Top 10 global strategies on PC. The best global strategies

The first game in the Civilization series, released in 1991, as the leader of his nation, the player will have to create his own state, develop technology and economy, and establish relations with neighboring states. The game has 6 different difficulty levels. In the second part, the changes compared to the previous game were not very large; the graphics took on an isometric appearance. Civilization III offers very developed gameplay, both in terms of the game itself and in terms of software. As in previous versions of the game, the entire history of mankind is simulated - from the birth of civilization to the present and the future. Civilization 4 In the game you are given the opportunity to control one of the empires. As in other games in the series, in Civilization V the player creates and develops his own civilization from ancient times to the near future.

Most specialized publications gave the game high scores: based on several dozen reviews, the game earned an average score of 80.19%, including because through the game menu you can download many mods, scenarios and maps created by amateurs, including those that remain popular, from previous versions of the game. Civilization is on the list.

Series Total War

Release date: 2000-2019

Genre:

The gameplay is traditional for Total War games and is a mixture of turn-based strategy and real-time tactics. State management takes place on a strategic map in a step-by-step mode. The entire series of games is notable for its large-scale battles, in which thousands of warriors participate. Such epic battles are made possible thanks to the high-tech graphics engine. Total War is on the list of the best.

Total War received positive reviews gaming press; some critics called it a milestone in game design. The real-time combat was praised for its realism. The depth and complexity of the game's strategy, coupled with its well-integrated historical accuracy, also received support from reviewers.

Europa Universalis

Release date: 2000-2013

Genre: Global strategy

The computer game is distinguished by its strategic depth and historical accuracy. A special feature of the game is its connection to real history; There are historical rulers predetermined for each country, each of whom has certain abilities that influence the game. In the game, the player controls one nation through hundreds of years of wars, revolutions and conspiracies. The player will have to manage the economy, create military-political alliances, colonize new lands, control religion and domestic policy, and also ensure internal stability.

Starting from the third part of the series, the gameplay became more free and not tied to the real story; historical figures are replaced by random ones, the number of historical events is significantly reduced and now they do not necessarily occur at the same time and in the same place as in reality.

SuperPower 1 and 2

Release date: First 2002 Second 2004

Genre: Global strategy

Global real-time strategy. The game takes place in the modern world, which exactly models our planet. The game has the same states and countries as in real world. Accurate data includes GDP, population, political system, etc. The main goal of the game is the complete dominance of one of the countries. All actions in the game take place step-by-step. Each step is equal to a week.

SuperPower's gameplay focuses not only on development and combat, but also on diplomacy and politics. The player will be able to create new alliances, declare war, collapse the economies of other countries, or vice versa, build alliances and sign peace treaties. The game contains real-life weapons and equipment that are typical for the respective countries.

Hearts of Iron Series

Release date: 2002-2016

Genre:

A special feature of the new game is the increased role of military operations, since the game is primarily dedicated to the Second World War. Compared to Europa Universalis, all aspects of the game have changed significantly. The mechanics of combat have changed significantly, the number of provinces has increased (which expanded the meaning of maneuver in the theater of operations), and some types of troops (for example, cavalry) and types of brigades have been more accurately represented. Partisans in the occupied territories seriously affect the speed of restoration military units and their effectiveness in battle.

Release date: 2003-2013

Genre: economic strategy

Game Covers historical period from 1836 to 1920. The player can take control of any power that existed in that era. Compared to its predecessor games, Victoria has very complex micromanagement and a developed economic component.

In Victoria II, the player controls one of approximately 200 states in the world between 1836 and 1936. The player has control over a number of tools for managing the economy, science, domestic politics, diplomacy, army and navy. The main difference from other global strategies is the significant emphasis on detailing the internal processes taking place in the state and a developed system of diplomacy available to great powers. Unlike the first part, the developers made the game less dependent on real historical events and more non-linear.

Crusader Kings

Release date: 2004-2012

Genre: global step-by-step strategy,

Crusader Kings models a system of feudal relations in medieval Europe and in the Middle East, including personal relationships between thousands of characters, wars (including crusades), intrigue, and the struggle for influence over the Pope. The process itself is built solely on playing for the dynasty you have chosen, and not the state.

In the game Crusader Kings you have to take on the role of the ruler of one of the powerful Christian dynasties and try to expand your borders. To do this, you will have to constantly monitor the state of your growing empire. If you correctly appoint vassals, successfully resist traitors and introduce laws useful for the development of the state, you will eventually be able to create the most powerful dynasty in medieval Europe.

Master of Orion Series

Release date: 1993-2016

Genre: global turn-based strategy,

The goal of the game is to gain control of the galaxy by colonizing planets and warring with other civilizations, each of which has its own special abilities. Another, diplomatic way to win is to get a majority of votes in the elections and become the leader of a united galaxy. The gameplay of Master of Orion, like its sister games, includes economic, scientific, military and diplomatic components. The game takes place in turn-based mode. There are 3 parts in total. And in 2016 a new version was released.

The interface is designed in the style of a futuristic spaceship, everything is extremely functional and convenient. Developed diplomacy system: trading technology, concluding alliances, collecting tribute, A huge galaxy with distant star systems inhabited by hostile alien races, The ability to create ships with original design and weapons, Support for multiplayer mode for up to 8 players.

Star Wars

Release date: 1998-2006

Genre: global turn-based strategy

Star Wars strategy computer game based on the original trilogy Star Wars, which has two main modes: campaign mode and Galactic Conquest. In campaign mode it is a classic story-based RTS, and in Galactic Conquest mode it is a global strategy with tactical battles in real time.

The main principle of the game is the battle of two armies. The objectives of the battle may vary depending on the mode and variant of the game. Also, in some cases, the game has a mode that allows the player to edit some combat parameters. In this game, battles can take place both on the surface of planets and in outer space in the orbit of these planets.

Endless Space 1 and 2

Release date: First 2012 Second 2016

Genre: global turn-based strategy, space strategy

Endless Space- offered a fairly stable game, attractive with its excellent design and attractive graphics, and continued to improve the game, releasing add-ons that added a new race, unique buildings, and simply improving the game balance. As of today, the latest version is 1.1.51.

The starting point in the turn-based strategy Endless Space is the year three thousand, and the location of the action is the galaxy and its star systems. Each player at the beginning, choosing one of eight humanoid and non-humanoid races, receives one colonized star system and one inhabited planet. Each of the unique races is characterized by a number of traits that affect the conduct of wars, the development of science, population growth and similar parameters. These traits can significantly affect game strategy, giving an advantage in achieving a certain type of victory: diplomatic, scientific, military, territorial or "miraculous".

Release date: 2009

Genre: global turn-based strategy

This is a turn-based strategy dedicated to creating your own Empire. About a hundred different nations, the ability to siege and storm castles, many technologies available for development and truly global maps. Naturally, the promises of excellent graphics, an exciting plot, and realistic battles are not forgotten.

The combat model is standard for this type of game. Before the battle of the army, you can set the military order and determine the main line of behavior: go on the defensive, launch an attack, wait a certain amount of time, and so on.

Geopolitical Simulator Series

Release date: 2007-2013

Genre: global turn-based strategy

Geopolitical Simulator- a geopolitical simulator in which the player acts as the president of the state. The player’s responsibilities include solving economic problems, as well as social and military ones. In single-player mode, you can choose a free game and develop the country as you wish, or choose a ready-made scenario with specific tasks. In multiplayer mode, the emphasis is on military strategy, where military action is everything.

The game itself is a fully developed simulator of the modern world: the player controls various sectors: politics, both foreign and domestic, economics, environment, army, science, culture, religion, etc. The player’s actions will affect not only the population of the country, but also which he plays: the creation of military bases on the borders with other states will cause them to worry, the destruction of civil liberties will cause a negative reaction in the world community and exclusion from various interstate organizations.

