There Are No GOOD New Strategy Games? Wrong! (Play The Best In 2024 & 2025)

[@GamerZakh]

Every year people say strategy games are dying. Here are new fully released ones that are good. Enjoy! If you want to support the channel, buy games using this GOG referral link: af.gog.com/?as=1715648857 Thank you!

[@metlov]

Zakh always delivers honest opinion. No overhyped expression, just straight to the point. Love it.

[@GamerZakh]

Thank you!

[@EranM]

Oh and ZAKH! Thank you for releasing a video of games that are already available! This is highly appreciated!

[@adhyperdad3027]

Thank you for a great overview of the last year in strategy/tactics games.

[@kshizzle_bizzle]

Thanks for the recommendations, Tactical Breach Wizards is deceptively deep, one of my favourites.

[@Banefane]

I can recommend Dominions games. Especially if you love roleplaying and picking things randomly and having tons of spells and items BUT that's a preference thing because if you want one or more OP units that's a bit difficult (though not completely impossible in my opinion ). I missed Age of Wonders 4 in your video which I can heavily recommend!

[@GamerZakh]

Age of Wonders 4 is over a year old, so can't list it here. The only exception to the time limit for 'new' is Sins, but that's only because people keep hounding me about it being a '2024' release, even when it isn't.

[@marekkos3513]

the only strategy games in the last 5 years , that really interested me were: 1.Age4 2.Songs of conquest 3.Coh3 4.Steel division 2 5.Bar 6.Gates of Hell 7.Age of mythology retold 8.Humankind Thank you and have a nice day.

[@Kataash]

Old world?

[@marekkos3513]

@@Kataash Civ4,5 and Humankind are much better

[@theendofconfusion]

Thanks for the recs!

[@mesarthim640]

Thanks for this list Zakh, it's always appreciated ! Loved a lot of titles in this list. Solium Infernum is the game that impressed me the most. The art style is less infernal than in the old game but it still works and it works great. Songs of Conquest is one of those game I still need to try correctly but it's gorgeous. Among the games I still play, have a strong community and are very much strategy there's: Age of Empires 4, still going strong with rumors of new DLC Age of Wonders 4 is still releasing updates and becomes more and more awesome. (the latest update improved the game so much) Age of darkness, I think you played that one, didn't you? Is going to release it's multiplayer soon (before 2025 I believe) and the release is somewhere along the way. Cataclismo is another they are billions where you build your walls block by block and is pretty fun. Godsworn did release this year and is improving bit by bit. Dune Spice Wars and Northgard still have plans, great games. Spellforce 3, Stronghold Definitive edition, war for the overworld, Warhammer 40k Gladius Five Nations got it's DLC and is still improving, a very classic RTS without multiplayer but still worth a look. Yeah, yeah, older or not 1.0 yet but I wanted to mention them 'cause Zakh is probably going crazy with list like these. We never know where to put them but: Factorio is still that weird one between craft, strategy, automation, it did release a DLC and building and protecting your base is more important than ever. The Riftbreaker, defense, automation, strategy? Got a few DLC and multiplayer should be coming in December, 1.0 very close even though there are DLC. OddSparks, Desync and Dyson Sphere Program, same problem, RTS, automation, ... But going pretty well

[@tkaudi1]

one of the best review videos i have seen, subscribed for more! (thanks for putting in games that are accessible now!)

[@TheMrYadrian]

Thx to you I purchased a really good game called 'Songs of Silence' and I must say it is wonderful. Thank you for the best recommendations!

[@GamerZakh]

Glad you found a new one to enjoy!

[@Uzishan]

in my honest opinion, Songs of Conquest isn't that great but it sellls because we are starved of HOMM-style games. And my biggest gripe with this game is that it lacks proper faction identity and the mixtures of armies are a bit questionable at best.

