Global strategies for pc. The best strategies for PC

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10th place - The Political Machine 2016

• Year of issue: 2016
• Developer: Stardock

The Political Machine 2016 is an election race simulator from Stardock, the fourth game in The Political Machine series, in which the player leads an election campaign to be elected President of the United States. The goal is achieved by traveling from state to state in which the player receives money and ratings to achieve the ultimate goal.

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9th place - Urban Empire

• Year of issue: 2017
• Developer: Kalypso Media

Urban Empire is a successful combination of urban and political simulator. The city in the game is ruled by the Mer dynasty, around which their rivals constantly weave intrigues. The player will have to build infrastructure, create entire districts, use the power to pass certain laws for the city, participate in political processes and even bribe their rivals. The city begins its development in the 1820s and goes through 5 different eras, each of which implies its own dangers and opportunities.

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8th place - PeaceMaker

• Year of issue: 2007
• Developer: ImpactGames

A political simulator in which the player has to choose a side in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It is necessary to react and make social, political and military decisions. Critics note that the game is very realistic and forces the player to delve into the essence of the situation.

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7th place - President for a Day: Corruption

• Year of issue: 2015
• Developer: Serious Games Interactive

President for a Day: Corruption - a strategic simulation of the president of one of the African countries. The responsibilities of the player will include the solution of various social, economic and military problems. How to resolve them depends only on your actions.

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6th place - Crisis in the Kremlin

• Year of issue: 1991
• Developer: Sphere Inc.

According to the plot, we have to play for the General Secretary of the CPSU (incorrectly called the President during the game) in the period from 1985 to 2017. The player can choose reformer Mikhail Gorbachev, nationalist Boris Yeltsin, or conservative Yegor Ligachev as the protagonist. The game contains political anecdotes quoted by the chairman of the KGB, depicting the plight of the Soviet people in a humorous light. There are many inscriptions in Russian to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the game.

5 Victoria II

5th place - Victoria 2

• Year of issue: 2010
• Developer: Paradox Interactive

Victoria II can be played as any of the 271 countries in the world between 1836 and 1936. The player has access to a number of tools that have both direct and indirect effects on the internal processes taking place in the state. Unlike the previous game in the series, Victoria II has virtually no strictly predetermined historical events tied to a specific date. Instead, a system has been introduced according to which certain events occur when certain conditions are met. The entire working-age population of the world in the game is represented as separate groups, each of which has a certain profession, nationality, religion, literacy rate and political views. Each resident of the country can migrate, get a job (or lose it), change a profession, and also has certain needs for goods. The entire population is divided into 12 types.

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4th place - Tropico 5

• Year of issue: 2014
• Developer: Haemimont Games

There are four different eras available in Tropico 5, ranging from the colonial era, world wars, cold wars, to modern times, allowing you to progress from the 19th to the 21st century. El Presidente now has a dynastic family that will be present on the island. In addition, functions in the areas of trade, research, upgrades and exploration have been redesigned. Through multiplayer, diplomacy allows players to share resources, builders, and electricity. In addition, they can help each other with money. Finally, players can compete and even declare war on each other.

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3rd place - Super Power 2

• Year of issue: 2004
• Developer: GolemLabs

The game has the planet Earth with almost all states at the beginning of 2001. In SuperPower 2, the map is spherical and extended. Many elements of the game are realistic. The population, GDP, geopolitical relations and military equipment are identical to the present, which is in service with the respective countries. As in real life, states are members of various international organizations, these are the UN, the CIS, NATO and others, less well-known. In addition to the traditional focus on military units for global strategies, SuperPower 2 has macroeconomic regulation tools: the Central Bank refinancing rate, income tax and corporate tax, which is different for economic sectors.

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2nd place - Democracy 3

• Year of issue: 2013
• Developer: Positetech Games

There is no foreign policy, all diplomacy comes down to humanitarian aid, laws on foreign investment and others like them. There is no war at all (although there are armed forces, and occasionally it happens that the steepness of the army affects the outcome). The main essence of the game is to satisfy all segments of the population, while keeping the budget in the black.

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1st place - Power and Revolution: Geopolitical Simulator 4

• Year of issue: 2016
• Developer: eversim

Power and Revolution is the fourth part of the Geopolitical Simulator strategy game line, in which the player takes the role of the head of state or the leader of an opposition party. The player's responsibilities include both solving economic problems, as well as social and military ones. Of the pluses, players note a detailed world, where everything is interconnected; new scenarios and game mode for the opposition. Of the minuses - an outdated engine and a large number of bugs.

In each of these games, one unchanging algorithm works: expand, explore, exploit, destroy. The order of actions may change, but the goal remains the same - power, control and domination.

We present to your attention the best global strategies on the PC - this selection will be interesting both for neophytes who have not heard of anything other than Civilization, and for oldfags who can put aside their well-worn imperial wands and look for a new position.

