7 – Earth vs Mars
I played Earth vs Mars some time ago during one of the Steam Next Fest events and had a lot of fun with it. This turn-based tactical strategy game, set to release on October 29, 2025, is a massive departure from what developer Relic Entertainment (known for Company of Heroes and Age of Empires IV) is used to creating.
Earth vs Mars adopts a retro, cartoonish aesthetic and gameplay inspired directly by Advance Wars. The core of the game is a fight for survival as Earth’s military defends the planet from a full-scale Martian invasion featuring high-tech saucers, grav-tanks, elite alien warriors, and all kinds of shenanigans. Humanity’s secret weapon? The “Splice-O-Tron,” a machine that allows players to combine human ‘volunteers’ with Earth creatures to create bizarre and powerful hybrid super-soldiers. This kind of premise, despite being very silly, is perfect for a video game, and I’m all here for it—especially since the Spliced units are really overpowered and super fun to use! If you want to give it a go, there’s a demo available on Steam.
6 – Plants vs Zombies: Replanted
One silly game, now another? Is this really Strategy and Wargaming? Yes, don’t go away, listen to me! Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted is the definitive, official HD remaster of the classic 2009 tower defense game that laid the seeds (ah!) for an entire franchise, including a weird third-person shooter in the 2010s. Developed by PopCap Games and set for a multi-platform release on October 23, 2025, Plants vs Zombies: Replanted brings the beloved lane-based gameplay into the modern era with enhanced graphics, new levels, and even more content. It also introduces a local co-op mode and a brand-new game mode called Cloudy Day, where sunlight is limited.
5 – Surviving Mars: Relaunched
Paradox and Haemimont Games are bringing the Elon Musk simulator with Surviving Mars: Relaunched! This definitive, remastered version of the award-winning sci-fi city-builder is set to launch on November 10, 2025. This re-release is a comprehensive package that features upgraded visuals and a refined user interface, includes all previous expansions, and integrates significant reworks to core gameplay systems. It also expands on endgame challenges, including the option to make Mars independent from Earth—possibly its most notable addition! Having never played the original, I cannot complain about this, but a lot of players are asking the question “do we really need a new version of a 2018 game?” Well, I think this might be the perfect time to jump into it and see how good the formula really is.
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