Acclaimed Video Games
The top 1,000 most recommended games across 827 critic lists from 134 publications.
Updated: October 26, 2025
Most Acclaimed Strategy Games of All Time
Filters
Game Status
Search
1
No series matching ""
No series available
Short
Medium
Long
Showing 77 of 77
77 of 77
#1 StarCraft (1998) (#43)
Blizzard Entertainment | MAC, WIN | Real-Time Strategy | ~25h | 52 lists
#2 Counter-Strike / Counter-Strike 1.6 (2000) (#65)
Valve | WIN | First-Person Shooter / Tactical | ~26h | 48 lists
#3 Sid Meier's Civilization IV (2005) (#103)
Firaxis Games | MAC, WIN | Turn-Based Strategy / 4X Strategy | ~13h | 30 lists
#4 Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings (1999) (#112)
Ensemble Studios | WIN | Real-Time Strategy | ~41h | 30 lists
#5 Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos (2002) (#116)
Blizzard Entertainment | MAC, WIN | Real-Time Strategy | ~22h | 26 lists
#6 X-COM: UFO Defense / UFO: Enemy Unknown (1994) (#118)
Mythos Games | DOS, AMI, PS | Strategy / Turn-Based Tactics | ~38h | 33 lists
#7 XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2012) (#127)
Firaxis Games | 3, X360, PS3, iOS, AND | Turn-Based Tactics | ~27h | 46 lists
#8 Lemmings (1991) (#128)
DMA Design | DOS, MAC, 5, SMS, GEN, TG16, SNES | Strategy / Puzzle | ~20h | 33 lists
#9 Sid Meier's Civilization II (1996) (#130)
MicroProse Software, Inc. | MAC, WIN | Turn-Based Strategy | ~21h | 26 lists
#10 Advance Wars (2001) (#133)
Intelligent Systems | GBA | Turn-Based Strategy | ~16h | 30 lists
#11 Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness (1995) (#160)
Blizzard Entertainment | DOS, MAC | Real-Time Strategy | ~21h | 26 lists
#12 Sid Meier's Civilization (1991) (#163)
MPS Labs | DOS, WIN | Turn-Based Strategy | ~13h | 23 lists
#13 Command & Conquer: Red Alert (1996) (#164)
Westwood Studios | WIN | Real-Time Strategy | ~28h | 23 lists
#14 Command & Conquer (1995) (#193)
Westwood Studios | 3 | Real-Time Strategy | ~17h | 23 lists
#15 Rome: Total War (2004) (#213)
The Creative Assembly | WIN | Real-Time Tactics / Turn-Based Strategy | ~34h | 18 lists
#16 StarCraft II (2010) (#218)
Blizzard Entertainment | MAC, WIN | Real-Time Strategy | 29 lists
#17 Into the Breach (2018) (#220)
Subset Games | MAC, WIN, SW | Turn-Based Strategy | ~6h | 35 lists
#18 Sid Meier's Civilization V (2010) (#227)
Firaxis Games | MAC, WIN | Turn-Based Strategy / 4X Strategy | ~40h | 26 lists
#19 Company of Heroes (2006) (#238)
Relic Entertainment | WIN | Real-Time Strategy | ~19h | 18 lists
#20 Sid Meier's Pirates! (1987) (#258)
MicroProse Software, Inc. | 6, DOS, MAC, NES | Strategy / Action-Adventure | ~8h | 16 lists
#21 FTL: Faster Than Light (2012) (#261)
Subset Games | 3 | Strategy / Roguelike | ~12h | 25 lists
#22 Homeworld (1999) (#279)
Relic Entertainment | WIN | Real-Time Strategy | ~16h | 15 lists
#23 Syndicate (1993) (#301)
Bullfrog Productions | DOS, 4, GEN, SNES, 3DO, JAG | Real-Time Tactics | ~12h | 15 lists
#24 Age of Empires (1997) (#302)
Ensemble Studios | WIN | Real-Time Strategy | ~21h | 14 lists
#25 Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty / Dune II: Battle for Arrakis (1992) (#339)
Westwood Studios | DOS, AMI, GEN | Real-Time Strategy | ~14h | 12 lists
#26 Total Annihilation (1997) (#345)
Cavedog Entertainment | MAC, WIN | Real-Time Strategy | ~22h | 10 lists
#27 Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia (1999) (#350)
Loki Software, New World Computing | 3 | Turn-Based Strategy | ~56h | 12 lists
#28 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (2012) (#357)
