Noob Seeking to Expand Strategy Library

[Tahaneira]

And by 'expand' I mean 'start.' I don't really have that much experience in strategy games. I find the StarCraft series a lot of fun, as well as WarCraft III. Age of Mythology is one of my most beloved games of all time. I tried to play Alpha Centauri once but remember becoming horribly confused and made absolutely no progress whatsoever.

However, lately I've had an itch to get more in-depth into the genre. I've got my eye on X-COM: Enemy Unknown, but the problem is that apart from that, I have no idea where to start. It's the usual problem with reviews and forums: various people claiming this series or that game is best ever, decrying all other contenders, people arguing that certain installments are the best or worst examples of the series, often using the same examples. Everyone seems to agree the Civilization series is worth playing. Well, which one? There are five of the fuckers. And AoM is based off the Age of Empires mechanics, right? But which one of those should I pick up first? And those are just the ones I've heard of.

So I need some help. I've decided to ask you guys in the hope that you can recommend me good places to start and good strategy games in general. Hopefully, the bias will be fairly consistent and I can get enough info to try a few things out to figure it out for myself.

So, to bring my inability to state a simple request to a close: what strategy games should I start with?

(A few ground rules: I don't care about multiplayer. Campaign, custom campaign, vs. A.I., that sort of thing. Good story is appreciated but not necessary. And if there are any with mythological bents to them, please kick them my way.)

Thank you in advance for listening to my rambling.

 

[Realitycrash]

Dude, Total War. Buy, and play, Total War. Every fucking one of them. Buy them and play them now.
As for Civilization, general consensus agrees that Civ IV is the best if you lke to take care of your society in more detail, and Civ V if you just like less details but equal action. While Civ I-III were great (I grew up with them) they are far outdated in graphics, and frankly I am unsure if a modern computer can even run them.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/4760/

The best Total War game as of yet. Only 10 or so USD on Steam. Check it out.

 

[R4ptur3]

You could try dawn of war 1, that game is pretty damn fun, and now a days is pretty cheap.
If by any chance your interested in WW2 you could also try company of heroes.
There's also the total war franchise, which I thought I wouldn't like as I only ever played rts' but the switch from turn based to rts in total war is good fun, although if you've just started playing strategy games it may a bit confusing to start with.

Just do some research and pick one you think you might like and play it. Simples.

 

[Kococoa]

Some decent strategy game's I'd recommend would be...

Heroes of Might and Magic 3, a very classic turn based strategy game, has a bearable campaign but the game is more enjoyable as one you just set up a custom game and get going.

You mentioned Civ, Personally I'd say try out 4 and possibly 5. 4 was amazing with all expansions included and I personally haven't played any earlier ones but people tend to say 4 is the best one, personally I'd say Civ V has better combat whilst Civ IV has better management aspects. Has no 'campaign' and has mediocre quality multiplayer which can be pretty buggy in Civ V.

The Total War series are another series of popular strategy games, I recommend all/either of them, the latest one Shogun Total War 2 would be a great place to start that series. Has a very good 'campaign' and decent multiplayer with the latest game allowing duo campaign with a friend.

Rollercoaster Tycoon 1/2. Laughing a bit at myself for saying it's a strategy game but I'll recommend these classics anyway.

 

[Aeshi]

Multiwinia (and its brother Darwinia) might be worth a look at, it's pretty fun yet about as simple as an RTS can be (you only have one 'unit type', units spawn from points you capture etc.)

And yes, Age of Mythology uses a modified Age of Empires II engine (which, coming full circle, was itself modified for Age of Empires III)

 

[Shymer]

XCom: EU does not have very deep strategic elements. The tactical game is also quite simple. It's a good game - but not very deep in my opinion.

I personally prefer Galactic Civilisations 2 to Sid Meier's Civilisation - but then I find building spaceships more thrilling than building spearmen. Your mileage may vary. If you did want to try Civ, then I would probably start with Civ 2. If you found Alpha Centuri confusing - then some of the later Civs are more complex and might leave you cold. Civilisation: Call to Power 2 may interest you because it has streamlined some of the fiddly bits.

