The Best Strategy Games on Steam

Steam offers a huge variety of strategy games, including historical simulations, fast-paced battles, detailed city-builders, and unique card games. These games test your skills in managing resources, leading troops through different environments, and making important choices that impact entire civilizations. With so many options available, finding the best strategy games means looking at which ones players enjoy the most and critics praise. Here’s a list of highly-rated games that stand out in the Steam strategy genre.

‘Northgard’ (2018)

Inspired by Norse mythology, this real-time strategy game puts you in charge of a Viking clan as they discover and take over a new, mysterious land. Created by Shiro Games, the game emphasizes carefully gathering resources and surviving brutal winters and legendary beasts. You’ll need to assign your Vikings to jobs like farming, fighting, and sailing to help your settlement thrive. You can win the game in multiple ways – through trading, warfare, or becoming famous – giving you plenty of strategic options. It’s known for combining classic RTS gameplay with the challenges of a survival game.

‘Company of Heroes 2’ (2013)

This World War II game puts you in the middle of the intense fighting on the Eastern Front between the Soviet and German armies. Developed by Relic Entertainment and published by SEGA, it focuses on realistic squad-based combat. Players need to use cover and adapt to changing conditions like snow and fire, which affect how troops move. Success depends on capturing key locations to gather resources and bring in powerful tanks. With its complex gameplay and attention to historical detail, the game has kept a loyal community of players engaged for over ten years.

‘Dota 2’ (2013)

Dota 2 is a hugely popular online team battle game that started as a fan-made modification of an older game. Created by Valve, it pits two teams of five players against each other, with the goal of destroying the other team’s base, called the Ancient. Players each control a powerful hero with special abilities, and success relies on teamwork and smart choices about in-game items. Its challenging gameplay and constantly changing strategies have made it a major part of professional esports, and it continues to be a favorite on Steam thanks to regular updates and the high level of skill it demands.

‘Cities: Skylines’ (2015)

This game lets you create and run your own city, starting from scratch. Developed by Colossal Order and published by Paradox Interactive, it’s known for its realistic traffic system, which means you’ll need to plan your city carefully. You’ll manage things like neighborhoods, schools, and taxes, all while keeping your citizens happy. The game has breathed new life into the city-building genre with its large maps and extensive customization options, thanks to both official tools and creations from the player community. Many consider it the best modern game for anyone who enjoys managing and building cities.

‘Frostpunk’ (2018)

In this survival strategy game, you lead the last city on Earth, a steampunk society fighting to survive a frozen apocalypse. Created by 11 bit studios, the game challenges you with tough decisions as you try to keep your citizens warm and maintain order. You’ll need to carefully manage scarce resources like coal and food to power the city’s generator and keep everyone healthy. The laws you enact will shape your society and determine the city’s ultimate fate. Players have praised the game’s tense atmosphere and how it blends moral choices with strategic gameplay.

‘Total War: Warhammer II’ (2017)

This epic strategy game blends empire building with large-scale battles, all set in the fantastical world of ‘Warhammer’. Developed by Creative Assembly and published by SEGA, the game lets you command powerful lords from races like the High Elves and Skaven, each with their own special units, spells, and ways to play. The main campaign, ‘The Great Vortex’, tells a story of factions competing to control a dangerous magical storm. It’s popular with fans for its huge scope and how well it mixes classic strategy gameplay with high fantasy.

‘Europa Universalis IV’ (2013)

This strategy game lets you lead a country from the late Middle Ages into the early modern era. Created by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive, it features a detailed map where you handle diplomacy, trade, and war. Every choice you make impacts your nation’s reputation and stability as it deals with historical events and shifting politics. The game is famous for its complex systems that realistically simulate running a country and building a global empire, and it’s been continually expanded over the years to add even more strategic depth.

‘Hearts of Iron IV’ (2016)

Okay, so I’m really into this WWII grand strategy game. Basically, you pick any nation from the 1930s and 40s and try to navigate the war. Paradox Development Studio made it, and Paradox Interactive published it. It’s all about building up your industry, researching new tech, and creating strong armies, navies, and air forces. You can try to play out history as it happened, or totally change things up by making different political choices and alliances. It’s a pretty complex game, focusing a lot on keeping everything supplied and planning massive military operations, and it’s become a big deal in the strategy genre on Steam.

‘Stellaris’ (2016)

This space strategy game lets you create and guide your own alien civilization as you explore a vast, ever-changing galaxy. Developed by Paradox Development Studio, the game combines exploration with deep diplomacy and economic management. You’ll encounter different alien races, uncover ancient secrets, and face galactic dangers, requiring you to build effective spaceships and forge strategic alliances. The game offers a lot of freedom to role-play, letting you be anything from a peaceful explorer to a warmongering empire. Regular updates have added even more depth, including galactic politics and challenging endgame scenarios.

