The Best RTS Games Ever

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home March 18, 2025 17 Views 24 Min Read
The Best RTS Games Ever



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Summary

  • You can enjoy a variety of real-time strategy games ranging from fantasy to futuristic themes.
  • We’ve collected some of the most iconic RTS titles that can help you perfectly showcase your strategic brilliance.
  • Whether you’re looking for intense historical accuracy or a diverse array of units to control, there’s an RTS game here for you.

There are plenty of games to browse while deciding what to play next. From amazing fantasy games to tense puzzle platformers, there’s something for everyone, no matter what you like. Sometimes, though, you want a little bit of a mental challenge when you boot up your console.

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For those moments, nothing quite beats a strategy game. Of the strategy genre, none are as intense and as clock-oriented as real-time strategy games. It’s a sub-genre with various levels of difficulty and settings, but one thing’s for sure: they’ll definitely test your tactical brilliance. Here are the best RTS games out there.

Updated January 22, 2025, by Zackary Wiggs: There aren’t many games out there that match the thrill of a real-time strategy game. A subgenre that balances smart thinking and quick action, they can make you feel like a powerful figure, general, president, or otherwise. Whether you are new to the genre or just want to hit the big names, more and more games have been coming out that fit the bill of being one of the greatest RTS games of all time. Now included are games to test your abilities in leadership and quick thinking, whether you want to change the timeline of WWII, lead an interstellar empire, or just survive an apocalyptic winter.

21

Sins Of A Solar Empire 2

War, Space War

Sci-fi RTS games aren’t a rarity, nor are they in strategy games in general, so it takes a little bit of effort for a game to stand out in the subgenre. Sins of a Solar Empire does so, and quite well, actually.

As one of three galactic empires, you can take war to the stars. But it’s not just fleet engagements; you have the ability to get creative with how you wage war, with customizable units ranging from scouts to titans. You can even take over planets to use as bases, with each orbital body and starship rendered in real time.

20

Frostpunk 2

Bring A Pair Of Mittens

Usually, strategizing in a post-apocalyptic game means outsmarting the undead or ruthless aliens, but in the case of Frostpunk 2, the cold is the thing you’re struggling against. It’s part RTS game and part building sim.

Except you’re not building the next metropolis or high-rise condo, every choice you make is centered around the geothermic vent that keeps you and your citizens alive in the snowy wasteland. Balancing materials, heat, and happiness is hard enough, but the various moral choices throughout the game can have dire consequences.

19

Hearts Of Iron 4

Your Orders, General?

There’s a long list of WW2 strategy games out there, but they usually have you controlling a smaller number of units. Grander ones do exist, but few exist like Hearts of Iron 4, which has you on the world stage in real time.

You can begin the game as any nation that existed during the Second World War. From there, you balance economics, political power, and military strength to either follow along with the actual events of WWII or pave your own way.

Some countries are more difficult to run than others, so beware when making your choice of whom to play for your first few campaigns.

18

Battle For Middle-Earth 2

You Shall Not Passbattle for middle earth mid battle

While the Lord of the Rings universe focuses on the lives of individuals, you’d be amiss to ignore the power struggle between the various forces in the mortal lands. That’s where Battle For Middle-Earth 2 comes into play.

You can play as a handful of famous armies seen in the books and movies and vie to conquer as much land as you see fit, and you may even meet some famous figures along the way, too. As you play, you’ll wonder why no one has made a game like this earlier, because the LOTR universe is a perfect fit for it.

17

Dune: Spice Wars

The Spice Flows

For those who want a more futuristic look at the RTS genre, Dune Spice Wars has all the strategy you could ever want. Create your own venerable house from scratch and rule Arrakis with an iron fist, or let the spice mélange take hold and do whatever feels best.

There are plenty of choices to make and no wrong way to approach the pretty in-depth game that Dune: Spice Wars sets up for you. It may not be the easiest game to hop into just because of the depth of the lore and gameplay, but it will reward you if you have the time for it.

This is also a great choice for fans of the extended universe, as it adds some other minor houses to the feud between the Atreides and Harkonnens.

16

Dawn Of War

There Is Only War

The galaxy of Warhammer 40,000 is rife with war, no matter who you are. No game covers the massive escape of these conflicts like Dawn Of War does. With plenty of different armies to busy yourself with, it’s a real-time strategy game that keeps you entertained no matter who you think the best faction is.

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You’ll feel like the best general in the far future as you lead your army against anyone and everyone who comes your way. There are sharper games out there as far as graphics go, but none quite compare gameplay-wise with Dawn Of War.

15

Warcraft 3

Fantasy MMO Meets Strategy

For longtime fans of World of Warcraft, with its in-depth lore and interesting setting, it only made sense for the creators to branch out with an RTS game in the same universe, and it has done well considering it’s on its third installment.

Orks, Death Knights, and everything in between wait for you in this classic fantasy look at the RTS genre. If you’re new to the world, don’t worry; the game does a fair job of making it accessible and fun for newcomers, too.

14

Sid Meier’s Gettysburg

Not Your Normal Historical Strategy

You wouldn’t think of a historically accurate Civil War game as being on a ‘best of’ list, but leave it to the Sid Meier series to make it happen. Sid Meier’s Gettysburg is a game that seems to only come around once every four-score years.

It’s a microcosm of a game, with the entirety of it focusing on the single battle at Gettysburg. Move troops through different scenarios and maps across the battlefield with plenty of tables and maps for you to peruse like you’re really the general in command.

