When Graham asked me to write a strategy games column, my first challenge was of course to think of how to annoy as many people as possible. "I won't stretch the definition of 'strategy'", I thought, "I'll warp spacetime itself until all points within it are 'strategy'". You have to set goals with these things. But what game would irk the most readers? "The hardcore strategy of Among Us", maybe. Is there a Mario game on PC? I could get dark gags out of lives as strategic resources. Call Of Duty would surely make it too obvious?
I left those questions to my brain while I had a go at something I'd had my eye on already anyway. It's called Shadow Empire. It is a grand strategy 4X wargame. I have been playing it almost every day since. It is as strategy as strategy gets, and it is so excellent it has ruined everything.