The Best PC Strategy Games of the Past
If you look at the index of walkthroughs on this site, you'll see that almost all of them are for real time strategy titles. Clearly this is my favorite type of game in the genre. I've been playing since the original Starcraft, and quickly bounced around to dozens of weird, often bland (in comparison to Starcraft) RTS titles. I eventually moved on to great games like Master of Magic and MOO. These were awesome back in the day, and still would be if I could get dosbox to work properly. Thankfully, most of those old greats have seen upgrades. Master of Orion saw a remake, but it sort of flopped. Winners were Age of Wonders, which captured the feel of the original Master of Magic quite nicely. If you never took the game on, seriously consider giving it a try.
A few recommendations I must make are for Worms World Party and Civilization 3. For people with older PCs, civilization 3 will run quite nicely and provide a very satisfying experience to turn-based strategy fans. People who like to play quirky games with friends over the LAN may enjoy Worms World Party. It's quite fun and often hilarious to watch the worms disappear into the drink propelled by powerful explosions from items like the sheep squadron. Players may find the servers sparsely populated nowadays, but a pair of friends can find themselves hooking up online to while the evening away playing together.
Welcome to the Age of Wonders, once a time of magic and peace. An age swept into the ravaging gale of chaos by the arrival of a single, uninvited race: the Humans. The fragile balance that existed between the ancient races--Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, and other--has changed into a struggle for power and survival in the wake of the turmoil the Humans have brought to the land. Prepare for an adventure where you will uncover wondrous ancient artifacts, awesome magical power, and the secrets of a shattered empire. Ally with the forces of light or darkness to determine the fate of the earth in the Age of Wonders.
Age of Wonders is a strategy game in development by Triumph Studios and Epic MegaGames and is being published by The Gathering of Developers. The setting is a rich fantasy world where magic and primitive technology coexist. Age of Wonders lets you utilize hundreds of fantasy units, heroes, items, and spells to overcome your opponents in strategic and tactical fantasy warfare. Age of Wonders also incorporates role playing and adventure elements, with many mysterious places to explore and a diverse array of characters to encounter.
Play the game in a captivating nonlinear single-player campaign or with friends. In the single-player game, your decisions influence the outcome of the entire fantasy realm. The game features an exciting magic system, including spell research and more than 100 spells spread over seven spheres of magic. You can even hand tailor your heroes as they grow in experience and power.
This software is a native Windows application with DirectX support, and it runs in either a window or full screen. Other features include a point-and-click interface with tool tips and online help; DirectPlay and Play-by-email (PBEM) support for multiple players on a single PC (or over Internet, LAN, modem, or direct connection); a choice of Round Robin or Simultaneous turn schemes for multiplayer games (simultaneous turns greatly speed up multiplayer games!); and a rich, orchestral soundtrack and digitized sound effects.
Click here to buy Age of Wonders for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
- Build the ultimate empire in an epic quest to rule the world.
- This all-in-one collection of the original Civilization III and its two expansions is the perfect opportunity for Civ newcomers to experience the “greatest computer strategy game of all time.”
- Negotiate, trade, conquer, and rule the world. The addictive Sid Meier gameplay gives you many paths to victory by combining diplomatic finesse, cultural domination, and sheer military might.
- Enjoy the definitive Civ III experience. All rule changes, extra scenarios, rebalancing of units, special abilities, additional units, difficulty levels, incremental patches, and other game options wrapped up into one package.
- Includes all Conquest scenarios, multiplayer modes, and 31 playable nations.
Civilization III: Complete is the perfect opportunity to fully experience one of the greatest computer strategy games of all time. This all-in-one collection of the original Civ III game and its two expansion packs (Civilization 3: Play The World, Civilization 3: Conquests) includes all conquest scenarios, multiplayer modes,and 31 playable nations. Negotiate, trade, conquer, and rule the world!
