If you really like planning ahead and executing superb coups de grâce against challenging opponents, then strategy games are a must-try for you.
These titles, whether they’re turned-based or real-time, let you pit yourself against the odds with interesting and often unique systems and game designs. The best of them have the ability to suck you in for one more turn endlessly, but many also tell interesting and engaging stories.
While they were historically the preserve of PC players, strategy games are now often brought to consoles with great success, including the PS5 - here are our favourites that you can play right now. For other genres of PS5 greats, check the table below.
For
- Fun story Plenty of strategic options Nice gameplay balance
Against
- Takes a while to learn May be too long for some
This superb mash-up of a card game and social superhero simulator sees you take control of Marvel’s heroes, some of them more well-known than others. You’ll take charge of tactical battles using decks of cards, and get to know your fellow supes between fights.
It’s a really well-balanced and satisfying singleplayer battler that has clearly taken notes from Nintendo’s storied Fire Emblem series in the way it lets you chill out.
Intense story Nice upgraded visuals Peerless strategy
Unforgiving
This remake brings one of the most beloved and revered strategy games ever into a new generation, with updated graphics and some extremely canny tweaks to make its gameplay more intuitive.
The dark and emotional war story it tells should stay with you for quite a while, and Reborn stands as a really good example of how to do a remaster the right way.
View on the PlayStation Store
Intriguing premise Gets nice and creepy Great tactical gameplay
A little left-field
This game is hard to describe and you’re better off not knowing too much, but it effectively smashes together a deck-building roguelike game with an escape room horror story.
It’s creepy, has a vibe that feels almost entirely unique, and features some extremely memorable twists - we heartily recommend it.
Huge scale Amazing unique stories Near endless
Overwhelming complexity Takes hours to play
If you like your strategy to be a bit more epic in scale, this superb medieval simulator lets you see how you’d fare as the head of a family in warring nations.
Expect betrayal, vendettas, constant vigilance and much more - it’s an endlessly inventive and rewarding time-sink once you start to really get into it.
Loads of cards to discover Really addictive
Can be tough Art style is a bit simple
This roguelike game sees you build a deck of cards as you progress through a map of encounters, each time seeing how far you can get and learning more about the systems that you’re playing with.
It’s got some genius design decisions at its heart and a really fun and unique art style, plus can become utterly addictive once you’re in its grasp.
Nice controls Gritty story Looks great
Small battles Slightly clichéd
Real-time strategy games are a bit rarer on consoles, but The DioField Chronicle shows they can be done really well with a carefully-design control scheme and the option to pause when you need to.
This small-scale battler tells a nice mature story, but it’s the quick and tactical fights that are the highlight, letting you take a small unit and overcome impressively arrayed foes.
