Frontline: Panzer Blitzkrieg!
Simple little simulation. NOT going to test an Avalon Hill fan. Wait for it to be on sale, as it has no scenario designer so you only get what it comes with. Limited replayability. A few minor glitches where the game wont let you attack or even move into a grid that you should be able to. So sometimes, you cant eliminate an enemy unit.
– Real player with 110.0 hrs in game
Read More: Best Difficult Turn-Based Tactics Games.
just got the 4 game bundle was looking for a break from high stress turn base games the bigger devs make .
wow was this a surprise a lot is packed into the game some is not , so will not be for everyone .
but looking for a good shot out game with minimal supply planning this can be it .
One thing I like is no max turns just objectives But you have to keep going since you will run out of supply but collecting objectives or Parachute drops gets you more . I played on normal and a few battles had to restart .
– Real player with 56.7 hrs in game
Galactic Civilizations® I: Ultimate Edition
This was one of the few games I played over and over as a teen.
I’ll be honest, I never got into the sequel, because I didn’t like the way the planets were depicted (though it probably made influence more intuitive). So I don’t know how this one holds up to GalCiv II. But on its own merits, it’s a good game.
In Galactic Civilizations, you start out as ruler of united Earth. The various alien races, having gotten the secret of hyperdrive from the humans, have turned off their massive wormhole portals and scrapped them for hyper-capable colony ships. The real space race has begun, and it’s up to you to determine the path you want humanity to take.
– Real player with 194.6 hrs in game
Read More: Best Difficult 2D Games.
In my ongoing and likely futile effort to write a Steam review for every game in my library (#291 out of 612)… it’s time for Galactic Civilizations I: Ultimate Edition.
You might know Galactic Civilizations by its other name: “Oh, yeah, there was a game before Galactic Civilizations III, wasn’t there?” Indeed there was! The obvious question here is: why should anyone play Galactic Civilizations 1 when the third game exists, and is so, so good? Historical context? Pure, unadulterated whimsy? A PC so old and out-of-date that it doesn’t even qualify as a toaster? Galactic Civilizations I has got fewer features, less polish, and less depth all-around. Furthermore, you’re in for one hell of an uphill battle if you’re even -thinking- of trying to get the game to run on a modern operating system. Galactic Civilizations does not play nice with anything more advanced than Windows XP!
– Real player with 24.6 hrs in game
Hearts of Iron III
This game lets you play as any country during World War 2. I played the base game plus all expansions (SF, FtM, TFH).
You can manage every aspect of the war, from diplomacy to espionage to research to actual combat. You can even try to stay neutral and sit out the fighting if you want, but what fun would that be?
There is an enormous amount of complexity - casual gamers beware! If one part of the war is too tedious for you, it can be set to be automated. For example, rather than personally overseeing every trade deal you can check a box and let the computer handle all of your trades. The computer is not as smart as a person and it can’t metagame but in most tasks it does an adequate job.
– Real player with 755.9 hrs in game
Read More: Best Difficult Real-Time with Pause Games.
The King of Grand Strategy
Most of you who visit the shop-page for Hearts of Iron III probably already know what this game is all about. It’s a hardcore (as hardcore as it can get, actually!) Grand Strategy Game by Paradox Interactive. That one sentence really says it all.
This review is intended for those who don’t yet know what Grand Strategy (the capitals are there with a purpose!) is all about. Simply put: Grand Strategy games are the best, but also the most complex, pc gaming has to offer. They are immersive, complex, and very addictive. They are not for everyone, that’s for sure. You don’t play them for the graphics, nor for the sounds or some great level-design, but only for the gameplay, which can also be very, very difficult to master. There are tons of stats, of units and/or provinces to be controlled and only one person who has the power to control them: you.
– Real player with 408.6 hrs in game
Dominions 4: Thrones of Ascension
I’ve played several thousand hours of this game, and dominions 3. The only other game i’ve played anywhere near as much is tabletop rpgs. But i’m biased, old hand, fan, etc. This guy isn’t. Here’s what he had to say on the Steam forum.
@Stephen:
Earlier tonight, one of the most epic occurences I have ever seen in a video game occured. Seeing that as a sign of a good game and also worth telling about, I decided to post here for your reading pleasure. Since it is only due to a confusing chain of events that this occured, I’m going to tell the full story from start to finish. Enjoy.
