Best 4X and Grand Strategy Games

Grand strategy games are slow-paced but incredibly addictive experiences that let you step into the shoes of a national leader or the ruler of a mighty faction. Expanding your realm and competing with neighboring powers in a geopolitical dance can be so captivating that you might easily find yourself gaming until sunrise. The “just one more turn” phenomenon is no joke. In this roundup, we’ve collected the best grand strategy games for those who want to test themselves as a suzerain or a military commander.

The fifth Civilization is an ideal entry point into both the series and the genre. It’s reasonably complex and deep, yet still approachable for newcomers. Plus, the full edition of Sid Meier's Civilization 5, including all expansions, can often be found heavily discounted.

If you’re looking for a game with more complex mechanics, Sid Meier's Civilization 6 might be the better pick. This installment emphasizes careful tile planning to build efficient, self-sustaining cities. However, it can feel a bit overloaded with systems, especially for strategy beginners.

Crusader Kings 2 isn’t just about painting the map in your color — it’s a powerful engine for emergent, often dramatic stories. In this Paradox masterpiece, you must guide your dynasty through centuries of political intrigue, military conflict, and scandal. Think Game of Thrones, but with a save-load button if things go horribly wrong.

A more “polished” game than its predecessor, Crusader Kings 3 lowers the barrier to entry, improves the UI, and enhances the RPG mechanics — character personalities, motivations, and traits significantly influence their actions. So why are both titles on this list instead of just CK3? If content volume matters to you, CK2 currently surpasses CK3 in terms of official DLC and fan-made mods.

Another title about building a medieval state. Unlike the Crusader Kings series, Medieval 2: Total War avoids complex political simulation. However, it more than makes up for it with epic real-time battles involving thousands of units.

An incredibly atmospheric strategy game about the civil war in feudal Japan. The visual style and soundtrack of Total War: Shogun 2 create a unique identity that sets it apart from other games in the series. On top of that, Shogun 2 features arguably the most balanced battles across the entire franchise — every unit type has clearly defined strengths and weaknesses.

Upon release, Total War: Rome 2 received well-deserved criticism for technical issues. However, after numerous patches and both free and paid expansions, the game transformed significantly. Today, it stands as one of the best — if not the best — strategies about Antiquity, allowing players to build not only the Roman Empire but also dozens of other prominent ancient civilizations from scratch.

The Total War series is often criticized for relatively shallow mechanics in the campaign layer, but the developers of Three Kingdoms did their best to bring the game closer to true grand strategy. And it paid off: Three Kingdoms emphasizes diplomacy and general loyalty systems, which frequently lead to dramatic, engaging scenarios that feel both personal and impactful.

One of the best fantasy strategy games to date. Total War: Warhammer 3 offers dozens of factions, each vastly different — from classic elves to hyper-advanced ratmen with the equivalent of nuclear weapons. Exploring all these races can easily take hundreds of hours of thrilling gameplay.

If your favorite part of Civilization is warfare, Warhammer 40,000: Gladius is a fantastic alternative to the popular franchise. The gameplay is reminiscent of Firaxis games, with one major difference: Gladius is entirely focused on turn-based combat and military-industrial development. Forget about cultural or scientific victories — in the grimdark future, only the one with the biggest tanks wins.

Another grand strategy game where warfare plays a central role. In Hearts of Iron 4, players control one of the participants in World War II. To succeed, you’ll need to choose your allies wisely, develop your economy strategically, and, of course, build up your military might. But amassing troops and churning out tanks isn’t enough — logistics and supply lines are crucial to victory. In this regard, the game delivers an impressively realistic experience.

Unlike many genre peers, Europa Universalis 4, which spans the years 1444 to 1821, isn’t about following a rigid tech tree. Instead, it centers on dynamic events and challenges that shape a nation's destiny. These might include religious turmoil, disputes with the Pope, succession crises, or sweeping social revolutions. Whether the player succeeds as a ruler depends on their ability to adapt and respond wisely to constantly changing circumstances.

In Stellaris, players build an interstellar empire — advancing through research, resolving internal crises, negotiating with alien civilizations, and, of course, conquering planets by force. The twist? You don’t just manage a civilization — you create it. There’s endless room for creativity: lead anything from ravenous hive-mind sea stars to a peaceful society of sentient robots.

A rather unconventional 4X game that blends traditional global strategy with deep, tactical turn-based combat reminiscent of XCOM. In fact, battles in Age of Wonders: Planetfall may even be more varied and entertaining thanks to its wildly diverse unit roster. Expect cyborg zombies, laser-wielding dinosaurs, and colossal mechs on the battlefield.

Despite its age, strategy fans still return to Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri time and time again. The game plays like a sci-fi novel, with the narrative shaped by the player. As the game progresses, your civilization evolves — often into something no longer recognizably human. Alpha Centauri dives into deep, thought-provoking themes: transhumanism, artificial intelligence, ecology, collectivism vs. individualism, religion vs. science. Each technology and major event is accompanied by voiced quotes and beautifully written flavor text that immerses you in this haunting future.

Among all grand strategy games about space exploration, Endless Space 2 stands out as one of the most visually stunning. But it’s not just about the aesthetics — its gameplay is just as noteworthy. The game offers unusual and wildly distinct factions (you can even lead an empire made entirely of clones of a single person), a rich quest system — a rarity for 4X games — and a detailed political struggle mechanic that adds another layer of strategic depth.

If other grand strategy games set in space feel too slow for your taste, you might want to check out Sins of a Solar Empire 2, which blurs the line between the 4X and RTS genres. As in many similar titles, the player builds an interstellar empire — but here, everything happens in real time, making the whole experience much more dynamic and intense. No time for boredom.

A strategy game that blends fantasy with science fiction. The core feature of Endless Legend is its asymmetric faction design. Every race has a unique gameplay mechanic that drastically alters the experience. For example, the Necrophage faction is permanently at war and cannot make peace, while the Cultists cannot found new cities — they can only convert neutral settlements to their cause.

The genre classification of Heroes of Might and Magic 3 is often hotly debated — it’s not a typical grand strategy game. Nonetheless, the iconic Heroes of Might and Magic 3 shares enough DNA with the genre to earn its spot on this list. While empire management in HoMM3 isn’t particularly deep, the game offers richly designed factions and nearly infinite replay value — a rarity even among top-tier strategies.

Why does Phoenix Point make the list while similar games like XCOM don’t? Many fans consider Phoenix Point a grand strategy because of its deep strategic layer — featuring diplomacy, trade, alliances, and dynamic interactions between factions. While XCOM 2 may be more polished overall, Phoenix Point provides a more complex strategic experience.

What do you think of our selection? Are there other grand strategy games you believe should have made the list? Share your picks in the comments below.