For many players, their available game time is limited due to other interests or obligations, so it's almost always better for them to get straight to the good stuff and skip all the busy work that can spoil the game. This is doubly true for strategy games.
Whether it's games that focus on new examples of gameplay with a small progression system, or RTS games that challenge the player's speed and split-second decision making, there are plenty of incredible games out there for gamers looking to skip the grind.
5 Steel Division 2
Blitzkrieg to victory in this WWII strategy game
As arguably the most popular and faithful attempt to simulate the large-scale battles of WWII, where the player can make microscopic command decisions on the fly, Steel Division 2 deserves praise for how much it commits to simulation while also using an innovative morality system.
With battles that can contain over 1,000 individual units, an incredibly deep strategic layer, and stunning historical accuracy, WWII simulation doesn't get much better than Steel Division 2. Best of all? There is no grinding in sight.
4 Company Of Heroes 3
List your way out of hell
Although it started off a bit rough, Company of Heroes 3 is quickly becoming a fantastic redemption story by delivering some of the best team based tactical games on the market. The revered franchise allows the player to take control of a World War 2 team tasked with completing various missions on multiple fronts of the war, utilizing even more interesting factions.
As one of the most modern strategy games with little or no grinding, Company of Heroes 3 follows all its predecessors and brings graphic pleasure. This one is perfect for long-time fans of the strategy genre, or those who want to get their feet wet but aren't sure where to jump in.
3 Age of Mythology
Create The Battle Epic with creatures of myth and legend
While Age of Mythology enjoyed the recent remake v Age of Mythology: Retoldits controversial design decisions mean it's probably best to stick with the original, even though it was released back in 2002. Still, it holds up great as a strategy game that's all about making decisions in the moment. with zero grinding.
Age of Mythology innovated on its historical predecessors and decided to fill the RTS genre with mythological creatures and boons. Playing as the Norse, Greeks, or Egyptians, players can build a battle force full of strange creatures and abilities powered by God's choice, making for a fascinating and fresh experience when these forces collide on the field.
2 Warcraft 3: Reign Of Chaos
The best story of any RTS
Widely regarded as one of the best RTS games of all time, Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos took everything the RTS genre had done up until 2002 and perfected it, resulting in an amazing gameplay loop set in an infamous campaign that marks the birth of one of the most prolific MMOs of all time, World of Warcraft.
While its gameplay is strong, it's hard to overstate how great a story the fall of Arthas leading to the rise of the Lich King is. All gamers who enjoy epic fantasy stories, even non-enthusiasts World of Warcraft MMO, should definitely give Warcraft 3 a shot for your campaign if nothing else. While the recent remaster has made solid strides to recover from its terrible launch, it's played aheadOverhauled patch still offers the best experience.
1 Age Of Empires 2
The greatest of all time
Nothing beats the original. While far from the first RTS, Age of Empires 2 perfected the RTS genre in 1999 to the point where it's still played today, thanks in part to a fantastic 2019 remaster that was extremely faithful to the source and worked perfectly on release.
Players take control of a variety of historical civilizations and are placed on an even wider variety of expansive maps to win it over – not to mention the brutally challenging campaign mode. With a plethora of game modes, even more ways to strategy, and an ever-vibrant multiplayer community Age of Empires 2 is the platonic ideal of a strategy game that requires zero grinding that still holds true today.