15. Anno 2205

14. Age Of Wonders 3

Role-playing game, turn-based tactics and global strategy in one magical bottle. It can be called a fantasy analogue of "Civilization", but unlike the brainchild of Sid Meier, peaceful ways of victory are not provided here. If you want to win - if you please, long and stubbornly fight with the elves, dwarves, orcs and other fabulous lads. The fighting takes place on separate tactical mini-maps in the spirit of King`s Bounty, and in a massive format. In practice, this means that when attacking one hex, all neighboring armies are pulled onto the battlefield, which ultimately results in a bloody battle, often with siege weapons. Not without spells - there is a whole library of them. Both banal curses and blessings and exotic things are used, such as calling on the head of the enemies of global warming.

13. Warlock II: The Exiled

Another fantasy clone of "Civilization" with a map of hexagons, focused on the military component. The game has both a classic global map and an unusual "Exile" mode, in which the world is presented in the form of tiny fragments connected by portals. Starting development with one fragment, you need to capture a whole chain of worlds, while fighting off crowds of monsters from parallel worlds and magicians competitors. On the PC, this project was released relatively recently - in 2014, and not just like that, but under the wing of Paradox Interactive - a company that ate a dog on global strategies. Yes, Warlock II: The Exiled has problems (the stupid AI stands out in particular), but this game definitely deserved its place in the top thanks to its unusual setting and powerful editor.

12. Star Ruler 2

A galactic epic with a giant map, animated starship fleet battles and meticulous micromanagement. The volume of all kinds of tabs, tables and parameters looks simply intimidating, so only experienced commanders are recommended to meddle in this strategy. And this despite the fact that it is impossible to control specific planets in the game (this rule does not apply to resource extraction). The mechanics of Star Ruler 2 constantly pushes the player to expand the boundaries of the empire, so it’s just not possible to take and sit on the defensive here. Space battles take place mainly in automatic mode, but if you wish, you can personally take part in them as a commander in chief. Despite some secondary character, the rating of Star Ruler 2 is quite high, not least thanks to the original (card) diplomacy system.

11. Space Empires V

It's not even a game, it's more of a simulation of a galactic civilization with hundreds of aspects in physics, culture, economics and cosmology. There is about the same amount of entertainment here as in an astronomy textbook, but this is precisely what Space Empires 5 is attractive for. Already at the stage of generating the universe, your eyes will be filled with the number of settings, and if you are somehow brought into the user manual, then there you will find 300 pages of small text. This turn-based strategy game features a huge tech tree, a powerful ship editor, and solid diplomatic mechanics that don't involve pure alliances or implacable foes.

10. Hearts of Iron 3

Compared to space grand strategy games, this game fits in a relatively short period of time - from 1936 to 1948. But during this time, you will be able to completely redraw the map of Europe, and maybe the world, and it is not at all necessary to play for the main figures in the Second World War. The project is distinguished by amazing attention to detail and, in fact, is a visual historical guide to the events of this period. The military operations in Hearts of Iron 3 are so massive that you need to resort to the help of AI, although in the most critical areas you will have to take matters into your own hands. Another reason to download the game is an extremely detailed technology tree, which, if desired, can be used to track the entire path of development of technology and theories of military operations.

9. Crusader Kings 2

Simulation of a wise ruler, the events of which unfold in the period from 1066 to 1453. Paradox Interactive went for a bold experiment: instead of leading a nation state, we are offered to manage dynasties, which, upon closer examination, are a huge snake ball consisting of intrigues, grievances, hereditary disputes and dynastic marriages. At the bottom of the food chain are counts with small plots of land, dukes are higher, kings are even higher, and at the top the emperor rules. To feel comfortable in this mess, you must simultaneously be a master of political acrobatics, a virtuoso spy and a brilliant military strategist. This is not the best strategy from Paradoxes, but definitely the most unusual.

8 Endless Space 2

A global strategy can be beautiful - this is proved by the developers from the French studio Amplitude. Based on the classic 4X rules, these guys have created a game with great visual style and music. Space looks amazing here, and even creating outposts on planets allows you to enjoy their ethereal landscapes. The game was released in 2017, so it is very demanding on hardware, especially in the later stages, when the galaxy is almost completely explored. The only fly in the ointment in a barrel of honey is the inability to directly influence the course of battles. Perhaps this feature will be added in the third part.

7 Endless Legend

The action of the strategy takes place in the world of Endless Space 2, but not in space, but on one of the planets. Here you will find a dark mix of fantasy and technology, eight original races and understood rules borrowed from Civilization. Each race has its own plot, which develops over the course of the game and is replete with references to the history of Auriga and the confrontation of local inhabitants. Wars here are not limited to maneuvers on the global map - when two armies collide, a turn-based tactical mode is activated, vaguely similar to Disciples. Separately, it is worth noting the army constructor, in which you can equip units with various equipment, and the change of seasons, which significantly affects the performance of races on the global map.

