Politician strategies on PC. The best strategies on PC

The best grand strategy games on PC

1. Sid Meier's Civilization Series

One of the best strategic franchises in principle: Civilization is the development of humanity from space flights, complex relationships with neighbors, which are often resolved with nuclear salvoes, an endless race for the possession of wonders of the world and cultural masterpieces, espionage, sabotage, revolutions and other delights of a civilized society .

2. Total War series

Total War organically mixes the gameplay of global strategy and real-time strategy: on a general map, you move your troops in a step-by-step mode, manage cities and build diplomatic relations with competitors, and on a tactical map, you fight enemy armies, leading squads of fighters as a military leader.

In this series you will find games for every taste: historical, fantasy - the only thing missing is space. Individual releases of the Total War line will allow you to change the course of the Napoleonic Wars, influence the conquest of Europe by the Huns, fight for the British Isles, unite the feudal and even take part in a bloody war between people, dwarves, and other fairy-tale factions.

3. Europa Universalis Series

A line of strategy games in which you can completely redraw the political map of Europe. Moreover, it is proposed to do this not by military means (although this possibility is also present), but through complex diplomacy, concluding alliances (including dynastic marriages), establishing a strong economy, control over religion and other opportunities.

Different installments of the franchise take players to different time periods. When choosing a game, you choose a time with corresponding historical events: you can colonize America, start a revolution in France, take part in the Hundred Years' War, and so on.

4. Hearts of Iron Series

And this franchise, located in our top, is dedicated to a very small but very important segment human history– (as well as short periods before and after it). The action still takes place in Europe, and you are given the opportunity to completely change the course of events: for example, conquer Germany, playing as Poland, or having reached Berlin as the USSR, continue moving west.

5. Stellaris

A 4X strategy that can truly be called “global”, because the events here cover neither more nor less – the whole galaxy! Hundreds of star systems can come under your control if you expand wisely, paying attention to diplomacy, scientific research, a strong economy, and powerful army. Otherwise, you will inevitably be absorbed by a stronger galactic civilization.

6.Victoria II

In this global strategy, one of 200 countries falls under your control during a difficult period for humanity from the second half of the 19th century century before the outbreak of World War II. This is a time of industrial revolutions, social upheavals and insoluble contradictions between empires. Will you be able to raise the rating of your state above all rivals or will you perish under the yoke of external and internal problems?

7.Master of Orion 2

A classic (released back in 1996), but a strategy that is still beloved by fans who never stop releasing patches, mods and other content for it. Master of Orion 2 is dedicated to the conquest of space, and rest assured: it will surprise you more than once with its detailed gameplay, smart AI and an abundance of unusual situations. In 2016, the Master of Orion series received a remake from the company, but although it was made very well, it does not reach the level of the original games.

8. Crusader Kings 1-2

9. Endless Space

Another strategy about space conquest on our list. In accordance with the name, space here is almost endless - there is enough space for expanding the galactic strategy. Interestingly, Endless Space (as well as its sequel) is part of the Endless Universe line, which for 2018 includes several games in different genres: in addition to the 4X strategy Endless Space, you can download the global strategy Endless Legend in the spirit of Civilization and a hybrid and Dungeon on PC of the Endless.

10. Galactic Civilizations Series

The last franchise in our ranking is also dedicated to the conquest of galaxies. Don't be fooled by Galactic Civilizations' cartoonish visual style: challenging gameplay awaits you with planetary engineering, multi-layered diplomacy, and epic battles.

Each of these games has one constant algorithm: expand, explore, exploit, destroy. The order of actions may change, but the goal remains the same - power, control and dominance.

We present to your attention the best global strategies on PC - this selection will be of interest both to neophytes who have never heard of anything other than “Civilization,” and to oldfags who will be able to 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, there are no peaceful ways of victory here. If you want to win, if you please, fight long and hard with elves, gnomes, orcs and other fairy-tale lads. Combat actions take place on separate tactical mini-maps in the spirit of King's Bounty, and in a mass 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. There are also spells - there is a whole library of them. They use both banal curses and blessings and exotic things, like calling out 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 shards connected by portals. Starting development with one fragment, you need to capture a whole chain of worlds, while simultaneously fighting off crowds of monsters from parallel worlds and rival magicians. This project was released on PC relatively recently - in 2014, and not just like that, but under the wing of Paradox Interactive - a company that ate the dog in global strategies. Yes, Warlock II: The Exiled has problems (the stupid AI especially stands out), but this game definitely deserves 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 it is recommended only for experienced commanders to get involved in this strategy. And this despite the fact that you cannot control specific planets in the game (this rule does not apply to resource extraction). The mechanics of Star Ruler 2 constantly push the player to expand the borders of the empire, so it’s not possible to simply 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 commander-in-chief. Despite some secondary features, Star Ruler 2's rating 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 simulator simulating a galactic civilization with a hundred aspects in physics, culture, economics and cosmology. There's about as much entertainment here as an astronomy textbook, but that's what makes Space Empires 5 so appealing. Already at the stage of generating the universe, your eyes will be dazzled by the number of settings, and if you are somehow brought into the user manual, then you will find 300 pages of neat text there. This turn-based strategy game has a huge tech tree, a powerful ship editor, and solid diplomatic mechanics where there are no pure alliances or bitter enemies.

10. Hearts of Iron 3

Compared to space grand strategies, this game fits into 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 players in World War II. The project is distinguished by amazing attention to detail and, in fact, is a visual historical guide to the events of this period. Military operations in Hearts of Iron 3 are so large-scale 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 the 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

A simulator of a wise ruler, the events of which take place 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 tangle consisting of intrigues, grievances, hereditary disputes and dynastic marriages. At the bottom of the food chain are counts with small plots of land, above are dukes, even higher are kings, and at the top is the emperor. To feel comfortable in this mess, you need to be simultaneously a master of political acrobatics, a virtuoso spy and a brilliant military strategist. This is not the best strategy from Paradoxes, but it is definitely the most unusual.

