10 Best Strategy Games of the 2020s (So Far)

Strategy games are one of gaming's oldest and most beloved genres. It's not unlikely that most of us reading probably grew up on strategy games like Age of Empires or Command and Conquer, playing them on our family computers with various cheats enabled. I personally blame Age of Mythology for fueling a special interest in Greek and Norse mythology as a child. Who would have thought spamming Mountain and Frost Giants would be such an effective learning tool for a growing mind?

If you're like me, it's likely that you've found one strategy game in your life and stuck with it, dedicating entire months to learning the ins and outs, while maximizing your actions-per-minute to gain any advantage against your opponents. But I'm here to tell you that the 2020s haven't been slouches with putting out quality strategy games in the slightest.

Here are our picks of the best strategy games released in the 2020s that prove the genre still has plenty of fresh ideas worth diving into.

10 Age of Empires 4

The Return of Wololo

Depending on who you ask, either Starcraft or Age of Empires are the definitive strategy games of all time. Of course, we haven't seen a new Starcraft game in almost a decade, so we've been left wanting on a new experience there. However, Relic Entertainment has been in full resurgence, releasing a stellar remake of their iconic Age of Empires 2 and a worthy successor in Age of Empires 4.

What makes Age of Empires 4 such a great sequel is that it delivers on so many of the expectations placed on it. It retains its classic RTS formula, but makes reasonable innovations to help modernize the experience. There's far more battlefield clarity this time around, gave factions more distinct mechanics to differentiate them, and it added new ambush options to offer new strategic options for players. The developers also helped to refine the game's steep learning curve, making it a very solid first RTS experience for anyone looking to dive into the genre's finest series.

9 Wasteland 3

Strong Writing, Choices, and Combat

Wasteland 3 is a fantastic title for any gamer looking for a strategy game with RPG elements. Taking place in a post-apocalyptic Colorado, players will need to weigh their empathy with cruel necessity, as you'll have to decide whether saving or taking a life has the best outcomes for you.

The strategy portion of the game is also top-notch, utilizing a turn-based, squad-focused style of strategic combat. How you position your characters, manage their action points, and which targets you focus down will be the decider on whether you get through a battle without losing anyone.

Despite the grimness of the setting, the game does have lighthearted moments and threads that balance absurd slapstick with regular ol' post-apocalyptic brutality pretty well. Even more impressively, the game doesn't sacrifice a quality narrative for its dense, strategic gameplay, giving both audiences a satisfying experience.

8 Solium Infernum

Take Satan's Throne For Yourself

Have you ever wanted to rule over the armies of hell? Well, now you can in Solium Infernum. After Satan leaves his throne empty for undisclosed reasons, a fierce conquest for Hell's top chair unleashes across the deepest depths of the domain. You play as one of eight archfiends who lead their army against the seven other would-be successors to the Prince of Darkness, and the decisions you make will decide the outcome of your ascension.

Throughout the game, you'll command your legions to claim hexes as your own, enlist champions to help you slay your opponents, while also engaging in tense diplomatic conversations to forge brief alliances with the other Archfiends. Essentially, this game will have you feeling like a hellish Emperor Palpatine, as you schmooze and betray to your heart's content. Doing so will improve your own Archfiend abilities at the right time, offering special advantages for an upcoming fight.

Betrayal is a major mechanic in the game. As they say, it's never a good idea to make a deal with a devil, and in this game, you're hoping to be the devil they warn everyone about.

7 Total War: Warhammer III

Live Out Your Minifig Dreams

The Total War franchise has released several strategy games over the last two decades. However, none come close to the sheer volume and content you get in Total War: Warhammer 3.

This entry features both turn-based combat and real-time strategy, allowing you to control hundreds of Nurgle-worshipping units and force them into epic battles on incredibly detailed maps. The more battles you win, the larger your empire grows, letting you recruit stronger units and gain more income while also encountering tougher strategic battles.

Like Wasteland 3, there is a single-player campaign here with some interesting lore implications for the franchise. However, duking armies against other players online is also a fine way to play the game.

What makes this game even more special is how every faction feels distinct, and not your average palette swap with different monsters. The fantasy of controlling your specific army is realized here, and for long-time Warhammer fans, it's one that's immensely satisfying.

6 The Last Spell

The Best Strategy Roguelite

I'll admit, this isn't as complex as other strategy games on this list, but I'll be damned if I don't admit that The Last Spell is one of the most addictive roguelite strategy games I've played in the last few years.

You play as the commander of a town who, every night, will suffer increasingly tougher invasions from monsters who seek to destroy the crystal at the heart of your town. During the day, you'll be powering up your fighters, recruiting new ones, laying traps on the field, and setting up your defences. At night, you'll command your units to take out these monsters as efficiently as possible, taking the least amount of damage you can, while retaining your limited resources in doing so.