Galactic Civilizations series

Release date: 2003-2015

Genre: Turn-based global strategy, space strategy

The main goal of the game is control of the galaxy. Victory can be achieved through war, a dominant culture, diplomacy, or the development of transcendental technology. The player can win the game in one of four ways - military conquest, cultural dominance, union of all races, or technological superiority. To achieve these goals, the player can do whatever he wants. The game also features a story campaign.

Create the civilization of your dreams: design ships, invent technologies, choose a political system. With a 92% probability, this is the best turn-based strategy on Earth. A unique technology tree for each race, Many new ships and methods of planetary exploration, Improved graphics Map and campaign editor.

Space Empires series

Release date: 1993-2006

Genre: Turn-based global strategy, space

Although the game itself is a turn-based strategy game, tactical battles in space and on the surface are carried out in real time, and it is possible to adjust the speed of the game. Also a characteristic feature of all games in the series is an advanced vehicle creation editor, which allows you to complete all types of units existing in the game with the components necessary for the player. Interestingly, the editor has a built-in simulation mode in which you can immediately test the created equipment in battle, and change the project if its not effective.

The game is played in games (as, for example, in chess). The goal is to achieve an advantage over all other players in one way or another (in fact, there are quite a lot of victory conditions, but they are all just “variations on a theme”). The player is the head of the nation, and controls absolutely all processes occurring in the state.

Napoleon's Campaigns

Release date: 2008

Genre: turn-based global strategy

Napoleon: Age of Conquest-The grand strategy Napoleon’s Campaigns, released in 2007, demonstrated good gameplay for those who like to not bother building empires, but to fight, fight, and only fight. The game was full of interesting army micromanagement and more or less strictly adhered to historical truth.

More than a hundred combat units dressed in historically accurate uniforms, more than 600 real historical leaders with unique abilities and portraits, popular historical events, divisional, corps and army organization of the armed forces, establishing food supplies and a moral system - this is not a complete list of the game’s features. Each turn in the game is equal to one week.

Endless Legend

Release date: 2014

Genre: Turn-based global strategy

Global 4X fantasy strategy. The game's plot depends on the choice of factions, each of which has its own history and company. The player will be able to play and lead any of the eleven available races to victory. The battles are executed in the form of a stepped turn-based battle. First, the player must line up his units, then give orders to everyone and ultimately enter the turn-based combat phase.

The game has a system of heroes that improve troops. When concluding alliances, you can receive technologies from other factions, as well as receive reinforcements from your allies. The game is difficult to learn, as it has great functionality for development. Moreover, each faction has its own characteristics and development paths.

Stellaris

Release date: 2016

Genre: Turn-based global strategy, RTS

Large-scale sci-fi real-time strategy. The game takes place in outer space, which is generated with each new game. The project is built on the confrontation between developing races that are fighting for leadership. The main goal is to achieve maximum development and capture enemy planets. The game has a very highly developed economic component and politics. Detailed ship designer. Huge galaxies with thousands of planets to colonize. Deep research system.

Each faction in Stellaris has its own set of units, weapons and equipment, which creates multifaceted gameplay and forces you to change tactics. Just like in Civilization, the player can go to victory using brute force physical strength, destroying competitors, or go the political route, establishing peaceful relations with other races. Excellent replay value for fans of the genre. You can play 1000 hours in the game, changing races and development strategies.

The beauty of a good 4X strategy game (grand strategy game) is most likely obvious to those who consider themselves fans of the genre; this genre is extremely replayable and so addictive that the time in the game flies by. It must be said that thematically the genre is quite limited - you get a galactic, historical or fantasy theme - but the main gameplay: expand, explore, exploit, exterminate (4X - expand, explore, exploit, exterminate), works in all themes. These games are about building an empire and crushing anyone who doesn't bend to your will. No wonder they are so exciting.

Players new to the genre may not know where to start, and will naturally want to choose something more accessible - such as Civilization 5 - since global strategies are often chock-full of complex systems and take some time to master. However, veterans of the genre will finally be able to put aside their fleet of carefully designed spaceships and look for something new. With the genre becoming more popular today than it has ever been before, our list of the best grand strategy games will include games for all players, new and old.

Civilization 5

Let's face it, you knew she was going to be on the list - you probably even assumed she would be first on the list, right? This game series, each time receiving a new part in this franchise, has been dominating the 4X - grand strategy genre for many years. With the release of Civ 5, the series is perhaps the most accessible and understandable it's ever been, without losing any of its underlying depth. The introduction of combat on a hexagonal map was perhaps the most significant change in the series, resulting in the game's battles becoming more strategic in nature, previously admittedly involving packing a bunch of horsemen into a single square and sending them into the city. There are some disadvantages, in particular a bad political system, but this moment The game is selling very well on Steam, and you'll likely end up spending at least a hundred hours playing it.

In this game you have to take on the role of commander-in-chief, raise your nation from its knees and lead it to triumph. From the very beginning you will be managing a handful of ignorant people. But, with a little effort in completing the game campaign, you will discover unique opportunities. Your small settlement will turn into an entire empire with valiant warriors and loyal servants. Once you have an impressive army, your enemies will tremble with fear at the sight of your flag, and your allies will gladly come to your aid in difficult times.

Endless Legend

While Endless Legend may look like a Civilization clone, the game is actually a fresh take on the grand strategy genre. The fantasy elements (expect to see giant sandworms and hulking ogres) certainly help it stand out, but its unique approach to managing regions is what really makes Endless Legend feel like something new. Usually in global strategies you, in an attempt to gobble up all the resources, try to capture as many cities as possible as quickly as possible, but in Endless Legend in this aspect it is better to behave more methodically, it will be more useful to maximize the effectiveness of any particular region. The fact that each faction is unique, from the units you can use to the quests you are given to complete, means that you will have much more replay value than in the same Civilization.

Galactic Civilizations 3

Age Of Wonders 3

Age of Wonders 3 is a real fantasy strategy that includes spectacular battles, challenging campaigns, construction, the study of science, diplomacy and much more. Following in the footsteps of Heroes Of Might & Magic, Age Of Wonders 3 combines a robust city management system with deep, tactical combat on a hexagonal map. The game leans heavily on the last item on this list, which is actually a good thing as this aspect of the gameplay is truly top notch. Performance is especially important in managing the forces you can take into battle, but unit Tiers increase and each unit has unique qualities and benefits, meaning that the high-tier units that see most major engagements will be quite By the way. While, starting from the third part, this was not so important in Heroes of Might and Magic, Age Of Wonders 3 does a good job of recreating this very specific style of grand strategy games.

Distant Worlds: Universe

The barrier to entry into this game is quite high, the fact is that the game has simple graphics, and an incredibly steep learning curve. However, give it time, it deserves to be explored and you will see that Distant Worlds is one of the deepest and most genre-enriching grand strategy games out there. You'll have a huge universe to conquer (if you want to play it), a huge selection of customizable ships and stations, and something rare in the 4X genre - an exciting economy system that is surprisingly fun to create and maintain.

This game is truly capable of surprising; in it you will find an incredibly realistic galaxy with planets, asteroids, merchants, pirates, etc. If you manage to meet a merchant, you are lucky, because if you come across pirates, in most cases they will demand a ransom, or open fire to kill. The main feature is that you have to establish contacts with many races, raise the economy of the planet, trade, sell, intrigue, kill and much more. Distant Worlds won't win any awards for its looks, but if you're looking for something with extremely rich and challenging gameplay, this is a game worth checking out.

Star Ruler 2

Star Ruler 2 features real-time (RTS) gameplay, but don't let that fool you - the grand strategy mechanics here are incredibly rich. For example, the political game is very well implemented and gives the player a sense of satisfaction when interacting with other factions. The economics elements are also surprisingly well implemented and rely on you carefully cultivating planets and developing them to their maximum potential. There's a shipbuilding module where you draw armor, weapons and even the interior of ships on a hex grid - it's not a difficult system to understand, so it's easy to learn and use, but at the same time it retains the necessary complexity.

