A variant of a tower defense game; the player as the War Mage must defend one or more Rifts on each level from an onslaught of orcs and other creatures that emerge from one or more entrances and traverse the level. Generally, each orc that reaches a Rift deducts a point from the starting Rift Score while specialized orcs may take off more points; if the Rift Score drops to zero, the level is lost and the player will have to start again. The orc armies arrive in increasingly more difficult waves, with each level having between four to twelve waves. In general, waves will begin a few seconds after the player defeats the prior one, but roughly every three waves on all bar Nightmare difficulty, the player is given a break where they can set up traps and initiate the next wave when they are ready.

Tropico 4 expands on the gameplay of the previous game with new political additions ? including more superpowers to negotiate with, along with the ability to elect ministers into power to help get your more controversial policies passed. But remember to keep your friends close and your enemies closer as everyone has an agenda! Your political mettle will be thoroughly tested, as new natural disasters will have the populace clamoring for you and your cabinet to help them recover from some of the worst Mother Nature can dish out. Tropico 4 also brings a new level of social interaction with the addition of Facebook and Twitter integration. Post comments on Twitter direct from the game and have updates go out when you complete missions or unlock new achievements. You can even take screenshots of your burgeoning island and post your dream creation on your Tropico 4 Facebook page and compare your interactive Dictator Ranking on the online leaderboards.

The Cold War is decided when ‘80s era action toys come alive and wage war! Toy Soldiers: Cold War blends intense first person combat with addictive action strategy, whether you’re scrapping solo or jumping into the fray with friends. Battle in campaign, competitive, co-op modes or fight for the highest score in mini-games!

Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars is the first tactical, turn-based Ghost Recon game, featuring eye-popping 3D cut scenes and in-game effects, deep team management options and a 1-vs-1 multiplayer mode on the same console.

The player plays the role of both the clan leader and general, alternating between the campaign, where the player manages his land and armies turn by turn, and the battles, where the player takes control of the army on the battlefield in real-time. In the campaign, the player needs to oversee the development of settlements, military production, economic growth, and technological advancement. The armies and units are organised and moved around the stylised campaign map by the player to carry out battles with other factions. In addition to fighting, the player is able to engage in diplomacy, political maneuvering and the use of special agents to gain the upper hand. Ninja and geisha are also present in the game as assassins and spies.

Taking place years after the events in Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising, this title allows players to choose their perspective with the first multiple-race single player campaign in the Dawn of War II series. In addition to the multi race single player campaign, Dawn of War II -- Retribution also features new multiplayer units, maps and the new playable Imperial Guard faction when it ships.

Men of War: Assault Squad takes place across the globe during the height of World War II and features five different armies each with their own unique units, vehicles and abilities. The game also features the unique "direct control" feature which enables players to maneuver units using the directional keys, rather than pointing and clicking. PC Generals can get behind the controls of a tank to smash through obstacles, crush soldiers under its tracks and fire armor-piercing shells at enemy emplacements, or take control of individual soldiers as they fight.

Magicka is an action/adventure game set in a Norse mythology-oriented fantasy world. You and up to three other players take on the roles of wizards of a sacred order with the ultimate goal of stopping the evil dark sorcerer that has thrown the world into turmoil as his evil creations besiege the forces of good. By combining elements to cast spells you will wreak havoc and devastation among the lackeys of darkness. Team up with your friends and choose your way through the various levels of the campaign, or test your skill with magickal abilities in other challenging game modes.

A turn-based strategy game, where each player represents the leader of a certain nation or ethnic group ("civilization") and must guide its growth over the course of thousands of years. It starts with the founding of a small primitive settlement and ends after achieving one of the victory conditions—or surviving until the number of game turns end, at which point the highest-scoring civilization, based on several factors, is declared the winner.

R.U.S.E. is a one-of-a-kind real-time strategy game that allows players to bluff their enemies to lead their nation to victory, controlling the action using views that range seamlessly from the heart of the battlefield to the full theatre of war. Players will be plunged into the action thanks to the exclusive IRISZOOM Engine which offers an intuitive interface that allows for smooth, rapid transitions from a birds-eye view of the entire conflict, down into the heat of the battle and vice versa.

Worms™ Reloaded features up to four player online and offline multi-player, voice support, a raft of crazy new weapons (and the return of some iconic weapons from the brand’s celebrated past), achievements (*note: Mac & Linux versions have a reduced number of achievements), leaderboards, all new high-definition landscape themes, a range of brilliant forts for the new Fort mode, new landscape editor, new play modes, hats, skins and speech banks.

In the distant future, in the darkest reaches of space, the ghosts of the past whisper your name. You are Jim Raynor, a marshal-turned-rebel on a vigilante crusade to bring down the Dominion and its nefarious leader, Arcturus Mengsk. Haunted by betrayal and remorse, some believe you may have given up the fight. But you have promises to keep…and a need for vengeance that's long overdue. Whether you command the mysterious Protoss, the nomadic Terrans, or the ruthless Zerg, you must decide how to outwit or outgun the enemy in an unforgiving universe of intense strategic combat.

Experience brutal battles on a massive scale! In Supreme Commander 2, players will wage war by creating enormous customizable armies and experimental war machines that can change the balance of power at any given moment. Take the role of one of the three enigmatic commanders, each representing a unique faction with a rich story that brings a new level of emotional connection to the RTS genre, or fight the battle online. Where do your loyalties lie?