8. Endless Space 2

A global strategy can be beautiful – this is proven by the developers from the French studio Amplitude. Taking the classic 4X rules as a basis, these guys have created a game with a great visual style and musical accompaniment. Space looks amazing here, and even creating outposts on planets allows you to enjoy their unearthly 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 is the inability to directly influence the course of battles. Perhaps this function will be added in the third part.

7. Endless Legend

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 distinctive races and clear rules borrowed from Civilization. Each race has its own plot, which develops as the game progresses and is replete with references to the history of Auriga and the confrontation between the 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 designer, 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 random technology research and the clever idea of ​​administrative sectors controlled by autonomous AI to the list of innovations. Otherwise, Stellaris is an excellent example of a 4X strategy, with huge map, battles of colossal fleets and a flexible system of diplomacy. 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 devour your master, then this game will explain everything to you.

5.Galactic Civilizations 3

This game returned to PC 10 years after the release of the previous part (in 2015), but did not lose its signature features. As complex as creating a mosaic, planetary construction, a system of race ideology with perks, designing ships 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 with the ship editor and fans of grandiose space battles.

4.Master of Orion 2

A magnificent example, in fact, one that stood at the origins of the genre. It has everything an armchair strategist needs: a race designer, ship construction, a variety of technologies and strong (even by today's standards) artificial intelligence. Some will find the game archaic (and not surprising, since it was released in 1996), some will not be happy with the small map, some will smile condescendingly at the sight of primitive wall-to-wall ground battles, but all these are trifles, not worth attention. Master of Orion 2 is a cult global strategy with almost endless replayability, a must-play for all fans of the genre.

3. Total War: Warhammer 2

When one studio spends decades perfecting the only series in its repertoire, the result is obvious. Every game from the Total War series (with the possible exception of " Napoleonic wars") is better than the previous one, and Warhammer 2 is the crown of the developers' efforts. 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, there are only 4 basic factions available for the game: elves, dark elves, lizardmen and skaven, but the old races from the first part have not gone away. An excellent reason 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 movements. This is still the same good old “civa” with a scientific race, urban expansion and extremely active diplomacy. Of the innovations, the most noticeable is the zoning of cities, which in turn leads to their specialization. As usual, you can win here in several ways: 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 are not yet familiar with the series, Civilization VI is a good reason to try yourself in the role of 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 intrigue, espionage, dynastic connections, a sophisticated economy and trading system... you won't find a more complete simulator of a medieval ruler. This is the pinnacle of all Paradox Interactive activities, which has served as a model for other 4X strategy developers since 2013. Yes, the barrier to entry into the game is extremely high, but if you are strong enough to break through hundreds of incomprehensible buttons and tabs, you will find a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the intricacies of medieval European politics.

Warhammer 40,000 series

Release date: 1992-2011

Genre: Real-time strategy

The Warhammer 40,000 series is the most popular and one of the best-selling games. Fans are constantly waiting for the release new game. The most famous is Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player selects a race (Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Tau, Necrons, Orcs, Chaos, Eldar, with each game new races appear) for which he wants to play, after which he selects a place on the planet or planets that he wants to capture and fights with the race that owns it earth.

The battle takes place in real time on the terrain where the battle takes place. Players capture special points that give influence and build generators that provide energy; these resources are used to build structures, troops and make improvements. Each race has its own troops, super units and heroes and abilities. The goal of the game in the campaign is to capture all the lands and become the patron of all lands.

Civilization Series

Release date: 1991-2013

Genre: Global step-by-step strategy

In Civilization, a complete model of the development of mankind has been created, from the most ancient times to the present day. The player must create and develop his mighty empire, among other competitors, the condition of victory may be a military victory over everyone, victory on points, The game ends in 2050 either by culture or build a spaceship and fly to Alpha Centauri. The strength and development of civilization consists of the development and creation of new cities, the creation of military production in cities, scientific and military research. You can also create wonders of the world in the game.

For civilization to flourish, the player must be able to focus and balance between scientific progress, building up military power, replenishing the treasury, developing infrastructure and culture, diplomatic contacts and trade with other civilizations. The player can take part in historical events that took place, control leaders such as Stalin, Napaleon, Ramses II, Catherine II and so on. It's hard to say which of the series is the best. Some say that part is the best, others say the fourth. Adherents of graphics claim that the fifth is the best of this series.

Warcraft III

Genre: real-time strategy with RPG elements

Popularly called "Varik" was one of the most anticipated games: more than 4.5 million pre-orders and more than one million copies of the game sold in less than a month, making it the fastest selling computer game. The game received a large number of positive reviews, many publications celebrated the game with the titles “ Best game of the Year" and "Best Strategy of the Year". The game also received high marks from players.

There are 4 races in the game: Alliance (humans), Undead, Horde (Orcs) and Night Elves. Each race has its own unique heroes, who gain experience and new level. With each level, new hero abilities are unlocked. Heroes can also buy or pick up items from killed mobs that improve the combat characteristics of the heroes and the troops around them. On different maps, players capture gold mines and extract timber, using these resources to build a base and units and improve their characteristics.

Heroes of Might and Magic III

Genre: Turn-based strategy with RPG elements

Heroes of Might and Magic III is a turn-based fantasy game, the third part of the series has become a cult favorite and has gained many fans around the world. Despite the now outdated graphics, it is still played by thousands of players around the world. The fourth and fifth parts of the game have already been released with more than better graphics and improved gameplay, so if you are not a fan of old games and love graphics, then it is best to play the latest parts.

