Steam always has new strategy games that reinvent old formulas or deliver more of what people love about them. Real-time and turn-based tactics and strategy, tower defense, and other sub-genres are well represented in the latter half of 2023. Some games even mix gameplay elements like resource management, social engineering, and decision-making into sub-genres they’re not usually found in.

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There is a healthy chunk of new IP amid the wave of sequels and tie-ins, and even big-name titles have heart and a good understanding of their genre. What’s more, some games are available on other platforms, guaranteeing players can strategize anywhere, anytime.

10 Jagged Alliance 3

Jagged Alliance 3 had more throwbacks in its arsenal than references to 80s action movies. It merges the old action points turn-based system with modern elements from games like XCom: Enemy Unknown.

Players can expend action points to target enemies and their body parts, use weapon or mercenary-specific abilities, improve accuracy, and other tactical actions. The world map lives up to its open-world status and is full of content and side jobs to pick through.

Mercenaries have different unique active and passive abilities and personalities. Recruiting one may prevent the player from recruiting another. Their statistics can also heavily affect what actions players can take per round, and what tactics are viable per stage.

9 Thronefall

A strategy tower defense game with cute graphics, Thronefall divides gameplay into two phases. At day, the player-monarch must build their kingdom, ensuring their people have food and protection. The latter will determine their effectiveness at night when enemies will come in waves to try and destroy it.

Developer Grizzly Games made Thronefall to make an accessible, concise experience. Busy players can cycle through days at their pace, so they can drop in and out as they want. Moreover, they only need to manage their defenses and gold, which is required to purchase any upgrades.

8 Town of Salem 2

The sequel to the wildly popular social-deduction game, Town of Salem 2 introduced faction and gameplay changes. Instead of the Mafia, players can select roles under the Coven. Additionally, the new Apocalypse faction presents a danger to the Coven and Town.

Cursed scrolls were also implemented. As a counterpart to blessed scrolls, cursed scrolls decrease a player’s chances of getting the role they want. Role bans add a new twist in custom matches, while the new game modes Four Horsemen and Wandering Souls add exclusive roles. Town Traitor and VIP can also be customized.

7 Desynced

Desynced is an automation base-building game with a bit of RTS and programming thrown into it. Players use drones to explore, build, gather, and fight in an alien, procedurally-generated world. Drones can be customized in a simple component-swapping system.

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If players want to optimize their drones’ route, they can use the optional node graph-based visual editor to program their behavior. They can access this feature on both single and multiplayer modes, and modify it using LUA scripts available through the Steam Workshop.

6 Dokapon Kingdom: Connect

Dokapon Kingdom is an older title, but Connect translates its RPG take on Monopoly-type gameplay well. Players take turns to battle, buy gear, or finish events that would help them gain control of towns and earn money. Story Mode is built for longer campaigns, while Normal Mode and Battle Royale are built for parties and quick plays.

Connectalso introduces changes, the biggest of which is the online multiplayer mode. Nintendo Switch players can also use local wireless mode to play with other Switch users in the same room. The Steam version, on the other hand, offers achievements for various feats in-game.

5 Dune: Spice Wars

This 4X take on the epic sci-fi novel allows players to take control of Arrakis by force or by word. Subterfuge, open warfare, and political maneuvering are all valid ways to dominate the desert planet in Conquest mode. Players will need authority, military power, solari, water, and most of all, spice, to achieve the victory conditions they desire.

Aside from regular 4X mechanics, Dune: Spice World also boasts the CHOAM (Combine Honnete Over Advancer Mercantiles) Market, a stock exchange-esque feature. The Spice Market lets players sell their spice to CHOAM, which can reap a huge profit. Playing with the CHOAM Market can also lead to an economic victory.

4 Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles

The DRM-free indie game uses dice instead of cards and a slew of features to create a unique combat experience. Players can tailor their dice pool according to their level of acceptable risk. Actions can be mapped to die faces, Support Sentinels upgraded to provide useful buffs, and modifying blessings used to imbue passive effects to dice sets.

Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles’ two damage systems, Purification vs. Corruption, add another layer of complexity to the roguelike. Purification heals and damages enemies, while Corruption uses health to unleash massive damage.

3 Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless

Despite its name, Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless is the eighth sequel to the popular tactical RPG series. The writing is still as charming as ever, while the gameplay returns to most of what made the 20-year-old series popular in the first place. However, some of Disgaea 6’s systems survived, with changes that made them gel with old mechanics.

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Player input is important for auto-combat and the Demonic Intelligence system, although presets are available for the latter. The Jumbification mechanic is similar to Pokemon’s Mega Evolution, Hell Mode acts as limit breaks, and the Netherworld Hospital’s overhauled gacha system opens the game to more game-breaking exploits.

2 Star Trek: Infinite

If players think Star Trek: Infinite’s gameplay is similar to Stellaris, they’re not entirely wrong. Stellaris developer Paradox brought the space game’s core mechanics to one of the most recognizable space franchises around.

Every faction aspires to stick to lore, which promises different routes per run. Diplomacy, warfare, espionage, and more are on the table. What’s more, the United Federation of Planets, Klingon Empire, Romulan Star Empire, and Cardassian Union all have named recruitable characters for franchise fans to recruit.

1 Dungeon Full Dive

Tabletop RPG fans have a lot to look forward to in Dungeon Full Dive. The indie game lets players create an entire campaign in VR. Characters and settings are all completely customizable, though players can also opt for DnD 5e rules.

In-game, players can switch from a top-down view to their character’s perspective. Dice rolls still determine actions for players, while GMs are handed a suite of tools like initiative counters to manage each session.

While marketed as a VR game, mouse and keyboard play is available. Online multiplayer and cross-play is also viable for PC and VR players. If players don’t have a ready party, they can join public lobbies.

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