In the game, aspiring generals have the chance to play as the legendary French general Napoleon Bonaparte or as one of his opposing factions. Battling through his three biggest military campaigns, the game will take you through Italy and Egypt, narrating the early years of the fearsome commander, while the third campaign will tell the story of his fateful drive towards Moscow and, ultimately, his showdown with the Duke of Wellington at one of the most famous battles of all -- The Battle of Waterloo.

League of Legends is a fast-paced, competitive online game that blends the speed and intensity of an RTS with RPG elements. Two teams of powerful champions, each with a unique design and playstyle, battle head-to-head across multiple battlefields and game modes. With an ever-expanding roster of champions, frequent updates and a thriving tournament scene, League of Legends offers endless replayability for players of every skill level.

Brütal Legend is an action-adventure that marries visceral action combat with open-world freedom. Set in a universe somewhere between Lord of the Rings and Spinal Tap, it’s a fresh take on the action/driving genre, which in this case is full of imitation cover bands, demons intent on enslaving humanity and Heavy metal tunes. Featuring the talents of comedian, actor and musician, Jack Black as super roadie Eddie Riggs, as well as cameos by some of the biggest names in metal music it's a wild ride in the belly of the beast that is not to be missed by gamers and Metalheads alike.

Rescue your beloved princess through teamwork in this comic medieval battle royale. There's a catch, though&mdash;the other team has been feeding her magical cake, making her harder to escort back to your castle. Charge head first into battle, heal teammates as they break through enemy lines, and upgrade your team and the castle defenses as you work with your team to save your princess.

The second of Eidos' action/simulation game series, Battlestations: Pacific delivers intense, action-packed combat and strategic warfare at an extraordinary scale and features two distinctly different single player campaigns. The game features a massive U.S. and Japanese single player campaign that offers a unique blend of action and strategy. Players must plan their moves carefully on huge open-world arenas and fight in the air, above sea and underwater to relive some of the most hard-fought battles in WWII history.

Stem a Zombie Attack on Your Yard! A mob of fun-loving zombies is about to invade your home, and your only defense is an arsenal of 49 zombie-zapping plants. Use Peashooters, Wall-nuts, Cherry Bombs and more to slow down, confuse, weaken and mulchify 26 types of zombies before they can reach your front door. Each zombie has its own special skills, so be careful how you use your limited supply of greens and seeds… as you battle the fun-dead, obstacles like a setting sun, creeping fog and a swimming pool add to the challenge.

Command the seas, control the land, forge a new nation, and conquer the globe. Empire: Total War takes the Total War series to the eighteenth century Age of Enlightenment — a time of political upheaval, military advancements, and radical thought, captured in stunning detail and at your complete control. Empire: Total War introduces a host of revolutionary new features, including true 3D naval combat. For the first time in the Total War series, intuitively command single ships or vast fleets upon seascapes rich with extraordinary water and weather effects that play a huge role in your eventual glorious success or ignominious defeat.

A strategy game based on the Halo universe, Halo Wars immerses you in an early period of the storied Halo universe, allowing you to experience events leading up to the first Halo title. With the guidance of Serina, a spirited artificial intelligence (A.I.) persona, direct legions of UNSC soldiers, Warthogs, Scorpions, and more, each group having its own strengths and uses in battle. Adventurous commanders can also call upon ancient Forerunner technology, if they are fortunate enough to find it hidden throughout the battlefield.

Dawn of War II ushers in a new chapter in the acclaimed RTS series &mdash; taking players to the brutal frontlines of war to lead an Elite Strike Force on a mission to save the galaxy. With a focus on fast-action RTS gameplay, Dawn of War II brings to life the science fiction universe of Warhammer 40,000 like never before. Experience the intimate brutality of battle as you play through your chosen race&rsquo;s epic campaign. Clash with enemies on battlefields ablaze with visceral melee and ranged combat. Lead and develop your squads from raw recruits into the most battle hardened veterans in the Galaxy.

From 2011 to 2014, the world enjoyed an unprecedented era of peace as enhanced defense technology eliminated the threat of nuclear war. It didn't last. By 2020, constant depletion of resources has international tensions at a breaking point. One spark will ignite what no one thought could ever happen ... a third and final world war. World War III comes to life in Tom Clancy's EndWar.

Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 from EA brings back the fan-favorite real-time strategy game in its latest incarnation with new features, powers, technologies, and a different world. Now, you can play not just by yourself but also cooperatively with a friend as you take on the enemy in this glorious, over-the-top romp. In previous games, the war between the Allies and Soviets was coming to a close with the Allies nearing victory. In desperation, the Soviets created a time-travel device that they've used to assassinate Albert Einstein before he is able to develop the weapon technology the Allies later use to defeat the Soviets.

With Spore you can nurture your creature through five stages of evolution: Cell, Creature, Tribe, Civilization, and Space. Or if you prefer, spend as much time as you like making creatures, vehicles, buildings and spaceships with Spore's unique Creator tools. While Spore is a single player game, your creations and other players' creations are automatically shared between your galaxy and theirs, providing a limitless number of worlds to explore and play within.

Best Strategy Games on PC, consoles, and mobile

Orcs Must Die!

Tropico 4

Toy Soldiers: Cold War

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars

Total War: Shogun 2

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Retribution

Men of War: Assault Squad

Magicka

Sid Meier's Civilization V

R.U.S.E.

Worms Reloaded

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty

Supreme Commander 2

Napoleon: Total War

League of Legends

Brutal Legend

Fat Princess

Battlestations: Pacific

Plants vs. Zombies

Empire: Total War

Halo Wars

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II

Tom Clancy's EndWar

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3

Spore