Strategy games have remained consistently popular since their gradual rise to prominence inthe 1990s, and by the time the seventh generation of consoles rolled around, there were some absolutely iconic and incredibly fun games within the genre being released. While a lot of strategy games will task the player with guiding their soldiers safely through a battle to come out as the victors, this doesn’t need to be the intended experience for each of them. In fact, some of the most beloved strategy games are alot more relaxed and laid back, though this just means that fans of these games have plenty of variety when it comes to choosing what to play.
When it comes to the Xbox 360, the console was home to a wide variety of strategy games, many of which actually ended up being exclusive to the console. Fast-paced action franchises likeHaloandGears of Warwere undoubtedly thesystem sellersfor the 360, but the wide selection of fantastic strategy games also cannot be ignored, especially considering a few of them turned out to become iconic in the eyes of many fans of the genre.
7Stormrise
Ina world that has been devastated by firestormsdue to a major malfunction involving weather satellites, two civilizations arise to restore the world back to the way it was, the only issue is, they don’t get along very well. The story inStormriseis decent for what it is, but it’s really the unique style of real-time gameplay that makes it so unique, potentially making it the strategy game that is most accessible to FPS and action game fans.
Instead of commanding units from a detached birds-eye view, players can actually take direct control of their units on land, in air, and at sea. The objectives can come across as fairly basic, usually requiring a squadron to move from one node to another in most cases, but it’s the constant switching between units and being able to jump directly into a frantic gunfight that makes it such a joy to play insmall bursts.
6Supreme Commander 2
Any strategy game fans who love building up a mighty base and managing resources really owe it to themselves to playSupreme Commander 2. When booting up either the singleplayer or multiplayer mode for the first time, players will be dropped into the map with only anArmored Core Unitto control. Luckily, this hulking mech is capable of constructing power generators, research facilities, and a wide option of other buildings to ensure they are prepared for the battle that awaits them.
When players aren’t customizing and tinkering their units, they’ll be engaging inlarge scale battlesthat can turn into a chaotic frenzy when enough units are involved. While the battles are certainly a lot of fun to watch, with the graphics still being visually stunning even by today’s standards, it’s really the amount of freedom granted to the player in terms of experimentation and base-building that makesSupreme Commander 2so downright addictive.
5Panzer General: Allied Assault
Inspired by the popular board game of the same name,Panzer General: Allied Assaultis an Xbox 360 Arcade game which is as classic as it gets when in comes to strategy gameplay. Set during World War 2, players must choose between commanding either the Allied or Axis forces in this fun, chaotic, andendlessly replayableturn-based strategy title. Rather than rushing right into combat though, players must first draw 4 cards from their deck which will be used to upgrade their current units and to call for reinforcements.
This gameplay loop is incredibly easy to get the hang of, but that’s what makes it sofun to play with a buddy, especially since each match feels fresh and unique thanks to the many different objectives that can be set for the player to complete. While striving to successfully complete the mission, players will also need to keep an eye on their units' moral, Prestige Points, and any special cards currently in their hand that could be thrown down to initiate a sneaky counter-attack.
4The Outfit
The Outfitis often considered as somewhat of a hidden gem by many strategy fans due to how surprisingly well it managed to combine third-person shooter action with strategic gameplay to make for one of theXbox 360’s most underrated exclusives. While players will control their soldier from an over-the-shoulder camera angle, they will also need to plant down turrets and defenses while also directing their other squad mates into battle.
It’s fair to say that this isn’t your typical third-person shooter game where the player can simply run and gun their way to victory. In fact, the endless waves of enemies inThe Outfitcan make many missionsbrutally difficultif the player doesn’t take the time to establish their defenses and hunker down for the fight ahead. The game also features a very captivating and heartfelt story which follows three soldiers traveling across war-torn Europe during World War 2. The friendship between the group grows as the story progresses, making them very similar to the squad inBattlefield Bad Company 2in how they constantly bicker, but are ultimately always there for one another.
3Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
The series that many consider to be the king of strategy games,Command & Conquer, made quite the impression on longtime fans and newcomers alike when the standalone expansionRed Alert 3dropped in 2008. The gameplay is largely identical toCommand & Conquer 3which certainly isn’t a bad thing since the traditional gameplay loop of harvesting resources and then jumping into battle is already so fun, butRed Alert 3simply builds upon this formula in nearly every way possible.
New units like the Armored War Bears, Tesla Troopers, and Sonic Dolphins helped to keep things fresh, and the addition of Japan as a new faction also added a lot more variety to the game. Because the plot was primarily based around time travel, it has a noticeablyweird and zany toneto it which never gets in the way of the core gameplay, but instead, simply helps to make battles a lot more exciting and chaotic.
2Civilization Revolution
There’s no doubt that wartime strategy games provide an exhilarating gaming experience that’s difficult to find in many other genres, but for those strategy fans who prefer something a little more methodical,Civilizationis the perfect series to try out.Civilization Revolutionis usually considered to be a slightly softened version of the mainline games, but all this means is that the game is much easier to understand, and games are a lot more manageable in terms of length.
Once players pick one of the16 leaders and civilizationsthat they will be building throughout a game, they will then start off in the year 4000BC with a single lone settler to command. Eventually though, after building a few towns, trading with other nations, and making great leaps in science, religion, and technology the player will have a full-blown country on their hands to take care of. While dominating the other nations through war is definitely one way to secure a victory, they can also secure a cultural, economic, and technological victory which helps to make each game unique and unpredictable.
1Halo Wars
Considering that themainlineHalogamesare FPS titles that encourage the player to utilize the sandbox to take down their enemies, no one could have expected thatHalo Wars,a spinoff strategy game, would be as good as it turned out being. Players must choose between either the UNSC or the Covenant when jumping into a game before then picking a leader who will have a unique ability that can turn a fight around with the click of a button.
This already grants a good amount of variation to the game while also making it incredibly fun to replay both on local and online multiplayer, but the “rock, paper, scissors” formula is what really makes it such a blast to play. The way this works is each unit type counters another one, so while ground units can take down aircraft with ease, aircraft will be able to demolish ground vehicles, and so on. This adds a deeper level of strategy to the core gameplay where players must choose whether to have a mix of units, or even simply create an entire army ofWarthog’s or Grizzly tanksfor example if they already know what their opponent is planning. The game also features a very captivating and visually stunning single player campaign that sheds a little bit of light on the lore of this beloved Xbox series.
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