The beauty of good 4X strategies (global strategies) is probably obvious to those who consider themselves a fan of the genre; this genre is extremely replayable and so addictive that time in the game flies by unnoticed. It must be said that the thematically the genre is quite limited - you will get a galactic, historical or fantasy theme - but the basic gameplay: expand, explore, exploit and exterminate (4X - expand, explore, exploit, exterminate) works in all themes. These games are about building an empire and crushing all who disobey your will. No wonder they are so captivating.
Players new to the genre may not know where to start and will naturally want to opt for something more accessible - like Civilization 5 - as 4X games are often packed full of complex systems and take some time to master. However, veterans of the genre will finally be able to put aside their fleet of carefully designed spaceships and look for something new. As the genre is becoming more popular than ever before, our list of the best 4X games will include games for all players, new and old.
Civilization 5
Let's face it, you knew she was going to be on the list - you might even have assumed she would be first on the list, right? This game series, each time getting a new part in this franchise, has been dominating the 4X genre - grand strategy for many years. With the release of Civ 5, this series of games has become perhaps the most accessible and understandable than ever, but at the same time it has not lost its underlying depth. The introduction of combat on a hexagonal (hexagonal) map was perhaps the most significant change in the series, as a result of which the battles in the game became more strategic in nature, previously, admittedly, they consisted of packing a bunch of horsemen into one square and sending them to the city. There are also disadvantages, in particular bad politic system, but on this moment the game sells very well on Steam, and you will most likely end up spending at least a hundred hours in it.
In this game, you have to take on the role of commander in chief, raise your nation from its knees and lead it to triumph. From the very beginning you will control a handful of ignoramuses. But, with a little effort in the passage of the game company, unique opportunities will open up for you. Your small settlement will turn into an entire empire with valiant warriors and faithful servants. Once you have an impressive army, your enemies will tremble with fear at the sight of your flag, and allies will gladly come to the rescue in difficult times.
Endless Legend
While Endless Legend may look like a Civilization clone, it's actually a fresh take on the 4X genre. The fantastic elements (expect to see giant sandworms and hulking ogres) certainly help her stand out, but her unique approach to managing regions is what really makes Endless Legend feel like something new. Usually in global strategies, in an attempt to gobble up all the resources, you try to capture as many cities as possible as quickly as possible, but in Endless Legend it is better to be more methodical in this aspect, it will be more useful to maximize the effectiveness of a particular region. The fact that each faction is unique, from the units you can use to the quests you're given to complete, means you'll have a lot more point to replay than in the same Civilization.
Galactic Civilizations 3
Age Of Wonders 3
Age of Wonders 3 is a real fantasy strategy that includes spectacular battles, difficult campaigns, construction, science, diplomacy and much more. Following the example of Heroes Of Might & Magic, Age Of Wonders 3 combines a solid city management system with deep, tactical combat on a hexagonal map. The game relies heavily on the last item on this list, which is actually a good thing as that aspect of the game is really up to the mark. Performance is of particular importance for managing the forces you can take into battle, but the levels (Tier) of units are increasing, and each unit has unique qualities and advantages, which means that high-level units involved in most large clashes will be very by the way. While starting from the third part, in Heroes of Might and Magic, this was not so important, Age Of Wonders 3 recreates this very specific style of grand strategy well.
Distant Worlds: Universe
The barrier to entry for this game is quite high, the fact is that the game has simple graphics, and an incredibly steep learning curve. However, give it time, it deserves you to understand all the intricacies and then you will see that Distant Worlds is one of the deepest games and the most enriching grand strategy genre. You will have huge universe for conquest (if you want to play it), a huge selection of customizable ships and stations, and something rare in the 4X genre - an exciting economy system that is surprisingly fun to build and maintain.
This game is really capable of surprising you with an incredibly realistic galaxy with planets, asteroids, merchants, pirates, and so on. If you manage to meet a merchant, you are lucky, because if you come across pirates, in most cases they will demand a ransom, or open fire to kill. The main feature is that you have to establish contacts with many races, raise the planet's economy, trade, sell, weave intrigues, kill and much more. Distant Worlds won't get any awards for looks, but if you're looking for something with extremely rich and challenging gameplay, then you should give this game a try.
Star Ruler 2
Gameplay in Star Ruler 2 is real-time (RTS), but don't let that fool you - the global strategy mechanics here are incredibly rich. For example, the political game is very well implemented and gives the player a sense of satisfaction when interacting with other factions. The economy elements are also surprisingly well implemented and rely on you to carefully cultivate the planets and develop them to their maximum potential. There is a shipbuilding module where you draw armor, weapons and even the interiors of ships on a hexagonal grid - this is not a difficult system to understand, so it is easy to learn and use, but at the same time it maintains the necessary complexity.