Click here to buy Civilization 3 Complete for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Civilization 3 Complete
Click here to buy the Command and Conquer Collection for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Command and Conquer Generals Deluxe Edition for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Enter the realm of the Sacred Lands, where the dawn of a New Age has set in motion the most momentous of wars. As the prophecies long foretold, four races now clash with swords and sorcery in a desperate bid to control the destiny of their gods. As a champion of the Empire, take on the quest of the Mountain Clans, the Legions of the Damned, or the Undead Hordes and test your faith in battles of brute force, spellbinding magic, and acts of guile. Slay demons, vanquish giants, and combat merciless forces of the dead and undead. But to ensure the salvation of your god, the hero within must evolve.
Click here to buy Disciples: Sacred Lands for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Disciples II: Dark Prophecy returns gamers to the magical realm of the Sacred Lands. Four races--the Empire, the Mountain Clans, the Legions of the Damned, and the Undead Hordes--continue to battle for the destiny of their gods. A decade after the first great war, the final prophecy continues to unfold. Deep within the crevices of the Sacred Lands, the chosen one has emerged, fated to bring salvation to some and destruction to others. Braced with renewed faith and newfound conviction, each race must once again take up the sword for the sake of their people and the glory of their gods.
Unlimited upgrades are possible on all units and leaders. More than 200 individually animated units and 100 animated spells are present in the game. Each race has a unique saga (campaign) that tells the story from its own perspective. Multiplayer options support up to four players through hot seat, LAN, or the Internet. A campaign editor allows you to make your own custom campaigns. An import/export leader function allows you to use developed leaders in multiplayer games or standalone quests.
Click here to buy Disciples 2: Dark Prophecy for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Disciples 2: Guardians of the Light for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Disciples 2: Rise of the Elves for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Disciples 2: Servants of the Dark for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Prepare to serve up worldwide conquest on an epic scale once again with Empire Earth 2 -- the sequel to Gamespy.com's 2001 "PC Game of the Year," Empire Earth. Become the world's greatest conqueror of all time by creating, building, and forging the grandest of all empires as you progress through 15 epochs that span more than 10,000 years of history.
This sequel introduces new units, powers, and leaders through three expansive campaigns and once again sets the standard for real-time strategy games. Featuring the latest technology that expands both the single-player and multi-player experience -- including an artificial intelligence system that will adapt to your every move -- Empire Earth 2 delivers dynamic challenges that require focused problem-solving. For instance, you will be forced to adapt to ever-changing weather conditions that will impact your civilization's growth and survival. With each new season or ecological cataclysm, you will be forced to make tough decisions and devise new strategies for survival.
A growing civilization demands keen management, and to help you keep a close eye on your operations, Empire Earth 2 is equipped with an advanced Picture-in-Picture (PIP) management system. With it you can control various regions of your civilization simultaneously in real-time. This, along with the brand-new citizen management system and revamped research system, will help alleviate the need for tedious micro-management, especially during the heat of battle.
Once you master the control of your gigantic empire, you'll be ready to engage real-life opponents over a LAN or the Internet. Empire Earth 2 supports nine types of multi-player games. Tournament features include multi-player cooperative scenarios, a new reward system for military, economic, and empire-expanding superiority, and a tactical planning map that helps coordinate efforts with your team and other players. Take your empire building to a new level with multi-player action that demands strategic knowledge and good negotiating skills. With Empire Earth 2, the future of civilization is in your hands.
Click here to buy the Prima Official Empire Earth 2 Game Guide
Click here to buy Empire Earth 2 for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
The creator and lead designer of Age of Empires has conceived Empire Earth as the premier historical real-time strategy title, offering players the freedom to customize both the historical scope of their games and the character of their civilizations. Improving upon the Age of Empires interface, Empire Earth promises to be as accessible as Age, but with far more excitement and depth.
In Empire Earth, you'll command history's best-known civilizations, such as those of the Greeks, English, French, and Germans, or evolve your own as you choose from more than 100 unique attributes. You'll colonize or conquer surrounding territories and establish new settlements; plan and build walled towns and city-states; and construct temples and hospitals to protect and enhance your growing empire. Your town centers inspire defenders to fight harder, and can be transformed into powerful capitals. Wood, coal, oil, and other natural resources provide raw materials for expansion. More than a dozen technology tracks offer numerous opportunities for further advancement.