6. Stellaris

This time, Paradox Interactive has taken and dragged the branded elements of global simulations into space, adding to the list of innovations a random technology research and a successful idea with administrative sectors that are controlled by autonomous AI. Otherwise, Stellaris is a fine example of 4X strategy, with a huge map, colossal fleet battles and a flexible diplomacy system. If you don’t know what it’s like to become a vassal of a stronger empire, live under its yoke for several hundred years, picking up scraps from its table, and then gobble up your master, then this game will explain everything to you in a popular way.

5. Galactic Civilizations 3

This game returned built-in on the PC 10 years after the release of the previous part (in 2015), but it did not lose its branded features. Complicated as jigsaw puzzles, planetary building, race ideology system with perks, ship design with a flexible system of defense and attack modules, time-tested automatic battles - Stardock simply took and improved everything that could be improved. The result is an excellent 4X strategy that can compete on equal terms with modern projects. Recommended for those who like to tinker in the ship editor and fans of grandiose space battles.

4. Master of Orion 2

A magnificent example, in fact, standing at the origins of the genre. It has everything a sofa strategist needs: a race designer, ship building, a variety of technologies and a strong (even by today's standards) artificial intelligence. To some, the game will seem archaic (and not surprisingly, because it was released in 1996), someone will not be satisfied with a small map, someone will smile indulgently at the sight of primitive wall-to-wall ground battles, but all these are trifles not worthy of attention. Master of Orion 2 is an iconic 4X strategy game with near-infinite replay value, a must-play for all fans of the genre.

3. Total War: Warhammer 2

When one studio perfects the only series in its repertoire for decades, the result is obvious. Every game in the Total War cycle (with the possible exception of the Napoleonic Wars) is better than the last, and Warhammer 2 is the crowning achievement of the developers. Even if you do not take into account the magnificent picture and extremely realistic battles on tactical maps, there are still a thousand reasons to download this game. For example, the largest global map in the history of the series, a full-fledged storyline, or a huge variety of races. Yes, only 4 basic factions are available for the game: elves, dark elves, lizardmen and skaven, but the old races from the first part have not disappeared. An excellent occasion to check who is stronger, gnomes, ratmen or vampires.

2.Civilization VI

The sixth part of "Civilization" did not bring revolutionary changes to the series - the Firaxis studio is slowly but surely moving the series forward without sudden gestures. It's still the same good old "civa" with a scientific race, the expansion of cities and extremely active diplomacy. Of the innovations, the most noticeable is the zoning of cities, which in turn leads to their specialization. As usual, there are several ways to win here: cultural, scientific, diplomatic, military. The latter, of course, is the most interesting, but also the most difficult, since it requires a huge investment of resources and time. If you're new to the cycle, Civilization VI is a good opportunity to try your hand at being a historical ruler.

1. Europa Universalis IV

In the list of the best global strategies, this game naturally takes first place. Compared to other games in the genre, Europa Universalis IV is much more complex, wider and more realistic. Political intrigues, espionage, dynastic connections, a well-thought-out economy and a trading system... you will not find a more complete simulator of a medieval ruler. This is the pinnacle of Paradox Interactive's activities and has served as a model for other 4X strategy developers since 2013. Yes, the threshold for entering the game is extremely high, but if you have the strength to break through hundreds of incomprehensible buttons and tabs, you will have a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the intricacies of medieval European politics.

Want to rewrite history? Make Scotland a superpower, push Mexico against Europe, save Joan of Arc from burning, or simply repeat the feat of the famous military leaders of past centuries? This is possible only with the help of global strategies. Companies involved in the development of computer toys provide a wide field for activity, so it is not at all necessary to get into politics "in real life" - no one bothers you to conquer fantasy worlds or outer space.

The dominance of shooters, open-world RPGs, and other projects marked "online" made the genre almost exotic. Even sensible indies come out almost every day, unlike good global strategies. Organizations and private projects on Kickstarter are trying to revive the genre, but they are failing poorly. All that we have is, in fact, the continuation of already existing ideas and universes with a prefix in the title - 2, 3, 4, etc., and something new and fresh, alas, is represented by single samples or is completely absent in the game year.

So, let's try to identify the best global strategies that are distinguished by their quality component, interesting plot, entertaining gameplay and positive user ratings. The list is based on reviews of gaming publications, but for the most part it makes no sense to distribute projects by rating, because they all deserve attention, and a specific setting is an amateur. Someone likes space, someone cannot live without a sword and armor, but some do not care where and how - just to win something.

The top global strategies look like this:

• Total War: Shogun 2.
• Crusader Kings 2.
• Europa Universalis 4.
• Sid Meier's Civilization 6.
• Stellaris.
• Endless Legend.
• Endless Space 2.
• Anno 2205.