AI War: Fleet Command
So AI War is a bit old by now, but the game has been getting DLC updates for years to keep it up to date - not that it needs that help, because the game idea is so fresh and original that until will not be a direct sequel, you probably do not want to play another, similar global strategy. It must be said that the graphics won't win you over and there isn't a lot of variety in terms of 4X game systems, but instead of creating an impressive economy, harvesting multiple resources, or convincing your opponents of your political prowess, the focus is on a massive, thousands of strong fleet of ships - explore, expand and, ultimately destroy powerful AI forces that want to destroy you. This is not much, but each new game persistently intrigues and encourages you to become more powerful every time.
Thea: The Awakening
But this global strategy is cunning, because Thea doesn't really meet all the criteria to be considered a full "4X" - its "expand" function is severely limited. But the yoke is still interesting; The Slavic mythology gives it a unique atmosphere and world, but what really sets it apart from the rest of the games in this genre is the focus on crafting. In this sense, Thea ( Thea) is slightly more RPG than other typical 4X games, but thanks to this it has its own personality, which makes it good choice for fans of the genre looking for something new. Everything is tied to resource gathering and a crafting system, from a tech tree that unlocks new resources to build, to simple but card-based combat that, if successful, rewards you. necessary materials. The game requires a lot of micromanagement and therefore has a rather slow pace, but overall the game has something new to offer those looking for.
Endless Space
Infinite Space positions the player as the ruler of an emerging space civilization, and provides them with the opportunity to cultivate their space empire with various ways and tools to match your playstyle. The essence of the game is familiar to everyone who has played 4X strategy before. You research technologies from a large list. You manage systems and planets, drafting their development. You build fleets, colonize viable planets, engage in diplomacy, and fight wars.
Events will develop throughout the galaxy, before the start of the game you will need to choose a race and a planet from which you actually begin the colonization of the galaxy. Depending on the chosen race, you are waiting for absolutely different styles games, some races prefer fierce battles or trade, while others adore financial fraud and intelligence. Having "pumped" your planet, you can colonize another at any time, thereby expanding your possessions and becoming an even more powerful and dangerous rival. Endless Space has several features and mechanics that set it apart from its competitors and allow it to compete with any AAA game.
Total War series
TotalWar is a universal strategy that has absorbed all the best, namely, well-thought-out turn-based battles taking place in real time, so get ready, it will be hot. Country management will take place on the world map in turn-based mode, but the battles will take you to a huge location where you have to lead your warriors to victory in real time. As expected, there is no pause in the game, so if you start the battle, please finish it or give up, but your people are unlikely to like it. Separately, it is worth noting the quality of graphics and the realism of combat operations. In battles with enemies, impressive spectacles with the participation of several thousand warriors await you.
Master of Orion 2
Despite the fact that this game was released back in 1996, not many modern global strategies can boast of having such a variety of content as in this legendary game. It is worth noting the complex gameplay of the game, Master of Orion 2 focuses on the development of an alien civilization, based on economic, technological and social development. Players can choose between different races or create their own race with a set of strengths and weaknesses. Players can even design their own ships based on available technology.
You have to play the role of a ruler, commander, architect, philosopher, strategist and many others. To surpass other states, you will need to study unique technologies that help in mastering invaluable knowledge. Since victory is the main priority, you will be able to choose one of three possible ways: kill all enemies, capture Antares, where the enemies of the entire galaxy live, or win peacefully. The first two options are obvious and there is nothing complicated in them, but the third one implies seizing power by creating commercial coalitions. If you manage to unite all the planets, sooner or later civilians decides to elect a president for himself, and here you have to take part in a real election race. If you manage to get the largest number votes, you will be proclaimed president and "HappyEnd" will come. Regardless of the choice made, the star Orion will always be present on the intergalactic map. It does not affect the passage of the game in any way, but if you manage to visit it first, you will gain impressive technological advantages, and you will be proudly called the “Master of Orion”.
Galactic Civilizations 2
Galactic Civilizations 2 is one of the few global strategies that combines combat, economic development, science, culture, space exploration and, of course, political intervention. It may come as a surprise that the backstory of Galactic Civilizations 2 is based on a series of short stories written by its creator, Brad Wardell. Although the game does not have the most original setting, it provides interesting background for a great strategy game.
Depending on your preferences, you can devote yourself to science, making contacts with politicians, or hire a powerful army and colonize one planet after another. To get clear advantages in a particular industry, you will have to choose one of 10 races that have more than 20 unique abilities. Developing your planet you have to study more than 200 technologies and build 50 different structures. Exploring space on your way you will meet 26 unique and unusual planets, radically different culture, economy, relationships, faith and, of course, appearance. Separately, it is worth noting the well-thought-out artificial intelligence, so regardless of professional qualities, you will surely choose the appropriate difficulty for yourself (there are 12 in total). If you like creating rare things, you will have at your disposal a unique ship editor that allows you to realize any fantasy. This global strategy is the embodiment of multivariance and balance, because at this moment you can be the ruler of the world, and die in an hour, hoping to subdue another planet.
