that the fourth. Graphic devotees claim that the fifth is the best of the series.

Warcraft iii

Genre: real-time strategy with RPG elements

Popularly, the so-called "Varik" was one of the most anticipated games: more than 4.5 million pre-orders and more than one million copies of the game sold in less than a month, making it the fastest-selling computer game. The game received a large number of positive reviews, many editions awarded the game with the titles "Best Game of the Year" and "Best Strategy of the Year". The game also received high marks from the players.

There are 4 races in the game: Alliance (humans), Undead, Horde (Orcs) and Night Elves. Each race has its own unique heroes who gain experience and a new level in battles. With each level, new abilities of the hero are revealed. Also, heroes can buy or pick up items from killed mobs that improve the combat characteristics of the heroes and the troops surrounding him. On different maps, players capture gold mines and extract forests, use these resources to build a base and units and improve their characteristics.

Heroes of Might and Magic III

Genre: Turn-based strategy with RPG elements

Heroes of Might and Magic III is a turn-based fantasy game, the third part of the series has become cult and has gained many fans around the world. Despite the already outdated graphics, it is still played by thousands of players around the world. The fourth and fifth parts of the game came out with better graphics and improved gameplay, so if you are not a fan of old games and love graphics, then it is best to play the last parts.

The player travels across the global map with heroes who control mythical creatures, exploring new lands, capturing cities and fighting enemies. On the map, the player moves only one hero and can only walk a certain distance or do one or several actions, after which he skips the move and the enemies under the control of the computer make their move. When attacking enemies, you move into combat mode, the army of enemies and your army of creatures stand opposite each other, moving units in turn, you need to destroy the enemies. With the development of cities, you can open up new opportunities and spells. Hire troops.

Starcraft ii

Genre: real time strategy

StarCraft II is the second part of the cult first part that came out back in 1998. The second part of the game became the most anticipated game of the year due to the great popularity of the first part and fully justified its hopes among the players. Many Russian and foreign gaming portals rated the game over 9 points out of 10, and received 9.3 points in the rating of the players.

The plot of the game and all the actions take place in the distant future, or rather the XXVI century in a distant part of the Milky Way galaxy. The three races of Terran, Zerg, and Protoss confront each other. Players extract two types of resources, minerals and vespene gas, for which they then build buildings and hire combat units. The main task is to destroy the enemy base. Each type of unit has its own strengths and weaknesses, therefore, to destroy certain types of enemy troops, you need to hire troops that destroy them well.

Total War series is the best Rome: Total War

Genre: turn based global strategy, real time strategy

Total War rus. "Total War" is a series of games that already has seven games and various additions. Different games cover different time periods and states. The most popular and iconic is Rome: Total War, released in 2004, which takes place in Ancient Rome during the Republic period from 270 BC. NS. until 14 A.D. NS. For example, Shogun: Total War takes place in Japan Shogun: Total War in the 16th century, where ruling dynasties confront each other. Empire: Total War - during the European colonial wars and so on.

The gameplay of the game is very similar to Civilization. The player controls troops, cities and settlements on a global point. After completing all actions, the player skips a turn, after which the competitors controlled by the AI make their move. If you or your enemy attack each other, then you move to the tactical map, where you control all your troops in real mode, attacking them and placing them in convenient positions on the map.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 1,2,3

Release date: 1996 and 2000

Genre: Real time strategy

Red Alert is a game that was released in the last century and captured the minds and souls of gamers all over the world, it is still played by thousands of people, more than 30 million copies sold. The game takes place in an alternate story where allied troops defend Europe from the aggressive Soviet Union. The player can choose one of two warring parties: the Alliance or the USSR. Accordingly, the goal of playing for the Allies is to stop Stalin before he conquered the whole world, for the USSR - to achieve complete capture of Europe. Depending on the side chosen, the player's victory leads to one of two alternative endings.

The battles in the game take place both on land, on water and in the air. Each side can have its own base and can train ground forces, air force and navy. Each side also has unique features. The game mechanics is that now even a simple infantryman can destroy a tank. A tank can easily destroy a machine-gun pillbox, a small group of grenade launchers can just as easily cope with a tank if it is not covered by anti-personnel equipment or its own infantry, which forced the use of various types of troops in battle.

Europa Universalis series

Release date: 2000-2013 r.

Genre: turn-based global strategy,

Continues the series of global strategies Europa Universalis. Like the previous games in the series, the third part invites you to lead one of the states of the world . The essence of the game: to develop national ideas that give the gaming power certain advantages; as new state technologies are discovered, it becomes possible to choose one of the national ideas. The action of the game takes place in real time, but the reaction speed of the player is not required, since at any moment of the game you can pause. The game takes place on a schematic map of the world, divided into more than 1,500 sea and land provinces.

The player can take control of any country that existed in this historical period (about 200 states in total). Under his control are the country's economy, the formation and management of armies and fleets, diplomacy, the introduction of new technologies, the internal policy of the state, the change of state religion and the colonization of new lands.

A feature of the game is the link to the real story (note that in the third part of the series it is no longer attached to the story and the gameplay is more free); there are historical rulers predetermined for each country, each of which has certain abilities that affect the game, who actually existed commanders (such as Suvorov or Napoleon I Bonaparte), pioneers, explorers and navigators (such as Columbus, Ermak and Fernand Magellan ), as well as historical events that usually take place in the same country and at the same time as in real history (for example, in 1517 an event occurs that makes it possible to convert to Protestantism)

Company of Heroes 1.2

Release date: 2006 year

Genre: Real time strategy

The gameplay of Company of Heroes is very similar to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player commands entire squads of fighters, but there are some unique units. Each squad has a life scale (not an individual fighter) and if the life of the squad ends when the squad is damaged, then the entire squad dies. The player can equip infantry units with various weapons, choosing which weapon is more promising in battle. After the death of a detachment, weapons remain that can be picked up and equipped with another detachment. This even applies to stationary weapons such as anti-tank guns, heavy machine guns and mortars.

Each side in the game is divided into three unique directions - infantry, airborne and tank for the Americans and defensive, offensive and propaganda for the Germans, advancement in which gives access to new combat units and attacks (for example, attack aircraft raid). Another important difference is that the squads and units in the game have three levels of experience. After the destruction of the enemy, a new level is obtained that increases damage, speed, health, armor, or the view range of a combat unit, depending on its type.

There are three types of resources in the Game: weapons, fuel and personnel. Personnel are used to build buildings, hire new combat units, both infantry and armored vehicles, fuel, in turn, to build buildings and armored vehicles, and weapons - to provide units with additional weapons, for example, a grenade launcher, for artillery and air strikes, or for so that your technique has new opportunities. Resources are replenished using checkpoints.

Age of empires III

Genre: Real time strategy

Age of Empires III is a strategy game that has earned worldwide recognition for its innovative and fun gameplay. Age of Empires has received great ratings on gaming portals and magazines. A feature of this game is a well-developed artificial intelligence (the enemy is controlled by a computer). The player controls one of the powers (Great Britain, Prussia, Holland, Spain, Portugal, Russian Empire, Ottoman Empire, France), which went to conquer the new world (America).