– Real player with 595.5 hrs in game
Dear friends, I know that many would have you believe that the Pale Ones are extinct, save for the occasional emergence of an Earth Reader or the primitive Pale Ones that are sometimes encountered in remote regions. I am here to set the ancient records straight.
Long have I labored in service to the Ancients, dead and forgotten though they may be to most of the civilized world. Only after extensive research and tireless experimentation had I uncovered a ray of hope in the sea of Agarthan darkness.
– Real player with 333.1 hrs in game
AI War: Fleet Command
This game is amazeballs and you should buy it now.
Oh, and if you want to play Ai War multiplayer with me just send me a friend request. :)
Alright so if that wasnt enough for you and my hours of playtime arent very convincing lemme tell you about AI War. This game has been called by many people a tower defense of sorts. I would mostly agree but you cant just put it as a tower defense when thats not what it aims to be. This is a real time strategy with some light 4X here and there, well mostly the Expand and Exterminate parts. This game does not feature a diplomacy system because it is always the ai against you beacuse of the plot of the game. Its written in the description of the game on the store page check it out and you will know why the ai is always your enemy.
– Real player with 820.0 hrs in game
This game is not fair. From the first second of any game, until (in most games) the last stages of the game, the AI possesses sufficient firepower to obliterate your insignificant rebellion without really stretching. In this repect, most games of AI War are a wonderful breath of fearful concern. Always looking over your shoulder. Always trying to avoid annoying the AI too much. Always treading softly, while carrying the biggest gun (indeed every gun) you can find.
Let’s be clear; if you’re looking for a game that holds your hand through a linear, scripted campaign, this is not the game for you.
– Real player with 517.7 hrs in game
Dominions 3: The Awakening
I own Dominions 3 and 4. Started playing Dominions 3, few monts later Dom 4 came out - moved to it.
Now I’m playing Dominions 3 and enormousely enjoying it. Less spells, less magical items than in Dom 4 - somehow even more fun.
Why I like Dominions:
1. Very interesting fantasy setting (not just elfes and other copies of Tolkien imagination) with Valkiries, armoured gorillas, ghouls, giants, chariots, eagle-men, bat-men, spider riders, raptor riders, fiery salamanders, armoured or undead elephants, giant ants, tiny dragonflies, barechested warriors, tritons with amber armour, hydras, halfblind cyclopes, nagas, twoheaded giants, liches, krakens, dragons, mechanical dragons, trolls, tengu, ghosts, lamias, jaguars, werejaguars, powerfull but insane gods, mages of various kinds,assasins, shark knights, Vikings with glamour, Aztects with flying ability and many, many more…
– Real player with 360.6 hrs in game
BLUF: This game’s pretty awesome, if you can get past the ancient graphics and focus on the creative/imaginative aspects.
I loved the game. Yes, it is complex, but I think the complexities are actually exagerated. It’s basically raise armies, research spells, invade provinces, collect gold, etc. But somehow I find it 20x more engrossing than any other “4x” game (which I don’t think it quite is). There are little quirks, like that it is turn-based, but then all the movement happens at once for everyone, seasons affect gold income, but they also affect how many mushrooms grow in the forest for your witches to collect, and it’s all these quirks and the plethora of races to play that make the game world feel alive. I love how you are slowly introduced to the lore; it never feels like a chore to read it to get into the game, you just pick up some of it as your priests randomly summon some ultra-powerful seraphim that then randomly gets itself killed by wandering around the map.
– Real player with 159.4 hrs in game
Unity of Command: Stalingrad Campaign
TL;DR: It’s awesome if you know what you’re getting and if you’re into this kind of game. To know what you get I guess you have to read the rest of this wall of text. I promise it will be a nice and informative read while covering most of what you’d want to know before you buy the game or one of the two DLC’s.
–——
Unity of Command is an excellent game that manages to achieve a thing rarely achieved by wargames that deal with WWII on the operational level: It’s accessible to newcomers and easy to learn, it’s simple on the surface and in its gameplay but it still has enough depth and complexity to offer interesting decisions for veteran wargamers, because almost every decision you make carries some weight when it comes to the end result. There are other wargames comparably excellent to this one, but they make most newcomers want to vomit blood out of their eyes - because the developers place their confidence in you being willing to read a 100 page manual alongside playing their game and they assume you will look past the hideous and needlessly overcomplicated user interface. (I’m looking at you Korsun Pocket - excellent game, terrible learning experience).
