From the early 90s to the mid-00s, strategies dominated the minds of players, receiving well-deserved honor and respect. Alas, their golden age is over: RTS (real-time strategy) cannot compete in entertainment with the next Battlefield, with the dynamics of Overwatch or the plot of Witcher 3. Therefore, gamers have to be content with another replay of the good old classics or wait for the release of the new “Civilization”.

However, not everything is so pessimistic. Our rating of the best strategies will allow us to identify the most worthy representatives of the genre, as well as learn about the latest releases that have given some classic strategies a second life. We hope this TOP 10 will be informative. If not: comments and voting at the bottom of the article will help.

Rating of the best strategies

Stronghold was released during the golden era of RTS - in 2001. At the time, most strategy games tried to emulate either C&C or Warcraft, but Stronghold had other plans.

The game had a well-developed economic component. Although the number of available resources is not far from the standard “wood/iron/gold/stone/food”, an unusual parameter has appeared - “Popularity”. It provided an influx of new residents to the city and depended on many factors: taxation, variety of available food, entertainment.

To hire soldiers, it was not enough to build a barracks. It was necessary to erect buildings that produced weapons. Provide gunsmiths with the necessary building materials. Wait until the limping grandfather, with an imposing gait, delivers a planed bow to the arsenal... Now you can hire one archer. And so with all types of troops! You can’t just set up a barracks and “click” any units - this was preceded by the organization of a full cycle of production of weapons and ammunition. It is not surprising that the game had a number of economic missions that were not inferior in complexity to military ones.

A typical, serene morning in Stronghold Crusader

However, it was not the first part that gained particular popularity, but its sequel: Stronghold Crusaders, which appeared the following year, 2002. As the name suggests, the game was dedicated to the confrontation between the Arabs and the Crusaders. Unfortunately, the castle attack/defense mode disappeared (the only thing worth paying attention to in the first part), but more units appeared, some of which could be hired for gold without producing weapons. Only desert warriors were hired for money, while European soldiers had to continue to be equipped with weapons of their own production.

The game remains popular to this day thanks to multiplayer and the release of the Crusaders Extreme add-on. This is also facilitated by a simple but quite diverse system for constructing fortifications: Stronghold allows you to surround the castle with battlements and high towers, equip them with defensive weapons and archers, install additional traps and dig a moat with water.

The first part of Command & Conquer was released in 1995, becoming at that time a real breakthrough in the genre and posing serious competition to Warcraft and Dune. Many now familiar gameplay features looked revolutionary at that time:

• Selecting and directing a group of units with just one click;
• The presence of neutral units, buildings and other objects with which you can interact (read “smash into trash”);
• System for dividing units by class. The principle of “rock, paper, scissors” appeared - the first type of unit is effective against the second, but vulnerable to the third, etc.;
• The game began to use videos and animated screensavers. Paired with a cool soundtrack, they allowed players to “get into” the history of the C&C universe, and not perceive it as just another nameless chessboard to hone their tactical abilities;
• The presence of only one resource, Tiberium, is what all the wars in the universe of this game are fought for.

C&C turned out to gain popularity with all that it implies: many gameplay elements were spread across other games, becoming familiar elements of most strategies. In addition to the classic C&C series, which still delights its fans with new releases, two “alternative” versions of the game universe have appeared over time. These are Command & Conquer: Generals (2003) and the Red Allert line of games that have become very popular.

• Red Allert

The Soviets, as it were, convey ardent greetings to old man Einstein

Red Allert deserves its own article. This game has absorbed an incredible amount of madness and cranberries on the theme of the Cold War and the confrontation between NATO and the USSR. Here's a brief description of the backstory of the game's universe: after seeing enough of the horrors of World War II, in 1946, old man Einstein decides to build a time machine and go back in time to destroy Hitler. As a result, the scales swung in the other direction: Comrade Stalin decides to build his own, communist Reich, and Europe, together with its allies, still has to fight.

Judge for yourself how successful the game was: 35 million copies were sold worldwide. An entry appeared in the Guinness Book of Records stating that Red Allert is the best-selling RTS in the world. Red Allert 2 and Red Allert 2 were released in 2000 and 2001: Yuri’s Revenge, which are still a classic choice for oldfags. However, for fans of more modern graphics, there is a third part of RA.

Warhammer is a vast fictional universe on which many books, comics, films, computer and board games are based. However, there are two versions of this universe: Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000. In the first case, as the name suggests, Warhammer is faithful to the canons of fantasy and pleases fans of Tolkien and other “elves.” And Warhammer 40,000 creates a kind of mix of fantasy and fantasy, pushing the confrontation closer to the stars.

There are about 20 games related to Warhammer 40,000. But only one of them is always associated with the word “Warhammer” by any strategy fan: this is the one and only Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, released in 2004.

Strategy, in the usual sense of the word, is not given much space: the focus is on tactics. Buildings are built quickly, and there are only 2 resources: energy, for which you need to build generators, and special points that you can get by holding checkpoints under enemy pressure.

From the very first minutes, the creators of the game directly state: leave all this fuss with base construction and economic development for the nerds. The WH40K universe was created solely for the purpose of forcing armored paratroopers to fight various monsters (from orcs to more exotic creatures). So no long-term economic development is expected in it: only battles from the first to the last minute.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 looks like it was created for Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear: with a cry of “Power!!!”, the player will scatter all the enemies in his path. Tactics? No, have not heard.

In 2009, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 2 was released, which received high ratings from players and was thoroughly praised by many gaming publications, but... suddenly it turned out to be not a strategy. Loyal fans of the first part were horrified to discover that the long-awaited Dawn of War 2 began to resemble a Diablo-type RPG more than it did 5 years ago. True, this did not prevent the game from finding its fans, who claim that the multiplayer has retained all the necessary elements of an RTS and is quite satisfactory.

7. Total War

It's funny that Total War and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War are located next door in the ranking of the best strategies, because just in May of this year Total War: Warhammer was released - the first TW dedicated to the Warhammer universe. True, not Warhammer 40,000, but Warhammer Fantasy - so it will, first of all, appeal to fans of fantasy worlds. However, let's talk about everything in order - after all, the release of this game was preceded by 9 other parts, which brought TW worldwide fame.

The main distinguishing feature of Total War is the successful combination of turn-based mode and RTS: the level of each of them is selected separately. The main action takes place on a global map of the world, in which everything happens step by step. But battles are loaded separately and rapidly develop in real time. Players will have to wisely use the terrain and different types of units, which allows them to gain an advantage even over superior enemy forces.

The first TW came out in 2000. But the series' worldwide fame was brought by its third part, Rome: Total War, which used a 3D engine. As the title suggests, the story took place during the Roman Empire. In addition to the “classic” European nations, Arab empires (Egypt) and even barbarians were available in the game. Depending on the side chosen, not only the units, but also the architecture of the cities differed. Subsequent TWs were never able to surpass the popularity of this part.