[@saerain]

Yes! Thank you, the fans are understandably annoyed when I say this, but I'd prefer the "generic" elves-and-orcs fantasy setup if it meant the factions gained that sense of identity. A huge part of what I love about HoMM or any fantasy strategy game is feeling like my efforts stand for something about how I'd like that world to be shaped, and these factions give me a bunch of bleh.

[@GamerZakh]

Generally that's all a spiritual successor has to do to succeed. Just be better than the official series, even if the bar is low. Cities Skylines wasn't amazing on launch, but it was better than SimCity 5. Songs of Conquest is more liked than the last 3 HoMM games over the last 20 years. Olden Era has a chance to top it, but that depends on whether Ubisoft can pull it off.

[@MadeinHell2]

One of the problems for me with songs of conquest is that despite being pixel art it's actually shockingly demanding for what it is. My wife has a 6 year old laptop with a weak (albeit dedicated) GPU, and weak CPU. The game even on the lowest settings runs like ass. It makes sense turn calculations would take longer on a weak PC, but why the heck does a pixel art game need graphical horsepower?!

[@GamerZakh]

@@MadeinHell2 That's because pixel art is a visual style, not a performance saving style. Pixel art doesn't mean 8-bit, Songs of Conquest is actually super high fidelity and has a ton of 3D and modern visual effects. They've shown off how the game is rendered and it's actually all in 3D space with pixel style textures, so it's not a '2D pixel game', it's a full 3D game with pixel designs.

[@saerain]

​@@MadeinHell2 Well it's only stylistically pixel art, so to speak. Surprisingly many processes on screen at once to animate, shade and post-process everything each frame. Luxury pixel art. 🥲

[@ArticSpy]

Thanks Zakh, nice review again! Songs of Conquest was the only game which looks interesting to me, but I'm not into pixelart haha. Too bad Mechabellum isn't a full RTS.

[@alyssinwilliams4570]

GamerZakh - OMG Thank you. There is a massive difference between RTS and RTT! It irritates me to know end when people call games that are RTTs, RTSs ._. Although, we do seem to different in our definition of RTS vs RTT, but at least you acknowledge RTTs :)

[@ravenroc1784]

I love your lists thank you! The only thing is I need 6 more lives to play them all. lol

[@GamerZakh]

Thanks! Yeah I know that feeling. I really want just like a year with nothing to do but play games.

[@kcw1879]

Age of Wonders 4 is my top strategy game of all time.

[@GamerZakh]

Yeah it's good, just not new anymore.

[@Cythil]

Did have a new DLC with a major rework to some core components (hero system) so there are new elements to it. I find the new additions good.

[@alyssinwilliams4570]

Zephon recently went onto my wish-list, in the top-10 (which is pretty good considering my wishlist is closing in on 950)

[@adagiotal5417]

Why not mentioning Age of Wonders 4? Which is the most succesfull strategy game recently released by far, and for a reason. Yet Song of Conquest and co are mentioned...

[@GamerZakh]

It's not new, it released over a year ago.

[@saerain]

Songs of Syx, Songs of Conquest, Songs of Silence, I'm dizzy

[@Fred_L.]

There is a novel series by Bernard Werber that partially is from ant perspective. Quite awesome books.

[@FabledDragon]

We need a Spiritual Successor Diagram or a power point presentation to understand the spiritual successor break down :D

[@Cythil]

Honestly, I do not know why people are against Heros of Might and Magic 5. It is a great one that builds on the same foundations as 1,2 and 3. The graphics is a bit dated though it has some great art direction if you ask me. Heros of Might and Magic 4 was a break with the series. It mixed things up. So is more polarizing I think. What made me really annoyed with 6 was the whole meta progression that made it so you had to grind a lot of games just to have access to everything and could even discourage you from trying different things you had not unlocked. We do not talk about the latest entry...

[@jamesschumann2803]

If Mechabellum isn't a strategy game then Chess isn't a strategy game. It's basically Mech Chess, after a fashion. To dismiss it as simple is to demonstrate a lack of understanding of what it is, auto battler or not. It's turn based, but the amount of information to process and counterplay is best in class currently.

