Highlights

  • Stick to consoles and still enjoy a variety of excellent strategy games, from turn-based to real-time, on your PlayStation.
  • Ruined King: A League of Legends Story offers a turn-based strategy game experience with your favorite League of Legends characters.
  • Create and manage your own city in Cities: Skylines 2, providing strategic planning and an expansive building experience.

Plenty of great strategy games are available on PC, and you might feel like you're missing out by sticking to consoles. You might be considering switching from your PlayStation to a PC, but there are other games keeping you from making that choice.

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The good news is, even if you decide to stick with your consoles, many excellent strategy games aren't exclusive to PC. They offer a good variety, challenging your thinking skills. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned player, here are some strategy games you should try on your PlayStation.

Updated on January 8, 2024, by Mohamed El Ouardighi: Many classic real-time strategy, survival strategy, and turn-based combat games have found their way onto the PS4 and PS5. Alongside these classics, newer, more challenging, and story-rich strategy games have earned their spot on this updated list.

17 Ruined King: A League Of Legends Story

Viego Ruined King League of Legends

If you're a League of Legends fan and like turn-based strategy games, Ruined King: A League of Legends Story has been out since 2021. This game is perfect for those who love digging deep into the lore of Runeterra—particularly the Ruination, and it's also a good way to take a break from League of Legends.

It's also fun to note that you'll see your favorite characters fighting differently since it's a turn-based strategy game. Even if their abilities are familiar, you'll have to be careful with your turns if you stand any chance of beating the Ruined King.

16 Cities: Skylines 2

The Cemetery in Cities: Skylines 2.
Cities: Skylines 2

Released
October 24, 2023
Developer(s)
Colossal Order
Publisher(s)
Paradox Interactive

Cities: Skylines, especially its second installment, takes the original game and enhances its potential, offering a much more expansive experience to build and manage your city. If you enjoy starting from scratch and having the freedom to shape your city however you want, then this game is for you.

It operates much like the first game, reflecting real-life city management. You manage utilities, provide services to the residents, set up transportation systems, and even create realistic cities. All of these tasks require strategic planning and approach to ensure the success of your city. If you aspire to construct the city of your dreams, Cities: Skylines 2 provides the platform to do just that.

15 Gwent: The Witcher Card Game

Geralt and Ciri glaring at each other, the word GWENT between them.

It's a pleasure to play as Geralt in the Witcher series while slaying all sorts of magical monsters, but sitting down and playing a game of Gwent is also a good way to unwind from hacking basilisks away. Besides being a fun strategy card game, it's also free on PS4.

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Despite being released in 2017, constant updates kept this card game alive and kicking. It's not as simple as making sure you can obliterate your opponent's cards, and things can easily get complicated depending on the factions at play.

14 Bad North

a overhead wide shot from Bad North of invading boats docking on a small island covered in grass and trees with defending soldiers holding them at bay

If you haven't had enough of Bad North on your mobile device or Nintendo Switch, it's also available on PS4 and PS5. Even if you don't buy the Jotunn Edition, simply defending your lonesome, minimal kingdom in the middle of nowhere is a satisfying experience. As idyllic as this game looks, it's still a real-time strategy game that gradually becomes challenging.

Things do get chaotic in this seemingly zen island, and invasions come in waves. You'll need to arm your troops and upgrade their class if you want to keep your island's relative peace.

13 Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus

Warhammer 40k Heretek expansion

If you haven't played any previous Warhammer games, Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus is a good pick if you want to get into the series. Though criticized for not being difficult enough, it can be one of the reasons why it's a good entry point in the series.

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You'll be handling the most technologically advanced army while raiding Necron tombs. Each encounter will have different objectives that you'll have to survive through, and if you reach the end of it all, you'll be pleased to know that this game has a ton of replay value.

12 Northgard

Fenrir from Northgard

f you've been sucked into a rabbit hole of Norse myth-related games, then Northgard's right up your alley. You might not be hacking people and gods up the way you would in God of War: Ragnarok, but you'll be in charge of turning Northgard into a flourishing Viking settlement.

Civilizations are hard to sustain under harsh climates, but the Vikings were able to do it centuries ago and went to conquer vast lands. It'd be a shame if you can't keep your mythical Viking clan alive in Northgard through the cold winters simulated within your PS5.

11 Planet Coaster

The Cube in Planet Coaster
Planet Coaster

Released
November 17, 2016
Developer(s)
Frontier Developments
Publisher(s)
Frontier Developments

Maybe the kind of strategy game you want to play doesn't involve the complete obliteration of your opponent. You can forget about your dream of owning Disneyland and build your own theme park in Planet Coaster instead. What can go wrong in a theme park strategy game?

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Absolutely everything, and you'll find that managing the happiest place in the world means being unhappy yourself. Everything can go wrong in a theme park, from bankruptcy and crime to dangerous rides. Even if you're not trying to conquer countries or worlds here, you'll be experiencing a dystopian Disneyland if you make all sorts of bad choices.

10 Shadow Tactics: Blades Of The Shogun

Shadow Tactics Blades of the Shogun - Five samurais are standing and looking to their left.

Shadow Tactics: Blades Of The Shogun stands out as a great tactical stealth game set in the Edo period of Japan. The game offers complex missions where you lead a team of skilled characters, each with unique abilities. It smoothly combines strategic planning with precise execution, allowing you to navigate tough environments, avoid enemies, and accomplish objectives.

