15 – Age of Mythology: Retold
Age of Mythology is one of the best real-time strategy games ever made and certainly has some of the most memorable moments put to code. So it’s no surprise that when Age of Mythology: Retold came out, I was excited to see one of my favourite strategy game titles being given the modern treatment. I’m glad to say that Age of Mythology: Retold over delivered on every single expectation placed upon it by my nostalgic brain. It delivers a modernized and visually stunning reimagining of the classic real-time strategy game, immersing players in the mythical worlds of ancient Greece, Egypt, and Norse civilizations. This game distinguishes itself from its historically grounded Age of Empires counterpart with a blend of historical strategy with mythological elements, featuring powerful gods, mythical creatures, and divine powers that significantly impact gameplay. It builds upon the original’s core mechanics with enhanced visuals, improved gameplay features, and a refined user interface, making it both nostalgic and accessible. If you’re looking for an amazing real-time strategy (RTS) single-player campaign to play in 2025, Age of Mythology: Retold is precisely the title you’re looking for.
14 – Into The Breach
From the minds of FTL: Faster Than Light, Into the Breach is a turn-based strategy game that challenges players to defend humanity from an onslaught of giant alien creatures known as the Vek (imagine the Pacific Rim creatures, and you’ll be right on the money). Players command a team of powerful mechs, each with unique abilities, and must strategically use them on grid-based maps to fight off the Vek and protect the human population in the cities and towns. The game focuses on the need of players to anticipate the enemy movement, as you can see what they’re going to do on their turn, and expertly plan around that, by prioritizing targets, setting up kill-chains and combos and using their mech’s abilities to move the enemies around into disadvantageous positions or into attacking one another. It’s a very addicting gameplay loop, that when it’s paired up with its small mission time and rogue-lite campaign system is set to keep you coming back to replay it again and again, to unlock new teams of mechs. Oh, that’s right, the game has a lot of different mech teams, each of them with their unique theme, skills and abilities to learn and play around with.
Its focus on turn-based decision-making, risk management, and squad synergy makes it a standout choice for those seeking a highly rewarding and intense strategy game in 2025.
13 – Marvel: Midnight Suns
Marvel’s Midnight Suns is one of my favourite games of all time. I cannot tell you enough how much I love the premise behind this strategy game set in the Marvel Universe: Players take control of a group of legendary heroes, including the Avengers, X-Men, and other iconic Marvel characters, to fight against dark forces threatening the world. The game combines a card and deck system, and turn-based tactical combat with an engaging narrative, allowing players to customize their heroes, develop unique abilities, and engage in strategic battles against formidable and well-known Marvel nemesis. In between missions players will explore the mansion, a place out of time and space, where they can get to know their fellow superhero companions, develop relationships with their team members, forge alliances and unlock powerful synergies. The game was made by the team behind XCOM, and it shows, that the tactical battles are as in-depth and engaging as the alien-slaying enterprise.
With its deep character customization, immersive Marvel storytelling, and strategic combat mechanics, Marvel’s Midnight Suns offers an exciting and unique experience for both strategy enthusiasts and Marvel fans and makes it a standout title for strategy and superhero fans alike in 2025.
12 – Cities: Skylines
If you’re a player looking for a city-building game, there’s only one right choice. That choice is Cities: Skylines, a Paradox title that provides a modern and expansive take on the city-building simulation genre, empowering players to design and manage their dream metropolises. Cities: Skylines will have you trying to understand the deep simulation behind urban design systems, intricate traffic management, detailed zoning controls, and figuring out how to establish efficient public services like energy, water, sewer systems, schools, security, firefighting and everything else in between.
The core gameplay centres on creating and maintaining a thriving city, demanding players balance economic growth, citizen well-being, and environmental sustainability, but the part that keeps people coming back time and time again is the vibrant modding community with hundreds of thousands of mods that turn Cities: Skylines into whatever you want it to be. If you’re a Sim City 4 lover back in the early 2000s and want to experience that same feeling in 2025, Cities: Skylines is the undisputed strategy king of city management.
11 – Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun delivers a masterfully crafted real-time tactics experience, immersing players in the stealthy and strategic world of feudal Japan, in a way no other game has done before or since. Mimimi’s games took direct inspiration from the likes of Commandos, and the game has a colourful cast of characters, each with unique abilities, and the game throws you to some of the most intricate and well-designed levels in all of video gaming history. You’re tasked with making the most of your characters in some of the most brain-twisting missions of all time. Players must master the art of stealth, utilizing environmental awareness and character synergy to overcome heavily guarded locations.
If you’re looking for a stealth strategy experience similar to other games like Desperados 3 or Commandos, then Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is the stealth-strategy game you should be playing in 2025, offering a compelling and immersive stealth experience no other game can match.
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