Let's take a closer look at the games.

Total War: Shogun 2

Almost all series of "Total War" are divided into two main components - these are real-time battles and a global economic strategy in turn-based mode. The player, in addition to mass massacre, needs to develop settlements, hire military leaders, deal with taxes, conduct diplomatic negotiations and send special agents on risky missions.

The global strategy with the economy in Total War may not be as well thought out as in other projects, but you can’t call this part a “tick” in any way. In "Shogun 2" both components turned out to be well developed. And even though the turn-based mode on the global map is just a prelude to epic battles, this makes it no worse than mass battles.

On the plus side, you can add a very beautiful and competently recreated setting of Japan in the 16th century, as well as a perfect balance and atmospheric musical component. The world of global strategies of "Total War" has always been easy to master, and "Shogun 2" was no exception: the threshold for new users to enter is minimal.

Crusader Kings 2

As for the second "Crusaders", the game interface and the process itself can not be called friendly for beginners. The threshold for entering the international global strategy is quite high, and in the first hours of the game, the lion's share of the time will be spent on studying the menu branches, maps and other tactical options. But the material is correctly fixed by the training campaign, so there are no serious problems here.

After you figure out the controls and properly understand the process, the realization will come that Crusaders 2 is one of the best global strategies among other representatives of the genre. Describing the game, we can say that this is an excellent generator of addictive stories and adventures dedicated to family squabbles, betrayals, conspiracies and other intrigues that took place in medieval Europe.

In this global strategy, you can become a petty lord from some godforsaken Scottish county and, passing through the bones of enemies, as well as through the diplomatic jungle, unite your lands and become a contender for the royal title. Each new campaign generates a chain of random events, so there is no need to talk about monotony. Especially enjoyed by fans of the series "Game of Thrones" due to a similar setting and similar intrigues. The latter feel at home in the "Crusaders".

Europa Universalis 4

If in the previous game you had some individual personalities at your disposal, then in Europa Universalis 4 you will manage entire empires. There is no place for small conflicts here - only grandiose military campaigns.

You have at your disposal entire states that will need to be led to victory in various wars, whether colonial or religious. In this case, the player becomes not the king of his subjects, but the leader of the nation, so there is no time to unravel the intrigues - you need to have time to conquer the world before someone else does it.

Sid Meier's Civilization 6

The Civilization series can be called a classic representative of the global strategy genre. Sid Meier managed to create an original and addictive product that you can disappear for weeks or even months.

Unlike other games of this type, "Civilization" is not tied to any particular period. The strategy guides the user through a whole chain of epochs, starting with a small one. At first, you build a small settlement, hunt, farm and fight negligent neighbors with spears, bows and axes.

Strategy Features

But after a few hours or even days, under your command is no longer a small village, but an industrialized country where skyscrapers and nuclear power plants grow. The instruments of influence on neighbors, of course, are also changing: tanks, fighters, laser weapons and nuclear warheads.

As for the sixth "Civilization" specifically, beginners will relatively easily master the basic controls and, thanks to a competent training campaign, will quickly be drawn into the process. This is an extremely high-quality strategy that took only the best ideas from past series and brought them almost to perfection. "Civilization" is really the place where you can disappear for a long time and enthusiastically build your world.

Stellaris

This is a global space strategy for those who are cramped and stuffy on a small planet Earth. An ambitious player is given the opportunity to conquer the entire galaxy for any of the presented races.

The player will have to colonize new worlds, develop existing ones, improve technologies, and also give a lot of time to diplomacy. If the last option does not suit you in any way, then you can go exclusively along the military branch and, having collected a huge fleet, exterminate all the objectionable and subdue the recalcitrant.

Distinctive features of the strategy

Random generation of events will not let you get bored in a vast universe. You never know in advance what awaits you on a particular planet. You can meet an unfamiliar alien race, find a valuable artifact, or activate a whole chain of additional quests, the completion of which will bring useful bonuses to you or your interstellar empire.

Just like in the case of "Civilization", here you can hang for a very long time. Equipping one planet after another and getting involved in military strife, you will not notice how the whole day (or night) will fly by. This is a very thoughtful and high-quality project that can be recommended to all ambitious conquerors.

Endless Legend

"Endless Legend" is a kind of similarity to the aforementioned "Civilization". But this does not make the game any less quality. Both products have similar gameplay, but "Legend" stands out for its original and memorable setting.

Here we have a kind of pun from science fiction and fantasy with a very competent implementation. Infinite Legend is devoid of similar factions. Each individual group has its own distinctive features. For example, the Lords of Dust (ghosts) do not need food and, as an alternative, consume energy resources. While monsters or necrophages do not have diplomatic relations with other races at all, they get provisions by devouring conquered tribes.

