Best Strategy Games On Xbox Game Pass

Halo Wars

Though many people associate the Halo name with the mainline entries that are straightforward FPS titles, Halo Wars takes the series in a new direction in terms of genre. Players are treated to gr&-scale skirmishes involving factions from the Halo universe in a highly approachable RTS title. Since the game was made specifically for the Xbox 360, it features one of the most comfortable controller configurations for an RTS on a console. The story takes place before the events of the first Halo game, detailing what happened to the UNSC crew of the Spirit of Fire.

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Halo Wars 2 is also available on Xbox Game Pass & serves as a fine continuation of its predecessor. In some ways, the sequel is superior to the first game, although it is certainly designed with non-RTS fans in mind. Therefore, people who want to spend more time in this universe but are reluctant to jump into a genre they are not familiar with can rest easy in knowing that Halo Wars 2 is for them.

Solasta: Crown Of The Magister

Taking from Dungeons & Dragons, Solasta: Crown of the Magister packs together a plethora of familiar fantasy tropes to create an addictive & charming adventure that st&s proudly on its own. Even though the story seldom ventures beyond the st&ard “save the world” cliche, Solasta comes alive through its decent character customization options, particularly when it comes to skill selection, & well-crafted environments.

As far as turn-based strategy RPGs are concerned, Solasta‘s combat should be immediately accessible to veterans of the genre, & they are likely to have a blast facing off against the campaign’s impressive selection of monsters. One of the game’s strengths is its AI; even on normal difficulty, enemies approach situations with nuance & planning, making battles hard-fought.

Comm&os 3 – HD Remaster

Comm&os 3: Destination Berlin originally came out in 2003 for PCs, but console players can finally try out the game thanks to its 2022 remaster. Debuting directly on Xbox Game Pass, this version offers more than just a fresh coat of paint. Along with improved models & new textures, the HD remaster tweaks the controls & user interface to, hopefully, provide a smoother experience that adheres to modern sensibilities.

Comm&os 3 – HD Remaster also exp&s on the tutorials to help ease players new to real-time tactics games into the campaign. When it comes to the actual content, the game focuses on World War 2, with missions covering a wide array of scenarios.

Floppy Knights

Looking to prove her scientific potential, Phoebe creates an army of nature-themed warriors & heads out into town to complete missions. A tactical RPG based on a deck-builder battle system, Floppy Knights is one of the better entry-level strategy games on Xbox Game Pass. Lasting roughly 10 hours, the campaign does not overstay its welcome, & most missions can be completed within 20 minutes.

Compared to so many other tactics games, Floppy Knight is definitely on the less-dem&ing side, although that does not Advance at the expense of depth. Building a deck provides plenty of customization options, particularly during the second half of the campaign. Veterans of the strategy genre might find this project to be a bit too simple, but newcomers should try it out.

Shadowrun Trilogy

Fantasy & sci-fi RPGs are not in short supply, but only a small h&ful of developers have attempted to cross the streams. Hairbrained Schemes’ Shadowrun revival did it better than most, producing three worthwhile entries in the span of a couple of years. Remastered as the Shadowrun Trilogy, this compilation grants console players the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in an alternate version of Earth that has both futuristic technology & magical creatures.

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All three games play largely the same, just with the sequels having a few minor tweaks & improvements. Each entry tells a self-contained storyline with a new protagonist, main location, & central mystery. The writing is strong throughout the trilogy, & that extends to the dialogue options presented to the players. The turn-based combat does not stray far from something like XCOM, although the addition of magic gives Shadowrun a unique flavor.

The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos – Chicken Edition

Combine Dungeons & Dragons, a joke book, & XCOM & the result would be The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk. A gorgeous turn-based tactics game that parodies tropes associated with tabletop gaming & RPGs, this recent addition to Xbox Game Pass has a long campaign, brilliant art design, & rock-solid gameplay. The latter does not re-invent the wheel in any significant way, rather opting to look towards & learn from the genre’s heavyweights. It is a move that pays off beautifully, crafting an accessible experience that still has more than enough personality to st& out alongside other turn-based strategy titles.

The humor is relentless &, like all comedy, subjective. Although a deep appreciation for D&D is likely to produce more belly laughs, Naheulbeuk‘s writing should be still witty enough to spark a few chuckles for those who are not that interested in the subject being parodied.

Despot’s Game: The Dystopian Army Builder

Ready to wage war & to push through room after room of enemies? Despot’s Game is a roguelike that casts players as generals rather than soldiers. Depending on the luck of the draw in relation to items & weapons, players have to pick the best army available to them in hope that they can clear a level. After the selection is made, the only thing left for players to do is to sit back & watch their humans fight to the death.

