Highlights
- Grand strategy games often prioritize gameplay over narrative writing, but these games manage to have in-depth stories that enhance the player's experience.
- Crusader Kings 3 brings back the reliable narrative design of the franchise, offering players a plethora of dilemmas and immersive choices that affect their kingdom.
- Games like Romance of the Three Kingdoms 13 and Stellaris provide players with the opportunity to craft their own stories in historical or sci-fi settings.
Grand strategy games can sometimes be a bit bare in the narrative writing due to their emphasis on the gameplay aspects, such as managing a kingdom or even setting the course for an army's invasion. However, some games managed to also have in-depth stories to fill in between the gameplay loop of a grand strategy game.
10 Grand Strategy Games For Mastering Warfare Tactics
These grand strategy games are ideal for players eager to learn the art of strategic warfare.
These games managed to capture the essence of storytelling in multiple aspects of their game, ranging from in-game events that can affect the gameplay, to flavor texts of the playable empires and civilizations that enrich the game's deep lore further. Players can expect to be immersed in the narrative design of these games.
7 Crusader Kings 3
Live A Monarch's Life And Establish A Dynasty While Surviving The Middle Ages' Brutal Intrigues
Crusader Kings 3
- Platform(s)
- PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , PC
- Released
- September 1, 2020
- Developer(s)
- Paradox Interactive
- Genre(s)
- RPG , Grand Strategy
Avid players of grand-strategy games will be familiar with the Crusader Kings franchise and its ever-reliable narrative design. The latest entry in the series, Crusader Kings 3, brings back a plethora of dilemmas for the players to choose from as they try to juggle their responsibility as both an ambitious ruler and noble of their kingdom.
Crusader Kings 3: 10 Rarest Formable Empires
The following empires are exceptionally hard to form in Crusader Kings 3.
The core gameplay loop of Crusader Kings 3 is also entwined with the narrative writing of the game to immerse the players further, with the choices they make throughout the game affecting the kingdom they rule. Moreover, players can encounter a humongous number of random narrative events that will keep them engaged in the game.
6 Romance Of The Three Kingdoms 13
Plot A Rebellion And Carve A Territory, Or Continue A Kingdom's Survival
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
- Released: 27 January 2016
- Developers: KOEI Tecmo
- Genre: Grand Strategy
Although the Three Kingdoms era is more commonly associated with the Dynasty Warriors series, Romance of the Three Kingdoms series can be said to be the progenitor of the games that have the specific era as its core story. Within the game, the player can choose to either live a life as one of the rulers of the Three Kingdoms, such as Cao Cao and Liu Bei or create a custom character to make their mark on the history of the Three Kingdoms.
The flexibility and freedom to choose different paths of life make this game a worthy contender for players of the grand-strategy genre to experience a rich narrative design in the game. Moreover, it can also serve as a learning experience for the players who are interested in the famous Three Kingdom era.
5 Star Trek: Infinite
Take Control Of Major Factions In The Alpha Quadrant And Navigate Through Their Stories
Star Trek: Infinite
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Released
- October 12, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Nimble Giant Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Grand Strategy
If a Trekkie, the term for a Star Trek fan, ever wonders how it would feel to live in a Star Trek universe, then they can simply play Star Trek: Infinite and live out every possibility inside the universe within their own choices. Experiencing the full consequences of their action can be interesting to observe as the events of the game start to diverge from the official universe, therefore creating the player's own story within it.
Moreover, the grand strategy genre of the game will keep the player occupied with micromanagement as they try to live out their lives as either a leader of the Klingon Empire or the Romulan Star Empire.
4 Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening
Relive A Samurai Historical Life Or Craft A Unique Destiny To Establish The Modern-Day Japan
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch
- Released: 20 July 2022
- Developers: KOEI Tecmo
- Genre: Grand Strategy
It can be interesting to imagine how it would feel to live in the era of the Samurai where death can come swiftly by a katana slash and gunpowders are the key to winning a fiercely outnumbered battle. Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening lets the players live that life and craft their own story as they try to both survive and lead the Sengoku Era.
The player can choose to play one of the most recognizable figures in the Sengoku Era, such as Oda Nobunaga, or create their own character where they can unite Japan under their own banner. However, the grand strategy genre of the game might require new players to learn a few essential things to avoid getting beheaded in their first year.
3 Victoria 3
Take Control Of A Country And Survive The 1830s While Political Intrigues Rage In The Entire World
Victoria 3
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Released
- October 25, 2022
- Developer(s)
- Paradox Development Studio
- Genre(s)
- Strategy
With over 100 playable countries that exist in the year 1836, Victoria 3 can be expected to have a myriad of historical events that can dictate the player's country's fate, be it beneficially or catastrophically, that can force them into a new playthrough. Coupled with the intricate grand strategy gameplay loop, a player can expect to sink hours into the game while getting immersed in their chosen country's development.
Victoria 3: 5 Best Economic Systems
Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each Economic System can make or break a playthrough in Paradox's Victoria 3.
The game's design allows narrative events to influence the gameplay loop, such as triggering land reforms to fast-track a nation's goals. With the narrative and gameplay loop design working together, a player can expect all of their Victoria 3 playthroughs to be continually fresh and exciting.
2 Terra Invicta
Lead A Faction On The Earth To Respond Against An Alien Invasion
Terra Invicta
- Platform(s)
- Microsoft Windows
- Released
- September 28, 2022
- Genre(s)
- Simulation , Grand Strategy
- Developer
- Pavonis Interactive
Centered around the classic story of humanity responding to an alien threat, Terra Invicta offers a twist by having the player able to choose from different factions to respond to the threat. One of the factions, The Resistance, will have the player prioritize safeguarding humanity from the alien threat, while The Servants will instead try to support the alien by any means necessary to gain a foothold on Earth.
Terra Invicta: 4 Best Factions For Beginners
Newcomers to Terra Invicta should try out these great beginner factions.
These different points of view from various factions enrich the game's immersion as players will be able to both see and react to the invasion from multiple standpoints.
1 Stellaris
Begin Life As A Spacefaring Empire In 2200, Oblivious To The Horror Of The Galaxy
Due to its number of random events that contain tidbits of lore and narrative choices that affect Stellaris' core mechanics, it is safe to say that the game can be one of the examples of a grand strategy game with a deep story that the player can explore. Even the premade empires in the game have their lore tidbits to prepare the player to make their own custom empire to craft their own story in the game.
Stellaris: 10 Archaeological Sites To Watch Out For
These archaeological sites in Stellaris contain discoveries that can be game-changing for a player's empire.
Ranging from exploring labyrinths of archaeological dig sites to encountering random humorous anomalies, Stellaris offers a wealth of narrative choices and design that will satiate a player's desire for immersion in the game.