The main action takes place in the colonies, on the map familiar for such games, but now each power has hometown in the Old World. He serves the sole purpose of helping his colony. There are three resources in the game: food, wood and money. Which are obtained by various buildings. Transitions between eras, five eras: exploration, colonization, fortresses, industrial and empire era. He trains military academies, bandages and sends soldiers to colonies. The infantry depends on the nationality of the city, for the Spaniards it will be rodelier, and for the Russians it will be archers and Cossacks. The academy is also improving the parameters of the troops.

Battles take place in real time. The maximum size of a squad and a group of soldiers, highlighted by a "frame", is 50 units. The shooting infantry has four formations: the usual line, which is convenient for firing in one gulp, the thinned formation, which reduces losses from artillery fire, hand-to-hand combat and squares. The melee infantry has three formations, two of the same, actually melee and square, and a circular formation to cover the shooters. The cavalry learned three formations - all the same close combat and squares, as well as an offensive mode with a reduced speed, but with damage in the area.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Genre: Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics, Tactical RPG

The game is a remake (remake) of the popular and old game X-COM: UFO Defense, released back in 1993. Aliens attack planet Earth and start an alien invasion. The game is played on behalf of the commander of the secret international organization XCOM (a unit for combating aliens), which has the most advanced technology, weapons and scientific developments of mankind. It employs the best specialists the world - military and scientists. The organization must fight against aliens that threaten the existence of human civilization.

The player is provided with the central base of XCOM, from which the strategic leadership of the organization is carried out: monitoring the actions of aliens on the global map of the world using a satellite network, distributing funding for the development of scientific and technical potential, arming and deploying interceptors to destroy flying saucers, as well as conducting military operations against aliens by the forces of existing fighters in ground skirmishes. The base is presented to the player in the form of an "ant farm" - a cut of soil that allows you to look at the premises "from the side".

In a tactical battle, fighters perform up to two actions in turn - dash, shoot, throw a grenade, use a first-aid kit. Each fighter has only three characteristics: accuracy, willpower and health points.
After the first promotion in the rank, the soldier receives a specialization. This can be a stormtrooper, a sniper, a heavy infantry, or a support soldier.

Homeworld

Genre: real time strategy

Sophisticated graphics and three-dimensional game space - the implementation of six degrees of freedom (you can view the battlefield, the combat fleet from different angles), the movement of game objects and the presence of well-thought-out fleet management in three dimensions. A rich and complex storyline that gradually unfolds directly during the game. In the next game mission, the player receives the fleet with which he completed the previous one.

At the beginning of the game, the player can choose a fleet of two races, Kushan, or Taidan: this is not reflected in the further plot in any way, only combat units change. A key feature of both the Kushan and Taidan fleets is the presence of a main mother ship serving as the main base of operations. The mother ship has its own weapons, and a hyperdrive that allows you to traverse a significant amount of space.

The entire space fleet is divided into a combat fleet and a support fleet. The support fleet includes special ships such as a resource collector and controller, a research ship, a probe, a stealth ship detector, and a gravity well generator. The combat fleets are subdivided into classes: Small ships - fighters, corvettes, Heavy ships - frigates, Super heavy ships, Flagships.

Stronghold series

Release date: 2001-2014 m.

Genre: real time strategy

The game system of all games in the series is based on an economic simulator of a medieval city or castle. The games have a number of unique parameters that are characteristic only for the games of the Stronghold series. So, in the first Stronghold, the parameter "popularity" was introduced for the first time, which affects the working capacity and the number of the population. The combat system is standard for strategies - direct control of groups of units. The economic component is one of the main in the games of the series. There are quite complex and long production chains. As a rule, in the games of the series, more attention is paid to the economic rather than the military component of medieval castles.

In all games in the series, except for Stronghold Kingdoms, there are campaigns (a series of story-related missions) and a map editor mode. Stronghold has a single campaign, the rest of the games have multiple campaigns.

In all games, except for Stronghold and Stronghold Kingdoms, it is possible to play against computer opponents on the selected map. In Stronghold and Stronghold 2 there is a siege mode (siege or defense of a castle without running an economy). In the first games of the series (up to Stronghold 2 inclusive), there is a free building mode (conducting an economy without war).

Spore

Genre: Real time strategy, god simulator

Spore game is a simulator of the evolution of life on the planet, as well as a strategy and space simulator. The goal of the game is to develop a creature from a microorganism to an advanced space race. During the passage of the game, it is possible to make changes to the creature, improving its characteristics. Also, as it develops, the player will independently create various vehicles and buildings, or choose ready-made options from the catalog.

At the beginning of the game, a microorganism living in an aquatic environment comes under the control of the player. At this stage, the game - To survive, the microorganism needs to eat pieces of meat or algae, and also try not to be eaten by other carnivores. By eating food, the cell grows and turns into a microorganism. After that, the creature is selected to the ground, where it also develops. Over time, under your leadership there will be a tribe, civilization and space that you will have to manage.

Ground Control 1,2

Release date: 2000, 2004

Genre: Tactical real time strategy

This game was a cutting edge game in its genre and won numerous awards. Ground Control has three-dimensional graphics and a freely rotating camera, allowing the player to watch the battle from any angle. The game completely lacks resource collection, base development and research. The player's goal is to control a limited number of combat units and complete various tasks with their help.

The main goal of the game is to destroy the enemy's troops and buildings using the terrain features and the strengths of your own army. Units include various types of armored vehicles, aircraft and soldiers delivered to the battlefield by orbital shuttles. After the start of the next mission, the player cannot call for reinforcements, which requires a careful selection of combat units and their configuration before the battle.

The most important element of the game is the requirement for a tactical approach in any situation. Each squad has its own distinct strengths and weaknesses. Combat units are united in detachments. The player can only give orders to units, although the units themselves will fight and receive damage separately. There are four categories of units: infantry, armored vehicles, support, and aircraft. The player can choose the configuration of each individual unit before the battle. For example, a Craven Corporation tank unit can exist in four configurations: recon, light, main, and heavy. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, so different configurations are suitable for different tasks.

Tiberium Command & Conquer Series

Release date: 1995-2010

Genre: Real time strategy

a series of successful computer games with the largest sales among strategy series. The game takes place in an alternative temporal reality, conditionally modern ours, in which a war is going on around the world between two global groups - the UN international forces united in the Global Defense Initiative, and the military-religious Brotherhood of Nod, led by its charismatic leader Kane, who are fighting for possession of the alien substance Tiberium, which is slowly spreading throughout the planet.

The gameplay of the game is based on the principle of collecting resources, building a base, and destroying the enemy. Tiberium is the only source of money (credits) in the game. Another important resource in the game is electricity, produced only by power plants. Various structures and units produced by the player together form a technological tree, in which access to technologically more advanced, and, accordingly, more expensive structures and units. The base can be defended by various structures, including defensive fortifications.

Warhammer 40,000 Series

Release date: 1992-2011

Genre: Real time strategy

The Warhammer 40,000 series is the most popular and one of the best-selling games. Fans are constantly waiting for a new game to be released. The most famous is Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player chooses a race (Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Tau, Necrons, Orcs, Chaos, Eldars, new races appear with each game) for which he wants to play, after which he chooses a place on the planet or planets that he wants to capture and fights with the race that owns this earth.

Civilization Series

Release date: 1991-2013

Genre: Global turn based strategy

Warcraft iii

Genre: real-time strategy with RPG elements

Heroes of Might and Magic III

Genre: Turn-based strategy with RPG elements

Starcraft ii

Genre: real time strategy

Total War series is the best Rome: Total War

Genre: turn based global strategy, real time strategy

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 1,2,3

Release date: 1996 and 2000

Genre: Real time strategy

Europa Universalis series

Release date: 2000-2013 r.

