Grand strategy games that allow players to build their civilizations and empires from the ground up often provide a certain sense of accomplishment few other games can. The thorough thought-provoking gameplay needed to develop such a massive entity can frequently be both immersive and addictive.

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The Best Grand Strategy Games Of All Time, Ranked

The best grand strategy games are often played out over several centuries, with some leaning into the immersion and role-play aspects of these eras.

Such games often involve a litany of intricate details concerning nation-building, including politics, economics, diplomacy, and war. They succeed in challenging players on a more intellectual level, as they must manage and grow a whole society from almost nothing. Along the way, their strategic thinking and skills are also tested, often through a large array of historical ages and scenarios. Better still, grand-scale strategy games typically provide gamers with plenty of freedom to shape an empire to their preferences and interests, making for a more personal and memorable gaming experience as a whole.

Updated May 8, 2024, by John Cunningham: A wide variety of grand strategy games over the years have succeeded in providing impressive empire-building gaming experiences. This list has been updated to provide double the number of games that nailed the often addictively immersive fun of building an empire from the ground up and conquering neighboring civilizations and armies. From outlandish science-fiction strategy games to '90s classics that continue to stand tall as key moments in the development of the genre, fans of empire gaming continue to be spoiled for choice.

9 Victoria 2

Leaves Players Spoilt For Choice With Its Staggering Number Of Countries To Choose From

Starting in 1836, Victoria 2 charts 100 years of industrialization, as well as political development, across more than 200 countries. For players, having so many playable nations to choose from guarantees plenty of replay value.

What sets Victoria 2 apart is its impressively detailed emphasis on the economic side of running and developing as a country. The game has a variety of markets, trades, and industrial endeavors to discover and work on. On top of that, building a nation’s power requires addressing its many different societal groups, including the military, religious organizations, and more. Overall, the game’s empire-building fun lies in its remarkable attention to expansive detail across the board.

8 Stellaris

Gives Players The Chance To Create Their Own Life Forms

Paradox Interactive's unexpected trip to the stars was first released back in May 2016. The intergalactic grand-strategy epic won considerable praise for its pacing, climactic narrative, and imaginative setting.

Stellaris players get to guide an interstellar civilization. Along the way, they also explore an impressive, procedurally generated galaxy. The procedural nature of the world-building ensures no two games are alike and also guarantees a certain air of unpredictability for every player, even those who are coming back for a full replay. Core tenets of strategy gaming such as diplomacy, technological advancement, and warfare are all on display here, with the war aspects in particular benefitting from a complex and challenging AI. On top of civilizational development, players can even create species here, ensuring the possibilities are endless in this rich storytelling and lore-filled sci-fi masterpiece.

7 Anno 1800

An Industrial Epic That Takes Gamers To The High Seas And Encourages City-Building

The Anno franchise’s seventh effort zeroes in on the early days of the Industrial Age. As is to be expected with Anno games, Anno 1800 provides plenty of room for players to enjoy both warfare at sea and the addictive fun of building cities from the ground up.

It is primarily in the city-building aspects of the game that players can enjoy building their own empire. The focus on the Industrial Age allows players to expand their population and workforce through the presence of factories, which, while beneficial, can also hinder the overall appeal of the city. Coupled with the need to trade and find trading routes, 1800 is a complex and often rewarding look at the highs and lows of building a society in the face of a growing trend in industrialization.

6 Crusader Kings 2

A Popular Sequel That Encourages Players To Form Their Own Dynasty

First lighting up the gaming medium back in 2012, Crusader Kings 2 thrusts players into the perils of medieval society and warfare. With a host of legendary, historical figures on offer, the game pushes players to form their own powerful dynasty.

Along with its compelling "make-your-own-narrative" and complex gameplay, Crusader Kings 2 also does an admirable job of providing players with an education in medieval history and dynastic struggles. What makes this acclaimed grand strategy game stand out the most is its refreshing focus on character development and management. With a heavy emphasis on interpersonal relationships, lineage, and political intrigue, the game offers a break from the military combat-focused norm while still maintaining plentiful action and suspense. The general unpredictability and political maneuvering make this a consistently captivating grand strategy experience.

