The 10 Best Strategy Games of 2022
Strategy Game – Buying Guide, Opinions and Analysis
Strategy games allow the player to take on the role of a general or take control of civilizations, to make them grow and evolve, creating buildings, collecting supplies and managing all aspects of life, from economics to war. In this article we are going to share with you a selection of strategy games among which you will find Battlefield V, a game that fully immerses us in frenetic and realistic battles, or Animal Crossing, a quiet game in which you can create and manage your island, cultivating and decorating your house down to the smallest detail.
The 10 Best Strategy Games – Opinions 2022
Whether you want to play the role of a warlord or you like to sit back and enjoy managing a city or an island, strategy games will provide you with many hours of entertainment. Next, we present a selection with the 10 best strategy games, so you can choose the one you like the most.
1.Battlefield V
Battlefield V is considered by many players to be the best strategy game of the moment. After several installments in which modern conflicts have been explored, this fifth installment returns the player to the original setting: World War II.
The game allows the player to recreate some of the most famous battles in history and relive the human drama of first-person combat.
You will be able to fight in epic and unexpected locations around the globe; sliding through the mountains of Norway or fighting for control of nuclear supply lines or on the front lines of French trenches.
The game has a multiplayer mode for 64 players, which will immerse us in the most absolute chaos of battles.
You will be able to live the most physical confrontations or dedicate yourself to directing your company of heroes in a realistic battlefield, so if you like military strategy games, you will enjoy it a lot.
Pros
Vehicle battles: The possibility of using vehicles is one of the strengths of the Battlefield saga, in this fifth installment, you will be able to use a great variety of land, sea and air vehicles.
Weapons: Battlefield V has a huge variety of weapons, with realistic sounds and looks.
Setting: The return to the origins of the saga has been a success. The scenarios are very realistic, which helps the player to immerse himself in the battle.
Cons
Destruction: Although the scenarios are interactive and have a certain degree of destruction, this is inconsistent, which reduces the realism of the battles.
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
The new installment of Animal Crossing is considered by players and specialized critics as one of the best strategy games of 2022. With a fun and carefree aesthetic, it offers unlimited freedom to the player who can become whatever they want and do whatever they want with your island.
This real-time strategy game allows the player to customize his island down to the smallest detail, creating a unique character to represent him and dedicating himself to any activity that strikes his fancy, from working in his garden to sunbathing on the beach.
You will have total freedom to build your island at your own pace and do what you want, do you want to chat with your friends? Then invite them to your island for coffee. If you prefer to be alone and relax, you can go fishing or simply spend time improving and decorating your home.
On each island, up to 8 players can live together through local or online multiplayer mode. Together you can collect materials, build or play.
Pros
Freedom: Animal Crossing: New Horizon allows the player to do whatever they want, from participating in a fishing tournament, painting a picture, or lying down in the sun.
Customization: The level of customization of characters and environment is very high, allowing each inhabitant of Animal Crossing to be unique.
Cons
Clock: The game bases its day and night cycles on real life, that is, it is synchronized with the normal clock. This can be a problem for late-night players who will find all in-game stores closed.
3. Age of Empires III – Complete Collection
Age of Empires is one of the most mythical sagas of PC strategy games. The third installment was considered by specialized critics as the best strategy game. We will be able to choose between different civilizations such as European, Asian or Native American, to develop and expand an empire.
Each of these civilizations will have powerful leaders who will help us in the management and expansion of our empires, they will also have unique buildings and units that reflect the style and culture of each of them.
The player will have at his disposal elements of the New World, technological advances, as well as the possibility of making alliances with other civilizations.
In addition, the main campaign will allow you to relive the discovery of America, the fights for territory, navigation through the Amazon, fight for the sunken treasures on the Caribbean coast and the establishment of trade routes from East to West.
Pros
Quality : Age of Empires is synonymous with a quality strategy game. Each game in this saga has been placed at the top of the sales charts and this one is no less.
Scenario Builder: The Scenario Builder will allow you to extend the life of the game beyond campaigns and multiplayer. You will be able to create your own scenarios and put your strategist skills into practice.
Cons
Advanced Strategy: Unlike more modern strategy games, Age of Empires III does not have any advanced strategy options, especially during combat.
4. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
Through his Civilization games, for many players, Sid Meier has been answering the question of what is the best strategy game for many years.
With this new installment, we could be facing the definitive Civilization, putting the rubric on what has been an impeccable career and rising as one of the best strategy games for PC.
Like all Civilization games, it’s quietly paced and fairly straightforward, much like your old board game. Civilization games are turn-based strategy games, whose operation is based on knowing how to take advantage of each movement.
Each unit or city will be able to carry out a series of actions that will require more or fewer turns and that will be: explore, expand, exploit resources and kill enemies.
The options are almost endless, being able to create settlements, expand them, destroy enemy civilizations, absorb them, reach pacts and alliances… This installment comes with a new and simpler interface and many game options.
Pros
Graphic aspect: Civilization VI has made a significant graphic leap, although the world is still divided into hexagons, the artistic section is impeccable, very careful and colorful.
Interface: Another big change from previous installments is its interface. In this game, you will be able to enjoy clear, simple and very easy to manage tables.
Cons
Enemy AI: The enemy artificial intelligence is a bit strange, sometimes it is very demanding and other times it is very easy to defeat it.
5. The Escapist 2
In The Escapist 2, the player will once again enjoy that isolated and self-sufficient world of prisons. The mission, again, will be to develop an escape plan that may be subtle and silent or a complete hubbub with mutiny included.
In the process of escaping, we will have to solve the daily problems of a prison or go through everything and continue with our lives, trying to go unnoticed.
If you’re a fan of sandbox-style real-time strategy games, where the player has total freedom, you’ll love The Escapist 2.
It offers a greater number of playable hours than other cheaper options and a truly overwhelming number of objectives and secrets; You can create everything you want from the typical sock with a bar of soap, to a knife made with a comb.
In this second installment, you will be able to enjoy a greater variety of environments, as well as a multiplayer to match.
Pros
Freedom: The game is huge and offers a brutal variety of options. You can do what you want and draw the escape plan that you want. Craft items, solve problems to earn favors, and explore all the jails in the game.
Variety: One of the most criticized aspects of the first part was the lack of variety in the prisons, something that has been solved in this installment with the inclusion of themed prisons and even transit prisons like the Con Air plane.
Cons
Originality: The first game was very original at the time, but if you played it, you might not find much of a difference between the first and second installments.
6. Kalypso Railway Empire PC Basic
If you are a train lover and you are wondering which strategy game to buy, Railway Empire is for you. It is a quiet game, which focuses its operation on resource management and direction.
It offers many hours of gameplay, with options ranging from targeted campaigns to a “sandbox” mode, in which you can create your railway empire with absolute freedom.
To master all the options, you will have to invest many hours. Not only will you need to collect and manage the materials for crafting, but you will need to buy the land you want to lay tracks on, attend land auctions, and control all the station details if you want people to use your trains.
You will have to fight against other companies, buying and selling shares, until you control each path of the game.
The campaigns serve as an introduction and a short tutorial, taking the player through various eras, but in the end we are faced with a difficult game, which requires a lot of time to control.
Pros
Game Time: Railway Empire is one of those games that never ends. You can spend months playing with it and there will always be something to do.
Updates: The game has continued to receive updates for years, expanding gameplay possibilities. In addition, the players themselves have added and created content, so you can keep playing for a long time.
Cons
Difficulty: Although it could also be a pro, the difficulty and the huge number of options and management possibilities can be overwhelming for novice players.
7. Sudden Strike 4 Complete Collection
Sudden Strike is one of the longest-running strategy game sagas, with more than 17 years behind it, its games set in World War II continue to delight fans of the genre.
Sudden Strike 4 allows the player to relive the first scenarios of this war conflict, such as the invasion of Poland by the Germans and, step by step, to go through the main scenarios of Europe, such as the Normandy landings.
Sudden Strike 4 offers many hours of gameplay and great options, with a very affordable price, it could be considered the best value for money strategy game.
You will have three campaigns, one for each side (Allies, Germans and Russians), in which through images and text based on real operations, we will learn more about how the War was.
These types of PS4 strategy games are ideal for lovers of history and the most realistic strategy.
