The strategy genre has always occupied a soft spot in the hearts of most gamers who love what this genre has to offer in the right hands. From real-time strategy games that promote a sense of urgency to turn-based titles where players have time to think their moves through, the variation in this genre is endless. Some games find a middle ground here too, letting players pause the game to get an idea of what's going on before resuming the action.

It can be pretty daunting for new developers to tackle this genre and come out with an excellent game. However, it might encourage people to know that several fledgling studios and aspiring developers took on this genre during their infancy, and become major players in the industry as a result.

Related

7 Best Strategy Open-World Games, Ranked

Open-world strategy games gives players the freedom to experience the world while having to think on their feet, and these are the best options

5 Age Of Empires

Rick Goodman's Masterpiece Put The RTS Genre On The Map

Age of Empires is one of the most popular series of strategy games of all time. The first game hit the ground running, and the franchise has never looked back since. Ensemble Studios may be defunct now, but there was a time when this developer was at the very top of their game. And that was the moment they released the first Age of Empires game as their debut title.

Featuring some amazing strategy gameplay that lets players progress through the ages and beat their enemies, many believe that the series peaked with the second entry, the sequel to this gem. Even now, there are many players who love the deceptive simplicity of the first Age of Empires title. Everything from its multiplayer gameplay to the compelling single-player scenarios are a blast to engage with to this day. Rick Goodman, the man behind this amazing franchise, left Ensemble Studios and applied everything he learned to develop Empire Earth, a game that is essentially Age of Empires on steroids.

4 Endless Space

The First Game By Amplitude Studios

• Release Date: July 4, 2012
• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, macOS

4X strategy games need to execute all their concepts flawlessly to help invest players in the core gameplay loop. It's easy for a title to lose track of its vision and end up failing to reach acceptable quality standards. So, the fact that Amplitude Studios managed to wow fans with its very first title is truly impressive, attracting many new fans to their 4X strategy game.

Most people would argue that Endless Space is a pretty niche game. Still, there's no denying that the developers concocted a special formula that has been replicated in their other titles as well. Strategy genre fans who want to sink their teeth into Amplitude Studios' games can start with this amazing title before moving on to their other projects.

3 FTL: Faster Than Light

The First Title Released By Subset Games

The roguelike genre is extremely popular nowadays, but it wasn't until many titles combined this progression system with other genres that it truly gained steam. Such was the case with FTL: Faster than Light. In this game, players have to deliver critical information to an allied fleet while being pursued by rebels who can obliterate them in little to no time if they aren't fast enough.

Related

7 Hardest Strategy Games On PlayStation 5, Ranked

This list ranks the hardest, most challenging strategy game experiences found on the PlayStation 5 console.

Players need to strategize their approach to the allied fleet while dealing with several unique randomized scenarios along the way. This is easier said than done, and players will fail over and over again before finally accomplishing their goal. It's one of the most engaging and strategic gameplay loops that players can reward themselves with, and the prospect of unlocking more ships is always a bonus.

2 Sins Of A Solar Empire

The First Title By Ironclad Games

Ironclad Games may not have developed too many strategy games, but one could argue that they didn't really need to after their first foray into the genre was such a success. Sins of a Solar Empire is an excellent 4X real-time strategy game that lets players control one of three factions in their quest for intergalactic dominance. Despite the lack of a single-player campaign, Sins of the Solar Empire more than makes for it with its unique sci-fi strategy gameplay.

Numerous expansions have been released for the game to let players access more content in the form of new playable races, units, planet types, and everything else along the same lines. Players will love hoarding Credits, Metal, and Crystal to bolster the strength of their intergalactic empire and become a faction that other players will fear for all the right reasons.

1 Homeworld

Established Relic Entertainment's Reputation For Strategy Games

The Homeworld series is still going strong to this day, with a third title available. Its longevity is a testament to the amazing work done by Relic Entertainment to establish a new IP set in space with RTS gameplay that was challenging yet fair. The game's unique worldbuilding and compelling gameplay loop made it addictive. Players gathered resources in space to create an armada of battle-ready ships to duke it out in the vastness of space, and fans can't get enough of it to this day.

Relic Entertainment hit the ground running and is still operating to this day, despite some issues that have cropped up in that time. The fact that they developed Age of Empires 4 is a testament to their experience in the genre, letting them continue to carve out a legacy in this niche that is respected by many strategy video game veterans.

7:55

More

The 10 Best Grand Strategy Games Of All Time

Strategy games test a player's planning and insight skills, and there is a bountiful number of games to put players' critical thinking to the test.