10+ Best RTS Games To Keep An Eye Out For
What are the best RTS games?
Real-time strategy games have been the cream of the crop if you ask gamers about the most thought-provoking games.
While these games don’t get to be on the headlines of commercial success as much as the brain-dead scores of action and FPS games, they have their unique niche of dedicated gamers waiting to flex their brain cells.
Therefore, since many new RTS games are coming out, I prepared a list of the best RTS games.
What Are The Best RTS Games To Look Out For?
From highly anticipated sequels like Homeworld 3 to remakes like Solium Infernum, 2024 was an excellent year for new strategy games to play on cheap laptops for gaming. However, some new ones are also making it to the list.
1. Solium Infernum
Release Date: February 15, 2024
Developer: League of Geeks
Publisher: League of Geeks
Solium Infernum has been dubbed the “Strategy Game from Hell” since its first release in 2009. However, not only does this remake of an RTS classic have the genre’s signature turn-based combat, but it also seems to have some hellish political intrigue.
In Hell, you team up with six other players (known as Archfiends). Your mission is simple – become the next King of Hell.
That’s right. The Great Dark Majesty has suddenly gone missing. Therefore, Hell’s Conclave demands an immediate replacement.
Now, they have singled out six potential Archfiends to take over the Infernal Throne. Now, it’s time for you to outplay your opponents to win political favors and command legions of hell to become the next Dark Lord.
I am stoked for this upcoming best RTS game since it presents a new form of strategic gameplay. Instead of focusing on turn-based strategic combat, this game has a psychological (and political) twist.
Moreover, indie developers League of Geeks have done a respectable job of presenting Hell in a more black-metal fashion. I’ve never seen Hell as hellish as I see here.
2. Homeworld 3
Release Date: March 09, 2024
Developer: Blackbird Interactive
Publisher: Gearbox Publishing
Everyone knows Homeworld 2 as one of the best RTS games of all time. When released in 2003, it revolutionized space strategy games, and PC gamers still hold it in high regard. While its sequel, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, was an amazing RTS game, it wasn’t as successful as H2.
Therefore, two decades later, developers Blackbird Interactive seem to be on track to revolutionize RTS games with the much-awaited sequel Homeworld 3. This time, everything has been amped up to 11 on a galactic scale.
The trailer shows tactical battles in space derelicts, asteroids, space fortresses, gigantic battlecruisers, and more. Just by looking at its dazzling trailer, which showcases its expanded scope, I know this might be the best RTS game in 2024.
Moreover, RTS gamers can rejoice as we get three-player co-op modes that fuse strategic decisions with roguelike-level progression.
The more risks you take, the better rewards you get in the form of powerful artifacts that augment your ship, unlike anything seen before.
In addition, you also get new PvP modes to test your tactical superiority with other players online!
3. Outpost: Infinity Siege
Release Date: March 26, 2024
Developer: Team Ranger
Publisher: Lightning Games
While I’m not a hardcore RTS fanatic, I’ve always been a hardcore FPS and RPG gamer. While I enjoy RTS games often, I am ecstatic about the release of Outpost: Infinity Siege, which can potentially become one of the best RTS games in 2024.
I say this because it’s an RTS/FPS hybrid – something unheard of before. It seems to take the best of both worlds – the tactical strategy making of RTS games, with the ballistic action and precision of FPS games. While this might initially seem like an abomination, I was sold after watching its trailer.
Its adrenaline-packed trailer shows off everything I want from an RTS/FPS hybrid game. This game has base-building mechanics, where you explore and loot the world for resources to upgrade your defenses.
Moreover, you also get survival-game elements as well since you fend off your outpost from infinite hordes of monsters. However, its fusion of RTS and FPS most excited me like a 10-year-old for a new video game.
You can freely swap between making strategic advancements in RTS mode and decimating monsters with unique guns in FPS mode. Moreover, you can also control gun-toting mechas as you did in Titanfall 2 – one of the best FPS of all time.
4. Manor Lands
Release Date: April 26, 2024
Developer: Slavic Magic
Publisher: Hooded Horse
If you like Total War RTS games like Total War: Warhammer or Total War: Pharaoh, you will love Manor Lands.
