Best RTS games to keep the turns coming

The best RTS games have been a staple in PC gaming, making their mark on consoles as well throughout the years. There’s a real excitement that comes from building your own base out of nothing, seeing it grow, and then sending your army to the battlefield the next instant. Whether it’s in the desert, outer space, or WW2, RTS games are always rewarding you for your precision and management, and that’s part of what makes them so special.

We have conquered worlds and established alliances with alien civilizations to bring you the best 20 best RTS games of all time. Whether you’re an experienced player who’s been playing Warcraft 3 since release or just someone who’s curious about the genre, there’s bound to be at least a couple of choices of interest.

20. Supreme Commander 2

Supreme Commander 2 remains as a classic all the way until 2021, and will most likely continue down that path based on its history. Once again we see big machines fighting against each other in big-scale battles with lots of units in real-time, but there are a couple of twists that make it stand out from that usual premise. For example, units can be upgraded as always, but there are unique paths to take through research, creating experimental units, or just investigating new technologies that can be applied to the battlefield in an instant, allowing you to create your own Frankenstein monsters to destroy everything on your path.

If you’re into the idea of seeing these massive robotic creations throughout three character-driven storylines in the campaign as well as multiplayer, then Supreme Commander 2 should definitely be on your radar, even after all this time.

Available on: PC

19. Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation

You might remember the original Ashes of the Singularity from back in early 2016, where it introduced itself as an RTS of grand scale where the screen would quickly fill with dozens, if not hundreds of units at the same time. It required a beefy PC in order to really withstand its potential but doing so granted access to several single-player campaigns and equally busy multiplayer skirmishes.

Later that year Escalation was released as a standalone expansion designed with veteran RTS players in mind. The plan was to support both of them separately, but this expansion was later merged in the base game. Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation iterates and expands upon everything that made the original so interesting, and it should definitely be on your radar if you’re looking for something different.

Available on: PC

18. Driftland: The Magic Revival

If the idea of connecting floating islands with one another using magic as you command dragons and giant eyeballs in the field interests you, then stay awhile and listen about Driftland: The Magic Revival. Set in a procedurally generated world where warriors, archers, and mages all live in harmony and patiently wait for your next order, you can expect an influence from the 4X subgenre (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) in the way resource management and goals work, but with enough of its own personal touch to keep you engaged.

The biggest appeal definitely comes from the setting, which boasts personality. Taming and riding dragons, as well as other creatures, as well as moving and terraforming islands to make better use of your territory makes for intriguing results, and you can take part in single-player missions, multiplayer, and additional modes with their own set rules as well.

Available on: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

17. Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak

Serving as a prequel to the Homeworld franchise, the iconic RTS franchise that will be seeing a new entry in 2022, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak invites you to take battles through dunes. In the campaign, the character Rachel S’jet is tasked with leading her people on a quest to investigate an anomaly, which means having to survive dune seas, craters, and hostiles canyons of grand scale, as well as everyone who gets in the way.

It’s interesting to see how all these elements play out, and become available for your own tactical advantage, in addition to what has made the Homeworld games so beloved, managing units in both land and air vehicles up to heavyweight cruisers. This not only makes for an interesting take on this universe before the actual events of the main series but also a worthy introduction before jumping into the Homeworld Remastered Collection as you wait for the third entry.

Available on: PC

16. Warcraft 3 Reforged

Yes, we know Warcraft 3: Reforged wasn’t well received at launch due to its shaky performance and plethora of missing features, but there might be hope for it after all. If you have never played the original games (both Reign of Chaos and Frozen Throne campaigns), then this makes for a good (and the sole official) opportunity to do so. Even if you’re not a fan of the new graphics, you can just toggle the classic look for the game on a whim. 

But if your interest comes from multiplayer alone, there are still features missing that were present in the original game and are sorely needed here. The upside is that the community has been working hard on a tool called Warcraft 3 Champions, or W3Champions for short, which addresses some of the concerns regarding competitive multiplayer in a rather streamlined way. It’s unsure whether Blizzard will officially address them, but in the meantime, know that the community is thriving, and still coming up with custom maps.

