The Best Real-Time Strategy Games If You Don’t Have Much Time To Play

Not everyone has the free time to enjoy long gaming sessions. Some people can only play for a short time but still want to play games that can be rewarding in such a short timeframe. Real-time strategy games can be a good option for these kinds of people, as they tend to feature short, quickly completed mission scenarios.

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Some RTS games are traditional, with the player progressing through a series of missions to complete the game. Others are more open-ended, mixing in survival gameplay and specific themes like a zombie apocalypse. What all of the RTS games on this list have in common is that they can be rewarding when played in short bursts.

8

Command & Conquer Remastered Collection

Classic RTS Featuring Short Missions

Real-Time Strategy

Tactical

Systems

Released

June 5, 2020

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Blood, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence

The Command & Conquer Remastered Collection brings back two of the most beloved C&C games of all time: Tiberian Dawn and Red Alert. These games have been updated with better textures and art assets, but the gameplay has been left exactly the same as the original versions.

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What makes these older real-time strategy games great for short play sessions is the fact that the missions are generally quite short. Modern RTS games often go for long, immersive missions with significant challenges, but these old C&C games harken back to a time when campaigns featured shorter, episodic missions. This is why the Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is on this list.

7

Northgard

Viking Themed Strategy Game

Released

March 7, 2018

ESRB

e

Inspired by Norse mythology, Northgard is a modern RTS that also brings in gameplay from other genres. Aside from RTS action, the game incorporates survival mechanics and city building. This means managing and securing resources and protecting valuable territory to maintain access to these resources.

The campaign in Northgard is very structured and easy to follow, but what makes this game great for short play sessions is that each mission or match only takes a maximum of around 45 minutes. This means the game can be played for less than an hour and still be enjoyed.

6

Iron Harvest

Alternate-History World War 1 Combat

Released

September 1, 2020

ESRB

m

Iron Harvest can be loosely described as a dieselpunk game, and this really fits with the historical setting of World War 1. As RTS games go, this is a game that definitely puts the focus on combat and conflict over other gameplay aspects. This is one of the reasons why it is great for short play sessions.

Both the campaign mode and skirmish mode are great for players who don’t have a lot of time to play. Campaign missions are all quite short and well-structured, and skirmish missions can be as short as 15 minutes in many cases.

5

Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2

Frantic Space Battles

Tactical

Strategy

Science Fiction

Systems

Released

January 24, 2019

Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2 is set within the Warhammer 40K universe. It is a seminal example of what an RTS game involving space combat should be. Players take part in space battles of truly epic proportions, which need skill and solid tactics to win.

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For players who don’t have long to play Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2, both the skirmish and multiplayer game modes would be a great choice, as they are quite short. The campaign missions are a little longer, but many can be completed within an hour or so.

4

Homeworld: Deserts Of Kharak

Where It All Started

Whereas every other game in the Homeworld franchise is set in space, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is different. All gameplay takes place on the planet of Kharak as the player attempts to reach the crashed mothership, which was used as a basis for the player’s mothership in subsequent Homeworld games.

Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is a great real-time strategy game for players who don’t have a lot of free time. Firstly, the campaign is actually quite short and is structured into a series of small, quickly completed missions. Online multiplayer is also great for short playing sessions, with matches taking less than an hour.

3

StarCraft 2

Fast-Paced Sci-Fi RTS

Systems

Released

July 27, 2010

ESRB

T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence

StarCraft 2 is one of the most popular RTS games of all time, and it has been one of the games that has been adopted by the esports scene as well. This means that it is still a popular game today. Now, while the campaign mode may not be suited to people who only have a limited amount of time to play, the arcade mode definitely is.

In arcade mode, StarCraft 2 matches are played on smaller maps, almost like mini-games. On top of this, the multiplayer matches are usually over very quickly, seldom taking more than 30 minutes, and often much less than that.

2

Rise Of Nations

RTS Meets Turn-Based Strategy

As a hybrid RTS, Rise Of Nations is fast-paced, despite some parts of the gameplay being turn-based. The skirmish mode is great for players who don’t have long to play, but this means missing out on most of the complex gameplay mechanics.

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Instead, players can tackle the Conquer the World mode in short play sessions. The turn-based gameplay only takes a short time between individual real-time battles. These battles are all quite short, and can all be completed in 45 minutes or less.

1

They Are Billions

Zombie Survival RTS

They Are Billions

Real-Time Strategy

Survival

Management

Released

June 18, 2019

ESRB

t

Sometimes, a game comes along that really shakes things up, showing how a well-established genre still has room for innovation. They Are Billions is such a game. Combining deep and meaningful zombie survival gameplay with frantic RTS action works very well. The game features campaign and survival modes, and the player is free to change their gameplay settings to suit shorter sessions.

What makes They Are Billions suitable for shorter playing sessions is that, despite the complexity of the game, much can be achieved in a short time. Even if the player has to save the game after just 30 minutes, they will still have progressed in ways that feel both meaningful and satisfying.

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