10 PC Real Time Strategy Games You Should Play Before You Die

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty

The Zerg rush. It never gets old

What’s better than the best RTS game ever made? The best RTS game ever made but with enhanced graphics and multiplayer functionality. Despite the controversial removal of LAN play, StarCraft 2 lived up to the near impossible legacy of its predecessor in every way. With a deep and atmospheric campaign and a belligerently competitive online component, StarCraft 2 is the cream of the crop when it comes to real time strategy.

World in Conflict

An impressive scale and attention to detail made World in Conflict a real winnner

Back when I was a kid, RTS games were equal part building bases and waging war. Nowadays, strategy games are more streamlined, with less of a focus on resource gathering and micro-management. Of all the new generation RTS games I have played, World in Conflict is the one that best defines the positive qualities of this new breed. With a snappy gameplay pace and intuitive controls, World in Conflict is a joy to play.

Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings

Now those were the days

In terms of gameplay, presentation and sheer influence on the genre, Age of Empires 2 is near untouchable. So many standard traits of the RTS genre started with AOE2, from sound bites for units, to the humble town bell. The Age of Kings defines the real time strategy game as we know and love it and, even without this historical significance, it is still one game that everyone must play at some point in their lives.

Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2

Nothing spells out classic B-movie like poorly acted cut scenes

Command and Conquer is one of the most instantly recognisable gaming franchises ever and, even though the original and Red Alert are two fantastic games, Red Alert 2 was where the games went from good to great. Though previous games in the series had the innovation, RA2 was where Westwood mastered the execution. With special units attributed to each nation, no two games of Red Alert 2 are ever alike. An intriguing and lovably B-movie story, along with tight gameplay balancing set RA2 up as a must play title.