In 2013, Rome: Total War II was released - initially buggy, but later brought to mind with the help of numerous patches. Perhaps inspired by Civilization, the developers of Rome 2 added the ability to win not only through conquest, but also through culture and trade. However, this is not the only part worthy of attention: Napoleon, Attila, Shogun 2 and the previously mentioned Warhammer are also interesting in their own way.

If I had managed to create a product as successful as Warcraft, I would have rested on my laurels for 20 years, wasting all my money in some completely senseless way. But the guys from Blizzard are not like that: having received a well-deserved ovation after the release of Warcraft 2, Blizzard got to work on a space RTS. True, as a result, they still ended up with Warcraft: the beta version was mercilessly criticized and perceived as “orcs in space.” Fortunately, the developers listened to the criticism and completely redesigned the graphics engine and setting. Thus, in 1998, the legendary StarCraft was born.

The game features 3 races: Zerg, Protoss and Terrans, which are borrowed from the Warhammer 40,000 universe (Tyranids, Eldar, Imperial Guard). However, the similarity is extremely superficial: when StarCraft was born, it followed its own path of development - the universe of this game acquired its own characteristics and now has little in common with Warhammer.

In most strategies, in order to maintain a fragile balance, all nations have the same set of units and buildings + several unique buildings/soldiers, which add some variety, but do not fundamentally affect the tactics of the game. StarCraft doesn't care about these canons. All 3 races are completely different:

• Zerg far from technology and science, they achieve superiority solely in quantity.
• Highly spiritual protoss are the complete opposite of the zerg: each protoss considers himself an important person with a rich inner world, therefore it costs a lot of resources, but also hits, respectively, painfully and strongly.
• Terrans(from the word “terra”) represent people in the game. They are the “golden mean” between zerg and protoss.

The beautiful lights of Star Craft 2 lure gullible schoolchildren and cause a skeptical smile from oldfags

Such striking differences between the races gave the game a solid advantage over other RTS, earning it a reputation as a “smart” strategy, in which you not only need to “generate” as large an army as possible, but to think through your actions in advance, demonstrating strategic and tactical skills. Microcontrol also plays an important role: if the Protoss are not particularly demanding on precision control, the success of the offensive operations of other races, especially the Zerg, directly depends on the speed and accuracy of the player’s reaction.

StarCraft II was released in 2010. Modern graphics and excellent multiplayer allowed the game to return to its former glory and take its rightful place in e-sports. Although oldfags claim that the unique balance of the first SC has been partially lost, StarCraft 2 received high ratings from a variety of gaming publications (an average of 9 out of 10) and gave it a second life.

5.Age of Empires

In 1997, the first part of Age of Empires was released: the same Warcraft, only in profile. Instead of fantasy races, the game featured 12 human nations that could develop from the Stone Age to antiquity. This game did not make a splash in the gaming world, but on the whole it was received favorably, which inspired its creators to start working on the second part.

2 years later, Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings was released, which became truly legendary. It eclipsed not only the first part, but also many of the then “whales” of this genre, winning over a decent army of fans. In 2000, the add-on Age of Empires II: The Conquerors appeared, which added 5 new nations with unique units, as well as additional missions and technologies to the game. It was this part of the game that became the most popular in the Age of Empires series. What is the reason for its success?

• Diversity of nations. There were 18 nations in The Conquerors, many of which were quite exotic: Huns, Teutons, Saracens, Celts, Persians, Aztecs, Mayans, etc. In fact, it was this game that started the fashion for strategies with many different civilizations.
• Opportunity for development. The second “feature”, which was implemented for the first time among strategies in AoE 2, is the transition from one historical era to another. All this was accompanied by a fairly extensive tree of technologies, for the research of which it was necessary to build various buildings and spend resources.
• Balance. Of course, the nations differed not only in color and different design of buildings. Each of them had its own bonuses and unique units. Some had an economic advantage, others had stronger cavalry, others had excellent siege weapons, others had long-range fleets, etc. All this variety was fairly balanced with no clear favorites. As a result, Age of Empires 2 attracted many fans of online battles.

As it turned out, a beautiful picture cannot replace interesting gameplay

Age of Empires III was released in 2005. She wasn't bad, but she didn't come close to the success of her predecessor. As a result, after several addons, Microsoft gave up and, to the delight of fans, returned to Age of Empires 2. In 2013, they released Age of Empires 2: HD edition, and then 2 more addons: The Forgotten (5 new nations, including the Slavs) and The African Kingdoms (4 more nations and “African” campaigns). So today, AoE 2 continues to develop and delight fans with new additions.

4. Cossacks

The success of Age of Empires attracted the attention of many game makers: they stopped trying to create their own "Warcraft" and switched to "Age of Empires" (which was undoubtedly inspired by Warcraft). So the guys from the Ukrainian company GSC Game World created an RTS, which conceptually has a lot in common with AoE.

The game "Cossacks", released in 2001, turned out to be so successful that in the eyes of many domestic strategists it overshadowed "Epoch" for a long time. If you believe "Gaming Mania", then at one time "Cossacks" became the best-selling domestic game (more than 1 million copies).

"Cossacks" continued the idea of ​​numerous gaming nations. In the second addon of the first part, which was called “War Again,” 20 different countries were available. And if in “Epoch” there was not a single Slavic nation, then in “Cossacks” not only Russia, but also Ukraine was available (which is logical, following from the name and geographical location of the developers). There were also more sophisticated nations, like Piedmont and Saxony.

Unlike other strategies, in “Cossacks” resources were spent not only on acquiring units, but also on their maintenance. Without food, famine began, and mercenaries, purchased for gold, rebelled as soon as the treasury was empty. To use firearms, iron and coal were needed - without them, riflemen and artillery were defenseless.

Also in the game it was possible to capture some enemy buildings, artillery and peasants (except for Ukrainian ones, with them as usual: will or death). Compared to Age of Empires, Cossacks seemed more dynamic, allowing you to create an incredible number of some crazy and fearless units - in a network game, the battles of such hordes looked epic and exciting.

• Cossacks 2

In 2005, “Cossacks 2” was released: despite the high ratings of many gaming publications, the game did not evoke the same enthusiasm as the first part. Absolutely everything in it has been redesigned: it has become more realistic and thoughtful. No “disputed” nations, raids by hordes of fearless madmen and upgrades of ancient guns to such a degree of efficiency that even Kalashnikov becomes envious.

The battles in “Cossacks II” forced you to take into account the terrain, reload your guns for a long time and monitor the morale of the soldiers, who could become cowardly and rush into chaos. It sounds like a good idea, but in the online game there is no trace of the former fun left.

