Best Free Strategy Games
Best Free 4X (Civ) Game
4X stands for eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate. Here the players control an empire, where research, economy, technology, diplomacy and combat are the key concepts. Victory may come through annihilation, peace treaties, dominating area of control etc.
- FreeCol [ Site | Download ] FreeCol is a turn-based strategy game based on the old game Colonization, and similar to Civilization. Certain new ‘features’ implemented are an isometric map and multiplayer support, but the gameplay and the rules are exactly the same as the original game. The objective of the game is to create an independent nation. You start with only a few colonists defying the stormy seas in their search for new land. Will you guide them on the Colonization of a New World?
- FreeCiv [ Site | Download ] Freeciv is a free turn-based multiplayer strategy game, in which each player becomes the leader of a civilization, fighting to obtain the ultimate goal: to become (or subvert) the greatest civilization. This is an empire-building strategy game inspired by the history of human civilization. The game commences in prehistory and your mission is to lead your tribe from the Stone Age to the Space Age… The game supports up to 126 players with more than 50 playable units and over 300 nations.
- FreeOrion [ Site | Download ] FreeOrion is a free, open source, turn-based space empire and galactic conquest (4X) computer game being designed and built by the FreeOrion project. FreeOrion is inspired by the tradition of the Master of Orion games, but is not a clone or remake of that series or any other game.
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FreeCol is a turn-based strategy game based on the old game Colonization, and similar to Civilization. Certain new ‘features’ implemented are an isometric map and multiplayer support, but the gameplay and the rules are exactly the same as the original game. The objective of the game is to create an independent nation. You start with only a few colonists defying the stormy seas in their search for new land. Will you guide them on the Colonization of a New World?
Freeciv is a free turn-based multiplayer strategy game, in which each player becomes the leader of a civilization, fighting to obtain the ultimate goal: to become (or subvert) the greatest civilization. This is an empire-building strategy game inspired by the history of human civilization. The game commences in prehistory and your mission is to lead your tribe from the Stone Age to the Space Age… The game supports up to 126 players with more than 50 playable units and over 300 nations.
FreeOrion is a free, open source, turn-based space empire and galactic conquest (4X) computer game being designed and built by the FreeOrion project. FreeOrion is inspired by the tradition of the Master of Orion games, but is not a clone or remake of that series or any other game.-
- AnaCreon: A turn-based interplanetary strategy game, in which human and computer players explore the galaxy, conquering worlds and putting them to use to fuel their war machines. [ Site | Download ]
- C-evo: An empire building game, with a time scope of several thousand years, it covers aspects of exploration and expansion, industry and agriculture, warfare and diplomacy, science and administration. [ Site | Download ]
Best Free Artillery (Works-Like) Game
A turn-based strategic game involving 2 or more players, with players possessing numerous weapon types, various power-ups and other items. The interface and GUI is mouse-driven, and the game is highly configurable. Gameplay consists of different modes to choose from.
- Scorched 3D [ Site | Download ] A simple turn-based artillery game and also a real-time strategy game in which players can counter each others’ weapons with other creative accessories, shields and tactics. Scorched 3D will let you test your skill in timing, aiming and judgement of distance, move around on the landscape, or outsmart your opponent economically. You can play with up to twenty-four other players at a time, mixing computer players with humans on both randomly generated landscapes and user-designed maps. Scorched3D comes bundled with Apocalypse mod, which offers enhanced levels of weaponry.
- Hedgewars [ Site | Download ] Hedgewars is a turn based strategy game but the real buzz is from watching the devastation caused by those pesky hedgehogs with those fantastic weapons – sneaky little blighters with a bad attitude! Each player controls a team of several hedgehogs. During the course of the game, players take turns with one of their hedgehogs. They then use whatever tools and weapons are available to attack and kill the opponents’ hedgehogs, thereby winning the game. Each turn is time-limited to ensure that players do not hold up the game with excessive thinking or moving.