Hidden Path Entertainment, Valve | MAC, WIN, X360, PS3 | First-Person Shooter / Tactical | ~128h | 15 lists
#29 The Oregon Trail (1971) (#408)
MECC | HP21 | Strategy | ~1h | 8 lists
#30 Worms Armageddon (1999) (#417)
Infogrames, Team17 | WIN, PS, N64, DC | Turn-Based Strategy | ~8h | 10 lists
#31 Herzog Zwei (1989) (#420)
Technosoft | GEN | Real-Time Strategy | ~6h | 9 lists
#32 Crusader Kings III (2020) (#428)
Paradox Development Studio | 3 | Role-Playing / Grand Strategy | ~76h | 8 lists
#33 XCOM 2 (2016) (#432)
Firaxis Games | 3, XB1, PS4 | Turn-Based Tactics | ~33h | 17 lists
#34 Worms (1995) (#454)
Team17 | DOS, MAC, AMI, CD32, GEN, SAT, SNES, PS | Strategy | ~4h | 11 lists
#35 M.U.L.E. (1983) (#465)
Ozark Softscape | 3, DOS | Strategy | ~2h | 9 lists
#36 Archon: The Light and the Dark (1983) (#470)
Free Fall Associates | 7, DOS | Action / Strategy | ~24m | 10 lists
#37 Plants vs. Zombies (2009) (#503)
PopCap Games | MAC, WIN, X360, iOS, AND | Strategy | ~8h | 9 lists
#38 Jagged Alliance 2 (1999) (#510)
Sir-Tech Canada | WIN | Tactical RPG / Turn-Based Tactics | ~10h | 6 lists
#39 Dungeon Keeper (1997) (#512)
Bullfrog Productions | DOS, WIN | Role-Playing / Real-Time Strategy / God Game | ~17h | 8 lists
#40 Dorfromantik (2022) (#539)
Toukana Interactive | WIN, SW | Strategy / Puzzle | ~5h | 5 lists
#41 Counter-Strike: Source (2004) (#543)
Hidden Path Entertainment, Valve | WIN | First-Person Shooter / Tactical | ~66h | 9 lists
#42 Total War: Warhammer III (2022) (#545)
The Creative Assembly | 3 | Real-Time Tactics / Turn-Based Strategy | ~34h | 6 lists
#43 Pikmin 2 (2004) (#560)
Nintendo EAD | GC | Real-Time Strategy | ~11h | 8 lists
#44 Medieval II: Total War (2006) (#564)
The Creative Assembly | WIN | Real-Time Tactics / Turn-Based Strategy | ~31h | 7 lists
#45 Warcraft: Orcs & Humans (1994) (#565)
Blizzard Entertainment | DOS, MAC | Real-Time Strategy | ~14h | 8 lists
#46 Lost Odyssey (2007) (#579)
Feelplus, Mistwalker | X360 | Role-Playing / Turn-Based Tactics | ~50h | 6 lists
#47 Bomberman (1983) (#613)
Hudson Soft | 4, NES | Strategy / Maze / Puzzle | ~2h | 7 lists
#48 Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (1999) (#628)
Firaxis Games | 3 | Turn-Based Strategy / 4X Strategy | ~26h | 6 lists
#49 Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines (1998) (#637)
Pyro Studios | WIN | Real-Time Tactics | ~25h | 6 lists
#50 DEFCON (2006) (#649)
Introversion Software | MAC, WIN | Real-Time Strategy | ~1h | 4 lists
#51 Battlezone (1980) (#652)
Atari | ARC, A26, VC20, C64 | Real-Time Strategy / First-Person Shooter | ~13h | 6 lists
#52 Crusader Kings II (2012) (#668)
Paradox Development Studio | 3 | Role-Playing / Grand Strategy | ~67h | 4 lists
#53 Transistor (2014) (#681)
Supergiant Games | 3, PS4 | Action RPG / Turn-Based Strategy | ~6h | 9 lists
#54 Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 (2000) (#694)
Westwood Pacific | WIN | Real-Time Strategy | ~15h | 7 lists
#55 Defender of the Crown (1986) (#701)
Cinemaware | 4 | Strategy | ~1h | 6 lists
#56 Factorio (2020) (#705)
Wube Software | 3, SW | Real-Time Strategy / Construction & Management | ~50h | 1 lists
#57 Desperados III (2020) (#729)
Mimimi Games | 3, XB1, PS4 | Real-Time Tactics | ~27h | 4 lists
#58 Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars (1996) (#732)
New World Computing | 3 | Turn-Based Strategy | ~47h | 4 lists
#59 Bomberman / Atomic Punk / Dynablaster (1991) (#740)
Irem | ARC | Strategy / Maze / Puzzle | ~2h | 5 lists
#60 Battlezone (1998) (#741)
Activision | WIN | Real-Time Strategy / First-Person Shooter | ~13h | 4 lists
#61 Advance Wars: Dual Strike (2005) (#749)
