20 – Manor Lords
When I reviewed Manor Lords I called it the best medieval strategy game in the market. Since the game came out, it has only gotten better with its constant updates and new features. Manor Lords is a distinctive strategy game that presents a captivating blend of detailed medieval city-building and strategic real-time battles, offering a uniquely grounded and realistic experience. This game distinguishes itself through its focus on historical accuracy, gridless city construction, and intricate economic and social simulations. Players are tasked with transforming a humble village into a thriving medieval settlement, managing everything from resource production and trade to the needs of their populace, and even its military force because a time will come when swords and spears will be needed to make sure you’re settlement survives plundering bandits and tax-eager noblemen.
19 – Jagged Alliance 3
Let’s be honest, everyone was anxiously waiting for the release of Jagged Alliance 3, hoping that we would finally get a return to form for the series, after a decade of, shall we say, less-than-stellar entries. I’m glad to say that Jagged Alliance 3 is not only a proper JA game, but it’s the best in the whole series and one of the best turn-based strategy (TBS) games you can play in 2025. Delivering a robust and engaging turn-based tactical experience, harkening back to the beloved classics of the genre, Jagged Alliance 3 is set in the fictional nation of Grand Chien, and players take command of a squad of mercenaries tasked with rescuing the kidnapped president and restoring order to a land gripped by chaos. This game distinguishes itself through its intricate turn-based combat, emphasizing stealth and ambushing, proper positioning, weapon customization, and making the most of your mercenary’s unique skill set. It features a diverse roster of mercenaries, each with unique personalities, backstories, and skills, adding depth and replayability. An open RPG structure allows players to explore Grand Chien, manage territories, and make impactful choices that shape the game’s outcome.
18 – Tactical Breach Wizards
It’s undeniable that Tactical Breach Wizards has one of the more unique settings in modern strategy gaming, as you command a team of magical special operation wizards sporting silenced wands, AR magical staffs, and revolvers that revive dead teammates. Despite its funny storyline and quirky characters and dialogue, Tactical Breach Wizards does something very special, as it delivers one of the most entertaining and fresher-take on the turn-based strategy (TBS) scene, with some of the most enjoyable puzzle-like strategy situations where you must make the best use of your magical abilities to survive and advance the story. This game distinguishes itself by emphasizing creative spell combinations and a rewind mechanic, allowing for experimentation without the fear of permanent mistakes. The focus here isn’t just on combat; it’s on solving tactical puzzles with magical flair. Tactical Breach Wizards offers a unique and entertaining experience, appealing to both seasoned strategy enthusiasts and those seeking a more lighthearted approach to the genre.
17 – Against the Storm
Against the Storm delivers a unique blend of roguelike and city-building mechanics, placing players in a world perpetually besieged by a magical storm. You manage diverse populations of beavers, lizards, and humans (and some other creatures who keep on getting added with every new DLC), each with distinct needs, as you establish and expand settlements under the watchful eye of a demanding Queen. This game distinguishes itself through its dynamic weather system and procedurally generated maps, ensuring that every playthrough offers a fresh and challenging experience.
Despite its cartoony nature, Against the Storm is an intricate and tense resource management game, and the constant threat of the Blight demands strategic adaptability. Players navigate complex production chains and balance delicate ecosystems to ensure survival, and every map demands instant adaptation to survive its rogue-lite and punishing nature. The roguelite structure introduces a meta-game layer, where each settlement contributes to a larger, persistent campaign. “Against the Storm” offers a compelling mix of cosy aesthetics and demanding gameplay, making it a standout title for strategy enthusiasts seeking a novel and engaging experience.
16 – Total War: Warhammer III
Creative’s Assembly foray into the Warhammer universe was one of their best ideas, since it’s a match made in heaven: a grand campaign in the Warhammer Old World meets multi-thousand real-time strategy battles of knights, daemons, elves, vampires and Chaos God’s spawns. How about that for a pitch? In all honesty, I do believe that the Warhammer series is where the Total War series shines in 2025.
Total War: Warhammer III delivers an epic and chaotic grand strategy experience that’s the epitome of what a Warhammer game should be like being the best way of concluding the monumental “Total War: Warhammer” trilogy. It distinguishes itself from other games in the genre (and this list) through its massive scale, highly diverse factions (each with their own playstyles, agendas campaign objectives and victory conditions), and the blending of historical strategy with the fantastical Warhammer Fantasy universe. Players are thrust into a world-spanning conflict, navigating the treacherous Realm of Chaos and commanding armies of legendary heroes and monstrous creatures. Total War: Warhammer III offers the most compelling experience for strategy enthusiasts seeking a grand and chaotic adventure set in the Warhammer universe, with a deep strategic layer and thrilling real-time combat.
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