Pros
Realism: If you are a history lover, Sudden Strike 4 offers hours of entertainment, with real images and information about the missions.
Controls: Strategy games don’t usually play well with a controller, however, Sudden Strike 4 handles great with Sony’s DualShock 4.
Cons
Tutorial: The Sudden Strike 4 tutorial is really short, it just teaches how to move troops and how to manage units. For a game as complex as this, some more help would be appreciated.
8.Halo Wars 2 Standard Edition
There are few games that attract as many fans as this one. For many players around the world, Halo is the best brand of strategy and shooting games and with this Halo Wars 2, they offer us an icon of strategy games. The game places us 28 years after the events of the first Halo Wars and close to Halo 5.
It is a challenging strategy game, but at the same time accessible and, above all, very solid. The single player mode, with its extensive campaign, offers hours of adaptation, with a very smooth learning curve.
It offers different levels in which to collect resources, build buildings and create units to complete objectives.
The controls are very intuitive and allow the player to control units and select them with ease, even using the console controller. The interface is clean and comfortable, so you’ll know what you’re doing at all times.
Pros
Blitz Mode: In this mode, the player will have a series of cards, which he can deploy on the ground, to convert into attack units. It is a somewhat risky, but fun way.
Graphics: The graphics and in general the entire technical section of the game are impeccable. It shows that they have put a lot of care into every detail.
Cons
Campaign: The campaign mode is somewhat short, which can be a problem for players who do not want to play online.
9. Panzer Tactics HD
If you are looking for cheap and entertaining PC games with a classic touch, Panzer Tactics HD is your best option. It is a strategy game with a very simple interface, in which we will play on a board of hexagons, on which we will place our units, represented with all fidelity.
It is a turn-based strategy game that forces the player to study the entire battlefield before each move.
Each unit has its advantages and disadvantages, in addition the terrain plays a main role, being able to become your ally or your enemy. To win, you will have to manage your money and resources, move your units and anticipate the enemy’s movements.
The campaign has a short duration, especially for those who are most fond of the genre. However, it offers many possibilities, as each unit has many characteristics, making each matchup unique.
Pros
Units: Units have a very classic 2D design. Each one is unique and offers a wide variety of movement and fighting options, depending on the terrain and other factors.
Gameplay: One of the strengths of this title is its classic gameplay. Strategy lovers will appreciate the board and its squares, and will enjoy it.
Cons
Combat system : For players less accustomed to this type of game, the turn-based combat system, together with the variety of options for each unit, can make development somewhat tedious.
10. World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth: Standard Edition
World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth belongs to the category of online strategy games, in which we can create our own character, choosing between twelve races and classes, to fully immerse ourselves in the battle for the world of Azeroth.
World of Warcraft has been around for over ten years and has several million active players, so you’ll always have something to do.
Level up, discover a huge world and complete the main missions in a game that has no end.
Get the best armor possible, join other adventurers to delve into deep dungeons or dedicate yourself to collecting pets and mounts. With this new expansion, experience first-hand the final confrontation between the Alliance and the Horde, in a war that will change everything.
Discover two new continents, new dungeons for five or more players, new weapons and armor, and new races that will join you to continue the fight.
Pros
Quality: World of Warcraft has been more than ten years old and continues to gather millions of users every day. For critics and fans, it is one of the best games of the time.
Number of players: WoW has a population of more than 4 million players worldwide, which ensures that you will always have someone to share your adventures with.
Cons
Payment: Unlike the rest of the games on this list, World of Warcraft requires a monthly subscription, so you will have to pay a fee every month to access it.
Shopping guide
We continue with our guide to buying the best strategy game, explaining the main features you should look at before choosing the most suitable one for you. You have to bear in mind that there is a wide variety of games on the market, with very different themes and mechanics, so you must choose the one that best suits your tastes and needs.
Mechanics
Gameplay is surely the most important feature of a strategy game. This type of game offers a wide variety of mechanics, from the quietest to the most active. Some games offer the player the possibility to freely develop a character, a world or an empire, working, alone or in company, to accumulate resources with which to expand their world. These games are calmer, ideal for all those players who are looking for a calm experience and who just want to disconnect for a while.