• Cossacks 3

And on September 21, 2016, the long-awaited “Cossacks 3” was released, which no one had even dreamed of. And everything would be fine if it weren’t for the number 3 in the title - everyone was expecting a continuation of the series, but they received a remastering of the first part. The old game was transferred to a new graphics engine, the gameplay was completely taken from the original “Cossacks”. Add to this a decent number of bugs that GSC Game World actively corrected after release using various patches, and you can understand why many gamers felt deceived. Still, GSC should have announced that the game is a remastering of the first part before release, not after him.

3. Heroes of Might and Magic

The first part of the turn-based strategy Heroes of Might and Magic was released back in 1995. Its predecessor was King's Bounty, which appeared back in 1991. But universal love and recognition for HoMM came gradually, covering Heroes of Might and Magic III somewhere closer to 1999.

The action of all “Heroes” takes place in a certain fantasy universe. There are races, but the player is not tied to them: the hero can conquer castles of any factions and hire any available units. So the most diverse and wild brethren can gather under the same banners: elves and skeletons, centaurs and dragons, people and elementals.

Battles take place on a field divided into tiles (hexagons). Units of the same type occupy one cell, regardless of their number. The moves are carried out in turns, while the hero looks at this action from the outside, from time to time trying to help his army by casting various spells. Gradually, the hero gains experience, learns new skills and collects various artifacts that make him better and higher.

HoMM IV came out in 2004 and was received, to put it mildly, ambiguously: there were too many innovations. The main and key innovation concerned the heroes: from passive observers they turned into active participants in battles who could move, cause damage and be attacked like other units. Heroes could travel without troops at all: alone or in a gang of 7 characters. Having pumped up properly, a lone hero could independently take out a large army.

There was also the other side of the coin: if you managed to kill the enemy hero at the beginning of the battle, you could get a solid advantage. For example, it made sense to organize a sabotage attack on the enemy, kill the leader of the army and retreat - the headless army lost the opportunity to capture mines and castles, which forced it to retreat and drag the lifeless carcass of the commander home.

All these innovations have given rise to countless opportunities for controversy and hollivars: since 6 years have passed since the release of the third part, a new generation of gamers has appeared who had never seen “Heroes” before - they liked HoMM4. But those who grew up on the previous parts experienced mixed feelings.

• Heroes of Might and Magic V

The debate between supporters and opponents of the fourth part was stopped by the release of Heroes of Might and Magic V, which took place in 2006: yesterday's opponents joined forces in a common impulse to express complaints about cartoon graphics for anime fans. If you close your eyes to the picture, the gameplay of “Heroes 5” was a modernized copy of the third part - obviously, the developers did not experiment in order to make money on the nostalgia of fans of the series.

This is where the classic “Heroes” ends and something completely incomprehensible begins. HoMM 6 and 7 have turned into some kind of alternative product, so far from the original that even “Heroes 4” looks like a standard of kosher against their background. Therefore, most fans of “Heroes” prefer to play the earlier versions, from 3 to 5. But the Third HoMMs remain the most popular. Moreover, the HD version of this game was released in 2015.

2. Civilization

The first “Civilization” appeared in the shaggy year of 1991 and, as they say, was a digital version of the board game of the same name from the early 80s. Since in those days ordinary mortals did not have computers, few people suspected the new strategic toy: mainly employees of research institutes and other interesting enterprises.

Nevertheless, the game turned out to be quite successful: what engineer could resist the temptation to try on the role of Stalin or Gandhi after a busy work shift? The presence of the Civilopedia, a detailed gaming encyclopedia, distinguished Civilization from other strategies of that time.

• Civilization II

In 1996, Sid Meier and company released the second part of Ziva, which, thanks to the increased prevalence of computers, became a completely successful commercial product. Despite the mediocre graphics, the game had cool moments: for example, during the construction of a wonder of the world, a video clip of a real newsreel was played. You could see the launch of Apollo or a nuclear rocket, filming of the Sistine Chapel or Notre Dame de Paris. In subsequent parts, cinema was replaced by regular animation.

• Civilization III

2001 was marked by the release of Civilization III: the first Civ with nice graphics. Even now she looks quite attractive, but in 2001 this picture caused real delight. The gameplay has also undergone certain changes. In Civ 2, players tried not to collect many units on one cell, because... in the event of an enemy attack and the death of one of them, everyone who stood on the cell died. In Civ 3, nothing like this happened: in order to clear the cell of enemies, it was necessary to destroy them all.

Therefore, the obvious and only tactic of waging war in the third Civ: creating a so-called stack - a crowd of motley units on one cell. From time to time a leader would appear who could unite 3 units under his banner. This formation was called an army and was a kind of thick unit with 20 HP. With the help of the army it was possible to cut out almost anything.

City Window - the best thing in Civilization III

A signature feature of the second and third Civs was the situation in which a technologically backward unit, having more combat experience, could easily destroy some miracle weapon of the future. For example, in the order of things there was a situation when a spearman tore an enemy tank to shreds with a precise blow, or an archer, properly pulling the bowstring, shot down an enemy bomber. Particularly amusing was the fact that the plane was shot down equally successfully not only by an archer, but also by a swordsman. In subsequent parts this problem was partly solved, but in the first Civs such events gave rise to many attacks of hysteria.

Civilization III had a number of innovations that migrated to all subsequent games in the series: various resources on the map, the Golden Age, cultural influence on neighboring cities, with the help of which it was possible to assimilate a neighboring settlement, a technology tree (in previous parts you had to memorize or write down the sequence discoveries of various sciences).

• Civilization IV

Civilization IV, released in 2005, acquired a three-dimensional image. Players who were accustomed to the third Civa were wary of the unusual graphics, which were so different from the previous part. Religion and espionage appeared in the game (the Beyond the Sword addon), and aviation actions became more realistic: planes carried out raids from the city and could not be shot down by some harsh spearman. The problem of accumulation of a large number of units on one cell was partly solved precisely by aviation or artillery: all units in the stack received damage from their attack.

2010 came and Civilization V was released. Square cells were replaced by more convenient and practical hexes: with them, state borders got rid of the strange linear angularity and became more believable. The system of accumulating a huge number of units on one cell was completely demolished: now only one military unit could be placed on one hexagon. At the same time, they were made more efficient and stronger.

The maintenance of certain units required the expenditure of strategic resources: horses, iron, oil, coal or uranium. Without them at hand, the state risked being left without cavalry, battleships, nuclear weapons and aviation, which not only added realism, but also forced players to carefully manage resources instead of riveting in incredible quantities whatever they wanted.

The tactic of building as many cities as possible also became obsolete: large empires received penalties for culture and science, and the population began to show discontent. So several different tactics emerged: developing through 4-5 cities with more population, or building more settlements, but with fewer inhabitants in the cities. Victory became possible with just one city (greetings from Venice).

