They may not be as popular as they were back in the 2000s, but strategy games have always been a solid genre for video games. Even now, certain outliers and big names in the formula shake things up from time to time. They don't exactly hold a candle to battle royale or MOBAs in terms of popularity, which is why there's only a small number of them as the gaming industry enters the new decade.
Still, that makes them rare and well-remꦆembered, more so for strategy games set in the medieval fantasy format. Orcs, dragons, and sorcerers duking it out in asymmetrical warfare might look fairly straightforward but turning it into a strategy game is more complicated than it seems. As with every genre, some titles are better than others, and here are some of the strategy games that got it right.
Updated October 21, 2022, by Sid Natividad: Strategy games will never go out of vogue, with fantastic titles dropping all the time. We've taken another look at this list and added a few more of our very favorites, sure to challenge your brain and excite your love for fantasy.
The best among these types of titles would be fantasy RTS games. They're essentially bite-sized strategy games that you can complete in around 30 minutes or usually less than an hour. Thankfully, there's no shortage of those in the medieval strategy games genre; hence, the additional ones in the roster.
15 Noble𒆙 Fates ﷺ
- Release year: 2021
- Other genres: Simulation, RPG, City Builder
Fantasy meets strategy meets colony simulation in this game. Noble Fates has you overseeing the construction of a whole new settlement populated by humans and orcs with nowhere else to go. Think 'fantasy Rimworld.'
While this game is still in early access at the time of writing, it feels like a robust, incredibly fun game with a ton of potential. The characters interact in believable ways, the graphics are gorgeous, and there's a complexity to planning your layouts and defensive strategies.
14 🎃 M𓂃aster Of Magic
- Release year: 1994
- Other genres: 4X, Turn-Based
Not to be confused with the upcoming remake, Master of Magic is a 4X classic with a charm that still remains strong today. The fact that they're going to release a remake is evidence enough. In preparation for that, you might want to try out the old title, if only to see what this is all about - though it's still a great game in its own right.
You get to play as an extremely powerful wizard capable of creating volcanoes or unleashing tsunamis all over the land. There are a total of 14 races to command, and you also get to customize your wizard's spells and traits. The graphics are, naturally, a tad outdated, but the game's enduring replayability makes it relevant and iconic.
13 💃 Age Of Wonders Series
- Release year: 1999-2019
- Other genres: 4X, Turn-Based
Age of Wonders stays true to its namesake by jumping in-between genres with each and every title. The latest game, Age of Wonders: Planetfall, is a science-fiction 4x 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:strategy game, but the predecessors are ꦰstrongly based in fantasy.
However, you can't go wrong with any of them as Age of Wonders' developers take their sweet time with each game. If you must take a fantasy pick, then Age of Wonders 3 is a good starting point, as it has the most tolerable visuals out of all the fantasy titles in the lineup.
12 ꦺ Fallen Enchantress
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- Release year: 2013
- Other genres: 4X, Grand Strategy, City Builder
Speaking of fantasy versions of Civilization, Fallen Enchantress is another strong title in the genre. It's similar to Age of Wonders, in that you also have to manage a growing empire while building a formidable roster of heroes and their retinues. You'll find lots of familiar systems here.
The game was made by the creators of other hybrid RTS titles, such as Sins of a Solar Empire and Galactic Civilizations. Fans could even say that th🌱is is their medieval fantasy outing since the developers mostly dabbled in space operas.
11 Deity Eไm🎃pires
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- Release year: 2018
- Other genres: 4X, Turn-Based, RPG
If you don't mind retro graphics, then Deity Empires is another good entry into the fantasy 4X genre. It takes some obvious notes from the Civilization games and even references the "one more turn" habit, which these kinds of games encourage wholeheartedly. The simple visuals also ensure that you can play this even on the lowliest of laptops.
As for the setting, you get to be a deity here whose main goal is to become the ruler of the world. There are also several playable races whom will worship you as a god 🔯as you lead them and your religion to global recognition and supremacy.
10 ♓ Warcraft Ser🃏ies
- Release year: 1994-2003
- Other genres: RPG, RTS
By far the most popular fantasy strategy game on the planet, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Warcraft is the result of Games Workshop not w🧔anting to share Warhammer with Blizzard studios. As a result, Blizzard made its own intellectual property that can now 🌄rival Warhammer.
Warcraft wouldn't become a household name before the third and final game. Afterward, the developers turned the whole thing 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:into an MMORPG. Still, Warcraft III's modularity and general gameplay spawned the MOBA genre, making it one of the most revolutionary strategy games.
9 Fire Emblem: Thre💦e Houses ✃
- Release year: 2019
- Other genres: RPG, Turn-Based
This entry in the long-running Fire Emblem series iꩲs one of the most addictive and compelling. Its story revolves around three different nations that all send young warriors to a monastery to be trained ✨in the art of warfare.
With a💫 great level of challenge, great characters, and tons of replayability, thanks to the multiple routes you can take through the game, Three Houses is a must-have Switch game for any fantasy strategy fan.
8 💮 Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle-Earth ༒
- Release year: 2004
- Other genres: RTS
One would think that the Lord of the Rings franchise would have spawned many strategy games by now; it's low-hanging fruit. It turns out the property's only successful strategy games are the Battle for Middle-Earth titles.
These games played out similarly to Command and Conquer: Generals but on a more massive scale. Balancing issues were present but didn't hamper the game's fun factor one bit. After all, it's a chance to run over the hobbits using warg riders.
7 Heroes Of Might And Mag𝓡ic Series
- Release year:
- Other genres: Turn-Based, RPG
The Heroes of Might and Magic have long been a staple of the strategy genre, but they may not be everyone's cup of tea. If you're used to your fantasy game being an RTS, most games in Heroes of Might and Magic might turn you off as they're turn-based.
To be precise, there are also many of them right now, 14 titles, to be exact. The latest one is King's Bounty II. Right now, the franchise is trying out new things and throwing in some RPG mechanics on top of empire management and turn-based battles.
6 🥂 Spellforce Series
- Release year: 2003-2017
- Other genres: RPG, RTS
Speaking of hybrid strategy games, Spellforce is also another strong franchise that isn't afraid to shake up its formula. There are three games under its belt with numerous expansions available.
Spellforce games can be best described as mixes between 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the RPG and RTS genre. The third one emphasizes this, and the franchise's experiment was well-received by both the old fanbase and new players. If you can't decide which genre to play, Spellforce should help you.
