Strategic Approach
Across a multitude of genres, there were plenty of high-quality games to play in 2017. For strategy fans, this year offered several games with complex systems that were as rewarding as they were mechanically substantial. Whether you were looking for real-time strategy, turn-based strategy, or any sub-genre in-between, there was a game for you.
In this gallery, GameSpot is taking a look back at some of the best strategy games from this year that got a score of 7 or above on GameSpot. Click forward to see 2017's best-reviewed strategy games.
For more on the best games by score on other big genres, check out our individual features highlighting the best sports games, best action-adventure games, best fighting games, best shooters, and best RPGs. If you want to see our choices for the best games of 2017, check out our Game of the Year 2017 Top 10 List. And make sure to check out all our Best of 2017 features, detailing GameSpot's picks for 2017's best games.
XCOM 2: War Of The Chosen (PC, PS4, Xbox One) -- 9/10
"Everything that War of the Chosen brings--from the elite soldiers to the deeper connections between your squads--feels like a living part of the XCOM universe. If you like your deep strategy and brutal turn-based tactics alongside brilliant interplay between camp and emergent drama, there is none better." [Read the full review]
-- Daniel Starkey
Endless Space 2 (PC) -- 8/10
"Any way you look at it, Endless Space 2 is one impressive achievement even taking into account the above paragraph of what are fairly minor gripes given how much this game does extremely well. 4X space sims have long been known as the territory of the serious strategy gamer, but Amplitude has broken away from the pack here. Outstanding depth and tactical challenge have been preserved, although not at the expense of the strong storytelling needed to emphasize the sense of awe and wonder in galactic exploration that’s always been a huge part of the genre’s appeal. Amplitude has done a masterful job combining these two elements into a single game, where the quests and strategy and politics and economy are all tied into a whole much greater than the sum of its parts." [Read the full review]
-- Brett Todd
Fire Emblem: Shadows of Valentia (3DS) -- 8/10
"Fire Emblem Echoes is a fantastic remake and a striking departure from modern Fire Emblem staples. What it lacks in interpersonal character relationships and user-controlled "shipping," it makes up for in meaty, challenging strategy gameplay, engaging exploration sequences, and a tighter overall narrative. Taken both on its own and as part of the larger Fire Emblem franchise, Echoes's unique elements help it stand out from its contemporaries. If you feel like you're up to a lengthy, engaging challenge, then Echoes will satisfy in spades." [Read the full review]
-- Heidi Kemps
Gigantic (PC) -- 8/10
"Gigantic may not exactly be wildly innovative, but its likable characters and tactical depth are impressive enough to make an old formula feel fresh again. These key core elements, plus the vital ingredient of a healthy fan base that guarantees you’ll pretty much always be able to find a match, make the game stand out, even among the crowded free-to-play MOBA genre." [Read the full review]
-- Brett Todd
Steel Division: Normandy '44 (PC) -- 8/10
"Pinning down enemies with suppressing fire is a blast. So, too, is a well-executed offensive that cracks and divides enemy front lines. The adrenaline of pulling together a coordinated attack is priceless, and Steel Division is all about chaining these moments together, directed as they are by an aggressive tie to historical realism. If there's one failing here, it's that the game doesn't offer many chances to explore that rich field on your own before jumping into multiplayer matches. But when it all comes together in the perfect match, Steel Division's magic is undeniable." [Read the full review]
-- Daniel Starkey
Tooth And Tail (PC, PS4) -- 8/10
"Tooth and Tail is a bizarre cocktail of a dozen great ideas. It's a minimalist RTS that tosses out complex tech trees in favor of action-packed but accessible play. It's set vaguely in Eastern Europe in the 1910s, with both the Russian Revolution and World War I in full swing. Playing up the grim tumult of the era, Tooth and Tail also casts itself with all manner of cute--though ragged and crestfallen--critters. With so many disparate items, it's a wonder that Tooth and Tail manages to work at all, but it excels with but a few minor blemishes." [Read the full review]
-- Daniel Starkey
Total War: Warhammer II (PC)
"With Warhammer II, Total War doesn't reinvent anything so much as it iterates on the ideas that made the first so special. At its heart there's still the marriage of Total War's big-scale strategy and Warhammer's precise tactical play. But, through a thousand tiny tweaks, they've refined the experience into one of the most intriguing and exciting strategy games ever." [Read the full review]
-- Daniel Starkey
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III (PC) -- 8/10
"An odd chimera of its forebears, there's a lot in this fast-paced RTS that’s a little bit off. Parts of the interface don't work sometimes, inter-match army management is half-baked, and the micromanagement needed to use the game's signature hero units effectively doesn't jibe with the extensive base-building you'll need to support them. But those problems fall away when you’re in the heat of battle. Dawn of War III builds and maintains an organic tension that yields huge pay-offs, and there’s nothing else quite like it." [Read the full review]
-- Daniel Starkey
Distrust (PC) -- 7/10
"If everything goes according to plan and you aren't backed into an inescapable corner, you're looking at a roughly six-hour playthrough. That may seems short, but chances are the vagaries of Distrust's randomization will leaving you taking much longer to reach its end, and even after six hours you'll feel as though you've survived a trial by fire. Victory is a warm feeling in this world of cold. As Casper might tell us in his Shakespeare-quoting reveries, the challenge makes crossing the finish line feel all the most rewarding, "lest light winning make the prize light." [Read the full review]
-- Leif Johnson
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