One of the main features of the "Endless Legend" is, first of all, survival, and only then wars and other strife with neighbors. Seasons in the game change quite quickly and chaotically. Winters are harsh, and the ruler, who has been escaping to neighboring tribes for half a year and not paying due attention to the domestic economy and peaceful industry, runs the risk of not surviving until next spring.

Endless Space 2

Infinite Legend and Infinite Space are games from the same developer. And if the rulers of the first strategy did not leave the Earth, then there are no barriers for the second ones. The manner in which the campaign is presented and the development branches are somewhat similar in games, but there are still specific and critical differences.

The game attracts with its graphic component, which has been noticeably improved compared to the first part. You can choose which way to develop your empire. If you want to defeat your opponents with technical superiority, please invest in the appropriate branches, and not a single enemy military ship will even come close to your planets. The enemy fleet will simply be sprayed with defense systems into atoms. If you like to manage beautiful interstellar ships and forcefully resolve all urgent conflicts, then the aggressive development branch is just for you.

At the beginning of the game, each player is given an equal number of planets and opportunities. By developing basic and specific skills, you choose your own style of play, and "Endless Space" does not limit you in anything, but only indulges your desires.

Anno 2205

The Anno series is a city-building and economic simulator. The actions of past games in the series took place on land and under water, but on planet Earth. The new strategy allows us to master our satellite - the Moon.

But in order to get there, you will first have to build several factories, research centers and launch mines on the ground. After the resources are collected, and the necessary buildings are built, you can proceed to the development of the satellite with all the ensuing space realities such as weightlessness, meteor showers and the anarchists who always confuse the plans.

Game Features

Despite the fact that the game is positioned by the developer as a city-planning and economic simulator, there are more than enough combat operations in it, where global strategists can fully express themselves.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the visual side of the project. Magnificent panoramas of the general view, along with meticulous detailing of small details, are simply amazing. Despite all the beauty, the game only slightly added to the system requirements, and the level of acceptable FPS was largely achieved through competent optimization.

As for the entry threshold, an intelligent training campaign will not let you get confused in the interface and will guide you step by step through all the hot spots of Anno. After an hour or two, the beginners' discomfort disappears, and they already feel at ease, ready to conquer the earth's satellite.

The term 4X (global strategy) appeared, we explored, expanded, exploited and destroyed (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) - that is, we lived in fantasy worlds. The genre has been experiencing something of a renaissance in the past five years, and while it's great to have a choice, you shouldn't mindlessly grab at everything.

Not every 4X is a game for everyone, so I've gone through all the major titles that have been released over the past few years and will try to summarize why you might (or might not) want to play them.

Make your move

Let's start with something unusual. Dominions 5 is a 4X game about warring gods and their fantastic armies. At the very beginning of the game, you create a deity. This deity may have the form of a furious dragon or magic stone. Step by step, you raise armies, recruit wizards to search for apocalyptic spells, and divert the attention of other gods from yourself.

The graphics in the game, let's say - old-school. You need to search the community files to find a decent custom map. But if you do that and read the instructions for the game, you will get a detailed strategy that creates crazy stories. In 4X games I'm used to controlling spaceships and cavalry, but only in Dominions can I send friendly troops of satyrs, wyverns, elemental spirits and ghosts against the Atlanteans. After a few trial games, you will be able to beat the artificial intelligence in the game without any problems. But the real game is revealed in multiplayer.

Who is the game for?: People are willing to endure poor graphics in order to get a detailed magic system and control over magnificent and diverse factions.

A unique blend of 4X and real time, Rebellion has a faster pace than the rest of this list. This is not only a standalone expansion, but also an improved version of Sins, so you don't have to worry about finding the original.

Who is the game for?: For current RTS fans who want to get into 4X, and players who like to take things right off the bat while keeping the pace of the game high. However, for some household turn-based generals, it may seem a little chaotic.

This turn-based fantasy 4X revolves around Hero characters and a faction leader called the Sovereign who can complete RPG-style quests and engage in many aspects of management beyond just combat.

Who is the game for?: Fans of classic RPGs will feel right at home with the local quest system, while the customizable fantasy armies are likely to catch the attention of fans of Warhammer and Hordes miniatures.

One of the more interesting features of the Endless Space universe (and its sequel). Much is tied to the ancient empire known as the Endless and the quasi-magical Dust they left behind.

Who is the game for?: A good space 4X entry point, yet capable of challenging experienced players, and an enticing storyline for anyone interested in a good story beyond galactic domination.

If we crowned the autocrat of global strategies, then there would be few competitors in the struggle for the throne. Take and lead one of the civilizations through the centuries from antiquity to the present, trying to achieve various victory conditions - in this famous series there is simply no equal.

Who is the game for?: Given the release of Civ 6, it's hard to recommend its predecessor, but the "five" often appears on sale at a ridiculously low price, so if you're not sure that the series will appeal to you, try it without throwing out the full price for a novelty. It is rightfully called a great game, especially the Brave New World add-on.