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Despot’s Game has some small frustrations like a restrictive progression system that ties everything to a signal currency, but the game’s positives outweigh its negatives. This is a perfect strategy game for Xbox Game Pass since it would likely go unnoticed if it was not available on Microsoft’s service.

Crown Trick

Roguelikes are typically associated with action rather than strategy games, however, Crown Trick proves that this type of experience combines well with the latter. As Elle, players are dropped into a creepy dungeon & told to play the part of a hero, a process that involves a lot of fighting, failure, & looting. Death sets things back to square one, although permanent upgrades are possible.

Crown Trick sets itself apart from the crowd by utilizing a grid-based traversal & combat system. Essentially, whenever Elle moves, the dungeon’s inhabitants react accordingly. This turn-based structure adds a great deal of strategy to proceedings by slowing down the pacing & prioritizing intelligent movement.

Phoenix Point

Inspired by X-COM, Phoenix Point takes a few lessons from the beloved franchise while also introducing a number of novel ideas. The discovery of a virus has led to the mutation of both humans & wildlife, resulting in a dangerous threat to humanity’s future. The Phoenix Project exists specifically to combat these sorts of situations, & members work around the globe to try & provide a helping h& & repel the virus’ expansion.

Phoenix Point‘s turn-based combat is very similar to the recent X-COM games. Players deploy squads consisting of different classes of soldiers, & they can perform a fixed number of moves per turn. The game includes a few alterations that set it apart from its inspiration, such as the ability to act after attacking an enemy. Outside of combat, players will also have to govern the Phoenix Project’s actions on a global scale as they seek to put out as many fires as possible.

Slay The Spire

A popular deck-builder, Slay the Spire‘s roguelike structure has allowed the game to maintain its relevancy. Players pick a character & receive a deck along with a unique power in the form of a relic. From there, they enter the spire, a tower consisting of multiple levels filled with enemy encounters & culminating in a boss fight. Along the way, players unlock new cards in the form of loot.

Slay the Spire constantly reshuffles the player’s deck as they receive a fresh batch for every turn, along with a few energy cards that determine how many actions they can turn. Along with eradicating their opponents, players must also develop a strategy on how to counter the enemies’ revealed moves.

Evil Genius 2: World Domination

Who hasn’t dreamed of taking over the world as a villain from a Saturday morning cartoon? Evil Genius 2 brings that fantasy to life through a real-time strategy simulation game, one that builds spectacularly on its 2004 predecessor. As one of four super baddies, players will construct bases, recruit & upgrade henchmen, & establish plans that seek to reduce the world’s most powerful nations & leaders to groveling messes.

Boasting delightful visuals & overflowing with personality, Evil Genius 2 takes a few pages from other popular strategy games while still crafting a presence that is entirely its own.

Stellaris

If strategy games are a rare sight on consoles, then gr& strategy games are something of a mythological creature. However, Stellaris adapts to the platform in fine fashion.

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Featuring nuanced layers of resource management, diplomacy, & even interstellar warfare, players will have all sorts of empire-management to contend with as they guide their species through the stars — speaking of species, there’s a wide variety to choose from. From religiously fanatical frog people to democratic felines, players can truly design the spacefaring civilization of their dreams (or nightmares).

Before We Leave

Strategy games tend to be pretty stressful, & that goes double for city-builders. Consequently, Before We Leave‘s relaxed tone comes as a breath of fresh air, which fits the game’s environmental theme. After ruining their planet, the peeps have the chance to start over, & it is the player’s job to craft new towns & cities while advancing the civilization at a pace that does not lead to eventual disaster.

Before We Leave is charming & quite accessible, making this indie game a decent pick for anyone looking to dip their toes into city-building sims. Unlike so many entries in this genre, this game is not particularly punishing or unforgiving, & it eases players into things.

Gears Tactics

Despite its reputation for being a gritty third-person, cover-based shooter, the Gears of War series is set in an engrossing world, & the games usually feature gripping narratives. So even though Gears Tactics took the turn-based-strategy route, it is a thoroughly entertaining title thanks to the universe it is set in & the lore it provides.

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Gears Tactics is a prequel to the first Gears of War game, but it also connects to plot points seen in later titles in the series, such as Gears of War 4 & Gears 5. The top-down perspective suits the narrative well, as COG soldiers are deployed across a map, eliminating Locust enemies & clearing out objectives.

Let’s Build A Zoo

Who does not want to create a successful zoo filled with adorable animals? Let’s Build a Zoo brings that dream to life, while also presenting players with the freedom to give their business a darker spin. This management sim takes cues from old-school entries in the genre, resulting in a strong mechanical foundation that works well on PC & consoles.

The twist comes in the form of a morality system that grants players plenty of opportunities to be truly diabolical. Let’s Build a Zoo shows there are many ways to satisfy a bottom line, & quite a few are less than savory.

