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Civilization 7 will take a while to come out, so if you’re in the mood for some strategy games right now, check out our list here.
If you want to be an armchair general, there are several strategy games out there that will emulate the feeling of a true warlord. However, war isn’t everything in a strategy game. It’s important to develop your infrastructure and see your nation grow, and what game franchise to teach this better than the Civilization series?
2K has already unveiled a new Civ game — Civilization VII — but it’s not arriving before February 11, 2025. So, in the meantime, you can check out some other strategy games that will satisfy your Civilization VII itch. In light of that, we’ve prepared a list of such titles in this article.
Best Strategy Games To Try Out Before Civilization VII
1. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
It’s impossible to make a list of some good strategy games without mentioning Age of Empires II. In this sequel to 1997’s Age of Empires, Ensemble Studios improved every aspect of the game. There are more factions, better campaigns, more in-depth gameplay mechanics (such as formations), and so much more. Now, if you want to relive your childhood and enjoy this RTS classic, try out the Definitive Edition remaster.
This version adds several more factions and has better graphics than the HD edition but doesn’t deviate from the timeless style of the original. If you haven’t played any of the AoE games, you should know that the gameplay is quite simple. After establishing a town center, you spawn some villagers to gather resources and build up your base. Your eventual goal is to crush your enemies or achieve dominance through a wonderful victory.
While AoE III offers a completely different and unique experience, and AoE IV is the most recent title from the series, AoE II is still considered the best. You won’t find the large variety and in-depth gameplay options in any other game from the series.
2. Age of Mythology: Retold
We have another Age game here on this list, but this one is based on mythology instead of history. In Age of Mythology, your civilization has access to some mythical creatures in addition to your regular human resources. This ranges from the Titans that are available to all civilizations, to unique units like the Wadjet (Egyptians only).
A major difference with the regular Age games is that you get to choose a major and minor God for your civilization, which will drastically change your gameplay. The bonuses, special units, and much more depend on the chosen deities. So, despite the limited amount of civilizations to choose from, there’s enough gameplay variety for multiple playthroughs.
The Retold version is basically a complete remaster of the original, released on September 2024. So, this is currently the best way to experience Age of Mythology.
3. Civilization VI
Now, if you want a strategy game that is similar to Civilization VII, Civ6 is your best bet. This is one of the best-selling games from the Civilization series and for good reason. There’s a long list of civilizations you can choose from, and some unique mechanics like the ability to add extra districts outside your cities that take up an entire hex.
Now, if you want a strategy game that is similar to Civilization VII, Civ6 is your best bet. This is one of the best-selling games from the Civilization series, and for good reason. There’s a long list of civilizations you can choose from and some unique mechanics like the ability to add extra districts outside your cities that take up an entire hex.
4. Command & Conquer: Remastered Collection
The C&C series is often considered one of the best RTS series ever made, and it’s also one of the oldest. The gameplay is just like any other RTS — you collect resources, build up your base by constructing various buildings, and create an army powerful enough to take on your enemy. Command & Conquer has an excellent sci-fi storyline, and there are FMV cutscenes done with real actors, a trademark of the ’90s.
The Remastered Collection is the best way to replay these old-school classics on modern hardware, with subtle quality-of-life changes, slight graphical tweaks, and enhanced audio. It includes the first two C&C games and all their expansions, many of which used to be exclusive to consoles.
5. Manor Lords
Manor Lords is a bit different from the other games on this list, as it’s basically a city builder. However, there’s a battle mechanic involved, and your settlement can come under attack from bandits and other lords. The city-building features in this game are quite in-depth and immersive, and the fact that this entire game was made by one man is quite impressive. You can upgrade every individual house and see them progress in real-time.
Add some plot for a market square and watch your townspeople set up stalls based on their occupation. The road-building is the most aesthetic aspect, as it doesn’t adhere to the rigid grid system or planned designs of modern city builders. This allows you to create realistic medieval towns, which often had haphazard roads and unplanned expansions.
6. Sins of a Solar Empire II
The Sins of a Solar Empire games set themselves apart from the other titles on this list due to several things. Firstly, it takes place in space, and there are some stunning visuals that exemplify the beauty of space. Secondly, these games are defined as RT4X, which means they use both RTS and 4X elements.
Sins of a Solar Empire II manages to improve on several aspects of the original game, and especially the Rebellions expansion. However, as expected from a 2024 game, the visuals here are absolutely stunning. There’s a lot of micromanagement in this game, but it doesn’t get too tedious. For instance, managing your fleets is easier as you can just request reinforcements on the go.
7. Total War: Warhammer Trilogy
The Total War series offers an unparalleled experience of witnessing a battle from the frontlines. You can command your troops in real, historical battle formations and take part in famous battles taken straight from the history books. The Total War: Warhammer games, however, offer a unique alternative, as it’s entirely based on the fictional Warhammer fantasy series.
Warhammer 40K has its own good RTS games, like the Dawn of War franchise. However, when it comes to the original Warhammer, which has a more medieval D&D-like setting, Total War: Warhammer is your only bet. If you’re really into the setting, you could try out all three games, but if you just want the best experience, try out the latest one — Total War: Warhammer III.
In this game, you command a diverse range of units ranging from realistic medievalesque humans to fantasy creatures like the Skaven (giant, evil rats). The variety of factions makes the gameplay unique enough to warrant repeated playthroughs.
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