Train more than 200 types of combat units from every era in history, including the future on earth. Instantly improve the combat abilities of your troops with specific upgrades. Lead your armies to glorious victory with the help of Charlemagne, Churchill, and other great heroes from not only yesterday but also today and tomorrow. Fight in good weather during the day on an open plain, or carry out surprise assaults in the black of night or the dead of winter. Attack unsuspecting enemies with stealthy submarines and aircraft. Soften up an enemy position with artillery fire, carpet-bombing, or offshore shelling, or launch ballistic missiles. Wage epic sky battles with more than 30 types of aircraft, such as Sopwith Camels, Spitfires, F-15s, Apache gunships, and B-2 bombers. Fight massive naval engagements with more than 40 different ships, from 16th-century ships of the line to modern aircraft carriers. Board and capture enemy vessels. Train colossal and intelligent mechs to fight the battles of the future.
In Empire Earth, the military option is just one possible path to victory. Surreptitiously convert an enemy's citizens with furtive priests. Instruct a prophet to invoke devastating calamities, such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and plagues. Pick away at opponents' populations by taking over their citizens. Construct wonders of the world that endow your civilization with special abilities while demonstrating its superiority.
Click here to buy Empire Earth for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Empire Earth expansion: The Art of Conquest for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Empire Earth Gold for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
- Strategy-RPG title set in the award-winning Fallout world
- Squad-based tactical combat
- Intense combat can be turn based or real time
- Mature themes and visuals in a gritty world ravaged by nuclear war
- Both single-player campaign and multiplayer scenarios
Click here to buy the Fallout Tactics Official Strategy Guide.
Click here to buy Fallout Tactics for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel
This one box contains three complete games from Impressions Games' award-winning city-building series. Caesar III challenges you to create, rule, and defend an imperial Roman city of your own design. In Pharaoh, you erect monuments, manage resources, and wage war up and down the Nile. Cleopatra expands the gameplay of Pharaoh with new threats and structures, as well as four new campaigns tracing the careers of Tutankhamen, Ramses II, and Cleopatra herself.
Click here to buy Great Empires 2 for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
In Heroes of Might and Magic 4, players will command armies composed of skillful heroes and fantastic creatures that fight enemies, capture towns, and collect vital resources and artifacts. Strategic planning and tactical cunning are instrumental in your goal to be the undisputed ruler of the new world. The game features heroes who are active participants in combat, six massive campaigns and dozens of standalone scenarios, a campaign editor with a map maker that allows terrain deformation, and an all-new magic system with five highly specialized schools of magic.
Click here to buy Heroes of Might and Magic IV Official Strategy Guide.
Click here to buy Heroes of Might and Magic 4 for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Heroes of Might and Magic 4: The Gathering Storm for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Heroes of Might and Magic 4: Winds of War for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Homeworld is the next evolution of real-time strategy gaming, delivering a fresh experience in a totally 3-D universe. It gives players freedom to create new styles of play while delivering cinema-quality graphics, special effects, vividly rendered ships, and an innovative interface.
Click here to buy Homeworld Official Strategy Guide.
Click here to buy Homeworld for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Homeworld 2 Official Strategy Guide.
Click here to buy Homeworld 2 for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Forge an empire to span a universe. Colonize unknown planets and trade with other races for their knowledge. Conquer alien star systems by war or diplomacy to secure their resources. Only then can you guarantee your galactic supremacy. Multiple game settings let you select such factors as your adversaries' intelligence, the size and age of the galaxy, and the level of civilization. There are multiplayer options for up to eight players. You can play using modems, a network, a hot seat, or TCP/IP. The game also includes 13 predesigned races, each with its own abilities, and the means to create your own.
Click here to buy Master of Orion 2 Official Strategy Guide.
Click here to buy Master of Orion 2 for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Medieval: Total War Viking Invasion for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Nexus: The Jupiter Incident for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Paradox Strategy Pack for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Rise of Nations is a historical real time strategy game from Big Huge Games’ Brian Reynolds, designer of PC game classics such as Civilization 2 and Alpha Centauri.
