Best Offline PC Strategy Games

Key Takeaways

• Most strategy games offer engaging single-player campaigns with compelling stories for offline enjoyment.
• Crusader Kings 3 is an accessible grand strategy game by Paradox Interactive.
• Total War: Warhammer 2 offers epic battles and fantasy elements in a story-focused campaign.

Strategy games have carved a niche for themselves in multiplayer markets, with players loving the idea of engaging in drawn-out conflicts where they must establish superiority as quickly as possible. Most people feel that single-player modes aren’t a great fit for most strategy games, but this statement couldn’t be further from the truth.

A huge reason why most strategy games amass a huge fanbase is because of the quality of their stories and the single-player campaigns that can be enjoyed offline without too much fuss. Fans of this genre will find several games that are perfect for them in this regard.

1 Crusader Kings 3

The Hours Will Fly By As Players Help Their Dynasty Attain Glory

Don’t be perturbed by its complicated interfaces and systems. Crusader Kings 3 burst onto the scene as one of the most accessible titles ever made by Paradox Interactive. The grand strategy gameplay looks and feels better than ever before, making it arguably the best entry in the series.

Controlling a member of royalty and helping them ascend to rule over a flourishing kingdom never ceases to be engaging. A lot of hurdles may stand in the player’s way, but the learning curve lets players enjoy organic storylines and riveting gameplay moments in this offline strategy game.

2 Age Of Mythology: Retold

A Faithful Remake Of A Classic RTS

Fans were pleased to see the lengths Age of Mythology: Retold went to improve the game’s visuals and refine its gameplay without losing the essence of what made the original game so special. Everything has been polished for fans to enjoy a nigh-perfect remake that is a joy to play through.

The game features three campaigns from the main game that are just as fresh and engaging as ever. It’s possible to ignore the game’s multiplayer modes if all players want to do is check out the epic stories they can enjoy in this sublime remake.

3 Stellaris

Forming An Intergalactic Empire Is A Blast

Paradox Interactive knows how to develop a riveting grand strategy game, but Stellaris was their first foray into the vast reaches of space. Thankfully, the game impressed many fans and continues to be held in high regard to this day courtesy of how dedicatedly the developer still supports this title even now.

Controlling a faction and establishing intergalactic dominance in space is a blast that fans can’t get enough of. The game can be complicated to get into, but it only takes a few hours before players get accustomed to the mechanics and clock in hundreds of hours without even thinking about going online.

4 Frostpunk

A Hardcore Survival City-Building Strategy Game That Takes No Prisoners

Frostpunk combines hardcore survival elements with city-building strategy elements to make for a delectable combination. While its sequel may be interesting in its own right, most players prefer the first game for a vastly superior story that is emotional and full of tough choices.

Players who think that leading a city to survive against all the odds is a glamorous affair will sing a different tune after a few hours in this title. Scenarios are bleak, resources are scarce, and the volcanic winter can end their playthrough in a flash if players aren’t prepared.

5 Homeworld

Boasts One Of The Greatest Sci-Fi Stories Told In Gaming

There are many reasons why the first Homeworld game was so beloved in the RTS community. The visuals were breathtaking at the time and the gameplay let players mess around with tried-and-tested RTS mechanics in a sci-fi setting, but Homeworld‘s crowning jewel is undoubtedly its story.

The multiplayer will take a backseat once players get immersed in the lore and storytelling of a campaign that is riveting in every way. Helping the Kushan exiles go through hell and back to regain their home world is as epic as they come and a huge reason why this game spawned a beloved strategy game series that fans can’t get enough of to this day.

A Riveting Turn-Based Strategy Game Where The Threat Of Permadeath Looms Over The Player’s Squad

Players who loved the XCOM reboot would be more than happy with a sequel that is an improvement in almost every department. Permadeath can be a scary thing to deal with, with the escalating tension making every encounter a tense one where a single strategic mistake can lead to the loss of a good soldier.

It’s important for players to prioritize enemies and only put their star squad member in the path of danger if they are confident that their gamble will succeed. XCOM 2 promises hours upon hours of nail-biting strategic gameplay that doesn’t require an internet connection to keep fans hooked for the long haul.

7 Age Of Empires 2: Definitive Edition

A Beloved RTS Game That Is Still Receiving Single-Player Campaign DLC To This Day

There’s no denying that Age of Empires 2‘s rampant popularity is mainly attributed to its multiplayer, which is still going strong to this day. However, to say that this game lacks meaningful offline game modes is an outright false statement.

The game has numerous riveting campaigns, with a bunch more being added in with new content. As things stand, it’s not a stretch to say that players can invest upwards of fifty hours or more in the single-player modes if they want to complete every campaign in the game.

8 Total War: Warhammer 2

The Best Game In The Total War: Warhammer Trilogy With A Great Campaign For Players To Enjoy

Total War‘s shift to fantasy was well-received, with Warhammer 2 considered by fans to be the best game in the trilogy. The gameplay is top-notch, every faction is a joy to control, and the large-scale battles are more epic than ever before.

It helps that the game’s story-focused campaign gives players a ton of things to do without even connecting to the internet. Total War: Warhammer 2 is where this trilogy peaked and is right up the alley of strategy fans who want their games to feature a heavy dose of dark fantasy elements too.