The player travels across a global map with heroes who control mythical creatures, exploring new lands, capturing cities and fighting enemies. On the map, the player moves only one hero and can only walk a certain distance or do one or more actions, after which he misses a turn and the computer-controlled enemies make their move. By attacking enemies, you move into combat mode, the army of enemies and your army of creatures stand opposite each other, moving combat units in turn to destroy the enemies. As cities develop, new opportunities and spells can be discovered. Hire troops.

StarCraft II

Genre: real time strategy

StarCraft II is the second part of the cult first part, released back in 1998. The second part of the game became the most anticipated game of the year due to the great popularity of the first part and fully met its expectations among players. Many Russian and foreign gaming portals gave the game scores of over 9 points out of 10. In the player rating it received 9.3 points.

The plot of the game and all the actions take place in the distant future, or more precisely the 26th century in a remote part of the Milky Way galaxy. The three races of Terran, Zerg, and Protoss are opposed to each other. Players extract two types of resources: minerals and vespene gas, which they then use to build buildings and hire combat units. The main task is to destroy the enemy base. Each type of unit has its own strengths and weaknesses, so to destroy certain types of enemy troops you need to hire troops that are good at destroying them.

Total War series is the best Rome: Total War

Genre: turn-based grand strategy, real-time strategy

Total War rus. “Total War” is a series of games that already has seven games and various additions. Different games cover different historical periods and states. The most popular and iconic is Rome: Total War, released in 2004. The action takes place in Ancient Rome during the Republic period from 270 BC. e. up to 14 AD e. For example, Shogun: Total War takes place in Japan Shogun: Total War in the 16th century, where reigning dynasties oppose each other. Empire: Total War - during the European colonial wars and so on.

The gameplay of the game is very similar to Civilization. The player controls troops, cities and settlements on a global point. After completing all actions, the player misses a turn, after which the AI-controlled competitors make their move. If you or your enemy attack each other, then you move to the tactical map, where you control all your troops in real mode, attacking them and placing them in convenient positions on the map.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 1,2,3

Release date: 1996 and 2000

Genre: Real-time strategy

Red Alert is a game that was released in the last century and captured the minds and souls of gamers around the world; thousands of people still play it, more than 30 million copies sold. The game takes place in an alternate history, where Allied troops defend Europe from an aggressive Soviet Union. The player can choose one of two warring parties: Alliance or USSR. Accordingly, the goal of the game for the Allies is to stop Stalin before he takes over the whole world, for the USSR - to achieve the complete capture of Europe. Depending on the side chosen, a player's victory results in one of two alternative endings.

Battles in the game take place both on land, on water and in the air. Each side can have its own base and can train ground forces, air forces and navies. Each side also has unique features. The game mechanic is that now even a simple infantryman can destroy a tank. A tank can easily destroy a machine-gun pillbox; a small group of grenade launchers can just as easily deal with a tank if it is not covered by anti-personnel equipment or its own infantry, which forced the use of different types of troops in battle.

Europa Universalis series of games

Release date: 2000-2013

Genre: turn-based global strategy,

Continues the series of global strategies Europa Universalis. Like previous games in the series, the third part invites you to lead one of the states of the world . The essence of the game: to develop national ideas that give the game power certain advantages; As new government technologies are discovered, it becomes possible to choose one of the national ideas. The game takes place in real time, but the player’s reaction speed is not required, since the game can be paused at any time. The game takes place on a schematically depicted world map, divided into more than 1,500 sea and land provinces.

The player can take control of any country that existed in this historical period(about 200 states in total). Under his control are the country's economy, the formation and management of armies and navies, diplomacy, the introduction of new technologies, the internal politics of the state, changing the state religion and the colonization of new lands.

A special feature of the game is its connection to real history (note that in the third part of the series it is no longer tied to history and the gameplay is more free); there are historical rulers predetermined for each country, each of whom has certain abilities that influence the game, real-life commanders (such as Suvorov or Napoleon I Bonaparte), pioneers, explorers and sailors (such as Columbus, Ermac and Ferdinand Magellan ), as well as historical events that usually occur in the same country and at the same time as in real history (for example, in 1517 an event occurs that makes it possible to convert to Protestantism)

Company of Heroes 1.2

Release date: 2006

Genre: Real-time strategy

The gameplay of Company of Heroes is very similar to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player commands entire squads of fighters, but there are some unique units. Each unit has a life scale (not an individual fighter), and if the unit’s lives are damaged when the unit is damaged, the entire unit dies. The player can equip infantry units with various weapons, choosing which weapon is more promising in battle. After the death of a squad, weapons remain that can be picked up and equipped with them for another squad. This even applies to stationary weapons such as anti-tank guns, heavy machine guns and mortars.

Each side in the game is divided into three unique directions - infantry, airborne and tank for the Americans and defensive, offensive and propaganda for the Germans, advancement in which gives access to new combat units and attacks (for example, attack aircraft). Another important difference is that squads and units in the game have three levels of experience. After destroying an enemy, a new level is obtained that increases the damage, speed, health, armor or viewing range of the combat unit, depending on its type.

There are three types of resources in the Game: weapons, fuel and personnel. Personnel are used to construct buildings, recruit new combat units, both infantry and armored vehicles, fuel, in turn, to build buildings and armored vehicles, and weapons - to provide units with additional weapons, such as a grenade launcher, for artillery and air strikes, or for to give your equipment new capabilities. Replenishment of resources is carried out using checkpoints.

