Summary
Grand strategygames are really fun and have lots to offer to those who love the genre. Players cansink hundreds of hours into grand strategy games, as they offer limitless possibilities, and often, different ways to resolve conflicts either through warfare, economic approaches, and even diplomacy.
Mostgrand strategy games offer a lot of freedomand let players decide which pathway they wanna take during their gameplay. Others might not be as complex, but still offer multiple factions, territories and nations to take advantage of and craft an unforgettable experience. Here are some of thebest grand strategy games that don’t have complicated game mechanics.
6The Battle of Polytopia
Fighting Against The Clock Or Defeating Other Tribes Is Very Entertaining
The Battle of Polytopiais a grand strategy game with 4X and turn-based elements that offers lots of things to players who want to play it on the multiple platforms available. There are many different tribes and each one starts with a unique ability and a shared technology tree.
The Battle of Polytopiafeatures two main game modes, one that is limited to 30 minutes and requires players to get the highest possible score, and another that requires them to defeat all other tribes in combat to obtain victory. AlthoughThe Battle of Polytopiaisn’t agrand strategy game with a steep learning curve, it’s still real fun to play.
InEuropa Universalis 4players start out in the Late Middle Ages and must lead their nation up to the early modern period in the early 19th century. Some of the activities players can engage in during their campaign are trade, diplomacy, colonization, warfare, and administration.
There are also different bookmarked starting dates referred to as scenarios, as well as borders and historical events that simulate those set in real-life periods. This title has an extensive modding community, so players interested in that should check out the26 best mods forEuropa Universalis 4.
Sid Meier’s Civilizationfranchise has been a staple for strategy and grand strategy games for several years at the time of writing this article. Like previous installments in the franchise,Civilization 6tasks players with developing a civilization from an early settlement through various eras to become a world power.
Although most of the game takes place in the past, it ends in the year 2050 AD, so it could be considered one of thebest grand strategy games set in the modern era, even if only partially.
Like many other titles in its genre,Rise of Nations’gameplay is centered around the concept of gaining and expanding territory. Players can expand their territory by building cities and forts, as well as taking advantage of a complex technology tree and the gathering of resources.
As opposed to other games,Rise of Nationsallows players to use any nation during any age, even if in the real world, those nations or civilizations had already been eradicated long ago. There’s a total of 18 different civilizations, each one with 4 to 8 unique traits that players can use to their advantage. Manygrand strategy games have outstanding economy systems, and while that inRise of Nationsmight not be as complex in comparison, it’s still a great game mechanic.
Set in the Middle Ages,Crusader Kings 3is the sequel to the 2004 game,Crusader Kingsand the 2012 titleCrusader Kings 2. Combining elements of the grand strategy genre and the Dynasty simulator concept, players can start this game out either in 867, 1066 or 1178 A.D.
One of the most interesting things aboutCrusader Kings 3is that it not only relies on an economy system, as religion and culture are also both important aspects of the game. There are also five maingovernment types inCrusader Kings 3: feudal, tribal, clan, nomad, and administrative. Each one has unique traits that players can use to their advantage.
Rome: Total Warstarts in the year 270 BC and ends in 14 AD, which was one of the greatest periods of the Roman Empire. Combat mechanics are split between turn-based combat and real-time tactical battles, which makes this game a great experience for lovers of the genre.
Rome: Total War’s map covers most of Europe, North Africa and the Near East and players get to control groups of soldiers to use them in battle and combat enemy forces. Controlling new territory comes in the form of capturing and holding settlements in said territories, and it’s also possible to conquer larger cities.
