Rating of global strategies on PC. The best strategies on PC

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Top best strategies that can be played online or online with friends and random opponents, description of ways to play

Strategies are games in which you can feel like a king, ruler, and even God. They do not feature dynamic gameplay (as in shooters), but they force the player to think logically, develop tactics, and make various decisions. Victory in them depends on the user’s ability to foresee the future actions of the opponent, coordinate the actions of his army and calculate his strength.

At other times, strategies are not only battles between thousands of troops. Behind the entertainment lies a complex economic system, the development of which will also bring you victory in the game. And sometimes there are no battles at all - some developers release exclusively economic strategies based on some kind of business (or in other areas).

In any case, the strategies can keep you glued to the screen for a long time. In this article we have presented the TOP best strategies on PC of all time, in which you will find decent games. They can be played with friends, teaming up against AI, alone, or against other users. For convenience, the strategies are presented in the form of a list that describes their main advantages.

Of course, you can express your opinion in the comments on the articles, and those who don’t have time to download strategies on a PC can look at the list of the best rated online browser strategies that you can start playing right now.

Warcraft III - online

Out: 03.06.2002

Genre: real-time strategy with RPG elements

The essence of the game lies in the uniform construction of a base, pumping up heroes and recruiting an army. For each game stage and situation, different actions are prioritized, of which there are an inexorable variety, which in itself determined the incredible success of the game among gamers. It is worth noting that different races have different priorities, which creates a certain abstract balance.

Of course, the game achieved success primarily because the history of Warcraft is quite old, and the first game in the series was released back in 1994 on DOS, which allowed it to win crowds of fans at the dawn of the gaming industry. The entire Warcraft series has a deep and thoughtful history, on which the plot of Warcraft III is based, although it is not important here, it is necessary for the full perception of the game.

For the most part, the game received recognition for its good balance of races and atypical gameplay for those years, which marked the beginning of a new era of strategies.

• Balanced hero leveling system;
• Balanced economic system;
• Interesting solo company;
• Balan races;
• You can play online;
• The graphics are outdated.

You can play Warcraft online on servers: Tangle, Garena, iCCup.

Heroes of Might and Magic III - online

Out: 28.02.1999

Genre: Turn-based strategy with RPG elements

Although the series of “heroes” is quite old, it has never acquired a significant plot. First of all, in the games of the series, the gameplay and gaming component are valued, and the plot is not at all important.

The gameplay itself boils down to the fact that the player needs to destroy all opponents on the map. Initially, the player has an undeveloped castle and one hero under his command. The castle is gradually upgraded by constructing new buildings, which opens up access to hiring new creatures. The hero can be upgraded in battle, or by distributing gold from chests to your troops. To win, it is enough to destroy all enemy heroes and capture all castles.

There are a total of 9 races in the game (specifically in the third part), including:

• Castle – people;
• Stronghold - elves;
• The tower is the residence of magicians;
• The fortress is a swamp;
• Citadel - barbarians;
• Inferno - demons;
• Necropolis - undead;
• Dungeon - command underground creatures;
• Conjugation - command the elements of the elements.

Each race has its own orientations, advantages, and special skills. For example, necropolis can raise the dead, inferno can turn its defeated fighters into demons, and so on.

Only the 3rd and 5th parts of the game are in demand among players, while the rest either fall short in terms of gameplay or are too good graphics, from which the eyes flow. We are talking about the excessive detailing of the 6th and 7th parts of the game, which played a disservice. The players did not like the fourth part because of the terrible models and textures.

It is the third part of the heroes that is considered the genius of the series, which is why large tournaments are still held for it and there is a significant gaming community. The problem with online play in Heroes 3 is the length of the matches, because some games lasted up to a month in real time.

If you want to try your hand at online play, we recommend visiting the heroesworld portal, which contains all the useful information.

• Expanded economic system;
• Developed leveling of heroes;
• Balance of gaming needs (in leveling, construction, hiring creatures, etc.)
• You can play online;
• Balanced combat;
• The presence of an unofficial team that is constantly improving the game.

Civilization Series

Out: 1991-2016

Genre: global turn-based strategy

Initially, the game captured the minds of players with its interesting gameplay, which boils down to balancing the army, economy and development (and later culture) of the nation. The game also has a certain historicity, because all nations actually existed.

To win this game you need to skillfully create cities, build trade networks between them, enter into alliances and betray allies, create an army balance that matches your economic development and wisely develop technology.

A simple example: if you only invest in the army, there may come a time when your soldiers will fight with sticks, and the enemy will already have tanks. You can also invest only in development, but then your civilization can be destroyed by ordinary barbarians, and you will never have time to develop.

It is precisely because of the diversity of the gameplay and the variability of development that many call Civilization the best strategy of all time.

On this moment An online game with random participants is available on Steam, allowing you to test your strengths and skills.

• Unique system economics;
• Unique research system;
• Balance of nations and play styles;
• Advanced multiplayer;
• Expanded political system.

In 2016, a continuation of the legendary series was released, Civilization 6 became the best turn-based strategy of the year on PC.

XCOM series

Out: 1993-2016

Genre: step-by-step strategy

The famous strategy about protecting the earth from the invasion of alien invaders. You are a special squad of professionals, the only stronghold of humanity in the struggle for survival. Study alien technologies, take them into your arsenal and destroy your enemies!

The gameplay of the game is tied to the tactical and economic components. Tactical includes battles with opponents, flights to the landing site or landing site of alien ships, development of fighters, choosing the right perks for them, and so on. Economic – development of the base, right choice technologies, additional rooms, waste of resources and other things. Also, after the battle, the player receives trophies from the dead, which can then be sold on the black market or used independently in battle.

Many highlight XCOM as one of the best strategy games on PC.

• An interesting system for leveling up fighters;
• A variety of game cards;
• Many battle strategies;
• An interesting system of research and leveling up the base;
• Extraordinary endings.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert

Out: 1996-2008

Genre: real time strategy

The so-called “cranberry” strategy. For reference, cranberries are considered to be an unrealistic presentation of the inhabitants and ideology of the USSR, including its territory after the collapse. The game is built on this non-existent ideology. The action takes place in a parallel universe where there was no World War II, so all nations, including the USSR, were able to develop and become incredibly strong.

Later, a time machine was invented that allowed one to change the course of history. For example, the third part of the game takes place when the Russians decide to kill Albert Einstein in the past. Sending to the past was successful, the USSR captured almost all of Europe, but the war did not end - it was just the beginning.

The gameplay is standard for games of this genre, namely, you need to develop your base, hire soldiers, equipment to completely destroy opponents on the map.

• Fascinating plot;
• Balance of Nations;
• Unique combat units;

Space Rangers

Out: 23.12.2002

Genre:“epic game” with elements of RPG, turn-based strategy, arcade, text quest.

A game about a war in intergalactic space between intelligent races. The player can play almost all races, except for the Klisans and Dominators - hostile semi-intelligent races that receive orders from the main ships, which control their behavior. The entire plot of the game tells about the war of the peaceful races of the commonwealth against the above-mentioned invaders.

The main advantage of the game is the gameplay. As you may have noticed, the game does not have a specific genre, since it is absolutely difficult to classify it into any genre. But the game is often singled out as the best strategy game because players spend most of their time controlling their spaceship in separate systems. There are also arcade elements in the game, namely, when flying between systems, you can stumble upon hostile nodes, where the game turns into real-time battle.

RPG elements manifest themselves in leveling up the skills of your captain, playing the role of a good ranger or an evil pirate smuggler. Elements of a text quest appear in some tasks that NPCs give to the player, or, for example, during visits to prisons, where the player balances between being released as quickly as possible and not dying at the hands of fellow inmates. In the latest versions of the game there are also battles with robots on planets in real-time strategy mode.

As you can see, the potential of the game is incredibly high, and it can rightfully be called one of the best RPGs of all time, not only due to the unique gameplay, but also nice graphics, random generation of maps, planets, tasks and other things, which allows you to start the game again and again .

• A unique game world that is randomly generated in each new game;
• Developed system for playing a game role;
• A good mix of many genres;
• Exciting text tasks;
• Nice graphics.

Stronghold: Crusader

Out: 2002-2014

Genre: real time strategy

A classic strategy game in which you act as the ruler of a small city. Your task is to equally develop military and economic power. In gaming companies you can play both the role of the cruel Arab ruler Saladin and the role of the King of England Richard the Lionheart.