Age of Empires III

Genre: Real-time strategy

Age of Empires III is a strategy game that has earned worldwide recognition thanks to its innovative and exciting gameplay. Age of Empires received high ratings on gaming portals and magazines. A special feature of this game is its well-developed artificial intelligence (the enemy is controlled by a computer). The player controls one of the powers (Great Britain, Prussia, Holland, Spain, Portugal, the Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, France), which set off to conquer the new world (America).

The main action takes place in the colonies, on a map familiar to such games, but now each power has a hometown in the Old World. He serves the sole purpose of helping his colony. There are three resources in the game: food, wood and money. Which produce various buildings. Transitions between eras, five eras: exploration, colonization, fortresses, industrial and imperial era. Trains military academies, bandages soldiers and sends them to colonies. The infantry depends on the nationality of the city, for the Spaniards it will be rodellers, and for the Russians it will be archers and Cossacks. The academy is also improving the parameters of the troops.

Battles take place in real time. The maximum size of a detachment and group of soldiers highlighted by a “frame” is 50 units. The shooting infantry has four formations: a regular line, which is convenient for firing in volleys, a sparse formation, which reduces losses from artillery fire, hand-to-hand combat and square. Melee infantry has three formations, two of the same, melee and square, and a circular formation to cover the riflemen. The cavalry learned three formations - the same close combat and square, as well as an offensive mode with reduced speed, but with damage inflicted over an area.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Genre: Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics, Tactical RPG

The game is a remake (remake) of the popular and old game X-COM: UFO Defense, released back in 1993. Aliens attack planet Earth and begin an alien invasion. The game is played on behalf of the commander of the secret international organization XCOM (unit for combating aliens), which has the most advanced technologies, weapons and scientific developments of mankind. It employs the best specialists in the world - military men and scientists. The organization must lead fighting against aliens threatening the existence of human civilization.

The player is provided with the central XCOM base, from which the strategic management of the organization is carried out: monitoring the actions of aliens on the global world map using a satellite network, distributing funding for the development of scientific and technical potential, arming and deploying interceptors to destroy flying saucers, as well as conducting combat operations against aliens using existing fighters in ground skirmishes. The base is presented to the player in the form of an “ant farm” - a section of soil that allows you to look at the premises from the side.

In Tactical combat, fighters perform up to two actions in turn - running, shooting, throwing a grenade, using a first aid kit. Each fighter has only three characteristics: accuracy, willpower and health points.
After the first promotion in rank, a soldier receives a specialization. This could be an attack aircraft, a sniper, a heavy infantryman or a support soldier.

Homeworld

Genre: real time strategy

Well-developed graphics and three-dimensional gaming space - the implementation of six degrees of freedom (you can view the battlefield, the battle fleet from different angles) of the movement of game objects and the presence of thoughtful fleet management in three dimensions. A rich and complex plot that gradually reveals itself during the game. In the next game mission, the player receives the fleet with which he completed the previous one.

At the beginning of the game, the player can choose a fleet of two races, Kushan or Taidan: this does not affect the further plot in any way, only the combat units change. A key feature of both the Kushan and Taidan navies is the presence of a main mothership that serves as the main base of operations. The mother ship has its own weapons and a hyperdrive, which allows it to overcome significant space.

The entire space fleet is divided into a combat fleet and a support fleet. The support fleet includes special ships, such as a resource collector and controller, a research ship, a probe, a stealth ship detector ship, and a gravity well generator. The combat fleet is divided into classes: Small ships - fighters, corvettes, Heavy ships - frigates, Super-heavy ships, Flagships.

Stronghold game series

Release date: 2001-2014

Genre: real time strategy

The game system of all games in the series is based on an economic simulator medieval city or castle. The games have a number of unique parameters that are typical only for games in the Stronghold series. Thus, in the first Stronghold, the “popularity” parameter was introduced for the first time, affecting the performance and population size. Combat system standard for strategies is direct control of groups of units. The economic component is one of the main ones in the games of the series. There are quite complex and long production chains. As a rule, in the games of the series, more attention is paid to the economic rather than the military component of medieval castles.

All games in the series, except Stronghold Kingdoms, have campaigns (a series of story-related missions) and a map editor mode. Stronghold has a single campaign, while other games have multiple campaigns.

All games except Stronghold and Stronghold Kingdoms allow you to play against computer opponents on a selected map. Stronghold and Stronghold 2 have a siege mode (siege or defend a castle without running an economy). In the first games in the series (up to and including Stronghold 2), there is a free construction mode (running an economy without war).

Spore

Genre: Real-time strategy, god simulator

Spore game is a simulator of the evolution of life on the planet, as well as a strategy and space simulator. The goal of the game is to develop a creature from a microorganism to an advanced space race. While progressing through the game, it is possible to make changes to the creature, improving its characteristics. Also, as it develops, the player will independently create various equipment and buildings, or choose ready-made options from the catalog.

At the beginning of the game, the player takes control of a microorganism living in an aquatic environment. At this stage of the game - To survive, the microorganism needs to feed on pieces of meat or algae, and also try not to be eaten by other carnivorous creatures. When food is eaten, the cell grows and turns into a microorganism. After which the creature gets out to the ground, where it also develops. Over time, under your leadership there will be a tribe, civilization and space that you will have to manage.

Ground Control 1.2

Release date: 2000, 2004

Genre: Tactical real-time strategy

This game was the forefront of its genre and won many awards. Ground Control has 3D graphics and a freely rotating camera, allowing the player to view the battle from any angle. The game completely lacks resource collection, base development and research. The player's goal is to control a limited number of combat units and perform various tasks with their help.

the main objective games - the destruction of enemy troops and buildings using the features of the terrain and the strengths of your own army. Combat units include various types of armored vehicles, aircraft and soldiers, delivered to the battlefield by orbital shuttles. After the start of the next mission, the player cannot call for reinforcements, which requires careful selection of units and their configuration before the battle.