AI War: Fleet Command

So, AI War is a little old these days, but the game has received DLC updates over the years to keep it fresh - not that it needs that help, because the game idea is so fresh and original that until then there won't be a direct sequel, you probably won't want to play another similar global strategy game. It must be said that the graphics will not win you over and there is not much variety in terms of 4X gaming systems, but instead of creating an impressive economy, collecting numerous resources or convincing opponents of your political prowess, the emphasis is on a massive, thousand-strong fleet of ships - to explore, expand and, ultimately destroy powerful AI forces that want to destroy you. It's not much, but each new game persistently intrigues and encourages you to become more powerful each time.

Thea: The Awakening

But this global strategy is cunning, because Thea doesn't really meet all the criteria to be considered a full "4X" - its "expand" function is strictly limited. But the yoke is still interesting; Slavic mythology gives it a unique atmosphere and world, but what really sets it apart from other games in the genre is its emphasis on crafting. In this sense, Thea ( Thea) is a little more RPG than other typical grand strategy games, but this gives it its own personality, making it a good choice for fans of the genre looking for something new. Everything is tied to the collection of resources and the crafting system, from the technology tree, which unlocks new resources for construction, to simple, but involving playing cards(card-based) fights - which, if successful, reward you necessary materials. The game requires a lot of micromanagement and therefore has a rather slow pace, but overall the game has something new to offer those looking for it.

Endless Space

Infinite Space places the player in the role of ruler of a nascent space civilization, and gives the player the opportunity to cultivate their space empire through a variety of ways and means to suit your play style. The essence of the game is familiar to everyone who has played 4X strategy games before. You explore technologies from a large list. You manage systems and planets, drawing up projects for their development. You build a fleet, colonize suitable planets, engage in diplomacy, and fight wars.

Events will develop throughout the galaxy; before starting the game, you will need to choose a race and planet from which you will actually begin the colonization of the galaxy. Depending on the chosen race, you will find completely different playstyles, some races prefer brutal battles or trade, while others love financial fraud and exploration. Having “upgraded” your planet, you can colonize another at any time, thereby expanding your possessions and becoming an even more powerful and dangerous rival. Endless Space has several features and mechanics that set it apart from its competitors and allow it to rival any AAA game.

Total War series

TotalWar is a universal strategy that has absorbed all the best, namely thoughtful turn-based battles taking place in real time, so get ready, it will be hot. The country will be controlled on the world map in a step-by-step mode, but the battles will take you to a huge location where you will have to lead your warriors to victory in real time. As expected, there is no pause in the game, so if you start a battle, please finish it or give up, but your people are unlikely to like this. Separately, it is worth noting the quality of graphics and the realism of combat operations. In battles with enemies, impressive spectacles with the participation of several thousand warriors await you.

Master of Orion 2

Despite the fact that this game was released back in 1996, not many modern global strategies can boast of having such a diverse content as in this legendary game. It is worth noting the complex gameplay of the game, Master of Orion 2 focuses on the development of an alien civilization based on economic, technological and social development. Players can choose between different races or create their own race with a set of strengths and weaknesses. Players can even design their own ships based on available technologies.

You will play the role of a ruler, commander, architect, philosopher, strategist and much more. To surpass other states, you will need to study unique technologies that will help you master invaluable knowledge. Since victory is the main priority, you can choose one of three possible paths: kill all enemies, capture Antares, where the enemies of the entire galaxy live, or win peacefully. The first two options are obvious and there is nothing complicated about them, but the third involves seizing power by creating commercial coalitions. If you manage to unite all the planets, sooner or later the civilian population will decide to elect a president for themselves, and here you will have to take part in a real election race. If you manage to get the most votes, you will be declared president and “HappyEnd” will begin. Regardless of the choice made, the star Orion will always be present on the intergalactic map. It does not affect the progress of the game in any way, but if you manage to visit it first, you will gain impressive technological advantages, and you will be proudly called “Master of Orion”.

Galactic Civilizations 2

Galactic Civilizations 2 is one of the few global strategies that combines fighting, economic development, science, culture, space exploration and, of course, political interventions. The game may surprise you in that the backstory of Galactic Civilizations 2 is based on a series of short stories written by its creator, Brad Wardell. While the game doesn't have the most original setting, it does provide an interesting backdrop for a great strategy game.

Depending on your preferences, you can devote yourself to science, establish contacts with politicians, or hire a powerful army and colonize one planet after another. To get clear advantages in a particular industry, you will have to choose one of 10 races that have more than 20 unique abilities. While developing your planet, you will have to study more than 200 technologies and build 50 different structures. While exploring space on your way you will meet 26 unique and unusual planets, radically different in culture, economy, relationships, faith and, of course, appearance. Separately, it is worth noting the well-thought-out artificial intelligence, so that, regardless of your professional qualities, you will certainly choose the appropriate difficulty for yourself (there are 12 in total). If you like to create rare things, you will have a unique ship editor at your disposal, allowing you to realize any fantasy. This global strategy is the embodiment of diversity and balance, because at this moment you can be the ruler of the world, and an hour later die, in the hope of subjugating another planet.

Hearts of Iron Series

Hearts of Iron is a unique global strategy that immerses you in brutal fight USSR and Germany. To win, you need to attract as many third-party states as possible, since without their firepower you cannot defeat the enemy. If you sympathize with Germany, you can try to go over to their side and try to implement Hitler’s daring plan. Depending on your beliefs, you have the right to choose one of three political directions: fascism, democracy or communism. Absolutely everything will depend on this choice: from the army to the methods of combat. The good news is that the developers have created more than 1000 commanders who actually existed, and their manners and behavior are based on real people, so you have to get to know each one, because you can only win a battle with an experienced commander. If you are familiar with history, you can choose any period of time, the differences lie in battles and new technologies. As for the army, you will have infantry, riflemen, tanks, cavalry, artillery, air defense and much more at your disposal. The main highlight is the unique technologies that open up new types of weapons and methods of combat. If you get tired of completing missions, at any time you can create your own unique map with many details and try to defeat your opponent on your own terms.

Europa Universalis 3.4

Europa Universalis 3, 4 is a unique global strategy, in which you will need to take control of one of the world states on any day of world history starting from May 30, 1453 to July 14, 1789 (this period is expanded in additions). At your disposal will be well-thought-out diplomacy, thanks to which you can enter into alliances, conduct peace negotiations, declare war, take prisoners, demand ransom and much more. In addition to resolving diplomatic issues, you need to find time for construction, because you can only gain recognition if you have a developed province. Europa Universalis will certainly appeal to leisurely and diligent tacticians, because to win you need to have these very qualities. This is because most of the time you will have to observe, and only then make important decisions that could lead to unforeseen circumstances.

In general, you are responsible for the whole state, and how exactly to develop it depends only on you. You can hire warriors and capture your neighbors, or go in search of new lands and become the happy owner of valuable treasures. To understand all the nuances you will have to work hard, since the game has a lot of indicators that can turn a prosperous city into real ruins. You will have to monitor the economy, trade, fatigue, joy, anger, honor traditions, etc. Because of great abundance information, you should always have a backup plan, because everything can go wrong at any moment. As in any global strategy, bloody battles await you in this game, but they are not a priority, because you can influence the situation in dozens of different ways. Of course, you can punish the offender, but you should not neglect the fact that neighbors can unite against you.

It might be worth noting that classics like Heroes of Might and Magic 3 and Master Of Orion 2 are still as playable and fun as they once were (there's even an HD re-release of HOMM3 if you're interested...). But still, if you think that there are global strategies that you think we missed and really need to be added, just let us know about it in the comments

Paradox Interactive continues to create complex worlds in the field of grand strategy and grand strategy games. Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings, created by these developers, amazed the audience and gained a large number of fans around the world. Using all their experience, the developers have taken to the stars with their next project, Stellaris, taking players with them to a more grandiose gaming theater than ever before.