The gameplay, as mentioned earlier, lies in the equal development of the army and the economy. Due to its unusual gameplay, the game received recognition. Some of the game's features include:

• Your servants need to build personal houses that provide the maximum number of army;
• It is necessary to develop the food industry, because your entire military machine may perish simply because of hunger. This also creates the possibility of prolonged sieges of castles, forcing the enemy to decay from hunger;
• Almost all fighters cannot be hired just like that - they need to create weapons, armor, and for this it is necessary to collect resources.

If you play against the computer, you will notice that it creates monotonous castles, which, however, are not so easy to break through if the enemy is one of the strong ones. Still, this is one of the disadvantages that can quickly discourage the desire to play. The main potential of the game is revealed in multiplayer maps, which can be played online using Hamachi or Tangle. It is also worth noting that a clear disadvantage is that the player is tied to the starting point - it is impossible to build buildings near the enemy’s castle.

• Unique production and economic system;
• Expanded construction capabilities;
• Not a bad company;
• You can play online with friends.

Kings bounty

Out: 2008-2014

Genre: real-time strategy role-playing game with turn-based battles

The unusual combination of the genre makes the game quite interesting for beginners, and the beautiful graphics without excessive detail are pleasing to the eye. It is worth noting that in the later parts of the game it is possible to enable a 3D game mode, which must be played with appropriate glasses.

The player can choose between three classes: warrior, paladin and mage. Each of them conducts battles in their own way. For example, a warrior has an increased number of creatures, a mage attacks opponents with spells, and a paladin is something in between.

The game takes place in a fictional fantasy world, which is inhabited by fairly canonical magical creatures such as vampires, demons, and elves. The player acts as a treasure hunter, on whose shoulders rests the fate of preserving the world. First, he will have to become a great hero, recruit an army of mystical creatures in order to fight the evil henchmen.

The gameplay looks something like this: you walk around the world map in real time, and when you come across enemy units, a turn-based battle mode starts, where the hero can use a book of magic and spirits. Looks like a classic turn-based battle. As you walk around the map, you can communicate with the characters that inhabit the world, complete tasks for them, receive rewards, hire troops, buy items, and so on.

• Interesting character leveling system;
• Many artifacts and unique creatures;
• Interesting combat system;
• Not boring quests;
• Nice cartoon graphics;
• Many games in the series are made in the same style.

StarCraft II - online

Out: 26.06.2010

Genre: real time strategy

An equally exciting game from the creators of Warcraft – Blizzard. The plot of the game tells about the battle of three cosmic races: the Zerg, the Protoss and the Terrans. Unlike Warcraft, the game is more dynamic and lacks heroes, which completely changes priorities in battles.

StarCraft also has a rich story, but it is presented to players during story cutscenes, making you merely an observer rather than a maker of the story.

Each playable race has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, Protoss units have many additional abilities that must be used at the right time, otherwise the army will be quite weak. Considering that the game itself is very fast, you need to have fast playing and thinking skills to succeed in the game.

StarCraft can rightfully bear the title of the best strategy game on PC of all time.

The game can be played online through the Blizzard game downloader.

• Race balance;
• Balanced economy;
• Fast pace of the game;
• You can play online;
• Regular tournaments from official developers.

Warhammer 40,000 series of games

Out: 1999 - 2009

Genre: real time strategy

Warhammer is a fairly popular game not only in computer form, but also in card form. The history of the game appeared long before the development of the computer sphere (in 1983) in America, which determined the success of the series.

The history of the world tells of bloody wars for control of the galaxy, grandiose betrayals and ascensions, and so on. The games in this series are not tied only to the strategy genre, because there are both CCG and action branches.

The most famous games in the series for the general public: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, tell the story of a war for control of one designated planet between the game races. The player chooses one of the sides in the war, which has unique units and battle tactics. In the future, your task will be to seize control of the entire planet. Some games in the series divide the gameplay into two stages: global turn-based control and real-time strategy. The first mode is simply choosing a point of attack, and the second is the actual battle. In battle, you need to rebuild your base, capture key points that bring one of two resources - influence, strengthen them and attack enemy bases. It is worth noting that the main objective of the game is to destroy all enemy buildings.

Almost all Vakha strategies can be played through hamachi.

• Deep history;
• Race balance;
• Each race has its own unique characteristics;
• Interesting system for improving units;
• Interesting company.

Company of Heroes

Out: 2006-2009

Genre: real time strategy

The plot of the game follows such films as “Saving Private Ryan”, “A Bridge Too Far” and the television series “Band of Brothers”. The action takes place during the Great Patriotic War.

The gameplay is a classic RTS with wargame elements. Many note that the game is reminiscent of the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War series due to the fact that the player can independently choose the weapons with which his platoons will fight. Troops also have a combat morale scale, which affects the effectiveness of soldiers. For example, if a platoon comes under machine gun fire, its morale drops sharply, which reduces its shooting and running speed. In addition, when a squad member who was holding a weapon dies, it does not disappear, but remains on the ground where it can be picked up. Next feature game is a system of squad ranks, which with each increased level fighters allows you to improve their characteristics, which creates a certain convention that the units are not just meat.

Wargame elements also include the fact that the player can install defensive structures himself, increasing the effectiveness of fighters. All the ditches, sandbags, etc. can be occupied by your fighters to increase their effectiveness. Since the game can maintain a small limit, and the combat speed is quite low, the result is an entertaining combat simulator. Of course, this game is not singled out as the absolute best strategy, but it deserves to be at least a nominee.

• Interesting game missions;
• Unusual gameplay;
• The feeling of real battles is created;

Cossacks Series

Out: 2001-2016

Genre: economic strategy

The game stands out for its gameplay, which is based on the balance of economic and military power. The correct construction of the economy has a key role in the game, because even if you skillfully use military forces, skillfully withdraw them, divide them into groups, opening the horizon for a volley of guns, then sooner or later, with a weak economy, you will lose to the player who is more focused on economic component. Firstly, a player with a strong economy can simply spam units - he does not need to think about their safety, because there are always resources. Secondly, the availability of resources such as coal and iron determines the ability of shooting units to attack. If there is no coal or iron, the fighters cannot shoot. Food also plays an important role, as it is a constantly consumed resource. Therefore, if your population is growing, then your food infrastructure should grow accordingly.

The game also stands out in that each player can recruit a huge number of troops, which allows the use of diverse gaming strategies. Among the types of troops you can find: cavalry, melee units, ranged units, artillery. In addition, the game has technical development that allows you to recruit stronger and more technologically advanced troops.

Many players are betting that the third part of the series will be the best strategy game of 2016!

• Dependence of military power on the economy;
• Many battle strategies;
• The need to balance economics and military strength.

Anno 1404

Out: 2009-2010

Genre: economic strategy

The plot is tied to a parallel reality, which, however, repeats real historical prototypes, such as the Crusades, the dawn of early forms of capitalism, and so on.

The gameplay is tied to economic warfare and the development of colonies and settlements. You, as an effective ruler, need to correctly calculate the distribution of resources for the development of cities and conduct diplomatic relations. The combat component of the game is divided into sea and land battles, however, the opportunity to wage war is not immediately open, but later becomes one of the elements that helps to defeat opponents.

All states are divided into two types: European and Eastern. A European country cannot fully develop without spices and quartz, produced only in the east, which naturally necessitates active trade, which is also one of the main ways to earn gold. One of the key tasks in urban planning is the construction of large cultural elements such as cathedrals or mosques.

• Developed economy;
• An interesting process of urban planning;
• Advanced diplomacy system.

Total War series

Out: 2000-2015

Genre: global strategy

Some semblance historical strategy. Actions take place on the global world map in different periods of time - it all depends on the part of the game. The player can choose any of the presented countries and subsequently capture the entire map, depending on the established victory conditions.

But it is not for its plot and historical component that this game is singled out as the best strategy on PC, but for its gameplay. It is built on the step-by-step movement of armies, the development and capture of cities in various countries. Battles take place in real time, where the player acts as a commander, places his troops on the map and directly leads the battle. There is also a politics mode where the player makes alliances, declares wars, exchanges resources, and so on.

• Interesting policy system;
• Interesting in-game battles in real time;
• A developed system of internal events (crusades, jihads, etc.);
• An advanced system for improving cities, depending on their location.

