Top 10 Forgotten Real Time Strategy Games

This spinoff to Firefly Studios's ‘Stronghold’ is set during the Crusades, with players able to experience recreations of famous battles from the time period like the Siege of Antioch and the Siege of Jerusalem. The gameplay features several concepts new to the RTS genre, For example: while farming is present in almost every historically-based real time strategy game, Stronghold Crusader,, takes place in the harsh deserts of the middle east. So players have to place farms on scarce farmable ground, making the struggle for resources extremely competitive. This spinoff was so successful among fans that it got its own sequel ten years later.

One of the first fully 3D real time strategy games, complete with a free moving camera and hilly terrain, the player takes control of “The Project,” an organized band of survivors trying to rebuild society after a nuclear holocaust. Gameplay placed heavy emphasis on artillery strikes, making timing and aim critical to a victory. Despite positive reception from critics, online support for the game only lasted a year due to the demise of Pumpkin Studios. A fan group bent on keeping the game alive petitioned to make the source code and art-content free and open-source. Their request was granted, and the game continues to run today - completely managed by a loyal Warzone community.

The original, critically acclaimed Empire Earth took the civilization-advancement concept of Age of Empires and brought it to the present age and beyond. The sequel sought to improve on the original with a completely new development team, adding new epochs, civilizations, and management tools. Players begin their empires in the Stone Age and compete in an technological arms race for dominance over the map. While not as innovative as the original, it was a solid game that was well received by critics and fans alike. Unfortunately it’s forgettable expansion pack and the abysmal Empire Earth III, all but killed enthusiasm for the franchise.

You won’t find another game quite like Battlezone II. It’s simultaneously a real time strategy game, a first person shooter, and tank combat simulator. In this title, Players take command of American and Soviet forces that team up and save the world from enhanced human soldiers called Scions. Despite garnering positive reviews, this much-hyped sequel got some bad word of mouth due to its high system requirements for the time, along with a buggy multiplayer component. Just goes to show how important first impressions are.

Set in a medieval fantasy world where four siblings wage war with each other over control of the land of Darien, this RTS is known for its simple resource system and emphasis on building strategy. What that means is structures can be built at varying speeds depending on which unit is building them, but the faster structures are built, the faster resources are depleted. This makes for a tense early game and some unpredictable comebacks in the late game. Sadly, the developers’ bold decision to swap out the series’ original Sci-Fi theme for a Fantasy theme threw fans for a loop, and the game has always lived in the shadow of the original Total Annihilation.

It’s not often that a game based on a popular film or book franchise turns out to be anything more than a quick cash grab. Players take control of one of four factions from Tolkien’s beloved Middle Earth series as the men of either Rohan or Gondor, or the Orcs of either Isengard or Mordor. This game put an interesting spin on the RTS build system, as buildings could only be constructed on predefined plots, and plots could only be secured when a player’s forces were in sole possession of it. Not to mention it features a compelling campaign that recreates some of the most climactic battles from film trilogy.

Usually when you think of Real Time Strategy, the mind jumps to games requiring a mouse and PC. But this critically acclaimed RTS came out on the Nintendo 64 of all things! The sequel to the SNES Ogre Battle, combines Real Time Strategy with RPG elements and a satisfying campaign. Players take the role of Magnus Gallant, who commands a battalion of 50 troops and players are tasked organizing troops into units, choose unit leaders, and face off against enemy armies, multiple characters can act at once, keeping players on their toes as they plan their parries, attacks, and critical hits. It’s a real shame this game isn’t talked about more.

In an alternate history where the Soviet Union invades the US at the height of the Cold War to prevent a governmental collapse, This features a unique dynamic campaign where sessions do not rely on resource gathering or base building. Instead, players are required to carefully manage reinforcements as they navigate cityscapes, as when a player buys a unit, a currency known as “unit points” are subtracted from their inventory and the player must hold out until reinforcements arrive. The game’s engaging gameplay and narrative won it excellent reviews, but its memory was marred by a rights shuffle and a botched expansion release.

A spin-off to the popular Rise of Nations, this game Players travel to the planet of Aio - a world where three races use both magic and technology in their struggle for dominance. This blending of science and magic sets Rise of Legends apart from its history-based predecessor, as unlike most games where players begin with a home base and then build structures around it, this game introduced the concept of City Districts. These districts help the players increase the size of their city while providing different perks and abilities depending on which district is developed. Despite having a bigger team and budget than its predecessor, the game sold poorly due to declining interest in the genre at the time.

Before Halo and Destiny, Bungie was making waves with this real time strategy game, with a heavy emphasis on “strategy”. Everything in this game is focused on combat, as players don’t have resources to manage or bases to build. Instead, both sides were given a set number of military units with no reinforcements whatsoever. That meant battles were far more complicated than just sending a large number of troops into a slaughtering ground, plus you also had to also deal with altering weather could dramatically alter the outcome of a match. The success of Bungie’s other titles have obscured the greatness of this classic game, so if you haven’t played it before, it comes highly recommended.