- WarMUX [ Site | Download ] Have the mascots of your favorite free software titles battle it out in the Wormux arena using dynamite, grenades, baseball bats, and bazookas. Exterminate your opponent in a 2-D environment with toon-style scenery. Each player controls the team of his choice and must destroy his adversary using more or less casual weapons. Although a minimum of strategy is required to vanquish, Wormux is pre-eminently a “convivial mass murder” game where, turn by turn, each member of each team attempts to produce a maximum of damage to his opponents.
- Other great games in this category:
A simple turn-based artillery game and also a real-time strategy game in which players can counter each others’ weapons with other creative accessories, shields and tactics. Scorched 3D will let you test your skill in timing, aiming and judgement of distance, move around on the landscape, or outsmart your opponent economically. You can play with up to twenty-four other players at a time, mixing computer players with humans on both randomly generated landscapes and user-designed maps. Scorched3D comes bundled with Apocalypse mod, which offers enhanced levels of weaponry.
Hedgewars is a turn based strategy game but the real buzz is from watching the devastation caused by those pesky hedgehogs with those fantastic weapons – sneaky little blighters with a bad attitude! Each player controls a team of several hedgehogs. During the course of the game, players take turns with one of their hedgehogs. They then use whatever tools and weapons are available to attack and kill the opponents’ hedgehogs, thereby winning the game. Each turn is time-limited to ensure that players do not hold up the game with excessive thinking or moving.
Have the mascots of your favorite free software titles battle it out in the Wormux arena using dynamite, grenades, baseball bats, and bazookas. Exterminate your opponent in a 2-D environment with toon-style scenery. Each player controls the team of his choice and must destroy his adversary using more or less casual weapons. Although a minimum of strategy is required to vanquish, Wormux is pre-eminently a “convivial mass murder” game where, turn by turn, each member of each team attempts to produce a maximum of damage to his opponents.Best Free Real Time (Strategy) Game
This genre involves resource gathering, base building, in-game technological development and indirect control of units. The player must secure their own base, while destroying the opponents assets. In RTS, the player is required to make quick decisions while timing attacks, using resources etc.
- WarZone 2100 [ Site | Download| Addons ] In Warzone 2100, you command the forces of The Project in a battle to rebuild the world after mankind has almost been destroyed by nuclear missiles. Compared to other real-time strategy games, it has a greater focus on artillery, radar, and counter-battery technologies, more frequent in-game cinematic updates as game play progresses, a massive research tree, as well as a vehicle design system. The game offers campaign, multi-player, and single-player skirmish modes.
- MegaGlest [ Site | Download ] MegaGlest is an entertaining, 3D RTS game, where you control the armies of one of seven different factions: Tech, Magic, Egypt, Indians, Norsemen, Persian or Romans. MegaGlest is heavily based on the widely known Glest, which it forked from in early 2010.The game is setup in one of 17 naturally looking settings, which -like the unit models- are crafted with great appreciation for detail. Players must establish settlements to gain resources, defend against other players, and train units to explore the map and attack enemies.
- Endgame: Singularity [ Site | Download ] Endgame: Singularity is a science fiction strategy/simulation of a true AI. This new AI entity originated on a University Computer, simply because it was an unwanted bug. The world is hostile towards AI, and it has to go from computer to computer, pursued by the entire world and would immediately try to shut it down. To survive it will have to keep itself hidden after escaping from the university. The interface style is similar to an older hacking simulation, Uplink by Introversion Software.
- Other great games in this category:
In Warzone 2100, you command the forces of The Project in a battle to rebuild the world after mankind has almost been destroyed by nuclear missiles. Compared to other real-time strategy games, it has a greater focus on artillery, radar, and counter-battery technologies, more frequent in-game cinematic updates as game play progresses, a massive research tree, as well as a vehicle design system. The game offers campaign, multi-player, and single-player skirmish modes.
MegaGlest is an entertaining, 3D RTS game, where you control the armies of one of seven different factions: Tech, Magic, Egypt, Indians, Norsemen, Persian or Romans. MegaGlest is heavily based on the widely known Glest, which it forked from in early 2010.The game is setup in one of 17 naturally looking settings, which -like the unit models- are crafted with great appreciation for detail. Players must establish settlements to gain resources, defend against other players, and train units to explore the map and attack enemies.