I would also recommend Medieval: Total War (not the sequel). The strategy map feels as familiar as Risk, and the turn-based nature makes it easier to engage with.

If you liked Starcraft, then Supreme Commander might be up your street.

That's my tuppence.

 

[Pandalisk]

Men of War: Assualt Squad
Wargame: European Escalation
Company of Heroes.

These games above are my bread and butter of the RTS genre and RTS is my favourite genre. Honestly, the first two are on Steam, go look them up, they are very good.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Homeworld 1&2, for pure space adventure epicness.
Sins of a Solar Empire, for pure multiplayer space goodness.

Company of Heroes full pack for all sorts of WW2 sweetness, also advisable if one wishes to see the beginnings of RTS 2.0.

Dawn of War 1 full pack(minus Soulstorm) for a hefty chunk of Warhammer 40k awesomeness.
Dawn of War 2 pack is also a good one, it gets rather slim in the content department but with the current price that is not a big concern.

Almost forgot one more strange beastie:
BattleForge, it's a cross between RTS and magic the gathering, basically the units/buildings you summon come from a deck you put together, and you unlock/trade/buy more cards from other players or directly from the shop.

 

[sextus the crazy]

Company of Heroes. Seriously, Company of Heroes.

I cannot more highly recommend it. It was one of the most successfully innovative big budget strategy games of the 00s.

It's only like 10 bucks on steam (and like 30-40 with the expansions), so you have no reason not to buy it.

 

[perkl]

What do you expect from a strategy game? Story, graphics, nice UI? Because some of the best strategy games available have none of those three.

Let's just namedrop a few games for the hell of it.

Wargame: European Escalation is almost certainly the best game of this year. Unity of Command is the only serious challenger that can come close.

Fantasy General is probably the most solid turn-based fantasy wargame ever made. It has a few problems but the campaign is certainly long enough and there's all sorts of neat little things hidden into it.

Spellcross is a game about the forces of fantasy attacking modern day military. Somewhat unique experience and while I don't usually care about stories this one was fun. The game in itself can be a bit tedious at times.

Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord is a very good tactical level wargame about small scale operations on Western front in 1944. If you're interested in the subject this game is almost mandatory.

Jagged Alliance 2 + mods is a classic, and for a reason. Merely creating your own character is memorable experience. Why did Reuben get his nickname "Unusually ruthless"?

 

[BloatedGuppy]

So, to bring my inability to state a simple request to a close: what strategy games should I start with?

Some good suggestions in this thread. I will echo many of them.

XCOM: Very solid game, nice slick modern interface. The strategic layer is pretty lightweight, but the tactical game play is sound, and it should be seeing sequels/DLC in the future.

CIV 5: 4 is also a contender here, but 5 is the title currently getting support/DLC, and with Gods and Kings it's good enough to escape its "slight disappointment" pong. This is probably the most venerated grand strategy series in genre history, so it really should be sampled. I think I actually have a free copy of 5 on Steam I can gift, but you'd need to get Gods and Kings and the DLC yourself.

TOTAL WAR MEDIEVAL 2: Everyone has their personal favorite in this series, and this is one of the older games, but it's also where the series peaked IMO (if you have a preference for the Roman period you might try Rome). Be warned that this is a life devouring game, a single campaign can take months if you're not auto-resolving everything. Mods and expansions give it staggering depth. Getting a little long in the tooth, but is nice and cheap as a result.

JAGGED ALLIANCE 2: The best tactical game ever made, with a light strategic layer draped over top. Bristles with personality. The 1.13 "patch" (mod) makes this essential game even more essential. Also aging, but a must play.

STARCRAFT 2: You've obviously already tried this, but I highly highly recommend getting over your MP phobia and diving into the MP. Starcraft multiplayer is an absolute joy, and blows the shallow/silly single player out of the water. It's how the game was meant to be experienced.

CRUSADER KINGS 2: Is a fairly recent Paradox title that offers extremely deep and nuanced game play. You're controlling a family dynasty instead of a kingdom, and it's more exciting than it sounds. Ward off scheming uncles, poison your wife, assassinate your bastard son before he turns the people against you...it's great fun.

