The 26 Best PC Strategy Games

Though released in 2004, Rome: Total War is still one of the best Total War games due to its unparalleled sense of scope and polished, focused strategic and tactical gameplay; the recent 2021 remaster Total War: Rome Remastered updated the graphics and UI while keeping the excellent core gameplay intact. However, UI and graphics limitations, Rome: Total War's empire management and immense, detailed real-time battles have stood the test of time. While newer entries have more complexity, Rome: Total War's streamlined systems allow the key elements of the game to be brought out due to its excellent execution. The setting also perfectly complements the series' style of strategic warfare. Nearly 20 years later, Rome: Total War is still excellent where it matters most — engaging strategic gameplay and epic tactical battles.

Crusader Kings III is one of the best PC strategy games due to its intricate systems that generate epic stories of alliance and betrayal between medieval noble houses vying for power. Choosing from hundreds of unique families, you'll use espionage, war, and diplomacy to expand your dynasty's influence in dynamic worlds shaped by the distinct personalities of your monarchs and vassals. With countless factors beyond the battlefield to weigh, each playthrough features emergent storytelling rife with scheming, conquest, and drama befitting a Game of Thrones saga. Blending immersive RPG elements with deep strategic gameplay, Crusader Kings III represents the pinnacle of Paradox's acclaimed brand of roleplaying grand strategy.

Bringing the beloved tabletop franchise to PCs in 2004, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War captures the grim dark future of the 41st millennium in compelling real-time strategy gameplay, though its visuals and interface feel dated by today's standards. Selecting from iconic factions like the "Space Marines," "Eldar," and "Orks," you'll deploy unique armies across war-torn planets to claim territories and power. With varied single-player campaigns focused on tactical combat scenarios and expansions introducing new factions and units, Dawn of War excellently translates Warhammer 40k's distinctive style of sci-fi warfare. Offering a more action-oriented edge than traditional RTS titles, Dawn of War remains a must-play for fans craving visceral large-scale battleground duels between the Warhammer universe's forces.

Company of Heroes 2 masterfully translates the strategic challenge of commanding WWII armies into thrilling real-time gameplay. Directing squads through authentic battlefields, you'll need to utilize cover and terrain while managing supply lines. With enhanced unit abilities and destructible environments, combat feels more lifelike and tactical than in the first Company of Heroes. While focusing on the gritty Eastern Front, Company of Heroes 2 captures the scale and tension of WWII warfare through incredibly balanced RTS gameplay.

The latest entry in Sid Meier's seminal Civilization series, Civilization VI enhances the addictive gameplay loop of building empires across history. With revamped cities, research trees, and improved AI, this iteration improves upon its predecessor in virtually every way. Large maps and deeper strategy elements provide even more complex challenges for dedicated armchair emperors. Civ VI iterates on the core 4X formula masterfully, making it another essential installment in the celebrated franchise.

The epic trilogy capping Creative Assembly's acclaimed Total Warhammer saga, Warhammer III expands the campaign map into the realms of "Chaos" with new daemonic and human factions joining classic ones like the mighty "Empire" and stalwart "Dwarfs" for one of the series' most diverse and detailed fantasy rosters ever. Refined real-time battles and tactical turn-based strategy gameplay remain at the heart of this ambitious strategy epic and it's worth checking out the ambitious "Immortal Empires" campaign that combines the maps from all three Total Warhammer titles for a massive strategic experience. Warhammer III is a suitably spectacular culmination of Creative Assembly's ambitious fantasy trilogy and is one of the best PC strategy games available.

Blending science fiction and strategy, Starcraft cemented itself as an iconic PC strategy game with its immersive factions, campaigns, and multiplayer. With three playable factions: the human Terrans, psionic Protoss, and insectoid Zerg, the game excels at varied unit and base design. Supported for over two decades with expansions and remasters, Starcraft continues to foster a competitive community and expand its rich lore. With its polished mechanics and enduring legacy, Starcraft is undoubtedly one of the greatest real-time strategy games ever made.

Gears Tactics adeptly translates the visceral action of the Gears of War franchise into turn-based tactical gameplay. Leading your squad against the "Locust" hordes, you'll need to carefully position soldiers and utilize their skills to flank and execute brutal attacks. With customizable squads, procedural maps, and a lengthy campaign, Gears Tactics adds commendable depth and strategy to the franchise's cover-based combat. For both Gears fans and turn-based strategy fans, Gears Tactics hits the sweet spot between thoughtful strategy and aggressive Gears execution.

Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus brings the "Tech-Priests" of Mars to life in this cunning turn-based strategy game that evokes the XCOM franchise. As you battle "Necrons" and hunt for arcane technology, customizing your squad with bionics and weaponry is key to defeating heretical forces. The detailed combat, compelling sound design, and grimdark atmosphere capture the dark mysticism of the "Adeptus Mechanicus" faction remarkably well. For Warhammer fans or strategy-minded tactical gamers, Mechanicus is an excellent blend of occult science fiction and challenging combat.

XCOM 2 builds on the acclaimed alien defense formula of XCOM: Enemy Unknown with a harrowing guerrilla campaign against the occupying extraterrestrial forces. Blending base building, tactical missions, and overall strategy, defending Earth from the alien threat is challenging and addictive throughout. With procedural maps and enemy behavior, battles stay intense across repeated playthroughs. Expanding on the reboot while refining the mechanics, XCOM 2 is one of the most rewarding and challenging strategy games for PC.

Blending RPG elements with Oregon Trail-esque survival decisions and brutal turn-based strategy combat, The Banner Saga Trilogy delivers a dark Viking epic accented by beautiful hand-drawn art. Leading your caravan across a breaking world, management of supplies and heroes is crucial to survivability. With a focus on mature storytelling where choices carry real weight, the trilogy creates an intimate adventure defined by its characters. As emotionally resonant as it is tactically challenging, The Banner Saga Trilogy is a poignant epic that you won't soon forget.

Blending real-time strategy with economic management, Offworld Trading Company tasks players with building a profitable corporate colony on Mars. With no military forces, you instead leverage the stock market, supply and demand, and cutthroat tactics to outwit competitors. Offering innovative mechanics and a brisk multiplayer mode, this PC strategy game distills the thrill of corporate domination into accessible, strategic gameplay. Executed with polish and personality, Offworld Trading Company brings a unique economic angle to the traditionally combat-focused RTS genre.

They Are Billions provides a fresh strategic challenge by pitting players against relentless zombie hordes in this steampunk survival strategy game. Building and managing your colony is essential, but so is planning mazes of traps and turrets to avoid being overrun when the swarms attack. Streamlined controls allow directing units during intense wave defense scenarios that will push your tactical skills to the limit. With its simple yet engaging gameplay, They Are Billions puts an innovative spin on RTS and colony management conventions.

Set during Japan's Sengoku period, Total War: Shogun 2 provides a compelling strategy experience defined by graceful minimalism and refinement of the series’ core mechanics. With improved diplomacy, city management, and spectacular real-time combat, Shogun 2 represents the Total War series at the height of its prowess. Immersing players in 16th century Japan, it presents streamlined yet engrossing gameplay that remains accessible for newcomers while offering depth for veterans. Both beautiful and eminently playable, Shogun 2 is a premier entry in the longstanding Total War franchise.

Stellaris is a stellar sci-fi strategy experience, allowing you to traverse the Milky Way guiding your customized spacefaring empire. Exploring mysterious stars and interacting with unique aliens while managing resources and fleets is always a unique adventure where each campaign tells its own story. Approachable mechanics and varied paths to domination or diplomacy make your interstellar journey distinct every time. With exceptional polish and creativity, Stellaris shines as a best-in-class 4X experience.

Homeworld pioneered 3D RTS gameplay with its innovative spacefaring mechanics and fully three-dimensional movement and tactics. The atmosphere and minimalist aesthetic wonderfully complement its gameplay and help to realize the grandeur of exploring space. Its engrossing single-player campaign provides high stakes and strategy across varied missions. Homeworld's fully realized 3D space combat and visual presentation remain superb over 20 years later, cementing its legacy as one of the most inventive RTS games ever made. If you have not yet tried Homeworld, we recommend the 2015 Remastered Collection which provides a more updated experience while remaining true to the game's roots. That compilation features three worthwhile experiences that are all worth acknowledging as some of the best PC strategy games.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition modernizes the classic real-time strategy title with significantly upgraded visuals, quality-of-life improvements, and new content. The epic scope of building an empire across medieval history remains engaging with revamped graphics bringing modern polish. With four new civilizations, redesigned campaigns, and support for 4K visuals, Definitive Edition makes Age of Empires II look and play better than ever before. This loving remaster retains the timeless gameplay while giving the visuals a modern sheen.