As one of the best RTS games coming out this summer, this game has an interesting viral story. First, this game was entirely created by only one person, Greg Styczeń of Slavic Games.
When it first appeared on Steam, he had a bet with his girlfriend. His girlfriend said it wouldn’t get more than 7,000 wishlists on Steam, while he optimistically numbered 14,000.
Surprisingly, this game now has over 2 million wishlists on Steam, becoming one of the most anticipated RTS games on Steam.
Therefore, this is a game everyone has high expectations of since it’s a base-builder cum RTS game. In this game, you build your medieval city, raising an army from its strongest citizens.
Therefore, you must be careful with your battles since you must consider many things. This includes the morale of your troops, their fatigue levels, the loyalty of nobles, and the weather. Overall, this seems to be one of the best upcoming strategy games coming out this year.
5. Nebulous: Fleet Command
Release Date: February 11, 2022 (Early Access), 2024 (Full Release – TBA)
Developer: Eridanus Industries
Publisher: Hooded Horse
You are wrong if you think you must wait to play any of these games. If you want to flex your strategic brain cells right now, head over to the Steam page of Nebulous: Fleet Command and try its early access demo version now!
This new upcoming RTS game makes you the commander of your space fleet, making you feel like Captain Spock. While you take your fleet to participate in epic 3D space battles, you must customize each battleship under your control.
Therefore, you must do a lot of pre-planning first, unlike anything ever seen in any other RTS game before.
Moreover, this game places a newfound focus on your radar since appearing on the enemy’s radar means trouble. Therefore, you must learn to evade them and attack from the right angle, making tactical positioning key to victory.
Already out on early access for almost two years, it has received overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam. Therefore, there’s no reason for me not to get excited about this new RTS game.
6. Capes
Release Date: 2024 (TBA)
Developer: Spitfire Interactive
Publisher: Daedalic Entertainment
Regarding naming one of the best RTS games in modern times, XCOM 2 comes to the mind of many. Now, Capes, a new RTS game of 2024, aims to rise and take XCOM’s mantle.
If you are a fan of Marvel and DC Comics, then you will love the premise of Capes. It shows a fictional world where the supervillains won and took control twenty years ago. This has plunged the world into a state of dystopia, where superheroes are around no more (seems like the ending of Avengers: Infinity War, doesn’t it?)
Now, the time has come for superheroes to rise again and bring the fight directly to the doorstep of the supervillains. Therefore, you must build your team of four superheroes with unique abilities and skills.
Moreover, just like XCOM, this game has a tactical turn-based combat system. Therefore, you must position your heroes in the right place to use their skills to their maximum potential.
I’m super excited for the release of Capes since it harkens back to the days of old-school tactical RPGs where you controlled smaller teams instead of armies.
7. Tactical Breach Wizards
Release Date: 2024 (TBA)
Developer: Suspicious Developments
Publisher: Suspicious Developments
The cornerstone of the best RTS games lies in their intricate battle system and the majestic scope of strategic warfare.
However, what do you think you will get if you add a dash of humor and some personality to it? You will get Tactical Breach Wizards, one of the best RTS games coming out this year.
This is an RTS game where you gather a team of ostracized sorcerers and sorceresses to take down the religiously oppressive regime of the Less Lethal Pyromancer.
While it sounds funny, they have been dealing terror using their elder Shrublords of the Druid Mafia, Riot Priests, and the Traffic Warlock.
Since your team of magicians uses weird and wacky spells to set people on fire and bludgeon them to walls, one ability stood out the most.
You can rewind time and go back to your previous move. Therefore, you can strategize from a different perspective and freely experiment with the flow of battle until it turns out in your favor.
Moreover, you can hang out with your mage buddies between battles and participate in dialogue choices.
This gives the game an RPG-like vibe, where the story takes shape the way you want (like The Witcher 3). Overall, this game is a fresh breath of magic for RTS games, and I’m excited for its release.
