Horde Survival RTS Games That Will Test Your Mettle

Summary

Immersive horde survival RTS games, like Warcana and Alien Marauder, offer unique gameplay mechanics and structures.
The intense gameplay of Deep Among The Swarm and Age Of Darkness: Final Stand provide engaging roguelike horde defense experiences.
Games like Conan Unconquered and Diplomacy Is Not An Option offer cooperative play and light-hearted, medieval siege warfare with survival elements.

In many Real-Time Strategy (RTS) games, surviving against hordes is a common gameplay aspect. However, it’s less frequent to find games that primarily focus on defending against such hordes. Nevertheless, there have been numerous creative interpretations of the genre where horde survival is the primary mechanic. These games often challenge players with endless waves of adversaries or threats that keep regenerating, which can effectively maintain tension as players work towards other goals.

Handling these types of mechanics carelessly can lead to frustration and stress. However, if players are offered the strategic choices they require to counteract the threat, surviving a horde can create an engaging gameplay dynamic. It’s true that there are various strategies for tackling even this specific subgenre within the RTS category. Fortunately, there are some outstanding games showcasing innovative mechanics and designs in this field.

7. Warcana

Deckbuilding Horde Defense

Released: August 29, 2024
Developer: 1000 Orks

In terms of its design, Warcana boasts a variety of elements including deck building, horde defense, Real-Time Strategy (RTS) mechanics, and both single-player and multiplayer modes – battle royale included. Players construct their decks by selecting cards to erect base structures that produce units and additional cards for the summoning of buildings and troops. Each card in the deck follows a tech tree, meaning early choices made by players will shape their strategy as the game unfolds.

In Warcana, whether you’re constructing your base and amassing forces as a player or your opponents are doing the same, it’s all part of the game. In multiplayer mode, known as battle royale, vast armies collide across the map, creating epic clashes. On the other hand, in single-player mode, you find yourself fighting off endless waves of adversaries while simultaneously growing your base and military strength. The sheer scale of battles can reach hundreds of thousands of units at times, and the game’s vibrant pixel art style effectively captures the chaos and intensity of these engagements.

6. Deep Among The Swarm

Roguelike Horde Survival

Released: September 25, 2024
Developer: Pebble Mountain Games

As I plunge deep into the alien-infested world of Swarm, the game’s minimalistic aesthetic might seem deceptively basic at first glance. But once you get a hold of its roguelike base-building and real-time strategy horde defense mechanics, it becomes an addictive blend of fun and challenge. With each fresh run, I find myself drilling into this hostile planet, setting up shop wherever the drill decides to halt. The resources I gather from this inhospitable terrain are vital for my base expansion and further drilling adventures. Yet, the swarm is always lurking, ready to pounce at any moment, keeping me on my toes throughout my journey.

In my gaming journey through Deep Among The Swarm, I’ve found that as I delve, gather resources, and eliminate swarm nests, the hostility of these creatures escalates at an alarming rate. At first, it’s just a handful of enemies, but soon enough, it turns into a relentless onslaught that demands quick thinking and strategic planning. I need to set up defenses and coordinate my squad effectively to keep them at bay.

Of course, no matter how skilled I am, the swarm eventually overpowers me in this roguelike game. But fear not! The meta-progression aspects let me upgrade my equipment and enhance my abilities for the next run, making each attempt more promising than the last. This constant struggle against the horde keeps the resource-gathering gameplay tense and engaging. Deep Among The Swarm truly captures that “one-more-run” essence that roguelikes are famous for.

5. Conan Unconquered

The Hordes Of Khotan

Conan Unconquered introduces real-time strategy (RTS) gameplay with a horde defense focus, set within the realm of the Conan the Barbarian universe. In this game, players construct a fortress in the desert and continuously fend off relentless hordes of attackers. As it’s a Conan title, you’ll encounter not just ordinary soldiers but also mages, necromancers, and legendary creatures that pose additional challenges.