Hearts of Iron Series
Hearts of Iron is a unique global strategy that plunges you into the fierce struggle between the USSR and Germany. To win, you need to attract as many third-party states as possible, because without their firepower it is impossible to defeat the enemy. If you sympathize with Germany, you can try to go over to their side and try to implement Hitler's daring plan. Depending on your beliefs, you have the right to choose one of three political directions: fascism, democracy or communism. Absolutely everything will depend on this choice: from the army to the methods of warfare. The good news is that the developers have created more than 1000 commanders that actually existed, and their manners and behavior are based on real people, so you have to get to know everyone, because you can only win the battle with an experienced commander. If you are familiar with the history, you can choose any period of time, the differences are in the battles and new technologies. As for the army, you will have infantry, arrows, tanks, cavalry, artillery, air defense and much more at your disposal. The main highlight are unique technologies that open up new types of weapons and ways of fighting. If you get tired of completing missions, at any time you can create your own unique map with many details and try to defeat your opponent on your own terms.
Europa Universalis 3.4
Europa Universalis 3, 4 is a unique global strategy in which you will need to take control of one of the world states on any day of world history from May 30, 1453 to July 14, 1789 (this period is extended in additions). You will have well-thought-out diplomacy at your disposal, thanks to which you can make alliances, negotiate peace, declare war, take prisoners, demand a ransom and much more. In addition to resolving diplomatic issues, you need to find time for construction, because you can only get recognition by having a developed province. Europa Universalis will surely appeal to unhurried and assiduous tacticians, because in order to win, you need to have precisely these qualities. All because most time, you will have to observe, and only then make important decisions that can lead to unforeseen circumstances.
In general, you are responsible for the whole state, and how exactly to develop it depends only on you. You can hire warriors and capture your neighbors or go in search of new lands and become the proud owner of valuable treasures. To understand all the nuances, you will have to sweat a lot, since the game has a lot of indicators that can turn a prosperous city into real ruins. You will have to keep track of the economy, trade, fatigue, joy, anger, honor traditions, and so on. Due to the abundance of information, you should always have a backup plan, because everything can go topsy-turvy at any moment. As in any global strategy, bloody battles await you in this game, but they are not a priority, because you can influence the situation in dozens of different ways. Of course, it is possible to punish the offender, but do not neglect the fact that the neighbors can unite against you.
It might be worth noting that classics like Heroes of Might and Magic 3 and Master of Orion 2 are still as playable and entertaining as they once were (there's even an HD re-release of HOMM3 if you're interested...). But still, if you think that there are global strategies that you think we missed and really need to be added, just let us know about it in the comments.
On November 8, the presidential elections began in the United States and the excitement associated with them is an excellent occasion to recall a whole class of strategies in which political intrigues and elections play a key role.
The DTF editors have compiled a selection of 6 of the best political simulations that you can find on the Steam store. All of them are different, but dedicated to the same thing: the ability to manage the masses and be their adored leader.
The Political Machine 2016
The Political Machine 2016 is the most up-to-date of the proposed games. This political simulator entirely dedicated to the current presidential elections in the United States. Here you have to choose from a variety of candidates (or create your own) and lead him to victory. As the fight progresses, you will plunge into the campaign routine: fly around the states, give speeches, scatter promises, collect donations and participate in televised debates.
Your challenger, like your opponent, has a large set of characteristics, such as influence on the media, intelligence and stamina. In addition, certain positions on the political spectrum are inherent in him from the very beginning. Of course, playing as Donald Trump, it would be wise to push the topic of immigration and gun rights, and Hillary in her speeches should not stutter about the ban on abortion.
In order to win, you will need at least a small amount of knowledge about the political cuisine of the United States. At a minimum, you need to understand what kind of speech to give in a particular state. For example, Texans lynch a candidate for a proposal to ban civilian guns, and Californians are guaranteed to love the promise of cannabis legalization.
The Political Machine 2016 was created by Stardock, which has previously distinguished itself with such serious and iconic things as Galactic Civilization (parts 2 and 3) and Sins of a Solar Empire. But you should not expect any depth from the election simulator. This is more of a parody project than a serious strategy. Unfortunately, you can only play as a Democratic or Republican candidate, and the monotonous gameplay will get boring in one evening. But the relevance on the eve of the elections is the maximum.
Democracy 3
Democracy 3 can scare away with its extremely laconic design. The game looks like a presentation in Power Point, but behind this plainness lies a deep and detailed strategy. In a sense, Democracy 3 continues the story of The Political Machine 2016. But here you have already become president and now you have to do something about it. Your goal is to survive the years of government, make reforms and be re-elected for the next term.
On a white sheet, in a schematic form, all the internal policies of your state are presented. Each of the points is one or another reform that can be customized to your liking. Here you are like the operator of a complex mechanism: by moving the sliders in one direction or another, you are leading the country to certain results. Various reforms affect different segments of the population, making their lives better or worse. If you want to run for a second term - if you please, do what the electorate expects from you.