Other games offer turn-based mechanics. These are usually war strategy games, which offer the player a turn in which they will have to manage all their resources and study in detail what their next step will be, similar to how they would do in a game of chess. These games are usually complex, with many different options and a very complete configuration and management system.
You can also find real time strategy games, these offer much more action to the player. The system is usually faster, collecting resources, building and studying the terrain at all times, to prevent the enemy from attacking us and catching us off guard. The mechanics of this type of game are usually simpler, but that does not mean that they are simple games, on the contrary, some of them are quite a challenge for the player.
theme
Continuing with our comparison of strategy games, we are going to review the themes, since they are another important factor. In the market, you will find games with themes for all tastes.
Some of these games have children’s themes, in them the player can create their character and their island, these types of games are simpler, although they carry a certain depth and difficulty, since they have many options, but they are more focused on children. You will also find games with business themes or “Tycoon” type, which will allow you to build an empire, this theme is very varied and there are options for everything, from the railway, to a hospital, an amusement park or a city.
On the other hand, the most common theme in strategy games is usually warfare. In this sense, the player can find a wide variety of scenarios, from the most realistic, which will put you in the boots of the soldiers of the Second World War, the Napoleonic Wars or the First World War, going through the real scenarios of the battles, even science fiction or fantasy games, which will put us in command of futuristic armies or great dragons.
game options
The game options are another feature that you should look at before choosing a game. This factor can influence how much it costs, since if you choose a game with monthly fees, you will have to be willing to pay a little each month to access all the options of the game. Furthermore, some games also offer microtransactions, for example to buy better units or buildings.
In this sense, most games offer different campaigns that can be played alone and that will tell the player a story. In addition to different solo game options, with “sandbox” game modes in which total freedom of action and decision is offered.
If you like challenges, you should look for games that have multiplayer modes, either online or locally. Being able to play against other people is very important for some players who are looking for a challenge that is not usually available to artificial intelligences or who simply enjoy competition or collaboration.
Price
Price remains an important factor in the purchase decision. Most of the games, when they have been on the market for a while, usually begin to lower the price, so if you opt for a more classic game, you can get one of the great titles at a very affordable price. In addition, from time to time the developers launch offers, which allow you to get that much-desired game at the best price.
Frequently asked questions
Q1: How to use a strategy game?
The first thing will be to install the game. If you have bought it in physical format you will have to insert the disc in the drive of the PC or console, if you have bought it in digital format, you will simply have to download the installer and start its installation. This process can take several minutes, everything will depend on the extension of the game file, so we recommend that you be patient at this point.
Once the game is installed on your computer or console, you only have to select the game icon and launch it. All available options will appear on the home screen of the game. Here you can select if you want to play alone or against other players, as well as the game possibilities within each option.
If you have never played this type of game, our recommendation is that you start with the game’s tutorial, since in this way you will learn how all the controls work, as well as the management of resources and units, along with the construction options available.
Q2: How to install a strategy game?
The games, whether they are purchased in physical format, CD or DVD, or in digital format must be installed. For the physical format, you must insert the disk into your computer or console, wait for the options to appear and select “Install”; this process can take a few minutes depending on how long the game is.
For games in digital format, you must download the file or enter the code offered by the developer and carry out the same actions that we have explained above.
Q3: What is the best strategy game ever?
Although it will largely depend on the tastes of each player, among experts and the press, the Civilization saga has always been considered the best strategy game in history, thanks to the influence it has had on all the games of this genre, as well as the great depth of options and game available.
Q4: Can I play a PC strategy game online with a PS4 player?
It will depend on each game to be able to play against players from other platforms. Although many games already have the “crossplatform” option that allows a PS4 player to play against a PC player, it will depend on each title. You should look for this option among the details offered by the manufacturer.
Q5: How does a turn-based strategy game work?
These games work in a similar way to a board game like chess. On each turn, the game is put into a kind of pause. In this time, the player can decide what his next move will be.
During your turn you will have to manage your base, your buildings, the collection of resources and the next movements of your units. Once you have finished performing your actions, you must select the option to pass the turn and then it will be the enemy’s turn.