Stellaris is a highly customizable hybrid of real-time strategy and grand strategy. From the very beginning of the game, you can customize your interstellar people, from their appearance and flag to their philosophy and behavior. Some form of customization is present in many aspects of the game. The manner in which you explore nearby planets and star systems, learn science, expand your race's domain, and interact with other races. Little by little, Stellaris accelerates from a somewhat slow start into a massive and all-encompassing race for control of the universe.

The game doesn't forget its roots. Stellaris borrows socio-political and economic systems from other Paradox games, forcing players to balance internal struggles with external influences and pressures. Stellaris can be played very well alone, but multiplayer is where the game starts to shine even brighter. Playing online, against friends and enemies, is a great pastime that stretches into many hours of gaming pleasure.

Battlefleet Gothic: Armada is one of the modern offerings in the Warhammer 40K universe, a tactical RTS with spaceships. Moving away from the ground-based battles of previous games set in the Warhammer 40K universe, Battlefleet Gothic turns its attention to the stars to fight a desperate war against galactic enemies.

Following the lore standards of the Warhammer 40K universe, the journey through the story sees the player take control of a fleet of Imperial warships, pitting you head-on against familiar foes: Chaos Undivided, Orcs and Eldar. Survival in combat depends on the timely use of tactics, relying on a slowdown mechanic known as Tactical Cogitator (Russian language, at the time of writing this text, is not supported by the game). Meanwhile, your task is to wisely spend all resources on armament and customization of your ships in order to get maximum performance in your chosen tactics.

In addition to single-player, multiplayer mode will allow you to use many ships of different factions and participate in multiplayer battles. With every victory and defeat in single-player and multiplayer games, you earn “Renown”, which you can spend on upgrades and improvements, and defeats in the campaign affect your progress through the story campaign. Battlefleet Gothic: Armada has a bit of a learning curve, but it's the most fun and comprehensive Warhammer 40K experience yet, not to mention the overall game is an outstanding tactical spaceship RTS.

The best strategy where Montezuma (Aztec Emperor) can fight Gandhi (Indian philosopher)

Civilization is a turn-based strategy game about human history: you guide a race of people from the Stone Age to modern times and beyond. This is a global strategy (capture, explore, exploit and destroy) and the best thing is that you start from scratch and grow to become a global power. Or die trying to do it.

The decisions you will face in the game are political, economic, military and even social. You can become a friendly neighbor or an invader. A center of trade and tourism, or an industry-oriented state. Freedom of choice is the best asset of the game - where will you go? What are you going to do? Which path to victory will you choose? There are now more than 20 factions in the game, and each has a specific playstyle, but you will always have freedom of action.

Civilzation is a well-established series of games. The game has a strong set teaching aids and tooltips to help you make decisions. Combat is better than ever, thanks to Civilzation V's reimagining of the grid system. Having Steam Workshop support means you'll have a never-ending stream of mods and maps.

This is the game series that coined the term "one more move and sleep" - this strategy is addictive, it is an exciting and fun game.

The best Total War strategy

Total War is a game about managing an entire empire, in between armed conflicts on the way to dominance. Now you are fiddling with taxes and building baths, and the next moment you are firing cannons and rushing headlong towards the enemy.

The game takes place in two different modes: empire management in turn-based strategy mode, and tactical battles in real-time strategy mode. The key to victory is the interaction between the two modes, for example: launching a cavalry charge against the enemy army, knowing that it is commanded by the opponent's king and killing him will cause the collapse of the empire.

Whenever two armies meet, the game switches to tactical combat mode. You play as a general, a hero - you control your units, draw up battle formations and strategy, and fight your enemy to the last man. Choosing is not always the best option - with the right terrain and the right tactics, a slight superiority in strength can withstand almost any challenge, and the most powerful army can be defeated by a good ambush.

Total War: Shogun 2 is still the best game in the series. If the period it covers (16th century feudal Japan) isn't to your taste, try Napoleon: Total War, a game centered on the campaign of a famous general. Total War is a deep, tactical and thoughtful game: completing the campaign in Total War can take you a week or so.

Buyer's Guide: Sega often discounts Total War, and you can purchase Shogun 2 and its expansions for less on Steam.

Nearly a decade and a half after its release, the original Stronghold is still the best game in Firefly's castle-building series. The combination of RTS with creative, strategic building, missions and combat sometimes distracted from the game's ace card - a simple but effective medieval building set.

The campaign isn't particularly memorable, and the combat is slow and can be confusing, but playing in the free-building mode is highly addictive, like playing with Lego or sculpting with sand in childhood sandboxes. Of course, the tide always destroys the fruits of hard work, but watching it all fall apart is part of the fun.

Buyer's Guide:Stronghold HD is available in Steam

The best strategy to kill your spouse

Crusader Kings 2 is the bloodthirsty bastard of Global Strategies. You play as a medieval lord trying to gain more power, influence and territory in a historically accurate medieval Europe. The game offers complex game mechanics instead of beautiful pictures. You manage the economy, the army and the people.

The personal element makes Crusader Kings 2 a very compelling game. You are part of a family dynasty, not an abstract nation. You can get married and have children, when you die, your heir will take the reins and everything will start again. In between all this, you can use intrigue or brute force to increase your holdings, but the key is that you develop a real personal connection with your characters, your avatar. You will mourn his death, you will applaud his every triumph.

As a Count or Duke, you can stage a coup and rebel against your Master to increase your power. As a king, it is quite easy to lose the Kingdom due to invasion or rebellion. But as long as a member of your dynasty is still alive, you will always have a chance to win it all back. Don't be put off by the apparent difficulty, the more you play, the more you will learn.

Buyer's Guide: Choose to purchase in conjunction with most expansion packs, including the latest (Old Gods).

The best strategy for electronic sports fans

Starcraft II is a sci-fi strategy game about armored cowboys fighting against xenomorphic aliens and space elves. This is a classic real-time strategy game where you gather resources, build an army and kill enemies before they kill you, requiring you to make quick decisions and click quickly.

Multiplayer is a huge part of Starcraft II. People will become your enemies; they will be able to click on the keyboard faster than you and give orders faster than you. You'll probably lose a lot of nerve cells, but you'll get better gaming entertainment, and you'll be good enough to compete with players at the eSports level.

The single-player campaign is also very interesting - Blizzard combined crazy action with RPG elements, and the story of the exploits of the mercenary Jim Raynor. You'll fight through a series of missions, many of which will have unique objectives - such as trying to gather resources on a map that periodically fills with lava, or defending against waves of zerg for a given period of time. In between missions, you explore an RPG-like hub where you can talk to people, research new technologies, and decide which mission to take on next. It's very difficult to pull off an interesting story in the real-time strategy genre, and many limit themselves to cutscenes and dialogue in missions, but SCII, by forcing you to interact with the world in a non-battlefield setting, actually makes the game's story interactive.

Buyer's Guide: Blizzard is one of the few companies that doesn't actually "make" DLC. Starcraft II has one expansion at the time of writing - Heart of the Swarm, with a second expansion (Legacy of the Void) due out at some point in the future. The expansion overall introduces a few new units and tricks for multiplayer, but mostly pushes the single-player story forward. In the original game, you played as Terrans. In Hearts of the Swarm you play as the Zerg. In Legacy of the Void you will play as the Protoss.

The Best Strategy for Playing Dress Up with Your Dolls

XCOM was a surprise hit. A turn-based strategy game that requires you to fend off an alien invasion in a dynamic single-player campaign. It's a remake of the classic X-Com, and as a remake, it's one of the best.

