Skip to main content

The 25 best strategy games to play in 2026

Ranked by a score built from player reviews, critic scores and GAMES.GG ratings, not by opinion. The score updates every week, so a great new game can enter.

GAMES.GG25 gamesHow we rank
#1 by scoreBloons TD 6Score 90
Advertisement

The top 10

Bloons TD 6

Bloons TD 6

9097% positive · 352,882 Steam reviews2018
Steam 97Popularity 100GAMES.GG 100Steam 97Popularity 100GAMES.GG 100
RimWorld

RimWorld

8997% positive · 211,302 Steam reviews2018
Steam 97Critic score 87Popularity 100GAMES.GG 80Steam 97Critic score 87Popularity 100GAMES.GG 80
Football Manager 2024

Football Manager 2024

8691% positive · 28,731 Steam reviews2023
Steam 91Popularity 58GAMES.GG 100Steam 91Popularity 58GAMES.GG 100
Thronefall

Thronefall

8596% positive · 23,246 Steam reviews2024
Steam 96Popularity 53Steam 96Popularity 53
Two Point Museum

Two Point Museum

8495% positive · 9,984 Steam reviews2025
Steam 95Critic score 84Popularity 35GAMES.GG 100Steam 95Critic score 84Popularity 35GAMES.GG 100
Frostpunk

Frostpunk

8492% positive · 115,212 Steam reviews2018
Steam 92Critic score 84Popularity 88Steam 92Critic score 84Popularity 88
Cities: Skylines

Cities: Skylines

8392% positive · 220,095 Steam reviews2015
Steam 92Critic score 85Popularity 100Steam 92Critic score 85Popularity 100
Hearts of Iron IV

Hearts of Iron IV

8390% positive · 263,273 Steam reviews2016
Steam 90Critic score 83Popularity 100Steam 90Critic score 83Popularity 100

11 to 25

#ScoreGameScore
1183Company of HeroesRelic Entertainment83
1282Mount & Blade: WarbandTaleWorlds Entertainment82
1381MineMogulNoodleForge (Gvarados & Diomonder)81
1481The Alters11 bit studios81
Advertisement
#ScoreGameScore
1581Luck be a LandlordTrampolineTales81
1680Total War: WARHAMMER IIICREATIVE ASSEMBLY80
1780Into the BreachSubset Games80
1880MENACEOverhype Studios80
1979Plague Inc: EvolvedNdemic Creations79
2079This War of Mine11 bit studios79
Advertisement
#ScoreGameScore
2179Jurassic World Evolution 3Frontier Developments79
2279Star Wars Zero CompanyBit Reactor79
2378StellarisParadox Development Studio78
2478FTL: Faster Than LightSubset Games78
2577Dota 2Valve77
Advertisement

How we rank this list

No editor picks this order. Each game gets a score from 0 to 100. The score counts what players say in their Steam reviews, the critic score when the game has one, how many players reviewed it, the GAMES.GG rating and how new the game is. When a game has no critic score or no GAMES.GG rating, that part counts at the middle value of the games on this list, or lower, so a missing part never raises a score. A game needs at least 2,000 Steam reviews to enter. We start from the games in the GAMES.GG catalog that fit the list: 66 games.

Pool
66 games
Updated
Weekly
Games
Top 25
  • Steam reviewsThe share of players who recommend the game. A game with few reviews counts with more care.
  • Critic scoreThe critic score, when the game has one.
  • PopularityHow many players reviewed the game.
  • GAMES.GG ratingOur review score, else the average rating from GAMES.GG players.
  • How new it isNewer games count a little more.

Questions about this list

What is the best strategy game right now?

Bloons TD 6 has the highest score this week. RimWorld and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition follow.

How is the score made?

Each game gets a score from 0 to 100. The score counts what players say in their Steam reviews, the critic score when the game has one, how many players reviewed it, the GAMES.GG rating and how new the game is. When a game has no critic score or no GAMES.GG rating, that part counts at the middle value of the games on this list, or lower, so a missing part never raises a score. A game needs at least 2,000 Steam reviews to enter.

Why is my favourite game not here?

It may not have enough Steam reviews yet, may not carry the genre tag, or may not be in the GAMES.GG catalog. The list updates every week.

How often does this list change?

Every week for scores. New games enter when they pass the review floor.

More live lists

All lists

Player lists

All lists

Everlasting Competitive Games

5 games1 likes
StrawHat

Games That Look Like Gambling But Aren't (Kinda)

5 games
Nuwel

Games That Give You the One More Run/Turn Syndrome

9 games
Nuwel

Top Roguelikes

3 games4 likes
Gam3sHub