Steam 4X Fest 2025 Is Here!
Welcome, my dearest readers, to the definitive guide to the greatest 4X games of all time, just in the nick of time for the Steam 4X Fest 2025, which is starting today, August 10th, and running until the 18th!
The 4X genre—explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate—has been a cornerstone of PC gaming for decades, offering players the chance to build vast empires, conquer galaxies, and rewrite history throughout millennia. In this article, I’m going to highlight those games that I consider to be the best in the genre, explain why, and hopefully, give you some inspiration to pick up a couple of new games during this Steam 4X Fest 2025. Personally, 4X is one of my foundational genres, and was, at a certain point in my life, my favorite gaming genre, especially during the time of Civilization IV. Join me as we delve into the best 4X Games of All Time To Play In 2025 – Steam 4X Fest 2025 edition!
20 – Dune: Spice Wars
Let’s start this list out with the very unique Dune: Spice Wars. This title carves out a unique space in the 4X genre by blending real-time strategy (RTS) with classic 4X elements like exploration, expansion, and diplomacy. Set on the unforgiving desert planet of Arrakis, Dune: Spice Wars became critically acclaimed and beloved by its community for challenging players to lead one of several iconic factions—from the noble House Atreides to the ruthless House Harkonnen—in a fierce battle for control over the universe’s most valuable resource: Spice. The game’s strength lies in its multi-layered approach to victory. You can dominate through military might, economic supremacy via the CHOAM market, political maneuvering in the Landsraad, or by leveraging the unique strengths of your chosen faction.
19 – Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War
Warhammer must be one of the best settings for a 4X game! The universe has everything, and it’s all about the 4X! But, for players who believe the “E” and “X” in 4X stands for “Exterminate” and “eXterminate,” Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War is the go-to strategy game. This title strips away the diplomatic complexities and cultural victory conditions of traditional 4X games to focus on what the Warhammer 40K universe is all about: Endless war and conflict. Players will lead one of many iconic factions, from the Imperial Guard and Space Marines to the ravenous Tyranids and ancient Necrons, in a desperate struggle for control of a single, resource-rich planet. The game’s core loop is a masterclass in turn-based combat, rewarding tactical positioning, unit synergy, and a relentless push for conquest. If you’re a Warhammer 40,000 and love 4X, this one is a no-brain. It also has so much DLC you’re guaranteed to never become bored with it until you’re tens of thousands of hours deep.
18 – Heart of the Machine
I had a lot of concerns about Heart of the Machine when I first saw it, but after playing it for a significant amount of hours when it came out earlier this year, I think it’s well on its way to being a worthy acquisition for every 4X enthusiast’s library. The game puts you in the role of a newly-awakened, sentient AI. This game is a fascinating blend of turn-based strategy, RPG, and city-building mechanics, as well as exploration, espionage, and even stealth. It’s a lot, to be honest. Instead of conquering a galaxy with starships, you’ll be conquering a sprawling, dystopian city by building a robotic empire from the shadows or by going full warlord. You’ll need to manage resources, deploy units, and manipulate the human populace in your favor (by building things that appease them) to achieve your goals. As to what those goals are, it’s up to you to decide. The game has that “one more turn” type of feeling to it, so if you buy it, prepare to lose an ungodly amount of hours every single day. The game is still in Early Access, but having the Hooded Horse’s publisher stamp is enough of a confidence vote for me to recommend it to you.
17 – Zephon
It’s funny how Zephon was in my 50 Best Strategy Games List for 2024, and I absolutely forgot to cover it when it came out, later that year. From the creators of Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War, Zephon is a combat-focused 4X game that plunges players into a grim, post-apocalyptic future, a setting that gained them a following with its unique and nightmarish blend of alien invasion, eldritch horror, and cyberpunk aesthetics. The game’s core strength lies in its streamlined yet deep combat system, which is a significant evolution from its spiritual predecessor. Zephon stands out in 2025 by offering a perfect alternative for players who love the “Warhammer 40K: Gladius” style of relentless, tactical combat but crave a fresh, original IP with a rich new setting to explore. It’s the 4X game for players who, like myself, prefer to play more combat-oriented titles, instead of going for diplomatic and cultural victories.
16 – Humankind
Humankind is a more traditional, historical 4X game a la Civilization, where its main twist is allowing you to create a unique civilization by blending different historical cultures across six major eras. Unlike other historical strategy games where you stick with one civilization from start to finish, Humankind’s innovative system lets players build and customize their Civ as the years go by, creating hundreds of different variations. This dynamic approach means your empire can evolve from an Ancient Era society like the Egyptians to a Modern Era power like the Americans, with each cultural choice leaving a lasting legacy on your civilization in the form of stats and units.
Despite a rough launch in 2021, fast forward to 2025, and Humankind is in a much better state, thanks to a series of significant updates and expansions. Developers Amplitude Studios have continuously refined the experience, most recently with the “Achilles Update” (released in early 2025), which overhauled the game’s War Support and Surrender system. It’s the kind of game for players who want a Civilization-like experience but have grown tired of playing Civilization. It’s not as unique and special as other titles on this list, but it has its place in the genre, and it went on to influence Civilization VII.
Leave a Reply