Disciples

Out: 1999-2010

Genre: turn-based strategy with RPG elements

The game takes place in the cruel fantasy world of Nevendaar, where dark forces constantly strive to awaken. Companies for all nations are available to the player to complete. It turns out that the player himself weaves the whole story. There are a total of five nations available in the game, including:

• Hordes of undead - servants of the ancient goddess of death Mortis;
• The Empire is a race of people under the protection of the supreme angels;
• Legions of the Damned - Betrezen's demonic minions;
• The Elven Alliance is a united army of elves led by Queen Ellumiel;
• Mountain clans are harsh foothill people led by a high king.

The gameplay is classic strategy. The player’s task is to intelligently explore the territory and upgrade the army. Oh yes, unlike other strategies, here you can only hire minions of lower levels, who then need to be upgraded, gaining experience in battle. Overall, the combat system in Disciples is unique, which is what made the game so successful. At the beginning, the player starts with one capital and a hero. The capital is a unique city guarded by a very strong creature, so it is almost impossible to break through the capital from the very beginning. The war is being waged over sources of magic - one of the resources and separate outposts that allow you to hire troops far from the capital.

• A unique system for leveling up creatures;
• The races are not alike;
• Race balance;
• An interesting system for using magic;

Age of Empires series of games

Out: 1997-2007

Genre: real time strategy

Quite an old game that can also claim to be the best PC strategy of all time. The main advantage of this game is custom tournaments with large prize pools reaching up to 100 thousand dollars. The reason for such sums for such an old game is its fans from rich countries who can afford to spend such sums on organizing tournaments.

The gameplay itself comes down to a balance between technology, economy and army. Each nation can move between 5 eras in battle:

• Age of Exploration;
• Age of Colonization;
• The Age of Fortresses;
• Industrial Age;
• Age of Empire.

Each era opens up new research, types of troops and buildings. If you switch between eras early, without spending money on an army, then most likely you will be crushed by “homeless people”, and if you focus only on hiring troops, then most likely the enemy will crush you with a more high-tech limit.

Many players argue that to play effectively in AOE, you just need to be able to move your troops away from volleys of siege weapons and archers, which leads to low army losses and increased economic development, due to reduced resource consumption to maintain the combat limit.

Play AOE online with friends or random players via Steam, Tangle or Hamachi.

• The need for skillful balancing of all game aspects (economy, troops, research, construction);
• Balance of all races (in the latest version);
• Tournaments with large prize pools;
• Average game speed.

Age of Mythology

Out: 01.12.2002

Genre: Real-time strategy

Age of Mythology is somewhat similar to the game described above, but still has different roots and features that allow you to build a more interesting game.

The key feature of the game is the replacement of eras with the worship of gods, which bestow special powers and new mythical creatures with special characteristics and skills, such as fire or poisonous breath, freezing a key unit, etc.

Unlike AOE, where the player has only a human and siege limit, AOM also has a mythic limit, consisting of mythical creatures such as giants, dryads, rocs and others. AOM does not have such significant prize pools as AOE, but it also has its own community, among which relatively regular tournaments are held.

You can play AOM online via Steam, Tangle or Hamachi.

• It is necessary to correctly balance all game aspects (economy, troops, research, construction);
• Balance of all races and deities;
• You can play online;
• Average game speed.

Settlers 7

Out: 23.03.2010

Genre: RTS, city planning simulator

A simulator of building cities that subsequently create a vast kingdom. The main task of the game is to correctly place buildings and create transport connections between them. The player can develop his kingdom in three directions, including:

• Military production;
• Scientific approach;
• Trading perspective.

Each development path will ultimately lead the player to victory. For example, if you choose the military path, then the focus of your development will be the army, which will subsequently try to crush your enemies. The scientific path will help you defeat your opponents with technology, and the trade path will help you capture the best trade routes on the entire map, which will give you an advantage over your opponents. Each development path includes unique units.

Critics highlight good artificial intelligence, but a weak storyline.

• Good artificial intelligence;
• Expanded urban planning capability;
• Equality of development paths (economics, military development and technology).

The beauty of a good 4X strategy game (grand strategy game) is most likely obvious to those who consider themselves fans of the genre; this genre is extremely replayable and so addictive that the time in the game flies by. It must be said that thematically the genre is quite limited - you get a galactic, historical or fantasy theme - but the main gameplay: expand, explore, exploit, exterminate (4X - expand, explore, exploit, exterminate), works in all themes. These games are about building an empire and crushing anyone who doesn't bend to your will. No wonder they are so exciting.

Players new to the genre may not know where to start, and will naturally want to choose something more accessible - such as Civilization 5 - since grand strategy games are often chock full of complex systems and require some time to master. However, veterans of the genre will finally be able to put aside their fleet of carefully designed spaceships and look for something new. With the genre becoming more popular today than it has ever been before, our list of the best grand strategy games will include games for all players, new and old.

Civilization 5

Let's face it, you knew she was going to be on the list - you probably even assumed she would be first on the list, right? This game series, each time receiving a new part in this franchise, has been dominating the 4X - grand strategy genre for many years. With the release of Civ 5, the series is perhaps the most accessible and understandable it's ever been, without losing any of its underlying depth. The introduction of combat on a hexagonal map was perhaps the most significant change in the series, resulting in the game's battles becoming more strategic in nature, previously admittedly involving packing a bunch of horsemen into a single square and sending them into the city. There are some downsides, notably a crappy political system, but the game is currently selling very well on Steam and you'll likely end up spending at least a hundred hours with it.

In this game you have to take on the role of commander-in-chief, raise your nation from its knees and lead it to triumph. From the very beginning you will be managing a handful of ignorant people. But with a little effort in completing the game campaign, unique opportunities will open up for you. Your small settlement will turn into an entire empire with valiant warriors and loyal servants. Once you have an impressive army, your enemies will tremble with fear at the sight of your flag, and your allies will gladly come to your aid in difficult times.

Endless Legend

While Endless Legend may look like a Civilization clone, the game is actually a fresh take on the grand strategy genre. The fantasy elements (expect to see giant sandworms and hulking ogres) certainly help it stand out, but its unique approach to managing regions is what really makes Endless Legend feel like something new. Usually in global strategies you, in an attempt to gobble up all the resources, try to capture as many cities as possible as quickly as possible, but in Endless Legend in this aspect it is better to behave more methodically, it will be more useful to maximize the effectiveness of any particular region. The fact that each faction is unique, from the units you can use to the quests you are given to complete, means that you will have much more replay value than in the same Civilization.

Galactic Civilizations 3

Age Of Wonders 3

Age of Wonders 3 is a real fantasy strategy that includes spectacular battles, challenging campaigns, construction, the study of science, diplomacy and much more. Following in the footsteps of Heroes Of Might & Magic, Age Of Wonders 3 combines reliable system control the city with deep, tactical combat on a hexagonal (hexagonal) map. The game leans heavily on the last item on this list, which is actually a good thing as this aspect of the gameplay is truly top notch. Performance is especially important in managing the forces you can take into battle, but unit Tiers increase and each unit has unique qualities and benefits, meaning that the high-tier units that see most major engagements will be quite By the way. While, starting from the third part, this was not so important in Heroes of Might and Magic, Age Of Wonders 3 does a good job of recreating this very specific style of grand strategy games.

Distant Worlds: Universe

The barrier to entry into this game is quite high, the fact is that the game has simple graphics, and an incredibly steep learning curve. However, give it time, it deserves to be explored and you will see that Distant Worlds is one of the deepest and most genre-enriching grand strategy games out there. You'll have a huge universe to conquer (if you want to play it), a huge selection of customizable ships and stations, and something rare in the 4X genre - an exciting economy system that is surprisingly fun to create and maintain.

This game is truly capable of surprising; in it you will find an incredibly realistic galaxy with planets, asteroids, merchants, pirates, etc. If you manage to meet a merchant, you are lucky, because if you come across pirates, in most cases they will demand a ransom, or open fire to kill. The main feature is that you have to establish contacts with many races, raise the economy of the planet, trade, sell, intrigue, kill and much more. Distant Worlds won't win any awards for its looks, but if you're looking for something with extremely rich and challenging gameplay, this is a game worth checking out.