Particular depth in Democracy 3 is achieved through mods from the Workshop, which introduce a lot of new reforms, laws, states and social classes into the game. However, everyone who dreamed of trying himself in the role of an ideal reformer president will be disappointed. Democracy 3 is a political simulation that requires you to be a cynical populist. Only by indulging the greedy and stupid crowd can you be elected for new terms.
Victoria 2
Victoria 2 is one of business cards Paradox Studios. In this global strategy, you can manage any of the two hundred states that existed between 1836 and 1936. Of course, foreign policy, with its wars, alliances and colonization, plays a big role here. But internal politics makes the strategy really deep.
In the role of the patron of the nation, you need to understand the intricacies of the economy and the social sphere, constantly maneuvering between different classes and national groups. In addition, an important role is played political structure your country. Through successive reforms and decisions (always difficult ones), you shape the constitution and character of your nation. It is up to the player to decide whether to maintain a despotic monarchy or arrange a dictatorship of the proletariat, intervene in the economy or follow the path of liberalization.
Elections, especially in the later stages, play a huge role here. Your people, sooner or later, will want to have representatives in power and influence your decisions, whether you like it or not. Ignoring this is dangerous: by raising a rebellion and taking power into their own hands, your own subjects can destroy everything that you went to for dozens of hours of the game. But the most curious thing is that you will continue the game after the revolution, you just have to deal with a completely different formation. The desires of the people here are often more important than yours.
Crusader Kings 2
Crusader Kings 2 from the same Paradox company is much more about influence specific person to history. Here you have to play the role of a sovereign who controls a medieval country and his own clan. Your ruler, like every vassal, has a unique set of characteristics that makes them their own. Fighting among themselves, entering into marriages and contracts, lobbying for this or that law, all these people influence the policy of the state.
Roughly speaking, Crusader Kings 2 is a small simulator on a global strategic map. But this does not mean that there are few variables here. Your ruler will have to endure all the hardships of the Middle Ages: the construction of fortresses and cities, the fight against the plague and barbarians, the suppression of uprisings and difficult religious decisions.
You are forced to simultaneously deal with your family, weaving intrigues and with the state, which is always on the verge of collapse here. Having barely adopted Buddhism in Russia and fought off the Tatar-Mongol yoke, you discover that your heir has grown into a psychopath and is plotting to overthrow you from the throne. All this makes Crusader Kings 2 the best alternative history generator.
Despite the fact that the time of action is the Middle Ages, you will constantly have to deal with elections and voting among your vassals. Firstly, there are republics here with their own unique mechanics, and secondly, the monarch is often elected or depends on the opinion of the lords. Bribery, blackmail, campaign promises, and simply killing an opponent - in playing out these situations, Crusader Kings 2 has no equal.
Masters Of The World: Geopolitical Simulator 3
At the moment Masters Of The World is the most detailed, reliable and detailed political simulator. Just like in Victoria 2, you are trying to bring your nation to prosperity while playing on the global map. In order not to turn the country into a hotbed of poverty and crime, you will have to do incredibly meticulous micromanagement. He is both the best part of the game and its curse.
On the one hand, being aware of absolutely everything and controlling absolutely all spheres of society is incredibly interesting. On the other hand, it also makes it protracted and even monotonous.
Citizens here will not be able to take a step without your edicts, decrees and laws, so leaving everything to chance is like death. Again, the game is not implemented in the best way: the interface is extremely sloppy and unfriendly, and there are quite a few bugs. In general, Masters Of The World is a very curious experience of total control of the nation, but at some point it all comes down to trying to keep the initially doomed state afloat.
Tropico 4
Tropico 4 - colorful strategy dedicated to the everyday life of a Latin American dictator ruling on a remote island in the Caribbean. The whole series is full of humor and satire and at first glance it is perceived as a simple city-building simulator. But behind its carnival atmosphere, many do not notice that this is also an excellent and even very reliable political simulator.
Literally every inhabitant of the island has its own character, class affiliation and political preferences. And all these individuals initially wanted to spit on their government.
However, the “El Presidente”, in the role of which the player acts, has a large number of mechanisms through which he can influence the situation and rule according to the principle of “divide and rule”. Migration policy, wage levels, intelligence agencies, bribing trade unions and legislation - these and many other tools will help you stay in the post of dictator for the rest of your life.
The Tropico series is unique in the sense that it allows policy making at the micro and macro levels. Did the ration cut edicts go badly? You can independently catch each disgruntled resident and send him to a concentration camp. A school teacher instills hatred for the authorities in children? "El Presidente" has already been reported, and he will personally go to the school for an explanatory conversation.
Regular elections in the country are a separate attraction that forces the player to go for tricks, forgery of votes and bribing voters. As in Democracy 3, without knowing the intricacies of domestic politics, it will be impossible to be re-elected.