[@josiekitter8595]

Dominions 6 is an amazing game. Buy it, play it, love it.

[@Ben_D.]

Thanks man

[@Apophis324]

I always thought Age of Mythology looked very good, even today, but then I saw side-by-side comparisons of the classic models vs. the new models and.. okay maaaybe it was time for an update XD (The only one I didn't like was the Sfinx with its upgrades and yes I know that is accurate, but I don't like the human face changing to a bird > -

[@wrymen]

Don't forget Darfall, strategy game with RPG hero elements 🏰

[@GamerZakh]

Well scheduled for 2025, so maybe next year.

[@Jimmy-nl9if]

For small and medium producers isn't profitable to make good and big games. The most important thing is to game be available on as many platforms as possible. 2 platforms = 2x cash, 3 - 3x, etc.

[@Fastwinstondoom]

Do you think Tempest Rising is being given more dev time because of how rough Stormgate was at launch and the lukewarm reception it got?

[@qasderfful]

Please do make a shoutout to Godsworn as well. The game is exceptional but flies so under the radar it's basically a subterranean vessel.

[@GamerZakh]

I have listed it many times in the past, this is just for fully released games.

[@qasderfful]

​@@GamerZakh Oh, so both WARNO and Thronefall are fully out. Didn't catch that.

[@mcmarkmarkson7115]

Lots of good and decent games. But sadly nothing that blows me away.

[@fleyers117]

Its really HARD to BEAT PARADOX games if we talking about strategy: STELLARIS, EU4, CK3 are class of their own. Can't wait for EU 5

[@kazenorin]

I believe Eugen is German and should be pronounced as "Oy-Ghen"? The English version should be something like Eugene. That said, I'm not the devs nor speak German, so I'm not in any place correcting anyone...

[@GamerZakh]

Ah looking it up yeah you're more correct than I am. That pronunciation didn't cross my mind before, I'll try get it right in future.

[@EranM]

Yo Zakh! How many hours do you have on Songs of conquest?

[@whatever1618]

Sins was fully released on Epic and Steam at the same time. Sins was in alpha when first released on Epic and had only one faction. Stardock also added a second faction while it was on Epic. When Sins released on Steam, Stardock added the third faction. Stardock did something similar with Galactic Civilization 4. I'm not defending this type of release scheme. Just adding clarity.

[@GamerZakh]

No it wasn't. Sins fully released on Epic ages ago. They removed the 'early access' tag purposefully but never announced it properly. If the game wasn't actually complete and still in early access, it means they were false advertising.

[@GamerZakh]

Just for a reference: www.ign.com/articles/sins-of-a-solar-empire-2-publisher-explains-epic-games-store-stealth-launch-only-one-shot-at-a-steam-release "Once we hit that milestone in early 2023, we turned off the early access flag"

[@whatever1618]

@@GamerZakh I agree

[@whatever1618]

@@GamerZakh I was not remembering the Early Access tag was removed. Regardless, Epic only had 2 of the primary races originally in SoaSE: Rebellion. As the artical says Advent was added to Epic's version at the time of the Steam release. I would check up on Sins 2 progress from time to time and I didn't want to buy it until it had the same content Sins Rebellion had. That didn't happen until Steam.

[@dh8203]

I get that it's not at full release yet, but how is Songs of Syx not at your #8 spot? When you're on a roll, keep it going!

[@GamerZakh]

Haha strict requirement for games to be fully released in this list.

[@DanielDCotta]

I do not use Epic store, so for all intents and purposes, Sins of Solar empires is new for me.

[@GamerZakh]

Yeah that's fine, just don't come for me if I don't list it as an 'upcoming' game. It's like if a game was only on the PS5 and 2 years later it comes to PC. It's new to all PC players but that doesn't mean it's a new game.