Star Ruler 2

Star Ruler 2 features real-time (RTS) gameplay, but don't let that fool you - the grand strategy mechanics here are incredibly rich. For example, the political game is very well implemented and gives the player a sense of satisfaction when interacting with other factions. The economics elements are also surprisingly well implemented and rely on you carefully cultivating planets and developing them to their maximum potential. There's a shipbuilding module where you draw armor, weapons and even the interior of ships on a hex grid - it's not a difficult system to understand, so it's easy to learn and use, but at the same time it retains the necessary complexity.

AI War: Fleet Command

So, AI War is a little old these days, but the game has received DLC updates over the years to keep it fresh - not that it needs that help, because the game idea is so fresh and original that until then there won't be a direct sequel, you probably won't want to play another similar global strategy game. It must be said that the graphics will not win you over and there is not much variety in terms of 4X gaming systems, but instead of creating an impressive economy, collecting numerous resources or convincing opponents of your political prowess, the emphasis is on a massive, thousand-strong fleet of ships - to explore, expand and, ultimately destroy powerful AI forces that want to destroy you. It's not that much, but every a new game persistently intrigues and encourages you to become more powerful every time.

Thea: The Awakening

But this global strategy is cunning, because Thea doesn't really meet all the criteria to be considered a full "4X" - its "expand" function is strictly limited. But the yoke is still interesting; Slavic mythology gives it a unique atmosphere and world, but what really sets it apart from other games in the genre is the emphasis on crafting. In this sense, Thea ( Thea) is a little more RPG than other typical grand strategy games, but thanks to this it has its own personality, which makes it good choice for fans of the genre looking for something new. Everything is tied to the collection of resources and the crafting system, from the technology tree, which unlocks new resources for construction, to simple, but involving playing cards(card-based) fights - which, if successful, reward you necessary materials. The game requires a lot of micromanagement and therefore has a rather slow pace, but overall the game has something new to offer those looking for it.

Endless Space

Infinite Space places the player in the role of ruler of a nascent space-faring civilization, and gives the player the opportunity to cultivate their space empire through a variety of methods and means to suit your playstyle. The essence of the game is familiar to everyone who has played 4X strategy games before. You explore technologies from a large list. You manage systems and planets, drawing up projects for their development. You build a fleet, colonize suitable planets, engage in diplomacy, and fight wars.

Events will develop throughout the galaxy; before starting the game, you will need to choose a race and planet from which you will actually begin the colonization of the galaxy. Depending on the chosen race, you will find absolutely different styles games, some races prefer brutal battles or trade, while others love financial fraud and exploration. Having “upgraded” your planet, you can colonize another at any time, thereby expanding your possessions and becoming an even more powerful and dangerous rival. Endless Space has several features and mechanics that set it apart from its competitors and allow it to rival any AAA game.

Total War series

TotalWar is a universal strategy that has absorbed all the best, namely thoughtful turn-based battles taking place in real time, so get ready, it will be hot. The country will be controlled on the world map in a step-by-step mode, but the battles will take you to a huge location where you will have to lead your warriors to victory in real time. As expected, there is no pause in the game, so if you start a battle, please finish it or give up, but your people are unlikely to like this. Separately, it is worth noting the quality of graphics and the realism of combat operations. In battles with enemies, impressive spectacles with the participation of several thousand warriors await you.

Master of Orion 2

Despite the fact that this game was released back in 1996, not many modern global strategies can boast of having such a diverse content as in this legendary game. It is worth noting the complex gameplay of the game, Master of Orion 2 focuses on the development of an alien civilization based on economic, technological and social development. Players can choose between different races or create their own race with a set of strengths and weaknesses. Players can even design their own ships based on available technologies.

You will play the role of a ruler, commander, architect, philosopher, strategist and much more. To surpass other states, you will need to study unique technologies that will help you master invaluable knowledge. Since victory is the main priority, you can choose one of three possible paths: kill all enemies, capture Antares, where the enemies of the entire galaxy live, or win peacefully. The first two options are obvious and there is nothing complicated about them, but the third involves seizing power by creating commercial coalitions. If you manage to unite all the planets, sooner or later the civilian population will decide to elect a president for themselves, and here you will have to take part in a real election race. If you manage to get the most votes, you will be declared president and “HappyEnd” will begin. Regardless of the choice made, the star Orion will always be present on the intergalactic map. It does not affect the progress of the game in any way, but if you manage to visit it first, you will gain impressive technological advantages, and you will be proudly called “Master of Orion”.

Galactic Civilizations 2

Galactic Civilizations 2 is one of the few global strategies that combines combat, economic development, science, culture, space exploration and, of course, political intervention. The game may surprise you in that the backstory of Galactic Civilizations 2 is based on a series of short stories written by its creator, Brad Wardell. While the game doesn't have the most original setting, it does provide an interesting backdrop for a great strategy game.

Depending on your preferences, you can devote yourself to science, establish contacts with politicians, or hire a powerful army and colonize one planet after another. To get clear advantages in a particular industry, you will have to choose one of 10 races that have more than 20 unique abilities. While developing your planet, you will have to study more than 200 technologies and build 50 different structures. While exploring space on your way you will meet 26 unique and unusual planets, radically different in culture, economy, relationships, faith and, of course, appearance. Separately, it is worth noting the well-thought-out artificial intelligence, so that, regardless of your professional qualities, you will certainly choose the appropriate difficulty for yourself (there are 12 in total). If you like to create rare things, you will have a unique ship editor at your disposal, allowing you to realize any fantasy. This global strategy is the embodiment of versatility and balance, because at this moment you can be the ruler of the world, and an hour later die, in the hope of subjugating another planet.

Hearts of Iron Series

Hearts of Iron is a unique global strategy that immerses you in the brutal struggle between the USSR and Germany. To win, you need to attract as many third-party states as possible, since without their firepower you cannot defeat the enemy. If you sympathize with Germany, you can try to go over to their side and try to implement Hitler’s daring plan. Depending on your beliefs, you have the right to choose one of three political directions: fascism, democracy or communism. Absolutely everything will depend on this choice: from the army to the methods of combat. The good news is that the developers have created more than 1000 commanders who actually existed, and their manners and behavior are based on real people, so you have to get to know everyone, because you can only win the battle with an experienced commander. If you are familiar with history, you can choose any period of time, the differences lie in battles and new technologies. As for the army, you will have infantry, riflemen, tanks, cavalry, artillery, air defense and much more at your disposal. The main highlight is the unique technologies that open up new types of weapons and methods of combat. If you get tired of completing missions, at any time you can create your own unique map with many details and try to defeat your opponent on your own terms.

Europa Universalis 3.4

Europa Universalis 3, 4 is a unique global strategy, in which you will need to take control of one of the world states on any day of world history starting from May 30, 1453 to July 14, 1789 (this period is expanded in additions). At your disposal will be well-thought-out diplomacy, thanks to which you can enter into alliances, conduct peace negotiations, declare war, take prisoners, demand ransom and much more. In addition to resolving diplomatic issues, you need to find time for construction, because you can only gain recognition if you have a developed province. Europa Universalis will certainly appeal to leisurely and diligent tacticians, because to win you need to have these very qualities. This is because most of the time you will have to observe, and only then make important decisions that could lead to unforeseen circumstances.

In general, you are responsible for the whole state, and how exactly to develop it depends only on you. You can hire warriors and capture your neighbors, or go in search of new lands and become the happy owner of valuable treasures. To understand all the nuances you will have to work hard, since the game has a lot of indicators that can turn a prosperous city into real ruins. You will have to monitor the economy, trade, fatigue, joy, anger, honor traditions, etc. Due to the large abundance of information, you should always have a backup plan, because everything can go wrong at any moment. As in any global strategy, bloody battles await you in this game, but they are not a priority, because you can influence the situation in dozens different ways. Of course, you can punish the offender, but you should not neglect the fact that neighbors can unite against you.

It might be worth noting that classics like Heroes of Might and Magic 3 and Master Of Orion 2 are still as playable and fun as they once were (there's even an HD re-release of HOMM3 if you're interested...). But still, if you think that there are global strategies that you think we missed and really need to be added, just let us know about it in the comments

Each of these games has one constant algorithm: expand, explore, exploit, destroy. The order of actions may change, but the goal remains the same - power, control and dominance.

