Sanctus Reach pits the hardy Space Marines against the fighty Orks in a massive war that’s plagued with issues.
Urban Empire is a dense city-building simulation with a twist. It focuses not just on zoning and taxes, but also on building your own political dynasty.
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a real-time tactical stealth game with gorgeous levels and clever mechanics.
Rive is a challenging side-scrolling shooter with tight platforming and a tenacious affection for over-the-top action.
Brigador is a destructive romp filled with explosions and death, brought to you by some of the coolest robots around.
The king of World War II-era grand strategy has returned with more engaging choices and a streamlined interface.
Tropico 5 is a clever, tongue-in-cheek riff on tiny, dictatorial countries, and its console port is an excellent counterpart to the modern PC classic.
The Warhammer universe blends with the tactical gameplay of Total War to create one the best real-time strategy games ever.
Stellaris gives you the stars as your playground, proving that Paradox capably translates some of their strategy game prowess into space.
Offworld Trading Company trades nukes and armies for stocks and commodities--without losing any of the thrill.
Ashes of the Singularity is a big and bold 4X strategy game, but if you’re looking for much beyond scale, you’ll be sorely disappointed.
More than anything, it’s left me with a wide grin and itchy fingers, and as soon as I’m done here I’ll be jumping right back into the game.
Mercenaries is a disappointing expansion to last year's Galactic Civilizations III that limits your freedom on the battlefield.
A richly satisfying and wonderfully executed masterpiece.
Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is a prequel to the famed Homeworld Strategy series. It follows its inspirations closely, but adds its own touches to create something new and wonderful.
Anno 2205 wears a distant future sci-fi aesthetic, but does nothing of substance or import with the premise.
Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void is an excellent follow-up to 2013's Heart of The Swarm, even if it doesn't quite match the brilliance of Wings of Liberty.
Read Only Memories is an eye-catching, cyberpunk-themed adventure that cleverly presents and explores important societal issues.
As time went on, I didn't get the sense that I was becoming better at the game so much as I was smashing my head into walls until they relented. And that's a shame because Grand Ages has so much potential, and it does one thing--trade--really well. But there's nothing to support that core, and the more you play, the more you run into roadblocks.
It's rough, it's incomplete, it's awful in places. But it's also raw and decadent. Soaked to the core in that quintessentially nineties cocktail of cynicism and an exultant love of violence, playing Act of Aggression feels like going back in time and returning to a home that only exists in your oldest memories. And that's special, even if it means dealing with some obtuse design issues.