[@OIL0100]

👍🏻 awesome

[@jimnewl]

Oh, you youngsters. Dominions is only one of the most highly regarded fantasy series in computer gaming. It's been around for almost a quarter century now.

[@GamerZakh]

@@jimnewl How young do you think I am? I'm older than that.

[@AndreasElf]

Sins of A Solar Empire 2 isn't released yet. I've looked at GOG and can only see the first game.

[@GamerZakh]

@@AndreasElf It fully released early 2023. It was on Epic. Now it's also on Steam. Just because it's not on one store doesn't mean the game hasn't released. There are decades old games on Steam that never came to GOG, doesn't mean they aren't out.

[@dalogan7290]

right now if you want a good IA play war in the east 2

[@flea1985]

Hi Zakh can Yoy please check also "Silence of the Siren" Its HoMM strategy with little futuristic twist Its out in EA - It need some reballance but its solid game with potencial

[@GamerZakh]

I have listed it before, and for transparency they sponsored an upcoming list video. It's still in early access, so it's on my radar going into 2025.

[@flea1985]

@@GamerZakh Thank You Zakh Your da best :)

[@lft4028]

C'mon, HoMM V wasn't that bad. Yes, mechanics, units and the whole approach were different from what people expected. And the graphics was kinda questionable even back then. But it was surprisingly dynamic, entertaining and the mechanics, while being new, were quite balanced and really fun, especially with the DLCs. It's exactly what the VI and the VII were lacking. And the score, omg... It was as fabulous as in HoMM III... almost...

[@GamerZakh]

@@lft4028 I didn't say it was bad, it just Songs of Conquest is more successful. Songs of Conquest sold more, has more players, and has a higher review score than HoMM 5, 6, and 7. HoMM 5 is still a financial success and generally well reviewed, just not as much as Songs of Conquest.

[@lft4028]

@@GamerZakh That, indeed, very likely. At least, it's hard to argue without relevant data (which I don't have neither means nor, frankly, whish to look for =) Though, speaking about financial success, we might need to take into account that gaming market nowadays is significantly larger than it used to be back in the day. But, you definately made your point. Now I feel intrigued =)

[@MirelLazar-bu8uf]

Thank you for another great video!

[@EssaBee]

Sins 2 WAS labelled a technical test when it was listed for sale on epic. It was quite clear. Steam release was the final release. You are misinformed here.

[@GamerZakh]

Nope, they removed the early access label almost 2 years ago on Epic. Remove the early access label, it means it's fully released.

[@GamerZakh]

Just for a reference: www.ign.com/articles/sins-of-a-solar-empire-2-publisher-explains-epic-games-store-stealth-launch-only-one-shot-at-a-steam-release "Once we hit that milestone in early 2023, we turned off the early access flag" They straight up said they removed the early access label when they considered it a 1.0 release, so Sins 2 was fully released and feature complete by their own words by early last year. If the game was severely unfinished and just a technical test, they were misleading players and false advertising for a very long time. Similarly to Cyberpunk, No Man's Sky, and Stardew Valley, big updates after release doesn't make it an upcoming game again.

[@estuardocastro6177]

anything close to Patrician IV or Tortuga?

[@Shirukan]

Zephon is great to me

[@remonkewl6598]

Don't know if you're doing a wargames list, and since WARNO is in here, today there was a big wargame release by Microprose, Sea Power.

[@GamerZakh]

For my curation I'd say wargames are slightly out from the standard 'strategy' genre of games but it depends. Warno is here because it has the campaign map stuff too which makes it more strategy. Besides that though, Sea Power is still early access, so I can't list it anyway as all of these are full release now.