Available on: PC

15. Death Crown

If you have been enchanted by the art style of World of Horror, or maybe just want to see a different take on the RTS genre on a smaller scale, Death Crown covers both bases. In here you command Death herself, summoning legions of enemies throughout kingdoms to take all of them down. The interesting part is that it’s all in 1bit style, which means that units are shown almost like ants on the battlefield, moving from one route to the next as you build more facilities to continue marching on.

This minimalist presentation that is mostly in black and white (although this can be changed) also corresponds to the gameplay itself. You only have barracks that produce troops, mines for gold, and towers to protect your own buildings - everything escalates from there. With both a unique art style, a considerable campaign and local co-op, and a soundtrack that perfectly captures all together, Death Crown has plenty to offer amidst its big siblings in the genre.

Available on: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

14. Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion

If there’s a series that is well known to both 4X and RTS fans is Sins of a Solar Empire. Ever since its release back in 2008, it has reunited an avid audience around it that doesn’t seem like it’s gonna stop anytime soon. Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion is the latest iteration that came out in 2012, and even to this day is still receiving updates from the developers and even new events. The support is rare to see, but it also comes from the fact that players have been asking for more content for a whilst.

It’s unsure whether or not we’ll see a sequel, but in the meantime this standalone expansion is more than enough to get you into the action. You can expect single-player missions on a wide scale throughout space, including new warships, class ships, and capital ships, as well as diverse victory conditions and also updated tutorials aimed at both newcomers and experienced players.

Available on: PC

13. SpellForce 3: Fallen God

Real-time strategy games often don’t have anything to do with RPGs, but SpellForce 3: Fallen God provides a “well, actually” scenario with great results. This isn’t the first for the series, but rather an idea that has been in constant evolution for a couple of years now. In this particular story, you’re tasked with commanding a group of trolls (not the online ones) through a long and dangerous path to resurrect a fallen god in order to save your civilization.

The twist in terms of genres takes place at all times. You make your way building and making your tribe stronger, whilst also adventuring through different areas, and you can customize your heroes with skill trees and different abilities as well as craft weapons throughout a 20 hours long campaign with multiple endings. There’s also Ranked Play in terms of multiplayer, where you’ll be able to select from 4 factions, each with two unique heroes.

Available on: PC

12. Frostpunk

Frostpunk is a hybrid of sorts when it comes to placing it in a genre. It’s a city builder, a strategy, and a survival game all at once, but it also comes with the tough choices that players acquainted with This War of Mine are well aware of. It’s strategic in the sense of managing resources and making hard decisions, but here danger isn’t portrayed as zombies or giant space fleets, but rather as an increasing cold that is putting the last remnants of civilization in jeopardy.

Of course, the cold is only the foundation for all the conflicts that arise during Frostpunk’s campaign. Survival leads the people under your command to take desperate actions, rebel themselves, and do anything they can to see another day. You’re constantly having to think about the next move, whilst also dealing with problems that won’t go away on their own. It’s a tough game, but one of the most rewarding in terms of storytelling, and player agency over a conflict of this scale.

Available on: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

11. Stellaris

Paradox Interactive has always been known for its knack for creating strategy games and iterating on the genre in different ways. Stellaris is one of its many titles, and it’s a particular take on the 4X subgenre (an abbreviation of eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate). Think of it as more of a Master of Orion instead of, say, Civilization 5, taking you to outer space to interact with alien races, discover dozens of worlds, and slowly make your way through the stars and beyond.

The way you choose to explore these spaces is up to you, and you’re always retaining knowledge and experience as you progress. You can slowly create your own civilization and see it become more powerful over time, build stations, set on to find secrets, and just leave your mark in one of the most interesting takes on the genre to date.

Available on: PC, PS4, Xbox One