Another innovation: the emergence of city-states that do not claim world domination. Friendship with them brought various bonuses: resources, science, culture or religion points, units and additional votes in Congress.

It is worth noting that many of the functions, as in previous Civs, were added in addons: religion and espionage, caravans, the ability to pass various resolutions in Congress and the UN - all this was not present in the initial version without addons. Therefore, reading reviews about the game, it is not difficult to see how the anger of fans of the series gradually gave way to mercy.

Civilization VI was released on October 21, 2016. Among the notable innovations: 2 technology trees, cultural and scientific, which open independently of each other. Cells around cities must be built up with special areas: scientific, cultural, military, religious, industrial, etc. It’s definitely not possible to build everything - there won’t be enough cells. Moreover, each wonder of the world also requires a separate tile.

It is difficult to describe all the innovations and features of the sixth Civa due to its freshness. But the game has already received the highest ratings from various gaming publications, and reviews on Steam are, by and large, very positive. And this despite the fact that usually the first version of Civilization turns out to be somewhat damp and only over time, with the help of several add-ons, it turns into a masterpiece. But, apparently, the sixth Civilization may become the first representative of the series that is good from the very beginning.

The plot of Warcraft: Orcs and Humans is tied to the confrontation between humans and orcs. As in the film, orcs fall out of a portal into the human world and a struggle begins between them for a place in the sun. However, the first part did not attract much attention - all the glory went to its sequel, Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, which was released just a year later. But just look at the changes in the schedule that have occurred in this short period! Add interesting videos and a good plot to a pleasant picture, and that’s it - a masterpiece is ready.

As if “before” and “after” - the year was not in vain

• Warcraft III

But we had to wait a long time for the continuation of the banquet - seven whole years. And the first reaction of the gaming community was ambiguous: too many suspicious innovations appeared in the game:

• 3D engine;
• 2 races grew into 4 (night elves and undead were added);
• Quite a lot of neutral units and monsters appeared on the maps;
• Heroes were added to the game, who accumulated experience, upgraded skills and cast all sorts of things (why not RPG?);
• The videos have become even brighter and more beautiful;
• The plot is even more twisted and pathetic.

The pinnacle of the evolution of the third part was the release of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne in 2003, which gave birth to the memorable DotA game (I’m unlikely to discover America if I remind you that DotA was created in the regular map editor of Warcraft 3 and was not considered as a full-fledged independent game).

Was Warcraft the father of the RTS genre? Of course not. Can we say that this is the best strategy in the world? I'm sure many will disagree with this: C&C and Civilization, HoMM and Total War have solid armies of fans. But, undoubtedly, Warcraft made a significant contribution to the strategy genre and, since it ended up in first place in our rating, it means... *there should be a life-affirming thesis here, but I don’t have a single similar thesis related to Warcraft. Sorry, guys. There will be options - write in the comments*

Warhammer 40,000 series

Release date: 1992-2011

Genre: Real-time strategy

The Warhammer 40,000 series is the most popular and one of the best-selling games. Fans are constantly waiting for the release of a new game. The most famous is Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player selects a race (Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Tau, Necrons, Orcs, Chaos, Eldar; new races appear with each game) for which he wants to play, after which he selects a place on the planet or planets that he wants to capture and fights with the race that owns it earth.

The battle takes place in real time on the terrain where the battle takes place. Players capture special points that give influence and build generators that provide energy; these resources are used to build structures, troops and make improvements. Each race has its own troops, super units and heroes and abilities. The goal of the game in the campaign is to capture all the lands and become the patron of all lands.

Civilization Series

Release date: 1991-2013

Genre: Global turn-based strategy

In Civilization, a complete model of human development has been created from the most ancient times to the present day. The player must create and develop his mighty empire, among other competitors, the condition for victory may be a military victory over everyone, victory on points, The game ends in 2050 either by culture or build a spaceship and fly to Alpha Centauri. The strength and development of civilization consists of the development and creation of new cities, the creation of production of troops in cities, scientific and military research. You can also create wonders of the world in the game.

For a civilization to flourish, the player must be able to focus and balance between scientific progress, building up military power, replenishing the treasury, developing infrastructure and culture, diplomatic contacts and trade with other civilizations. The player can take part in historical events that took place, control leaders such as Stalin, Napaleon, Ramses II, Catherine II and so on. It's hard to say which of the series is the best. Some say that part is the best, others say the fourth. Adherents of graphics claim that the fifth is the best of this series.

Warcraft III

Genre: real-time strategy with RPG elements

Popularly, the so-called "Varik" was one of the most anticipated games: more than 4.5 million pre-orders and more than one million copies of the game sold in less than a month, making it the fastest selling computer game. The game received a large number of positive reviews, many publications awarded the game with the titles “Best Game of the Year” and “Best Strategy of the Year.” The game also received high marks from players.

There are 4 races in the game: Alliance (humans), Undead, Horde (Orcs) and Night Elves. Each race has its own unique heroes, who gain experience and a new level in battles. With each level, new hero abilities are unlocked. Heroes can also buy or pick up items from killed mobs that improve the combat characteristics of the heroes and the troops around them. On different maps, players capture gold mines and extract timber, use these resources to build a base and units and improve their characteristics.

Heroes of Might and Magic III

Genre: Turn-based strategy with RPG elements

Heroes of Might and Magic III is a turn-based fantasy game, the third part of the series has become a cult favorite and has gained many fans around the world. Despite the now outdated graphics, it is still played by thousands of players around the world. The fourth and fifth parts of the game came out with better graphics and improved gameplay, so if you are not a fan of old games and love graphics, then it is best to play the latest parts.

The player travels across a global map with heroes who control mythical creatures, exploring new lands, capturing cities and fighting enemies. On the map, the player moves only one hero and can only walk a certain distance or do one or more actions, after which he misses a turn and the computer-controlled enemies make their move. By attacking enemies, you move into combat mode, the army of enemies and your army of creatures stand opposite each other, moving combat units in turn to destroy the enemies. As cities develop, new opportunities and spells can be discovered. Hire troops.

StarCraft II

Genre: real time strategy

StarCraft II is the second part of the cult first part, released back in 1998. The second part of the game became the most anticipated game of the year due to the great popularity of the first part and fully met its expectations among players. Many Russian and foreign gaming portals gave the game scores of over 9 points out of 10. In the player rating it received 9.3 points.

The plot of the game and all the actions take place in the distant future, or more precisely the 26th century in a remote part of the Milky Way galaxy. The three races of Terran, Zerg, and Protoss are opposed to each other. Players extract two types of resources: minerals and vespene gas, which they then use to build buildings and hire combat units. The main task is to destroy the enemy base. Each type of unit has its own strengths and weaknesses, so to destroy certain types of enemy troops you need to hire troops that are good at destroying them.