You send groups of up to six soldiers into battle against little gray aliens, robots, insects, etc. Tactically intense firefights on city maps, countryside, aboard alien ships, all based on light strategy. The player base is set up as an ant farm where you will research new technologies, perform autopsies, and solicit funding from a shadowy government agency.

In a word, this is fantastic.

The character customization is really cool. You can give your wars names and faces as they grow in your mind as you play the campaign, gaining backstories and fake accents. It’s up to you to let these soldiers live or die, and you feel their every step, you feel every plasma bolt that hits them, you feel their pain as if it were your own. When they fall dead, mourn and new guy sent as a replacement... well, he (or she) won't get a name until he proves himself.

Tactical combat is the essence of the game, and if you've never tested your commander skills against real people, then XCOM offers you to try it out in multiplayer.

This World War II real-time strategy game throws you right into the middle of combat during the Allied invasion of Northern France. Starting on D-Day, you'll make your way through several maps divided into tactical zones. You must create a base of operations, protect resources, and fight for a just cause.

It's tricky - you have to make sure all corners are covered and that your front line is secure, because if there are gaps, nothing will stop the enemy from wreaking havoc in your rear. Infantry can build defenses and/or garrison buildings, and engineers can set traps or lay down obstacles. Tanks and other vehicles will provide you with brute force, but they are quite expensive to build en masse. As a commander, you have support abilities that give you an extra advantage.

This game is the highest-rated strategy game of all time - the single-player campaign, reminiscent of the film Band of Brothers, makes the story campaign more than just an online tutorial, and the online community itself is well developed. The two factions (or four if you have expansions) are well balanced so that you will need more than just maneuvering or simple ranged combat with the enemy. In the nine years since the first release, the modding community has flourished, which means you can get even more interesting gameplay.

Buyer's Guide: Company of Heroes has two expansions - Opposing Fronts and Tales of Valour. Opposing Fronts is the only add-on truly worth purchasing. At the moment, a sequel has already been released, covering the Russian and Eastern Front.

The best strategy where elephants and sports cars can collide in battle

Age of Empires is a classic real-time strategy series that is easy to learn, charming, and can challenge the player if desired. You choose your civilization, create your city and your army, and fight other civilizations on the map. You progress through various "ages" or technical levels to improve your troops and buildings.

This game is part resource management, part tactical combat, like Warcraft or Starcraft. You always start the game with your city center and a small number of civilians, but by the end of the match you can grow into a metropolis, with walls, fire towers, and a large army. Age of Empires was published before the beginning of the era multiplayer games on the Internet, so the main component of these games is single-player campaigns and battles with artificial intelligence. Featuring a series of specially created maps (with customizable objectives), with famous person or a group of people from history. These missions don't have to be historically accurate, but they do involve you in the story and each battle provides a unique confrontation scenario.

Age of Empires 2 covers an abstract time period starting in the Middle Ages and working its way through to the early Renaissance. What do you think: The Duke's Celtic raiders with his Persian elephants and medieval pikemen near Japanese fortresses? And those who know cheats can always play with sports cars with installed machine guns.

Buyer's Guide: In January 2013, Microsoft released a "HD" version of Age of Empires 2 , includes the main game and expansion.

The best hybrid of Wargame and RTS

A game in the wargame genre. It will save you from unnecessary worries associated with building bases and will allow you to focus exclusively on battles. You command your own custom army, consisting of tanks, infantry, artillery, and even attack helicopters and jets. Battles take place in highly detailed parts of the European countryside, which can reach up to 150Km2.

Attention to detail is what drives WarGames, and it's what makes WarGame: AirLand Battle a brilliant game. Your tanks can march along the highway or trample various crops in the fields, your infantry can crawl through the forests or hold an important crossroads... but tanks need fuel, and weapons need bullets. If you don't support your troops with supplies through a logistics system, your battle group will literally get stuck.

For a game about high-level strategy, there's a surprising amount of atmosphere. If you bring the camera close to "ground level", the camera will shake from artillery shells crashing into the ground. The forests will burn around you, and if things go really badly for you, retreating, the remains of fallen tanks and infantry fighting vehicles will be left behind to burn out.

Wargame offers a brilliant, dynamic single-player campaign. You'll be able to play as NATO or the Warsaw Pact countries, and you'll have to fight for control of Scandinavia using existing combat units, off-map support... even randomized political events. If you prefer to play with real people, there is a great online community. Wargame also has many multiplayer maps, and there is support for battles in 10 vs 10 matches.

Buyer's Guide: At the time of writing, the Wargame series consists of three games, the latest Wargame: Red dragon, with an alternative history telling about the conflict in Asia

The Best Strategy for an Ambitious Caribbean Dictator

Tropico is essentially a city builder, but what makes it cool is its charm. You play as a dictator in a Caribbean-themed banana republic, and it's your job to guide your island from humble beginnings to greatness.

How you do this is up to you. You can exploit Natural resources your island and turn it into an industrial center, or you can take advantage of the island's natural beauty and try to become a vacation spot for ignorant white tourists. Or both. In Tropico, there are many options on where to place a housing estate or factory, whether to grant pensions or conscription. You attract immigrants to the island, and they all need housing and jobs, and you will have to create your own economy and services. Throughout the game, your actions are wonderfully talked about on the talk show of the Tropico radio station, the host tries to give even the most crappy actions of yours a positive color.

As your island grows, you will have the opportunity to start doing business with - America, Russia, or even China and Europe, all will want to influence you. They will offer you money and wealth if only you allow them to build a military base on the island, or allow them to export their waste to you. If you're not careful, you'll have to deal with a rebellion or invasion. In any case, your regime will be overthrown.

Tropico is simply a fun game: it's a city builder with a healthy dose of economics, trade and politics.

The best space RTS

Sins of a Solar Empire - This global real-time strategy focuses on building a large space empire. You have planets to colonize and develop industry and trade on, but when things get tough, there are always groups of ships throwing bullets, lasers and missiles at each other in an endless struggle for dominance.

The game contains a lot of things typical of the Sins series: your scouts will rush from planet to planet in search of new worlds to conquer. Your merchant fleets will move goods from place to place, turning the wheels of the economy, and your mighty battle fleets will rush from one crisis to another, because if it's not pirates knocking on your door, then some other faction has come to lay claim to it. your property.

The game doesn't have a single-player campaign: you simply play an endless number of skirmishes against the AI ​​using a wide range of cards from the set, each with their own quirks and strategies. You can also create your own map using the editor and of course you can start the game online and play against real people.

Buyer's Guide: Sins of a Solar Empire has three expansions. The latest, Rebellion is a standalone extension that includes all previous updates and features. There is also a DLC for the game, called "Forbidden Worlds", it adds new types of planets, new equipment and several heroes.

The best strategy game with atomic weapons

DEFCON is a game about a war that cannot be won - oh nuclear war. You're presented with a simple vector map of the world (in the style of WarGames and other classic films), you're given a bunch of military equipment, and the world begins to slowly count down to Armageddon. You must the best way use everything you have to come out on top in the soon-to-be desert world.

The simplicity and abstractness of Defcon is its greatest asset. You can't stop every missile, and you can't win every conflict. Regions will be destroyed, entire fleets will be lost, but... all you see are statistics on the screen. You gain points for killing more people at once, you lose points for every percentage of your original population. The player with the most points at the end will receive the "win". Congratulations.

Defcon interesting game, but what makes it so exciting?! This is that the game is actually a battle of wits, akin to chess. The match will always start with DEFCON 5, and will count down the danger level in the allotted time. The closer you get to DEFCON 1, the more you're allowed to do, but basically it all comes down to the successful placement of your assets - your fleet and submarines, bombers and fighters, missile silos, radars. You and your enemies (up to 6 players or AI can play in the same match) will do the same things, so you will need anticipation and the ability to guess your opponent's next move.