13

They Are Billions

So Much In One Game

They Are Billions is definitely a more modern game on this list, but don’t let that fool you; it’s still just as worth your time as the classics are. It has a little bit of everything: grand strategy, sieges, zombies, and sci-fi.

It’s sort of a cheesy concept, in the way the plot works, at least (zombies of the future and all), but it balances that with some pretty tense gameplay. Balance defense with safety and make sure your walls don’t fall under the ceaseless real-time hordes, and you have quite the experience.

This is a great choice for those who haven’t done much with RTS games but have played their fair share of tower defense games.

12

Rome: Total War

It Wasn’t Built In A Day

The Total War series has taken players to important points in history from all around the world. While everyone has favorites, and there’s no wrong answer as to which one to play, few of their games were as well-received as Rome: Total War.

The plight of the Roman armies is a classic one that fans of history and strategy games can’t get enough of. Rome does a good job of considering the subterfuge and policy of the Roman governments as well as the combat. It may be a lot to balance, but the game eases you into it rather well.

11

StarCraft 2

Zerg Rush

If you’re talking about sci-fi RTS games, then you’re sure to bring up Starcraft at some point. The developers have done a lot to make a well-thought-out science-fiction universe that makes you want to learn more.

Plus, there are few enemies as impressively destructive as the Zerg. No matter what side you like to play on, you’ll be in for a treat. It’s a game series that’s been around for some time, and they’ve used that time to figure out how to revolutionize the RTS genre.

10

Crusader Kings 3

A Lineage Of Your Own

Sure, medieval strategy isn’t exactly anything new. But, few have taken it to the extreme that the Crusader King’s series has, and that has all culminated with Crusader Kings 3. If you want to make a royal (or maybe not so much) family in the Middle Ages, then this is a must-play.

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Combat, resource management, planning a lineage, you have to balance all of these and more at every moment in Crusader Kings 3. But, while it can get overwhelming, and you’ll learn a lot in your first few days playing it, it never stops being entertaining.

9

Supreme Commander Series

Not Just Any General

A war that has lasted centuries, futuristic units, and easy-to-access combat are all hallmarks of the Supreme Commander series. Each of the games is well worth your time, but granted, the modern ones have graphics that might make controlling an army a bit easier.

It is wildly accessible for anyone despite skill level, but it is still a fun story and a challenge for anyone who has some medals on their chest from other RTS games. Do you have what it takes to become the titular Supreme Commander?

8

Age Of Empires 4

A Blast From The Past

Explore history in this classic real-time strategy game. The Age of Empires series has been a huge name in the history-based and strategy game genres for years now. The ability to build a civilization into a world power from the ground up never seems to get old, as is obvious in this installment.

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There’s never been more civilizations to play, units to put on the map, and ways to conquer. Age Of Empires 4 is the pinnacle of the series, and some would even argue the RTS genre itself. It can sometimes be a bit hard to manage for new players, which holds it back a little.

7

Company Of Heroes 3

War Comes To The Mediterranean

A game that mixes the classic WW2 setting with the fun of the real-time strategy genre. The third installment in the Company of Heroes series has improved upon the last with more units, more maps, and an improved system to allow for more in-depth control of your army.

The AI doesn’t take it easy on you, but the game does allow for a fun number of different ways to complete your tasks, which helps as you boost your roster with more and more units. The Mediterranean isn’t a theater you often play in WW2 games, so it’s a refreshing change of scenery that sheds new light on the war for history fans as well.

6

Homeworld Remastered Collection

Interstellar Strategy

Homeworld may not have been the only game to take the real-time strategy genre into the depths of outer space, but it made a name for itself with how well it balances doing so and being an actual fun game to play through.

You don’t have to be a die-hard of the genre to enjoy the Remastered Collection. It takes both games and a fair amount of content, with new graphics and performance, and throws you into the middle of being a space fleet captain. If that isn’t fun, then what is?

5

Rise Of Nations

Rule The World

As one of 18 unique civilizations, you can build up your favorite in Rise Of Nations from the ground all the way to modern times. It plays similar to some of the classics, although without some of the more chaotic aspects.

Added to the list for more fun are various scenarios and bonuses for each nation to buff them and keep them unique. No two playthroughs are the same, and you can always expand your nation to be a global superpower.

4

Steel Division 2

An In-Depth WW2 Strategy

Steel Division 2 pushes itself to the absolute limit. It’s a WW2 strategy game that stands out from the crowd with ease thanks to the massive roster of units and grand scale of battles that you can control.

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Historical accuracy and balance are the keys that make this game work. The developers have poured over every unit in every army and made sure they’re realistic, fun, and easy to manage. It can get overwhelming as you mix air, armor, and infantry unit tactics, but it’s well worth learning how to do so.

3

Stellaris

Strategy… In Space

If you want a real-time strategy game in its purest and most complex form, then look no further than Stellaris. It’s a game that asks a lot of you and rewards you for the more you pay attention. You get to create a civilization from scratch on the galactic scale.

This seems like it would be hard to pull off, but Stellaris somehow runs it all with little to no hiccups. You can spend months exploring all the game has to offer for you. It’s not for the easily frustrated or those who don’t like pouring over details.

2

Halo Wars

The Covenant Attacks

2009 was quite a surprising year for longtime Halo fans. The award-winning FPS series jumped genres and came out with its very own RTS game. One that did quite well for itself and made new fans of the genre.

This was partly due to the varying difficulty levels and the connections to the established lore. That’s not to mention the cutscenes that dive deeper into the lives and tactics of ONI and the Covenant forces.

There is, of course, Halo Wars 2 as well, but the first game is best to start with due to its seamless qualities.

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