While most of the other games on our list put the player in a randomly generated world or galaxy, EU4 recreates an extraordinarily deep model of the Earth from 1444 to 1821. You can lead any people on the planet, from France to the Comanches, leading them through centuries of colonization, exploration and technological discoveries.

Who is the game for?: Given the high praise the game has earned, it's easier to say who it won't suit. The complexity of the simulation and the intricacies of the systems of trade, war, and diplomacy can be intimidating for newcomers to grand strategy, but the EU4 interface and hints do everything to help you get involved in the process and feel at least comfortable in it.

Take on the role of a demigod who fights with his kin for control over the fragments left from the destroyed world. Eador is another 4X game that is hard to categorize as it has 4X elements, RPG elements, and even tactical turn-based elements similar to board games.

Who is the game for?: Eador's greatest asset is how it's structured compared to other 4X games. The game world is broken up into shards, each of which is a smaller version of the strategy map in games like Total War or , which gives you the opportunity to enjoy something different from the standard huge maps or masses of static planets in endless space.

Transferring the formula gives you the role of head of the first alien human colony on the planet, where you will have to lead its development and compete with other colonial concerns. The mechanics of the game will seem very familiar to you if you have played Civ 5.

Who is the game for?: In my opinion, this is not a very successful departure from the Civilization series, since Beyond Earth lacks the elements that made its relatives successful. Although it has a lot of cool stuff, like a non-linear tech system that allows you to develop your futuristic technologies in many different directions, the game feels like a high-budget Civ 5 mod, and is not able to keep the player's attention for more than a couple of dozen hours.

Like its sci-fi counterpart Endless Space, Endless Legend's epic story is set in a richly detailed world with its own characters and backstory. Civilizations are highly customizable, and each has its own distinct abilities.

Who is the game for?: Based on the time-honored elements of 4X, she wasn't afraid to get bigger and mix them up in a way that even older players who were tired of the genre were interested in. In addition, EL will welcome those who are eager to explore a beautifully crafted fantasy world in an interesting new setting.

Warlock is very close to how I imagined a high-quality reworking of Civilization in a fantasy way. All of the neutral factions on the map serve a greater purpose than just an early game irritant.

Who is the game for?: Due to its relative simplicity and adherence to genre patterns, Warlock is a good first step for those who want to join the ranks of fans of fantasy grand strategy. In addition, it has good humor in comparison with such more severe and majestic counterparts as Endless Legend and Fallen Enchantress.

Allowing you to explore the stars in real time with the ability to pause, Distant Worlds boasts one of the most robust civilian economy models (capable of running on autopilot while you manage political tasks) that I have seen in a grand strategy.

Who is the game for?: In addition to being an overall great 4X strategy game, Distant Worlds has the potential to appeal to those players who value exploration. The strategy has succeeded where many other sci-fi games have failed: space really feels endless here.

Like Sins of a Solar Empire, this game can also be written in 4X/RTS hybrids. It is distinguished by deeply developed systems of diplomacy and planetary development.

Who is the game for?: Star Ruler 2 is close to the maximum in its complexity, and the huge amount of the smallest system control available to the player looks simply intimidating for a beginner. However, if you are a fan of massive animated space battles, the game may be worth the candle.

A contender for the high-profile title of "blockbuster" among global strategies, GalCiv III is by far the most polished and expensive project.

Who is the game for?: If you're sick of the monotonous victory conditions, one of the biggest positive changes that has appeared in the series has been the transformation of "victory" into a set of goals from which you can choose the appropriate one, which greatly diversifies the gameplay.

The first truly global strategy, transferred to space. Stellaris has taken the historical formula of Paradox to the stars, putting the military, political and economic aspects of your space empire at the helm.

Who is the game for?: GP fans will feel right at home in Stellaris, but players accustomed to more traditional 4X will take some time to get comfortable. The game focuses much more on politics, and elements like the form of government or the will of citizens play a significant role in it.

The most recent incarnation of the acclaimed series doesn't have many innovations, but it still plays well, justifying the hefty price tag with the big names of the voice actors.

Who is the game for?: Despite its novelty, MoO is a typical grand strategy game from its 1996 predecessor, only improved with new graphics. A great start for absolute beginners, and seasoned ones get shivers when John de Lancie cries about the war that boils between his empire and yours.

The game builds on the best ideas of its predecessor, this time offering even more unique stories for each of the interstellar empires.

Who is the game for?: By this point in the list, it shouldn't surprise you that the true connoisseurs of interactive narrative should pounce on anything that has the word "Endless" in its name. Endless Space 2 is arguably a better opportunity for newcomers to get into the genre than the first game, as it greatly improved its ways of delivering the player the moment-to-moment information.

Civilization has hatched from its cocoon to bring the world the most incredible transformation and fresh approach in the history of the series. Plus, there's Sean Bean.

