Strategy Games (RTS/TBS/TBT)

[Ieono]

So I've recently gotten back into strategy games after several years. I've been playing a lot of Starcraft and Command and Conquer (how I got into the genre 7 years ago), but I would like to diversify and see what else is out there. Anyone here know much about the genre, who can recommend some games I should play? I've already played plenty of Warcraft, Starcraft, XCOM, and Command & Conquer games. I would love to really delve more into strategy games, and I've got a lot of time on my hands to do so these days. 

[Kinare]

ENDLESS LEGEND

'Nuff said.

Edit: nvm, I have more suggestions. But that ^ is the best one by far.

Dungeon of the Endless

Invisible, Inc.

Door Kickers

Aaaaand the obligatory Sid Meier's Civilization 5

Edited February 13, 2016 by Kinare

[Lucifur]

Give Supreme Commander a go if you're more interested in macro than micro, huge maps where battles can last hours (thankfully you can save mid-game) with power struggles for strategic points and resources (they don't run out).  I've heard no.2 is a bit of a smaller scale version that simplified a lot of things, and the third refines no.1 from what I've read online (only played no.1).

[yell0wf0x]

Since you included turn based tactics on yer title, I'd recommend the following.  

Fire emblem, every game in that series

Final fantasy tactics, best final fantasy game

Final fantasy tactics advanced, decent spin off

Final fantasy tactics a2, pretty ok and got more job options. Not the best fft tho

Tactics ogre, before fft was a thing

Valkyria chronicles, good Sega turn based tactics game. 

[NikoLinni]

There's also Advance Wars, by the same folks who did Fire Emblem. It's basically: 

Advance Wars: Neat little turn based military turn-based game. Each CO has their own strengths, weaknesses and "CO Power" you can use when their meter fills. Has land, sea, and air units. Includes campaign, multiplayer, war room (challenge maps, basically), link battles, and a map designer. Used a ranking system too. Multiplayer can go up to 4 on one GBA. 

Advance Wars 2 - Black Hole Rising: Improved on AW in almost every way, and had a less cartoony artstyle from AW. Less linear campaign mode, added in "Super CO Powers", usually a more souped up version of a normal CO Power, Black Hole COs (BH was the Bigger Bad from AW, led by Sturm), and the Neo Tank, a land unit that could be unlocked for the different nations in Campagin (available right away in War Room and Multiplayer though) and wrecks basically any land unit. No ranking system. 

Advance Wars Dual Strike - when the AW series got ridiculous. Two screens, moar COs, back to the linear campagin, and now you have "Tagging". You can form a team of two COs, and can tag between them at the end of your turn. If both get their Super Meter filled you can go into a "Tag CO Power", which basically gives you two turns. Or three if you use Eagle (as his Super CO power activates all moved non-infantry, basically giving you two turns). No ranks, either. 

Advance Wars Days of Ruin - AW goes Dark and Edgy in this post apocalyptic installment. Linear campagin again, and no War Room, though you can unlock challenge maps on the campaign map for kicking ass in challenge and story maps. The COs lose their advantages and weaknesses, but now you have the ability to deploy the COs into a unit itself. When a CO is deployed some part of the area around them will glow, and any unit that takes place in combat in that area will add to your CO meter, and once it's full you can let it rip. Units in the CO Zone will also get bonuses, too. Made the units more balanced, finally. Units can also Level Up in battle; the more kills your unit gets the stronger it gets, I think up to level 3. 

 

Also I'm surprised no one's mentioned Dawn of War yet for Real Time. Play that if you wish to PURGE THE UNCLEAN. It's basically Warhammer 40k does realtime. Not too bad, and a decent way to play WH40k if: 

1)You don't have hundreds of dollars to sink into the table top game. 

2)You don't have hundreds of hours to sink into a single match of said game. 

3)All of the above. 

[Pignog]

I used to like the Total War series but lost track of them and if they're still any good. Medieval Total War 1 + 2 and Rome Total War were the ones I loved back in the day.