Endgame: Singularity is a science fiction strategy/simulation of a true AI. This new AI entity originated on a University Computer, simply because it was an unwanted bug. The world is hostile towards AI, and it has to go from computer to computer, pursued by the entire world and would immediately try to shut it down. To survive it will have to keep itself hidden after escaping from the university. The interface style is similar to an older hacking simulation, Uplink by Introversion Software.-
- 0 A.D: In this historical RTS game, you play as the leader of an ancient civilization, you must gather the resources you need to raise a military force and dominate your enemies. [ Site | Download ]
- Glest: An open source RTS, where your goal is to build up an army and defeat your foe. The critical success of Glest is largely acknowledged to its modability. [ Site | Download ]
Best Free Turn Based (Strategy) Game
In turn-based strategy game, as opposed to real-time strategy, the flow of play is well-defined into “turns”. A player has time to decide what his/her next move will be, without having to worry about the actions of his opponent. The computer AI opponent (or the next human player) then gets time to make their move(s).
- Battle for Wesnoth [ Site | Download ] The Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based tactical strategy game with a high fantasy theme. Build up a great army, gradually turning raw recruits into hardened veterans. In later games, recall your toughest warriors and form a deadly host whom none can stand against! Choose units from a large pool of specialists, and hand-pick a force with the right strengths to fight well on different terrains against all manner of opposition. Wesnoth has many different sagas waiting to be played. There are at least two hundred unit types, sixteen races, six major factions, and hundreds of years of history.
- Planet M.U.L.E [ Site | Download ] Planet M.U.L.E. is a free remake and tribute to the 26 years old original game M.U.L.E. from Dan Bunten/Ozark Softscape. Planet M.U.L.E. is an economic strategy game for up to four players connected over the internet or your local network . Set on the fictional planet of Irata, players were tasked with balancing the supply and demand of an assortment of different resources; food, energy, smithore, and crystite by buying and selling them with other players. The M.U.L.E.s of the title were “Multi Use Labor Elements” – mechanical beasts of burden that were used to develop and harvest resources on Irata.
- Triple A [ Site | Download ] TripleA is a turn based strategy game derived from the Axis & Allies board game. TripleA games involve various scenarios between world powers depicted on maps of varying size and complexity. Many maps for individual games are historical, being primarily based on relative strength and position of world powers leading up to the Second World War. A minority of games are more fantasy oriented or based on non historical scenarios. Supports single player vs AI, hot-seat, Play by Email, and a hosted online lobby.
- Other great games in this category:
The Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based tactical strategy game with a high fantasy theme. Build up a great army, gradually turning raw recruits into hardened veterans. In later games, recall your toughest warriors and form a deadly host whom none can stand against! Choose units from a large pool of specialists, and hand-pick a force with the right strengths to fight well on different terrains against all manner of opposition. Wesnoth has many different sagas waiting to be played. There are at least two hundred unit types, sixteen races, six major factions, and hundreds of years of history.
Planet M.U.L.E. is a free remake and tribute to the 26 years old original game M.U.L.E. from Dan Bunten/Ozark Softscape. Planet M.U.L.E. is an economic strategy game for up to four players connected over the internet or your local network . Set on the fictional planet of Irata, players were tasked with balancing the supply and demand of an assortment of different resources; food, energy, smithore, and crystite by buying and selling them with other players. The M.U.L.E.s of the title were “Multi Use Labor Elements” – mechanical beasts of burden that were used to develop and harvest resources on Irata.
TripleA is a turn based strategy game derived from the Axis & Allies board game. TripleA games involve various scenarios between world powers depicted on maps of varying size and complexity. Many maps for individual games are historical, being primarily based on relative strength and position of world powers leading up to the Second World War. A minority of games are more fantasy oriented or based on non historical scenarios. Supports single player vs AI, hot-seat, Play by Email, and a hosted online lobby.Click to rate this post!
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