In essence, “Conan Unconquered” is a captivating choice for cooperative Real-Time Strategy (RTS) enthusiasts because it allows for co-op play with a friend. Unlike traditional story-driven campaigns, the game features randomly generated maps to conquer, offering an experience that can be replayed. Each player controls their own hero units as they battle against the armies of the wicked sorcerer Khotan, whether playing alone or in co-op mode. The strategic depth and base-building options are robust enough to satisfy even seasoned RTS veterans.

4. Alien Marauder

Sci-Fi Survival RTS

Released: November 18, 2021
Developer: Vexan Studio

In a nod to the acclaimed survival strategy game, “They Are Billions,” the title “Alien Marauder” adopts a comparable playstyle, but sets it in a science fiction environment instead. The visual style of “Alien Marauder” leans more towards that of “Starcraft” or “Starship Troopers.” Players are challenged to establish colonies on distant planets to find resources for a struggling future human civilization that has expanded into space.

In the game called Alien Marauder, players must construct colonies while continuously battling waves of alien invaders referred to as Vexans. As the game advances, these waves can grow massive, with tens of thousands of enemies joining in when combat intensifies. The real-time strategy (RTS) gameplay offers a wide range of options, including upgradeable structures, diverse heroes who command units, and talents for players to unlock. Despite being in an early access phase, Alien Marauder is already considered an outstanding example of a horde survival RTS.

3. Age Of Darkness: Final Stand

Dark Fantasy RTS Survival

Final Stand in the Age of Shadows

This title, Age of Darkness: Final Stand, employs a grim fantasy ambiance coupled with intriguing random map generation and roguelike elements to produce an extraordinary survival RTS experience. Players find themselves ensnared in an unending nightmare where lethal “Death Fog” persistently shifts, hiding the terrain and adversaries while expanding by illuminating the area and driving back the shadows. The horde survival gameplay is pulse-pounding, as hordes numbering in the tens of thousands can simultaneously assail the player.

For enthusiasts of horde defense, the survival mode is likely to catch their eye. It offers both single-player and cooperative gameplay, boasting procedural maps and roguelike elements. In this mode, players construct defenses under pressure, bracing for a recurring “Death Night” when the largest horde attacks. These nights may include a random debuff called Malice, but surviving rewards players with three randomly selected Blessings to enhance their skills. This introduces an element of variety that makes each playthrough unique.

2. Diplomacy Is Not An Option

Medieval Siege Mentality

If you’re looking for a less serious approach to the horde survival real-time strategy game genre, then nothing beats “Diplomacy is Not an Option“. In this game, the peasants have rebelled against the king, and it’s your mission to quell the uprising. The game offers a tremendous level of detail, with numerous simulated aspects to explore.

This system handles construction and upkeep of bases, as well as monitoring vital factors for the people such as food supply and health. In terms of combat, it replicates the physics of objects like boulders launched from catapults to induce controlled disorder, akin to the intensified chaos seen in medieval siege battles.

In another words, the game titled “Diplomacy is Not an Option” doesn’t shy away from switching between playful wit and outright imagination. As players progress, they will confront waves of undead creatures and magical abilities that can either aid or harm them. Despite its relatively short lifespan among strategy games, it offers a distinct and entertaining fusion of survival, real-time strategy (RTS), and tower defense genres.

1. They Are Billions

Zombie Apocalypse

2019 saw the debut of the definitive horde survival real-time strategy game, They Are Billions. In this post-apocalyptic setting, players assume the role of a manager for one of the last human colonies on Earth amidst a global zombie outbreak. Surrounding the world are swarms of the undead, each equipped with their own artificial intelligence and constantly posing a growing and imminent threat as they scavenge for resources to keep the colony alive.

A significant feature of the game “They Are Billions” lies in how the infection impacts gameplay. If a zombie infected with the virus enters an area inhabited by colonists, those colonists may also become infected, leading to a possible chain reaction of the undead. To prevent this, players must ensure they safeguard civilian structures effectively. The game is also noteworthy for being one of the pioneers to seamlessly blend the static horde survival of tower defense games with the dynamic base building and unit management aspects of real-time strategy (RTS) games.

2025-02-15 14:36