With its immersive atmosphere, well-designed levels, and captivating storyline, Shadow Tactics excels in the tactical stealth genre. If you enjoy stealth-based gameplay and strategic thinking, this game is a definite must-try.

9 Marvel's Midnight Suns

Wolverine Using Midnight Special in Marvel's Midnight Suns

One of the best things about Marvel's Midnight Suns is its accessibility. You can even carry it in your pocket through your phone. This is a must-play for Marvel fans, and even if you're not a self-professed Marvel aficionado, its turn-based strategy gameplay is as action-packed as you can expect it to be.

As much as you'd like to blast away with Iron Man, that's all up to the cards. Your choices are constrained by the hand you're given, so you can't just jab your way into victory if you want to eliminate the demons in your way.

8 Crusader Kings 3

cultural map in crusader kings 3
Crusader Kings 3

Released
September 1, 2020
Developer(s)
Paradox Interactive
Publisher(s)
Paradox Interactive

If aliens and heroes aren't exactly your favorite topics to pass the time, embrace tradition by bringing your dynasty to glory in Crusader Kings 3. You'll experience the drama, dangers, and intrigue a person of the nobility had to face during the medieval ages.

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If you're feeling a little competitive, you can also play this game with friends in multiplayer to raise the stakes. Other than waging war and expanding your territory, continuity and heirs are also important things to consider for your dynasty.

7 Kenshi

A Farm In Kenshi

What's it like to be a human being that spawned out of nowhere? No parents to care for you and no clothes to keep you covered from the elements and prying eyes? If real life is hard for you, think about how much harder people who spawn in Kenshi have it. There's no actual objective other than to create your own adventure and to survive the world.

Kenshi isn't easy to survive in, and you'll find that starting with nothing will be a long and painful grind for your character.

6 Tactics Ogre: Reborn

Tactics Ogre Reborn Fort full of enemies
Tactics Ogre: Reborn

Publisher
Square Enix
Release
2022-11-11

You'll start your journey at the age of Xytengia during an age of war. You'll be able to choose some traits and gifts from the arcana at the start, but everything else in the game will depend on your decisions.

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Tactics Ogre: Reborn doesn't only expect you to be smart with your choices, but it also pulls you into its own story-rich world. It's safe to say that you'll play this to see how life pans out if you redo your choices.

5 Octopath Traveler 2

Bridge in Leaflands in Octopath Traveler 2
Octopath Traveler 2

Released
February 24, 2023
Developer(s)
Square Enix , Acquire
Publisher(s)
Square Enix

Octopath Traveler 2 is also about choices, and each character you choose to explore with is going to have a different story. You can be a prince from a noble household overtaken by tyranny, a vengeful scholar who seeks justice for his family, a brave thief fighting her way through struggles for freedom, or an aspiring dancer from a small town who wants to be the best in the world.

It's also a turn-based strategy game, but you're likely to play it because of its engaging and diverse stories.

4 Anno 1800

anno 1800 city landscape in front of a pier

If you've ever complained about your country's awful city planning, you can take matters into your own hands and build your own city in Anno 1800. You might actually build a better city, but you'll also come to know that it doesn't come without tradeoffs.

Set during the industrial age, you'll have to make decisions that can greatly impact the people that live in your city. You'll need to know where to spend your points, how to make your city safe, and how to be economically prosperous—and if you don't know where to start, you'll want to take a look here.

3 XCOM 2

Flanking an alien opponent in XCOM 2
XCOM 2

Released
February 5, 2016
Developer(s)
Firaxis Games
Publisher(s)
2K Games

If you're tired of building civilizations and cities, maybe resisting an alien invasion is your type of strategy game. Many XCOM fans will have to agree that this game is by no means easy, and many horrible things can go wrong, and you'll end up dying unexpectedly.

You might be thinking that setting this game to Rookie would offer some relief, but that's merely wishful thinking. So if you're looking for a new source of frustration in the shape of extraterrestrial invaders as a veteran tactics gamer, then XCOM 2 is your best bet to play on your PS4.

2 Civilization 6

Starting a new Civilization 6 game as the Hungarian Empire
Sid Meier's Civilization 6

Released
October 21, 2016
Developer(s)
Firaxis Games
Publisher(s)
2K Games

You can't be looking for strategy games without Civilization 6 being mentioned at least once, and it's for a good reason. Choosing a ruler changes everything about the game, and with many DLCs frequently coming out, it's hard to have a dull moment in this game.

The goal is to dominate the world, no holds barred—just like a real politician. If you've ever wanted to satiate your god complex, playing Civ 6 enables you to do just that by creating a world power with the tips of your fingers.

1 Baldur's Gate 3

Art from Baldur's Gate 3 Astarion.
Baldur's Gate 3

Released
August 3, 2023
Developer(s)
Larian Studios
Publisher(s)
Larian Studios

Baldur's Gate 3 will give you hours of play on your PS5. The memes and the strange ads might've gotten you to try this turn-based RPG, but the adventure and limitless possibilities you get for playing this game will keep your hands glued to your controller. You won't always be forced into turn-based combat, and you can roam the world, so you'll have a lot of freedom.

But turn-based combat is at the core of Baldur's Gate 3, and you'll end up crying blood if you don't fight strategically against bosses. Figure out your spells and abilities, and you might be able to one-shot Orin. Play D&D in video game form with Baldur's Gate 3.

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