10 Strategy Games Most Haven’t Played, But Definitely Should

The strategy genre is a collection of styles that have helped turn the video game industry into fertile ground for impressive ideas, especially considering how long it has been around.

Although we often reduce it to management sims or so-called 4X titles, the concept is broad enough to encompass experiences that are virtually polar opposites.

Over the decades, many popular franchises have become firmly established, so their cloud has grown large enough to overshadow countless games whose names you may never have even heard.

Therefore, to shine a light on these creations that also have something valuable to offer fans of the niche, I invite you to read this list of ten strategy games that most people haven't played but definitely should.

10 This is the Police

Managing Crime

This Is the Police Strategy Adventure Indie Released August 2, 2016 ESRB mature 17+ Developer(s) Weappy Studio Publisher(s) HandyGames, THQ Nordic Genre(s) Strategy, Adventure, Indie

While the idea of ​​embodying a state's law enforcement apparatus has never particularly fascinated me, I must admit This Is the Police puts a spin on it that I find truly enjoyable.

Its minimalist, distinctive art style plays a major role, but even more significant is the way it blends police force management and the crimes they handle with mechanics practically lifted from a visual novel.

Making decisions, ranging from dialogue choices to personnel allocation, becomes gripping when you factor in the various pressure groups surrounding you. You must contend with politicians, journalists, and criminals, while being forced to succumb to the world's systemic corruption.

That said, This Is the Police relies far more on reading and moral reflection than most strategy games, so it's worth noting its narrative weight is significantly higher than the genre standard.

9 Attack of the Earthlings

On the Alien Side

Attack of the Earthlings Strategy Released February 8, 2018 ESRB T For Teen Due To Violence, Blood, Crude Humor, Use of Tobacco Developer(s) Team Junkfish Publisher(s) Junkfish Limited Engine Unity Genre(s) Strategy

The trope of humans as the ultimate evil has been widely explored across the arts in general and video games in particular, though Attack of the Earthlings takes a particularly charming approach to the concept.

Rather than burying human villainy in the subtext, the game puts you directly in control of a swarm of alien lifeforms fighting to defend themselves against a profit-driven colonization effort by humans, who are portrayed as cartoonishly malevolent and greedy.

This turn-based game derives much of its appeal from its comedic tone and stealth mechanics, but it wins you over the moment it gets you to bond with the aliens rather than your own kind.

Attack of the Earthlings is a lightweight, bite-sized take on XCOM that can occasionally be predictable, yet let me say without reservation that we need more strategy games that don't take themselves so seriously.

8 Warstone TD

Relaxing Entertainment

Release Date

May 23, 2018

Developer(s)

Battlecruiser Games

Publisher(s)

Battlecruiser Games

Platform(s)

PC

How Long To Beat

18 Hours

OpenCritic Rating

n/a

Since I was young, the tower defense genre has been a favorite of mine thanks to the accessibility and depth of its concepts. Few experiences have recaptured that feeling quite like Warstone TD.

Without reinventing the wheel, Battlecruiser Games focused on creating a highly competent entry in the genre, offering a 2.5D format with impressive visuals and, even more importantly, a wealth of gameplay systems.

Unit placement, skill trees, building construction in a hub, resource gathering, difficulty modes... it packs in enough elements to provide as many hours of fun as you care to invest, whether you're playing with full focus or keeping it running in the background while attending to other tasks.

While it may not be a mainstream strategy subgenre, I would argue that Warstone TD ranks among the best in its niche, making it an excellent choice for veterans seeking casual entertainment and for newcomers eager to discover the satisfaction of tower defense games.

7 Arashi Gaiden

One-Way Slaughter Lines

Arashi Gaiden Action Turn-Based Strategy Released July 14, 2025 ESRB Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Language, Violence Developer(s) Statera Studio, Wired Dreams Studio Publisher(s) Nuntius Games, Vsoo Games Genre(s) Action, Turn-Based Strategy

Over the years, straight-line, continuous-movement titles have given us outstanding strategy and puzzle campaigns, including Arashi Gaiden, which has become my personal favorite.

Rather than simply limiting you to choosing the sequence of directions to follow in each level, the title adds a significant tactical layer by granting you special abilities and introducing a wide variety of enemies and environmental hazards, turning every room into a genuine strategic maze.

Managing your health and mana while steamrolling everything in your path, bouncing off walls to redirect yourself toward your next target, is both demanding and magnificent, especially during boss encounters.

It's a rather short, focused title that might feel fleeting in a genre accustomed to lengthy experiences, yet that does nothing to diminish the value of Arashi Gaiden'struly creative ideas.

6 Railway Empire

Trains Were Never Better

Railway Empire Simulation Released January 26, 2018 ESRB e Publisher(s) Kalypso Media Genre(s) Simulation

Even though I wouldn't count myself among the most devoted fans of this mode of transport, it's incredible how easily one loses track of the hours spent on this outstanding railway network management simulator, largely due to its sheer depth of content.

You might not realize it, but the world of trains is really vast, and deciding where routes run, who operates the locomotives, and even the buildings the tracks wind around is a genuinely alluring experience.