FTL: Faster Than Light is a roguelike strategic spaceship simulation that's as addictive as it is punishing. As you outrun an unrelenting rebel fleet sector by sector, random events and deep ship management create compelling emergent storytelling. With multiple spacecraft to unlock and endless permutations through randomization, every escape attempt tells a unique tale. Tense battles, thoughtful pausing, and the finality of permadeath make every lightyear traversed in FTL a gripping journey.

From the developers of FTL comes Into the Breach, a tactics masterpiece about defending cities from underground aliens. With strategic turn-based battles taking place on small grids, you'll have to carefully position mechs to counter the enemies' telegraphed attacks using abilities and environmental effects. Smartly designed mechanics result in battles that play out like intricate puzzles to provide riveting bite-sized strategies. Into the Breach proves that Subset Games' mastery of tight, addictive strategic experiences remains unmatched.

Anno 1800 returns to the series' roots with a city-building strategy game focused on creating vast industrial economies. Juggling production chains, trade routes, and urban development provides calming yet engaging management. Detailed visuals and complex interconnected systems make each urban center feel alive. Anno 1800 is a triumphant return to form that provides one of the most refined and addictive strategic city-builders that's recognized by many as another one of the best PC strategy games.

Warhammer 40K: Chaos Gate - Daemonhunters faithfully adapts the grim dark future of the 41st millennium into a brutally challenging tactical RPG. As the "Grey Knights," you'll purge heretics and daemons across procedurally generated warzones with satisfyingly violent battles. With full character and squad customization, it's an excellent blend of tactical combat and progression. Daemonhunters is an excellent PC strategy game that should delight Warhammer and XCOM fans alike.

Frostpunk adeptly blends city management and survival in a chilling steampunk ice-age setting. As the Captain, you'll have to make difficult moral choices to ensure your civilization's survival against freezing cold and dwindling hope. With its stylized visuals and polished city builder mechanics, Frostpunk's blend of tricky resource management and moral dilemmas makes for a uniquely atmospheric and challenging strategy game.

Supreme Commander delivers large-scale robotic battles with an intelligent zooming camera system to control massive armies. The strategic map and economic management provide engaging high-level gameplay while controlling swarms of units across vivid battlefields to capture the scale of futuristic warfare. Experimental units and nuanced counter-play give the game's multiplayer lasting competitive depth. While a little dated by today's standards, Supreme Commander provides an intelligent evolution of real-time strategy that retains depth while emphasizing visual spectacle.

Rise of Nations masterfully blends real-time strategy with compelling 4X elements spanning all of human history. Managing cities, resources, and technological progress is key, but decisive battles between thousands of troops across epic maps are where games are won. With accessible gameplay and varied nations, Rise of Nations provides immediate fun while rewarding mastery in long games full of strategic nuance. Streamlined but layered, Rise of Nations stands as a high point for the RTS genre and PC strategy games in general. If you're interested in giving this game a try, seek out the Extended Edition since it comes with improved visuals and the Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots expansion.

Despite its dated visuals, 2002's Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos remains the definitive way to experience this seminal real-time strategy classic that helped shape the RTS genre. With four unique factions waging war across "Azeroth" and beyond, Reign of Chaos provided incredibly polished and competitive RTS gameplay for its time. Though the remake, Warcraft III: Reforged was meant to modernize it with a full graphical overhaul, it unfortunately falls flat due to terrible technical issues, missing features, and an oversimplified UI. While the remake is best avoided, fans of classic real-time strategy should revisit the original Warcraft III to appreciate just how far ahead of its time this genre masterpiece was.

Blending 4X strategy with asymmetrical factions, Dune: Spice Wars translates Frank Herbert's iconic sci-fi universe into an engrossing real-time power struggle over the invaluable desert planet Arrakis. Each faction, like the noble "Atreides" and the sinister "Harkonnens," requires unique strategies to control the spice flow and defend your burgeoning empire from both rival houses and colossal sandworms. Now that the game has exited its Early Access phase and has embraced its complete 1.0 phase, some features feel underbaked but the strong foundation of political machinations and factional warfare establishes Spice Wars' enormous potential for delivering a definitive interactive Dune experience.