12 Greatest Real Time Strategy Video Games of All Time

8/11/2019 12 Greatest Real Time Strategy Video Games of All Time

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12 Greatest Real Time Strategy

Video Games Of All Time

http://www.gamescdkey.com/news/12-greatest-real-time-strategy-video-

games-of-all-time

In a video gaming era dominated by highspeed racers, explosive first person shooters and

addictivepick

up

and

play

iOS

games,

the

Real

Time

Strategy

(RTS)

genre

does

things

abit

differently.Intheirpurestform,RTSgamesappeartoslowthetempodownsomewhat,challenging

theirgamerwithtakingastepbackandtakingcontrolofanarmyattemptingtovanquishyour

enemies. RTS games apparently being slower than the offering of contemporary games is a

misconceptionhowevertobecomeaskilledcommanderinanRTSgameyoumustbeincredibly

quickandaccurateatmicromanagingyourarmyandbase toensure thatyou remainonestep

aheadofyourenemiesatalltimes.Thoughnewerofferingshaveattemptedtoreconfiguresome

ofthefundamentals,generallyspeakingRTSgames involvemanaginganeconomybyamassing

resourceswhichcanbeusedtotrainandmaintainaformidableforceofwarriors. Youmustthen

deliberatewhere

on

the

games

map

to

station

your

force

to

give

you

the

greatest

tactical

advantageyoucouldplacethemtodefendavitallocation,sendthemintocrippleyourenemys

economywithablitzingattackorgoforbrokeandsendyourentireforcetomountanattackon

theoppositionsbase.OvertheyearsdevelopershavetreatedustosomeincredibleRTSgames,

manyofwhicharewidelyconsideredtobesomeofthefinestgamesinanygenre.Theseclassic

titleshavepushedthetacticalpartofourbrainstotheirabsolutelimits,frustratedustotearsand

givenusauniquerushasweimposeourwillsonaninferiorcommander.Herearethe12Greatest

RealTimeStrategyGamesOfAllTime:

12. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn Of War


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Relics2004RTSgamesetintheuniverseofGamesWorkshopsWarhammer40kgameforthefirst

timegavefansofthetabletopwargameanincrediblePCtitletoplay.DawnOfWarmeantthata

playercouldamassagiganticarmyineithertheSpaceMarine,ChaosSpaceMarine,OrkorEldar

factionswithoutspendingallthemoneyonthetabletopgamesextortionatelypricedmodels.

Indeed,aLandRaidertankwhichyoucanobtaininthegameforahandfulofresourceswouldset

youback45inthestoreDawnofWarisbynomeansjustawayforfansofthetabletopgame

tosave(alotof)money.ThegameisasuperbRTSgameinitsownrightwhichrightfullyappealed

toboth fansandnewcomers tothe40kuniverse.Rather thanhavingyoumine for thegames

resourceswithworkers,youaretaskedwithcontrollingstrategicpointsdottedaroundthemapto

ensureasteadysupplyofresources.Thisinnovativestyleencouragesconflictatallstagesofthe

gameasyouareforcedtoleavethecomfortofyourbasetoestablishapowerfuleconomyfrom

theoff.Aswellasthisexcellentgameplay innovationonthetraditionalminingsystem,Dawnof

Warhasagrippingsingleplayercampaign,suitablygrizzlyvisualsandacompetitivemultiplayer

community.

11. Dota 2


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PlayingDota2forthefirsttimeislikelearningtorideaunicycledevilishlyhardtodobutonce

yougetgoodat it,extremelysatisfying.Peakingataround700,000concurrentplayersadayon

Steam (asperValvedata), thereare literallyhundredsofthousandsofplayerswhowould like

nothingmore than to humiliate youon theonline battle arena actionRTS.A game ofDota2

featurestwoopposingfactionstheRadiantandtheDirewhomustdefendtheirAncients(or

criticalstructures),meaning iftheAncient isdestroyed,yourteam (normallyof5) loses,with

threepathsleadingtoyourAncientbeingusedasarouteofattackbytheenemyAIcreepswho

attempttodestroyyourallimportantbuilding.SowhatistheroleoftheplayerinDota2?Youtake

controlofoneofthegames107heroes;immenselypowerfulunitswhocanusetheirpowerand

uniquespecialabilitiestooverwhelmanenemyslineofcreepsandalterthetideofbattle.Your

herostartsthegameoffasafledglingwarriorbutwilllevelupastheyaccumulatemoreexperience

ingame,allowingyoutoleveluptheirabilities.Eachhasaradicallydifferentstyle,andoneofthe

gamesmostimportantstrategicelementsistoselectaherowhowillbeofgreatestbenefittothe

team.Withitsintenselycompetitiveonlinecommunity,Dota2canberelentlesslyunforgivingon

theuninitiatedbutonceyoufindyourfeet,canbeoneofthemostrewardingstrategygamesin

recentyears.