And, if you don't mind going for an older title, the following are all recommended (some of them are enduring classics, others are just really excellent games):

X-Com: UFO Defense
X-Com: Terror from the Deep
Alpha Centauri
Master of Magic
Master of Orion 2
Galactic Civilizations 2
Heroes of Might and Magic II
Heroes of Might and Magic III
Sins of a Solar Empire
Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
Fantasy General
Railroad Tycoon
Populous
Sacrifice
Myth
Myth II

 

[TakeshiLive]

Nobody's said this surprisingly but Command & Conquer is a pretty good series to get into. Red Alert 2 is an absolute classic title that rather funny and entertaining. Weapons and units such as psychic soldiers, nuclear missiles, suicide trucks and tesla towers turn this game into a super villain simulator in a way. There might be time travel and teleportation involved somewhere, maybe in the expansion packs.

Here's some comical lines from the soviet infantry that adds to the humor.

 

[tsb247]

I would recommend all Total War games, Sins of a Solar Empire + all expansions, and Supreme Commander + Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance. SupCom is awesome, and it's essentially a reboot of one of my favorite RTS games of all time, Total Annhilation.

 

[Ldude893]

Company of Heroes. Seriously, Company of Heroes.

This. More than half of the RTS conventions I was familiar with were wiped away by this game, and it's currently my favorite strategy game so far. This game has a complex cover system for infantry (soldiers automatically take cover behind walls and objects), a resource system in the form of capturing strategic points instead of gathering, and the best destruction physics I've ever seen in a strategy game so far. Plus, the gameplay's addicting as hell and requires more tactical thinking than simply rushing the enemy with a single unit type.

The single-player campaign's got missions based on actual WWII battles, including D-Day (the very first mission is Omaha Beach, Saving Private Ryan stye). The realism they put into the game doesn't take away from the incredible fun that comes out of it.

There's a reason why this the highest-rated RTS of all time. If you have a good computer, GET THIS GAME NOW. Preferably the complete set with the expansion packs.

 

[Realitycrash]

Company of Heroes. Seriously, Company of Heroes.

This. More than half of the RTS conventions I was familiar with were wiped away by this game, and it's currently my favorite strategy game so far. This game has a complex cover system for infantry (soldiers automatically take cover behind walls and objects), a resource system in the form of capturing strategic points instead of gathering, and the best destruction physics I've ever seen in a strategy game so far. Plus, the gameplay's addicting as hell and requires more tactical thinking than simply rushing the enemy with a single unit type.

The single-player campaign's got missions based on actual WWII battles, including D-Day (the very first mission is Omaha Beach, Saving Private Ryan stye). The realism they put into the game doesn't take away from the incredible fun that comes out of it.

There's a reason why this the highest-rated RTS of all time. If you have a good computer, GET THIS GAME NOW. Preferably the complete set with the expansion packs.

Got me interested. Will check out. Thanks.

 

[hermes]

The Red Alert series is also pretty good. Nothing revolutionary in terms of strategy, but the setting is so over-the-top and tongue-in-cheek its almost unique in its humorous take of the genre...

 

[Tahaneira]

Thanks a lot, everyone! I've got a few places to start now, and a bunch more games on my list that will (hopefully) not break my bank.

On the subject of Total War, I took a look and damn there are a lot of titles. I think I'll start with the Roman edition simply because my geekiness swings that way.

If you found Alpha Centuri confusing - then some of the later Civs are more complex and might leave you cold.

Well, I came to gaming relatively late in life; didn't really own anything more complicated than LEGO Alpha Team until I was twelve. And I was nine when I tried AC. But I'll keep that in mind.

CIV 5: 4 is also a contender here, but 5 is the title currently getting support/DLC, and with Gods and Kings it's good enough to escape its "slight disappointment" pong. This is probably the most venerated grand strategy series in genre history, so it really should be sampled. I think I actually have a free copy of 5 on Steam I can gift, but you'd need to get Gods and Kings and the DLC yourself.

You would seriously do that? Damn. I would greatly appreciate it, good sir/madam. Thank you.