We present to your attention the best global strategies on PC - this selection will be of interest both to neophytes who have never heard of anything other than “Civilization,” and to oldfags who will be able to put aside their well-worn imperial wands and look for a new position.

15. Anno 2205

14. Age Of Wonders 3

Role-playing game, turn-based tactics and global strategy in one magical bottle. It can be called a fantasy analogue of “Civilization”, but unlike the brainchild of Sid Meier, there are no peaceful ways of victory here. If you want to win, if you please, fight long and hard with elves, gnomes, orcs and other fairy-tale lads. Combat actions take place on separate tactical mini-maps in the spirit of King's Bounty, and in a mass format. In practice, this means that when attacking one hex, all neighboring armies are pulled onto the battlefield, which ultimately results in a bloody battle, often with siege weapons. There are also spells - there is a whole library of them. They use both banal curses and blessings and exotic things, like calling out the enemies of global warming.

13. Warlock II: The Exiled

Another fantasy clone of “Civilization” with a map of hexagons, focused on the military component. The game has both a classic global map and an unusual “Exile” mode, in which the world is presented in the form of tiny shards connected by portals. Starting development with one fragment, you need to capture a whole chain of worlds, while simultaneously fighting off crowds of monsters from parallel worlds and competing magicians. This project was released on PC relatively recently - in 2014, and not just like that, but under the wing of Paradox Interactive - a company that ate the dog in global strategies. Yes, Warlock II: The Exiled has problems (the stupid AI especially stands out), but this game definitely deserves its place in the top thanks to its unusual setting and powerful editor.

12. Star Ruler 2

A galactic epic with a giant map, animated starship fleet battles and meticulous micromanagement. The volume of all kinds of tabs, tables and parameters looks simply intimidating, so it is recommended only for experienced commanders to meddle with this strategy. And this despite the fact that you cannot control specific planets in the game (this rule does not apply to resource extraction). The mechanics of Star Ruler 2 constantly push the player to expand the borders of the empire, so it’s not possible to simply sit on the defensive here. Space battles take place mainly in automatic mode, but if you wish, you can personally take part in them as commander-in-chief. Despite some secondary features, Star Ruler 2's rating is quite high, not least thanks to the original (card) diplomacy system.

11. Space Empires V

It's not even a game, it's more of a simulator simulating a galactic civilization with a hundred aspects in physics, culture, economics and cosmology. There's about as much entertainment as an astronomy textbook, but that's what makes Space Empires 5 so appealing. Already at the stage of generating the universe, your eyes will be dazzled by the number of settings, and if you are somehow brought into the user manual, then you will find 300 pages of neat text there. This turn-based strategy game has a huge tech tree, a powerful ship editor, and solid diplomatic mechanics where there are no pure alliances or bitter enemies.

10. Hearts of Iron 3

Compared to space grand strategies, this game fits into a relatively short period of time - from 1936 to 1948. But during this time you will be able to completely redraw the map of Europe, and maybe the world, and it is not at all necessary to play for the main players in World War II. The project is distinguished by amazing attention to detail and, in fact, is a visual historical guide to the events of this period. Warfare in Hearts of Iron 3 is so large-scale that you need to resort to the help of AI, although in the most critical areas you will have to take matters into your own hands. Another reason to download the game is extremely detailed tree technologies, which, if desired, can be used to trace the entire path of development of technology and theories of military operations.

9. Crusader Kings 2

A simulator of a wise ruler, the events of which take place in the period from 1066 to 1453. Paradox Interactive went for a bold experiment: instead of leading a nation state, we are offered to manage dynasties, which, upon closer examination, are a huge snake tangle consisting of intrigues, grievances, hereditary disputes and dynastic marriages. At the bottom of the food chain are counts with small plots of land, above are dukes, even higher are kings, and at the top is the emperor. To feel comfortable in this mess, you need to be simultaneously a master of political acrobatics, a virtuoso spy and a brilliant military strategist. This is not the best strategy from Paradoxes, but it is definitely the most unusual.

8. Endless Space 2

A global strategy can be beautiful – this is proven by the developers from the French studio Amplitude. Taking the classic 4X rules as a basis, these guys have created a game with a great visual style and musical accompaniment. Space looks amazing here, and even creating outposts on planets allows you to enjoy their unearthly landscapes. The game was released in 2017, so it is very demanding on hardware, especially in the later stages, when the galaxy is almost completely explored. The only fly in the ointment is the inability to directly influence the course of battles. Perhaps this function will be added in the third part.

7. Endless Legend

The strategy takes place in the world of Endless Space 2, but not in space, but on one of the planets. Here you will find a dark mix of fantasy and technology, eight distinctive races and clear rules borrowed from Civilization. Each race has its own plot, which develops as the game progresses and is replete with references to the history of Auriga and the confrontation between the local inhabitants. Wars here are not limited to maneuvers on the global map - when two armies collide, a turn-based tactical mode is activated, vaguely similar to Disciples. Separately, it is worth noting the army designer, in which you can equip units with various equipment, and the change of seasons, which significantly affects the performance of races on the global map.

6. Stellaris

This time, Paradox Interactive took the signature elements of global simulators and dragged them into space, adding random technology research and good idea with administrative sectors controlled by autonomous AI. Otherwise, Stellaris is an excellent example of a 4X strategy, with a huge map, battles of colossal fleets and a flexible diplomacy system. If you don’t know what it’s like to become a vassal of a stronger empire, live under its yoke for several hundred years, picking up scraps from its table, and then devour your master, then this game will explain everything to you.

5.Galactic Civilizations 3

This game returned to PC 10 years after the release of the previous part (in 2015), but did not lose its signature features. As complex as creating a mosaic, planetary construction, a system of race ideology with perks, designing ships with a flexible system of defensive and attacking modules, time-tested automatic battles - Stardock simply took and improved everything that could be improved. The result is an excellent 4X strategy that can compete on equal terms with modern projects. Recommended for those who like to tinker with the ship editor and fans of grandiose space battles.

4.Master of Orion 2

A magnificent example, in fact, one that stood at the origins of the genre. It has everything an armchair strategist needs: a race designer, ship construction, a variety of technologies and strong (even by today's standards) artificial intelligence. Some will find the game archaic (and not surprising, since it was released in 1996), some will not be happy with the small map, some will smile condescendingly at the sight of primitive wall-to-wall ground battles, but all these are trifles, not worth attention. Master of Orion 2 is a cult global strategy with almost endless replayability, a must-play for all fans of the genre.

3. Total War: Warhammer 2

When one studio spends decades perfecting the only series in its repertoire, the result is obvious. Each game in the Total War series (with the possible exception of the Napoleonic Wars) is better than the previous one, and Warhammer 2 is the crown of the developers’ efforts. Even if you don't take into account the magnificent picture and extremely realistic battles on tactical maps, there are still a thousand reasons to download this game. For example, the largest global map in the history of the series, a full-fledged storyline, or a huge variety of races. Yes, there are only 4 basic factions available for the game: elves, dark elves, lizardmen and skaven, but the old races from the first part have not gone away. An excellent reason to check who is stronger, gnomes, ratmen or vampires.

2. Civilization VI

The sixth part of “Civilization” did not bring revolutionary changes to the series - the Firaxis studio is slowly but surely moving the series forward without sudden movements. This is still the same good old “civa” with a scientific race, urban expansion and extremely active diplomacy. Of the innovations, the most noticeable is the zoning of cities, which in turn leads to their specialization. As usual, you can win here in several ways: cultural, scientific, diplomatic, military. The latter, of course, is the most interesting, but also the most difficult, since it requires a huge investment of resources and time. If you are not yet familiar with the series, Civilization VI is a good reason to try yourself in the role of a historical ruler.

1. Europa Universalis IV

In the list of the best global strategies, this game naturally takes first place. Compared to other games in the genre, Europa Universalis IV is much more complex, wider and more realistic. Political intrigue, espionage, dynastic connections, a sophisticated economy and trading system... you won't find a more complete simulator of a medieval ruler. This is the pinnacle of all Paradox Interactive activities, which has served as a model for other 4X strategy developers since 2013. Yes, the barrier to entry into the game is extremely high, but if you are strong enough to break through hundreds of incomprehensible buttons and tabs, you will find unique opportunity dive into the intricacies of medieval European politics.