Genre: turn-based global strategy,

Company of Heroes 1.2

Release date: 2006 year

Genre: Real time strategy

Age of empires III

Genre: Real time strategy

The main action takes place in the colonies, on a map familiar to similar games, but now each power has a hometown in the Old World. He serves the sole purpose of helping his colony. There are three resources in the game: food, wood and money. Which are obtained by various buildings. Transitions between eras, five eras: exploration, colonization, fortresses, industrial and empire era. He trains military academies, bandages and sends soldiers to colonies. The infantry depends on the nationality of the city, for the Spaniards it will be rodelier, and for the Russians it will be archers and Cossacks. The academy is also improving the parameters of the troops.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Genre: Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics, Tactical RPG

The game is a remake (remake) of the popular and old game X-COM: UFO Defense, released back in 1993. Aliens attack planet Earth and start an alien invasion. The game is played on behalf of the commander of the secret international organization XCOM (unit for combating aliens), which has the most advanced technology, weapons and scientific developments of mankind. It employs the best specialists in the world - military and scientists. The organization must fight against aliens that threaten the existence of human civilization.

Homeworld

Genre: real time strategy

Stronghold series

Release date: 2001-2014 m.

Genre: real time strategy

Spore

Genre: Real time strategy, god simulator

Ground Control 1,2

Release date: 2000, 2004

Genre: Tactical real time strategy

Tiberium Command & Conquer Series

Release date: 1995-2010

Genre: Real time strategy

Friends, hello everyone. The Gamebizclub team is on the air, and today we will continue to acquaint you with the genres of the world of computer games. At the end of May, we dived into and showed 12 of the best games in this genre. And in this article, we will tell you in detail about the best strategy games on PC over the past few years and compose our top best games in this genre.

It would seem that making ratings is not difficult. It is worth taking a list of your favorite games, choosing the best ones and putting them in order. We would have done so, if not for one nuance - the Gamebizclub team gathered people who found Warcraft 1 and Heroes of Might and Magic.

Since then, a lot of games have been released, one way or another, we managed to play most of them and form our opinion. Therefore, we made a plausible rating taking into account all opinions - re-tested old games and new products, refreshed the memory. And here's what happened.

In this article, you will learn:

14. DEFCON

The last place in our ranking goes to DEFCON, a nuclear strike tactics game released in 2006. The name translates as "readiness for defense" - this is the actual scale of the readiness of the US Army for possible hostilities.

DEFCON is based on the plot of the American film "War Games", which shows the global nuclear conflict between the USA and the USSR. Not only the events of the game, but also its style echoes the film, as evidenced by the motto “Everybody dies” (translated as “Everyone will die”).

In DEFCON, you will not be able to create units, gather resources and develop technologies. But you can choose the location of forces on the territory of North or South America, Europe, Russia, Africa or Asia. The game starts when the DEFCON scale shows an alarm level of 5. Then you successively go to the next levels. All this time, the conflict is developing, the tension is growing. When the level reaches 1, you can start a nuclear attack.

The main goal is to inflict damage on the enemy, avoiding your own losses. There are no moral restrictions, so you should only follow your own considerations, desires and emotions. Up to 6 people can participate in the game. Nuclear missiles of various types, fighters, bombers, submarines, aircraft carriers, cruisers, airfields, and radars are used as combat units.

DEFCON is like a real command post, where the president of the country sits and plans military action. There is nothing superfluous - just a map, marks of friendly and enemy troops, the most important targets and cities. And you can do whatever comes to mind: enter the role of the main villain, save peoples and countries, destroy cities and entire regions with one click.

The only negative outweighing all the advantages is that DEFCON does not have a graphics engine. Despite the interesting gameplay, after a while the process of exchanging nuclear warheads gets bored - it becomes boring to move warheads and combat vehicles around the map, destroy secondary countries, and so on.

And all because there are no special effects and any kind of accompaniment. Therefore, it will be suitable instead of a sapper or any other game with low requirements - it takes only 60 MB on your hard disk and will run on any PC.

13. Dune

In thirteenth place is the Dune series of games about the world of Arrakis, which became one of the first real-time strategy games. Dune was released in 1992 on the Sega console, and after a while it became available on the PC. At the time, it was a breakthrough that could only be repeated three years later.

Interesting fact: on behalf of the publishing company Virgin Interactive, two independent developers worked simultaneously on the creation of the game. The French company Cryo Interactive released the game first. American Westwood Studios - a little later. Therefore, the name of the game from Westwood Studios has the number "2".

The plot is based on Frank Herbert's science fiction novel "Dune". In the process of passing you will meet with the main characters, take the role of the leader of one of the great houses and conquer the planet Arrakis.

The only drawback is that the events of the book and the game are weakly connected, the gameplay is based on missions to clear the territory from the enemy and extract a useful resource.

In the struggle for dominance on the planet, three great houses clashed - Atreides, Harkonnen and Ordos. Each house has its own pros and cons unique technologies and powerful leaders.

You can choose any house, but then you cannot change it. After choosing, you will be taken to the battlefield, you will command an army, build a base, extract resources and destroy the enemy. It is important - in order to win, you need to destroy all opponents on the map.

For example, if you defeated the enemy base, but one soldier is hiding in the corner of the map and is constantly moving, you will not win until you destroy him.

Dune pioneered the approach that became the foundation of the RTS genre. This is a global map, economic model, command bar and mini-map in the user interface, "fog of war" and different capabilities of the opposing sides.

In 1998, a remake called Dune 2000 was released, and in 2001 the developers continued the series by releasing Emperor: Battle for Dune. Unfortunately, after that, not a single game about Dune appeared again. 15 years have passed, but the series remains only in the memory of the most devoted fans - therefore, only the penultimate place.

12. Age of Empires

We give the twelfth place to Age of Empires, which became the basis for many RTS that came out after it. The first part was released in 1997, and since that time Microsoft Game Studios has released 8 games and 4 add-ons to them. The series also includes Age of Empires Online (MMORTS).

In Age of Empires, you will find yourself as the leader of one of 16 civilizations, reflecting a specific architectural style: Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, Asian and Roman. By completing missions and developing, you will move from era to era - from the Stone to the Iron Age.

Civilization develops through the construction of buildings, technology research and war, where without it. Besides you, there will be several more civilizations on the map competing for resources. Therefore, you will constantly fight - defend yourself behind walls or attack the enemy.

The game contains campaigns, including educational ones. The learning process is based on 12 scenarios explaining game process... This will help you quickly master the basics of control, work effectively with units and fully use the camera. Other campaigns consist of different missions in which you will defend in a fortified fort, attack castle walls, and much more.

Multiplayer is available for a maximum of eight people. To play online, you can choose with whom to fight - with bots or other people. If you choose a mode with other users, you will get the opportunity to make an alliance, declare war on the chosen enemy, or take a neutral position.

Age of Empires doesn't need a powerful computer. Even with the most modest configuration, the game looks realistic, and the image pleases the eye when zoomed in.

For many people, Age of Empires has become a guide to the world of strategies. But the series gradually faded away and lost popularity - the third part was released back in 2005, and there is still no full fourth part, if you do not take into account AoE Online. Therefore, we recommend the game to those who want to see the beginning of the RTS era.