Total War series is the best Rome: Total War

Genre: turn-based grand strategy, real-time strategy

Total War rus. “Total War” is a series of games that already has seven games and various additions. Different games cover different historical periods and states. The most popular and iconic is Rome: Total War, released in 2004. The action takes place in Ancient Rome during the Republic period from 270 BC. e. up to 14 AD e. For example, Shogun: Total War takes place in Japan Shogun: Total War in the 16th century, where reigning dynasties oppose each other. Empire: Total War - during the European colonial wars and so on.

The gameplay of the game is very similar to Civilization. The player controls troops, cities and settlements on a global point. After completing all actions, the player misses a turn, after which the AI-controlled competitors make their move. If you or your enemy attack each other, then you move to the tactical map, where you control all your troops in real mode, attacking them and placing them in convenient positions on the map.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 1,2,3

Release date: 1996 and 2000

Genre: Real-time strategy

Red Alert is a game that was released in the last century and captured the minds and souls of gamers around the world; thousands of people still play it, more than 30 million copies sold. The game takes place in an alternate history where Allied forces defend Europe from the aggressive Soviet Union. The player can choose one of two warring parties: Alliance or USSR. Accordingly, the goal of the game for the Allies is to stop Stalin before he takes over the whole world, for the USSR - to achieve the complete capture of Europe. Depending on the side chosen, the player's victory results in one of two alternative endings.

Battles in the game take place both on land, on water and in the air. Each side can have its own base and can train ground forces, air forces and navies. Each side also has unique features. The game mechanic is that now even a simple infantryman can destroy a tank. A tank can easily destroy a machine-gun pillbox; a small group of grenade launchers can just as easily deal with a tank if it is not covered by anti-personnel equipment or its own infantry, which forced the use of different types of troops in battle.

Europa Universalis series of games

Release date: 2000-2013

Genre: turn-based global strategy,

Continues the series of global strategies Europa Universalis. Like previous games in the series, the third part invites you to lead one of the states of the world . The essence of the game: to develop national ideas that give the game power certain advantages; As new government technologies are discovered, it becomes possible to choose one of the national ideas. The game takes place in real time, but the player’s reaction speed is not required, since the game can be paused at any time. The game takes place on a schematically depicted world map, divided into more than 1,500 sea and land provinces.

The player can take control of any country that existed during this historical period (about 200 states in total). Under his control are the country's economy, the formation and management of armies and navies, diplomacy, the introduction of new technologies, the internal politics of the state, changing the state religion and the colonization of new lands.

A special feature of the game is its connection to real history (note that in the third part of the series it is no longer tied to history and the gameplay is more free); there are historical rulers predetermined for each country, each of whom has certain abilities that influence the game, real-life commanders (such as Suvorov or Napoleon I Bonaparte), pioneers, explorers and sailors (such as Columbus, Ermac and Ferdinand Magellan ), as well as historical events that usually occur in the same country and at the same time as in real history (for example, in 1517 an event occurs that makes it possible to convert to Protestantism)

Company of Heroes 1.2

Release date: 2006

Genre: Real-time strategy

The gameplay of Company of Heroes is very similar to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player commands entire squads of fighters, but there are some unique units. Each unit has a life scale (not an individual fighter), and if the unit’s lives are damaged when the unit is damaged, the entire unit dies. The player can equip infantry units with various weapons, choosing which weapon is more promising in battle. After the death of a squad, weapons remain that can be picked up and equipped with them for another squad. This even applies to stationary weapons such as anti-tank guns, heavy machine guns and mortars.

Each side in the game is divided into three unique directions - infantry, airborne and tank for the Americans and defensive, offensive and propaganda for the Germans, advancement in which gives access to new combat units and attacks (for example, attack aircraft). Another important difference is that squads and units in the game have three levels of experience. After destroying an enemy, a new level is obtained that increases the damage, speed, health, armor or viewing range of the combat unit, depending on its type.

There are three types of resources in the Game: weapons, fuel and personnel. Personnel are used to construct buildings, recruit new combat units, both infantry and armored vehicles, fuel, in turn, to build buildings and armored vehicles, and weapons - to provide units with additional weapons, such as a grenade launcher, for artillery and air strikes, or for to give your equipment new capabilities. Replenishment of resources is carried out using checkpoints.

Age of Empires III

Genre: Real-time strategy

Age of Empires III is a strategy game that has earned worldwide recognition thanks to its innovative and exciting gameplay. Age of Empires received high ratings on gaming portals and magazines. A special feature of this game is its well-developed artificial intelligence (the opponent is controlled by a computer). The player controls one of the powers (Great Britain, Prussia, Holland, Spain, Portugal, the Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, France), which set off to conquer the new world (America).

The main action takes place in the colonies, on a map familiar to such games, but now each power has a hometown in the Old World. He serves the sole purpose of helping his colony. There are three resources in the game: food, wood and money. Which produce various buildings. Transitions between eras, five eras: exploration, colonization, fortresses, industrial and empire. He trains military academies, bandages soldiers and sends them to colonies. The infantry depends on the nationality of the city, for the Spaniards it will be rodellers, and for the Russians it will be archers and Cossacks. The academy is also improving the parameters of the troops.

Battles take place in real time. The maximum size of a detachment and group of soldiers highlighted by a “frame” is 50 units. The shooting infantry has four formations: a regular line, which is convenient for firing in volleys, a sparse formation, which reduces losses from artillery fire, hand-to-hand combat and square. Melee infantry has three formations, two of the same, melee and square, and a circular formation to cover the riflemen. The cavalry learned three formations - the same close combat and square, as well as an offensive mode with reduced speed, but with damage inflicted over an area.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Genre: Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics, Tactical RPG

The game is a remake (remake) of the popular and old game X-COM: UFO Defense, released back in 1993. Aliens attack planet Earth and begin an alien invasion. The game is played on behalf of the commander of the secret international organization XCOM (unit for combating aliens), which has the most advanced technologies, weapons and scientific developments of mankind. It employs the best specialists in the world - military men and scientists. The organization must conduct military operations against aliens that threaten the existence of human civilization.

The player is provided with the central XCOM base, from which the strategic management of the organization is carried out: monitoring the actions of aliens on the global world map using a satellite network, distributing funding for the development of scientific and technical potential, arming and deploying interceptors to destroy flying saucers, as well as conducting combat operations against aliens using existing fighters in ground skirmishes. The base is presented to the player in the form of an “ant farm” - a section of soil that allows you to look at the premises from the side.

In Tactical combat, fighters perform up to two actions in turn - running, shooting, throwing a grenade, using a first aid kit. Each fighter has only three characteristics: accuracy, willpower and health points.
After the first promotion in rank, a soldier receives a specialization. This could be an attack aircraft, a sniper, a heavy infantryman or a support soldier.