Dominate 6,000 years of history from the Ancient Age to the Information Age. Which forces will you deploy to lead your nation to global prominence? Trade, espionage, diplomacy…war? Whichever path you choose, you’ll experience the pulse pounding thrill and speed of real-time gaming combined with the epic scope and depth of turn-based strategy games – brought together for the first time ever in Rise of Nations.
In Rise of Nations, you'll create new cities, improve city infrastructures and expand national borders. Conquer foes through military might using everything from sling-shots to cannons to stealth bombers to nuclear weapons; corner the market on key commodities and consolidate power under your rule; wheel and deal across time with history's eminent cultures.
Click here to buy Rise of Nations Official Strategy Guide.
Click here to buy Rise of Nations Gold for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Rome Total War Official Strategy Guide.
Click here to buy Rome: Total War for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Japan, 1542--a country in turmoil. The last shogunate has collapsed, leaving a nation divided into numerous factions, each led by a daimyo (feudal warlord). Each daimyo is out to scheme, murder, and wage war to become supreme ruler. The emperor is powerless--a puppet of whichever faction controls Kyoto. Into this melting pot come the first European explorers, bringing guns, religion--and disease. Out of this chaos will emerge only one daimyo who will master all the varied skills that make up the art of war: politics, economics, subterfuge, strategic warfare, and battlefield tactics. Only one will become shogun.
Click here to buy Shogun: Total War Official Strategy Guide.
Click here to buy Shogun: Total War for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
- The 1987 cross-genre classic returns with an all-new story, a new engine, updated gameplay, and 3-D graphics
- Play as a pirate captain cruising the 17th century Caribbean
- Confront enemies on board ships, in seedy taverns, and in other locations; use anything within your reach as a weapon
- Engage in fierce naval battles fighting single enemies or multiple ships
- For 1 player
Click here to buy Pirates! Official Strategy Guide.
Click here to buy Sid Meier's Pirates! for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Sid Meier's Pirates!
This is the best way to purchase starcraft as you get the original, the expansion and the official game guides! Compare prices and you'll see what I mean.
StarCraft puts you in charge of a small group of humans exiled to the edge of the galaxy. Your mission is to acquire the resources needed to train and expand your military to defend against the Confederate Nations, who are also battling for control of the galaxy's precious resources. This game is designed for multiplayer use.
Amazon.com Review
Fans who mastered the original StarCraft's three races and survived its well-crafted story were quickly clamoring for more. A worthy sequel, Brood War delivers further plot twists and bigger battles.
In keeping with StarCraft's groundbreaking design, this expansion pack--which requires the original game--presents you with three sides of a galactic conflict. Scheming Humans, insidious Zerg, and proud Protoss collide again, with stunning new cinematics setting the stage. Old friends and foes and ominous new arrivals give the story a breakneck pace, while a handful of additions to each race's arsenal makes for tense battles.
Some missions require a bit of finesse, breaking the resource-gathering routine while making good use of the new units. Humans now have Valkyrie missile frigates, as well as Medics that automatically try to heal your grunts. New for the Zerg air force is the acid-spewing Devourer; the new Lurker unit provides heavy-duty (under)ground support. Along with the Corsair fighter, the Protoss re-enter the fray with Dark Templar, which can merge to form the devastating Dark Archon. Unfortunately, units old and new still suffer from some weak pathfinding.
Brood War also features stellar new environments and ambient art, as well as more than 100 additional multiplayer maps. Real-time strategy games don't get any more epic or any more satisfying. --Jack Gardiner
Star Trek: Starfleet Command offers you the starring role as a captain in any one of six star empires. You start out with command of a frigate, then take on missions, such as Convoy Escort and Courier. Depending on your success with the missions, you gain prestige. With prestige comes rank, larger ships, multiple ships, and more experienced officers.
Click here to buy Starfleet Command Official Strategy Guide.