Intelligent Systems | DS | Turn-Based Strategy | ~24h | 4 lists
#62 Myth: The Fallen Lords (1997) (#763)
Bungie | MAC, WIN | Real-Time Tactics | ~16h | 4 lists
#63 Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War (2004) (#764)
Relic Entertainment | WIN | Real-Time Strategy | ~12h | 5 lists
#64 Sins of a Solar Empire (2008) (#766)
Ironclad Games | WIN | Real-Time Strategy | ~8h | 4 lists
#65 Sid Meier's Civilization III (2001) (#781)
Firaxis Games, Westlake Interactive | MAC, WIN | Turn-Based Strategy | ~25h | 5 lists
#66 Dragon Force (1996) (#782)
Sega CS1 | SAT | Role-Playing / Real-Time Strategy | ~30h | 4 lists
#67 Through the Darkest of Times (2020) (#786)
Paintbucket Games | MAC, WIN, iOS, AND, XB1, PS4, SW | Strategy | ~7h | 2 lists
#68 The Oregon Trail (1985) (#796)
MECC | A2, 3 | Strategy | ~1h | 4 lists
#69 Master of Orion (1993) (#842)
Simtex, Take-Two Interactive | DOS, MAC | Turn-Based Strategy / 4X Strategy | ~14h | 4 lists
#70 Sid Meier's Civilization VI (2016) (#844)
Firaxis Games | 3 | Turn-Based Strategy / 4X Strategy | ~23h | 12 lists
#71 Empire: Total War (2009) (#853)
The Creative Assembly | WIN | Real-Time Tactics / Turn-Based Strategy / Grand Strategy | ~68h | 3 lists
#72 Commandos 2: Men of Courage (2001) (#867)
Pyro Studios, Zonic Limited | WIN, PS2, Xbox | Real-Time Tactics | ~21h | 4 lists
#73 World in Conflict (2007) (#897)
Massive Entertainment | WIN | Real-Time Strategy / Real-Time Tactics | ~12h | 5 lists
#74 X-COM: Terror from the Deep (1995) (#902)
MicroProse Software, Inc. | DOS, WIN, PS | Real-Time Strategy / Turn-Based Tactics | ~34h | 4 lists
#75 Anno 1602: Creation of a New World / 1602 A.D. (1998) (#934)
Max Design | WIN | Real-Time Strategy / City Building | ~24h | 4 lists
#76 Anno 1800 (2019) (#964)
Ubisoft Blue Byte | WIN | Real-Time Strategy / City Building | ~15h | 1 lists
#77 Invisible, Inc. (2015) (#984)
Klei Entertainment | 3 | Turn-Based Tactics / Stealth | ~7h | 7 lists
#1
#43
StarCraft
1998
#2
#65
#3
#103
#4
#112
#5
#116
#6
#118
#7
#127
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
2012
#8
#128
Lemmings
1991
#9
#130
#10
#133
Advance Wars
2001
#11
#160
#12
#163
#13
#164
#14
#193
Command & Conquer
1995
#15
#213
Rome: Total War
2004
#16
#218
StarCraft II
2010
#17
#220
Into the Breach
2018
#18
#227
#19
#238
Company of Heroes
2006
#20
#258
Sid Meier's Pirates!
1987
#21
#261
#22
#279
Homeworld
1999
#23
#301
Syndicate
1993
#24
#302
Age of Empires
1997
#26
#345
Total Annihilation
1997
#28
#357
#29
#408
The Oregon Trail
1971
#30
#417
Worms Armageddon
1999
#31
#420
Herzog Zwei
1989
#32
#428
Crusader Kings III
2020
#33
#432
XCOM 2
2016
#34
#454
Worms
1995
#35
#465
M.U.L.E.
1983
#36
#470
#37
#503
Plants vs. Zombies
2009
#38
#510
Jagged Alliance 2
1999
#39
#512
Dungeon Keeper
1997
#40
#539
Dorfromantik
2022
#41
#543
#42
#545
#43
#560
Pikmin 2
2004
#44
#564
#45
#565
#46
#579
Lost Odyssey
2007
#47
#613
Bomberman
1983
#48
#628
#49
#637
#50
#649
DEFCON
2006
#51
#652
Battlezone
1980
#52
#668
Crusader Kings II
2012
#53
#681
Transistor
2014
#54
#694
#55
#701
#56
#705
Factorio
2020
#57
#729
Desperados III
2020
#58
#732
#59
#740
#60
#741
Battlezone
1998
#61
#749
#62
#763
#63
#764
#64
#766
#65
#781
#66
#782
Dragon Force
1996
#67
#786
#68
#796
The Oregon Trail
1985
#69
#842
Master of Orion
1993
#70
#844
#71
#853
Empire: Total War
2009
#72
#867
#73
#897
World in Conflict
2007
#74
#902
#75
#934
#76
#964
Anno 1800
2019
#77
#984
Invisible, Inc.
2015
Filters
Game Status
Search
Release Year
Drag or shift+click for ranges
Platform
Genre
Series
No series matching ""
No series available
Playtime (HowLongToBeat)
Short
Medium
Long