Summary
Historical settings are some of the most common in the RTS genre. Thanks to the abundance of wars that have taken place throughout history, there’s a variety of settings, themes, and time periods to choose from when combining RTS games with historical events.
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However, with so many historical RTS games on the market, it can be hard to discern which are the best. There’s no denying thattheTotal Warfranchisehas somewhat of a monopoly on historical RTS/war games, other games have been given a fair shot for variety’s sake.
This RTS war gametasks players with building an empire while handling resource management and large-scale battles with their Roman armies. Putting players in command of Rome years before their empire came to fruition,Hegemony 3tasks players with capturing and defending the surrounding territories from Etruscan, Greek, and Gallic enemies.
Hegemony 3puts a massive focus on keeping cities sufficiently supplied, so resource management and protecting resources are vital to success. Despite this, players can expect similar gameplay to theTotal Warfranchise.
This traditional isometric RTS plays similar to games likeAge Of Empiresand is based on events that took place in the 17th and 18th centuries. The best part aboutCossacks 3is its impressive large-scale battles that feature thousands of units.
Cossacks 3also features the unique mechanic of ammunition, with gunpowder units being able to run out mid-battle, adding an important element of resource management. Along with regiment-based RTS gameplay,Cossacks 3also features thetypical city-building gameplaythat fans ofAge Of Empireshave come to expect.
Set on the verge of the infamous Dark Ages,Total War: ATTILAis one of the darkest and most difficultTotal Wargames thanks to its hazardous terrains and weather, as well as the lack of a home province and often lack of food.
Total War: ATTILAtakes the focus off of conquering and puts it on sheer survival, forcing players to manage their resources carefully and ensure that their armies have food and shelter.Total War: ATTILAis set in 395 AD as the fertility of the surrounding land begins to dwindle.
Set in 16th-century Feudal Japan,Total War: Shogun 2has players fighting among several warring clans to become the new Shogun. Regarded by many fans ofTotal Warto be one of Creative Assembly’s best entries,Total War: Shogun 2was a milestone for the franchise that introduced many new players and still holds up today.
Total War: Shogun 2features many historic staples of Feudal Japan and has a great presentation.Total War: Shogun 2is also one ofthe most accessibleentries in the franchise with its thematic and easy-to-understand UI, as well as its clear rock-paper-scissors style unit types.
This sequel toStrongholdhas an HD version on Steam and takes place in Arabian territories during the Crusades. The game features a thematic Middle-Eastern soundtrack, a variety of interesting units that change up the originalStrongholdgameplay, and expansive maps to conquer.
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Stronghold Crusaderfeatures four historical campaigns that primarily take place around the First, Second, and Third Crusades. The game featuresthe likes of historic figuressuch as Richard the Lionheart as well as Saladin, Sultan of Syria. With the originalStronghold’sremaster on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to look into the franchise’s history.
Originally released in 1999,Age Of Empires 2recently received a definitive edition in 2019 that introduced new players to the iconic RTS title and made it more accessible than ever before.Age Of Empires 2is set in the Middle Ages and features several historic factions and campaigns.
Age Of Empires 2is famous for its city-building mechanics and focus on resource management as well as unit management, tasking players with simultaneous macro and micromanagement.Age Of Empires 2also features an abundance of strategies and ways to play the game, making it an engaging and versatile experience.
Total War: ROME 2takes place in an impressive variety of environments across Europe, the Mediterranean, and the ancient Near East, starting in the year 272 BC. The game tasks players with managing a civilization while fighting large-scale battles with a variety of units in real-time, similar to manyTotal Wargames.
Total War: ROME 2featuresan abundance of factionsthat add to the historical backdrop of the game, with ten factions being available to the player. Despite initial performance issues on release,Total War: ROME 2has gone on to be a fan favorite in the franchise and still holds up today thanks to the updates it’s received over the years.
Arguably one of the greatest RTS games of all time, and certainly one ofthe greatest WW2 strategy gamesever made, is Relic Entertainment’sCompany Of Heroes. WhileCompany Of Heroes 2, and even the more recentCompany Of Heroes 3, may have their fans, the original game is still debatably the best thanks to its fast pace and attention to detail.
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Company Of Heroesbegins on D-Day with the invasion of Normandy and takes players through several pivotal battles of World War 2, leading Allied soldiers through a gripping and cinematic narrative in a historical setting with impressive attention to detail, immersive presentation, and fantastic sound effects. Even today,Company Of Heroesholds up as one of the greatest historical RTS games of all time.