Bridge Constructor Portal

The Bridge Constructor series has been around since 2011, & 2017’s Portal saw the franchise crossover with Valve’s beloved property. Considering fans are starved for a new adventure, this spin-off was not exactly what most people wanted; however, when viewed in isolation, Bridge Constructor Portal is a solid puzzle-strategy game.

The concept is simple: players must build bridges to allow trucks to move from one side of the screen to the other. While basic, this gameplay loop works well, & the title throws in often eccentricities to keep things interesting for hours on end. The puzzles can also get quite difficult, forcing players to try different strategies as they search for the optimum route.

Plants Vs. Zombies

Plants vs. Zombies started out as a widely different beast than what it would eventually become most known for. The franchise’s third-person shooter Garden Warfare sub-series is a great deal of fun & well worth checking out, however, these entries strip away any of the strategic elements found in the main series.

Plants vs. Zombies is a tower defense game that puts players in charge of protecting their base from encroaching zombies. Although the gameplay is reasonably easy to grasp, Plants vs. Zombies has a surprising amount of depth to it, & players need to carefully structure their defenses to target the weaknesses of the walking dead. New plants & zombies are introduced on a consistent basis, ensuring that things do not get stale. The game also comes packed with content, as there are 50 levels in just the Adventure mode.

Crusader Kings 3

Crusader Kings 3 is set to make its way to the PS5 & Xbox Series X/S in the future; until then, Xbox Game Pass for PC will just have to do. Gr& strategy games tend to be intimidating, but those looking to dive headfirst into this genre should start with Crusader Kings 3.

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Taking over a dynasty & leading it through multiple generations, Crusader Kings 3 blends complex mechanics with strong characters who have plenty of personality to them. While the game has the lofty ambition & large-scale scope synonymous with the gr& strategy genre, Crusader Kings 3 also delivers personal stories.

Monster Train

A colorful card-building strategy game, Monster Train is addictive, complex, & charmingly over-the-top. Players collect monster cards & effect items as they build together decks that can defend a central structure from approaching enemies. The battle scene consists of four levels that can be filled with summoned monsters, & the options on offer are numerous & varied.

Monster Train is also a roguelike, with a single run being quite short. However, once it is completed, the difficulty automatically increases, eventually reaching a point when anything less than a perfect plan is unlikely to result in success. Monster Train does not have the name recognition of some other strategy games on Xbox Game Pass, but fans of the genre should give it a try when they have the chance.

Frostpunk

Frostpunk is all about making difficult choices. With the world striking a new ice age, the player has to govern a varied group of survivors in a harsh climate that punishes frailty & poor leadership. With a generator serving as the beating heart of this makeshift city, decisions made will determine the group’s mental & physical health.

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Frostpunk is a challenging game that will push people to make mistakes, & while the first playthrough might end in disaster, that experience should help to ensure that future runs are more satisfying. Frostpunk 2 is set to launch later this year, so this is a great time to pick up the original game.

Warhammer 40K: Battlesector

Warhammer 40K is tailor-made for strategy games, & Battlesector does an admirable job of capturing the grimdark charm of this universe. Available on consoles or PC, Battlesector puts players through a 20 mission campaign as they strive to lead the Blood Angels against the Tyranids who have recently invaded the Space Marine’s worlds. Featuring a huge arsenal of units & skills to unlock, Warhammer 40K: Battlesector allows players to take their armies in specific directions, crafting specialized forces.

The game’s campaign is entertaining & reasonably well-paced, offering just enough variety to make its 20-hour playthrough more than manageable. Non-fans of Warhammer might struggle to care about anything happening on screen, however, they will still have in their h&s a solid strategy game.

Totally Accurate Battle Simulator

At first glance, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator seems more like a parody of a strategy game than an actual strategy game. But beneath its goofy exterior lies an enjoyable experience that requires more tactical thinking than you might expect. Players are placed in control of various units that range from Mages to Bards to Headbutters to Tanks.

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All units look absolutely ridiculous, & after players arrange them on their side of the map, they must face off against a variety of opposing units on the other side. What ensues is nothing short of hilarious. However, be prepared to rework your strategy if your array of Vikings cannot h&le those Snake Archers. Totally Accurate Battle Simulator is a delight that is both stimulating & relaxing for strategy fans.

Worms W.M.D.

Developer Team17 has a long & storied legacy with the Worms franchise, a series of turn-based tactical games generally revolving around… well, literal earthworms blowing one another to bits with a variety of explosive weaponry. Needless to say, Worms W.M.D keeps up this proud tradition.

