GUIDE
RTS games like StarCraft and StarCraft II
StarCraft set the standard for real-time strategy: two resources, workers and supply, three very different factions, and a pace that rewards both planning and hands. If that is what you are looking for, here is what to look for in another RTS — and where to find it.
What makes a game feel like StarCraft
An economy you build with workers, a supply limit, factions that play differently rather than just looking different, fog of war that makes scouting matter, hotkeys and control groups for fast control, and a map editor that lets players make their own games. Few RTS games have all of these; most have several.
Real-time strategy games to try
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Strata War
Our own game, so judge it yourself: a free-to-play, classic base-building RTS with ore and crystal, workers and supply, six factions that each play differently, five story campaigns, fog of war and online matches for two to eight. It plays in the browser with no download and has a map, mission and campaign editor built in.
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Warcraft III: Reforged
Blizzard’s fantasy RTS, with heroes and upkeep on top of the base-building core, and the editor that gave rise to whole genres of custom games.
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Stormgate
A science-fiction RTS from a studio founded by former StarCraft II developers, aimed squarely at players of that game.
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Age of Empires IV
Historical RTS with villagers gathering four resources and civilisations that play very differently; slower build-up, large battles.
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Company of Heroes 3
Squad-based Second World War strategy that trades base economy for territory control, cover and positioning.
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Beyond All Reason
A free, open-source large-scale RTS in the Total Annihilation tradition, with huge armies and a streaming economy.
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0 A.D.
A free, open-source historical RTS with a classic gather-and-build economy and many ancient civilisations.
Which should you play?
If you want StarCraft’s shape — workers, supply, asymmetric factions, fast control — and you want to play it free, on the computer you already have, with an editor to make your own maps, try Strata War. If you want huge historical battles, Age of Empires IV; squad tactics, Company of Heroes 3; enormous armies, Beyond All Reason.
Game names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used here to describe and compare. Strata War is not affiliated with any of them.