26.08.2018 Pavel Makarov

One of the first strategies with the development of civilization was Sid Meier’s Civilization, released in 1991. The game was developed by MPS Labs and published by MicroProse. The player had to develop the chosen people. As the game progresses, you need to study technology, engage in diplomacy, participate in wars and develop the economy. The setting included the historical period from the primitive system to the near future.

Civilization was the game that founded the turn-based grand strategy genre with elements of economic, political and scientific development. Sid Meier's Civilization introduced the concept of a "tech tree" for the first time. In this article, we invite you to get acquainted with modern representatives of the genre of games in which you need to develop your civilization.

Sid Meier's Civilization V

Release date: 2010
Genre: global turn-based strategy with the development of civilization
Developer: Firaxis Games
Publisher: 2K

The player's task is to lead his civilization to one of the types of victory. Types of victory in Civilization: military, diplomatic, scientific and cultural. Turn-based strategy (TBS) develops on a global map consisting of hexes. Some hexes are allocated for various resources and improvements. The other part is under the Wonders of the World, city-states or controlled by competitors.

Two major expansions were released for the game: Gods & Kings and Brave New World, introducing significant innovations to the game mechanics. Numerous additions with new civilizations and game maps have also been released.

A special feature of the game is access to a huge number of mods, which can be downloaded through the menu. Fans have created many scenarios, civilizations and maps, the variety of which can satisfy the most demanding tastes.

Some shortcomings include the weakness of the AI ​​(however, common for most strategies), but this pales against the background of the many advantages of this wonderful game. Facts that speak of incredible popularity: more than 10 million copies sold and a Metacritic rating of 90 out of 100 on Metacritic.

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings

Release date: 1999
Genre: tactical strategy with the development of a medieval kingdom
Developer: Ensemble Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

This game is a continuation of one of the classic series in the RTS real-time strategy genre. She has won many awards. 2 million copies were sold in the first quarter of sales. The score on Metacritic was 92/100. The player has access to 13 civilizations with their own specifics to control. The Conquerors expansion added five more. There are also 5 companies in the game. Civilization passes through four eras, each of which opens up access to new units and improvements. The gameplay consists of building cities, collecting resources, and creating armies. As a result, it is necessary to defeat opponents by destroying their armies and destroying buildings.

In 2013, the game was re-released in an enhanced HD format with significantly improved graphics. Later, three more DLCs were released in this format with new civilizations, maps and scenarios.

Forge of Empires

Release date: year 2012
Genre: online strategy with city development
Developer: InnoGames
Publisher: InnoGames

If you are not ready to get so involved in the intertwining of Sid Meier’s Civilization, but want to take people from the Stone Age to a world similar to science fiction, then there is a great option for you in the form of Forge of Empires. There is only one city on your shoulders. The game is available both for PC in the browser and for mobile platforms Android and IOS.

An important part of the gameplay is interaction with players around the world. Neighboring settlements may run away from you, but you are not fooled, you can answer!

Cossacks 3

Release date: 2016
Genre: tactical strategy with base development
Developer: GSC Game World
Publisher: GSC Game World

A remake of the 2001 classic RTS. The player has 12 countries to control, with 70 types of military units, 100 technologies and more than 140 historical buildings. Gameplay takes place in 17th and 18th century Europe, with units and weapons to match.

Cossacks 3 - screenshots

The peculiarity of the game is huge crowds of armies rushing across the map and being destroyed by the thousands in brutal, fast-paced battles. To win, army control must be combined with skillful management - the extraction of key resources and the construction of the necessary buildings.

For our time, the gameplay of Cossacks 3 is somewhat outdated, but for fans of the classics it can provide pleasant moments.

Total War: Rome II

Release date: year 2013
Genre: global strategy with the development of ancient civilization
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA

Total War is one of the most famous series of PC games, familiar to every strategy lover. In this genre, only the Civilization series is on its level. Rome II is the eighth game in Total War, and one of the most successful. It combines the strategic mode on the global map, in which they deal with macro-management of resources, movements, assignments, with the tactical one, in which battles take place.

The company begins in 272 BC. and is designed for 300 years. The game features 117 different factions fighting across a huge map of 173 regions, spanning Asia, Africa and Europe.

The main types of troops fight directly on the battlefield Ancient world(cavalry, infantry, elephants, etc.) taking into account the historical specifics of different factions (Greek phalanx, Roman legions, etc.). There are different types of battles available (siege, river battles, etc.), in which thousands of units fight.

In addition to the exciting gameplay, Rome II offers a lot of materials on the history of the Ancient World, especially its military part.

Stronghold Kingdoms

Release date: year 2012
Genre: online strategy with the development of a medieval state
Developer: FireFly Studios
Publisher: FireFly Studios

What is it like to manage a medieval castle? Stronghold Kingdoms tries to give the most simple but honest answer to this - this MMORTS (a genre that combines real-time strategy and multiplayer functionality) gives, although simplified, a complete idea of ​​how to maintain your fortress with knights and dysentery.

One of characteristic features games - your successful completion depends not only on defeating computer antagonists, but also on interactions with other real gamers over the network.

Rise of Nations

Release date: 2003
Genre: turn-based strategy with RPG elements and non-linear plot
Developer: Big Huge Games
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

The game is similar in mechanics to Total War, combining strategic actions on a global map with direct command of troops in battle mode. Visually, it is much poorer than Total War, and in the field of combat and strategy it is inferior to this classic.

The player takes control of one of 18 nations, which he leads to victory in 8 historical eras development. About 100 different units are available to him, and each faction has its own unique fighters.

In 2014, a re-release of the game was released, with updated graphics and multiplayer.

Europa Universalis IV

Release date: year 2013
Genre: global strategy with the development of civilization during the Renaissance
Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Publisher: Paradox Interactive

Global strategy from Paradox, one of the leading strategy developers.

The game covers the period from the late Middle Ages to the Early Modern era.

Gaming takes place taking into account real historical events (geographical discoveries, etc.). To achieve victory, the player must skillfully combine trade, diplomacy, colonization and military action.

The game features a strong Paradox-style strategy component, with a comparatively poor military component. There are no tactical battles, and the game only takes place on the global map. In this form, the game is similar to chess.

The “trick” of Europa Universalis IV is that the process depends on random events, both positive and negative, that are generated every year.

Vikings: War of Clans

Release date: 2015
Genre: MMO strategy with the development of a Viking settlement
Developer: Plarium
Publisher: Plarium

If you often watch videos on YouTube, then you have long known that if strategies from the nineties and early 2000s are dear to your heart, you should definitely try Vikings: War of Clans. Such intrusive, monotonous advertising can discourage anyone from trying out the game.

But for some reason, there are several times more people playing it than there ever were Vikings. And all because this is a thoughtful military strategy in which you equally get pleasure from profitable alliances with other players and from the thoughtless plunder of their lands.

Release date: year 2012
Genre: global strategy with the development of your own dynasty in the setting of medieval Europe
Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Publisher: Paradox Interactive

Another global strategy from Paradox, covering the Medieval period, from 1066 to 1453.

The peculiarity of the game is that it is a simulator of a dynasty, and not of a civilization or state. The player, using wars, marriages and murders, works hard on the global map to achieve the success of his dynasty and eliminate competitors.

14 DLCs have already been released, adding new dynasties, events and expanding the period of the game.

The game is similar to strong and weaknesses with Europa Universalis IV: a powerful strategic component with advanced AI is combined with a poor military component.

Throne: Kingdom At War

Release date: 2016
Genre: MMO strategy with the development of a medieval kingdom
Developer: Plarium
Publisher: Plarium

The world of Throne: Kingdom At War can be described as an abstract, fascinating Middle Ages without inquisitions, but with knights. In the game you create a Hero, and everything depends on him - he improves your possessions and controls your soldiers in battles.

Once upon a time, in the fictional kingdom of Amaria, a wise monarch ruled everything. But his death plunged everything into chaos, and the Hero is one of the fighters for control of his domain. You can explore new lands and conquer the rebellious. Anything until you yourself are overthrown.

Release date: 2010
Genre: global strategy with the development of civilization in the modern era
Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Publisher: Paradox Development

Another global strategy from Paradox. The game is more aimed at diligent fans. The player needs to spend many hours on political and economic decisions.

The player controls the state, combining its political, diplomatic, economic, military and technological aspects. The period of the game is 1836-1936. The game spans the entire Earth, with over 200 playable countries.