Want to rewrite history? Make Scotland a superpower, push Mexico against Europe, save Joan of Arc from burning, or simply repeat the feat of the famous military leaders of past centuries? This is possible only with the help of global strategies. Companies involved in the development of computer toys provide a wide field for activity, so it is not at all necessary to get into politics "in real life" - no one bothers you to conquer fantasy worlds or outer space.
The dominance of shooters, open-world RPGs, and other projects marked "online" made the genre almost exotic. Even sensible indies come out almost every day, unlike good global strategies. Organizations and private projects on kickstarter are trying to revive the genre, but they are not doing well. All we have is, in fact, continuations of already existing ideas and universes with a prefix in the name - 2, 3, 4, etc., and something new and fresh, alas, is represented by single samples or is completely absent in the game year.
So, let's try to identify the best global strategies that are distinguished by their high-quality component, interesting plot, entertaining gameplay and positive user ratings. The list is based on reviews of gaming publications, but for the most part it makes no sense to distribute projects by rating, because they all deserve attention, and a specific setting is an amateur. Someone likes space, someone cannot live without a sword and armor, but some do not care where and how - just to win something.
The top global strategies look like this:
- Total War: Shogun 2.
- Crusader Kings 2.
- Europa Universalis 4.
- Sid Meier's Civilization 6.
- Stellaris.
- Endless Legend.
- Endless Space 2.
- Anno 2205.
Let's take a closer look at the games.
Total War: Shogun 2
Almost all series of "Total War" are divided into two main components - these are real-time battles and a global economic strategy in turn-based mode. The player, in addition to mass massacre, needs to develop settlements, hire military leaders, deal with taxes, conduct diplomatic negotiations and send special agents on risky missions.
The global strategy with the economy in Total War may not be as well thought out as in other projects, but you can’t call this part a “tick” in any way. In "Shogun 2" both components turned out to be well developed. And even though the turn-based mode on the global map is just a prelude to epic battles, this makes it no worse than mass battles.
On the plus side, you can add a very beautiful and competently recreated setting of Japan in the 16th century, as well as a perfect balance and atmospheric musical component. The world of global strategies of "Total War" has always been easy to master, and "Shogun 2" was no exception: the threshold for new users to enter is minimal.
Crusader Kings 2
As for the second "Crusaders", the game interface and the process itself can not be called friendly for beginners. The threshold for entering the international global strategy is quite high, and in the first hours of the game, the lion's share of the time will be spent on studying the menu branches, maps and other tactical options. But the material is correctly fixed by the training campaign, so there are no serious problems here.
After you figure out the controls and properly understand the process, the realization will come that Crusaders 2 is one of the best global strategies among other representatives of the genre. Describing the game, we can say that this is an excellent generator of addictive stories and adventures dedicated to family squabbles, betrayals, conspiracies and other intrigues that took place in medieval Europe.
In this global strategy, you can become a petty lord from some godforsaken Scottish county and, passing through the bones of enemies, as well as through the diplomatic jungle, unite your lands and become a contender for the royal title. Each new campaign generates a chain of random events, so there is no need to talk about monotony. Especially enjoyed by fans of the series "Game of Thrones" due to a similar setting and similar intrigues. The latter feel at home in the "Crusaders".
Europa Universalis 4
If in the previous game you had some individuals, then in Europa Universalis 4 you will manage entire empires. There is no place for small conflicts here - only grandiose military campaigns.
You have at your disposal entire states that will need to be led to victory in various wars, whether colonial or religious. In this case, the player becomes not the king of his subjects, but the leader of the nation, so there is no time to unravel the intrigues - you need to have time to conquer the world before someone else does it.
Sid Meier's Civilization 6
The Civilization series can be called a classic representative of the global strategy genre. Sid Meier managed to create an original and addictive product, for which you can disappear for weeks or even months.
Unlike other games of this type, "Civilization" is not tied to any particular period. The strategy guides the user through a whole chain of epochs, starting with a small one. At first, you build a small settlement, hunt, farm and fight negligent neighbors with spears, bows and axes.
Strategy features
But after a few hours or even days, under your command is no longer a small village, but an industrial developed country where skyscrapers and nuclear power plants grow. The instruments of influence on neighbors, of course, are also changing: tanks, fighters, laser weapons and nuclear warheads.
As for the sixth "Civilization" specifically, beginners will relatively easily master the basic controls and, thanks to a competent training campaign, will quickly be drawn into the process. This is an extremely high-quality strategy that took only the best ideas from past series and brought them almost to perfection. "Civilization" is really the place where you can disappear for a long time and enthusiastically build your world.
Stellaris
This is a global space strategy for those who are cramped and stuffy on a small planet Earth. An ambitious player is given the opportunity to conquer the entire galaxy for any of the presented races.
The player will have to colonize new worlds, develop existing ones, improve technologies, and also give a lot of time to diplomacy. If the last option does not suit you in any way, then you can go exclusively along the military branch and, having collected a huge fleet, exterminate all the objectionable and subdue the recalcitrant.