Homeworld

Genre: real time strategy

Well-developed graphics and three-dimensional gaming space - the implementation of six degrees of freedom (you can view the battlefield, the battle fleet from different angles) of the movement of game objects and the presence of thoughtful fleet management in three dimensions. A rich and complex plot that gradually reveals itself during the game. In the next game mission, the player receives the fleet with which he completed the previous one.

At the beginning of the game, the player can choose a fleet of two races, Kushan or Taidan: this does not affect the further plot in any way, only the combat units change. A key feature of both the Kushan and Taidan navies is the presence of a main mothership that serves as the main base of operations. The mothership has its own weapons and a hyperdrive, which allows it to overcome significant space.

The entire space fleet is divided into a combat fleet and a support fleet. The support fleet includes special ships, such as a resource collector and controller, a research ship, a probe, a stealth ship detector ship, and a gravity well generator. The combat fleet is divided into classes: Small ships - fighters, corvettes, Heavy ships - frigates, Super-heavy ships, Flagships.

Stronghold game series

Release date: 2001-2014

Genre: real time strategy

The game system of all games in the series is based on an economic simulator of a medieval city or castle. The games have a number of unique parameters that are typical only for games in the Stronghold series. Thus, in the first Stronghold, the “popularity” parameter was introduced for the first time, affecting the performance and population size. The combat system is standard for strategies - direct control of groups of units. The economic component is one of the main ones in the games of the series. There are quite complex and long production chains. As a rule, in the games of the series, more attention is paid to the economic rather than the military component of medieval castles.

All games in the series, except Stronghold Kingdoms, have campaigns (a series of story-related missions) and a map editor mode. Stronghold has a single campaign, while other games have multiple campaigns.

All games except Stronghold and Stronghold Kingdoms allow you to play against computer opponents on a selected map. Stronghold and Stronghold 2 have a siege mode (siege or defend a castle without running an economy). In the first games in the series (up to and including Stronghold 2) there is a free construction mode (running an economy without war).

Spore

Genre: Real-time strategy, god simulator

Spore game is a simulator of the evolution of life on the planet, as well as a strategy and space simulator. The goal of the game is to develop a creature from a microorganism to an advanced space race. While progressing through the game, it is possible to make changes to the creature, improving its characteristics. Also, as it develops, the player will independently create various equipment and buildings, or choose ready-made options from the catalog.

At the beginning of the game, the player takes control of a microorganism living in an aquatic environment. At this stage of the game - To survive, the microorganism needs to feed on pieces of meat or algae, and also try not to be eaten by other carnivorous creatures. When food is eaten, the cell grows and turns into a microorganism. After which the creature gets out to the ground, where it also develops. Over time, under your leadership there will be a tribe, civilization and space that you will have to manage.

Ground Control 1.2

Release date: 2000, 2004

Genre: Tactical real-time strategy

This game was the forefront of its genre and won many awards. Ground Control has 3D graphics and a freely rotating camera, allowing the player to view the battle from any angle. The game completely lacks resource collection, base development and research. The player's goal is to control a limited number of combat units and perform various tasks with their help.

The main goal of the game is to destroy enemy troops and buildings using the terrain features and the strengths of your own army. Combat units include various types of armored vehicles, aircraft and soldiers, delivered to the battlefield by orbital shuttles. After the start of the next mission, the player cannot call for reinforcements, which requires careful selection of units and their configuration before the battle.

The most important element of the game is the requirement for a tactical approach in any situation. Each squad has its own distinct strengths and weaknesses. Combat units are united into squads. The player can only give orders to units, although the units themselves will fight and take damage separately. There are four categories of units: infantry, armor, support, and aviation. The player can choose the configuration of each individual unit before the battle. For example, a Craven Corporation tank squad can exist in four configurations: reconnaissance, light, main, and heavy. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so different configurations are suitable for different tasks.

Tiberium Command & Conquer series

Release date: 1995-2010

Genre: Real time strategy

a series of successful computer games with the highest sales among strategy series. The game takes place in an alternative time reality, conditionally modern to ours, in which there is a war all over the world between two global groups - the international UN troops united in the Global Defense Initiative, and the military-religious Brotherhood of Nod, led by its charismatic leader Kane, fighting for possession of the alien substance Tiberium, slowly spreading throughout the planet.

The gameplay of the game is based on the principle of collecting resources, building a base, destroying the enemy. The only source of money (credits) in the game is Tiberium. Another important resource in the game is electricity, produced only by power plants. The various structures and units produced by the player collectively form a technological tree, in which access to technologically more advanced, and therefore more expensive, structures and units. The base can be protected by various structures, including defensive fortifications.

The term 4X (global strategy) appeared, we explored, expanded, exploited and destroyed (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) - that is, we lived in fantasy worlds. The genre has been experiencing something of a renaissance over the last five years, and while it's great to have options, you shouldn't mindlessly grab everything.

Not every grand strategy title is a game for everyone, so I've taken a look at all the major titles that have come out over the past few years and tried to summarize why you might (or might not) want to play them.

Make your move

Let's start with something unusual. Dominions 5 is a 4X game about warrior gods and their fantastic armies. At the very beginning of the game you create a deity. This deity may take the form of a furious dragon or a magical stone. Step by step, you gather armies, recruit wizards to search for apocalyptic spells, and distract the attention of the other gods.

The graphics in the game are, let’s say, old school. You'll need to scour the community files to find a decent custom map. But if you do this, and also read the instructions for the game, you will get a detailed strategy that creates crazy stories. In 4X games I'm used to controlling spaceships and cavalry, but only in Dominions I can send friendly troops of satyrs, wyverns, elemental spirits and ghosts against the Atlanteans. After a few trial games, you should be able to beat the AI ​​in the game without any problems. But the game really shines in multiplayer.

Who is the game suitable for?: People are willing to put up with poor graphics in order to get a detailed magic system and control over great and diverse factions.

A unique blend of 4X and real-time, Rebellion has a faster pace than the rest of the list. Not only is it a standalone expansion, but it's also an improved version of Sins, so you don't have to worry about finding the original.

Who is the game suitable for?: For current RTS fans who want to get into 4X, and gamers who like to hit the ground running while maintaining a high pace of play. However, some home turn-based generals may find it a bit chaotic.

This turn-based fantasy grand strategy revolves around the characters Heroes and a faction leader called the sovereign, who can undertake RPG-style quests and is involved in many aspects of management beyond just combat.

Who is the game suitable for?: Fans of classic RPGs will feel right at home thanks to the local quest system, while customizable fantasy armies will likely attract the attention of fans of Warhammer and Hordes miniatures.

One of the most interesting features of the Endless Space universe (and its sequel). Much has to do with the ancient empire known as the Endless, and the quasi-magical Dust they left behind.