The game lasts no more than 45 minutes by default, although you can adjust this setting. The game is great fun for pure strategists and is fast and easy to load. We strongly recommend playing against other players.

Buyer's Guide: There are no expansions or DLC, and the game itself is very cheap.

This space-based global strategy game will throw at you: space bugs, slaver raids, asteroids, even alien probes... and then you accidentally meet another space empire. This is a dangerous Universe and Sword of the Stars reflects this wonderfully, while also providing the player with an exciting and challenging game.

This Living Universe really works its magic in the early game, where grand strategy games traditionally don't have much going on until you encounter other factions. In addition, Sword of the Stars does something that is not often seen in strategy games of this genre, it does not create all game factions as equal. Of course, it all starts with the same resources and planets, but each race behaves in a unique way - they have their own unique methods of traveling through space. It also ties the technology system to the factions: the game's technology tree is randomized for each new match, and each race has preferences for certain technologies.

Ship customization takes up a large portion of the game, and you'll spend some time simply customizing the various ship designs. Like the Total War series, this game goes into real-time strategy mode when the shooting starts. You can give orders to your fleet, set battle formations, and watch as two groups of ships obliterate each other into space dust. Nice.

The Soviet Union is invading America, and it's your job to push them back. Gone are the days when you had to build a base and manage resources, you have command points and goals. If your units are destroyed, you can use command points to call in reinforcements, and you must use your units' strengths wisely, along with an impressive array of off-map abilities.

The single-player campaign is very cinematic and really draws you into the narrative. I almost wanted to join the Red Army after seeing the results of the Soviets storming West Berlin, and there's one scene midway through the game... well, I'll leave you to find out for yourself. You mostly play as a US Army officer helping to repel an invasion, but the Soviet Assault expansion adds missions from the Russian perspective that are critical to the backstory.

The game is a great example of tactical combat, using terrain to your advantage, micro-managing your troops, and it gets even better when you go online to play. Players can fight in matches with up to 16 players, and unlike in single-player campaigns, you must choose one of four roles for yourself, which will affect the units and support abilities available to you. Some roles are likely to be weaker against certain tactics, so you need to make sure you work together with your teammates.

However, there is still no problem that cannot be solved by carpet bombing.

Buyer's Guide: At the game World in Conflict There was only one addition - Soviet Assault. The add-on adds new missions to the story campaign for the USSR.

Best Large-Scale RTS

Supreme Commander was a PC-breaking game because of its processor demands. This game is about the war of the future, robotic real-time strategy, it simplifies resource management and focuses more on creating a wonderful war machine. You start with one irreplaceable device - a command machine, from which you build factories that produce units, they are necessary in order to wage war against your enemies.

The Player's army can potentially reach 1000 units, on land, at sea and in the air. You must carefully orchestrate the ballet of production, movement and attack, grinding down your opponent, while keeping your command unit, as well as your factories and power grids, safe so that they can create more death machines. It's a brilliant and stunning game, and it's not for casual gamers.

Oddly enough, it was one of the few games that officially supported dual monitors, meaning you could have a scalable map on a second screen. This is a godsend, allows you to keep your eyes on the "big picture" of combat, and is recommended if you're going to play seriously. There are few games that let you play on the same scale as Supreme Commander, and when you go to war online, that's when the real challenge begins. Games like Starcraft require quick thinking and reaction speed, but they only allow you to control a couple of dozen units at most. Supreme Commander requires you to deal with thousands of units. Think about it.

Buyer's Guide: There is no DLC for this game, only the standalone Forged Alliance DLC pack. It's better to buy Forged Alliance, it fixes many problems of the main game, and also introduces an additional faction.

Best strategy under license

If you are a Star Wars fan, then this game is for you. Empire at War allows you to take charge of the Galactic Empire or the Rebel Alliance and fight for galactic domination. You take command of a mighty fleet and army; even sending notable heroes into battle, such as Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader. You can also build a Death Star.

By far the best element of the game is the tactical space battles. Up to four players can fight on one map (the map may have hazards such as asteroids or gas clouds), each player with their own space station, and the goal of the game is simply to knock out your opponent by destroying their bases . Large ships, unlike small ones, have targeting capabilities that can shoot down our weapons or shields, and many ships (and heroes) have special skills that can help turn the tide.

In addition to space battles, you can participate in battles on land, lead a squadron of hovering tanks or AT-AT walkers. This game is mechanically similar to Total War in the sense that there is a separate campaign interface where you control the empire and your forces, and then load separately into the battle screen. The only difference is that everything happens in real time and there are no queues.

It's pretty big game, which will be even better for you if you are a fan of the Star Wars universe.

Buyer's Guide: There is no DLC, and only one expansion, called Forged Alliance - adds a third faction, completely different from the two already present, and also adds new units, abilities, etc.

Long ago, when Westwood Studios were masters of creating real-time strategy games, they asked the question, "what if there was no Nazi Germany?" They turned the script into an original game. Red Alert, in which the Soviet Union becomes omnipotent and conquers all of Europe unopposed. Original game sets the bar high by presenting two surprisingly diverse sides to the conflict, a dangerous arsenal of weapons, and a heavy techno/metal soundtrack and story told through live-action video between missions. The second game in the series has reached an even higher bar of quality, perhaps climbing higher than almost any other game from Westwood Studios.

Red Alert 2 followed the idea that the Allies defeated Stalin and his troops, after which they established their puppet government in the USSR. Unfortunately for the Allies, the Soviets did not take their humiliation well. They regained their strength and attacked the Americans on all fronts. The game's plot is a bit far-fetched, but it paints the backdrop for an incredible series of gameplay campaigns for the Soviets and Allies, complete with plenty of impressive technology for both sides.

If that's not enough, you can go online and invite up to 7 of your friends into battle. The game allows each player to choose a nation, with their own special units, adding an extra layer of strategy to every skirmish. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 wasn't Westwood Studios' swan song, but it may have been their magnum opus. They would have other good games after Red Alert 2, but nothing quite captured the spirit of Westwood quite like their second Soviet/Allied RTS.

Best grand strategy

The mighty flagship from Paradox Development Studio. The Europa Universalis series has always been strong, impressive, intricate and with a sandbox strategy approach. But with this confusion came many problems. Bugs, dumb interfaces, and poorly explained mechanics can turn players off before they annex their first nation.

Europa Universalis IV changed all that. The game is still a tough nut to crack and will require a lot of effort from players, but it is by far the most user-friendly game in the series. And while its countless systems still lead to confusion, it is quite possible to simply jump in and carve a niche in history.

This is a “what if?” game. What if Italy swept through the Ottoman Empire with a huge mercenary army? What to do if England and France became best friends and divided Europe instead of fighting each other? What if Scotland ruled the world? What to do, if.

Buyer's Guide: Europa Universalis 4 has a lot of DLC, and unfortunately they are not all collected in one package yet. You can buy them in parts on Steam, however. Packages and other support items can be ignored if you wish, but Wealth of Nations and Conquest of Paradise are still worth picking up.

Best 4X (Global) Strategy

The best game for 4X fans with goblin fanatics and halfling wizards

Is the desire to resurrect and give the classic series new life. This is a fantasy grand strategy game.

There are several scripted campaigns to play through, but the meat of the game is in the randomly generated maps and customizable factions. Fundamentalist goblins can fight - with the help of holy war engines - industrial elves, while armies of dire penguins march across the frozen wastes. It's all deliciously stupid.

The game makes for some damn big fights. Multiple units can be linked together to create giant armies. Reminiscent of Total War sieges in terms of scale, but with clever turn-based combat and magic.

While diplomacy and city management weak side games, Age of Wonders shines during battle. An abundance of magic and special abilities, a varied roster of units and battlefields littered with obstacles make every battle a great puzzle game.

