5 Best PC Strategy Games Of All Time, Ranked

Since the early days of PC gaming, strategy games have been a growing fixture on the platform. From “Fields of Glory” to “Dune II,” there is something undeniably fun about commanding entire armies to crush your enemies and see them driven before you. That appeal spreads to smaller-scoped strategy games with a squad-based focus like “Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War” or “Company of Heroes.” Some of the biggest franchises in the gaming industry are strategy games, and we’re picking our personal favorites for this list.

This time around, we’re focusing on strategy games that received an official PC release as opposed to console-exclusive titles to “Advance Wars” or “Fire Emblem.” From real-time combat titles to turn-based tactics, there is a wide variety of games to explore. We’re offering a look at the genre’s considerable range, while focusing on titles that maintained a baseline of proven quality. Here are the five best PC strategy games of all time, ranked, with each offering a unique take on the fan-favorite genre.

5. Total War: Shogun 2

The “Total War” series has been a staple in Sega’s catalog since the release of “Total War: Shogun” in 2000. This was followed by a sequel in 2011, set in 16th century feudal Japan as warring nobles decided the fate of the country. Like previous entries in the series, the game features turn-based gameplay as players assemble and position their armies while battles themselves unfold in real-time. The game also features naval combat and a revamped community-building system as players choose from nine factions throughout Japan.

Compared to more complex preceding entries in the franchise, “Total War: Shogun 2” marks a back-to-basics approach to the gameplay. Yes, the sequel is feature-rich and certainly improved in regard to its technical presentation, but the gameplay itself is streamlined. This makes the whole thing much more accessible to casual players, without compromising its tactical depth. The benchmark for how subsequent “Total War” games were developed, “Total War: Shogun 2” is a return to form for the series.

4. Civilization V

Since 1991, Sid Meier’s “Civilization” series has defined turn-based strategy games that unfold on a global scope. 35 years after the franchise’s launch, the best title in the series is arguably 2010’s “Civilization V.” The game really refined the gameplay in a way that had gotten perhaps overly complex compared to its immediate predecessors. This includes a completely revamped combat system that redefines how players attack and defend cities and position their units on the world map.

Longtime fans have their own favorite entry in the series, but there’s something about “Civilization V” that keeps us coming back for more. The game’s streamlined approach to its core mechanics is a welcome change, making it perfectly accessible to newcomers. But with a staggering amount of content released for the game after its launch, there is a deceptive amount of gameplay variety and depth to it, too. A treat for new players and franchise veterans alike, “Civilization V” highlights the series’ longstanding strengths.

3. XCOM 2

After the “XCOM” series was rebooted with 2012’s “XCOM: Enemy Unknown,” the squad-based strategy game received a sequel in 2016 with “XCOM 2.” The game reveals that the invading extraterrestrials from the preceding title were ultimately successful in conquering Earth and subjugating humanity. With this premise, the XCOM military unit is now part of an ongoing resistance effort against the otherworldly overlords, taking missions worldwide. Like preceding titles, the combat is turn-based, with players improving their base and upgrading their soldiers in between missions.

When it comes to squad-based strategy games, “XCOM 2” is still the gold standard for the genre. The game’s influence can be readily seen in titles like “Star Wars Zero Company” and “Mario + Rabbids,” which similarly employ turn-based combat and grid-based battlefields. But “XCOM 2” still just does it better, from its gameplay balance between skirmishes and sequences back at the base to its heightened intensity. While we still wonder if we’ll ever get a sequel, “XCOM 2” endures strongly a decade after its release.

2. Age of Empires II

One of the gold standards for real-time strategy games nearly 30 years after its debut is “Age of Empires II,” which launched in 1999. The game lets players choose from a wide selection of civilizations around the Middle Ages from all over the world. Each civilization has their own unique units while the gameplay itself revolves around community-building and combat as players compete for control of a given map. In contrast to many titles on this list, “Age of Empires II” continues to receive post-launch content through its remastered definition released in 2019 for its 20th anniversary.

Among the best PC games of the ’90s, “Age of Empires II” is a title that seems to only get better with age (pun intended). It’s a testament to the game’s quality that, whenever it’s been remastered on more advanced hardware, the core gameplay has only been lightly reworked. And with all the single-player campaigns and robust online scene that the game continues to enjoy, it truly is the definitive version of the game available now. Even more of a joy to play now than it was over 20 years ago, “Age of Empires II” remains the strategy game that keeps on giving.

1. StarCraft

After popularizing real-time strategy games with its “Warcraft” series, Blizzard Entertainment perfected the gameplay with “StarCraft.” Set in a distant future, the game pits humanity, the monstrous Zerg, and the psionic Protoss against each other for galactic dominance. The game balances the different mechanics between the various factions perfectly, while offering each their own unique units for players to develop their strategies around. The game was followed up by an expansion, “Brood War,” in 2000, adding more units and new campaign missions for each faction.

The original “StarCraft” is a video game from the 1990s that aged flawlessly and Blizzard wisely didn’t deviate from its foundations when they created “StarCraft II.” But even so, there is a charm to the original game that its sequel just can’t quite replicate. The balance of the first game feels better, the story campaign feels more straightforward in its presentation and execution, and the online scene around the game remains robust. One of the best sci-fi video games of all time, “StarCraft” remains a fan-favorite nearly 30 years after its debut for a good reason.