The most important element of the game is the requirement for a tactical approach in any situation. Each unit has its own distinct strengths and weak sides. Combat units are united into squads. The player can only give orders to units, although the units themselves will fight and take damage separately. There are four categories of units: infantry, armor, support, and aviation. The player can choose the configuration of each individual unit before the battle. For example, a Craven Corporation tank squad can exist in four configurations: reconnaissance, light, main, and heavy. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so different configurations are suitable for different tasks.

Tiberium Command & Conquer series

Release date: 1995-2010

Genre: Real time strategy

a series of successful computer games with the highest sales among strategy series. The game takes place in an alternative time reality, conditionally modern to ours, in which there is a war all over the world between two global groups - the international UN troops united in the Global Defense Initiative, and the military-religious Brotherhood of Nod, led by its charismatic leader Kane, fighting for possession of the alien substance Tiberium, slowly spreading throughout the planet.

The gameplay of the game is based on the principle of collecting resources, building a base, destroying the enemy. The only source of money (credits) in the game is Tiberium. Another important resource in the game is electricity, produced only by power plants. The various structures and units produced by the player collectively form a technological tree, in which access to technologically more advanced, and therefore more expensive, structures and units. The base can be protected by various structures, including defensive fortifications.

Warhammer 40,000 series

Release date: 1992-2011

Genre: Real-time strategy

The Warhammer 40,000 series is the most popular and one of the best-selling games. Fans are constantly waiting for the release of a new game. The most famous is Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player selects a race (Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Tau, Necrons, Orcs, Chaos, Eldar, with each game new races appear) for which he wants to play, after which he selects a place on the planet or planets that he wants to capture and fights with the race that owns it earth.

The battle takes place in real time on the terrain where the battle takes place. Players capture special points that give influence and build generators that provide energy; these resources are used to build structures, troops and make improvements. Each race has its own troops, super units and heroes and abilities. The goal of the game in the campaign is to capture all the lands and become the patron of all lands.

Civilization Series

Release date: 1991-2013

Genre: Global turn-based strategy

In Civilization, a complete model of the development of mankind has been created, from the most ancient times to the present day. The player must create and develop his mighty empire, among other competitors, the condition of victory may be a military victory over everyone, victory on points, The game ends in 2050 either by culture or build a spaceship and fly to Alpha Centauri. The strength and development of civilization consists of the development and creation of new cities, the creation of military production in cities, scientific and military research. You can also create wonders of the world in the game.

For a civilization to flourish, the player must be able to focus and balance between scientific progress, building up military power, replenishing the treasury, developing infrastructure and culture, diplomatic contacts and trade with other civilizations. The player can take part in historical events that took place, control leaders such as Stalin, Napaleon, Ramses II, Catherine II and so on. It's hard to say which of the series is the best. Some say that part is the best, others say the fourth. Adherents of graphics claim that the fifth is the best of this series.

Warcraft III

Genre: real-time strategy with RPG elements

Popularly called "Varik" was one of the most anticipated games: more than 4.5 million pre-orders and more than one million copies of the game sold in less than a month, making it the fastest selling computer game. The game received a large number of positive reviews, many publications awarded the game with the titles “Best Game of the Year” and “Best Strategy of the Year.” The game also received high marks from players.

There are 4 races in the game: Alliance (humans), Undead, Horde (Orcs) and Night Elves. Each race has its own unique heroes, who gain experience and a new level in battles. With each level, new hero abilities are unlocked. Heroes can also buy or pick up items from killed mobs that improve the combat characteristics of the heroes and the troops around them. On different maps, players capture gold mines and extract timber, using these resources to build a base and units and improve their characteristics.

Heroes of Might and Magic III

Genre: Turn-based strategy with RPG elements

Heroes of Might and Magic III is a turn-based fantasy game, the third part of the series has become a cult favorite and has gained many fans around the world. Despite the now outdated graphics, it is still played by thousands of players around the world. The fourth and fifth parts of the game came out with better graphics and improved gameplay, so if you are not a fan of old games and love graphics, then it is best to play the latest parts.

The player travels across a global map with heroes who control mythical creatures, exploring new lands, capturing cities and fighting enemies. On the map, the player moves only one hero and can only walk a certain distance or do one or more actions, after which he misses a turn and the computer-controlled enemies make their move. By attacking enemies, you move into combat mode, the army of enemies and your army of creatures stand opposite each other, moving combat units in turn to destroy the enemies. As cities develop, new opportunities and spells can be discovered. Hire troops.

StarCraft II

Genre: real time strategy

StarCraft II is the second part of the cult first part, released back in 1998. The second part of the game became the most anticipated game of the year due to the great popularity of the first part and fully met its expectations among players. Many Russian and foreign gaming portals gave the game scores of over 9 points out of 10. In the player rating it received 9.3 points.

The plot of the game and all the actions take place in the distant future, or more precisely the 26th century in a remote part of the Milky Way galaxy. The three races of Terran, Zerg, and Protoss are opposed to each other. Players extract two types of resources: minerals and vespene gas, which they then use to build buildings and hire combat units. The main task is to destroy the enemy base. Each type of unit has its own strengths and weaknesses, so to destroy certain types of enemy troops you need to hire troops that are good at destroying them.

