The 100 Best Strategy Games To Play In 2025 – Honorable Mentions

by

Almost Up There With The Best Strategy Games You Can Play In 2025!

Initially, I was arranging my three-part compilation titled “The 100 Best Strategy Games To Play in 2025.” During this process, I made numerous adjustments to the sequence and even removed some entries. This was due to my belief that other games on the list were more suitable for specific positions, based on various factors. Keep in mind that these decisions are open to interpretation, but since I had already drafted these entries, I decided to share them with you!

Unlike my previous lists, this one doesn’t strictly rank the top strategy games. Instead, view it as an extension of my original list, featuring other exceptional strategy games you might want to explore in 2025!

25 – Grit and Valor: 1949

View post on imgur.com

In much the same way I find enjoyment in FTL: Faster Than Light and MiniMotorways, I also appreciate Grit and Valor: 1949. This game is an engaging real-time strategy (RTS) roguelite that takes place in a unique alternate history of World War 2 where the Axis powers have developed mech technology. Players are tasked with leading the fight to Berlin, using their own advanced weapons against the enemy. Since it’s a roguelite game with progression, each failure means returning to base for another attempt, this time with new mechs, more skilled pilots, and fresh knowledge. Grit and Valor: 1949 was released in March of 2025 and could be a worthwhile gaming experience if you enjoy the games mentioned or are seeking one that offers the “just one more round” appeal.

24 – Rise of Nations: Extended Edition

View post on imgur.com

Here’s another timeless gem for strategy game enthusiasts that deserves a spot in every top-tier list: Rise of Nations: Extended Edition, developed by Xbox Game Studios. This Real-Time Strategy (RTS) game provides an expansive, immersive real-time strategy adventure, chronicling human history up until its release in the early 2000s. What sets this game apart is its fusion of civilization building and real-time combat, much like the popular Civilization game. Players can lead a nation from its modest origins to supremacy on a single map, offering a one-of-a-kind gaming experience that hasn’t been replicated, as far as I know, since then.

In this game, you’ll find a typical Real-Time Strategy (RTS) experience, focusing primarily on nation development, resource collection, and territorial growth via combat, which reminds me quite a bit of Rise of Nations, and as I reflect, it seems to share many similarities with Sins of a Solar Empire.

23 – Combat Mission: Black Sea

Only a handful of gaming companies have dared to address the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a theme, and one such game is Combat Mission: Black Sea. This game offers a profoundly realistic and strategically complex representation of modern warfare in the unstable Black Sea region, although it was developed prior to the actual conflict. It serves as a chilling reminder of Battlefront’s ability to accurately portray the intricacies of war within a gaming context. The game stands out due to its exceptional attention to detail, advanced ballistics and armor modeling, and focus on recreating the intricacies of current-day combat. Gameplay revolves around managing intricate formations in demanding situations, requiring players to master combined arms tactics, utilize terrain effectively, and adapt to rapidly changing battlefield conditions.

22 – Dungeons 4

It’s hard to imagine someone who hasn’t dreamt of becoming an evil ruler, and it seems this was the inspiration behind the delightful, amusing, and charming Dungeons game series. The fourth installment, titled Dungeons 4, is a blend of dungeon management and real-time strategy (RTS), infused with humor. Players assume the role of the Dungeon Lord, responsible for constructing and maintaining an underworld lair filled with traps, monsters, and valuable resources, all while defending against the nuisance of the good guys, characterized by their shiny armor, blue eyes, long blonde hair, and general lack of intelligence. The game consists of two primary gameplay components: the underground dungeon construction, where players create their wicked domain to attract various creatures, and the overworld, where players dispatch their minions to seize human settlements in a traditional RTS manner. What truly sets Dungeons 4 apart (beyond its exceptional strategy aspects) is its sarcastic narrator and self-aware humor, frequently mocking fantasy clichés. The game offers a single-player campaign, skirmish modes, and cooperative multiplayer, providing an enjoyable and strategically engaging experience for those reminiscing about the days of Dungeon Keeper.

21 – The Lamplighters League

View post on imgur.com

In another rendition:

The responsibility that fell upon the Lamplighters League was immense, especially given their predecessors were renowned creators of games like Shadowrun and BATTLETECH. However, when their latest release encountered performance and technical glitches, fans were less than forgiving towards Harebrained Schemes. Regardless of its subsequent improvements, it failed to recover from its rocky launch. Despite these issues, I appreciate the game’s unique blend of real-time infiltration and turn-based tactical combat, set against the backdrop of an alternate 1930s pulp adventure world with a hint of the supernatural. Players take control of a team of captivating characters, each possessing unique skills and personalities, engaged in a global battle against the Banished Court, a cult teetering on the brink of world domination. The game draws heavily from the XCOM formula, offering a strategic layer for managing agents, conducting investigations, and thwarting the Banished Court’s plans. During missions, gameplay switches between real-time stealth and infiltration, allowing players to tactically position their characters and employ their abilities to evade detection. If detected or at an opportune moment, the game transitions to turn-based tactical combat, where players utilize their agents’ skills and the environment to overcome adversaries. With a strong emphasis on character-driven storytelling, visually appealing presentation, and a mix of stealth and tactical action, The Lamplighters League delivers a distinctive strategic experience. I believe fans of XCOM, Gears Tactics, and Marvel: Midnight Suns should give it a try.

Read More

2025-05-10 19:02