The best strategy games that offer freedom in play style

Summary

  • Diverse strategies in strategy games result from asymmetric groupings, multiple victory conditions, and unique play styles.

  • Games like Into The Breach and Darkest Dungeon offer customizable play styles and a variety of classes to keep the gameplay fresh.

  • Titles like Super Auto Pets and Slay The Spire encourage customization through synergy and game-changing elements across strategies.

Strategy games cover a wide range of dynamic experiences that vary greatly in accessibility, themes, and style. However, what unites them is an often strong, often strict goal. Efficient build orders and optimal choices have always been present in the genre, but some titles allow for freedom and surprise by introducing variety and/or randomness into their design.

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Real-time strategy games that don't require speed

Not all strategy games are played at a fast pace, and these games are recommended for players who want a slower pace.

Such games as In the breachwith its accessible turn-based battles, can offer freedom in play style with strong customization. On the other hand, games like Dune: Spice Wars keep things fresh with multiple victory conditions and tons of asymmetric factions.

1

In the breach

Team setup and dynamic rotations

Released

February 27, 2018

This is a turn-based tactical game developed by the studio FTL: Faster Than Lightis a fantastically cryptic roguelike that encourages out-of-the-box thinking. In the breach has a simple mission-based structure where players lead a squad of mechs against alien bugs while protecting civilians on small grids.

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Thanks to the small scale of each level, each player's move can be monumental, and the stakes are almost always high. This ensures that every strategic success or failure often has a long-lasting effect on the turn. Fortunately, players can undo actions and even reset their entire turn, keeping the experience from being frustrating. Although players can change their strategy from turn to turn, In the breach allows for multiple playstyles with plenty of alternate mech squads, each unlockable over time.

2

Darkest Dungeon

Lots of dynamic classes

Released

January 19, 2016

Developer(s)

Red Hook Studio

Darkest DungeonThe gritty painted art style and dark gothic setting may get people through the door, but its brutal turn-based combat and the variety of playstyles it facilitates are perhaps its greatest strengths. From the ebb and flow of its dungeon-crawling structure and variety of classes to the city management aspects of the game, Darkest Dungeon it's a diverse experience.

Each class of Art Darkest Dungeon play dramatically differently, and their abilities vary depending on where they are in the four-man squad. This, combined with a large number of items and upgrades, allows you to create different styles. However, each player's style can sometimes be limited by the fact that some classes flatly refuse to work with each other.

3

Super Auto Pets

A variety of interactions and synergies

systems

transparent phone

Released

February 24, 2021

This auto-butler may feature minimalist visuals, but its gameplay, while easy to pick up, allows for a huge variety of styles. Super Auto Pets tasks players with creating a squad of five pets, each with their own unique characteristics and abilities, and the variety of potential pets creates many possible strategies.

The interactions and synergies between each of these pets provide an effective engine that drives much of the gameplay. However, the freedom may be somewhat limited by the luck of the draw as the game has many random elements Super Auto Petsoften forcing players to adapt their strategy on the fly.

4

Slay The Spire

Game-changing items and a diverse assortment of cards

Released

January 23, 2019

Developer(s)

Mega crit

Like a deck builder, Slay The Spire inherently offers many options. However, unlike other deck builders, Slay The Spire giving players constant opportunities to add cards to their deck. Additionally, the unique map scan structure allows players to choose the right path for their current state and strategy.

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Slay The Spire also contains several playable characters. Each of these characters is extremely unique, with their own distinctive set of available cards that themselves offer their own synergies and strategies to unlock. Combined with plenty of relics and unique game-changing cards, Slay The Spire can offer a very diverse network of strategies.

5

Frost

Blocking systems and multiple factions

Digital card game

Strategy

Roguelike

systems

super grayscale 8 bit logo Xbox-1

Released

April 12, 2023

Developer(s)

Deadpan Games, Gaziter

Frost is a unique deck builder not only because of its companion gameplay that combines elements of Hearth with a traditional card game, but also for its structure. Between each battle, players are given a choice of two unique paths. Each of these paths brings its own set of rewards, all at the same time, offering players a serious power surge that's refreshingly fast-paced. By giving players access to their rewards in short bursts, it becomes easier to strategize as more knowledge is available at once.

The cards and their variety of types, including spells to cast and companions to summon, also offer variety. Additionally, the game has a variety of amulets that can change the way a companion plays. This is the icing on the cake Frost also features multiple factions, each playing differently, which is evident from the start of each run thanks to unique starting decks.

6

Starcraft 2

Asymmetric factions and dynamic gameplay

of course Starcraft 2 obeys the meta and, as a result, optimal strategies that force players to be effective. However, the asymmetric factions are extremely unique, and each offers such a variety of subtleties and idiosyncrasies that the potential for unique strategies abounds.

A wealth of units and buildings inside Starcraft 2and the way each card changes the possibilities gives players a huge amount of freedom in how they play. Whether it's an economical long game or a fast pace, there are many angles to every match.

7

Dune: Empire

A diverse set of strategies on several levels

  • Platform(s): PC, Xbox, Mobile
  • Released: 2024 year
  • Developer(s): A terrible wolf
  • Genre: Board game

Adapted from the board game of the same name, Dune: Empire it's naturally a mechanically dense experience. Combining worker placement structure with classic deck building gameplay, Dune: Empire offers a diverse set of strategies on several levels.

While players may be limited and forced to adapt to the decisions of other players, there is still a huge amount of freedom when it comes to playstyle. This is due in part to the variety of leaders players can choose from, each offering their own unique strengths and weaknesses. In addition, card variety and well-balanced board positions ensure that there are almost always multiple options.

8

Dune: Spice Wars

Multiple victory conditions and asymmetric factions

Dune: Spice Wars

systems

Xbox-1

Released

September 14, 2023

Developer(s)

Games Shiro

Dune: Spice Wars is a fully themed mix of 4X and RTS games set in the iconic Frank Herbert universe Dune. The game emphasizes base building and resource management and often encourages patience, tactical awareness, and risky gambits.

With a diverse research tree and incredible asymmetric faction design, every game Dune: Spice Wars can play in different ways. This is further enhanced by the game's variety of win conditions, allowing players to focus on everything from economics and war to politics and espionage.

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