Railway Empire is quite challenging and leans toward the less accessible end of the spectrum, yet it remains one of the most uncommon and immersive strategy titles I have ever had the pleasure of playing.

5 Oriental Empires

An Evident Depth

Oriental Empires Simulation Strategy Released September 14, 2017 ESRB m Engine unity Genre(s) Simulation, Strategy

While video games themed around China have become increasingly popular in recent years, Oriental Empires was already revealing the immense potential of that ancient culture to me back in the last decade.

I must admit I'm not a huge fan of the 4X genre, yet I absolutely loved this particular title, as it made me feel like I was genuinely managing the complexities of an entire territory, with diplomacy playing a pivotal role.

From exchanging prisoners and navigating family power struggles to keeping your settlement populations happy, deciphering market economics, and engaging in turn-based combat where both sides move simultaneously, it's truly impressive from its first system to its last.

Oriental Empires serves as a fantastic vehicle for the fantasy of building your own nation, and its depth is such that it holds its own against the greatest titles in the genre's lineage.

4 Arco

Strategic Revenge Plots

Arco RPG Released August 16, 2024 Publisher(s) Panic Genre(s) RPG

Speaking of unique combinations, Arco is one of those adventures that, once it clicks, makes you fall completely in love with everything it offers, even though it leans more toward tactical action than traditional strategy.

This series of revenge tales plays out somewhere between real-time and turn-based combat, requiring sharp positioning, resource management, and decision-making skills to survive its lawless landscapes.

Thanks to its remarkable world-building and beautiful pixel art, Arco draws you into its storylines and battles with surprising ease, especially through features like spirits of the fallen haunting your steps to really help convey the feeling of a journey with genuine consequences.

It's by no means a typical recommendation for the genre, though I believe that's precisely where its greatest value lies: in striking a balance between the best of both worlds.

3 Vultures - Scavengers of Death

An Unexpected Symbiosis of Genres

Release Date

May 13, 2026

Developer(s)

Team Vultures

Publisher(s)

Firesquid, Gamersky Games

Platform(s)

PC

How Long To Beat

14½ Hours

OpenCritic Rating

81

Terror and strategy have gone hand in hand ever since survival horror games began incorporating resource scarcity into their mechanics, but Vultures - Scavengers of Death adds an even more unexpected twist.

Beyond managing limited resources, the game swaps the genre's typical fixed or over-the-shoulder camera angles for an isometric perspective and turn-based combat executed on grids, where action points dictate your ability to attack and move.

Leveraging the environment and carefully managing your positioning, including the use of stealth to gain an edge in battle, are key to the combat in this Resident Evil-inspired story, as its superb atmosphere, art style, and lighting design successfully create a sense of tension, regardless of the gameplay format.

Vultures - Scavengers of Death represents one of the most intriguing and effective mechanical blends seen in 2026, making it an essential indie title for the year in my honest view.

2 Chroma Squad

The Best TV Show

Chroma Squad RPG Strategy Released April 30, 2015 ESRB T for Teen - Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence Developer(s) Behold Studios Publisher(s) Behold Studios, Bandai Namco Entertainment Genre(s) RPG, Strategy

Video games often aim to encapsulate fantasy worlds and transport us to places reality cannot reach, though Chroma Squad subverts this desire by having you assemble the fable yourself rather than simply living it.

Stepping into the shoes of a group of actors creating a Power Rangers-style TV show, focusing not just on turn-based combat but also on the set design and costumes that make the exhibit possible, is simply brilliant.

Your battle isn't against the forces of evil, but against the performance expectations of your show, as you must maintain its financial viability by putting on spectacular interpretations that allow you to boost production values ​​and further improve the show.

It functions like a standard strategy game, yet everything surrounding said core is humorous, fascinating, and unique, making it a truly outstanding breath of fresh air for the genre.

1 Death Howl

A Duel in the Afterlife

Death Howl Deckbuilding Digital Card Game Soulslike Tactical Released December 9, 2025 ESRB Teen / Blood and Gore, Violence Developer(s) The Outer Zone Publisher(s) 11 Bit Studios Genre(s) Deckbuilding, Digital Card Game, Soulslike, Tactical

Embodying many of the reasons why certain titles made this list, Death Howl is a superb creation that can't be described as anything less than one of the decade's finest indies.

Wandering through the afterlife as Ro, who is grieving the loss of her child and seeking a way to bring him back, is a great experience from every angle, featuring a poignant story, flawless pixel art, immersive sound design, and truly addictive gameplay.

Death Howl blends Metroidvanias' nonlinearity and passive customization with the deck-building mechanics of card games and the grid-based layouts of turn-based combat titles, which results in a demanding amalgamation of systems where you must reinvent yourself in each biome to overcome every challenge.

You explore, gather resources, build your deck, and execute tactics in a game where failure is part of the process, especially when facing the imposing, majestic bosses that force you to refine your strategy down to the last detail.

With a perfectly balanced amount of content, a timeless aesthetic, and a gameplay concept that's as impressive as it is entertaining, this is a game that no strategy fan should miss, nor should anyone who has never played a title in the genre before.