The best strategy game of all time is Sid Meier’s Civilization IV, the 94-rated 4X that perfected the “one more turn” loop. For real-time battles, StarCraft II and Age of Empires II lead, while Crusader Kings III owns grand strategy and XCOM 2 the turn-based tactics space. Whether you want empire-building, live warfare or squad tactics, the top pick for each is below.
Below are the best strategy games ranked by Metacritic score, with release year and subgenre. Scores are the PC critic aggregate; where games tie, the more influential title is placed higher. Strategy is a PC-first genre, and this list spans 4X, RTS, grand strategy and tactics.
The best strategy games of all time, ranked
Ranked by Metacritic score. Year is the original release; subgenre marks the style of strategy.
| # | Game | Year | Subgenre | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sid Meier’s Civilization IV | 2005 | 4X | 94 |
| 2 | StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty | 2010 | RTS | 93 |
| 3 | Company of Heroes | 2006 | RTS | 93 |
| 4 | Homeworld | 1999 | RTS | 93 |
| 5 | Age of Empires II | 1999 | RTS | 92 |
| 6 | Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos | 2002 | RTS | 92 |
| 7 | Crusader Kings III | 2020 | Grand strategy | 91 |
| 8 | Civilization V | 2010 | 4X | 90 |
| 9 | Into the Breach | 2018 | Turn-based tactics | 90 |
| 10 | Slay the Spire | 2019 | Deckbuilder | 89 |
| 11 | Civilization VI | 2016 | 4X | 88 |
| 12 | XCOM 2 | 2016 | Turn-based tactics | 88 |
| 13 | Total War: Three Kingdoms | 2019 | Strategy / RTS | 86 |
| 14 | Total War: Warhammer III | 2022 | Strategy / RTS | 86 |
| 15 | Frostpunk | 2018 | Survival city-builder | 84 |
| 16 | Age of Empires IV | 2021 | RTS | 81 |
| 17 | Frostpunk 2 | 2024 | Survival city-builder | 84 |
| 18 | Stellaris | 2016 | Grand strategy 4X | 78 |
Why strategy lives on PC
Strategy is the deepest, most demanding genre in gaming, and it is built for a mouse, keyboard and long sessions — which is why it is almost entirely a PC genre. Civilization and Stellaris turn history and space into “one more turn” addictions; StarCraft II and Age of Empires II built entire esports scenes on real-time micro; Crusader Kings III and Total War model whole worlds of politics and war. It is also a genre that ages gracefully — Age of Empires II and Civilization IV are decades old and still played daily.
The strategy games that defined the genre
Four games every strategy fan should play.
Several of these play brilliantly in short bursts on a handheld — Into the Breach and Slay the Spire are staples of our best Steam Deck games ranking. Strategy is also a defining PC genre, as our best PC games list shows.
Best strategy game by subgenre
Straight to the top pick for the kind of strategy you want.
| Subgenre | Best pick |
|---|---|
| 4X / empire-building | Sid Meier’s Civilization IV |
| Real-time strategy | StarCraft II / Age of Empires II |
| Grand strategy | Crusader Kings III |
| Turn-based tactics | XCOM 2 |
| Total war / battles | Total War: Warhammer III |
| City-builder / survival | Frostpunk |
| Bite-size / deckbuilder | Into the Breach / Slay the Spire |
If you love the deckbuilder end of strategy, Slay the Spire and its 2026 sequel headline our best roguelike games ranking.
