45 – Iron Harvest
Company of Heroes meets World War 1 mech warfare is- probably- the best way to describe Iron Harvest, a real-time strategy game set in an alternate 1920s, where steam-powered mechs dominate the battlefield in a world recovering from the Great War. Players command one of three factions—Polania, Saxony, or Rusviet—each with unique units, abilities, and playstyles. The game combines traditional RTS mechanics very much in the vein of Company of Heroes, like resource management and base-building, and then duke it out in large-scale tactical battles. The game also features a dynamic cover system as well as dynamic damage modelling for mechs. I also think the game has one of the best single-player campaigns around, with plenty of different missions and a story worth experiencing.
44 – Xenonauts 2
What if I told you that OpenXcom isn’t the only way you can experience the highs and lows of the original X-COM? In fact, there’s a much better, and modernized way to do so? Meet Xenonauts 2, the sequel to the massively successful 2014 Xenonauts, a game that delivers a deeply strategic, turn-based tactical experience, being the de facto spiritual successor to classic 90s alien invasion games. It distinguishes itself by the amount of control it handles over players, its focus on challenging combat, and its strategic layer that’s a lot more complex than any of the more recent Xcom games. You’re tasked with leading the resistance against the alien menace and it’s expected that you employ meticulous squad tactics, carefully plan your grand strategy, manage a global network of bases, and research alien technology. If you love X-COM but are looking for a more complex experience, then Xenonauts might be the strategy game you’re looking for in 2025.
43 – Civilization VI
I was really thinking long and hard about where I could put Civilization VI on this list, but given the quality of a lot of the other games in here, I think a middle-of-the-list placement is more than worth it! Civilization VII might have been a bit of a disappointment, but when it comes to 4X, we will always have Civilization VI, which improves on pretty much every aspect of Civilization V. It added a lot of new mechanics and revamped the way cities, tiles and districts work. Its expansions also added a lot of flavour mechanics such as natural disasters, new civilizations and leaders, eras, loyalty, governors and so much more, all the while keeping the core gameplay that makes Civilization so addicting. I would go so far as to say that Civilization VI is the fan’s favourite game of the entire series.
42 – Stronghold: Definitive Edition
“Here he comes again, talking about how he still plays Stronghold every year since it first came out”, I hear you say. Well, that’s true, and what’s even better is the fact that Stronghold got a new, shinier and better version of the 2001 classic in Stronghold: Definitive Edition!
Properly built up to modern standards, this amazing real-time strategy game blends castle and city building, resource gathering, and medieval siege warfare. The Definitive Edition brings remastered graphics and soundtrack, Steam multiplayer and Steam workshop support, as well as a whole new campaign. Alongside Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition, the Stronghold is definitely one of the best ever made, and certainly one of the best strategy games to play in 2025.
41 – Total War: Three Kingdoms
Here we have another Total War entry in the form of Total War: Three Kingdoms, one of Creative Assembly’s more unique titles and certainly a departure from what they were used to doing. Set in the tumultuous period of ancient China during the late Eastern Han Dynasty, players control one of several factions vying for power, using a blend of large-scale tactical battles and deep political strategies to expand their empire. The game features an epic, real-time combat and turn-based strategic management, where players must manage resources, diplomacy, and alliances while engaging in intense warfare to dominate ancient China. Three Kingdoms stands apart from other historical titles by embracing the mythological and fantastical aspects of the Three Kingdoms romance, with its great-than-life characters being absolute beasts on the battlefield. It’s also the only Total War title focused mostly on characters, almost in the vein of Crusader Kings, instead of nations. It’s just a shame that Three Kingdoms development has ceased because the game still had a lot of potential. Nevertheless, it’s still an amazing experience in 2025.
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