Who is the game for?: Yes, for anyone who likes . What can be added about Civ 6 that has not been said yet? Even the most seasoned veterans of the series will find many new challenges and opportunities in it, but the game remains one of the most newbie-friendly 4X games.

Today, most computer games require a quick reaction from the gamer. For those who prefer slow and thoughtful action, high-profile products are very rare, making them the most valuable. Read about the best global strategies in the article.

Genre Definition

Global strategy is a game in which you have to manage an already established state. Almost always, the territory is completely open, but the enemy army regularly interferes with a peaceful existence, and resources have to be sought. The player must develop the country he controls, not forgetting about science, production and defense. Developers of global strategies pay great attention to detail and realism, especially in historical games. Past events cannot always be changed.

Hearts of Iron 3

When compiling the top 10 global strategies, this game cannot be ignored. Russian localizers gave it the name "Victory Day". Its action takes place in the middle of the twentieth century. The gamer will start his journey a little earlier than the Second World War, and finish a few years after its completion.

You can manage absolutely any state that existed in that era. Moreover, the choice of the country will determine all further goals. Leading Germany, you will have to wage wars of conquest and at the same time bring the Axis to a leading position throughout the world. For Yugoslavia, the task is much simpler - to survive in the conditions of confrontation between the superpowers, and, possibly, to join one of them. You can take the chair of the leader of Brazil and compete for sole dominance in South America.

"Victory Day" offers not only to fight. The player will have to deal with both foreign and domestic politics, sign trade agreements, enter into alliances, develop industry, legislate, elect ministers, engage in propaganda and espionage. At the same time, the gamer is free to write the story as he wants. Germany's allies could be the United States and China. And it is not at all necessary to arrange an anschluss for Austria.

total war

Describing games of the global strategy genre, one cannot ignore the Total War series. Each part combines turn-based mode on the global map and RTS in separate battles. At the same time, individual games affect certain eras of history. Almost always, gamers are offered to lead a state in order to capture all uncontrolled territories.

The main feature of Total War is a meticulous balance that nullifies rush tactics. Any troops have both strengths and weaknesses. An outnumbered enemy can be defeated with the help of competent tactics: entering the rear, encircling, occupying a height.

Diplomacy and other peacetime activities are carried out with much less attention to detail than military activities. One way or another, for the sake of your goal, you will have to manage armies, which is what the name of the game says.

Civilization

When compiling a list of global strategies, one cannot fail to mention "Civilization". This legendary game offers the player to fulfill all the roles, becoming the head of state. Gamers will have to build new cities, build roads, build buildings, irrigate fields, develop mines, wage wars, make alliances.

The story begins in antiquity, and the country consists of only one settlement. Its location can be chosen personally. Hundreds of years will pass, and this tiny village will become a powerful empire. Along the way, the player will develop technologies, move from spears to swords, change bows to rifles, his subjects will learn how to extract oil, uranium, and iron.

In "Civilization" there is not even a hint of historicity. On the monitor screen, one can see soldiers of the Roman Empire in tanks, Aztecs piloting fighter jets, or Indians launching an intercontinental nuclear missile.

Victoria 2

The game takes place during the colonial wars. The user will have to choose one of the two hundred countries and make it the most powerful, however, not only through wars. The best global strategies are represented by products that are more reflective of external conflicts, that is, those that occur between states. "Victoria" puts domestic politics first. The detailing of these processes here is made at a higher level than in most representatives of the genre. The game can rightly be called a political simulator.

Gamers are provided with tools that directly or indirectly affect the processes taking place within the state. "Victoria" has virtually no predetermined historical events tied to a specific point in time.

Another feature of Victoria 2 is a large non-linearity. This term hides the ability to create history on their own, artificial intelligence will not push the gamer in the direction that is closest to reality.

Crusader Kings 2

Another product representing global strategies that makes you focus not so much on waging wars as on palace coups and intrigues is Crusader Kings 2.

The first thing a gamer will encounter is an unusual strategic system. Here, each action is calculated not by moves, but by the number of virtual days and months. Moreover, the construction of something can drag on for an unbearably long time. Of course, no one forbids turning on rewind, but at the same time, you can miss several key points that will lead the player to defeat. For example, your vassal decides to make a deal with traitors who only want to overthrow the ruler from the throne.

Never before Crusader King had there been so many actors in strategy. Vassals and overlords are not just a lot, but a lot. Each titled person has his own lands, relatives, enemies, pursues any goals. There are so many characteristics that some RPGs can envy.

Europa Universalis IV

Europa Universalis IV presents those global strategies that require perseverance and patience. First, as always, you will make decisions, conclude diplomatic treaties, develop industry, and then watch for a long time how your plans are implemented.