Comm&ing their squad of Fearless, warbound invertebrates from a 2D perspective, players will blast their way through the opposition in single & multiplayer modes utilizing a multitude of implements ranging from the excessively conventional to the absolutely bizarre.

Wastel& 3

All three Wastel& games are available on Xbox Game Pass, & the trilogy is a fantastic pick for those searching for RPG titles with strategic combat. Wastel& 2 set an extremely high bar, a st&ard its sequel managed to match & arguably surpass.

Set in Colorado, Wastel& 3 has a unique aesthetic courtesy of its snow-covered l&scapes, while its narrative is satisfying due to the strong cast of characters held within. Wastel& 3 plays incredibly well & offers users plenty of freedom on how they customize their characters & approach scenarios.

Among Us

Among Us is not generally classified as part of the strategy genre, however, players will be spending all their time trying to trick or catch each other. Consequently, strategy plays a significant role in this experience – it just happens to take the form of social deduction rather than specific gameplay mechanics.

Whether portraying an Impostor or a Crewmate, Among Us players can follow popular tactics to survive until the end. They will need to constantly evaluate everyone else’s actions, looking for subtle hints that someone might not be who they appear to be. Meanwhile, they must also consider how their own behavior could send false signals, & if they are Impostors, how that information can be used to manipulate the other players.

Best Strategy Games On Xbox Game Pass For PC

Unsurprisingly, Xbox Game Pass for PC has a far more robust selection of strategy games. The genre has historically flourished on computers, with the mouse + keyboard setup complementing the pinpoint controls required by these titles. While console owners only have a small selection of games to pick from, the PC scene is considerably more impressive.

For those with Xbox Game Pass for PC, here are a h&ful of the best strategy games on the subscription service.

Total War: Warhammer 3

2022 is unlikely to produce a bigger strategy game than Total War: Warhammer 3, the final chapter in Creative Assembly’s trilogy. Total War needs no introduction by this point in its history, & Warhammer 3 delivers exactly what fans of the franchise have Advance to expect, along with some quality-of-life improvements. While the multiplayer will keep players coming back for potentially years, the game’s single-player is also deep, engrossing, & epic. Warhammer 3 is also not the worst option for relative newcomers to Total War or even the tactics & strategy genres since the game comes with a decent tutorial.

Age Of Empires 4

After a long wait, Age of Empires 4 is finally a reality, & Relic Entertainment has put together an enjoyable but unspectacular entry in the real-time strategy genre. For better or worse, this 2021 release takes plenty of inspiration from Age of Empires 2‘s playbook, delivering a modernized take on the classic strategy game.

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Offering eight playable factions in Skirmish Mode, which will be where most players spend the majority of their time, Age of Empires 4‘s gameplay balances complexity with accessibility, crafting an experience that should satisfy veterans of the genre while not overwhelming beginners.

Humankind

Released on August 17, 2021, Humankind is an ambitious turn-based strategy 4x game split into six eras. Starting life as a Neolithic tribe, players rise from these humble beginnings as they gradually build a civilization, & it is a cutthroat battle for resource collection & survival. Each era brings with it new cultures & options, plenty of which affect subsequent periods; consequently, players need to keep a holistic view of what they are trying to achieve, as a shortsighted decision could prove costly later on.

Europa Universalis 4

A gr& strategy game with hundreds of nations to pick from, Europa Universalis 4 is a must-play for those who have always wanted to craft their own alternative histories. While things start familiar enough, this s&box strategy game provides players with the tools & options to divert history to suit their fancy. This opens up a huge array of possibilities, & through it all, Europa Universalis 4 keeps things grounded in some form of reality.

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Europa Universalis 4 can be an overwhelming experience for newcomers to gr& strategy games, so it is probably best left to more seasoned players. That said, the experience & mechanics are a bit more accessible than in previous entries in the series.

Age Of Empires 2: Definitive Edition

Xbox Game Pass for PC has the Definitive Editions of the three main Age of Empires games, a collection that will exp& to include Age of Empires 4 once it launches on October 28, 2021. Every entry in the series has something to offer, but Age of Empires 2 sits above its peers as the most iconic game in not only the franchise but the strategy genre in general.

The Definitive Edition takes the brilliant base game & fine-tunes it, granting an array of quality-of-life improvements that make a significant difference. This is the ideal way to play one of the best strategy games ever.

BattleTech

A turn-based tactics game about warring mechs, BattleTech’s complexity & unforgiving nature mean the game is better left for veterans of the genre. For those who have mastered XCOM & are looking for something similar, BattleTech is the strategy game for them. In the single-player campaign, players serve as comm&ers trying to put together an arsenal of mechas, & the responsibilities go beyond just the battlefield. Managing resources & cash flow are almost as important as strategically outmaneuvering the enemy units, & the game h&les both aspects well.

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