11. Star Wars: Empire at War

In eleventh place, Star Wars: Empire at War is a 2006 game based on the setting of the world famous Star Wars saga. The plot is based on episodes 4, 5 and 6 of Star Wars, namely on civil war between rebels and imperials.

You will find yourself in the role of a commander of one of the parties, you will manage the fleet, command in battles with opponents, destroy bases and much more. The storyline consists of missions in which you will meet famous heroes - Darth Vader, Palpatine, Firmus Piett, Han Solo, Boba Fett, Chewbacca and other characters.

Each character gives certain bonuses, and if necessary, you can hire additional supporting characters - agents, smugglers and others.

Star Wars: Empire at War consists of two parts:

Conquest of the galaxy is a global strategy game on the galaxy map. In this mode, you will control the planets under your control, study (or steal) technologies, seize strategic resources, attack and defend.
Tactical mode - consists of space and ground operations. You will spend a lot of time in this mode, because a lot will depend on the outcome of the battle. It is here that you will see the main combat vehicles, infantry and ships of the two sides, you will be able to show command skills and win.

The main thing is to choose right side... The Imperials have more opportunities to master new technologies, improve weapons and ships. And the rebels cannot do science, but they know how to steal the technological achievements of the Empire.

Become the lord of the galaxy with Darth Vader or free the planets from the tyranny of the Empire with Luke and his friends. Choose a side and go to battle. You will definitely like it.

Star Wars is a hugely popular project by George Lucas. Therefore, it is not surprising that many interesting games, but we still haven't seen the continuation of Empire at War, which is a pity. Only the eleventh place in our rating, we are moving on.

10. World in Conflict: Soviet Assault

The top ten is closed by World in Conflict: Soviet Assault - a real-time strategy released in 2009 and continuing the events that happened in World in Conflict. In other words, the developers took World in Conflict and added 6 new missions - the game became one and a half times longer.

Gamebizclub opinion: in our opinion, this is the best strategy about the beginning of the Third World War. Events begin with the fall of the Berlin Wall, which is being destroyed by Russian tanks. Soviet troops begin an offensive along the entire front and arrange a meat grinder for NATO forces.

You will find yourself in the role of a Soviet paratrooper and unit commander, who stood at the forefront of the attack, destroying enemy soldiers and equipment. Indescribable feelings!

Combat operations take place either on the territory of Berlin or in the countryside, where one has to fight with NATO troops. You can also command an artillery battery and provide air escort for the convoy.

Each mission has a specific plot, but the main thing is that there is no need to build a base. You command a limited number of troops, but you can request reinforcements.

The developers could not avoid stereotypes about Russians - the representations of Americans, British, Germans and other peoples are very noticeable and often hurt the eyes. Therefore, in dialogues, sometimes there is a feeling of unreality of what is happening until the hostilities begin.

You can also choose the side of NATO - in this case, the plot will begin on the territory of the United States, where you will defend the cities and the coast. Gradually, you will push back the troops of the USSR and move to Europe. Let's add that both storylines are inextricably linked, so the side you choose will win.

The game attracts with a sharp plot, large-scale battles that take place not only close, but throughout the map - it creates the feeling that you are participating in a large-scale military operation. It all looks very realistic, as if they really were in the center of the battle.

World in Conflict: Soviet Assault is in tenth place only because we did not see the continuation of this series. The game should be on the shelf of every fan of the genre - it's 100%.

9. Stronghold

In ninth place is the Stronghold series of games - a strategy about the Middle Ages, Crusades, knights and kings. The first part of Stronghold was released in 2001, and the last Stronghold 3 in 2011. We add that in 2010 the developers released the first MMORTS - Stronghold Kingdoms, where the game became available online against other people.

The action takes place during the early Middle Ages, so you will enter the role of a baron or a count - you will build a castle, develop production, establish settlements and fight the enemy. Depending on the part you choose, you will be taken to the territory of Europe or Palestine.

Strongold Crusader takes place in the hot lands of Palestine. In the role of a crusader, you will build and defend a castle, establish production, attack the impregnable fortifications of the desert warriors.

Stronghold 3 takes place in Europe. The plot begins seven years later, after the end of the events of the first part.

The series became successful due to the combination of economic strategy and medieval surroundings. You can build your own castle, lay siege to your neighbor's castle, pour boiling oil and resin over the storming ones - all the medieval romance is present. But before the outbreak of hostilities, it will be necessary to provide the rear with food and develop production, so that everything will be enough for the duration of the war.

Computer opponents are controlled by artificial intelligence - like you, they extract resources, build castles, form their own army and start a war. And in multiplayer, you will be opposed by those people whom you invite to the game - friends, acquaintances or family members.

8. Heroes of Might and Magic III

In eighth place - one of the best turn-based Heroes strategies of Might and Magic III. Despite the fact that the game was released back in 1999, it still remains the most revered in the turn-based strategy genre. And the following parts of "Heroes", released after it, could not surpass the third part.

The game takes place in a fantasy world where dragons, elves, goblins, gnomes and many other mythical creatures exist. You will lead one of the factions, command a squad, capture and manage cities, explore the world.

The adventure map is difficult to pass in places. Movement in the game world is not always predictable - there are territories where it is very difficult to get and you have to follow an unobvious path.

One of the main tasks is the development of cities in such a way that they bring income, provide combat power and give power to magic spells. If the city is well developed, then it brings enough gold, allows you to hire a strong army to capture adjacent territories and destroy the enemy.

As it should be in a turn-based strategy, time in the game flows discretely. The main unit of time is a move, which is also called a day. During a turn, you can perform a certain number of actions - make a move with heroes, plan the construction of a building, and so on.

And in battle, the actions take place in turn and resemble a chess game. Each unit has a certain amount of action points, type of attack and amount of health. The stronger the unit, the harder it hits and the harder it is to kill. The troops are led by a hero who, upon victory, gains experience and artifacts from defeated enemies.

Heroes of Might and Magic 3 is available in single and multiplayer games. Although multiplayer - loudly said. The first mode is called "Hot Seat" and is translated as a hot seat - two people at the same computer take turns making moves and finding out who is stronger.

The second mode is network. It is necessary to create a separate "room" and give the address of this room to friends and acquaintances. Then you can not sit on the same chair, but really chop on the net.

In 2015, the Heroes of Might and Magic III HD version was released - a remake popular game made for a mid-range PC. We advise everyone - HoMM should be on the shelf of every fan of turn-based strategies. And we move on.

7. Command & Conquer

In seventh place is the famous Command & Conquer - a real-time strategy game about the confrontation between the NoD brotherhood and the World Defense Initiative (if translated into modern realities - Terrorists and the Security Service).

The first part was released back in 1995, and the last on this moment was released in 2013. Note that the first part, along with Dune, became the basis for the RTS genre. But when compared to the world of Arrakis, the "Command and Conquer" saga lasted much longer. The two games have one developer - Westwood Studios, so it is quite possible that Dune decided to sacrifice in favor of the more popular C&C.

The Command & Conquer universe includes 3 story sub-series: Tiberium, Red Alert, and Generals. There are 15 games in total.

The C&C plot is based on the conflict around tiberium - an alien substance sent to Earth by aliens in a meteor shower. This substance extracts minerals, it can be used as an energy source, and in general, tiberium is a valuable element.