It's an immensely satisfying gameplay loop that will see you going through multiple runs per session, inching closer to surviving while getting new upgrades each time you play.

5 Frontpunk 2

Base Building Meets Political Maneuvering

Frostpunk 2 is an impressive sequel to the original game, which saw you tensely micromanaging your base to ensure your citizens' survival. In its sequel, the game broadens and becomes a tense political city-builder where you manage districts, factions, and the long-term societal pressures of trying to be a benevolent ruler in a post-apocalyptic world.

Your town finds itself placed in a never-ending winter. To survive, you'll need to overcome several obstacles that come with living in a frozen wasteland, such as finding ways to keep your citizens warm, well-fed, and have sufficient shelter to survive the harshest of weather. From the very start of the game, you'll have access to different zones across your city that perform different jobs. As you progress, you'll gain more access to other specialized buildings to help you expand, increasing your odds of survival.

Of course, as you expand, so too will different factions form. Each of these factions will have different ideas about how this society should run, making it your job to play city builder and politician, mediating between these groups so that discord doesn't run rampant in your city.

4 Desperados III

A Wild Strategy Game

Desperados 3 is a unique strategy game set in the lawless lands of the Wild West. You play as John Cooper, a man out for revenge as he assembles a crew of uniquely skilled outlaws to eliminate enemies throughout the lawless land.

What makes Desperados 3 so unique in the strategy genre is its emphasis on stealth. Sure, you could go in guns blazing, but that's a surefire way to end up with some of your fellow outlaws dying needlessly. Maps are also designed with this in mind, with several different paths offering unique opportunities to take enemies out of sight.

The end result is that each mission feels less like you're issuing commands on a battlefield and more like planning out a heist with your crew. Each member has their own role and synergies with the others, and it's up to you to plan how best to execute the mission without taking any casualties.

3 Marvel's Midnight Suns

A Surprisingly Deep Journey

Midnight Suns is Marvel's take on the XCOM franchise, and it's an impressive effort at that. You play as The Hunter, a warrior especially raised to defeat their mother Lilith, who is launching their widespread takeover of Earth once again. Throughout the game, you'll recruit several iconic Marvel characters, all of which have unique playstyles.

For example, Nico Minoru is a mostly RNG-driven magic user who can either grant your party major buffs or deal significant damage. Magik is also fairly unique in that her kit is built around her portals and how you can get the most value out of them.

In between missions, you'll also have ample opportunity to build your relationships with your team. You can do this by chatting to the team, training with them, giving them gifts, sending them off on missions, or resolving interpersonal conflicts. Doing these will unlock special missions for the characters, which can also be some of the toughest content in the game. It's a surprisingly tactical and in-depth game that fully embraces its Marvel identity, and does the characters' justice.

2 Manor Lords

Peasant-Farming & M'Lord Maxxing

Manor Lords was one of the most anticipated strategy games of 2024, and boy, did it deliver. This real-time city-builder was mostly developed by a single person, but don't go thinking that the game's reputation is solely a consolation award because of that. This game has one of the most in-depth city-building mechanics, with plenty of intricate details that help it stand out in the genre.

This one is set in medieval times, and the structures in the game faithfully reflect that. The citizens who inhabit your city also reflect the time period, and it's up to you to provide them with round-the-clock care. Which will be needed, as different seasons will serve up new problems that you'll need to solve quickly; otherwise, your townsfolk will start dying off fast. And this is all before reaching the combat of the game.

That's right, this game also features a real-time battle mode like in Warhammer. In between caring for your town, you'll also need to rally your militia, hire mercenaries, deal with morale fatigue, and consider your battle strategy. There aren't many games out there that capture the highs and lows of being a medieval king, but if that sounds like your jam, then Manor Lords is worth trying out.

1 Crusader Kings III

Chaotic Dynasty Builder

Crusader Kings is perhaps one of the most infamous strategy games out there. One need only take a cursory browse or r/ShitCrusdareKingsSay to understand why this game is compared to Game of Thrones, in more ways than one.

Thankfully, in its third iteration, the classic Crusader Kings experience hasn't been diluted in the slightest. The game still retains its classic dynasty-simulator core, where controlling the map is only half the story. Every decision you make has repercussions on characters across its globe, and the way these ramp up will have you biting your fingernails on whether you've doomed your entire dynasty over a single poor decision.

You'll first start your way from the Middle Ages, and if you're tactical enough, you'll be able to secure your lineage for what can span hundreds of years. There aren't a lot of games that come close to the level of sandbox freedom Crusader Kings offers, making it an addictive title to return to and to problem-solve its many unique encounters to sustain your lineage.