Distinctive features of the strategy
Random generation of events will not let you get bored in the vast universe. You never know in advance what awaits you on a particular planet. You can meet an unfamiliar alien race, find a valuable artifact, or activate a whole chain of additional quests, the completion of which will bring useful bonuses to you or your interstellar empire.
Just like in the case of "Civilization", here you can hang for a very long time. Equipping one planet after another and getting involved in military strife, you will not notice how the whole day (or night) will fly by. This is a very thoughtful and high-quality project that can be recommended to all ambitious conquerors.
Endless Legend
"Endless Legend" is a kind of similarity to the aforementioned "Civilization". But this does not make the game any less quality. Both products have similar gameplay, but "Legend" stands out for its original and memorable setting.
Here we have a kind of pun from science fiction and fantasy with a very competent implementation. Infinite Legend is devoid of similar factions. Each individual group has its own distinctive features. For example, the Lords of Dust (ghosts) do not need food and, as an alternative, consume energy resources. While monsters or necrophages do not have diplomatic relations with other races at all, they get provisions by devouring conquered tribes.
One of the main features of the "Endless Legend" is, first of all, survival, and only then wars and other strife with neighbors. Seasons in the game change quite quickly and chaotically. Winters are harsh, and the ruler, who has been escaping to neighboring tribes for half a year and not paying due attention to the domestic economy and peaceful industry, runs the risk of not surviving until next spring.
Endless Space 2
Infinite Legend and Infinite Space are games from the same developer. And if the rulers of the first strategy did not leave the Earth, then there are no barriers for the second ones. The manner in which the campaign is presented and the development branches are somewhat similar in games, but there are still specific and critical differences.
The game attracts with its graphic component, which has been noticeably improved compared to the first part. You can choose which way to develop your empire. If you want to defeat your opponents with technical superiority, please invest in the appropriate branches, and not a single enemy military ship will even come close to your planets. The enemy fleet will simply be sprayed with defense systems into atoms. If you like to manage beautiful interstellar ships and forcefully resolve all urgent conflicts, then the aggressive development branch is just for you.
At the beginning of the game, each player is given an equal number of planets and opportunities. By developing basic and specific skills, you choose your own style of play, and "Endless Space" does not limit you in anything, but only indulges your desires.
Anno 2205
The Anno series is a city-building and economic simulator. The actions of past games in the series took place on land and under water, but on planet Earth. The new strategy allows us to master our satellite - the Moon.
But in order to get there, you will first have to build several factories, scientific centers and launch mines on the ground. After the resources are collected, and the necessary buildings are built, you can proceed to the development of the satellite with all the ensuing space realities such as weightlessness, meteor showers and the anarchists who always confuse the plans.
Game features
Despite the fact that the game is positioned by the developer as a city-planning and economic simulator, there are more than enough battles in it, where global strategists can prove themselves to the fullest.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the visual side of the project. Magnificent panoramas general view along with the meticulous detailing of small details are simply amazing. Despite all the beauty, the game only slightly added to the system requirements, and the level of acceptable FPS was largely achieved through competent optimization.
As for the entry threshold, an intelligent training campaign will not let you get confused in the interface and will guide you step by step through all the hot spots of Anno. After an hour or two, the beginners' discomfort disappears, and they already feel at ease, ready to conquer the earth's satellite.
In each of these games, one unchanging algorithm works: expand, explore, exploit, destroy. The order of actions may change, but the goal remains the same - power, control and domination.
We present to your attention the best global strategies on the PC - this selection will be of interest both to neophytes who have not heard of anything other than Civilization, and to oldfags who can put aside their well-worn imperial wands and look for a new position.
15. Anno 2205
14. Age Of Wonders 3
Role-playing game, turn-based tactics and global strategy in one magical bottle. It can be called a fantasy analogue of "Civilization", but unlike the brainchild of Sid Meier, peaceful ways of victory are not provided here. If you want to win - if you please, long and stubbornly fight with the elves, dwarves, orcs and other fabulous lads. fighting take place on separate tactical mini-maps in the spirit of King`s Bounty, and in a massive format. In practice, this means that when attacking one hex, all neighboring armies are pulled onto the battlefield, which ultimately results in a bloody battle, often with siege weapons. Not without spells - there is a whole library of them. Both banal curses and blessings and exotic things are used, such as calling on the head of the enemies of global warming.
13. Warlock II: The Exiled
Another fantasy clone of "Civilization" with a map of hexagons, focused on the military component. The game has both a classic global map and an unusual "Exile" mode, in which the world is presented in the form of tiny fragments connected by portals. Starting development with one fragment, you need to capture a whole chain of worlds, while fighting off crowds of monsters from parallel worlds and magicians competitors. On the PC, this project was released relatively recently - in 2014, and not just like that, but under the wing of Paradox Interactive - a company that ate a dog on global strategies. Yes, Warlock II: The Exiled has problems (the stupid AI stands out in particular), but this game definitely deserved its place in the top thanks to its unusual setting and powerful editor.
