5 – Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition
With all of the praise I have bestowed upon the Stronghold franchise since I created Strategy and Wargaming, it would be rather surprising if Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition didn’t make a show on my top 5. Well, here it is! The most beloved castle-building strategy game of all time was brought into 2025 with a stunning amount of upgrades, and it’s my opinion that, of all the strategy game remakes we have seen, Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition is the one with the best bang for your buck. It has a substantial visual upgrade, refined controls, reworked AI, new Lords, new challenges, and new units. It’s not just a remake or a remaster. It’s the best way to play this classic, the same way that Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition became the go-to solution for those who need their Age of Empires fix in 2025. This is everything players have ever wanted for a new Stronghold game: The older games, but with more and better things.
4 – Tempest Rising
For years, players have been clamoring for a game that would revive the golden age of classic RTS design, paired with modern production values, and in 2025, they finally got it! Tempest Rising finally reached digital shelves and provides everyone with the classical formula of fast-paced base-building and action, resource gathering, and crazy faction design, bringing back the thrill of old-school Command & Conquer gameplay (which are some of my favorite titles, ever). Visually, the game looks fantastic, and quite possibly the best-looking real-time strategy of 2025, with its blue and red color palette, vibrant explosions and effects, detailed unit models, and really good readability to boot. Unfortunately, Tempest Rising didn’t use FMVs, and a lot of players were disappointed by it, myself included.
3 – Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition
Is this cheating? I don’t think so. For all intents and purposes, Dawn of War – Definitive Edition brings one of the most influential RTS games ever made into 2025 with a complete visual overhaul, restored content, and modern quality-of-life improvements that make you feel like the game (and yourself) haven’t aged a day. Jokes aside, this was such a positive surprise for me, as someone who had never played the original (in any meaningful way), and I’m so happy I finally managed to experience the campaign of Dawn of War. The remastered visuals breathe new life into the grimdark battlefields of the 41st millennium, with units looking far more detailed, effects are richer, and environments have that unmistakably Warhammer look to them. The classic squad-based tactics, morale system, and fast-paced objective-focused gameplay remain untouched where it matters, with each unit and faction having very unique capabilities. Going forward, this edition stands out as the definitive way to experience the all-time classic action of Dawn of War, and with Dawn of War 4 nearing its release, there’s no better time to jump back into the game that started it all.
2 – Burden of Command
I had to debate myself for days on where I would place Burden of Command. This is one of 2025’s most emotionally powerful and tactically rich strategy experiences, blending turn-based combat with deep leadership mechanics that few games dare to explore. Set during World War II, it puts you in the boots of a U.S. Army captain, forcing you to make difficult calls that shape both the battlefield and the morale of the men who follow you. On one hand, I consider it to be one of the best World War 2 games ever made, because it perfectly encapsulates the kind of experience I personally look forward to in a strategy game: interacting with History and reliving the experiences of those who were there. In that aspect, Burden of Command delivers and surpasses all expectations. On the other hand, I think Burden of Command isn’t without its flaws, and it could use some polishing here and there, and I genuinely think that the number one in this list is a better game, as a game, even if Burden of Command is an all-time favorite of mine.
Leave a Reply