10. Age Of Mythology


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LongbeforetheGhostofSpartaslicedhiswayontoPlaystationswieldingthose iconicchainsof

Olympus,AgeofMythologywasdoingastellarjobof representing themythologiesofancient

civilisationsinvideogames.ThoughnotasuniversallyknownasitsbiggerbrotherAgeofEmpires,

AgeofMythologywithits incrediblymemorableunits,Godsandgorgeouslandscapesisthe

superiortitle.TherearethreeextremelydistinctancientcivilisationsavailabletoaplayerinAgeof

Mythology,eachwiththeirownuniqueartstyles,unitsandbuildings.Thefactionsonofferarethe

Greeks,EgyptiansandNorse(unfortunatelynoAztecs).Anotherkeyaspectwhichdistinguishesthe

threecivilisationsaretheirgods.Atthestartofagameyouareinstructedtoselectamajorgod

(examplesincludeZeus,OdinorRa)whichwillreflectthestyleinwhichyouchosetoplaythegame.

Youwillthenselectaminorgodeachtimeyouadvancethroughanewage(ortech)whichwill

giveyouaccesstopowerfulmythunitsorgodpowerstoalterthetideofbattle.Theadditionof

the ridiculouslypowerfulTitans in theexpansionpack isyetanother incredibleadditionwhich

meansthatAgeofMythologyissuperiortoAgeofEmpiresandoneofthebestRTSgamesever.

9. Rise Of Nations 2003)


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SidMeiersCivilization,whileoneofthefinestseriesofstrategygamesevermade,isunfortunately

ineligibleforthislistasitisaturnbasedstrategy,ratherthanaRTS.Thankfullyitsinfluenceisnt

entirelyabsentfromthislistasRiseofNationstheexceptional2003strategygamefromBigHuge

gamestakesmanyofthebestelementsfromCivandplacestheminatraditionalRTSformat.

RiseofNationsfeatures18uniquecivilisationswhichyoumustnurturethroughtheagesenroute

tovictory.Thisbroadhistoricalrangemeansthatyouhavethefreedomtocontrolasatisfyingly

hugerangeofinfantryinthegameyoucouldbeintheAncientAgeusingasquadronofHoplites

topoketheirwaythroughacavalryunitorintheInformationAgewithaStealthBomber.Whatis

moresatisfyingaboutRiseOfNationsoverlesserRTSgamesisthemoresophisticatedeconomy.

MorerudimentaryRTSgamesencouragetheirplayerstojustrushthroughthegameandbethe

firsttoamassthemostpowerfulunitsavailable. InRiseofNations,youcantrulydominatethe

gamewithaeconomicalanddiplomaticgrip.

8. World In Conflict 2007)


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AgamemadeinanagewhereinstantgratificationandSky+/TiVohasmadeusallimpatient,itmay

comeasasurprisethatdespiteitsspurningofthefundamentalruleswhichwehaveallcometo

love,WorldinConflictisstillanincrediblyrewarding,addictive,compellingRTSgame.Ratherthan

basebuilding and scrambling for resources, the player in World in Conflict is given a pre

determinednumberofreinforcementpointswhichareusedtoairdropagivenunitofyourchoice

tothemap.Gonearethebuildtimesasyoupatientlywaitforaunittoenterthefrayinstead,

youpicktheunitwhichwillbestsuityourstrategicneedsastheconflictplaysoutandsaidunitis

allowedtomakean immediate impactonthebattle.Set inanalternatevisionof1989where

ratherthancrumblingtheSovietUnionhasinvadedWesternEuropeandthewestcoastofthe

UnitedStates,WorldinConflictgivesyouaccesstoalltheinfantrymen,tanksandhelicoptersof

theerawhilealsoallowingyoutounleashhellishattacksofcarpetbombing,napalmandnukeson

yourlucklessenemies.Thegamesmultiplayermode(supportingupto16players)wasaninstant

hituponitsrelease,withtheonlinegivingeachplayeronthetwoteamsarole(infantry,air,support

orarmour)andaskedthemtoberesponsibleforthistacticalareawithintheteam.Combineits

refreshinglyhectic, innovativegameplaywith its incrediblyattractivevisualsand itsnowonder

thatWorldinConflictwasmetwithcriticalacclaim.

