7. Hearts of Iron IV

Paradox’s WW2 era Grand Strategy series has come a long way and the fourth installment exemplifies the technical advances. The Clausewitz engine has shown its adaptability and utility ten years after it was first used in Europa Universalis III. Hearts of Iron IV adds numerous new game mechanics and a dynamic map to further immerse yourself in this fight for victory.

Look at this map, I mean look at it and tell me you don’t feel like playing this

6. Age of Wonders III

Set in a high fantasy world of Elves , Humans, Dwarves, and other races, Age of Wonders III is a turned based 4x strategy came where the player leads his or her empire to greatness through colonization, development, diplomacy, and war. Similar to the total war series, Age of wonders III separates combat and the rest of the game into two phases. However, unlike the Total War series Age of Wonders uses turned based, hexagonal combat.

Age of Wonders III offers a unique grand strategy experience with its hexagonal based, fantasy combat

5. Civilization 6

The latest installment in the Civilization franchise, I think the best way to describe Civilization VI is that it’s Civilization V with all the problems resolved and really good new mechanics implemented. empire-wide happiness is replaced with individual cities’ needs, unstacked cities and districts help you specialize your cities’ focus (production, culture, science, etc.) Culture is now part of a tech tree alongside science, wonder movies are back, and it’s all narrated by Sean Bean, what more could you ask for? In addition, the game seems complete upon release, not needing the large expansions Civ V needed.

Civilization VI allows players to specialize their cities production through districts

4. Medieval 2: Total War

Another Total War installment, Medieval 2: Total war is a turned based grand strategy game giving you command over various nations in Medieval Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. While certainly not as focused on realism or accuracy as something like Crusader Kings II, Medieval 2: Total War makes up for this by giving you command over armies in a battle mode. Essentially the game is split into two parts, the world map where you make strategic decisions, build buildings and units and conduct diplomacy and then the real time battles where you command your army. And I can tell you, the combat in this game is fantastically fun.

Medieval 2: Total War gives players both the large scale decision making on a world map and the ability to command your armies on the battlefield

3. Victoria: Revolutions

One of my absolute favorites, Victoria Revolutions, is set from 1836 to 1936, the Industrial Revolution to the Great Depression. Once again you can play as any nation on earth and have command of its economy, politics, diplomacy, research and military. For me at least, what I enjoy most about Victoria is the micromanagement. In the game you can assign various segments of the population to various classes such as soldiers, farmers, and workers and as you industrialize, you increasingly find yourself checking every single province to make sure it’s as efficiently run as possible.

Victoria Revolutions gives the player command of any nation in the world during the Industrial period

2. Darkest Hour: a Hearts of Iron Game

Originally a fan mod for Hearts of Iron II offering a more accurate map and much more realistic and tweaked mechanics, Darkest Hour is easily one of my favorite games of all time, while it was difficult to pick either Victoria Revolutions or Darkest Hour for the number two slot, I think Darkest Hour just edges out ahead. Following in the Paradox tradition, Darkest Hour puts you in command of any country in the world in the period between 1936 and 1964. The primary emphasis is of course on World War Two. Each Paradox game has a unique emphasis pertinent to the time period the game is set in, with Crusader Kings it’s on dynastic relations, with Europa Universalis its diplomacy, with Victoria its Economics, and with Darkest Hour, and the other Hearts of Iron games, its military. Almost every resource, technology, and interface of the game is focused on the military and war.

Also following in the Paradox tradition, while there is a difficulty setting, the real difficulty is in the country you decide to play as. Ranging from super easy nations like the US and the Soviet Union to the arguably most fun challenges of Japan and Germany, you can also roll the dice as Uruguay and Belgium.

Darkest Hour provides a very robust and realistic WW2 strategy experience