5 Endless Legend

A Perfect Fit For Fans Of Fantasy Looking To Create A Unique Civilization

September 2014 saw the release of a fantastical take on the 4X strategy genre. Endless Legend broke away from more traditional historical settings to give players an imaginative cocktail of high fantasy and science fiction.

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The result is the beautifully designed world of Auriga. Not only is the richly detailed design masterful, but the world on offer also has vast and complex lore for players to uncover. With a colorful range of factions, players have plenty of sides to choose from when building their fantasy civilizations. The gameplay works as a neat blend of hard-hitting tactical combat and immersive, turn-based world exploration. With a strongly developed narrative, each campaign provides a worthwhile gaming experience for strategy lovers to enjoy.

4 Total War: Three Kingdoms

An Empire-Building Experience That Revolves Around Unity

This turn-based strategy epic takes players into the titular Three Kingdoms period of China’s history. Once introduced to the era, players get to choose one of twelve different factions before beginning their path to conquest.

The game is full of the warfare and tactical gameplay fans have come to expect from Total War over the years. The gameplay often places a notable emphasis on siege battles and strategic set pieces that require the player to wipe out the opposition’s military officials and successfully take control of the city center of the conquered area. Beyond the warfare and land-grabbing, the empire-building here benefits greatly from the game’s focus on unifying the country. With each successful defeat of a rival faction, players get closer to reaching the status of national ruler, growing their own faction across the nation in the process.

3 Europa Universalis 4

Allows Players To Control And Make Important Decisions Regarding An Entire Nation

This 2013 entry in the popular series from Paradox Development Studio saw considerable improvement from its predecessor. Boasting slicker gameplay mechanics and more detailed visuals, the fourth chapter in the franchise saw it reach a new peak.

Through the lens of grand strategy gaming, Europa Universalis 4 provides players with an engrossing, accurate representation of world history. It gives players the freedom to take control of an entire nation, making massively impactful decisions from the late portions of the Middle Ages through to the earlier days of more modern times. Sporting remarkably in-depth diplomatic, political, and financial systems, the game ensures players have a wide variety of strategies to move forward with. To top it off, the diverse selection of nations on offer provides replayability for this captivating game that is a must-play for history enthusiasts.

2 Civilization 6

Focuses On Maintaining, Defending, And Developing A Civilization

First released back in October 2016, Civilization 6 quickly set itself apart as one of the most detailed and grand-scale strategy games to ever hit the stands. Charting thousands of years, the game gives players the chance to develop an empire from scratch and carry it through several key historical eras and ages.

Sporting impressively intricate design and a deep emphasis on strategy, the game does a remarkable job of blending technology, history, and culture into its societal expansion gameplay. The unsurprisingly heavy challenge of developing, defending, and maintaining a whole civilization can be an immersive treat for players, as they must tirelessly cover all areas of society to get ahead. The game also provides a diverse array of civilizations to play through, ensuring plenty of replayability that will keep gamers hooked and coming back for more. Overall, with its plentiful updates, expansions, tutorials, and thrilling multiplayer mode, Civilization 6 continues to cement itself as an unparalleled strategy and empire-building game.

1 Age Of Empires 2: The Age Of Kings

A Strategy Game That Offers A Detailed And Lengthy Empire-Building Experience

As the series title suggests, Age of Empires is all about building grand empires. This well-received real-time strategy extravaganza starts players off at a lower level, as they must first focus on town-building.

Once players have developed a successful town, moving into key areas of empire-building, such as developing an army, comes into view. At that point, war and conquest become inevitable, as players get the chance to move out and take on nearby groups, potentially conquering them in the process. Impressively, the game charts a 1000-year timeline, starting back in the Dark Ages. With this long stretch of history and different eras to move through, players get to enjoy developing their empires over multiple in-game generations, providing an immersive, long-term gaming experience.

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