The Best Strategy Games of 2023 - Editors' Choice

The passing year was packed with great games. Above all, fans of RPGs and action games from the AAA segment should be satisfied. However, this doesn't mean that strategy enthusiasts didn't find anything among the plethora of new games. While it wasn't a year filled with games in this specific genre, there are easily a few titles that deserve your attention.

So, we have compiled a list of representatives of strategy games, showcasing their diverse variations. No matter if you like traditional RTS games or tactical sandboxes, you'll definitely find something for yourself here. Each of the mentioned games can guarantee many hours of fun – we are convinced that for every strategy enthusiasts it will be time well spent.

6. Aliens Dark Descent

Aliens Dark Descent, Tindalos Interactive, 2023.

Our list begins with another release from the Alien universe in recent years, which has captured the hearts of both players and critics. We're talking about Aliens Dark Descent, a tactical game with RPG elements, where we take charge of a team of marines sent to combat xenomorphs on the moon Lethe.

Although Dark Descent is included in our strategy ranking, it's essentially a blend of numerous genres. Besides engaging in real-time tactical battles (although we can use an active pause), we also experience elements of survival horror, stealth, and RPG, all accompanied by a storyline supported by full-fledged cutscenes. This combination made it possible to develop a title that perfectly captures the atmosphere of James Cameron's iconic Aliens.

Apart from fighting xenomorphs, the game also enables the free selection of missions and puts in our hands the equipment upgrade system and the headquarters divided into multiple sectors, along with mechanics for managing the marines themselves. If the idea of a game that combines numerous genres doesn't scare you, and you're a fan of the Alien universe, Dark Descent will offer you plenty of thrills.

5. Age of Wonders 4

Age of Wonders 4, Triumph Studios , 2023.

Age of Wonders 4 is another full-fledged installment of the cult series, for which we had to wait 9 long years since the premiere of its predecessor. Fortunately, patience paid off, as the fourth installment proved to be an excellent title, appealing to both series fans and players who weren't yet familiar with it.

At first sight, it appears to be a conventional 4X strategy game set in a fantasy world. However, upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that AoW4 provides mechanics that are rare in the majority of other titles on the market. We're talking about the kingdom creator, which enables players to establish their own faction from the ground up. So we can choose the race, its features, strengths and weaknesses, character and appearance. There's no obstacle to choosing even the most absurd combinations, which aren't found in any other fantasy.

However, the gameplay is based on a formula familiar to all genre fans. We expand our kingdom, engage in territorial expansion, and either fight or cooperate with other nations while exploiting resources. We can also have a significant impact on the environment within the game and use spells to change the lands under our control into terrains with a completely different climate. The game offers many opportunities, and the gameplay depends solely on us.