Buyer's Guide: You can buy Age of Wonders 3 on Steam, GOG, etc., there is a DLC that expands the building mechanics and introduces the Hobit race.

The best strategy for Warhammer 40k

Dawn Of War is mesmerizing. In many ways, it feels like a very traditional real-time strategy game, with a lot of building, strategy and resource management. But looking at its predecessors, the game is similar to Company Of Heroes. We're seeing Relic starting to experiment with morale, cover, squads, and radically different factions.

Tension underlies the entire game. The whole game is about advancing, capturing and holding territory. And all the time, resources are running out faster and generators are falling into disrepair. But war machine constantly need to be fed.

The expansions expand the game by introducing more factions with their own unique mechanics. There are the vile Eldar, the bloodthirsty Orcs, the numerous imperial guards - each faction offers different ways to play the same game. A total of nine factions have been added.

Dawn Of War 2 received many changes, with combat becoming smaller and focusing on tactics over strategy. It's still a great game, but by moving away from the traditions of the genre, Dawn Of War has lost some of its magic.

Buyer's Guide: The base game and all expansion packs have been collected into the Warhammer 40K: Dawn Of War Master Collection.

Best sci-fi economic strategy

Anno 2070 bids farewell to its historical setting as Ubisoft's voluptuous economic strategy series heads into a post-environmental disaster future. The game is still about making money and expanding your influence across the islands, but instead of being a medieval or colonial power, the game flounders with an eco-faction and polluting industrialists.

An unpleasant feeling of despair permeates throughout the game. The world is fighting to survive and in hopes of making a profit, the decisions made could leave the world in an even worse situation. And social and ecological problems add a new dimension of complexity.

Technology has a huge impact. Factions are not limited to their island homes, and can also build underwater, creating kelp farms or dirty oil rigs.

Want to rewrite history? Make Scotland a superpower, pit Mexico against Europe, save Joan of Arc from burning, or simply repeat the feat of famous military leaders of past centuries? This is only possible with the help of global strategies. Companies involved in the development of computer toys provide a wide field for activity, so it is not at all necessary to get involved in politics “in real life” - no one is stopping you from conquering fantasy worlds or outer space.

The dominance of shooters, open-world RPGs, and other projects labeled “online” have made the genre almost exotic. Even smart indies come out almost every day, unlike good global strategies. Organizations and private projects on Kickstarter are trying to revive the genre, but they are not succeeding. All we have is, in fact, continuations of already existing ideas and universes with a prefix in the name - 2, 3, 4, etc., and something new and fresh, alas, is represented by isolated examples or is completely absent in game year.

So, let’s try to identify the best global strategies that have distinguished themselves by their qualitative component, interesting story, entertaining gameplay and positive user ratings. The list was compiled based on reviews from gaming publications, but ranking projects for the most part is pointless, because they all deserve attention, and a specific setting is not for everyone. Some people like space, some cannot live without a sword and armor, and some don’t even care where or how - as long as they conquer something.

The top global strategies look like this:

• Total War: Shogun 2.
• Crusader Kings 2.
• Europa Universalis 4.
• Sid Meier's Civilization 6.
• Stellaris.
• Endless Legend.
• Endless Space 2.
• Anno 2205.

Let's take a closer look at the games.

Total War: Shogun 2

Almost all the Total War series are divided into two main components - real-time battles and a global economic strategy in turn-based mode. The player, in addition to mass massacre, needs to develop settlements, hire military leaders, deal with taxes, conduct diplomatic negotiations and send special agents on risky missions.

The global strategy with the economy in “Total War” may not be as well thought out as in other projects, but this part cannot be called a “tick” at all. In Shogun 2, both components turned out to be well developed. And even though the turn-based mode on the global map is just a prelude to epic battles, it is no worse than massive battles.

On the plus side, you can add a very beautiful and well-recreated setting of 16th century Japan, as well as perfect balance and atmospheric musical component. The world of global strategies “Total War” has always been easy to master, and “Shogun 2” was no exception: the barrier to entry for new users is minimal.

Crusader Kings 2

As for the second “Crusaders”, the game interface and the process itself cannot be called friendly for beginners. The threshold for entry into the international global strategy is quite high, and in the first hours of the game the lion's share of the time will be spent studying the menu branches, maps and other tactical possibilities. But the material is correctly reinforced by the training campaign, so there are no serious problems here.

Once you understand the controls and thoroughly understand the process, you will realize that Crusaders 2 is one of the best global strategies among other representatives of the genre. Describing the game, we can say that it is an excellent generator of addictive stories and adventures, dedicated to family squabbles, betrayals, conspiracies and other intrigues that took place in medieval Europe.

In this global strategy, you can become a petty lord from some godforsaken Scottish county and, walking over the bones of your enemies, as well as through the diplomatic jungle, unite your lands and become a contender for the royal title. Each new campaign generates a chain of random events, so there is no need to talk about monotony. It is especially popular among fans of the series “Game of Thrones” due to its similar setting and similar intrigues. The latter feel at home in the Crusaders.

Europa Universalis 4

If in previous game If you had some individuals at your disposal, then in Europa Universalis 4 you will manage entire empires. There is no place for small conflicts here - only grandiose military campaigns.

At your disposal are entire states that will need to be led to victory in various wars, be it colonial feuds or religious ones. In this case, the player becomes not the king of his subjects, but the leader of the nation, so there is no time to unravel the intrigues - you need to have time to conquer the world before someone else does it.

Sid Meier's Civilization 6

The Civilization series can be called a classic representative of the global strategy genre. Sid Meier managed to create an original and addictive product that you can lose yourself in for weeks, or even months.

Unlike other games of this type, Civilization is not tied to any specific period. The strategy takes the user through a whole chain of eras, starting from small ones. At first, you build a small settlement, engage in hunting, farming and fight with careless neighbors using spears, bows and axes.

Features of the strategy

But after a few hours or even days, under your leadership is no longer a small village, but an industrialized country, where skyscrapers and nuclear power plants are growing. The instruments of influence on neighbors, naturally, are also changing: tanks, fighters, laser weapons and nuclear warheads.

As for the sixth “Civilization” specifically, beginners will relatively easily master the basic controls and, thanks to a competent training campaign, will quickly get involved in the process. This is an extremely high-quality strategy, taking only the best ideas from previous series and bringing them to almost perfection. “Civilization” is truly a place where you can disappear for a long time and enthusiastically build your own world.

Stellaris

This is a global space strategy for those who are cramped and stuffy on the small planet Earth. An ambitious player is given the opportunity to conquer the entire galaxy for any of the presented races.

The player will have to colonize new worlds, develop existing ones, improve technologies, and also devote a considerable part of his time to diplomacy. If the last option does not suit you at all, then you can go exclusively along the military branch and, having assembled a huge fleet, exterminate all those undesirable and conquer the rebellious.

Distinctive features of the strategy

Random generation of events will not let you get bored in the huge universe. You never know in advance what awaits you on a particular planet. You may meet an unfamiliar alien race, find a valuable artifact, or activate a whole chain of additional quests, the completion of which will bring useful bonuses to you or your interstellar empire.

Just like in the case of "Civilization", here you can get stuck for a very long time. for a long time. Equipping one planet after another and getting involved in military feuds, you will not notice how the whole day (or night) flies by. This is a very thoughtful and high-quality project that can be recommended to all ambitious conquerors.

Endless Legend

"Endless Legend" is a kind of similarity to the above-mentioned "Civilization". But this doesn’t make the game any less quality. Both products have similar gameplay, but Legend is distinguished by its original and memorable setting.

Here we have a pun from science fiction and fantasy with a very competent implementation. "Endless Legend" is devoid of similar factions. Each individual group has its own distinctive features. For example, Lords of Dust (ghosts) do not require food and instead absorb energy resources. While monsters or necrophages do not have diplomatic relations with other races at all, they obtain food by devouring conquered tribes.

