8 Most Replayable Strategy Games

They say all good things come to an end, but that's the kind of loser talk from someone whose strategy game isn't replayable enough.

For all the thrills of discovering new games, there is a special kind of joy in finding a strategy title you can play over and over again without getting bored.

These replayable strategy games give you plenty of freedom and unpredictability, so you can spend your time improving your battle plans rather than learning new controls and mechanics all over again.

8 Wargame: Red Dragon

A Tale of Stealth Jets, Presidents, and Manly Love

Nothing gets the adrenaline going like knowing that every second wasted is being weaponized by your cunning adversaries.

Wargame: Red Dragon is more toxic than I'd like, and the pace is too quick, but you can't argue that it is a hoot to play once you get into the groove.

If you can handle the micromanagement, this is an adrenaline spike that never quite gets old, with graphics that still hold up quite well over a decade after release.

7 Crusader Kings 3

Bloodlines Simulator

The concept of a grand strategy reality show may seem outlandish, but Paradox pulled it off with Crusader Kings 3.

The Swedish developer's simulation of the first millennium is a major overhaul compared to CK2, and while some aspects were simplified, the new focus on events adds a great layer of unpredictability (and in turn replayability) to the game.

No two Crusader Kings saves end up the same, and that rings especially true if you pick the early start option with all of its chaotic outcomes. Long live the Persian Kingdom of Albion and its capital, Amsterdam!

For Humanity

Gambling is bad, kids. Don't sit there investing all your hopes and dreams into random numbers. On a completely separate note, how about some RNG with your XCOM?

Humanity's last line of defence against the alien occupation of Earth makes generous use of probabilities to determine the outcomes of just about everything. While some misses are frequently maddening (because 95% is not good enough), the RNG is what keeps XCOM 2 so tense and replayable.

Between factions, difficulty options, and the inherent randomness of the combat, XCOM 2 stays entertaining no matter how many times you start over. Now, please light a candle and say a silent prayer. I'm about to take an 85% shot.

5 StarCraft II

Nailing the Basics

Sometimes you don't need to reinvent the wheel to score a hit. Blizzard did just that with StarCraft II back in 2010, and unlike with Overwatch, they didn't even have to drop the 2 to attract players.

If you ask a StarCraft II fan, odds are they will tell you no good competitive strategy games have been released since. That sentiment, while a little delusional, is based on reality: very few titles in the genre are as fun, popular, and accessible as StarCraft II.

I feel most modes in the game are fairly replayable, but the best part is running co-op missions with a friend. The chaos and unpredictability keep things fresh from beginning to end, provided you make up after the session ends.

4 Regiments

Feel the Winds of War

Released in 2022 as a solo effort by Mikhail Sherstennikov, Regiments quickly found its niche as one of the best Cold War strategy games.

Regiments has a nice set of campaigns from the perspectives of different factions for you to play through, but it is the Winds of Change DLC that brings in infinite replayability.

The star of Winds of Change is a procedural campaign generator, Warpath. This allows you to create a myriad of scenarios, keeping the game fresh for years to come.

3 Total War: Shogun 2

Japan's Dark Ages

The Total War series has taken up many forms, but Shogun 2 has something special about it that keeps me coming back.

The combat animations are mesmerizing despite the visuals showing their age now, but it is the variety of scenarios and seasonal mechanics that can make even the most mundane plans a challenge.

On top of that, despite the relatively small map, the number of factions and conflicting interests makes every campaign playthrough quite dynamic. Just make sure you spare a few dollars for the clan packs, and you'll be set for years to come.

2 Civilization 6

Everybody Wants to Rule the World

If you've been on the Civilization boat long enough, you're probably accustomed to the trend of latest releases taking a while to get good. The upside is that the wait is worth it, and so is Civilization 6.

A full decade has given Civ 6 time to mature and collect a handful of good DLCs. The best part is that, because of the game's age, you can almost always buy it at a heavy discount.

Civilization 6 requires a little more planning rather than fixing things on the fly like on Civ 5, and that gives you more chances to screw things up and get wildly different scenarios as a result. It's arguably the more stressful of the recent titles in the franchise, but that adrenaline is good for the heart, in moderation.

1 Age of Empires 2

The Eternal Champion

Few games can claim that they have consistently stayed relevant from the 1990s till today. Age of Empires 2 is the champion of longevity, and that's why it sits at the top of this list.

Good old AOE2 certainly benefits from the nostalgia factor, and I'm guilty of that myself, but the easygoing gameplay and lack of aggressive grind while still leaving plenty of freedom to execute your plans have helped it become a timeless game.

Age of Empires 2 still gets updates and new DLCs to this day, and with decades of content to play with, you will never see the end of it.