4. XCOM 2 (2016)

The sequel to 2012’s XCOM: Enemy Unknown, XCOM 2 has been one of the most popular turn-based tactics games since its release. Its prequel was a reboot of the classic 1994 title X-COM: UFO Defense.

Taking place 20 years after the events of Enemy Unknown, former military organization XCOM is now the head of the resistance against the alien invaders. You will use your strategy skills to manage the XCOM base ship and command your units during turn-based battles set in varying maps.

In these battles, your team will have to eliminate a squad of aliens within a set number of turns and accomplish secondary objectives. Like most strategy games, it also includes a technology tree for upgrades.

XCOM 2 sold more than 500,000 copies on Steam during its first week and was nominated for multiple Game of the Year awards in 2016 and 2017. GameSpot rated the game a 9 out of 10 while IGN gave it a 9.3 out of 10. For fans of science fiction and strategy games alike, this is quite the perfect combination. It was also released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Linux.

5. Northgard (2018)

One of the most underrated games on our list, Northgard was developed by indie company Shiro Games who are most known for Evoland. In this Norse mythology-inspired real-time strategy game, you take control of a Viking clan and work to conquer a newfound continent.

You will build a settlement, assign clan members to different roles, and manage your clan’s resources. In Northgard, there will be different victory conditions you will need to complete to win.

Originally released for the PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4, the game also released a mobile version for iOS on April 13, 2021. While not as popular as the other games on this list, this game is certainly a great entry to strategy games for fans of Norse mythology.