Strategy, when done correctly in a game, can be awe inspiring. Watching a long woven plan come to fruition is a thing of beauty, as units come together and mash the enemy to pieces. The thing is, strategy games come in so many flavors and so many different styles that it would be so hard to pick only a few. This is why you might want to check out many other titles before settling on one, and if you’re looking to score on a few games like Pandemic, then all you really need to do is to read up on the top games that present the same challenge as this virus slinging micro management title presents.
10. Pandemic 2.5
There’s no way Pandemic would be mentioned without talking about the sequel it spawned a few years back. In many ways, the game grew bigger than its predecessor, detailing more in terms of leveling and improving your many viruses. At the same time, the title grew in terms of how many ways you can make the world crumble. In all reality, the title provides more of the same while ironing out all the kinks from the previous games and improving on what already worked in the first place.
9. StarCraft 2
StarCraft is one of the biggest names in the RTS genre, and there’s a great big reason for that. Overnight, the title burst forth and received the well deserved attentions of millions of people. This is because the game boasted some pretty innovative design that came along with well balanced units from each of the races, as well as a simple, yet deep combat system which amounted to more than amassing hundreds of tanks to win. The tactics in this games were also huge, and varied, as some players opted an early assault, while others harried their foes. StarCraft 2 is the sequel to this series, and boasts more of the same.
8. The Age of Empires Series
This game series has been around for such a long time, and over that time, it has established a huge community of players that needed a little more clash to their huge wars. Boasting unit sizes over the hundreds, each encounter felt like a massive fight, and realism was not lost on this game either. What StarCraft boasted in terms of tactics, the Age of Empires series had in strategies. There was no one sure way to win a battle, and instead, the game employed the use of terrain to enhance and detriment battles. More than once, the victor of battle would often be determined by how well units were placed throughout the battlefield
7. The Total War Series
On a list about RTS titles, there’s no way you can mention Age of Empires without even hinting at the Total War series. This title instead of creating a mish mash of units from both fantasy and reality, concentrates instead on authenticity. Each game is set during a specific date time in history, and each unit is almost identical to their real life counterparts. Each title in the series has always concentrated on one specific era in time, like more, or during the shogunate of the Japan.
6. Anno 1701
For those that like to play micromanaging, and try to avoid the battle aspect of some games, then there are a lot of titles that still cater to that taste. Anno 1701 is a sea faring adventure that tries to steer away from the conventions of war like RTS to bring you a closer look at how trades, ships, and civilizations are made throughout history. Overall, it’s pretty good as a title, and if you have enough power in your PC, it can also be one of the prettiest titles you might find.
5. Sim City
Okay, a little deeper into the spectrum of micromanaging, and farther from war, the Sims games have always been a fun treat for those that don’t want war all the time. Of course, discounting the ‘Life Simulator’, this series of games covers a lot. From amusement parks to hospitals to sprawling metropolis, Sim City is just one among a long line of great and not to mention detailed, micromanaging games. They’re worth a look, but be warned, some of these titles have not been updated, which means you’ll have to deal with old school graphics and dated styles of play.
4. Space Chem
There’s a weird Objective to Space Chem, and while it isn’t too heavy in terms of micromanaging, it still has enough elements in it that makes it worth a look. It has a heavy puzzler theme, mixed in with a bit of controlling features as well. In it, you guide a few nodes through different paths creating what is probably a chemical formulation. Overall, the game feels new, so if you’re willing to try this out, go ahead as it deserves a little more attention than it has been receiving.
3. Company of Heroes
Okay, by the title alone, you should understand that this game is still based firmly in the realm of war and fighting. The thing here is that it does something that most other RTS and micromanaging titles doesn’t do. Each unit is detailed, battlefields accurate to every tree, and the fighting is glorious and hard. Company of heroes is set in World War II, and does an excellent job of mixing realistic units with the cover systems, methods of retreat, and overall, it shows you even a small glimpse at how war can be about both fighting, planning, and retreating to gain that overall advantage.
2. Reccettear
This game is very unique. It’s an RPG, it has cutesy Japanese style animations, and it’s set in a world where heroes fight to save the world. The only difference with this and other fantasy JRPGs is instead of being about a might hero, you play the store owner that mighty heroes visit. In terms of micromanaging, you are tasked with pricing items, selling them to the heroes, and fending off a racketeering fairy from taking too much of your profits. At the same time, you’ll also have to gather items by doing some exploring of your own. Couple that with some pretty on the nose humor RPGs in general, and you get a really charming title about the problems of making cash from the potion store.
1. Artemis
Artemis does not fall into the standards of micromanaging. Of course, you still have to make sure you control everything, but there’s a unique charm to it that you can’t find anywhere else. You see, in the LAN version, 5 friends get to control each aspect of a warship. The engineering bay, the science lab, and even the war room are controlled by each other player, but the kicker is that the captain can only view the different parts of the ship. This is micromanaging at its best because you get to play with your friends, and each detail of the ship is controlled by every other player.
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