Victoria II is more development oriented economic relations. The game has a complex system with more than 50 types of goods and factories, the prices of which are determined by millet and supply. In the realm of politics and diplomacy, the player interacts with 8 different types of governments and 7 ideologies. The military component, for which 20 types of ground and naval forces are responsible, is less important than in its analogues.

Grand Ages Medieval

Release date: 2015
Genre: real-time strategy with the development of the economy of the Medieval state
Developer: Gaming Minds Studios
Publisher: Kalypso Media Digital

Not a very successful attempt to cross RTS with TBS. State governance is carried out on a global map in real time. The emphasis is on the economy, combat is less important. The factions are almost the same from each other, the battles are very boring, the only heavily developed part is trade. To build a strong economy, you need to carefully monitor commodity prices, compare alternatives, deal with logistics and trade protection.

Grand Ages Medieval can be called a trading strategy, to which war and other components were added “for show.”

Medieval II: Total War

Release date: 2006
Genre: global military strategy in the setting of medieval Europe
Developer: CREATIVE ASSEMBLY
Publisher: SEGA

The fourth game in the Total War series, one of the pinnacles of the strategy genre.

The game covers the Middle Ages; There are 17 factions available in the company. In the process, it is necessary not only to fight competitors, but also to take into account global events corresponding to historical periods. For example, the invasions of the Mongols and Timur. Religion plays an important role on the global map. For example, the Pope may excommunicate you and declare a crusade against you. If the population of recently subjugated territories professes a religion different from yours, then there is a high probability of uprisings.

The system of agents responsible for the spread of religions, espionage and other components of victory has also been fully implemented. Decisive battles are best carried out manually, rather than using automatic calculation, and here you can notice that the game engine has been improved in Medieval II. The soldiers received individual content and a variety of combat techniques. This visually distinguishes the battles from the “clone wars” of previous games in the series.

In addition to our article, we suggest you look detailed video a review of other strategies on PC with the development of civilization, including settings from the primitive period to modern days.

Friends, hello everyone. The Gamebizclub team is on air, and today we will continue to introduce you to the genres of the world of computer games. At the end of May, we dove in and revealed the 12 best games in the genre. And in this article we will tell you in detail about the best strategies on PC over the past few years and compile our top best games in this genre.

It would seem that making ratings is a simple matter. It’s worth taking a list of the games you like, choosing the best ones and putting them in order. We would have done so, if not for one nuance - the Gamebizclub team included people who had experienced Warcraft 1 and Heroes of Might and Magic.

Since then, many games have been released, one way or another, we managed to play most of them and form our own opinion. Therefore, we made a plausible rating taking into account all opinions - we retested old games and new ones, refreshed our memory. And this is what happened.

From this article you will learn:

14. DEFCON

The last place in our ranking goes to DEFCON, a game about nuclear strike tactics released in 2006. The name translates as “defense readiness” - this is a real-life scale of the US Army’s readiness for possible combat operations.

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 echo the film, as evidenced by the motto “Everybody dies” (translated as “Everybody Dies”).

In DEFCON you will not be able to create combat units, collect 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 alarm level 5. Then you move to the following levels sequentially. All this time, the conflict is developing, tension is growing. When the level reaches 1, a nuclear attack can be launched.

The main goal is to inflict damage on the enemy while avoiding your own losses. There are no moral restrictions, so you should follow only your thoughts, 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 similar to a real command post, where the president of the country sits and plans military operations. 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 your mind: take on the role of the main villain, save peoples and countries, destroy cities and entire regions with one click.

The only negative that outweighs 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 boring - 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 or any accompaniment. Therefore, it is suitable instead of Minesweeper or any other game with low requirements - it takes up only 60 MB on your hard drive 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 strategies. Dune was released in 1992 on the Sega console, and after a while it became available on PC. At that time it was a breakthrough that could be repeated only three years later.

Interesting fact: on behalf of the publishing company Virgin Interactive, two independent developers worked simultaneously to create the game. The French company Cryo Interactive released the game first. American Westwood Studios - a little later. That's why the title of the game from Westwood Studios contains the number "2".

The plot is based on the science fiction novel Dune by Frank Herbert. During the passage you will meet the main characters, take the role of the leader of one of the great houses and conquer the planet Arrakis.

The only negative is that the events of the book and the game are loosely connected; the gameplay is based on missions to clear the territory of the enemy and extract useful resources.

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

You can choose any house, but you cannot change it later. After choosing, you will find yourself on the battlefield, command an army, build a base, extract resources and destroy the enemy. Important - to win, you need to destroy all enemies on the map.

For example, if you have destroyed 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 would become the basis of the RTS genre. This is a global map, an economic model, a command panel and a mini-map in the user interface, the “fog of war” and various capabilities of the warring parties.

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, no more games about Dune appeared. 15 years have passed, but the series remains only in the memory of the most devoted fans - that’s why only the penultimate place.

12. Age of Empires

We give 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 then Microsoft Game Studios has released 8 games and 4 additions to them. The series also includes Age of Empires Online (MMORTS).

In Age of Empires, you will find yourself in the role of leader of one of 16 civilizations that reflect 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 Age to the Iron Age.

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

The game contains campaigns, including educational ones. The educational process is built on 12 scenarios that explain the gameplay. 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 who to fight with - bots or other people. If you choose a mode with other users, you will have the opportunity to form an alliance, declare war on the selected enemy, or take a neutral position.

Age of Empires doesn't require a powerful computer. Even with the most modest configuration, the game looks realistic, and the image is pleasing to the eye at maximum zoom.

For many people, Age of Empires has become a guide to the world of strategy. But the series gradually faded away and lost popularity - the third part was released back in 2005, and there is still no full-fledged 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 is Star Wars: Empire at War, a game released in 2006 based on the setting of the world-famous Star Wars saga. The plot is based on Star Wars episodes 4, 5 and 6, namely the civil war between the Rebels and the Imperials.

You will find yourself in the role of a commander of one of the sides, you will control 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 provides 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 - a global strategy on the galaxy map. In this mode, you will manage controlled planets, 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 both sides, and you will be able to demonstrate your team skills and win.

The main thing is to choose right side. The Imperials more possibilities 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 ruler 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 into battle. You will definitely like it.

Star Wars is a super popular project by George Lucas. Therefore, it is not surprising that many films were published based on the film. interesting games, but we still haven’t seen the continuation of Empire at War, which is a pity. Only eleventh place in our ranking, let's move on.

10. World in Conflict: Soviet Assault

The top ten is rounded out by World in Conflict: Soviet Assault, a real-time strategy game released in 2009 that continued 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's 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 destroyed by Russian tanks. USSR troops begin an offensive along the entire front and create a meat grinder for NATO forces.

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

Combat operations take place either in Berlin or in rural areas, where they have to fight with NATO troops. You will also be able to 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 have a limited number of troops at your disposal, but you can request reinforcements.

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

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 cities and the coast. Gradually you will push back the USSR troops and move to Europe. Let us add that both storylines are inextricably linked, so whichever side you choose will win.

The game attracts with its sharp plot, large-scale battles that take place not only nearby, but all over the map - you get the feeling that you are participating in a large-scale military operation. It all looks very realistic, as if we were really in the center of a 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 - this is 100%.

9.Stronghold

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

The action takes place during the early Middle Ages, so you will take on the role of a baron or count - you will build a castle, develop production, establish settlements and fight the enemy. Depending on the chosen part, you will find yourself in the territory of Europe or Palestine.

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

Stronghold 3 takes place in Europe. The plot begins seven years 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, besiege your neighbor’s castle, pour boiling oil and tar on the attackers - all the medieval romance is present. But before the start of hostilities, it will be necessary to provide the rear with food and develop production so that everything is 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 is one of the best turn-based strategies, Heroes 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, were never able to surpass the third part.

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

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

One of the main objectives is to develop cities in such a way that they generate income, provide combat power and give strength to magic spells. If a city is well developed, it brings in enough gold and 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 the 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, actions take place one by one and resemble a chess game. Each unit has a certain number of action points, attack type 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, receives experience and artifacts from defeated enemies.

Heroes of Might and Magic 3 is available in single and multiplayer. Although multi-user is a strong word. The first mode is called “Hot Seat” and is translated as a hot seat - two people at one computer take turns making moves and finding out who is stronger.