I don't know how you feel about grand strategy games but if you want depth and historical accuracy Paradox Games are great. Personal favourite is Hearts of Iron 2 (don't play 3, or wait for 4) and a great mod called KaiserReich that explores a "what-if" scenario where Germany won WWI. Other people are big fans of Crusader Kings 2 (there's a fun mod for Game of Thrones fans), Victoria 2 (if 19th century and industrialization is your thing) and Europa Universalis IV (if you prefer a game where you guide a country through like 5 centuries of development).

Also yeah, check out Fire Emblem (I think the GBA ones are pretty fun) and Final Fantasy Tactics. Tactics in particular has a great story.

Edited February 13, 2016 by Pignog

[Naesaki]

One of my favourites from back in the day was Total Annihilation <3 its an old game now but I still think its well worth playing.

Also Command & Conquer : Tiberian Sun.

[Bakari]

1 hour ago, Naesaki said:

One of my favourites from back in the day was Total Annihilation <3 its an old game now but I still think its well worth playing.

Also Command & Conquer : Tiberian Sun.

The very first RTS I ever played was TA:K (and its expansion Iron Plague) <3 so many good memories. Found it on Gog!

[willow]

I'm seconding Civ V.

Age of Mythology is another pretty good series that I used to play all the time. it's a little older but it's a pretty straightforward game. Pharaoh was my favorite..even though I never made it past the first few years..

though you might have trouble running it if you have Win10

[Therapy Sergal]

Dawn of War (preferrably first, ignore the second), Silent Storm (plus Sentinels), Rise of Nations/Rise of Legends, UFO : Aftershock/Afterlight, Xenonauts

[Derin Darkpaw]

I am going to second the recommendation for Invisible Inc. Its a straight up turn based tactical game, but whereas so many other games put you in command of an army or a few units fighting in some sort of battle Invisible Inc. has you instead controlling a number of thieves pulling off various heists.  I have yet to play any game that manages to be as challenging as Invisible Inc. while still managing to be as absolutely fair as it.

As for something no one has mentioned yet if you have a Nintendo DS and are also a fan JRPG combat systems I would highly recommend Devil Survivor 1 & 2.  You have a small number of various teams generally composed of 3 characters and when you go to fight an enemy unit the battle is resolved in a way similar to games such as Final Fantasy and the like.

[Ieono]

Thank you for all of the recommendations! I have a very hearty list now.

@yell0wf0x I've played all of those games as well. Great gaming experiences!

[AlastairSnowpaw]

Sid Meyers civ 5 with the expansions is really fun. there's also tons of mods and mod civs you can play around with as well. However "Rounds" or games 

Advance Wars is a great fun strategy game with good stories. Same with the fire emblem.

[Khaki]

16 hours ago, Pignog said:

Personal favourite is Hearts of Iron 2 (don't play 3, or wait for 4) and a great mod called KaiserReich that explores a "what-if" scenario where Germany won WWI. 

I was just about to buy HOI 3 until I saw this message, what is wrong with it?

[Pignog]

3 hours ago, Khaki said:

I was just about to buy HOI 3 until I saw this message, what is wrong with it?

Honestly, I haven't played it because I read some bad reviews so I could be completely wrong, but apparently there were a lot of issues in its development and the game is an overcomplicated mess. They fixed this a bit by allowing players to automate massive parts of the game, but then you're just letting the AI play the game for you, which is lame. HoI4 is supposed to be out early this year anyway, so maybe hold out for that or get HoI2 which is still good. There's also Darkest Hour on steam which is some standalone "mod" that Paradox basically made official. It fixes/updates a bunch of stuff in HoI2 so some people consider it the better experience (might be cheaper too, I got it on sale for $2).

[Snagged]

On 13.2.2016 at 8:20 PM, Rhíulchabán said:

Hearts of Iron III

I suggest trying hearts of iron 2 darkest hour first. It's easier to understand (but still quite complex)

Edited February 14, 2016 by Snagged Cub

[Tyranno]

As a wargamer, not a video gamer - i.e. I don't find older, dated gameplay "endearing" - Warcraft 3 is still very, very good.