12. Star Ruler 2
A galactic epic with a giant map, animated starship fleet battles and meticulous micromanagement. The volume of all kinds of tabs, tables and parameters looks simply intimidating, so only experienced commanders are recommended to meddle in this strategy. And this despite the fact that it is impossible to control specific planets in the game (this rule does not apply to resource extraction). The mechanics of Star Ruler 2 constantly pushes the player to expand the boundaries of the empire, so it’s just not possible to take and sit on the defensive here. Space battles take place mainly in automatic mode, but if you wish, you can personally take part in them as a commander in chief. Despite some secondary character, the rating of Star Ruler 2 is quite high, not least thanks to the original (card) diplomacy system.
11. Space Empires V
It's not even a game, it's more of a simulation of a galactic civilization with hundreds of aspects in physics, culture, economics and cosmology. There is about the same amount of entertainment here as in an astronomy textbook, but this is precisely what Space Empires 5 is attractive for. Already at the stage of generating the universe, your eyes will be charged with the number of settings, and if you are somehow brought into the user manual, then there you will find 300 pages of small text. This turn-based strategy game features a huge tech tree, a powerful ship editor, and solid diplomatic mechanics that don't involve pure alliances or implacable foes.
10. Hearts of Iron 3
Compared to space grand strategy games, this game fits in a relatively short period of time - from 1936 to 1948. But during this time, you will be able to completely redraw the map of Europe, and maybe the world, and it is not at all necessary to play for the main figures in the Second World War. The project is distinguished by amazing attention to detail and, in fact, is a visual historical guide to the events of this period. The military operations in Hearts of Iron 3 are so massive that you need to resort to the help of AI, although in the most critical areas you will have to take matters into your own hands. Another reason to download the game is an extremely detailed technology tree, which, if desired, can be used to track the entire path of development of technology and theories of military operations.
9. Crusader Kings 2
Simulation of a wise ruler, the events of which unfold in the period from 1066 to 1453. Paradox Interactive went for a bold experiment: instead of leading a nation state, we are offered to manage dynasties, which, upon closer examination, are a huge snake ball consisting of intrigues, grievances, hereditary disputes and dynastic marriages. At the bottom food chain- counts with small land plots, dukes are higher, kings are even higher, and the emperor rules at the top. To feel comfortable in this mess, you must simultaneously be a master of political acrobatics, a virtuoso spy and a brilliant military strategist. This is not the best strategy from Paradoxes, but definitely the most unusual.
8 Endless Space 2
A global strategy can be beautiful - this is proved by the developers from the French studio Amplitude. Based on the classic 4X rules, these guys have created a game with great visual style and music. Space looks amazing here, and even creating outposts on planets allows you to enjoy their ethereal landscapes. The game was released in 2017, so it is very demanding on hardware, especially in the later stages, when the galaxy is almost completely explored. The only fly in the ointment in a barrel of honey is the inability to directly influence the course of battles. Perhaps this feature will be added in the third part.
7 Endless Legend
The action of the strategy takes place in the world of Endless Space 2, but not in space, but on one of the planets. Here you will find a dark mix of fantasy and technology, eight original races and understood rules borrowed from Civilization. Each race has its own plot, which develops over the course of the game and is replete with references to the history of Auriga and the confrontation of local inhabitants. Wars here are not limited to maneuvers on the global map - when two armies collide, a turn-based tactical mode is activated, vaguely similar to Disciples. Separately, it is worth noting the army constructor, in which you can equip units with various equipment, and the change of seasons, which significantly affects the performance of races on the global map.
6. Stellaris
This time, Paradox Interactive took and dragged branded elements into space global simulators, adding to the list of innovations random technology research and a good idea with administrative sectors that are controlled by autonomous AI. Otherwise, Stellaris is a fine example of 4X strategy, with a huge map, colossal fleet battles and a flexible diplomacy system. If you don’t know what it’s like to become a vassal of a stronger empire, live under its yoke for several hundred years, picking up scraps from its table, and then gobble up your master, then this game will explain everything to you in a popular way.
5. Galactic Civilizations 3
This game returned built-in on the PC 10 years after the release of the previous part (in 2015), but it did not lose its branded features. Complex as mosaic creation, planetary construction, race ideology system with perks, ship design with a flexible system of defensive and attacking modules, time-tested automatic battles - Stardock simply took and improved everything that could be improved. The result is an excellent 4X strategy that can compete on equal terms with modern projects. Recommended for those who like to tinker in the ship editor and fans of grandiose space battles.
4. Master of Orion 2
A magnificent example, in fact, standing at the origins of the genre. It has everything a sofa strategist needs: a race designer, ship building, a variety of technologies and a strong (even by today's standards) artificial intelligence. To some, the game will seem archaic (and not surprising, because it was released in 1996), someone will not be satisfied with a small map, someone will smile condescendingly at the sight of primitive ground battles “wall to wall”, but all these are trifles, not noteworthy. Master of Orion 2 is an iconic 4X strategy game with near-infinite replay value, a must-play for all fans of the genre.