"Europe" provides gamers with the ability to control the state. And you can manage them the way you want. No restrictions. Domestic and foreign policy is simulated quite accurately. The more stable a country is, the higher taxes can be raised and the lower the risk of rebellion. As soon as this value decreases, a revolution will begin, and with it inflation, if there are no gold deposits on the territory of the state. In addition, there are many other indicators: the economy, trade, contentment or discontent, military traditions, war weariness. And all this needs to be controlled and planned, focusing not a few moves ahead.

Of course, there is also war, but only as an addition to diplomacy. It starts only when it is useful for the initiator. Conquests are possible only with a huge superiority in strength. But do not forget about those who did not take part in the hostilities. It is quite possible that some neighboring country will want to play it safe - to weaken the aggressor by blocking trade routes.

Europa Universalis: Rome

A rare top describing global strategies on PC can do without a note about Europa Universalis: Rome. If the "four" allows you to live a peaceful life, opening new trade routes and taking care of the population within the state, then in "Rome" a lot is directed exclusively to military purposes. Without battles, you can survive here, but you cannot win or take a leading position.

Combat has become more difficult. Multifunctional troops do not exist. Infantry, archers, ranged and regular cavalry - all separately. There are six types of troops in total. In order for an army to be combat-ready, at least two, and best of all, four types of troops should be used.

Like many other global strategies, Europa Universalis: Rome constantly forces the gamer to make a choice, and all positive effects are offset by negative ones. By fighting, you can capture provinces, this will bring money and territory, but the troops do not have any cultural or religious skills. The land will remain alien to the state. It will bring less funds, the inhabitants will refuse to join the army at all.

To capture undeveloped territories, you will have to spend much more time, but at the same time, your cultural trends will spread to new provinces, and this is many times more profitable for the country.

Nordic countries can colonize neighboring lands, but danger awaits there too - barbarians. From time to time, nomadic tribes leave their settled territories, gathering along the way a whole horde, which only wants to rob civilized countries. Of course, you can negotiate with the barbarians: pay, offer to occupy the province, force them to surrender.

Pax Romana

Pax Romana is a nugget unknown to the general public. This game has everything that other 4X PC games offer. However, in addition to the strategic regime, there is a political one. The last one is the most interesting.

In it, on a regular map of hostilities, not only you control. You are just the leader of one parliamentary faction in Rome. Moreover, the character has so many characteristics that their number will easily give odds to any RPG. How does this state of affairs affect the usual gameplay?

Should Carthage be destroyed? However, only the Senate can declare war, and only after a vote. A vote on the issue appoints only the consul. It turns out that in order to start a war, you must first have "your man" in the Senate. Has the war beneficial to you begun? Great. But it is not a fact that the leadership of the army will be given to the gamer. What if the troops are led by a consul who doesn't want war? In this case, he will minimize the losses of both his own and others.

Of course, he can be sued for failure to comply with the requirements of the Senate. But if the powers of the consul are extended, his trial will not take place until the official resigns. And the measure of restraint is chosen by the judges, who are also elected.

There are a lot of such details in the game. The developers tried to fit in their product all the rules of Rome's political games without any simplifications. And I must say that they did it perfectly. After passing all the scenarios, the gamer can easily pass the exam in Roman law at the Faculty of History.

Distant Worlds: Universe

Do not bypass the global strategies on the PC and sci-fi themes. Distant Worlds: Universe takes place in a space setting. However, the main activity takes place outside the planets and bases. After construction, you will have to start reconnaissance and moving around the universe again. There are more than 40 strategic resources here. Interestingly, the player controls only the mining industry, the construction of star bases, and colonization. Everything else is in the hands of the private sector, driven by artificial intelligence.

Like all other global strategies, Distant Worlds offers the player diplomatic tricks and technological progress. The development tree is extensive, but there are only three branches. Diplomacy is implemented classically. The gamer can sign trade agreements, conclude alliances and pacts, declare war. There is an opportunity to learn about what other races think of each other.

However, if all the possibilities seem redundant, the player can easily adjust the level of interaction. Everything can be automated to the point where the gamer becomes an observer.

Before the start of each new game, it is possible to adjust the maximum of parameters - from the aggressiveness of the pirates to the age of the galaxy.

Age of Wonders 3

Describing the best global strategies on PC, one cannot but mention Age of Wonders - a game in a fantasy universe. In addition to the main genre, it includes elements of RPG and turn-based tactics. The closest relative can be considered "Civilization" by Sid Mayer. The main difference from Civilization is that there are no ways for a peaceful victory. It all comes down to military action.

There are a lot of strategic nuances in the game. It is required to monitor not only the movements of your armies and their deployment, but also pay attention to production, improve relations with neighboring states or neutral cities, and carefully study information about the mood of the inhabitants of the empire.

At the start of the game, the gamer is given the main character (the sole ruler), a platoon of soldiers and a small village. The goal is the same - to destroy all enemies.