#10 - Age of Empires II
If strategy games were comfort food, Age of Empires II would be the universally loved, perfect dish that never gets old.
#9 - XCOM 2
Most strategy games put you in a position of power. XCOM 2 does the exact opposite, and that’s what makes it brilliant. Set 20 years after humanity lost a war against alien invaders, you are not a world leader commanding massive armies.
#8 - Total War: Shogun 2
The Total War series is famous for its grand scale, but many argue that it never achieved greater focus or polish than with Shogun 2.
#7 - Red Alert 2
While some strategy games strive for realism and complexity, Red Alert 2 throws all that out the window in favor of pure, unadulterated fun. It’s a game that doesn’t take itself seriously, and that’s its greatest strength.
#6 - Crusader Kings III
Crusader Kings III is a strategy game unlike any other. While most games in the genre have you control a nation or a faction, here you control a person, a ruler, and their dynasty.
#5 - Sid Meier’s Civilization V
There’s a reason the phrase “just one more turn” is synonymous with the Civilization series, and Civilization V is perhaps the most addictive entry of them all.
#4 - StarCraft II
If you’re looking for the ultimate competitive real time strategy experience, look no further than StarCraft II.
#3 - Fire Emblem
Fire Emblem: Three Houses took a beloved, long running tactical RPG series and elevated it to a new level of greatness by brilliantly merging its deep, grid based combat with a compelling social simulator.
#2 - Warcraft III
It is impossible to overstate the impact of Warcraft III on the gaming world. On its surface, it was a fantastic fantasy RTS that refined the formula of its predecessors.
#1 - Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
Topping a list with so many legends is a monumental task, but Sid Meier’s Civilization VI earns its place at the pinnacle.