Although strategy games have drifted in and out of the spotlight over the years, we’ve always had both AAA heavy-hitters and niche indies to sate our thirst for conquest.
The Best Strategy Games of 2024 clearly show us that the genre remains alive and well, always giving us alternatives to well-established classics.
To make discovering these newer titles easier, we’ll gather them all in this article throughout 2024.
The first two months of the year have treated us with quite a bit of variety in terms of settings and it will be interesting to see where the best strategy games of 2024 go from here.
The Best Strategy Games of 2024
With new entries in venerated series launching later in the year, smaller projects first had the opportunity to shine.
From forging a path to becoming the ruler of Hell itself to a playfully colorful take on modern warfare and a grim look at one potential future that our soon-to-be AI overlords will hopefully never bring about, February was an absolute treat for fans of the genre. Read on to find out why.
- Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance
- Solium Infernum
- 9-Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far
- Godsworn
- Manor Lords
Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance
Release Date: February 21, 2024
Available on Humble Store
The Terminator franchise is one that’s more easily associated with the realm of action, but publisher and developer Slitherine’s Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance proves that the iconic struggle between man and machine can just as well be framed as an epic real-time strategy game.
Its single-player campaign puts you in the role of a commander of the Founders, a faction that brings together the remnants of the US military. Your goal is to stop Legion from dealing humanity the killing blow. Skirmish and multiplayer enthusiasts can pick from a total of three playable factions as the Movement also enters the fray.
Each of them can field units that specialize in different combat roles and which must be used tactically if victory is to be attained. Limited resources mean that you have to do the utmost to keep your troops alive, while the physics-based building demolition system turns urban maps into dynamically changing battlefields.
Solium Infernum
Release Date: February 22, 2024
Available on Steam
Someone once said that it’s better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven, and Solium Infernum aims to capture the struggle of vying for the throne of what’s usually known as the hottest place in existence.
With Satan off to find inspiration for slightly edgier quotes, you embody one of eight Archfiends who’re all too eager to take his place on Hell’s main chair. Commanding your legions to claim hexes as your own and enlisting champions to slay those of your opponents inevitably becomes second nature. But your strategic options extend further.
Schemes yield vital prestige while often hampering opponents, diplomacy allows you to be chummy with other Archfiends or let them know that you hate their guts, while improving your own Archfiend’s abilities at the right time can offer additional advantages. You might often fight over desolate landscapes, but even then, Solium Infernum requires you to constantly think about your actions and how they further your plans.
9-Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far
Release Date: February 23, 2024 (Early Access)
Available on Steam
9-Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far is the latest project from publisher and developer Petroglyph and the playful, pixelated sequel to its 8-Bit series of games. Out now in early access, its colorful take on modern warfare sees you battling across land, air, and sea.
Channeling strong Command and Conquer vibes, you’ll build structures using a single resource and then ensure that they stay online by providing them with enough power. All of this is, of course, required to field an army with which you then obliterate your foes.
Two-player co-op and bigger maps count among the new features present in the sequel which welcomes both players who are new to the genre and veterans in search of something modern yet decidedly nostalgic. With two playable factions and a full campaign already in place, there’s plenty to dig into before later updates add a second campaign to the mix.
Godsworn
GameWatcher’s Review: Early Access Impressions
Release Date: March 28, 2024 (Early Access)
Available on Steam
Godsworn is a mythological RTS game where players command Pagan Warriors in battles against the forces of Heaven, all set against the backdrop of the Northern Crusades. If you enjoyed the classic Warcraft RTS series by Blizzard or the deep oriental mythology of Battle Realms, then Godsworn is a title you should consider taking a look at.
With reportedly just two core developers working on the game, ThunderOak’s mission is no small feat. Yet, it seems the team is meeting its targets with ease. Often, early access games are launched prematurely despite their potential, but Godsworn already feels solid enough to warrant a purchase if you’re a fan of RTS games. Particularly if you appreciated the RPG elements that Warcraft 3 introduced to the genre, as well as the fusion of historical elements and mythology that the Age of Mythology was known for.
“Having played a large number of crushingly disappointing AA titles in the RTS space in recent years, I can confidently say Godsworn made me hopeful again about the genre’s future. That’s no small feat.” said Fran J. Ruiz in our early access review of Godsworn.
Manor Lords
GameWatcher’s Review: Early Access Impressions
Release Date: April 26, 2024 (Early Access)
Available on Humble Store
Manor Lords is a strategy city-builder game that’s taking inspiration from the 14th-century Franconia period, and its solo developer, Slavic Magic, made sure it’s historically accurate with life-like city growth and intense real-time tactical battles that are similar to the early day Total War games in terms of complexity.
It’s out in early access right now, it’s one of the most successful city builders with a concurrent player base of 170k +, and we’ve been really enjoying our time with it. As Fran explained in his early access review:
“It’s too soon to discern whether the game, in its current state, will be able to keep me engaged once I’ve crushed my main enemy, but the satisfying loop is there, and I can see the peaceful option being a player-favorite, especially with how nice it all looks and sounds already (all while running remarkably well). If anything, Hooded Horse has a game with immaculate cozy vibes here, and solo developer Greg Styczeń appears to have nailed the basics. So far, it looks like people have noticed. We’ll be keeping tabs on this one.”
That covers the best strategy games of 2024 released so far. Yet with the likes of Tempest Rising, Homeworld 3, Stormgate, and Songs of Silence on the horizon, our list is very likely to grow over the coming months.
Honourable mentions - Games that didn't quite make it
While we wait to dive into all the upcoming new releases, why not refresh your memory on the best turn-based strategy titles out there?
If you fancy something completely different, why not take a look at our Best Survival Games for 2024?
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