Here’s a list of the best turn based strategy games that we’ve gathered for you to be able to grab the gaming experiences you desire. All the superb entries have hours and hours of enjoyable gameplay crammed into them, and we guarantee you that they’ll be special for you in every sense of the term, if you’re fans of the TBS genre. Such games have their own appeal which is enough to get you hooked onto to them in no time at all, thanks to their unique gameplay scenarios, mostly involving war and things that revolve around it. We’ve scoured through our game library and have handpicked seven turn based strategy titles which we think should be given a try by you. All these games are easily available for purchase so it mustn’t be task to gain access to them. Let’s go have a look at which ones have made it to this list of ours.
1 – XCOM: Enemy Unknown
A reboot to the classic DOS and Amiga game UFO: Enemy Unknown, XCOM: Enemy Unknown grabbed a lot of attention for its excellent offerings when it came out last year. And it deserves all the praises that it got, thanks to the fact that it contains some really addictive turn based strategy gameplay which is punctuated brilliantly by tactical and RPG elements. Revolving around an alien invasion in the near future which needs to be taken care of, it puts you in control of an elite multinational paramilitary organization called XCOM. It can be purchased now for the PS3, Xbox 360, Mac and Windows.
2 – Civilization V
Civilization V is a 4X strategy game which can be played in a turn based fashion, and it asks you to escort a civilization from prehistoric times into the future on a procedurally-generated map. More fun is added by the fact that conditions such as those related to research, exploration, diplomacy, expansion, economic development and more are needed to be achieved in order to win. Civilization V presents you with deep gameplay which makes it hard to let go of it at times. Available for Windows as well as Mac, it even has a crazy collection of mods you can play around with.
3 – Total War: Shogun 2
Part of the massive Total War series, this game returns to the 16th-century feudal Japan setting which was introduced by its predecessor. Transpiring in the aftermath of the Ōnin War during the Ashikaga Shogunate, it asks you to manage one of the many scattered rival clans fighting for control of land. Released for Windows in 2011, it exudes some really attractive visuals, which are accompanied by some well built environments as well. Total War: Shogun 2 is a ton of fun while playing with friends as well as alone.
4 – Might & Magic Heroes VI
This hit game which was launched by Ubisoft in 2011 for Windows can be branded as an incredibly diverse turn-based strategy experience. Its narrative follows the tale of the five heirs to the Griffin dynasty who’re on their quests to repel a demon invasion and assist or obstruct Archangel Michael who’s plotting to revive an ancient war. A sixth main entry to the popular Might & Magic series, it introduces fresh mechanics in the form of the ability to convert a faction’s town to another’s and a points-based reputation system.
5 – Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords
Our fifth pick for this roster takes you right into space, and treats you with some intergalactic 4X turn based strategy gameplay. Available for Windows at the moment, Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords takes place in the 23rd century, a period which has a large number of alien races fighting against each other for control of the galaxy. This is done by using force, diplomacy, influence or technology. Strangely enough, the game has chosen to exclude a multiplayer mode from its offerings, instead choosing to focus on its single player experience which comprises of the campaign mode and a sandbox mode.
6 – Unity of Command
If you’re looking for a World War II simulator with turn based strategy elements look no further than Unity of Command. This operational-level wargame covers the entire 1942/43 Stalingrad Campaign on the Eastern Front, thus providing you with a firsthand experience of one of the most fiercely fought battles in modern history. Unity of Command offers a refresher of sorts to seasoned TBS fans thanks to its innovative elements which make their presence felt every now and then. It can be bought now for Windows, Mac as well as Linux, and while a DLC named Red Turn: The Road to Berlin is available for it already, another one is being brewed by its makers at the moment as well.
7 – Endless Space
This brilliant indie offering should definitely be included in your libraries if you’re a fan of such titles. Grounded in a sci-fi setting, it allows you to choose from a total of nine unique civilizations, or even gives you the ability to create your own. Once that’s done, you are needed to expand your interstellar empire and eventually, conquer the galaxy. Economic, Diplomatic and Supremacy victory conditions of course form part of the whole affair. This Mac and Windows offering which was released in 2012, gained a lot of acclaim upon its launch for its stunning gameplay that’s aimed at encouraging replayability.
Conclusion:
Those are all the best turn based strategy games that we’d like to submit to this list of ours. We’re sure you’ll like all these titles, and guarantee you some long hours of fun with them.