World governments consolidate and begin to mine tiberium. At the same time, terrorists are also beginning to extract it, as a result, they are rapidly gaining strength and receive financial injections from countries where there is no Tiberium.

After a while, IVZ decides to put an end to NoD, but that was not the case - the Brotherhood strikes back and a long and exhausting confrontation begins.

You can become a member of the terrorist brotherhood NoD, which seeks to take over the world. But if high ideals are closer, it is worth choosing IVZ. Although the main emphasis is not on the side of the conflict, but on how you will command in battle.

Each game has missions to complete and achieve the set objectives. In principle, everything is simple - build a base, mine tiberium, recruit troops and build military equipment. And then you send an army to attack and command how, where and whom to destroy. Easy?

But the enemy does not sleep, so it is never easy. You will be constantly attacked and tried to smash the base, attack from unexpected directions and deprive you of the opportunity to earn money. Therefore, you need to constantly be prepared for surprise attacks by the enemy, which suddenly appears in the most vulnerable places. The main factor of victory is not superiority in combat power, but the absence of blunders.

It is not known what will happen to the C&C series next. Four years have passed, but there is still no intelligible news and comments. Although there are still many fans of the game who continue to hone their skills in online battles. Therefore, so far only the seventh place.

6. Civilization

We decided to give the sixth place to Civilization - a turn-based strategy about the development of mankind on Earth. The game, created by Sid Meier back in 1991, and its subsequent remakes have been and remain the flagship of the turn-based strategy genre.

Now 6 parts have already been released with modifications and additions. The civilization has received a number of awards and is inducted into the Video Game Hall of Fame. More than 9 million copies sold in various countries - a great success, confirmed by numerous critics from around the world.

The main task is to develop the chosen civilization, from primitive society to modern times. Become Stalin and rule Russia, or take the place of Napoleon, Ramses, George Washington and lead your people on the path to prosperity.

To achieve power and prosperity, you need to build cities, engage in economics and science, create technology and wonders of the world, build up military power, establish diplomatic relations with other civilizations and fight with competitors.

In general, everything is as in real life- put yourself in the shoes of a president or a dictator. Events take place on a given map of the world, chosen randomly or exactly repeating the Earth.

The development of civilization involves settlers, military men, diplomats and other characters (units). You can change the political regime, choosing despotism, monarchy, democracy, communism, republic. The higher the chosen difficulty level, the better you need to plan your actions.

The easiest way is to be a leader - opponents hardly interfere. And the most difficult thing is to be a deity, in this case the whole world will take up arms against you and will constantly put a spoke in the wheels - declare war, suddenly attack, ravage and destroy cities, and so on.

The score is determined according to the results of the game. When calculating points, the number of the population, the number of created wonders of the world and other criteria are taken into account.

Editors' opinion: there were funny moments in the early versions of Civilization. If one people significantly outstripped others in development and began to fight, then its tanks and infantry clashed with knights, swordsmen, crossbowmen and other units of the Middle Ages, and sometimes antiquity. And often tanks lost when several units of earlier eras attacked simultaneously. In Civilization VI, the developers improved the balance, but moments still arise - with a coordinated attack, crossbowmen and catapults can destroy a tank.

The main feature of the game is the opportunity to see the development of civilization, take part in this process and rewrite history. Imagine the Aztecs launch the first satellite into space, the Egyptians are building the Pentagon in Cairo, the Romans are launching the Stealth bomber.

Anything is possible within the framework of game mechanics. The last part of the game at the moment was released in 2016, and the continuation should be expected in 2019-2020.

5. Total War

Fifth place, we decided to give Total War - a series of historical games where tactics and strategy are organically combined. In the series itself - 10 parts and 7 additions. The first part was created in 2000, and the last one is currently out in 2016 under the name Total War: WARHAMMER.

The main feature of Total War is the transfer in time to a specific era in the development of mankind. In the story, you will find yourself in Japan during the Warring States era, in Europe during the Napoleonic era, in the Middle Ages and earlier. In the role of Attila you will conquer the European continent, in the role of Charlemagne you will create an invincible empire, in the role of Peter the Great you will bring Russia to the level of the leading world powers.

To describe Total War in a nutshell, the most appropriate are big battles. In addition to capturing cities, forging economic ties and production cycles you will fight. The war consists of many battles of different scales, and you will command an army in each of them. Sieges of castles, defense of cities, ambushes and wall-to-wall battles - there is everything that fans of the genre need.

In the strategic mode, battles are fought on a global turn-based map, where cities, armies, territorial boundaries, valuable resources and roads are marked. And in tactical mode, you are transported to the battlefield, to a real area with hills, trees, buildings and other details of the landscape.

If you get tired of constant battles - click "automatic calculation of results". With a great superiority of your army, the enemy will be defeated without your participation.

But if the forces are equal or the enemy is outnumbered, then you cannot do without your participation. In "automatic calculation of totals" you will most likely lose, but in manual mode there is a chance to win. Moreover, it often happens that a smaller army first defends itself, and then successfully advances and cuts out the fleeing enemy troops - but only if you command the army.

Defeats also happen, so where can we go without them. But after every defeat, you will learn to think and accept. non-standard solutions, control the troops more efficiently and skillfully use the landscape features.

Let's give an example - if you are defending a city, then you have to sit outside the walls and not make sorties. But if the enemy let the army down too quickly, and the siege equipment is only on the way and slowly moves along the walls - boldly lead the commander and cavalry units into the attack, try to destroy the siege towers and the ram first. Without them, the enemy will not fight much.

In major battles, armies of several thousand people clash. Considering that most armies have the maximum number of units (15-20 depending on the version of the game), several units of the maximum size take part in the largest battles - this is enough to cover half the map with the bodies of fallen soldiers.

You could write a lot about Total War, but we will say this - do you want to become Tsar Leonidas and lead the Spartans? So do it. You can take more people into battle than 300 elite fighters. And in the end, kick one place for Xerxes, completely changing the course of history. Therefore, Total War is in the top five.

4. Halo Wars 2

The fourth place goes to Halo Wars 2 - the continuation of the saga about the war between people and alien invaders. The series, developed by Microsoft, has been trending for over 15 years. Several dozen books and one film have already been released on the plot of the game, and this is not the end. The series is developing, and after a while we will see a continuation in the form of a shooter, and maybe another film.

And now the backstory: in the distant future, humans populated many planets and controlled a large swath of space until they collided with the Covenant empire. The collision took place on the outskirts of "human space" and ended with the destruction of several patrol corvettes and a planet with a population of ten million people.

Since that moment, the events have developed badly for people - dozens of lost systems, hundreds of millions of ruined lives and the loss of half of the fleet. In such a situation, KKON decides to send the colonial ship "Spirit of Fire" to an unexplored sector of space for colonization.

Halo Wars 2 begins with people waking up from a cryo sleep at The Ark, a space structure created by a mysterious ancient race. When landing on a space object, the soldiers collide with the army of the Covenants - the war overtakes the colonists.

Battles break out throughout the "Arch", both sides lose soldiers and equipment. The conflict is developing rapidly, and only you can defeat the enemy.

The gameplay in Halo Wars 2 is not very different from other strategies - building a base, collecting energy and supplies (they can be collected by ordinary soldiers), forming an army and fighting. That said, Halo Wars 2 is a story-driven game in which you participate.

