For the rest of us, the smooth balance of positional, diplomatic, and economic strategy offered by this game is a safer bet. Which it might be for micromanagement maniacs. Some say its predecessor Civ IV is more demanding and compelling. Let's get this out of the way first: the most popular and accessible 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate) game around. Sid Meier's Civilization Vīy Firaxis Games - buy on PC, Mac, and Linux (£19.99) All of them guaranteed to give the gray matter a good stretch. A mix of introductory and in-depth titles with a particular eye toward those that work well on mobile. So here's our top picks for gamers looking for a change of pace. If you want a break from twitch gaming or role-playing, the mental workout of strategy can satisfy like nothing else. It's a neglected genre in the mainstream, yet contains so many unique titles. It rarely demands top-notch computing power and will wait patiently for you to fiddle with clumsy controls.Įven if you're just an everyday Steam gamer, top strategy titles are always worth a look.

If you're looking for Steam games to run on an older laptop or a touchscreen device, turn-based strategy is a great genre.