Who is the game suitable for?: A good entry point into space 4X, yet still able to challenge experienced players, and a compelling story for anyone interested in a good story beyond galactic domination.

If we crowned the autocrat of global strategies, there would be few competitors in the struggle for the throne. Take and lead one of the civilizations through the centuries from antiquity to modern times, trying to achieve different victory conditions - there is simply no equal in this famous series.

Who is the game suitable for?: Given the release of Civ 6, it's hard to recommend its predecessor, but the "five" often appears on sale at ridiculously low prices, so if you're not sure that you'll like the series, give it a try without dropping the full price on the new product. It is rightfully called a great game, especially the “Brave New World” add-on.

While most of the other games on our list place the player in a randomly generated world or galaxy, EU4 recreates an unusually deep model of the Earth from 1444 to 1821. You can lead any nation on the planet, from France to the Comanches, leading them through centuries of colonization, exploration and technological discovery.

Who is the game suitable for?: Considering the high praise the game has received, it's easier to say who it won't suit. The complexity of the simulation and the intricate systems of trade, war and diplomacy can be intimidating for newcomers to grand strategy games, but EU4's interface and tips do everything to help you get involved in the process and feel at least comfortable in it.

Take on the role of a demigod, fighting with your kin for control of the fragments remaining from a destroyed world. Eador is another 4X game that's hard to categorize because it has 4X, RPG, and even tactical turn-based elements similar to board games.

Who is the game suitable for?: Eador's greatest strength is how it's structured compared to other grand strategy games. The game's world is broken down into shards, each of which is a smaller version of the strategy map in games like Total War or , giving you the opportunity to enjoy something different from the standard huge maps or masses of static planets in endless space.

Having transferred the formula, you are given the role of head of the first human colony on the alien planet, where you will have to lead its development and compete with other colonial concerns. The game mechanics will seem very familiar to you if you've played Civ 5.

Who is the game suitable for?: In my opinion, this is not a very good departure from the Civilization series, since Beyond Earth lacks the elements that made its relatives successful. While it does have some cool stuff, like a non-linear tech system that allows you to take your futuristic technology in many different directions, the game feels like a big-budget Civ 5 mod and fails to hold the player's attention for more than a couple of dozen hours.

Much like its sci-fi counterpart Endless Space, the epic story of Endless Legend is set in a richly detailed world with its own characters and backstory. Civilizations are highly customizable, and each has its own distinctive capabilities.

Who is the game suitable for?: Based on the time-tested elements of 4X, it was not afraid to go bigger and mix them up in a way that even old players who were already tired of the genre became interested. In addition, EL will be welcomed by those who are eager to explore a superbly crafted fantasy world in a new and interesting setting.

Warlock is very close to how I imagined a high-quality reworking of Civilization in a fantasy way. All the neutral factions on the map serve a greater purpose than just being an annoyance at the very beginning of the game.

Who is the game suitable for?: Due to its relative simplicity and adherence to genre templates, Warlock is a good first step for those who want to join the ranks of fantasy grand strategy fans. In addition, it has good humor, in comparison with such more severe and majestic colleagues as Endless Legend and Fallen Enchantress.

Allowing you to explore the stars in real time with the ability to pause, Distant Worlds boasts one of the strongest models of civilian economy (able to run on autopilot while you manage political objectives) that I have seen in a grand strategy game.

Who is the game suitable for?: In addition to being an overall great 4X strategy game, Distant Worlds is able to attract those players who value the ability to explore. The strategy succeeds where many other sci-fi games have failed: here space truly feels endless.

Like Sins of a Solar Empire, this game can also be written into 4X/RTS hybrids. It stands out for its deeply developed systems of diplomacy and planetary development.

Who is the game suitable for?: Star Ruler 2 is close to the maximum in its difficulty, and the huge amount of minute control of systems available to the player looks simply intimidating for a beginner. However, if you're a fan of massively animated space battles, the game may be worth the candle.

A contender for the title of “blockbuster” among global strategies, GalCiv III is by far the most polished and expensive project.

Who is the game suitable for?: If you're sick of the monotonous victory conditions, then one of the biggest positive changes that appeared in the series was the transformation of "victory" into a set of goals from which you can choose the appropriate one, which greatly diversifies the gameplay.

The first truly global strategy transferred to space. Stellaris takes the historic Paradox formula to the stars, allowing you to control the military, political and economic aspects of your space empire.

Who is the game suitable for?: Fans of grand strategy games will feel right at home in Stellaris, but players accustomed to more traditional 4X games will need to take some time to get the hang of it. The game focuses much more heavily on politics, and elements like the form of government and the will of citizens play a significant role in it.

The most recent incarnation of the famous series doesn't have a lot of innovation, but it still plays well, justifying the decent price with big-name voice actors.

Who is the game suitable for?: Despite its novelty, MoO is a typical global strategy, since its predecessor in 1996, improved only by new graphics. An excellent start for absolute beginners, and even seasoned ones get a shiver when John de Lancie cries about the war that is brewing between his empire and yours.

The game builds on the best ideas of its predecessor, this time offering even more unique stories for each of the interstellar empires.

Who is the game suitable for?: By this point on the list, it should come as no surprise that true connoisseurs of interactive storytelling should pounce on anything with the word “Endless” in its name. Endless Space 2 is perhaps a better introduction to the genre than the first game, as it has greatly improved the way it delivers immediately relevant information to the player.

Civilization has emerged from its cocoon to reveal the most incredible transformation and fresh approach in the history of the series. Plus, Sean Bean is there.

Who is the game suitable for?: Yes for anyone who likes . What can you add about Civ 6 that hasn't already been said? Even the most seasoned veterans of the series will find many new challenges and opportunities in it, but the game remains one of the most beginner-friendly grand strategy games.

There is a huge variety of genres and types of computer games, but PC strategies occupy leading positions, because only thanks to them can you control universes, build or destroy civilizations. So if you want to feel like a god, then feel free to launch one of these games. What can we say, there are a lot of games in this genre, but we have selected for you a rating of the best.

Civilization V

In this strategy for PC, you will immerse yourself in the history of our world and guide humanity through all branches - from the Stone Age to modern reality and much further. The player will have to make many different decisions: social, political, economic, military.

Freedom of choice is what characterizes this strategy. You can be a conqueror or build a state focused on tourism or industry. Even a beginner who discovers the world of strategies can understand the game. After all, Civilization V has an excellent hint system and a huge database of tutorials. The rethought battle grid immerses you into the game headlong, and the nice graphics also please.

Total War: Shogun 2

The list of “Best Strategy Games for PC” continues with a game that will take us to feudal Japan of the 16th century. You have to manage an entire empire - from the economy to protecting the state from invaders. The game has two modes, and you need to demonstrate all your strategic abilities to successfully maneuver between them.

