Thing is…I’m fairly experienced with strategy games as it is. Two strategy games I enjoy, for example, would be Europa Universalis II, as well as a WWII game entitled “Strategic Command” (although I only currently have the demo). I can’t wait for Hearts of Iron or Crusader Kings, and I’m planning on buying Uncommon Valor soon (and probably Strategic Command). I also play Civ II and II, should you consider those strategy.
So, any recommendations?
Age of Wonders II is pretty good. It’s basically an update of the old Masters of Magic game. Standard fantasy setting, strong story-based campaign (twenty plus different missions linked in seven mini-campaigns) Good strategic game, with a turn-based tactical combat engine, which is nice. I miss turn based games.
I assume I don’t need to mention Warcraft III?
Master of Orion III comes out next month (assuming they don’t push the release date back again). I’ve already pre-ordered my copy.
Id try Age of Wonders I before II if you can dig it up.
Railroad Tycoon II (the original tycoon’s sequal) is fun, Startopia, Tropico (mebe)
If you liked the Civ series play
Alpha Centauri
Chess
Poker. Five card draw. Anything else is for sissies. Nothing “wild.” (Except maybe lowball, but that is for old men.)
Learn the concepts behind these games and you will understand strategy. Oh, and read Sun-Tzu.
From what I read in the Firaxis forums, Master of Orion III could be pushed back into Q1 2003, although a winter '02 release is more likely. Alpha Centauri as well as Tropico I both own and enjoy. I have Age of Wonders I and found it enjoyable, although I’d probably want to download a demo of the sequel. I’m completely unfamiliar with Startopia, so I’ll look into it.
Go (and it’s variations Wei Chi and Paduk). The oldest (AFAIK) strategy game and (IMNSHO) by far the most the most elegant.
I’m currently going through Commandos 2. While it’s not the standard RTS formula(no unit building, a persistent cast of characters, lots of sneaking), it’s seriously kicking my rear. Some might even call it a puzzle game, since you don’t win if any of your crew dies.
Steel Beasts is technically a tank sim, but it’s also quite playable as a modern mechanized-combat tactical game, so I guess it can get included.
Alpha Centauri is a good one, as others have mentioned. And I’ve been spending a lot of time playing Masters of Orion II lately (Can’t wait to see what 3 is like!). Let’s see… The Close Combat series can be good, I think 2 had the best campaign and 3 had the best action out of the series (5 was close to 3 for action, though it seemed a little easier, and the overall strategic element, while closer to 2 than 3, seemed way too easy).
Turn based- Civ III
RTS- Age of Empires 2 (blows away Warcraft 3 and is a history of warfare lesson as well)
As far as Commandos 2 -which is sort of a real time tactical game, is good but I liked Commandos 1 better. I must admit this is probably because I got burnt out from trying to avoid all the green line of sight cones in the first version.
A warning about Civilzation III - it is a good game, but they did something truly abominably stupid when making it - they used an oversimplified combat model. So now your most cost-effective units are… horsemen with spears (no kidding, either!). It gets wierd sometimes.
Moo3 has been pushed back due to a major overhauling of the games’ mechanics. Electronic Boutique claims that it will release in Q1 2003, though the official site still claims Q3, 2002. This site will have more info for you: http://apolyton.net/moo3/
You might want to try Heroes of Might and Magic 3 - you can buy the “Complete” edition (including the original game and two expansions) for about $25-odd. # 4 is out, but it is full price ($50-ish) and isn’t nowhere near the bargain that 3 is.
I have never played Go, but I very highly recommend Pente. As far as computer games go…they’ve all been mentioned, really.
I don’t actually recommend this game since I haven’t played it and it got horrible reviews but considering the games you list you might want to check out SuperPower which is a grand-strategy game like EU set in the present.
I believe that the developers have fixed many problems since the reviews so it might actually be decent now.
Check out their site at www.golemlabs.com and they have a forum where you might get answers about the current status of the game.
I reccommend Stronghold for castle stuff and Shogun: Total War for conquest. Both are excellent, underappreciated games.
Though I really wish they were, Quicksilver (I think thats their name), not Firaxis is making MOO III. Moo III has had a really shaky development, so it might not be all that great.
Here’s some good sites:
Startopia is pretty fun. HOMM3 is better, though.