– Real player with 146.5 hrs in game
Before I say every positive things about this game, I have to say one thing:
The game’s tutorial and manuals are fucking LAZY. They never tell you enough about the mechanics, they never specify how each mechanics would affect the units. So many things are untold abou this game in tutorial and manual that it makes player to give up the game entirely before they get the hang of it. The Devs should’ve included more thoughtful introduction to this game for sure. While the ones who developed might see it as “obvious,” to people who are going into this game the shits that computer throws at the player is infuriating to say the least.
– Real player with 55.3 hrs in game
Sigma Theory: Global Cold War
Sigma Theory is a good niche product that was incorrectly exposed to the public. Yes indeed, it is a turn-based strategy game about spies, but it is far from Phantom Doctrine or any other action-packed tactical title. Jeez, in the very old “Spy vs Spy” game was much more direct action! Sigma Theory is text-based. It is a board game by the set of rules and overall dynamics. Think of Battlestar Galactica, think of Monopoly. In the realm of video games, think of The Witcher Adventure Game or maybe Plague Inc: Evolved , in a way.
– Real player with 94.1 hrs in game
This game is a dream come true for me. I’ve always been a fan of the spy genre (video games, tabletop games, tv shows, movies, board games, card games), I think Sid Meyers Cover Action is one of the best espionage games ever made; with Invisible Inc and Phantom Doctrine coming in at close second; totally different games but they mange to make you feel like you’re a real intelligence officer on the job. Now there is a new spy game in town and I have to say this game is the type of spy game I’ve been looking for, for years! Ever since I played Streets of Chaos (it’s a game where you run a criminal origination. You send out gang members to do crime all over a fictional city) and another hidden gem called Black Closet (in the game you’re like the president of boarding school, and you send out your team to investigate students; to avoid scandals from destroying the school). I thought to myself, both of these games have great micromanagement mechanics and they’re not very graphic heavy, it would be great to have a spy game that played a lot like those 2 games, and now that game is here!
– Real player with 55.0 hrs in game
Strategist
I have really enoyed playing this game. The levels are easier at the start, but they become really hard later on. There are a 15 levels now, and hopefully more will follow soon. I have gotten all achievements. Especially the bonus can be really hard in some levels. I do reccomend this game as it does not cost much, especially for people who enjoy puzzle games and like to be challenged.
– Real player with 10.3 hrs in game
I’ve really enjoyed playing this game, if you love strategy/puzzle games you should definitely buy this game! There are a total of 15 levels, it starts easy but gets hard really fast. Trying to go for bonus makes the game even more difficult. I hope more levels will be added after early access.
– Real player with 2.4 hrs in game
The Help Desk
My play through here: https://youtu.be/tySLoKGfQPI
Review:
I’m only recommending this game, because I think there is a group of people that will enjoy this game. I did not enjoy this game there’s ZERO percent chance you can outplay everything you’re forced to take mandatory hits and depending on the AI’s erratic behavior if you do try to actually out maneuver your co workers because they’re camping a spot you’re going to run out of time. I’m such a nice guy though I’ll explain some things that aren’t explained in the control scheme it gives you so you don’t have to get gaped trying to figure it out there’s some neat intricacies. For CONFIG you need absolutely nothing swaps you need one computer you can only carry one. 5 discs= 1 life so this is where the game is playable and gives you a chance to win this is a life management/calculated hit type game. This is not a stealth game it’s not a skill game, it’s a strategy game and requires a pretty good amount of RNG. The enemies CAN HIT YOU MULTIPLE TIMES there’s no I frames if there’s 5 enemies sitting in a cramped hallway BETTER believe you’re taking 5 damage. There’s not enough space to outplay shit a lot of the time. I like games where If i play it well enough I can win and not take damage this game you can understand what to do do it and get gaped by the AI the AI I’m not sure if it’s smart or the fact it easily gets trapped in small areas, but they camp it and with your hit box in a 2 square room you’re not dodging. So it’s a NO for me, but if you want a really hard strategy risk management game this is for you. I also love the concept of being an IT worker being frustrated by dum dums.
– Real player with 1.5 hrs in game