I'd suggest avoiding the Warlords Battlecry series due to slow and monotonous gameplay.

Edited February 14, 2016 by Tyranno

[Tyranno]

On 13/02/2016 at 5:14 PM, Naesaki said:

Also Command & Conquer : Tiberian Sun.

I'd recommend the OP avoiding this, actually, because if he's played only the more recent C&C, the older ones game balance is very weak outside the campaign. I mean, there are things that can require strategy, but it feels like an exercise in futility very quickly.

Even in the campaign/expansion missions, the first Red Alert has some better ideas. I'm only familiar with a few Firestorm TS missions, but they tend to have absurd instant lose situations.

E.g. you lose if too many civilians die (makes sense in context) OR any production structure gets destroyed (which doesn't).

[Naesaki]

12 minutes ago, Tyranno said:

I'd recommend the OP avoiding this, actually, because if he's played only the more recent C&C, the older ones game balance is very weak outside the campaign. I mean, there are things that can require strategy, but it feels like an exercise in futility very quickly.

Even in the campaign/expansion missions, the first Red Alert has some better ideas. I'm only familiar with a few Firestorm TS missions, but they tend to have absurd instant lose situations.

E.g. you lose if too many civilians die (makes sense in context) OR any production structure gets destroyed (which doesn't).

I never bothered with Firestorm tbh, still imo Tiberian Sun was the best they did for a lot of aspects. Granted I enjoyed 3 but then 4 happened

[Khaki]

On 2/14/2016 at 9:10 PM, Pignog said:

Honestly, I haven't played it because I read some bad reviews so I could be completely wrong, but apparently there were a lot of issues in its development and the game is an overcomplicated mess. They fixed this a bit by allowing players to automate massive parts of the game, but then you're just letting the AI play the game for you, which is lame. HoI4 is supposed to be out early this year anyway, so maybe hold out for that or get HoI2 which is still good. There's also Darkest Hour on steam which is some standalone "mod" that Paradox basically made official. It fixes/updates a bunch of stuff in HoI2 so some people consider it the better experience (might be cheaper too, I got it on sale for $2).

Alright, my overwhelming desire to make Japan my bitch has become too much for me to wait until halfway through the year to get HOI 4, so I've taken the plunge and

grabbed HOI 3 and the DLC pack, so far it's been alright but I'll give you a personal review on it when kangaroos start living in Nippon.

17 hours ago, Tyranno said:

I'd recommend the OP avoiding this, actually, because if he's played only the more recent C&C, the older ones game balance is very weak outside the campaign. I mean, there are things that can require strategy, but it feels like an exercise in futility very quickly.

Even in the campaign/expansion missions, the first Red Alert has some better ideas. I'm only familiar with a few Firestorm TS missions, but they tend to have absurd instant lose situations.

E.g. you lose if too many civilians die (makes sense in context) OR any production structure gets destroyed (which doesn't).

I'm surprised to hear this, it's first time I've read a negative review on C&C TS.

 

That being said, there are some neat standalone mods for TS such as Tiberian Insurrection and Dawn of the Tiberium Age which have entertained me well.

Also I wish someone would make a Tiberian Sun or Tiberian Dawn mod based on the Red Alert 2 Engine, I really enjoy the urban combat that the game provided due to the detailed structures that are capable of being garrisoned with infantry, would be nice to see that applied to the more serious nature of the Tiberian games.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Khaki

[Imperial Impact]

Super Robot Wars

[WileyWarWeasel]

I'll agree that Dawn of War Soulstorm (first game plus all expansions) is a good pick for a commercial game. The MP is still going strong and the SP campaigns of the original game and 1st expansion are decent.

If you like games like Supreme Commander or Total Annihilation then you might want to check out Zero-K. It's a free open source RTS in the same vein but has features that the others lack such as terrain deformation (both from weapon impacts and your own terraforming).