Strategy games have been around longer than most, but they still remain niche to most audiences. Some can be pretty intimidating to jump into as a new strategy player. There are resources to manage, armies to control, big decisions to make, many hours of gameplay, and more. However, once you dig into this genre, you’ll find some of the most rewarding gameplay the hobby has to offer. Every victory feels hard-earned. Every loss feels fair (okay, they don’t always feel fair). And failing becomes a chance to learn how you might play better next time.
This year is fantastic for strategy fans and those looking to finally dive into the expansive genre for the first time. That’s because nearly a dozen great entries we’re excited about are on the way. Of course, there are more, but the following 11 are the ones we’re raring to play most. Here are Game Informer’s most anticipated strategy games of 2022, listed chronologically by release date.
Total War: Warhammer III
The Total War franchise is a long-running one that’s been around for over two decades and features numerous strategy takes on feudal Japan’s Shogun era, ancient Rome, the Napoleonic Wars, and more. It veered away from the historical aspect of war into fantasy with Warhammer. Since then, the Warhammer series has arguably become the most successful Total War. Warhammer III promises all of the exciting and challenging turn-based fun we’ve come to expect in the franchise with the inclusion of a new campaign map twice as big as that of Warhammer II, civilizations to control, maps to take over, and more. Plus, it takes place in the Realm of Chaos, which Creative Assembly promises to be the source of all magic in the world of Warhammer.
Triangle Strategy
Remember Final Fantasy Tactics? It’s a great game in a great series. It’d be nice to get some more, but that’s too dang bad – it’s not happening for now. However, there is hope in the form of Triangle Strategy, a new strategy game developed by Artdink and Square Enix. Bringing over Octopath Traveler’s HD-2D visual style into a more Tactics-inspired world, Triangle Strategy promises great fun, plenty of tough decisions, and a roaming cast of characters entangled in a devious plot all about conviction. Will you fight in favor of utility, morality, or liberty, and how will your decisions affect the Scales of Conviction that dictate the future of Norzelia?
Starship Troopers – Terran Command
Ahhh, Starship Troopers. One of the 90s’ best camp sci-fi series is back in the form of a video game, and Terran Command promises all of the b-movie action of the films it’s based on. Rather than putting you in the shoes of a single Starship Trooper, you’re in control of entire troops and armies as you fight back against the ongoing Arachnid threat. It features a story campaign with all the cheesiness of the Starship Troopers movie franchise, challenging strategy battles, unique mobile units and squads, and so much more. Moreover, its art style features a unique comic book-y aesthetic, which continues to be a rarity in the genre.
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp
Advance Wars is a classic Nintendo franchise, and right now, if you’re interested in checking out the series’ origins on Switch, you can’t…until later this Spring, when Advance Wars 1 + 2: Re-Boot Camp launches. Featuring remakes of the first and second Advance Wars games, Re-Boot Camp promises to bring all the fun of the originals to new audiences and returning fans on the Switch. Its art style is bright, colorful, and bubbly, too, making it all the more enticing on Nintendo’s handheld-hybrid console – doubly so on the newer OLED model. You’ll control troops, ships, planes, and special abilities as you help Andy, Max, and Sami take down the opposing threat while advancing through an ever-changing map.