3. Total War: Warhammer 2
When one studio perfects the only series in its repertoire for decades, the result is obvious. Every game in the Total War cycle (with the possible exception of the Napoleonic Wars) is better than the last, and Warhammer 2 is the crowning achievement of the developers. Even if you don't take into account great picture and extremely realistic battles on tactical maps, there are still a thousand reasons to download this game. For example, the largest global map in the history of the series, a full-fledged storyline, or a huge variety of races. Yes, only 4 basic factions are available for the game: elves, dark elves, lizardmen and skaven, but the old races from the first part have not disappeared. An excellent occasion to check who is stronger, gnomes, ratmen or vampires.
2.Civilization VI
The sixth part of "Civilization" did not bring revolutionary changes to the series - the Firaxis studio is slowly but surely moving the series forward without sudden gestures. It's still the same good old "civa" with a scientific race, the expansion of cities and extremely active diplomacy. Of the innovations, the most noticeable is the zoning of cities, which in turn leads to their specialization. As usual, there are several ways to win here: cultural, scientific, diplomatic, military. The latter, of course, is the most interesting, but also the most difficult, since it requires a huge investment of resources and time. If you're new to the cycle, Civilization VI is a good opportunity to try your hand at being a historical ruler.
1. Europa Universalis IV
In the list of the best global strategies, this game naturally takes first place. Compared to other games in the genre, Europa Universalis IV is much more complex, wider and more realistic. Political intrigues, espionage, dynastic connections, a well-thought-out economy and a trading system... you will not find a more complete simulator of a medieval ruler. This is the pinnacle of Paradox Interactive's activities and has served as a model for other 4X strategy developers since 2013. Yes, the threshold for entering the game is extremely high, but if you have the strength to break through hundreds of incomprehensible buttons and tabs, you will have a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the intricacies of medieval European politics.
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What is the Strategy genre?
Strategy is an ambiguous genre of the gaming industry, many consider it boring, they can’t stand it, but it has no less fans. Sometimes in terms of dynamics, entertainment strategies are not inferior to shooters and action games. There are quite a few frankly dull projects in the genre, but they are everywhere and this is not an indicator by which one can objectively judge. An indicator of popularity is a huge number of browser and client strategies, not to mention related genres such as MMORPG. On the site, we offer to download Strategies on a PC in 2017, one of the most popular queries regarding strategies was the search phrase of 2016:.
How have the Strategies evolved?
Like other gaming areas, strategies appeared in the era of set-top boxes. The first truly popular projects were DUNE, Mega-lo-Mania, Operation Europa on Sega, and subsequently War Craft, released for Play Station 1. Today, this is a whole layer of independent versions, additions, remakes, based on the plot of the steampunk confrontation between humans and orcs .
Strategies require the player to make quick decisions regarding the development of their possessions, state, army. The success of the military company largely depends on this. In addition, everyone has the opportunity to Download the Strategy on a PC by torrent. To create it is necessary to solve strategic and tactical military tasks to ensure an advantage over the enemy.
The Strategy genre has subgenres:
- RTS - Real Time Strategy.
- Turn-based or grand are global strategies.
- Economic simulators;
- MMORPG - strategy with a role-playing component.
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Real Time Strategy the most dynamic. Events in them unfold on a single map, terrain, the emphasis is placed more on the military component. economic system is present mainly in the form of the need to extract resources for the construction of units and provide them with the resources necessary for the conduct of hostilities. An example of such a strategy is the Command a Conqueror series of games. There are RTS strategies where the emphasis is on the conduct of hostilities, strategic and tactical components, for example, the famous Sudden Strike - "Confrontation".
Global Strategies is a great option for those who like to think big and study the complex interactions between politics, economics, and production. All this affects the development of possessions, and in games of this subgenre they are quite extensive and you often have to manage entire states. It is for such a serious approach that fans of drive, bloody shooting and total madness do not like global strategies. Everything in global strategies needs to be done in a balanced way and carefully consider each step. Classic example such a Hearts of Iron game.
Economic Simulations will appeal to enterprising gamers who dream of becoming businessmen, but do not know where to start. Some games of the subgenre literally completely copy the real economic model of the world. In modern online projects, a function has been worked out for earning real money, but it will be very difficult, as in real life.
Well, for a snack MMORPG is the most popular and loved by many sub-genre of strategy. It combines all the best features of computer games. There are options for battles to choose from: alone, in a detachment or an army, trade in things, weapons, arrange bloody hacks, rob, kill, collect resources with impunity and do many other things. As an example, I will give a turn-based MMORPG Heroes Might a Magic, isn't it a masterpiece loved by everyone!
In conclusion, it is worth saying that there is no need to be biased towards games of the strategy genre, they can captivate no worse than shooters or arcade races, you just have to take a closer look at them.
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