Best Slow-Paced Strategy Games

While many strategy games are known for their fast pace and emphasis on speed, as is common in the RTS genre, there are a variety of titles that encourage more methodical play. This isn’t only the case with turn-based games, however, with a myriad of strategy games offering unique experiences that take time to develop.

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Between their design and visuals, these strategy games provide players with a highly satisfying experience.

Whether it’s the difficult victory conditions of Dune: Spice Wars or the slow progression of Darkest Dungeon, these games offer a variety of experiences. As a result, there’s something here for all kinds of strategy game fan.

8

Duskers

Slow & Methodical Gameplay That Brews Tension

Duskers

Systems

Released

August 20, 2015

ESRB

nr

Developer(s)

Misfits Attic

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Succeeding with its dark and desolate sci-fi setting, DUSKERS offers a vague and mysterious world to explore. In the game, players pilot a variety of lovable drones via a command console, painstakingly programming commands in order to explore and salvage what they can from derelict spaceships.

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With danger lurking in every corner of its abandoned universe, players must exercise caution in order to survive. Careful planning is of the utmost importance, as commanding drones is a slow process; things can go wrong very quickly in DUSKERS. Furthermore, the intentionally tedious interactions brew a palpable tension that encourages players to remain methodical in their approach.

7

Age Of Empires 2

Methodical Real-Time Strategy

Systems

Released

November 14, 2019

ESRB

t

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

This retro RTS is still worth playing today thanks to an excellent remaster available on Steam. The game’s deep mechanics and rate of play emphasize methodical base building and patience, playing at a much slower pace than RTS titles such as StarCraft 2.

As a result, Age Of Empires offers a unique and arguably more accessible experience, though its diverse range of civilizations keeps it dense. Its pace varies from game to game, but it’s perfect for RTS fans looking for an experience that’s heavier on macro management.

6

Warcraft 3

Slow Rate Of Play, Large Maps, & Heroes

Warcraft 3: Reforged

Systems

Released

January 28, 2020

ESRB

t

OpenCritic Rating

Weak

Warcraft 3 is a unique real-time strategy game that excels with its combination of hero and army management. In the game, players take control of one of four asymmetric factions, slowly improving their infrastructure while leveling up heroes and building a capable army.

While it’s not the slowest of strategy games, and much can happen in the earliest stages of a match, Warcraft 3 plays at a comparatively slow pace for an RTS. This comes down to the hero-centric gameplay and relatively large maps that encourage players to farm experience points and items before turning to aggression. Furthermore, slow animations and body-blocking mechanics result in relatively slow-paced battles that rely on methodical movement and tactical positioning.

5

Darkest Dungeon

Harrowing Turn-Based Dungeon-Crawls

Released

January 19, 2016

ESRB

T For Teen due to Alcohol Reference, Blood and Gore, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Violence

Developer(s)

Red Hook Studios

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Darkest Dungeon is a brutally unforgiving strategy RPG with a roguelike structure. In the game, players delve into a variety of dungeons, crawling through dark and decrepit environments as they battle Lovecraftian horrors in turn-based combat.

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The frequency and difficulty of combat encounters in Darkest Dungeon results in harrowing dungeon crawls that wear down the player’s party over time. This results in gameplay that can be particularly arduous later in the game, when players are often exploring larger dungeons populated by more dangerous foes. Combined with a measured progression system, Darkest Dungeon encourages cautious and methodical play that results in a slow burn.

4

Battle Brothers

Unforgiving Combat & Slow Progression

Indie Games

Tactical

RPG

Strategy

Adventure

Released

April 27, 2015

ESRB

t

Developer(s)

Overhype Studios

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Battle Brothers tasks players with managing a mercenary company in a harsh low-fantasy world. Its unforgiving nature naturally encourages cautious play, with players quickly being punished for taking on contracts that are simply too dangerous for their current situation.

As a result, progression in Battle Brothers is particularly slow, especially as it takes a great deal of combat experience to level up members of the company. Furthermore, the combat itself is decidedly slow-paced, offering turn-based slug-fests that are often bloodbaths.

3

Kenshi

Slow-Burning Progression In A Hostile World

Systems

Released

December 6, 2018

ESRB

nr

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Kenshi may be a little too slow-paced for many players, but those that exercise patience with its myriad of systems and mechanics will find a deeply rewarding sandbox RPG. The game’s utterly hostile world is full of emergent dangers, encouraging players to take their time and strengthen themselves before exploring its farthest reaches.

Progression in Kenshi is also heavily measured, offering players meaningful improvements that take time to achieve. In fact, almost everything takes time to do in Kenshi, even traveling from one town to the next can be arduous. However, this only heightens each triumph over the game’s steep learning curve.

2

Dune: Imperium

Slow Deck-Building & Secret Objectives That Encourage Long Play

Strategy

Deckbuilding

Board Game

Systems

Released

March 13, 2024

Developer(s)

Dire Wolf Digital

Deck-builders in general tend to play at a slower pace, as it takes time to develop a strategy before seeing the benefits of additional cards. As an adaptation of a tabletop game, Dune: Imperium is a particularly slow deck-builder, incorporating a worker-placement gameplay loop that requires players to execute a strategy in small increments.

Though there are a variety of cards available throughout each match, players can expect to add very few cards each round, often operating with much smaller decks than typical deck-builders. This slower pace encourages players to develop long-term strategies, but there’s always room for expression within each round, with frequent opportunities for risky gambits and last-minute maneuvers.

1

Dune: Spice Wars

Diverse Winning Conditions That Take Time To Pursue

Dune: Spice Wars

Systems

Released

September 14, 2023

Developer(s)

Shiro Games

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

​​​​​​​Dune: Spice Wars is a real-time strategy game that, thanks to a unique emphasis on 4X game mechanics, is able to maintain a slow and methodical pace. The game’s large maps, made dangerous to traverse via harsh environments and deadly sandworms, play a large role in this, creating a landscape in which any maneuver can be a dangerous one.

There are many victory conditions at play in Dune: Spice Wars, and these also encourage players to develop a long-term strategy that balances politics, economy, and warfare in equal measure. This is further supported by tough main bases are no picnic to destroy early in the game, making all-out attacks and knockouts a rarity until later on.

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