Total War series is the best Rome: Total War

Genre: turn-based grand strategy, real-time strategy

Total War rus. “Total War” is a series of games that already has seven games and various additions. Different games cover different historical periods and states. The most popular and iconic is Rome: Total War, released in 2004. The action takes place in Ancient Rome during the Republic period from 270 BC. e. up to 14 AD e. For example, Shogun: Total War takes place in Japan Shogun: Total War in the 16th century, where reigning dynasties oppose each other. Empire: Total War - during the European colonial wars and so on.

The gameplay of the game is very similar to Civilization. The player controls troops, cities and settlements on a global point. After completing all actions, the player misses a turn, after which the AI-controlled competitors make their move. If you or your enemy attack each other, then you move to the tactical map, where you control all your troops in real mode, attacking them and placing them in convenient positions on the map.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 1,2,3

Release date: 1996 and 2000

Genre: Real-time strategy

Red Alert is a game that was released in the last century and captured the minds and souls of gamers around the world; thousands of people still play it, more than 30 million copies sold. The game takes place in an alternate history where Allied forces defend Europe from the aggressive Soviet Union. The player can choose one of two warring parties: Alliance or USSR. Accordingly, the goal of the game for the Allies is to stop Stalin before he takes over the whole world, for the USSR - to achieve the complete capture of Europe. Depending on the side chosen, a player's victory results in one of two alternative endings.

Battles in the game take place both on land, on water and in the air. Each side can have its own base and can train ground forces, air forces and navies. Each side also has unique features. The game mechanic is that now even a simple infantryman can destroy a tank. A tank can easily destroy a machine-gun pillbox; a small group of grenade launchers can just as easily deal with a tank if it is not covered by anti-personnel equipment or its own infantry, which forced the use of different types of troops in battle.

Europa Universalis series of games

Release date: 2000-2013

Genre: turn-based global strategy,

Continues the series of global strategies Europa Universalis. Like previous games in the series, the third part invites you to lead one of the states of the world . The essence of the game: to develop national ideas that give the game power certain advantages; As new government technologies are discovered, it becomes possible to choose one of the national ideas. The game takes place in real time, but the player’s reaction speed is not required, since the game can be paused at any time. The game takes place on a schematically depicted world map, divided into more than 1,500 sea and land provinces.

The player can take control of any country that existed during this historical period (about 200 states in total). Under his control are the country's economy, the formation and management of armies and navies, diplomacy, the introduction of new technologies, the internal politics of the state, changing the state religion and the colonization of new lands.

A special feature of the game is its connection to real history (note that in the third part of the series it is no longer tied to history and the gameplay is more free); there are historical rulers predetermined for each country, each of whom has certain abilities that influence the game, real-life commanders (such as Suvorov or Napoleon I Bonaparte), pioneers, explorers and sailors (such as Columbus, Ermac and Ferdinand Magellan ), as well as historical events that usually occur in the same country and at the same time as in real history (for example, in 1517 an event occurs that makes it possible to convert to Protestantism)

Company of Heroes 1.2

Release date: 2006

Genre: Real-time strategy

The gameplay of Company of Heroes is very similar to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player commands entire squads of fighters, but there are some unique units. Each unit has a life scale (not an individual fighter), and if the unit’s lives are damaged when the unit is damaged, the entire unit dies. The player can equip infantry units with various weapons, choosing which weapon is more promising in battle. After the death of a squad, weapons remain that can be picked up and equipped with them for another squad. This even applies to stationary weapons such as anti-tank guns, heavy machine guns and mortars.

Each side in the game is divided into three unique directions - infantry, airborne and tank for the Americans and defensive, offensive and propaganda for the Germans, advancement in which gives access to new combat units and attacks (for example, attack aircraft). Another important difference is that squads and units in the game have three levels of experience. After destroying an enemy, a new level is obtained that increases the damage, speed, health, armor or viewing range of the combat unit, depending on its type.

There are three types of resources in the Game: weapons, fuel and personnel. Personnel are used to construct buildings, recruit new combat units, both infantry and armored vehicles, fuel, in turn, to build buildings and armored vehicles, and weapons - to provide units with additional weapons, such as a grenade launcher, for artillery and air strikes, or for to give your equipment new capabilities. Replenishment of resources is carried out using checkpoints.

Age of Empires III

Genre: Real-time strategy

Age of Empires III is a strategy game that has earned worldwide recognition thanks to its innovative and exciting gameplay. Age of Empires received high ratings on gaming portals and magazines. A special feature of this game is its well-developed artificial intelligence (the enemy is controlled by a computer). The player controls one of the powers (Great Britain, Prussia, Holland, Spain, Portugal, the Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, France), which set off to conquer the new world (America).

The main action takes place in the colonies, on a map familiar to such games, but now each power has a hometown in the Old World. He serves the sole purpose of helping his colony. There are three resources in the game: food, wood and money. Which produce various buildings. Transitions between eras, five eras: exploration, colonization, fortresses, industrial and imperial era. Trains military academies, bandages soldiers and sends them to colonies. The infantry depends on the nationality of the city, for the Spaniards it will be rodellers, and for the Russians it will be archers and Cossacks. The academy is also improving the parameters of the troops.

Battles take place in real time. The maximum size of a detachment and group of soldiers highlighted by a “frame” is 50 units. The shooting infantry has four formations: a regular line, which is convenient for firing in volleys, a sparse formation, which reduces losses from artillery fire, hand-to-hand combat and square. Melee infantry has three formations, two of the same, melee and square, and a circular formation to cover the riflemen. The cavalry learned three formations - the same close combat and square, as well as an offensive mode with reduced speed, but with damage inflicted over an area.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Genre: Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics, Tactical RPG

The game is a remake (remake) of the popular and old game X-COM: UFO Defense, released back in 1993. Aliens attack planet Earth and begin an alien invasion. The game is played on behalf of the commander of the secret international organization XCOM (unit for combating aliens), which has the most advanced technologies, weapons and scientific developments of mankind. It employs the best specialists in the world - military men and scientists. The organization must conduct military operations against aliens that threaten the existence of human civilization.

