I love the real time strategy game genre, and here are five of my all time favourites.
COH – This was an excellent game from 2006 based on WW2. It had a great soundtrack, solid graphics, fantastic atmosphere, alongside great detail and sound effects. It was the first in a series of games that are very popular, with the third game coming out next year. The environmental destruction in the game is still second to none and it really captured the imagination. The campaign missions were great but I really enjoyed playing against the AI in skirmish games.
Medieval 2: Total War – this is possibly my favourite game of the whole lot and is probably the one which I spent most time playing. I still enjoy playing any of the games in the Total War series but this is the most nostalgic. The campaign map, unit variety and overall aesthetic really sets it apart, and there are so many excellent mods that contributed to its success.
AOE2 – as I have written about previously, Age of Empires has so much going for it. It still has a excellent player base and it is still receiving continued development even after 20 years. This was one of my go to games throughout my teens. The longevity of AoE2 is partly due to its replay-ability, with the multiple maps and strategy choices.
BFME2 – this is another classic game that I used to play a lot when I was younger. As a massive fan of Lord of the Rings, a strategy game based in the world of Middle earth was great to have. It built on the original game by adding free building, more factions and hero creation, so was a more rounded product.
DoW2 – Dawn of War was a brilliant game but I did not play it very often compared to this game. The grim dark anaesthetic of the 40K universe was excellent, and the fact that it was made by Relic using similar ideas and mechanics from Company of Heroes probably elevated it in my mind.
DMD and Me 