Summary
Real-time strategy, or RTS games, make up a genre that gets less attention than others in today’s market. These games are all about strategic planning and rapid execution to claim victory. In some ways, the genre has lived on with MOBAs, but they don’t capture the same tense, high-stakes strategy as RTS games.
One reason there haven’t been any new entries is because of how hard most RTS games are. They have a steep learning curve and punish players for making small mistakes. Some of the best RTS games were also known for being brutal, and some went overboard when it came to consequences.
Updated on July 02, 2025, by Kristy Ambrose:Different eras housed different trends in the RTS genre. The platforms that they appear on also determine a lot about player UI, game controls, overall design, and the speed at which things happen. Each developer also has their own trademarks when it comes to the difficulty curve and world-building, all of which heavily influence how much players like or hate an RTS title. Depending on the intended length of these games, one could be in for a single, brief skirmish or many lengthy and epic battles.
Supreme Commanderis a paradise for players who turtle, a strategy that refers to rarely expanding from their base and playing defensive. As a result, many whoplay through the game’s campaignwill find it exceptionally easy.
Those people aren’t wrong, but enteringSupreme Commander’smultiplayer component is a whole other story. Like most RTS games, the skill gap forSupComis massive. Learning how to quickly manufacture armies and control the battlefield can thwart most turtling players in competitive multiplayer, which makes the learning experience even harder for players who got accustomed to playing defensively during the game’s campaign.
Age of Empires 2is one of the best RTS games ever made. The combination of micro and macro-management makes for an addictive formula. Its wide difficulty curve is also what makes it so great. Most difficulties are fair and provide the experience players would expect, but playingAge of Empires 2on the hardest difficulty turns this game into a nightmare.
The enemy AI progresses through the ages and develops armies much faster than even the most skilled players can muster, resulting in matches that last under 8 minutes if players aren’t careful. Surprisingly, the AI does not cheat to do this like in most RTS games.
In the spirit of theCivilizationfranchise, this installment still uses the 4x structure of Explore, Expand, Exploit, and Exterminate that’s been present since the original board game. There are still mines to be found, fields to be tilled, and barbarians to fight.
What’s different aboutCiv 6is the wider variety ofdifferent civilizations and leaders availableand improvements to the methods of non-violent world conquest and resource development. The turn-based gameplay, another holdover from the table-top version, is between the player and AI opponents or their friends, thanks to the multiplayer feature.
10Company Of Heroes
Relic Entertainment’sCompany of Heroesis all about attrition. Players fight over key locations on the map that grant resources to make units as with most RTS titles. The difference is how important strategy was in combat itself.
Soldiers can easily get suppressed by gunfire or explosives, making them immobile and nigh-useless. Tanks are also impervious to traditional gunfire and have to be attacked from certain angles with explosives. Combined with the game’s cover system, combat was as much about managing resources as it was about making good decisions mid-fight. As a result, multiplayer matches against skilled playerscan feel impossiblefor newer ones who haven’t mastered these mechanics. The AI on harder difficulties also provides a solid challenge for skilled RTS veterans to overcome.
9Distant Worlds
A popular subgenre for RTS games is 4x, which stands for explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate. This subgenre typically refers to strategy games that last much longer than most and have a larger emphasis on managing resources.
Few games in the 4x space can match the likes ofDistant Worlds. Players take control of a galactic empire and can choose to exterminate other players or win through diplomacy. The game’s large-scale and unintuitive UI can make it a nightmare to learn for any player. Enemy AI is also formidable on higher difficulties, but many players can conquer the highest difficulty once they get acclimated with automating various tasks. Learning this game is a massive investment, but the payoff is experiencing one of the best 4x strategy games ever made.
8Take Command - 2nd Manassas
RTS games usually take place in a fantasy, modern, or futuristic setting, but notTake Command - 2nd Manassas. This game is all about commanding an army during the American Civil War.
It might seem less exciting than other games in the genre, but it comes into its own with its exceptional AI. Even playing on normal difficulty is a large test of the player’s skill. The AI does not hold back in this game, making for a punishing yet memorable campaign.
Another turn-based game that uses the 4x framework,Stellaristakes the RTS genre to a galactic level. The story is set in the distant future and players can decide which type of galaxy to explore and conquer. Possible outcomes range from peaceful co-existence to the destruction of all sentient life, should the player choose.
When the game begins, the civilization is just on the cusp of interstellar travel and has only recently begun traveling into the far reaches of space. Theresources at the player’s commandinclude fleets of starships for military, scientific, or construction uses.
6Sudden Strike
At first glance,Sudden Strikeappears to be an imitator ofCompany of Heroesand similar World War II-based RTS titles. That couldn’t be further from the truth.Sudden Strikeis about winning against insurmountable odds. Players don’t have a base that pumps out units or resources for them.
Instead, the player gets a set number of units and must complete the mission with them, rarely earning reinforcements. Units accumulate experience points that make them better at everything, but one well-placed explosive or bullet is all it takes to end their lives. It results in every encounter feeling stressful and much more rewarding when beaten.
5Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn
MostCommand & Conquergames could have been mentioned for their brutal AI on higher difficulties or their high skill gap. With that said,Tiberian Dawngets a special mention for its misleading mission objectives and unfair AI.
Certain campaign objectives can be completed to make future missions easier or bypass levels altogether. The problem is a few of the objectives inTiberian Dawnare either vague or give incorrect information. Worse, the enemy AI on higher difficulties cheats to gain an edge and swarms the player with enemies with little regard for resources. The firstCommand & Conquergame is hard for all the wrong reasons.
4Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines
Stealth and real-time strategy sound like a strange combination but work incredibly well together. With its methodical gameplay and soul-crushing difficulty,Commandos: Behind Enemy Linesis a great example of this.
Players control a squad of commandos and must complete their mission objective in any way they see fit. Stealth and developing strategies are paramount, as going in guns-blazing results in failure most of the time. Each character has a unique skill set that culminates into a diverse sandbox that has more in common with Immersive Sims such asDeus Exthan most RTS games.
