So you wanna play more games like total war? Creative Assembly’s core strategy series is a law unto itself, offering a rich and far-reaching turn-based campaign layer, while also allowing you to load into a separate real-time tactical map where you can take on your armies. and fight for the glory of Rome, Sigmar, Troy, etc.
In the pantheon of strategy games, few have come close to Creative Assembly’s unique vision. With no obvious competitor, that leaves us a long way to go in identifying the best games like Total War. There are more strategy games than we’ll ever remember, so we’ve decided to focus on a few new titles, because the classics are well worn. Here are five options that might satisfy that Total War itch – enjoy!
Games like Total War
Here are five great games like Total War:
- Real Warfare 2: Northern Crusades
- Age of Wonders: Planet Fall
- field of glory empires
- Hegemony III – Clash of the Ancients
- Company of heroes 3
Real Warfare 2: Northern Crusades
The Real Warfare series is a relic of the 2010s, when mid-tier publishers like 1C Entertainment championed indie strategy projects across Europe. Some were interesting, some less so, but they all tended to have the same underdeveloped issues that you simply couldn’t fix today.
Real Warfare 2: Northern Crusades is based on two previous alternatives to Medieval: Total War: Real Warfare 1242 and XIII Century. The only difference, and the crucial distinction that catches our eye today, is that Northern Crusades was the first to add a later campaign. You’d find yourself in command of an army, roaming a map of northeast Europe, before loading into a separate real-time tactical layer.
It was great, like a hyper-focused Medieval 2 mini-campaign, except the campaign layer itself was also real-time, making it a bit like Mount & Blade, or Heroes of Might and Magic, too . Unfortunately, the studio that created it is long gone and the game still has some lingering bugs, but it’s available pretty cheap on Steam if you want to try it out anyway.
Age of Wonders: Planet Fall
Age of Wonders: Planetfall is a great 4X game that has some great and clever twists on things you already know. The series has so much in common with games like Civilization, and you’ll find Age of Wonders 3 on this list, but the new entry has more in common with Total War. In fact, you could say that Planetfall is to Age of Wonders what Total Warhammer games are to Total War games in general.
Planetfall is set long after the collapse of a galactic empire, with survivors taking their first steps into the universe in an attempt to piece together what happened. Each game sees you land on a new planet, with a new story to uncover, as well as other major and minor factions to battle. The map is divided into sectors, each filled with mysteries and special dungeon-like areas to clear and explore.
There’s a tactical layer where you can fight all your battles, although it’s turn-based unlike Total War’s real-time. Still, it’s a great game well worth checking out if you haven’t already.
Field of Glory: Empires
If you want something that reminds you of old school Total War, then Field of Glory: Empires is worth watching. It’s a great strategic war game set in ancient times, and you can choose to play as many of the usual suspects: Rome, Carthage, Parthia, and others. It definitely reminds me of OG Rome: Total War vs Total War: Rome II, but it has some unique mechanics that give it an edge.
It doesn’t technically have its own tactical combat engine, but you can give it one if you combine it with another of the Slitherine games: Field of Glory II. By transferring battle data from one game to another, you can play the entire game (although FOGII is a turn-based game, not real-time), then transfer those results to Empires and continue as normal . A novel, if not the most effective use of two very different games.
Hegemony III: Clash of the Ancients
It’s probably the least Total War-like of the bunch, but it’s still pretty good and shares many traits that you’ll love for the same reasons you love Total War games. Hegemony III is set on the Italian peninsula, long before Rome came to dominate the region. You can choose the city of Rome itself, or any number of other era factions, and slowly expand and conquer the map.
It’s a war game at heart, and a big part of what you do is make sure you have enough food to feed your citizens during the winter and your armies while they operate outside of your territory. The map is dotted with nodes where you can build forts and bridges, and you can set up supply lines to ensure there’s enough food to withstand a neighbor’s invasion.
It’s very indie, but a compelling take on ancient warfare that will keep you hooked for hours. It’s all real-time here, and it’s the only real-time strategy game on the list that doesn’t load you into a separate tactical combat interface: you simply fight on the campaign map whenever you encounter enemies. enemies.
Company of heroes 3
Company of Heroes 3 returns in all its glory, but is now tied to a campaign map that lets you move armies as you fight across the Mediterranean in World War II. There is no empire management, but you have to take control of cities, build a logistics base and make sure you have your armies well supplied. The Mediterranean is a rarely covered theater of WWII, and it’s great to see it come to life this way.
Our Company of Heroes 3 review outlines what you can expect from this latest entry in the revered Relic series. If you’re looking to improve your skills, our tips and tricks will benefit both new and old players. We also have a Company of Heroes 3 quest list that outlines the main story quests as well as how to unlock the Battle of Monte Cassino.
These are our top five strategy games like Total War. If you’re looking for more lists in the same vein, we’ve got six strategy games like Age of Empires, plus the best medieval games for PC if you’d rather stick to horse riding. Alternatively, we’ve got the best space games if you’d rather focus on traversing the galaxy, and if you just want more military and strategic experiences, our list of the best war games might be right up your alley.