The second mode is network. You need to create a separate “room” and give the address of this room to friends and acquaintances. Then you don’t have to sit in one chair, but really surf the net.

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

7.Command & Conquer

In seventh place is the famous Command & Conquer - a real-time strategy 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 one was released in 2013. Note that the first part, along with Dune, became the basis for the RTS genre. But compared to the world of Arrakis, the Command and Conquer saga lasted much longer. The two games have the same developer - Westwood Studios, so it is quite possible that they decided to sacrifice Dune in favor of the more popular C&C.

The Command & Conquer universe includes 3 story subseries: Tiberium, Red Alert and Generals. This is a total of 15 games.

The plot of C&C is built on the conflict surrounding Tiberium, an alien substance sent by aliens to Earth in a meteorite 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 also begin to mine it, as a result they quickly gain strength and receive financial injections from countries where there is no Tiberium.

After some time, 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, you should choose 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 that you need to complete and achieve your goals. In principle, everything is simple - build a base, mine Tiberium, recruit troops and build military equipment. And then you send the army on the attack and command how, where and who to destroy. Easy?

But the enemy does not sleep, so it is never easy. They will constantly attack you and try to destroy your base, attack from unexpected directions and deprive you of the opportunity to earn money. Therefore, you need to constantly be prepared for sudden 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 mistakes.

It is unknown what will happen to the C&C series next. Four years have passed, but there is still no clear news or comments. Although there are still many fans of the game who continue to hone their skills in online battles. Therefore, so far only seventh place.

6. Civilization

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

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

The main task is to develop the chosen civilization, from primitive society to modernity. 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 technologies 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 dictator. Events take place on a given world map, chosen randomly or exactly replicating the Earth.

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

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

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

Editor's opinion: There were some funny moments in early versions of Civilization. If one nation was significantly ahead of 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 even antiquity. And often tanks lost when simultaneously attacked by several units of earlier eras. In Civilization VI, the developers have improved the balance, but problems 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, participate in this process and rewrite history. Imagine the Aztecs launching the first satellite into space, the Egyptians building the Pentagon in Cairo, the Romans launching the Stealth bomber.

Within the framework of game mechanics, everything is possible. The latest part of the game was released in 2016, and the continuation should be expected in 2019-2020.

5. Total War

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

The main feature of Total War is the transfer in time to a specific era of human development. The plot takes you to Japan during the Warring States era, to Europe during the Napoleonic era, to the Middle Ages and earlier times. 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.

If we describe Total War in a nutshell, then the most suitable ones are large battles. In addition to capturing cities, establishing economic ties and production cycles, you will fight. War consists of many battles of different sizes, and you will command an army in each of them. Castle sieges, city defense, ambushes and wall-to-wall battles - there is everything that fans of the genre need.

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

If you get tired of constant battles, click “automatic calculation of results.” If your army is greatly superior, the enemy will be defeated without your participation.

But if the forces are equal or the enemy is superior in numbers, then you cannot do without your participation. In the “automatic calculation of the results” you will most likely lose, but in the 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, where would we be without them. But after each defeat, you will learn to think and make innovative decisions, manage your troops more effectively and skillfully use the features of the landscape.

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

In major battles, armies of several thousand people clash. Given that most armies have a maximum number of units (15-20 depending on the game version), the biggest battles involve multiple units maximum size– this is enough to cover half the map with the bodies of fallen warriors.

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

4. Halo Wars 2

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 more than 15 years. Several dozen books and one film have already been released based on the plot of the game, and this is not the end yet. 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 background: in the distant future, people populated many planets and controlled a large area of ​​space until they encountered 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.

From that moment on, events developed badly for the people - dozens of lost systems, hundreds of millions of lives lost and the loss of half the fleet. In this situation, K.K.O.N decides to send the colony ship "Spirit of Fire" into an unexplored sector of space for colonization.

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

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

The gameplay in Halo Wars 2 is not much 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 where you participate.

The missions have many additional tasks that need to be completed. For example, in one mission you will destroy the enemy with one Spartan with a machine gun, push through power shields and free prisoners - every mission is in this spirit.

Microsoft made not just an RTS, but a strategy with a high budget. The graphics and image quality look amazing - the soldiers, equipment, buildings and other details are made at 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 be available on Xbox One and PC. However, there is one small drawback. PC owners may feel that tasks end too quickly. I would like to put it in the top three, but in terms of “legendary” it is inferior to more successful strategies. Let's move on to them.

3. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III

We decided to give bronze to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III, an epic strategy about the war between a human empire and 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 War Hammer is very large. Everything in it is tied to a fierce confrontation between several races - people, orcs, elves, chaosites, necromancers and other factions. Moreover, each faction has its own policies, troops, development path and other features that make it different from the rest.

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

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 3 was included in 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 will seem to be transported to the distant future. But little has changed in the gameplay - it is still a strategy made 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 soldier or combat vehicle: light combat vehicles lose to heavy ones, anti-tank squads will quickly multiply the coolest tank by zero, but are vulnerable to infantry, and infantry are afraid of snipers and light equipment. Familiar scheme, right?

There is also an interesting feature - for the first time, unique super-heavy warriors have appeared, which turn the battle on its head. The Phantom Knight for the Eldar, the Imperial Knight for the Humans, and the Orc Stomp for the Orcs. But they appear closer to the end of the plot, so you won’t be able to control them for a long time.

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

Overall, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III is pure excitement. The plot and battles are captivating and literally do not allow you to tear yourself away from the monitor screen. In the heat of battle, you don’t even have time to pay attention to mistakes in the voice acting and phrases of the heroes. For example, imagine orcs speaking normal Russian - a fantastic sight. Bronze is 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 additions Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void were released.

StarCraft 2 is the main representative of strategy games in eSports. StarCraft championships are held regularly, and the winners receive valuable prizes. Note that the game is inferior in popularity to other representatives of e-sports - CS: GO, Dota 2, League of Legends.

But 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, 26th century. The plot is based on a war between three races - protoss, zerg, terrans. Terrans are the descendants of exiled criminals who have severed all ties with their home planet. Zerg are mutated creatures from various planets controlled 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. By 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 risk running into the second base of the enemy, who will have time to prepare for defense.

In single-player mode, you will follow the storyline, go through 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 been completed, you can move on 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), take part in tournaments and get to the big championship. The better your skill, the greater your chances of winning 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's list of games. It will remain trendy for a few more years, and then Blizzard will outdo themselves and release the third part. The neighbors have already done this - the example of Diablo is before our eyes. Now let's move on to the winner of our rating.

1.Warcraft III

Gold goes to the legendary game 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 in first place for just one reason, the name of which is that it is the best game in every sense.

Let's be clear: Warcraft established for a long time those principles of RTS and RPG that remain relevant 15 years later. All modern RPGs and MMORPGs with open world one way or another they use the development system laid down by Warcraft 3.

Fantasy races, an interesting plot, combat and magic mechanics - all this is organically combined and makes you return to the game again and again. And it’s no coincidence that World of Warcraft and Dota 2 remain at the top - they continue the genre established in the third Warcraft.

Let us add that the plot of the game was filmed, released in 2016. Box office receipts for several months of release worldwide collected more than $300 million - this is a great success that few can repeat.

We've sorted out the popularity, now we'll talk about the gameplay and fundamental differences from other strategies.

Warcraft III is a classic strategy game with RPG elements. Everything is here from strategy: 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 mine gold in mines, cut down forests 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, and applies powerful abilities and spells. The higher the hero's level, 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 put up fierce resistance and will be destroyed - it all depends on the chosen side.

Combat actions take place on maps - in locations with forests, rivers, lakes, mines and neutral characters. Picture quality may seem a little dated, but it's 2002, when PC requirements were much different. But W3 will work on any computer, plus you can chat online with other people from different countries. There are still enough fans of the game.

Warcraft 3 should be in every strategy fan's favorites. Best of the Best – just like that and no other way. And we are waiting for news about Warcraft 4, rumors have been circulating for two years, but the Bliz remain silent.

Let's sum it up

Despite the fact that the strategy genre is gradually losing ground, worthy strategies like Halo Wars 2 or Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 3 still appear. And we see a new trend - developers are trying to make games interesting. The new games feature an exciting plot, well-developed unit models and Beautiful design locations.

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