4 Strategy Games to play before you die.

[PredatorFett]

In no particular order........

Rise of Legends (probably on Steam, not sure tho)

Total Annihilation: The Core Contingency (find it on GOG.com)

World in Conflict ( epic alternate history game about a 1989 soviet invasion of Seattle)

Gratuitous Space Battles (buy the DLC's on Steam if you want the maximum experience)

 

[NickyJ]

In particular order.......

Sid Meier's Gettysburg!

Sid Meier's Antietam!

Sid Meier's Gettysburg!

Sid Meier's Antietam!

 

[GoodGame]

Sid Meier's Civilization 4 (with all the expansions)

Chess

Galactic Civilizations 2 (with all the expansions)

Diplomacy


honorable mention: some variant of Poker.

 

[ddd123]

mom
ufo
civ
dune2

 

[Rub'Rum]

Civ Revolution
Master of Orion 3
Empire Earth III
World of Warcraft

Spoiler :

Heroes of Might and Magic III
Age of Wonders
Civilization IV
Age of Empires II
Lords of the Realm II
Jagged Alliance 2
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri

With all expansions of course

 

[Antilogic]

Civ Revolution
Master of Orion 3
Empire Earth III
World of Warcraft

That is a list worthy of a trollface.

I've played plenty of good ones, but the only ones that are definite on my list are Master of Orion and Civilization 4. I need to think about which Paradox game to include, and I got a wildcard space left.

 

[NBAfan]

EU3
CK2
Vicky2
Civ 4

 

[Rub'Rum]

I need to think about which Paradox game to include, and I got a wildcard space left.

I'm not sure how I forgot to put a Paradox game on there, it'd probably be EU3 but my list is already too long.

 

[Antilogic]

EU3 is kind of the classic gateway Paradox game, and as much as I appreciate V2 with its expansion/PDM I'd probably put it in there. CK2 has been a load of fun the last few days, but I'm not comfortable recommending it as a best-ever yet.

I'd probably add one from the AGEod stable, since they take the classic tabletop wargame aspects and build pretty awesome strategy games around them. Steep learning curve, but worth it. AoE2 and AoM were tons of fun, but I don't consider RTS real strategy games so it's not making my list.

 

[Maniacal]

The discussion value of this thread is highly stimulating.

 

[Optical]

With a fairly wide definition of strategy games - and the fact that I do consider RTS a strategy sub-genre - I'd go with:

-AOE2 (as the game that got me into gaming in the first place... fond memories )
-Civ4 (best-known TBS series and one of the oldest compter game franchises)
-EU3 (great all-round game)
-I have not played enough of any other game, strategy or otherwise, to put it on this list

 

[sophie]

LotR2
EU3 DW with DAO or comparable mod
AoE2
CIV

 

[Serutan]

MOO 2
Civ 2
HoI 2
EU 3

 

[LightSpectra]

Are we not counting RTSs? Because Starcraft: Brood War is easily the most influential and important RTS in history.

 

[Antilogic]

I don't, but others do.

 

[Quintillus]

Sid Meier's Civilization 4 (with all the expansions)

Chess

Galactic Civilizations 2 (with all the expansions)

Diplomacy


honorable mention: some variant of Poker.

Well, I'm set then. I've played all four of them. Hope I still get to live awhile...

Of them, Diplomacy would be my top choice. Whether chess qualifies depends on how many times we're saying you have to play before croaking. Diplomacy really only takes two games or so (granted, long games) and you've got what's so great about it. Chess, you have to play it enough times to have some intuition about what's good and what isn't.

I would say GalCiv2 is the only one of those I definitely wouldn't agree with, but I haven't played it with the latest expansion.

Poker I don't really consider strategy. There is some strategy in it, but it just doesn't scream "strategy" to me.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

No mention of Total War yet ?
Rome and Shogun 2 are among the best strategy games I've ever played.

 

[GoodGame]

Well, I'm set then. I've played all four of them. Hope I still get to live awhile...

Of them, Diplomacy would be my top choice. Whether chess qualifies depends on how many times we're saying you have to play before croaking. Diplomacy really only takes two games or so (granted, long games) and you've got what's so great about it. Chess, you have to play it enough times to have some intuition about what's good and what isn't.

I would say GalCiv2 is the only one of those I definitely wouldn't agree with, but I haven't played it with the latest expansion.

Poker I don't really consider strategy. There is some strategy in it, but it just doesn't scream "strategy" to me.

Chess is definitely a strategy game. All you are saying is that chess is such a complex game, that it takes long-term study to appreciate it. I agree with that.

From this, I'd say there are two types of strategy games---those with very explicit rules (e.g. a modern strategy game, e.g. gal civ or civ4) of what you can and cannot do, and those games with simple rules but complex permutations of actions (e.g. chess). Chess is a very positional game, where the rules only tell you how conflict is resolved and how different types of pieces are moved; but the strategy is in the positions of the board, the geometries of overlapping attacks of positions, and some grand strategy (sacrifice these pieces in a gambit to control those squares in order to force the enemy to make poor moves). There's some hybrid between the two types of games that I mentioned, and I think the fun of modern games is not only playing the rules (to get high scores), but also trying to break rules a little by coming up with permutations of actions.

I agree that Diplomacy is great, even if I've only played it a few times. To me it was a great experience because it's not how well you understand battle mechanics, but how well you understand people and can construct machinations. Nothing like being humbled on turn 2 because you were backstabbed by your co-conspirateurs, right out of the gate.

I gave Poker honorable mention because it is a bit of strategy game with luck (probability analysis) element, but the strategies aren't inherently expressed in the rules....which is how you take their money!!!!!!!!! Read books on poker theory (e.g. David Sklanzky), and you will appreciate the strategic structure of Poker I think.

 

[OrsonM]

I think before I die I just want to play as many 2d isometric strategy games as possible. In fact my favorite ones are mainly 2d games, and I've come to find that 3d doesn't add much of anything to the game.

 

[t0mme]

Civilization 4 - Beyond the Sword - Rise of Mankind - A New Dawn
Europa Universalis 3 (with all expansions)
Total Annihilation
Alpha Centauri (expansion pack entirely optional)

oh, and:
AI War (with all expansions)
Red Alert 2
Galactic Civilizations II (with all expansions)
Rome Total Realism
Civilization II 2.42
Age of Empires II
Rise of Nations
The Settlers II Gold Edition

Still on the fence about:
Crusader Kings II
Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War
Company of Heroes