The real-time strategy or RTS genre is often considered one of the least accessible genres in gaming simply due to how overwhelming they can quickly become. They are also most known for thriving on PC, which limits their audience considering they're rarely ever well-designed for mobile or home consoles.
Over the last few decades, there are a handful of developers that have showcased the best of the RTS genre and Metacritic is a great resource to see who these developers are and what RTS games they developed that were critically well-received.
9 PopCap
Love it or hate it, Plants vs. Zombies was one of the most impactful mobile games of all time. Not only did it monetarily set the gold standard for performance, but it led to sequels, spinoffs, merch, and even a third-person shooter title. The original title and its HD remaster hold a score of 92 and 93 on Metacritic. Most people don't think of PopCap, the makers of Plants vs. Zombies, as RTS developers. The truth of the matter is that they were key contributors to the genre.
8 Nintendo
Like with the previous entry discussing PopCap, most people don't think about Nintendo when they think about RTS titles. The fact of the matter is that Nintendo has two of the highest-rated games in the genre on Metacritic. Both come from the Pikmin series, with the first title holding an 89 and the sequel posting a score of 90. The former was originally released on the beloved niche home console known as the Nintendo GameCube in 2001, while the latter made its mark on the same platform three years later.
7 Valve Software
You may not play DOTA 2, but there are still millions of people logging in every day to defend the ancients. The game is still subject to The International, which is considered one of the biggest annual gaming events focused on a singular title. The game was released back in 2013, yet still holds firm at a Metacritic score of 90. It is known for having a steep learning curve that rewards the user with an addictive and sometimes rewarded experience.
6 11 Bit Studios
11 Bit Studios is probably the best RTS developer you've never heard of. With Anomaly: Warzone Earth scoring a 94, This War of Mine scoring a 90, and Frostpunk scoring an 87, they have a top-tier catalog of titles on Metacritic.
They're also unafraid to try new things in the space as This War of Mine has you controlling civilians in a military conflict, as opposed to what most RTS games do in which you're commanding the military forces themselves. It's about time the world puts some respect on 11 Bit Studios' name.
5 Ensemble Studios
Ensemble Studios might be the RTS studio that's fueled by the highest amount of nostalgia. On top of developing both Age of Empires and Age of Mythology, they also released a surprisingly entertaining and well-crafted experience in Halo Wars. It took what people loved about the Halo franchise and provided a different genre to experience the world. Ensemble has eight games or expansion packs all coming in at an 80 or higher on Metacritic, which is rather impressive for a now-defunct developer.
4 Creative Assembly
Though Ensemble Studios was tasked with making Halo Wars, it was Creative Assembly that had to develop the sequel. It didn't score as high as the original, which was shocking considering it helped develop over a dozen Total War games, expansions, and spinoffs ranging from the low 80s on Metacritic to having three of them come in at a score above 0. Those titles are Rome: Total War with a score of 92, and both Total War: Shogun 2 and Empire: Total War both securing scores of 90.
3 Paradox Interactive
If there is an old guard when it comes to RTS games, then Paradox Interactive can be considered the new blood. Over the last decade or so they've risen to new heights, and the Crusader Kings franchise is their biggest and most well-received contribution to the genre.
The most recent title in the series, Crusader Kings III, was released in 2020 and has a Metacritic score of 91. The other two entries, Crusader Kings and Crusader Kings II have scores of 73 and 82, respectively.
2 Relic Entertainment
Not only does Relic Entertainment have some of the best-reviewed RTS titles of all time, they just released Age of Empires IV, which landed a respectable score of 81 on Metacritic. Some of its more revered projects include Company of Heroes which has an incredible score of 93 and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War which came in at an 86. Relic's track record is long and impressive and they're still contributing to the genre in 2021.
1 Westwood Studios
Now, Westwood Studios might not be a name you recognize and that's sadly due to the developer no longer being in business. The studio was merged into Electronic Arts Los Angeles back in 2003. The Command & Conquer series is to the RTS genre as is Doom to first-person shooters. The original on PC scores at a 94 on Metacritic, which alone would be impressive, but Command & Conquer: Red Alert also holds a score of 90 on the site, proving how sorely missed prime Westwood Studios is.