Be warned that this is a life devouring game, a single campaign can take months if you're not auto-resolving everything. Mods and expansions give it staggering depth.

Oh Lord. There goes my life.

STARCRAFT 2: You've obviously already tried this, but I highly highly recommend getting over your MP phobia and diving into the MP. Starcraft multiplayer is an absolute joy, and blows the shallow/silly single player out of the water. It's how the game was meant to be experienced.

I realize the multiplayer is supposed to be amazing, but I have a prejudice against the concept in general. Mostly because every time I've ventured onto a server I'm inevitably paired with an enemy who squashes me in a maximum of two minutes.

I'll be checking all of these games out... eventually. When I have the moneys for it. XD Again, thank you all!

 

[Zantos]

Yeah, as said above Dawn of War is pretty good. Make sure you get Dark Crusade, it's kind of like Risk meets the grim dark future of the 41st millennium.

Endless Space is a turn based strategy game based on going out from your home planet to colonise the stars. You meet other races in the galaxy, form alliances, trade, break alliances, go to war over important systems, defend yourself from other empires or pirates. All while making sure your people maintain a decent quality of life, it doesn't matter how industrially prosperous molten planets are, people don't like living there.

Has anyone said Empire Earth yet? Empire Earth is quite fun. It's a bit Age of Empires-y, but goes right from the stone age to like the 23rd century.

 

[Calcium]

I have to give some love for Age of Empires Online. Free to play, far from perfect, but has racked up 240 hours on Steam for me. It's mostly PvE focussed, though there's not much of a story. The PvP population is pretty low, though if you ever did want to, I would suggest using the Marathon server.

Company of Heroes gets a lot of love, and though it's not my thing, I can appreciate it's uniqueness compared to the other of the more well known series'.

Also! Another option no one else has mentioned... If you have a DS, Advance Wars: Dual Strike is a great turn based strategy.

Oh, and a third game no one has mentioned... Crusader Kings 2. It's partially a war RTS, but mostly it's political. Your dynasty moves with time, your character that you love will eventually die, whether from old age, a battle injury, a relative poisoning them, etc... It doesn't end when you die though, it carries on with you playing your next in line. Sometimes you end up having to play a relative that you despised. A friend ended up having to play as the very brother that ordered his assassination.

You have to find a balance between the power you hold and the freedom you give your lords and vassals. All characters have traits, and I ended up playing as King Callum the 2nd - who possessed the traits 'homosexual' and 'dwarf'... He was a damn good steward, though it took a while before his subjects warmed to him. I ended up having him order the assassination of his first born son, as well as throwing the second and third in prison. When I felt I could control my second son's ambitions, I released him for prison. Things like that I love about that game - you create your own stories without intention.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

You would seriously do that? Damn. I would greatly appreciate it, good sir/madam. Thank you.

Sure, why not? You seem like a nice chap, and everyone I know already has it. I just need a Steam name or an email.

I realize the multiplayer is supposed to be amazing, but I have a prejudice against the concept in general. Mostly because every time I've ventured onto a server I'm inevitably paired with an enemy who squashes me in a maximum of two minutes.

Ladder will attempt to match you appropriately the more games you play, so while your first few matches will be against a wild variety of opponent, it will eventually find your skill level and give you solid tests without overwhelming you. There's no question it can be a little stressful, but it can be tremendously rewarding as well. I recommend checking out Total Biscuit's "I Suck at Starcraft 2" series, it's a fun (non-intimidating) way of learning the ropes and watching some entertaining replays without the intimidating pro matches.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TotalBiscuit/videos?view=0

Alternatively, you could play 3v3 or 4v4, where being terrible isn't so bad because your terribleness will get masked by your teammates.

Oh, and a third game no one has mentioned... Crusader Kings 2.

AHEM.

CRUSADER KINGS 2: Is a fairly recent Paradox title that offers extremely deep and nuanced game play. You're controlling a family dynasty instead of a kingdom, and it's more exciting than it sounds. Ward off scheming uncles, poison your wife, assassinate your bastard son before he turns the people against you...it's great fun.

Sir I protest.