The Best 4X Strategy Games Are Here, In 2025
After penning lists on all other major genres of strategy gaming, I’ll close this 2025 cycle of “The 10 Best Strategy Games To Play In 2025” with the 4X strategy genre—where players Explore, Expand, Exploit, and Exterminate—which has been a cornerstone of PC gaming for decades. From building a space-faring empire to forging a new fantasy civilization, these games offer an unparalleled depth of strategic choice.
In 2025, the genre is more vibrant than ever, with new contenders, major updates to beloved classics, and a continued focus on player-driven storytelling, where “one more turn” is, in fact, the ultimate goal. Whether you’re a long-time fan or a newcomer looking for your next obsession, I’ve compiled a list of the 10 best 4X strategy games that you can play right now. This is, of course, my own opinion, but I would love to hear yours, so leave me a comment down below and tell me what you think!
10 – Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War
For players who believe that “Exterminate” is the most important part of the 4X formula, Warhammer 40,000: Gladius – Relics of War is a brutal, combat-focused masterpiece. Stripping away the niceties of diplomacy and trade, this game funnels all its energy into a deeply satisfying, turn-based military strategy experience set in the grimdark universe of the 41st Millennium. With a massive roster of over a dozen lore-accurate factions, the game’s continuous support with new content and balancing updates ensures that its singular focus on total war remains fresh and engaging for strategy fans in 2025. This game is perfect for those of you who, like myself, would rather engage with the combat mechanics of 4X games, instead of all the fluff around it. The game also goes on sale fairly often, at a cheap price.
9 – Sins of a Solar Empire II
I might have called Sins of a Solar Empire II the best RTS of 2024, but it’s one of the most unique strategy games ever made, and highly regarded and beloved because of that. A unique hybrid of 4X strategy and real-time tactics, Sins of a Solar Empire II stands out in 2025 for its epic galactic battles and its revolutionary real-time orbital mechanics. Unlike other space strategy games, planets and moons in Sins II follow realistic orbits, constantly changing the strategic landscape and making every battle a dynamic, tense affair. With a full release in 2024 and its first major DLC adding new planet types and AI improvements in 2025, Sins II has delivered a complete and highly polished experience that combines the grand scale of a 4X with the tactical satisfaction of an RTS.
I would highly recommend Sins of a Solar Empire II to players who might be particular fans of RTS but have never gotten into 4X. This is a perfect entryway that blends both, without sacrificing either.
8 – Zephon
From the creators of the game in the number 10 spot, Warhammer 40,000: Gladius, came Zephon, a new and promising post-apocalyptic 4X game that has made a name for itself in 2025. The game has the same combat-focused gameplay as Relics of War, but instead of aliens, it’s now with a unique narrative of Lovecraftian horrors and rogue AI. The game’s recently released DLC, “The Twisted & The Hollow,” has further expanded its lore and replayability, making it a must-play for fans of turn-based strategy who appreciate a dark and compelling story that goes beyond simple world domination. Unlike Gladius, though, in Zephon there’s also diplomacy. I have placed the game in this list mainly because of its unique setting and how it changed the pace of gameplay, as you’re not just fighting factions, but fighting the whole environment and retaking control of Earth.
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