‘Into the Breach’ (2018)

In this strategy game, you defend cities from massive monsters called the Vek. Created by the team behind ‘FTL: Faster Than Light’, the game lets you see exactly what your enemies will do each turn, allowing you to position your customizable mechs to protect civilians. Success depends on carefully managing your power and choosing the best pilots and weapons. Critics have praised its clever design and challenging, rewarding battles.

‘XCOM 2’ (2016)

Twenty years after a devastating alien invasion, this game puts you in command of a human resistance fighting back. Developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K, it’s a challenging tactical experience where you manage a mobile base, study captured alien tech, and lead teams of soldiers on dangerous missions. Success depends on smart use of cover, carefully planning your attacks, and developing your soldiers over a long campaign. Be warned: it’s a difficult game where your choices matter, and losing a soldier means losing them forever, creating a constant sense of tension.

‘Total War: Shogun 2’ (2011)

This game is set in 16th-century Japan, during a period of warring states, and challenges you to build your clan into the ruling Shogunate. Developed by Creative Assembly and published by SEGA, it expertly blends strategic turn-based management of provinces with large-scale, real-time battles featuring armies of samurai and foot soldiers. To win, you’ll need strong military forces, clever diplomacy, and the use of special agents like ninjas and monks. Many consider it one of the best games in the entire ‘Total War’ series, praised for its refined gameplay and clear focus.

‘Against the Storm’ (2023)

This game offers a fresh experience by mixing city-building with the replayability of a roguelike, all set in a world constantly drenched in rain. Developed by Eremite Games and published by Hooded Horse on Steam, the game challenges players to build settlements and collect resources for the Smoldering City, the final defense against a dangerous storm. Each attempt to build a settlement is unique, with different obstacles, buildings, and needs, forcing players to constantly adapt. It’s praised for its original combination of genres and a satisfying system where progress carries over between attempts, making every choice feel important.

‘Sid Meier’s Civilization VI’ (2016)

This acclaimed strategy game lets you create an empire that evolves through all of human history, from the Stone Age to the modern era. Created by Firaxis Games and published by 2K, the game features cities that grow and expand across the map. You’ll need to balance scientific progress, cultural growth, and military strength, and interact with famous leaders from the past. With different ways to win – like achieving religious supremacy or being the first to explore space – it offers a lot of strategic options. Its complex gameplay and lasting appeal have made it a defining game in the strategy genre.

‘Bloons TD 6’ (2018)

Bloons TD 6 is a colorful and engaging tower defense game where you build defenses with monkeys and heroes to stop waves of balloons that get tougher and tougher. Created by Ninja Kiwi, the game lets you upgrade your towers in many different ways, offering a lot of strategic options. Careful planning and using special powers are key to defeating different balloon types and challenging bosses. With tons of maps, game modes, and the ability to play with friends, it’s a game you can play again and again. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best strategy games on Steam thanks to its fun gameplay and regular updates.

‘Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition’ (2019)

This updated version of the classic medieval strategy game features improved graphics and gameplay. Originally created by Ensemble Studios, it was rebuilt by Forgotten Empires and published by Xbox Game Studios. Players can choose from dozens of civilizations, each with their own special units and advancements, and experience historical campaigns. Success depends on carefully managing resources, building a strong base, and commanding armies in both solo and online multiplayer matches. It’s still considered a key game in the strategy genre, praised for its fair gameplay and rich historical detail.

‘Slay the Spire’ (2019)

As a huge fan, I can tell you this game totally changed the deck-building scene! It brilliantly combined deck-building with the unpredictable nature of roguelikes, making every fight super strategic. You play as someone climbing this crazy, dangerous spire, and you build your own custom deck of cards to do it. What’s amazing is that no two runs are ever the same – you’re constantly facing new enemies, finding powerful relics, and dealing with random events that force you to think on your feet. You really have to carefully consider every card you add to your deck, because you need to be prepared for tough fights with powerful enemies and bosses. Honestly, you can see its influence all over the place in other games that have tried to capture that same awesome strategic feeling.

‘Crusader Kings III’ (2020)

This game is a complex strategy RPG where you lead a medieval family, focusing on their personal relationships and the political schemes they use to stay in power. Created by Paradox Development Studio, it’s different from typical war games – it’s more about managing your family’s reputation, arranging marriages, and uncovering secrets. You can play as a virtuous ruler or a cruel one, with detailed systems that allow for many different approaches. It’s known for being both easy to learn and incredibly deep, making it a big hit for the developers.

‘Factorio’ (2020)

In this game, you build and run a huge, automated factory on another planet with the ultimate goal of launching a rocket into space. Created by Wube Software, it’s all about managing resources, streamlining production, and constantly improving efficiency. As your factory grows, you’ll need to design intricate systems of conveyor belts, railways, and defenses to ward off alien creatures. The challenge lies in finding and fixing problems in your production lines and finding smarter ways to handle increasingly complex manufacturing processes. Players love it for how well-made it is and the incredible size of the factories you can build.

Share your thoughts on these strategy gems in the comments.

2026-02-17 13:18