The player is provided with the central XCOM base, from which the strategic management of the organization is carried out: monitoring the actions of aliens on the global world map using a satellite network, distributing funding for the development of scientific and technical potential, arming and deploying interceptors to destroy flying saucers, as well as conducting combat operations against aliens using existing fighters in ground skirmishes. The base is presented to the player in the form of an “ant farm” - a section of soil that allows you to look at the premises from the side.

In Tactical combat, fighters perform up to two actions in turn - running, shooting, throwing a grenade, using a first aid kit. Each fighter has only three characteristics: accuracy, willpower and health points.
After the first promotion in rank, a soldier receives a specialization. This could be an attack aircraft, a sniper, a heavy infantryman or a support soldier.

Homeworld

Genre: real time strategy

Well-developed graphics and three-dimensional gaming space - the implementation of six degrees of freedom (you can view the battlefield, the battle fleet from different angles) of the movement of game objects and the presence of thoughtful fleet management in three dimensions. A rich and complex plot that gradually reveals itself during the game. In the next game mission, the player receives the fleet with which he completed the previous one.

At the beginning of the game, the player can choose a fleet of two races, Kushan or Taidan: this does not affect the further plot in any way, only the combat units change. A key feature of both the Kushan and Taidan navies is the presence of a main mothership that serves as the main base of operations. The mother ship has its own weapons and a hyperdrive, which allows it to overcome significant space.

The entire space fleet is divided into a combat fleet and a support fleet. The support fleet includes special ships, such as a resource collector and controller, a research ship, a probe, a stealth ship detector ship, and a gravity well generator. The combat fleet is divided into classes: Small ships - fighters, corvettes, Heavy ships - frigates, Super-heavy ships, Flagships.

Stronghold game series

Release date: 2001-2014

Genre: real time strategy

The game system of all games in the series is based on an economic simulator of a medieval city or castle. The games have a number of unique parameters that are typical only for games in the Stronghold series. Thus, in the first Stronghold, the “popularity” parameter was introduced for the first time, affecting the performance and population size. The combat system is standard for strategies - direct control of groups of units. The economic component is one of the main ones in the games of the series. There are quite complex and long production chains. As a rule, in the games of the series, more attention is paid to the economic rather than the military component of medieval castles.

All games in the series, except Stronghold Kingdoms, have campaigns (a series of story-related missions) and a map editor mode. Stronghold has a single campaign, while other games have multiple campaigns.

All games except Stronghold and Stronghold Kingdoms allow you to play against computer opponents on a selected map. Stronghold and Stronghold 2 have a siege mode (siege or defend a castle without running an economy). In the first games in the series (up to and including Stronghold 2), there is a free construction mode (running an economy without war).

Spore

Genre: Real-time strategy, god simulator

Spore game is a simulator of the evolution of life on the planet, as well as a strategy and space simulator. The goal of the game is to develop a creature from a microorganism to an advanced space race. While progressing through the game, it is possible to make changes to the creature, improving its characteristics. Also, as it develops, the player will independently create various equipment and buildings, or choose ready-made options from the catalog.

At the beginning of the game, the player takes control of a microorganism living in an aquatic environment. At this stage of the game - To survive, the microorganism needs to feed on pieces of meat or algae, and also try not to be eaten by other carnivorous creatures. When food is eaten, the cell grows and turns into a microorganism. After which the creature gets out to the ground, where it also develops. Over time, under your leadership there will be a tribe, civilization and space that you will have to manage.

Ground Control 1.2

Release date: 2000, 2004

Genre: Tactical real-time strategy

This game was the forefront of its genre and won many awards. Ground Control has 3D graphics and a freely rotating camera, allowing the player to view the battle from any angle. The game completely lacks resource collection, base development and research. The player's goal is to control a limited number of combat units and perform various tasks with their help.

The main goal of the game is to destroy enemy troops and buildings using the terrain features and the strengths of your own army. Combat units include various types of armored vehicles, aircraft and soldiers, delivered to the battlefield by orbital shuttles. After the start of the next mission, the player cannot call for reinforcements, which requires careful selection of units and their configuration before the battle.

The most important element of the game is the requirement for a tactical approach in any situation. Each squad has its own distinct strengths and weaknesses. Combat units are united into squads. The player can only give orders to units, although the units themselves will fight and take damage separately. There are four categories of units: infantry, armor, support, and aviation. The player can choose the configuration of each individual unit before the battle. For example, a Craven Corporation tank squad can exist in four configurations: reconnaissance, light, main, and heavy. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so different configurations are suitable for different tasks.

Tiberium Command & Conquer series

Release date: 1995-2010

Genre: Real time strategy

a series of successful computer games with the highest sales among strategy series. The game takes place in an alternative time reality, conditionally modern to ours, in which there is a war all over the world between two global groups - the international UN troops united in the Global Defense Initiative, and the military-religious Brotherhood of Nod, led by its charismatic leader Kane, fighting for possession of the alien substance Tiberium, slowly spreading throughout the planet.

The gameplay of the game is based on the principle of collecting resources, building a base, destroying the enemy. The only source of money (credits) in the game is Tiberium. Another important resource in the game is electricity, produced only by power plants. The various structures and units produced by the player collectively form a technological tree, in which access to technologically more advanced, and therefore more expensive, structures and units. The base can be protected by various structures, including defensive fortifications.

