4 – ISLANDERS

Just like Thronefall, ISLANDERS is one of Steam’s top-rated games of all time, with an overwhelmingly positive rating of 95%, and it isn’t hard to see why. It’s a minimalist strategy game where players must build cities on islands by creating combos with building placement to increase their high scores and unlock new and more advanced buildings to play. Each session can last from a couple of minutes on the smaller islands to 20 to 30 minutes if the terrain is truly challenging. There’s also a sandbox mode if you really want to create the perfect seaside town without the pressure of high scores. It’s a relaxing and thoughtful experience that’s also incredibly addictive and so satisfying to play, especially if the allure of high scores is too much for you to resist. Thanks to its minimalist design, fast round structure, and highly replayable procedural islands, ISLANDERS remains one of the best quick-session strategy games for players who want satisfying strategic depth in just a few minutes of play.

3 – FTL: Faster Than Light

It’s incredible how often FTL: Faster Than Light makes a show in my recommendations, from the best strategy games set in space to the most influential strategy games of all time. The fact is that FTL is just that good. This indie darling from 2012 has accrued over 45000 Steam reviews, and it’s sitting at a 95% overwhelmingly positive Steam rating, objectively making it a fan favorite. It’s also a perfect game for quick gaming sessions, because combat encounters only last for a couple of minutes at a time, they can be paused at any time (because you need to check if nothing is burning on the stove), and there’s an overarching progression that allows you to always return to your run. The spaceship management is simple, and each decision will have massive implications down the line. Individual play sessions can be short, but at least they’re highly engaging, and the game has plenty of ships to unlock and hundreds of mods to try. It’s one of my favorite games of all time.

2 – Tactical Breach Wizards

Tactical Breach Wizards is one of the best strategy games ever made, period. Not only that, but it is also one of the best games for players who are looking for quick gaming sessions, since most of its missions only last a couple of turns, and one can be done with them in a matter of 10 to 15 minutes, maybe even less in the earlier stages of the game. Players lead a team of tactical wizards in Kevlar, where silenced wands, a gun that revives people by shooting at them, and a machine gun are not only pieces of equipment that just… exist, but also pretty damn standard. The game’s campaign is just excellent, the humor is top-notch, and the XCOM-like nature of its turn-based strategy combat is perfect.

Pages: 1 2 3 4