8. Stormgate
Release Date: 2024 (TBA)
Developer: Frost Giant Studios
Publisher: Frost Giant Studios
RTS gamers know StarCraft 2 and Warcraft 3 are the best RTS games ever. Therefore, what do you think will happen when ex-developers of these two games team up to create Frost Giant Studios and release Stormgate? It’s an RTS game worth wishlisting on Steam.
If you love the feel and pace of Starcraft, you will get precisely that, modernized with the use of Unreal Engine 5.
Moreover, if you think RTS games are always PvE, think again. In addition to a thrilling campaign, this game also has a 3-player Co-Op mode, along with 3v3 and 1v1 PvP wargrounds.
Moreover, its use of UE5 has made RTS gameplay more approachable and streamlined. This is a great move to bring casual gamers to the scene since they typically get intimidated by the mechanical scope and complexity of the best RTS games.
However, the best reason for you to try out this game is its price tag of $0. Therefore, keep your heads out for its release date announcement sometime in the summer this year.
9. Menace
Release Date: 2024 (TBA)
Developer: Overhype Studios
Publisher: Hooded Horse
If you want to play RTS games that depict realistic wars and their dreadful consequences, set your eyes on Menace.
This is one of the best RTS games coming this year, closer to reality than its counterparts.
You don’t control your space fleet, cavalrymen, or mystical wizards here. Instead, you have your infantry, battle tanks, warships, and fighter jets. However, you do get one thing new here – battle mechs.
However, while its weaponry and “humane” soldiers are real, something else lurks in the darkness. It turns out that an alien invasion is also taking place between the warring human nations.
Therefore, you must create your army and go against not only other armies but also hordes of aliens! Moreover, facing off against these aliens requires a different strategy than that of other soldiers, so learn to strategize on the fly!
10. Espiocracy
Release Date: 2024 (TBA)
Developer: Ex Vivo Studio
Publisher: Hooded Horse
First, this is the fourth RTS releasing this year, published by Hooded Horse. So, hats off to them for publishing some of the best RTS games with lots of potential this year!
If you like spy movies and espionage games (like Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid), Espiocracy will be your best deal.
In this game, you get to be the leader of one of the 74 nations to become a global superpower. Therefore, instead of launching nuclear warheads on other nations, you must decide warfare in a new way – using subterfuge and espionage.
Send your team of spies to other nations and gather intel to decipher their weaknesses. Moreover, start proxy wars between nations so you and your allied nations can profit from it!
In addition, you get to use historically accurate actors, celebrities, organizations, and journalists to turn the tide in your favor with their global influence.
Overall, this is one of the best RTS games if you are interested in more political warfare using your brain over brawn.
11. Tempest Rising
Release Date: April 2025
Developer: Slipgate Ironworks, 2B Games Sp. z o.o.
Publisher: 3D Realms, Knights Peak
Tempest Rising is clearly inspired by Command and Conquer, but it is a distinct and original game in its own right. It is compared with Red Alert and Tiberian Dawn, but it has unique qualities.
Tempest Rising has structured missions, but not at the expense of freedom of strategy. It balances directing the player and battle contexts, allowing gamers to win the game on their own terms.
The two factors and campaigns complement and contrast each other, and it all ties up with a surprise third act that changes even your best-laid plans. Everything goes wrong when you think you have figured out the winning formula.
Driftland: The Magic Revival
Release Date: April 2019
Developer: Star Drifters
Publisher: Star Drifters
This is an innovative RTS and follows the mold of the Majesty franchise, and indirect control is the order of the day. Here, you are the mage, and your realm is shattered into pieces. You have to develop your holdings and connect them with others.
However, this is not for everyone and there are some small niggles that you will have to work out with time. However, the game has a willingness to be experimental and bold. If you are looking for a new fantasy RTS game, this is the one for you.
So, Which RTS Games Are You Interested In?
So, these are the best RTS games you should try if you are into video games. You can build up a huge army and wash over your enemies.
RTS games need to plan forward in a slow and realistic time. From tactical board games to wargames, classic tower defense, and city builders are amazing strategy games. These will challenge your decision-making skills and will let you think critically.
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