Top 5 Strategy Games

Released by microprose in 1993, this is the ultimate in turn based strategy game play. Even though this game is 16 years old now, I still play it. This was one of my first computer game purchases when I was a kid, and it has stood the test of time.

You're a government agency dedicated to the protection of the world from the extraterrestrial threat. You start off by view the world in the "geoscape". Here you can build bases and start your plans of attack. Once you get your base established you can recruit soldiers, build interceptors and fight the alien scourge.

X-Com did a superb job of blending turn-based strategy, with real time base and resource management. Intercepting and attacking aliens takes place in real time on the "geoscape" world map. While the actual combat takes place in a turn based battlefield.

Easy to play, tough to master. Nothing is better then shooting a gray alien in the face.

Company of Heroes was yet another entry into the already flooded World War II strategy market in 2006. I've always been fond of World War II games, first person shooters, and the strategy genre alike. Company of Heroes turned out to be one of the pinnacle games in the war genre.

Company of Heroes focuses more on small unit combat, rather then massive battles flooded with units. Resources are tightly controlled, and with a relatively small unit cap, you feel bad every time one of your Joes goes down. The only unfortunate part of this game is the allied only campaign. Though you can play the Axis in multi-player and skirmish modes, a campaign dedicated to the krauts would be nice.

Most missions start either with a hand full on units, or with a small base that you need to build up. There is not intricate base building in this game. A handful of buildings and you a ready for conquest. As you progress you unlock special abilities like calling in paratroopers or firing an artillery barrage that can change the whole battle around.

"Americans love to fight, traditionally. All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle. America loves a winner. America will not tolerate a loser. Americans despise a coward; Americans play to win. That's why America has never lost and never will lose a war." - George S Patton

Civilization is the fourth game in the civilization series. With all new graphics, buildings, units and strategies to be implemented. Civilization has been one of my favorite turn based games since the start of the series. I can remember staying up countless nights, building my empire.

Civilization 4 takes place on the world map. You can either play maps like the globe, Europe, north America, etc, or create your own custom generated world. I usually pick the last option just for some new variety, though I never like it when I end up on an island by myself.

You essentially start out in the stone age, with armies and civics to suite. As you slowly expand your empire, and conquer your foes, you begin researching and unlocking, better civic technologies and armies.

The one thing I liked best about civilization was its multitude of options to win the game. You can win by building a space ship and leaving the planet. You, of coarse, can kill everyone on the map and dominate the planet. And through diplomacy you can woe your neighbors and be elected president of the world.

This game will leave you begging for "one more turn".

Sid Meier is a veteran in strategy based games.  Having developed great titles in the past, he finally remade on of his classic Pirates!  Just like the original you are a swashbuckling pirate who sets our to avenge his family, and find fame our fortune.

You start out in the starter ship provided for you.  Though not powerful, it is your first ship on your way to glory.  Throughout the game you will hunt down merchantmen to loot, kill other pirates, and woe the ladies.  In fact, one of the most annoying parts of this game is the dancing mini-game to gain the love of the mayor's daughters on various island.

As you progress you gain better ships, upgraded weapons, and bigger shots at the booty.  By completing side missions, and visiting taverns you slowly begin to piece together treasure maps, and maps to your lost relatives.  Swashbuckling and sword fighting ensues. 

Though the missions get repetitive towards the end of the game, and you get tired of sword fighting the main bad pirate, this game is still a thrill.  Taking down massive spanish war ships and tracking down treasure fleets is a blast.

Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos was the much anticipated title in the warcraft series.  This game had huge shoes to fill and it did it successfully.

Blizzard Entertainment did a good job of blending RPG elements with real time strategy.  Your hero becomes the key piece to your army.  Unlike other real time games, Warcraft 3 makes it essentially to strive out with your hero early in the game to explore and get into fights.  The more you fight and explore, the more powerful your hero becomes.  If you play this game like traditional RTS' you soon find that your hero and army are no match for the higher level hero's you will face.

Warcraft 3 always you to play 4 different races, with their own individual heroes and powers.  Heroes are customizable with different equipment and powers your find during the campaign. 

One of my gripes with this game, is that the battles often become to explosive and visually overwhelming.  When massive armies face off, the screen becomes cluttered with spells, missiles and weapons flying everywhere.

If you haven't played any of the WarCraft games, I would definately suggest picking up the battlechest and starting your adventures in ork slaying.