One of the main features of the “Endless Legend” is, first of all, survival, and only then wars and other feuds with neighbors. Seasons in the game change quite quickly and chaotically. The winters are harsh, and the ruler, who spent six months running away to neighboring tribes and did not pay enough attention to the internal economy and peaceful industry, risks not living until next spring.

Endless Space 2

"Endless Legend" and "Endless Space" are games from the same developer. And if the rulers of the first strategy did not leave the Earth, then for the second there are no longer any obstacles. The manner in which the campaign and development branches are presented are somewhat similar in the games, but there are still specific and critical differences.

The game attracts with its graphical component, which has been noticeably improved compared to the first part. You can choose which way to develop your empire. If you want to defeat your opponents with technical superiority, please invest in the appropriate branches, and not a single enemy military ship will even come close to your planets. The enemy fleet will simply disintegrate its defense systems into atoms. If you like managing beautiful interstellar ships and forcefully solving all pending conflicts, then the aggressive development branch is just for you.

At the beginning of the game, each player is given an equal number of planets and opportunities. By developing basic and specific skills, you choose your own play style, and “Endless Space” does not limit you in anything, but only indulges your desires.

Anno 2205

The Anno series is a city planning and economic simulator. The previous games in the series took place on land and underwater, but on planet Earth. The new strategy allows us to master our satellite - the Moon.

But in order to get there, you will first have to build several factories, research centers and launch mines on the ground. After the resources have been collected and the necessary buildings have been built, you can proceed to the development of the satellite with all the attendant cosmic realities such as weightlessness, meteor showers and anarchists who always confuse the plans.

Game Features

Despite the fact that the game is positioned by the developer as a city-planning and economic simulator, there is more than enough combat action in it, where global strategists can express themselves to the fullest.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the visual side of the project. The magnificent panoramas of the overall view along with the careful detailing of small details are simply amazing. Despite all its beauty, the game only slightly added to the system requirements, and the level of acceptable FPS was largely achieved through competent optimization.

As for the entry threshold, a smart training campaign will not let you get confused in the interface and will guide you step by step through all the hot spots of Anno. After an hour or two, the newcomers’ discomfort disappears, and they already feel at ease, ready to conquer the earth’s satellite.

How do global strategies differ from ordinary ones? Its scale. In them we manage a huge state, an empire or the whole world, solving a large number of problems. The most popular are global strategies on a regular PC. There were attempts to transfer such projects to consoles, but the controls were not so hot, and gamers did not particularly like it.

Even such a niche category of games has hundreds of projects that are difficult to understand just by reading the description. So that you don’t waste time and choose a game to play within a few minutes, we have selected the best global computer strategies. Read their short review and then make your choice. Go!

Stellaris - conquering space

Let's start with a global 4X real-time strategy, where you need to develop in outer space, populating planet after planet. The game world is procedurally generated, and therefore each new playthrough will be unique and bring fresh impressions. In addition, with procedural generation, the gamer influences the development of the world. So, the realism of the game is worthy of praise.

Here you will be engaged in construction, influencing political life empires, control one or more planets at the same time. You will also have to ensure that each faction lives in peace, happy with its position. The role of a galactic emperor is a million times more complex than that of an earthly emperor. Therefore, get ready for real tests.

If you have not encountered the grand strategy genre before, you will almost certainly have difficulties in terms of control and understanding of what is happening on the screen. In order to understand all this, you will have to read guides and watch video after video from experienced gamers explaining the intricacies of the gameplay. At first it will not be easy to watch and play, but as soon as your knowledge becomes deep, you will be happy to delve into the development of the space state and achieve considerable success.

Galactic Civilizations 3 - feuds on a galactic scale

The third part of the popular series continues what the developers laid down from the very beginning. There won’t be any here either, but, on the other hand, the player’s role in fleet construction has been increased. Now you can control much more processes and influence the quality of finished mechanisms. This game can be called both a simulator and economic strategy. But, first of all, it is global military strategy in a space setting. You choose a planet with warlike inhabitants, and then lead your charges to victory over numerous enemies.

The project is worthy of adding to our list of the best global strategies, because the mechanisms of government management are well developed here. You can control the smallest processes, from mining to installation warships additional armor shields.

You may have to spend a lot of time learning all the functionality, but a life-saving video or written guide will help you figure it out. As expected, there is a cooperative here, so feel free to call your friends and start building a new wonderful world in the vastness of the vast galaxy.

Master of Orion - manage colonies

This game was released in 1996, but can still bring a lot of pleasure to fans of grand strategy games. Here the player can take control of one of the races and lead it to prosperity, extracting resources, fighting enemies and capturing new territories. The project is suitable for those who do not pay attention to graphics and value gameplay first.

The gamer will have to make an important choice at the very beginning - to choose the ideal race. The fact is that each race has features, using which you can achieve good results. On the other hand, if you lose sight of these features and “bend” your line, nothing will work out. A good tip is to study all the information about the races before starting the game. And then move on.

Interestingly, some of the processes here are borrowed from a more popular member of the “Association of Global Strategies” - “Civilization” became the inspiration for the developers who created a similar management system. Thus, it became possible to redistribute the inhabitants of the planet and set a specific occupation for each group. Someone will engage in agriculture, someone will be entrusted with industrial production, and so on.

Total War Warhammer 2 - the perfect strategy

Since the news appeared about the creation of the second part of the sensational fantasy offshoot “Total War”, the game has become the main object of discussion on thematic forums. Articles on popular resources, one after another, talked about how large-scale and fantastically spectacular the project would be. It was argued that the developers took all the best from the first part and decided to create the coolest strategy of our time. In fact, that’s what happened!

What are the strategies from “Total War” so famous for? In them, you not only manage your wards on a global map and take care of the economy. When they come Hard times, you can take an army and go cut down the enemy in real time on a real map with the participation of tens of thousands of units! That's why the series' projects always top the top global strategies. Those same cinematic massive battles that sent shivers down your spine, thanks to “Total War”, became available on the computer. From year to year, developers created new engines and improved them. With the release of the second part of “Warhammer” based on the legendary universe, it became clear that now this is one of the most advanced strategies in all respects. The graphics are off the charts, the functionality is excellent, and the musical accompaniment is amazing.

Of course, there are some small bugs and shortcomings, without mentioning which the review and description of the project would be too biased. But it is worth noting that the creators are in close contact with the community and quickly respond to all comments. The result is that updates with fixes are constantly coming out.

Sid Meier's Civilization VI - build a civilization

Already the sixth part of the strategy that has conquered the world has been released personal computers and pleases fans of the genre. For those who have never heard of “Civilization” - this is a global economic turn-based strategy where you can play for different cultures and civilizations. The gameplay is not real time, so there is some time to think. Conquer the world section by section. There are an incredible number of strategic possibilities:
- control construction;
- arm the army;
- conduct research;
- create new technologies;
- distribute resources wisely and so on.

This is probably the best turn-based simulator of the development of the world from ancient times to the space age. It is unlikely that there will be a project that can compete with “civa” in this regard.

Of course, a good player learns first. This rule works perfectly here. First, you need to find a training video on all the functions of the interface. This will be a good foundation for the future ruler of the world. But you don’t have to watch the video, figuring everything out on your own. If you wish, you can invite your friends and arrange a showdown on a global scale in the co-op.

Europa Universalis IV - huge map

In the genre of top turn-based global computer strategies, this is a real gem. When gamers are asked how Europa Universalis differs from the rest, they answer: “It has a very developed economic component.” Indeed, although war has a special meaning in this game world, it requires a large amount of funds to wage it. Using many interface functions, you will manage the economic life of the state on the global map and lead it to victory over the rest of the participants in the global conflict.

Europa Universalis is well optimized for the PC platform, but weak computers may experience difficulties - too many scripts are executed after each move.