[@LauftFafa]

i think you should return to doing reviews and playthroughs instead of delving into the rabbithole of "top incoming games" who require endless videos and i know some channels who near spam videos of this kind and some games made it to many lists because games can fit in many . i say return to your routes and do this just once in a while because i started to notice the rabbit hole pattern here that other channels show too

[@GamerZakh]

This content is by FAR my most successful content. Without it I won't make rent. I did many gameplay videos recently: Age of Empires: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2rChqaOqtGffLM Lovecraftian city-builder: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIPHf5SYd753oqM Civ 4: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqa3l2qsltyVqNk Dark Colony: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYXCZ4iIfbupo68 Empire of the Ants: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3vXfItvmbF3nsU Not enough people watch that stuff. Sticking to my roots would leave me homeless. Not to mention, these 'top incoming games' videos, I've been making them for over 10 years. I think you subscribed 5 years ago? When you subscribed to me my first incoming games list video was already half a decade old. Isn't this part of my roots too?

[@GamerZakh]

Just for a specific example of me trying to return to older style content, I tried a new Morrowind playthrough: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJK6qXWbirWMh5I This video got 4.5K views. I had to stop the playthrough because almost everyone subscribed to me just wasn't interested. This strategy list I just uploaded, it will have over 5K views by the end of today.

[@aronmills8653]

All these games aren't all "New" though. You recommend the same old strategy games every now and then just in a different order. And the actual "New" RTS games, no matter how you reckon its going back to the earlier glory era, just don't cut it. Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance is hardly a new game which was released 10 or so months ago can it? So take all these new, dull, boring and yawn worthy games, you can understand why people say that RTS games are declining. Not having a personal dig at you Zak ( Though it might seem like it!) I just don't agree with you.

[@GamerZakh]

For the games I mentioned before, they're now full release in 2024 where before they were either unplayable or were in early access. And the range is 'this year' for 'new'. 10 months is not 'old'. So you consider a game 'new' the moment it becomes playable but not when it gets a full release, and only for a few months? How many months? But I can understand how that'd work but I'm sure you can understand why curating that way would just cause other problems right? And for the actual new games, well in that case no game is 'new'. Command & Conquer is a Dune 2 reskin. Wolfenstein 3D was a reskin of a refinement of a clone. Castle Wolfenstein was a Berserk ripoff. Bioshock is a System Shock spiritual successor. FTL is just a digital version of the Battlestar Galactica board game. Civ 1 is copying Incunabula and the Civilization board game plus Empire graphics. Caesar 1 is just Roman SimCity. Minecraft is an Infiniminer clone. Dark Souls is a continuation of Demon's Souls which is a successor to King's Field which is harkening back to the Wizardry series. Warcraft is Warhammer. Pong was a stolen clone. Basically, to really understand the problem, try write out your list of best new strategy games. Actually come up with a list and we can see exactly what you mean and you'll understand why I do the things I do after doing this for 10 years. I've had these discussions before, and most don't realise the problem until they write out their own list. It's easy to disagree, but you really can't communicate exactly how you're thinking unless you demonstrate.

[@GamerZakh]

@@aronmills8653 Oh also, you seem to be thinking I'm only talking about RTS? I'm not. I'm talking about strategy games. People say 4X is dying. Grand Strategies are dying. Tactics games are dying. People say ALL strategy games are dying.

[@omg5501]

4x games: AI is shit multiplayer never works they just keep making them ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@Pinstripe0451]

The only good RTS in that video is a remake. The genre remains an afterthought, sorry.

[@GamerZakh]

@@Pinstripe0451 Why are you apologising? We're you trying to make it mainstream but failed?

[@Kataash]

Try Old world

[@GamerZakh]

I have

[@Kataash]

@GamerZakh what do you think?

[@GamerZakh]

@@Kataash It's good, I've listed it many times before and covered it a few times.

[@222aztek]

Sins of a Solar Empire was release on Epic. From some 'Valve fanboy' reason people hate Epic games. I don't believe it was ever falsely marketed as a new release any time after its release on Epic. Haters just gotta hate.