There are many additional assignments to be performed. For example, in one task you will destroy the enemy with one Spartan with a machine gun, push power shields and freeing the captives - every mission like that.

Microsoft made more than just RTS, but a high budget strategy. The graphics and image quality look amazing - the soldiers, equipment, buildings and other details are made to a very high level. And you will remember the local beauty for a long time. This is a proprietary Halo feature that Microsoft is actively developing.

Halo Wars 2 is a stunningly beautiful strategy game that you can play for hours without stopping. It will go to Xbox One and PC. That being said, there is one small drawback. For PC owners, it may seem that tasks are being completed too quickly. I would like to put it in the top three, but in terms of "legendary" it loses to more successful strategies. Let's move on to them.

3. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III

We decided to give the bronze to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III - an epic strategy about the war of the empire of people against other races in space. Since its release in 2004, 3 parts of the game have already appeared, and the last one was released on April 27, 2017.

The world of the War Hammer is very large. Everything in it is tied to a tough confrontation between several races - people, orcs, elves, chaos, necromancers and other factions. Moreover, each faction has its own policy, troops, development path and other features that make it different from the rest.

The events of the plot unfold on the surface of the planets, where representatives of different races collide in a bloody battle. As a result, only one winner remains, and the rest are ruthlessly destroyed.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 3 entered the top three, and this is justified - the game is new, made at a very high level, and the plot continues the established traditions of the Warhammer series. The graphics and design of locations and nature, combat vehicles and infantry, buildings and heroes are pleasing to the eye - if you have a widescreen monitor, you seem to be transported into the distant future. But in the gameplay, little has changed - this is still a strategy performed in the classic style.

On the battlefield, you will build a base, recruit infantry and build combat vehicles, form units and throw them into battle with the enemy. Try to take into account the vulnerabilities of each fighter or combat vehicle: light BMs lose to heavy ones, anti-tank squads will quickly multiply the coolest tank by zero, but are vulnerable to infantry, and infantry is afraid of snipers and light vehicles. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

There is also an interesting feature - for the first time, unique super-heavy warriors appeared that turn the battle upside down. Phantom Knight for the Eldar, Imperial Knight for Humans, and Orcish Stompa for Orcs. But they appear closer to the end of the plot, so it won't be possible to steer them for a long time.

Multiplayer - in the classic 1v1, 2v2, and so on. It's simple - choose a race, build a base and try to quickly take out your opponents. Well, or they endure you, it all depends on the skill.

Overall, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III is pure drive. The plot and battles are captivating and literally do not leave the monitor screen. In the heat of battle, you don't even have time to pay attention to the bloopers in the voice acting and the phrases of the heroes. For example, imagine orcs speaking normal Russian - a fantastic sight. Bronze - well-deserved, let's move on.

2. StarCraft II

Second place goes to StarCraft II, a popular real-time strategy game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The first part of the game, called Wings of Liberty, was released in 2010, and in 2013 and 2015 - the second and third add-ons Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void.

StarCraft 2 is the premier strategy game in esports. Starcraft championships are held regularly, the winners receive valuable prizes. Note that the game is inferior in popularity to other representatives of esports - CS: GO, Dota 2, League of Legends.

Still, she has millions of fans from different countries, and the first day after the release of Legacy of the Void, sales amounted to more than 1 million. Simply put, StarCraft II remains very popular.

Time and place of action - a distant part of the Milky Way, XXVI century. The plot is built on war three races- Protoss, Zerg, Terran. Terrans are the descendants of exiled criminals who have severed all ties with their home planet. Zerg are mutated creatures from various planets ruled by the Overmind and the Queen of Blades. Protoss are representatives of a high-tech civilization with psionic abilities.

StarCraft 2 is a classic strategy game. Choosing one of the races, you will build a base and combat units, extract resources, develop technologies, form armies and participate in battles. To win, you must destroy buildings, the main base and destroy all enemies.

For example, if at least one builder survives, then after five or ten minutes of the game you run the risk of running into the second base of the enemy, who will have time to prepare for the defense.

In single-player mode, you will follow the storyline, complete 26 missions, meet the main characters and get used to the gameplay. In addition to the plot, you can pass tests that require special ingenuity. If you pass successfully, you will receive a medal. After everything has passed, you can proceed to multiplayer.

Players from the CIS, USA, Asia and Europe can take part in the network game. Here you can make friends, organize a clan (online community), participate in tournaments and make your way to the big championship. The better your skill, the more chances you have to win something. If you want to achieve good results, train on different maps, communicate with people and see what professional players are doing.

Starcraft II should be on every fan of the genre's list of games. It will stay on trend for a few more years, and then Blizzard will surpass themselves and release the third part. Bliz did this before - an example of Diablo before their eyes. Now let's move on to the winner of our rating.

1. Warcraft III

Gold goes to the legendary Warcraft III, a real-time strategy and RPG made in the fantasy genre. Blizzard Entertainment developed and released the game in 2002, with sales exceeding 2 million copies in its first month. We put Warcraft III first for just one reason, which is called the best game in every sense.

To be clear, Warcraft has long established the principles of RTS and RPG that remain relevant 15 years later. All modern RPGs and MMORPGs with an open world in one way or another use the development system laid down by Warcraft 3.

Fantasy races, an interesting plot, combat and magic mechanics - all this organically combines and makes you come back to the game again and again. And it is no coincidence that World of Warcraft and Dota 2 remain in the top - they continue the genre laid down in the third Warcraft.

We add that the plot of the game was filmed, released in 2016. The box office grossed more than $ 300 million in several months of rental worldwide - this is a great success that very few people can repeat.

We figured out the popularity, now let's talk about the gameplay and the fundamental differences from other strategies.

Warcraft III is a classic strategy game with RPG elements. Everything from strategy here: from building a base and recruiting an army to tactics of battles on the map. You have a small army at your disposal, limited by the number of farms that produce food for it.

Workers extract gold in mines, cut wood and build structures - barracks, farms, workshops and other buildings. And the RPG component is about leveling up the heroes.

According to the plot, in each task you control a hero who increases the level by destroying the enemy, uses artifacts, applies powerful abilities and spells. The higher the level of the hero, the stronger he is and the more powerful the damage from his abilities.

The plot is based on a bloody confrontation between two races - humans and orcs. There are also night elves, gnomes, undead and other races that influence the balance of power in battle. Someone will be your ally, someone will show fierce resistance and will be destroyed - it all depends on the side chosen.

Fighting takes place on maps - in locations with forests, rivers, lakes, mines and neutral characters. The picture quality may seem a little dated, but this is the level of 2002 when the PC requirements were very different. But W3 will run on any computer, plus you can hack over the network with other people from different countries. There are still enough fans of the game.

Warcraft 3 should be a favorite of every strategy fan. Best of the Best - just like that and nothing else. And we are waiting for news about Warcraft 4, rumors have been circulating for two years, and Blizzards are silent.

Summing up

Despite the fact that the strategy genre is gradually losing ground, there are still decent strategies like Halo Wars 2 or Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 3. And we see a new trend - developers are trying to make games interesting. The new games feature an exciting plot, elaborate unit models and beautiful location designs.

Let's see what will happen in two or three years - perhaps we will see a really interesting and exciting strategy and we will definitely write about it. Good luck to everyone, bye-bye.