How do global strategies differ from ordinary ones? Its scale. In them we manage a huge state, an empire or the whole world, solving a large number of problems. The most popular are global strategies on a regular PC. There were attempts to transfer such projects to consoles, but the controls were not so hot, and gamers did not particularly like it.

Even such a niche category of games has hundreds of projects that are difficult to understand just by reading the description. So that you don’t waste time and choose a game to play within a few minutes, we have selected the best global computer strategies. Check them out a brief overview, and then make your choice. Go!

Stellaris - conquering space

Let's start with a global 4X real-time strategy, where you need to develop in outer space, populating planet after planet. The game world is procedurally generated, and therefore each new playthrough will be unique and bring fresh impressions. In addition, with procedural generation, the gamer influences the development of the world. So, the realism of the game is worthy of praise.

Here you will be engaged in construction, influence the political life of the empire, and manage one or several planets at the same time. You will also have to ensure that each faction lives in peace, happy with its position. The role of a galactic emperor is a million times more complex than that of an earthly emperor. Therefore, get ready for real challenges.

If you have not encountered the grand strategy genre before, you will almost certainly have difficulties in terms of control and understanding of what is happening on the screen. In order to understand all this, you will have to read guides and watch video after video from experienced gamers explaining the intricacies of the gameplay. At first it will not be easy to watch and play, but as soon as your knowledge becomes deep, you will be happy to delve into the development of the space state and achieve considerable success.

Galactic Civilizations 3 - feuds on a galactic scale

The third part of the popular series continues what the developers laid down from the very beginning. There won’t be any here either, but, on the other hand, the player’s role in fleet construction has been increased. Now you can control much more processes and influence the quality of finished mechanisms. This game can be called both a simulator and an economic strategy. But, first of all, this is a global military strategy in a space setting. You choose a planet with warlike inhabitants, and then lead your charges to victory over numerous enemies.

The project is worthy of adding to our list of the best global strategies, because the mechanisms of government management are well developed here. You can control the smallest processes, from mining to installation warships additional armor shields.

You may have to spend a lot of time learning all the functionality, but a life-saving video or written guide will help you figure it out. As expected, there is a cooperative here, so feel free to call your friends and start building a new one wonderful world in the vast expanses of the galaxy.

Master of Orion - manage colonies

This game was released in 1996, but can still bring a lot of pleasure to fans of grand strategy games. Here the player can take control of one of the races and lead it to prosperity, extracting resources, fighting enemies and capturing new territories. The project is suitable for those who do not pay attention to graphics and value gameplay first.

The gamer will have to make an important choice at the very beginning - to choose the ideal race. The fact is that each race has features, using which you can achieve good results. On the other hand, if you lose sight of these features and “bend” your line, nothing will work out. Good advice— before starting the game, study all the information about the races. And then move on.

Interestingly, some of the processes here are borrowed from a more popular member of the “Association of Global Strategies” - “Civilization” became the inspiration for the developers who created a similar management system. Thus, it became possible to redistribute the inhabitants of the planet and set a specific occupation for each group. Someone will take up farming, someone will be entrusted industrial production, and so on.

Total War Warhammer 2 - the perfect strategy

Since the news appeared about the creation of the second part of the sensational fantasy offshoot “Total War”, the game has become the main object of discussion on thematic forums. Articles on popular resources, one after another, talked about how large-scale and fantastically spectacular the project would be. It was argued that the developers took all the best from the first part and decided to create the coolest strategy of our time. In fact, that’s what happened!

What are the strategies from “Total War” so famous for? In them, you not only manage your wards on a global map and take care of the economy. When they come Hard times, you can take an army and go cut down the enemy in real time on real map involving tens of thousands of units! That's why the series' projects always top the top global strategies. Those same cinematic massive battles that sent shivers down your spine, thanks to “Total War”, became available on the computer. From year to year, developers created new engines and improved them. With the release of the second part of “Warhammer” based on the legendary universe, it became clear that now this is one of the most advanced strategies in all respects. The graphics are off the charts, the functionality is excellent, and the musical accompaniment is amazing.

Of course, there are some small bugs and shortcomings, without mentioning which the review and description of the project would be too biased. But it is worth noting that the creators are in close contact with the community and quickly respond to all comments. The result is that updates with fixes are constantly being released.

Sid Meier's Civilization VI - build a civilization

Already the sixth part of the strategy that has conquered the world has been released on personal computers and is delighting fans of the genre. For those who have never heard of “Civilization” - this is a global economic turn-based strategy where you can play as different cultures and civilization. The gameplay is not real time, so there is some time to think. Conquer the world section by section. There are an incredible number of strategic possibilities:
- control construction;
- arm the army;
- conduct research;
- create new technologies;
- distribute resources wisely and so on.

This is probably the best turn-based simulator of the development of the world from ancient times to the space age. It is unlikely that there will be a project that can compete with “civa” in this regard.

Of course, good player learns first. Here this rule works perfectly. First, you need to find a training video on all the functions of the interface. This will be a good foundation for the future ruler of the world. But you don’t have to watch the video, figuring everything out on your own. If you wish, you can invite your friends and arrange a showdown on a global scale in the co-op.

Europa Universalis IV - huge map

In the genre of top turn-based global computer strategies, this is a real gem. When gamers are asked how Europa Universalis differs from the rest, they answer: “It has a very developed economic component.” Indeed, although war has a special meaning in this game world, it requires a large amount of funds to wage it. Using many interface functions, you will manage the economic life of the state on the global map and lead it to victory over the rest of the participants in the global conflict.

For the PC platform, Europa Universalis is well optimized, but weaker computers may experience difficulties - too many scripts are executed after each move.