7. Dune II 1992)


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WhenTotalAnnihilationhitshelvesbackin1997itwasmetwitharguablythestrongestresponse

toaRTSgametillthatpoint.ItbuiltonthefundamentalsofthepreviousyearshittitleWarcraft:

HumansandOrcswithbothgameshingingonconstructingadefensivebase,gatheringresources

andutilising reconnaissance tacticsbutTotalAnnihilationupped theante in severalkeyareas.

Where Warcraft only allowed you to amass a humble force of warriors, Total Annihilation

encouragedyoutogatheragiganticarmytocrushyourfoes,justifyingitsname.TotalAnnihilation

was also farmore impressive in the scopeof theunits youwere able to build.Ranging from

hovercraft and aircraft to infantry bots and a giganticmecha called the Core Krogoth, Total

Annihilationofferedagreatdealofdepthasyou learntwhichcombinationsofunitsweremost

effectivetogether.ItisatestamenttohowgreatanRTSgameTotalAnnihilationisthatitstillhas

an active online community over 15years after its initial release. The graphics may be

horrendouslydatedbutthegameplayatitscoreissosolidandrewardingthattherewillforever

beTotalAnnihilationcommandersloggingintoprovetheirmettleonline.

5. Supreme Commander 2007)


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SupremeCommanderiswhattheHQMonaroGTSistoacarenthusiastitmaynothavethesame

universalappealasaFerrarioraMercedesbuttoaselectgroupitisoneofthebestintheworld.

Inthesameway,SupremeCommanderisanRTSfanaticsRTSgameitssimplynotgoingtobe

foreveryone.ThespiritualsuccessortoTotalAnnihilation,thegames learningcurve issosteep

that those uninitiated with the genre will likely drown in the games complicated controls,

sprawlingmaps and deep navigation systems. And boy, are those navigation systems deep

SupremeCommanderpioneeredtheconceptofbeingabletozoomoutsoincrediblyfarthatyou

wereabletoseethewholemapandtherebyhaveacompleteoverviewofyourstrategicsituation.

Fromhereyoucanthenzoomincloseonanypointinthebattlefieldtohaveacloserlookatthe

actionandadmireyourhandiworkifyouveoutfoxedanenemy.Thegamefollowsthreefuturistic

factionstheUnitedEarthFederation(orUEF),theCybranNationandtheAeonIlluminateas

they battle for energy and mass (the games resources). Supreme Commander has four

technologicaltierstoindicatewhichstageinthegameyourein.Byfarthemostappealingisthe

fourthexperimentaltierwhichallowsyoutobuildthegamesincrediblypowerfulunitssuchas

thehighlydangerousCybransMonkeylordSpiderbot.

4. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos


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WarcraftIIImaynothavereinventedthewheelasfarasRTSgameswereconcerned,butittook

thestaplesofthegenreandexecutedthemwithsuchpoisethatitisimpossiblenottorecognise

itasoneofthebestgamesofitskindever.Withitstightcoregameplay,compellingcampaignand

addictiveonlinemultiplayer,WarcraftIIIofferedmorethanenoughforitsmemoryasoneofthe

greatstoendure.ThegametooktheHumanandOrcarmiesofthe firsttwogamesandadded

NightElvesandUndeadasplayablefactions(bothofwhicharenowmainstaysinWarcraftlore).

Where inpreviousgames thedifferencesbetweenHumansandOrcshadonlybeen cosmetic,

WarcraftIIIgaveeachofitsarmiesverydifferentunits,structures,technologiesandbasebuilding

methodswhichmeantthateverybodycouldpicktheirfavouritearmybasedontheirparticular

playing style. The third instalment in the RTS franchise also introduced heroes; powerful

commandingunitswhichamassedexperiencewitheachenemy killed thatsubsequentlymade

themmore powerful. Combine these superb gameplay additionswith the3D graphicsengine

whichmadeWarcraftIIlooklikeanancientrelic,anditisnthardtounderstandwhyWarcraftIIIis

laudedasthefinestgameintheseries.

3. Company Of Heroes 2006)


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BuildingontheexcellentgameplaysystemtheyhaddevelopedforWarhammer:DawnofWar,Relic

reachedallnewlevelsofRTSgreatnessin2006sCompanyofHeroes.Ratherthanthetraditional

modelofaneconomybeingbasedonhordesofworkersgatheringyourresources,Companyof

Heroes challenged you with controlling strategic points spread across the map to acquire

manpower,munitions,andfuel.ThissystemparticularlysuitedtheWWIIsubjectmatter,where

countless soldiers fought andgave their lives toobtain strategically valuablepointsunder the

commandoftheirsuperiorofficers.Toprotectthesevital locationsonthemap,youcanassign

troopstocontroltheareaorbuildupdefenceslikeMG42posts.Withitsincredibleattentionto

