The best strategy games of all time: top 15 games you need to play (2024)

Have you ever dreamed of raising towering cities or leading a conquering military campaign? If you answered yes, then strategy games are for you, a varied and immersive genre filled with games that you can sink hundreds of hours into without ever getting bored.

Whether you're a seasoned strategy veteran or a newcomer, there are plenty of titles to sink your teeth into. Whether you're looking to get started in strategy gaming, or just looking for your next conquest, read on for our top picks for strategy games to check out.

In the pantheon of grand strategy games, the Civilization series is widely recognised as the pinnacle of the genre. First arriving on PCs in 1991, the game was ground-breaking for the time, allowing players to build a civilisation on a macro scale, all the way from prehistory to the near future.

The sixth entry is the latest in the series, making your conquests even more immersive thanks to stunning graphics and more intricate mechanics. There's also a robust offering of DLC to sink your teeth into, so you'll never get bored with Civ 6. If you're just getting started, check out our Civ 6 top tips.

If there was a Mount Rushmore for real-time strategy games, then Starcraft 2's grizzled space marine would certainly be up there, grimacing down on the many imitators this iconic series has spawned. This base-building RTS boasted an impressive single-player campaign, but its phenomenon status was secured by its multiplayer offering. Millions of players became addicted to Blizzard's PvP modes, ensuring the lasting legacy of this classic title. If you want to get into the esports scene, we recommend first consulting our list of Starcraft 2 game-specific terms, lest you find yourself quickly overwhelmed.

There's a good reason that after more than two decades, Age of Empires 2 still has a huge fanbase who play the game daily. That's because it's one of the finest real-time strategy games ever made, laying the groundwork for many titles to come. The Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition offers even more content for fans to dive into, along with gorgeous modern graphics and numerous quality-of-life improvements. So huge is the Age of Empires fandom, that its premier tournament, Red Bull Wololo, remains one of the biggest esports events in the world.

If city-building is your bag, then you've got to check out Cities: Skylines. This simulation game allows you to build your dream city down to the tiny details, managing zoning, road placement, taxation, public services and more. Building from the legacy of SimCity, developer Colossal Order crafted an amazingly realistic simulation of city management that's sure to test your reasoning to its very limits. The attention to detail in Cities: Skylines and its sequel are truly staggering.

Enlist with a ragtag band of heroes, who just so happen to be humanity's last hope against a race of invading aliens in Firaxis's deeply influential turn-based strategy sequel. With deep and complex combat mechanics, immersive lore and an enigmatic visual style, this 2016 classic holds up as an absolute must-play.

So far we've covered historic epics and science-fiction adventures, but if you prefer The Lord of the Rings over Braveheart or Starship Troopers, we've got the franchise for you. The Total War: Warhammer series takes the complex tactics of Creative Assembly's strategy series and places it in the fantastical world of Warhammer, allowing players to do battle with orcs, dwarves and high elves in dramatic, large-scale battles. The most recent iteration, Warhammer 3, is vast in scale, dwarfing many of its contemporaries with the overwhelming number of units on-screen.

Command & Conquer is held up as one of the greatest strategy series of all time for its fast-paced gameplay, diverse roster of units and it's entertaining, often campy cut-scenes. Nowhere are these qualities better displayed than in Red Alert 2, considered by many fans to be the pinnacle of the series. This is also the series that gave us what is possibly Tim Curry's most iconic line reading ever.

Crusader Kings 3 has all the hallmarks of a brilliant grand strategy game – a vast map, an in-depth combat system and immersive visuals – but where it really shines is in its storytelling. Every character the player can choose to play has their own unique personalities and quirks, which will vastly change how their dynasty is shaped. The stories that emerge in Crusader Kings 3 are believable, often amusing and occasionally moving. Whether you're a hardcore tactician or just want to experience some great lore, Crusader Kings 3 is worth a look.

In space, no one can hear you scheme. In Sins of a Solar Empire, you take command of an interstellar empire, controlling the fates of thousands of galactic citizens with your every decision. Democracy is an option, but more often than not, you'll be sizing up formidable starship fleets and deciding whether you can come out of the space skirmish victorious.

Explore an enormous fantasy world in Age of Wonders 4, the finest entry in Triump Studio's 4X series yet. City-building, questing and recruiting monsters are key ingredients of the Age of Wonder formula, but this fourth title greatly expands the society-building elements for an even more challenging and engaging experience. Combining different monster types and Frankensteining your own mad creations is a huge part of the fun as you build the most powerful empire in the kingdom.

If you're not one for orcs, goblins, and dragons, we recommend taking a dip in the waters of Total War's historical outings. Our favourite right now is Total War: Three Kingdoms, which depicts the Chinese civil war. Each faction is captained by a larger-than-life leader, with distinct character traits, goals, strengths and weaknesses. Discovering the different nuances of these characters is one of the great joys of the game, along with the epic and rewarding battles and deep management systems.

If you feel the call of the sea, then set sail with Sea of Conquest, a strategy RPG where you manage your own pirate fleet. Recruit a gang of scurvy dogs and plunder your way to fame and glory, and maybe you can become the most feared pirate king in the seven seas. Customising your ship is also great fun and, best of all, it's free.

How's this for a genre mash-up – a strategy battler mixed with a cosy city builder. In this immersive sim, you'll build your own medieval village, ensure survival and then safety, fending off any enemies that may come to plunder your hard-earned resources. The game is in early access right now, meaning that some systems still lack some polish, but the promise of an excellent strategy game is certainly plain to see. Once the developers at Slavic Magic can tighten up the combat, we might just have a modern classic on our hands.

While card-battlers might not be what you traditionally consider to be a strategy game, deck-building games are indeed a spin-off from the wider strategy genre. Blizzard's seminal Hearthstone remains a touchstone for the sub-genre, offering endless combinations of cards to deploy against opponents around the world. If you want a shortcut to building Hearthstone decks like a pro, we've got you covered.

Finally, we've got a lighter experience for those without the time to dedicate to learning multitudes of systems. Often referred to as a 'tower defence' game, Clash Royale has you strategising in bite-sized chunks as you defend your base and attempt to dismantle your opponents. Easy to pick up, but hard to master, this addictive mobile game is a great entry point for younger or inexperienced players.

These are just a few of the many fantastic strategy games available right now, and with so many sub-genres that can be tweaked, combined or reworked, we think the future is extremely bright for the genre.