[@jcataclisma]

👀👀🤩🤩🤩👍👍👍👍👍

[@RobertSmith-bz5ug]

Dominions 6 ?? How do they keep selling it as a new game ?? This game has NOT change since Dominions 2.. same type map,, same type units,, same type graphics ,, same everything !!! LOL 😜

[@GamerZakh]

People keep buying it, so I guess you'd have to ask them haha

[@josiekitter8595]

They support the game for free and every 5 years or so they release major updates in a new version. You are right the game is mostly the same between version, which is a good thing because the game is amazing! I’m happy to spend money on a new version and happy the continue to develop new features.

[@SonnyDK]

I was really not impressed with Dominions 5

[@susangoaway]

I would be careful about slitherine, since they tend to be very ban happy on their website (including for stuff happening outside their platform) And yes, I will write that for every time one of the games they published is presented. And it seems you have the exact same definition of RTS/TTS as me. Though I've started to question it, since technically, "deck management" is strategic preparing as well. Though it turns into a strict tactic game afterwards. I have always dismissed Age of History as a mobile game. The design of the 8bit armies series keeps me away from it. It's not something for me. I assume you've picked games that were released recently?

[@GamerZakh]

Yeah a strict limit on this list is the game must be fully released and that it released in 2024. I've found being stricter with criteria makes stronger lists as they don't sprawl as much, which is better for 'best of' curation.

[@susangoaway]

@@GamerZakh It does do that, since it highlights the lesser known ones. Somehow I could say that you're constantly making the same videos, yet there is always something new in them.

[@JspoonG]

Boring gamez tbh ;_: i want new games like Warlords Battlecry or Stronghold Crusader ;_:

[@GamerZakh]

Well we know they're working on more Stronghold, have to see what they come up with.

[@JspoonG]

@@GamerZakh We all know they are not capable of anything anymore, Zakh:((((((

[@GamerZakh]

@@JspoonG I was sponsored to cover it, but I do actually think their definitive edition was good. I'm hoping them doing that definitive edition brings them back to their roots and for them to bring that stuff into the new stuff.

[@johnord684]

Sea power is out

[@GamerZakh]

In early access, so can't be listed here.

[@johnord684]

Looks good though

[@olebrommm]

i rly dont like epic.. its like playstation on pc.. exclusive acess.. not my thing.

[@GamerZakh]

Exclusivity isn't the best, but the one good thing about how Epic deals work is they have funded a lot of console games to be ported to PC with 1-2 years of Epic exclusivity. Then after the exclusivity the game almost always then comes to Steam. So Epic has created temporary exclusivity for eventual ubiquity. All those games that otherwise wouldn't exist on PC at all are now on Steam because Epic paid for it.

[@jardelainen8278]

You used too much ranting about sins of solar empire 2 and not about the game

[@GamerZakh]

That was entirely the point yes. I'm not even supposed to list it, it's not a new strategy game. It's not supposed to be here. It's only here to explain why it shouldn't be here.

[@wsk1124]

Why my reply on your msg not showing or not reaching? KZbin become woke? I answered you on Dune: Awakening but it seems KZbin deleted it.

[@GamerZakh]

What do you mean by woke? What did you write that you think KZbin blocked?

[@jaynoyes8526]

Do you even know what woke means? 😂

[@wsk1124]

I replied on what I dislike on that game (all about game mechanic and feature) but it seems the msg gone.

[@GamerZakh]

@@wsk1124 Okay, could be a bug or KZbin mistake. Maybe you wrote in a way that looked like spam. But what did you say that would make KZbin 'woke' for removing it? Deleting criticism of game mechanics isn't woke.

[@wsk1124]

@@GamerZakh Today about 11 hours ago another channel which I subscribed feature gameplay of totalwar: warhammer3 posted on community that KZbin set his gameplay video age restriction. He ask KZbin which part of his video constitute to such restriction so that he don’t repeat in future and KZbin reply this: Sorry unable to lift the age restriction. Do this sound familiar to you (your ancient city pronunciation) The channel call BrilliantStupitidy.