Summary
While some strategy games offer instant gratificationwith accessible mechanicsor tactile gameplay, many strategic titles take time and patience to appreciate. This is typically thanks to steep learning curves and gameplay that’s slow to reward players.
The fun of these games tends to scale with the experience and knowledge of the player, opening up as players sink more hours into their systems. From the brutal turn-based combat ofDarkest Dungeon 2to the slow-burning sandbox ofKenshi, there’s something here for all kinds of strategy game fan.
For many players,Kenshiwill be an immediately inaccessible experience; the busy user-interface and total lack of direction make the experience hard to grasp right away, especially without prior knowledge, and thehostile nature of its open worlddoesn’t help.
However, players that manage to pass the initial speed bumps will find a uniquely rewarding experience.Kenshiis a sandbox in every sense of the word, giving players full control over where they go and what they do, so long as they have the resources necessary. It can be hard to achieve anything, though, as the game can be brutally unforgiving, making the experience one that gets better with time.
Against The Stormpresents players with an innovative combination of city-builders and roguelites. In the game, players build not one, but a series of small settlements, battling against the elements as they develop miniature communities in charming glades.
Against The Stormhas a rather lengthy tutorial section, and being hand-held through it can take the fun out of most decisions. However, once players are in the game proper and begin to better understand the impact of their decisions, it’s easier to enjoy more than just the stylish visuals. More importantly, the roguelite progression system naturally scales with time spent.
Darkest Dungeon 2is an immersive roguelite that excels with its intricate turn-based combat, stylish visuals,and dense atmosphere. In keeping with its dark tone,Darkest Dungeon 2is also a deeply unforgiving game, giving little leeway for newcomers to gain their footing.
What makes this worse is the fact that enemies inDarkest Dungeon 2aren’t immediately readable; many of their abilities are hidden and must first be experienced in order to gain a deeper understanding. This — along with theabundance of random elementsin the game — often means players will find themselves in sticky situations that could not have been avoided, or were happened upon through sheer bad luck. However, this is part of the experience, and gaining a deeper understanding of the game and its myriad foes can also be tremendously rewarding.
Dune: Imperiumis an innovative deck-builder that, due to its nature asa digital board game, can be a little dry on the surface; it’s a relatively static experience, though Dire Wolf does an excellent job of providing visual interest with the user-interface. However,this minimalist presentationdoes little to immediately grab players' attention, with the fun hidden in the intricate mechanics beneath.
With so much information on display at once,Dune: Imperiumcan be overwhelming to newcomers. There are many board spaces, many cards, and myriad decisions to make. However, these decisions only become fun once they’re informed, meaningDune: Imperiumtends to get more enjoyable as players gain a better understanding of its systems.
Wildfrostisa roguelike deck-builderthat excels with its tactical combat encounters and diverse variety of cards, items, and passive boons. WhileWildfrostis immediately charming with its vibrant cartoon art-style, its gameplay can be incredibly unforgiving, with single mistakes often resulting in quick ends.
The variety of unlocks inWildfrost, however, result in an experience that only expands with play. While this is the case for many games,Wildfrostin particular gets better with time as its unlocks are not only diverse, but impactful; entire factions can be unlocked, and each plays in their own unique way, opening up myriad opportunities for new strategies.
Dune: Spice Warsoffers players a deep and intricate sandbox of strategies and victory conditions, supported by an ensemble of asymmetric factions. The thematic gameplay, with its frequent nods to the legendary source material, also elevates the experience, butSpice Warsremains a slow-paced strategy game that takes time to fully appreciate.
This is particularly thanks to its myriad systems and mechanics, ranging from base-building and army management to espionage and politics, all providing a dynamic flow of gameplay that can be difficult to unpack. The abundance of victory conditions can also be hard to pin down, requiring careful planning and thoughtful strategy in order to succeed. With such density of gameplay systems,Spice Warsis a game that can be overwhelming at first, becoming increasingly fun as players gain a deeper understanding of its mechanics and factions.
While it won’t be for everyone,StarCraft 2— and, more specifically, its competitive multiplayer — can offer a deeply rewarding experience. This real-time strategy game is fast-paced and tremendously expressive, offering opportunities to strategize, base-build, and manage small and large armies.
However,StarCraft 2is an older title, and years of competitive play has resulted in a set standard. As a result, it can be difficult to hold ground against seasoned players. This only makesStarCraft 2a more rewarding experience, though; as players gain a better understanding of each faction and the possibilities within, more opportunities for strategizing and creative thinking can begin to arise.