Click here to buy Starfleet Command for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Star Trek fans and strategy gamers loved the mighty starship combat in the original Starfleet Command. Interplay listened to gamers' cries for a sequel and made the all-new Starfleet Command II: Empires at War look better, play better, and overall even more impressive than the original. The single-player campaign is now called Metaverse, which comes from the term metagame, meaning game within a game. Each campaign has about 60 individual missions that feature greater context, flexibility, and impact on the fate of your empire. Metaverse is available for online play. There are two new races in addition to the original six: the savage Mirak Star League and the Interstellar Concordium, which aims to enforce peace at any cost. New ships are available, including escort vessels, patrol craft, and fighters, bringing the total variants to more than 1,000. A hex-based quadrant system now regulates movement, increasing the map resolution and the number of sectors. A new fleet interface makes for easy target monitoring and allows fleets to operate as a single unit or for individual ships to move autonomously.
Click here to buy Starfleet Command II Official Strategy Guide.
Click here to buy Starfleet Command 2 for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Star Trek: Starfleet Command II Expansion--Orion Pirates allows gamers to experience the dark side of the Star Trek universe. The network of the brutal intergalactic crime families known as the Orion Pirates are loose in the galaxy. Players now have the choice to uphold galactic law or to join the Orion Pirates' assault on the Federation.
Known for keeping their identities secret, the mythic Orion Pirates are a deadly cartel of privateers and criminals controlling "territories" of Federation space. Starfleet Command II Expansion--Orion Pirates features an improved user interface and crew voices, 12 new single-player campaigns, and 12 new multiplayer missions. Additionally, there are 26 Star Trek skirmishes andthree bonus missions based on the "A Piece of the Action" TV episode.
This standalone product does not require Star Trek: Starfleet Command Volume II--Empires at War to play.
Click here to buy Starfleet Command: Orion Pirates Official Strategy Guide.
Click here to buy Starfleet Command 2: The Orion Pirates for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Battle for Middle Earth for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy The War of the Ring for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy Worms Armageddon Official Strategy Guide.
Click here to buy Worms Armageddon for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
- Mission Editor allows you to create and edit your own missions
- 20 new multi-player missions
- 45 different and unique single player missions
- 19 new training modes
- Enhanced graphics
In Worms World Party, players control each of the four worms individually as they lead them into battles across a variety of missions and a number of dedicated online locations. You can use whatever weapons come to hand to eradicate the rival worms. A wealth of weaponry--including bazookas,grenades, and a sheep launcher--are available. Adverse weather conditions canaffect the trajectories of projectile weapons, creating a game of genuineskill.
Worms World Party features a new editor to create and edit your own missions. You can place them on the Internet for others to download. With20 new multiplayer missions, players can now team up with a buddy oncooperative missions. Plus, there are 45 amazing single-playermissions--from puzzle style to real-time action. The Wormopaedia gives youan extensive catalog of weapons, tips, and mythology. Additional newspecial effects round out this fun and addictive game.
Click here to buy Worms World Party for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Worms World Party
It has been nearly 15 years since the war between the orcs and humans ended. An uneasy peace settled over the land while, for years, the drums of war were silent. Yet the kingdoms of men grew complacent in their victory--and slowly, the defeated orcish clans regrouped under the banner of a new visionary leader. Now a darker shadow has fallen over the world, threatening to extinguish all life--all hope. The drums of war play upon the winds once again--rising urgently toward the inevitable hour when the skies will rain fire--and the world will tremble before the coming of the Burning Legion.
WarCraft III returns players to the war-torn world of Azeroth. Developer Blizzard Entertainment combines the lessons learned from its bestselling StarCraft, the famous WarCraft lineage, and all-new 3-D technology to create an all-new, vibrant strategy game sure to become a classic.
Wage war in a fully interactive 3-D world that incorporates nonplayer characters, wandering monsters, neutral towns, strongholds, temples, and environmental effects. Four mighty playable races--humans, orcs, night elves, and undead--compete in a finely balanced dance of conquest. Upgradable heroes gain experience and harness new powers as the game progresses. This is WarCraft that's intimately familiar, yet as you've never seen it before.
Click here to read my review of Warcraft 3
Click here to buy the Warcraft 3 Battle Chest for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.
Click here to buy the Warcraft 2 Battle Chest for PC from Amazon.com or see the system requirements.