5 strategy games to look out for during 2021
From civilization builders to WW2 titles, there’s a little something for everyone
2021 is set to be an exciting year for high-quality strategy releases. So much so that you might have a hard time picking out exactly which ones to try.
To save you the trouble of poring over countless apps in the strategy charts, we've picked out some of the most promising upcoming titles to add to your wishlist and a few new releases you can try right now.
Whether you're into turn-based war games, real time strategy battlers, or tile-based civilisation builders, you'll find an eclectic mix that should hit upon exactly what you're after. So click below to find out which strategy games you should look out for this year (and of course feel free to add a comment for any you think we missed).
1
Fire and Glory
Fire and Glory is an MMO real-time strategy epic that comes courtesy of developer Koofei Ltd. It’s just been released for iOS and Android and is among several of the titles on this list that prove you don’t have to scour through the catalogues of big budget studios to find a quality strategy title.
Fans of civilization building games like Kings of Avalon will be in familiar territory with Fire & Glory. The game will task you with establishing your empire, recruiting and researching new army units, forging alliances, and conquering other occupied tiles.
Fire and Glory’s majestic Spartan inspired visuals, farming systems, and mix of troop types - including a unique Beastiary feature which allows players to unleash a fantastical beast to wreak havoc among their enemies - are among the many highlights that make it well worth a look. Fire and Glory is available to download for free from the App Store and Google Play.
2
The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War
Currently soft launched in Australia, Canada, and the Philippines, The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War is a joint project between Warner Bros and NetEase Games.
It will take place in the Third Age of Middle-Earth which was the setting for the iconic trilogy. You can therefore expect plenty of fan favourite characters and locations from the series to appear in the game, which pits factions of elves, orcs, dwarves, and men against each other in battle.
Early footage from last year’s regional testing has looked extremely promising so far. And with a second update and beta test having just wrapped up this month, a 2021 release for The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War is looking increasingly likely.
3
Company of Heroes
Having released the base game of Company of Heroes for iOS and Android just a few months ago, Feral Interactive recently announced that it will soon be bringing even more content to its WW2 strategy title with a new DLC expansion - Opposing Fronts.
Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts will feature two campaigns, enabling players to take command of both the British Second Army’s historic armoured thrust into the city of Caen, and the Wermacht’s Panzer Elite counter attack against the Allies attempted crossing of the river Rhine.
It will be the first time that both army groups will feature in skirmish mode.Opposing Fronts is expected to land in just a few short weeks for both iOS and Android and will be available as a $3.99 in-app purchase.
4
Battlecruisers
Battlecruisers is a 2D naval RTS game that’s currently underdevelopment by two-man indie team Mech Weka and it’s shaping up to be an extremely entertaining indie-hit!
Scheduled for a full release on mobile and Steam next month, Battlecruisers takes place in a dystopian future where the entire Earth has been flooded. Players will be tasked with constructing an all-conquering juggernaut of a battleship, capable of laying waste to any vessel it encounters, whilst scouring the landscape for the remnant’s of humanity’s greatest landmarks.
Battlecruisers not only boasts some charming visuals but has plenty of features to keep players engaged as well. You’ll need to make key choices for ensuring that your battleship has the best defence possible against enemy air and sea assaults, and you’ll also have a whole suite of weapon choices available to you when it comes time to attack, including nuclear rockets, deathstar satellites, and long range artillery.Battlecruisers is currently available to download now for iOS iPad and Android tablets.
5
Total War Battles: WARHAMMER
Total War Battles: Warhammer is set to be the third release in the Total War Battle series that comes courtesy of Creative Assembly and Netease Games.
According to the game’s official website, it will be the first Warhammer mobile game to feature real-time strategy gameplay with both battle and empire management elements.
A little bit of confusion has surrounded Total War Battles: Warhammer since it was announced with many Warhammer fans assuming it was intended to be a third installment to the Total War: Warhammer series. However, Creative Assembly were quick to establish that was not the case, stating that: “While the third part of the Total War: WARHAMMER trilogy continues to be our next major release at CA, it’s fantastic to be able to work with expert partners to add a further experience for new platforms and players”.
Early footage seems to suggest that it will be a stripped down version of Total War: Warhammer which, provided Netease pulls it off, will make for an extremely epic title for our mobile screens. Closed beta for Total War Battles: Warhammer is already underway and a full release is likely to happen later this year.