The genre that will be discussed today can hardly be called super popular among gamers, but every year new turn-based strategies and RTS come out in which you can fight other nations, tribes or aliens. Moreover, among the thousands of custom-made games, there are those that every self-respecting gamer should play. Here are the Top 20 best strategies in history.

Cities: Skylines

Until last year, SimCity 4 was considered the best city-building simulator. In 2013, EA tried to restart the franchise, but it was in for a real fiasco: fans were unhappy with many bugs and the unsatisfactory scale of the new game. After the release of Cities: Skylines in 2015, gamers forgot about the existence of SimCity: the new project impressed with its scale, customization capabilities, and a high level of detail of cities. Moreover, the developers have released an official modding toolkit, allowing gamers to modify the game as they please. Users immediately began to release mods, thanks to which new modes, types of buildings, interchanges, cars and much more appeared in the game.

In September, the first update for Cities: Skylines was released, adding a dynamic change of the time of day, as well as making the economic model more complex and realistic.

Endless legend

Global strategy, which organically combines elements of fantasy and science fiction, gives gamers the opportunity to play as a race of carnivorous insects, the Necrophages, and strange Cultists expanding their domains by “absorbing” other factions. A total of 8 races are available in the game with unique features and mechanics.

The plot of the project resembles in some moments “Game of Thrones” - gamers have to fight for survival in the dark era of the sunset of the planet Auriga - a harsh winter comes unexpectedly and brings death to all races. The game has all the elements of a classic strategy - a huge game world, a developed technology tree, scarce resources, a system of diplomacy and trade. The developers have provided for many main and secondary quests.

Crusader kings ii

Another global strategy in a medieval setting. Gamers are reincarnated as a monarch, striving with all his might to expand his influence in medieval Europe (covers the period 769 - 1453). To achieve this goal, he weaves complex intrigues, treacherously attacks his closest allies, does not hesitate to kill friends and relatives if they get in his way. The game is designed for thoughtful gamers who like to spend hours navigating complex menus, as well as exploring the terrain on the maps before bloody battles.

At the center of the project are not abstract nations and states, but dynasties. In the game, you can find many real-life historical characters, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses. Over time, players become attached to members of the dynasty, who grow up, marry, give birth to children, and die.

Civilization v

There is hardly a gamer in the world who would not have heard of this game. Civilization is the most famous, popular and successful global strategy game in the history of gaming. The developers have added to the game many mechanisms, heroes, resources, units, technologies that make it exciting and dynamic. At the same time, the authors did not bother with realism: for example, the Mongols and Aztecs can become the most highly developed nations, and the bloodthirsty Gandhi can be the first to press the "nuclear button" and start a war of all against all. However, this antihistorical and absurd scenarios make the game a real hit.

The game will have to make difficult decisions on the development of the economy, military and social spheres, to choose a political regime. All of this has a decisive impact on the reputation and development trajectory of the nation. The graphics of Civilization V have been significantly improved over the previous series, and the redesigned combat system makes battles fun. In addition, strategy fans are constantly uploading new mods and maps to Steam, so you can enjoy the game endlessly.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

In many aspects, Dawn of War is a traditional RTS - gamers have to build a base, extract resources, and repel enemy attacks. At the same time, you can already see the elements that will soon appear in Company of Heroes in the game: new mechanics, factions, unit morale and much more.

Most of all in Dawn of War is attracted by the tension that permeates all missions: you need to constantly move forward, capture and hold territories. At the same time, the generators and strategic resources of the captured points are rapidly depleting. Therefore, players often do not have time to catch their breath - they need to be in motion all the time.

The Dark Crusade update introduces new factions and unique mechanics: gamers can play as Eldar, Orcs and the Imperial Guard.

Total War: Shogun 2

The sequel to the popular RTS can be called the most successful Total War game. The Creative Assembly took into account the mistakes made in the previous project - Empire, which was an ambitious project with a bunch of bugs, and decided to polish the gameplay of Shogun 2 to perfection. She succeeded brilliantly: the Shogun map is diverse and will make gamers solve many tactical puzzles. At the same time, it is relatively small, which will undoubtedly appeal to fans of battles.

Visually speaking, Shogun II is by far the most engaging game in the series. Sure, Rome and Attila boast significantly more realistic graphics, but Shogun II has something much more important - a unique style. Large-scale battles are decided in individual duels, and cherry blossom petals fly over the battlefield.

Modders have released many new maps, modes and updates for Shogun 2.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown / Within

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a turn-based strategy game in which gamers confront an alien invasion. Players send squads of six elite fighters to battle with alien squads. Battles unfold in fields, cities and aboard spaceships.

The central base of XCOM is like an ant farm, which has a science department (responsible for the development of technology), a medical unit (in which characters recover from battles), and an intelligence department (where gamers monitor the movements of aliens). Players decide for themselves whether to invest available funds in the development of new types of weapons, the deployment of interceptors or the conduct of military operations.

Thanks to the Enemy Within update, which came out a year after the release of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, a new faction - the EXALTA terrorists - was added to the game, as well as new mechanics.

Starcraft ii

Sci-fi RTS StarCraft 2 is a game about a confrontation between cowboys in iron armor, hideous aliens and space elves. This is a classic real-time strategy game in which you need to collect resources, build armies and try to kill your opponent before he kills you. Often times, the fate of a battle is decided by a single strategic coup or a series of quick mouse clicks.

Multiplayer is the most important aspect of StarCraft 2. Playing against humans is much more difficult than against AI: they control units faster and make better decisions. StarCraft 2 hosts many tournaments, and an esports community has quickly formed around the RTS.

The single-player mode is just as interesting: Blizzard has developed many interesting missions. In 2015, the last part of the StarCraft 2 trilogy, Legacy of the Void, was released.

Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault

In Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault, US military forces fight against German forces for control of the Ardennes, a strategic mountain range. Unlike the original game and the sequel, in Ardennes Assault, gamers will have to go through three non-linear campaigns that unfold on a strategic map. German troops are in constant motion, so battles can be replayed several times, and each time they will take place in a different way.

You can only play as Americans: in each of the three companies you can upgrade the skills of the characters. Unlike previous projects, in Ardennes Assault, the results of battles affect the entire campaign: if in one of the battles players have lost several fighters at once, they will start the next battle with a smaller personnel.

Age of empires ii

Many gamers have started their careers with this classic RTS: Age of Empires II is easy to learn, fun and dynamic. Users start the campaign with only a few workers, but after an hour of play, they will have a huge city built. In the game you need to get food, wood, gold and stone, construct buildings, create your own army.

The project covers the era from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Gamers can go through many campaigns, create their own maps, choose from 13 factions ... in general, Age of Empires II will not get bored even after a few dozen hours of gameplay.

In 2013, Hidden Path Entertainment released the HD version of the game on Steam. The remake has a multiplayer mode and support for mods.

Wargame: AirLand Battle

The Wargame: AirLand Battle project combines elements of the RTS and war game genres: gamers will have to think over the route of movement of units, as well as participate in fierce battles. The game is a sequel to Wargame: European Escalation, dedicated to the confrontation between NATO and the Warsaw Pact countries during the Cold War.

The authors have carefully worked on the detailing of the battlefields and special effects. On the strategic map, gamers control the course of hostilities, giving orders for the movement of units and seizing new territories. However, the highlight of Wargame: AirLand Battle is definitely the ability to fly one of the hundreds of military vehicles to choose from. The developers tried to reflect in the game the unique characteristics of the vehicles, their strengths and weaknesses. As part of the multiplayer mode, you can take part in 10 vs 10 battles.