Manage your empire in the mode without forgetting that real-time tactical battles await you. Battles in Total War: Shogun 2 are a separate matter. The player will have to think through battle tactics, and even an enemy with numerical superiority can be defeated thanks to a skillfully conducted battle or ambush.

StarCraft 2

If you like sci-fi real-time strategy games on PC, then StarCraft 2 is worth a look. It's all about the classics: collect resources, build troops and protect the galaxy from evil space elves and xenomorphic aliens.

The game will require quick decisions and actions. The multiplayer is especially pleasing, because the opportunity to fight with another player tickles your nerves much more. Although the single-player campaign has its advantages. A huge number of quests and additional tasks will not let you get bored, and their variability and originality will delight any player.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Space strategies installed on a computer can really surprise you. In XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the player will have to repel an invasion in turn-based strategy mode. You need to assemble a team of six fighters and boldly send them against robots, aliens and other opponents.

The game has a large number of maps of the area, where the heroes will have to engage in tough skirmishes, and after the battle they will find a base where they need to study technologies, increase their abilities and solve problems with financing. The strategy will seriously drag you on. If you don’t want to follow the path of a single-player company, and have a great desire to engage in battle with a real opponent, then the multiplayer mode will give you this opportunity.

Tropico 5

The “Best Strategy for PC” rating continues with an excellent city builder where you will feel like a dictator of the Caribbean. A small republic can become a great country, but only under skillful leadership. The player will have to decide for himself which path his little kingdom will take, because this is the beauty of a totalitarian regime.

But you shouldn’t go too far, because your people can rebel and overthrow the regime. And if you are not careful enough in foreign policy, the country will face a military invasion. Tropico 5 is an excellent and fun city builder that will provide a lot of fun.

Age of Wonders 3

Classic fantasy strategy games on PC will never lose their relevance. Despite the fact that diplomacy and city management are rather poorly thought out in this game, Age of Wonders 3 is not in vain on the list of the best.

A huge number of different units, and battlefields strewn with obstacles, immerse you in battles headlong. With the right tactics and skillful strategy, you can build a truly huge army that will sweep away everything in its path. So if you are close in spirit to elves, gnomes, giants, and you are not averse to practicing magic, then feel free to purchase this game.

World in Conflict: Soviet Assault

In this strategy, installed on your computer, you have to defend yourself from the “evil Soviet soldiers” who decided to conquer the whole world. The topic is quite hackneyed and has already lost its relevance, but the way it is presented in World in Conflict: Soviet Assault is worth special attention.

In this strategy there is no longer any need to build bases or manage resources; victory or defeat depends on the command points that are given for completing missions. Impressive graphics and a truly interesting single-player campaign will keep you engrossed throughout the game.

Online strategies

"Rules of War" opens up a similar genre. In this one you have to become a fearless commander who survived a nuclear war and is trying to improve relations with not entirely friendly neighbors.

The game has gained a huge following among social media users around the world, and for good reason. Excellent graphics and voice acting, addictive gameplay, the ability to communicate with other players and create alliances - this is not a complete list of advantages thanks to which the “Rules of War” project was included in the “Best Strategy Games” rating. You can play for free right in your browser, which makes the game even more attractive.

"Might and Magic"

The idea of ​​bringing the legendary series online has been around for a long time. And this moment has come when you can play your favorite “Heroes” for free by opening a window in your browser. Little attention is paid to economic development and castle building, but this is compensated by a huge number of quests, thanks to which you will have plenty of time to travel around the world. Searching for artifacts, leveling up your character and clashes with enemies will not let you get bored.

Might and Magic is quite elaborate and can take almost 100 hours to complete the storyline, which is quite an impressive amount of time for an online strategy game. But, as in any browser project, the hero will have to interact with real players. Some of them will become friends, and some will turn out to be sworn enemies. It's safe to say that Ubisoft managed to make the dream of many fans of the series come true.

Anno Online

Strategy games in Russian most often involve a sequence of urban planning and bloody battles. But if you do not want to participate in battles, and are eager to surrender to the creative process, then you simply need to play Anno Online. Here you also have to interact with other players, but only through trade and cooperation.

The main task will be the development of your city. You also need to think about population growth and problems with its settlement. You will establish trade and production connections, build houses and industrial buildings, and much more. is thought out, and you will not find a city similar to yours, because each player develops along his own path.

Strategy is a game genre in which you have to use both hemispheres of your brain. Strategies give you the opportunity to be a king, a warlord, a lord, a rebel, or even a god himself. Over the years of the existence of this genre, thousands of games have been released, and choosing the right ones is now very difficult. So below you will see best PC strategies of all time, the top 3 included the most popular and original games of this genre.

1. Total war game series

It is impossible to choose one specific game from the Total War series, because each of them has its own advantages. In Total War games you have to be the ruler of one of the states at a certain time in the existence of mankind. For example, in Rome Total War you can take control of the Roman Empire or dozens of other states from the ancient world. In Empire Total War, the indestructible Russian Empire, ambitious France, mighty Great Britain and many other countries from the 17th and 18th centuries may be under your rule. During the existence of this series, more than 10 games were released, the plot of which takes place in different eras. The main feature of these strategies is that the history of the whole world depends on you. You can take over the whole world or destroy your country. Politics, economics, combat, sieges, naval battles, this game has it all, which is why it ranks first among the best strategy games on PC of all time.

2. Civilization V

Civilization is a strategy where you have to manage humanity from primitive times to the space age. During the game you will need to capture opponents' lands, discover new technologies, extract resources, and build cities. You will later create a great power or fall in the attempt. In the game you can choose more than 20 states, which have their own style of introducing politics, economics, and scientific progress. Also, for the Civilization series of games, gamers came up with a special term “one more move and I’m going to bed” - you know, the game is so exciting and interesting that you won’t be able to stop.

3. Starcraft 2

Starcraft 2 is a strategy where indestructible people, aliens and elves collide in mortal combat on various planets of the endless universe. The objective of the game is to extract resources, create an army, and destroy the enemy. To win you need to make quick and smart decisions, otherwise you will be destroyed.

The game has multiplayer and single player campaign. In multiplayer you will face the same users as you, so to win you must be one step ahead of your opponent. The single-player campaign is also interesting; you will play as the mercenary Jim Raynor. During the campaign, you will encounter armies of elves and aliens, and some battles will take place on a map that eventually fills with lava. Between battles, you can research new technologies, communicate with people and make decisions about where to strike again. Great functionality and exciting plot puts the game in third place best PC strategies of all time.

Conclusion

Strategies are not only entertainment and a pointless pastime; during the game you will learn a lot of new things and significantly improve your skills. For example, in the Total war game series you will learn a lot of historical facts, in Civilization V you will understand what economics and science are, thanks to Starcraft 2 you will learn to make quick and informed decisions. Play and develop!