detailanddestructibleenvironments,CompanyofHeroeshasararekindofauthenticitynever

beforeseen inanRTS.BoththeAlliesandAxisarefullyplayablewithalonglistofuniqueunits

takenstraightoutofyourhighschoolhistorytextbook,fromthepowerfulTigerAcetanktothe

legendaryAmericanRangers.SimilartothesystemusedinAgeofMythology,CompanyofHeroes

makesyouchooseacompany (ordoctrine forAxisarmies)at thestartof thegamewhichwill

inform the style youwish toplay.Forexample, theBlitzkriegdoctrine forAxisarmiesputsan

emphasisonspeedwhiletheAlliedArmourcompanygivesyouaccesstothegamesmostpowerful

tanks.

2. Starcraft 1998)


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WhenBlizzardsphenomenallypopularStarcraftwasreleasedonthatfatefuldayintheMarchof

1998,thefaceofRTSgamingwouldbechangedforeverthisquintessentialRTSgame iswhat

immediatelycomestomindwhensomeonementionsthegenre.Overthecourseofthis listwe

havediscussedhowhavinguniqueunitsforeachofanRTSgamesarmiesisanessentialaspectof

makinganawesomeRTSgameStarcraftiswidelycreditedasbeingthepioneeringmasterwhich

firstimplementedproperlydistinctfactionsinthegenreallthoseyearsagoandisstillthoughtby

manytohavedoneitthemostsuccessfully.Indeed,thebalanceanddiversityachievedbyBlizzard

increatingtheirthreeracesisathingofbeautyfromtheallrounders,theTerran,totheelite

butexpensiveProtoss and finally the swarmingZerg. It isbecauseof this incrediblegameplay

basedonthesethreeuniqueracesthatStarcraftwasacommercialsuccessandremainsplayedall

theseyearslater,shipping9.5millionunitsworldwidewith4.5millionofthesebeingsoldinSouth

Koreawherearenasareusedtoallowfanstowatcheliteplayersatwork(USAToday).Starcraftis

quiteclearlythebehemothortheZergUltraliskifyouwilloftheRTSgenresohowonearth

havewenotfounditinourselvestonotgiveitthenumber1spot?Youreabouttofindoutwhy

1. Starcraft II: Wings Of Liberty 2010)


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Some12yearsinthemaking,StarcraftIIisthesequeltowhatwaspriortoits2010releasethe

greatest RTS game evermade. The original still had an incredibly large fanbase and online

community, so as soon as Blizzard had even announced that its longawaited sequelwas in

development,expectationswere immediatelyset toastronomicallyhigh levels.ThoughBlizzard

are renowned as being some of the finest developers in the gaming industry, the incredible

gameplayoftheoriginalcombinedwiththesweetnostalgiaallRTSfansfelttowardsitmeantthat

itwasvirtuallyimpossibleforStarcraftIItosurpassitspredecessor.Somehow,StarcraftIImanaged

tobeevenbetterthananyoneimagineditcouldvebeenbettereventhanthe1998originaland

subsequentlybetterthananyRTSgameevermade.Thoughthegamethankfullyretainedmanyof

theelementswealllovedaboutStarcraft,italsomadeimprovementsinseveralkeyareas.Most

notablythesingleplayercampaignwhichhadbeenasecondarydistractionintheoriginalhad

beengivenanoverhaulwithBlizzardreallyflexingtheirstorytellingmuscleswhereasinthefirst

gamethenarrativehadbeensparse.Anumberofpowerful,variedandsuitablyawesomenew

unitswereaddedtoeachofthethreebelovedfactions.Naysayerspriortothegamesreleasehad

saidthattheadditionofnewunits(orworsestillanentirelynewfaction)would imbalancethe

finetunedharmonybetweenthethreerivalraces,butitdidnothingofthesort.Thenewunitsfit

snuglyintothestyleofeacharmyandfeltlikeasuitableprogressioninthegivenracestechnology

sincetheoriginalgame.TheonlinecomponentofStarcraftIIwasasgoodaseverand it isfully

deservingof

the

top

spot

on

this

list

of

the

RTS

genres

best

games.

PC Game CD Keys:

EAGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamescdkey.com/publisher/ea.html

RPGGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamescdkey.com/pcgames/rpggame.html

ACTGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamescdkey.com/pcgames/actgame.html

FPSGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamescdkey.com/pcgames/fpsgame.html

AdventureGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamescdkey.com/pcgames/avggame.html

RacingGames

CD

Key

http://www.gamescdkey.com/pc

games/rac

game.html

SportGamesCDKeyhttp://www.gamescdkey.com/pcgames/sptgame.html


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12 Greatest Real Time Strategy Video Games of All Time