Tropico 4

Tropico 4 is an atmospheric city building simulator. Gamers transform into the dictator of a fictional island state, who must lead his people to greatness.

Gamers themselves choose the path to prosperity: you can mercilessly exploit natural resources and turn the island into an industrialized state, or attract tourists, taking care of the flora and fauna. Or combine both strategies. Each of the decisions of the players entails certain consequences: for example, if you agree to accept migrants, you will need to provide them with housing and work, and for this you need to improve the economy and the service industry.

With the growth of the economic power of the state, it will become necessary to negotiate with the leading world powers - the USA, Russia, China and the EU, each of which will try to influence the processes unfolding on the island. They will offer money in exchange for building a military base or disposing of waste.

All in all, this is an extremely addicting game: the elements of a city-building simulator are perfectly combined with economic and political aspects.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion

In Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, just like any other similar game, you need to colonize planets, build an economy, establish relationships with other races. However, the main focus is on large-scale space battles. They look incredibly impressive: battles take place in 3D, the hulls of ships are torn from the hits of missiles and lasers, and traces of shots cut through the black space of space.

There will always be a lot of movement in the game: scouts will fly from planet to planet in search of new resources and worlds, merchant ships will transport goods, and military cruisers will repel attacks from opponents or Pirates.

The game itself is quite difficult, even when played against the AI. In total, three races are fighting for world domination - the Industrial Trade Coalition (earthly colonists), Walking (cyborgs) and Vasari (technocratic race). The title provides for an advanced diplomacy system. Gamers can form alliances with both opponents and neutral factions, or bribe Pirates to attack enemies.

DEFCON is a game in which gamers have to accomplish the impossible: try to win a global nuclear war. The goal of the project is to inflict maximum damage to the enemy, escaping with minimal losses. At the beginning, players choose one of six territories (North America, South America, Russia, Europe, Africa and Asia are available), then arrange military units and a fleet. Gamers are given 18 minutes to think and explore. At the first level of danger (DEFCON 3), units begin to automatically attack enemy equipment (aircraft and navy can be used), at the second (DEFCON 2), bombers with nuclear missiles can be launched (although the missiles themselves cannot be used yet), at the third (DEFCON 3) - the nuclear apocalypse begins.

The game quite realistically describes a possible scenario of a nuclear war - it is impossible to save all units in it. The winner is usually the player who manages to destroy enemy missile silos before launching the missiles.

Supreme commander

Supreme Commander is the spiritual successor to Total Annihilation in a futuristic setting. The minimum system requirements of the project, released in 2007, were so high that not every gamer could play this colorful RTS. Gas Powered Games studio has simplified the resource management system as much as possible (there are only two of them - Matter and Energy) and focused on battles - the main goal of the project is to create an ideal killing machine (experimental units).

The game amazed the imagination with its scale: the army could consist of 1000 units in the air, at sea and on land. As with most similar projects, players must ensure the uninterrupted production of new combat vehicles in order to dominate the enemy. To do this, you need to capture and hold resource sources.

Supreme Commander was one of the first RTSs to support a second monitor. This gave a decisive advantage in battle: on the first display, gamers controlled the movement of the enemy on a scalable map, on the second, they controlled their own units.

Star Wars: Empire at War

This game will appeal to all fans of "Star Wars": Empire at War is a strategy game based on the original trilogy. Gamers can play both on the side of the Empire and the rebels, control huge armies, send heroes of the saga into battle (like Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader), and also build a Death Star.

The best part of the game is, of course, the massive tactical battles in Galactic Conquest that take place in space. Up to five people can play on one card: each of the participants will have their own space station and the fleet with which they must destroy enemy bases. Ships and heroes have specific features that when effective use can have a decisive influence on the outcome of the fight. Experienced players can easily spot the weak points of large ships and give the order to attack them. Any fan of the space saga will enjoy watching X-wing squads attempt to destroy the Star Destroyer.

In addition to space battles, the developers will allow gamers to take part in land operations. This means that players will be able to control air bikes and AT-AT walkers.

Europa Universalis IV

This global and incredibly challenging game from Paradox Development Studio was voted the best strategy game of 2013. Europa Universalis IV is a real breakthrough, because the developers took into account previous errors and fixed most of the bugs that wandered from series to series. Moreover, they tried to clarify in detail all the places that caused questions from gamers (due to the enormous scale of the game, some mechanics remained incomprehensible), improve the interface and optimize AI. Of course, to understand Europa Universalis IV you still have to spend dozens of hours of training. But this game is the most intuitive and simple of the EU series.

Nations seek to expand their influence through trade, diplomacy, economics, the exploration of new lands, and the development of new technologies. You can try to colonize America, or conquer India, you can start playing as one of the local tribes in North America. In this project, gamers can change the history of mankind - for example, the Venetian Empire can capture the Apennine Peninsula, annex or conquer all the tribes and go to war with the Ottoman Empire. France can conclude an alliance with England and divide Europe into spheres of influence.

Distant Worlds: Universe

Perhaps this is the most ambitious global turn-based strategy game in the history of gaming. Developers have created an entire galaxy - 1400 star systems with more than 50 thousand planets, moons and asteroids, as well as a variety of astronomical objects (black holes, gas giants, supernovae).

Gamers have to create their own civilization to establish world domination. The authors of Distant Worlds: Universe offer gamers ample customization options: you can start the game on one planet with several light ships, or become the leader of a technologically advanced civilization that has already created a hyperdrive.

The highlight of the game is the ability to automate different processes in the empire: for example, you can not interfere in the economy, concentrating exclusively on diplomacy and battles. Either way, it won't be easy to beat opponents: the AI is surprisingly effective.

Age of wonders III

The project is a relaunch of the classic franchise, the last episode of which was released in 2003. The action of this three-dimensional turn-based strategy takes place in a fantasy world, in an era of fierce confrontation between the Imperial Commonwealth and the Elven Alliance.

The game can be played as one of 7 races: humans, elves, gnomes, goblins, orcs, draconians, halflings. Heroes can belong to one of 6 classes (commander, theocrat, robber, arch druid, sorcerer or technocrat), and also have a specialization (master of the elements of water, fire, air, earth, adept of creation, destruction, research or construction).

The system of diplomacy and city management are not strong features of the project. Nevertheless, the authors managed to make the battles truly exciting: units can be combined with each other and turned into giant armies, in order to then lay siege to the enemy's fortress. The scale of the battles is similar to Total War, but Age of Wonders III's feature is the ability to use magic.

Order of Battle: Pacific

Everyone knows about the importance of the battles unfolding in the Pacific region during the Second World War. The authors of Order of Battle: Pacific offer to take part in bloody battles on the side of the Japanese Empire or allies.

In this turn-based strategy game, which is reminiscent of the good old Panzer General in its style, gamers will have to carefully think over each move. A total of three campaigns are available in which you can change the course of history and, for example, win the war on the side of Japan. Players can control over 500 units such as the legendary M3 Stuart and Type 97 Chi-Ha tanks, the A6M Zero and F4U Corsair fighters, or the battleships Montana and Yamato.

During battles, you can unlock the heroic commanders (Commanders), which can give a decisive advantage in the battle.