Ah, the strategy game. More than any other genre, strategy is synonymous with the PC. From the earliest days of XCOM UFO Defense, through Civilization and Age of Empires, and right up to Stellaris, our beloved platform has been defined by base building, resource gathering, and the application of military might. Civ 7 is on the way. Manor Lords is growing and growing. But if you've missed out on some of the best contemporary strategy classics and want to play catch up, stalwart publisher and developer Paradox is hosting a big sale right now, and some of its greatest works, including Cities Skylines 2 and Crusader Kings 3, are available for cheap.
There's an enormous amount to recommend in the Paradox Humble sale, which includes dozens of the studio's most famous Cities Skylines 2. Since its launch last year, the Colossal Order-built sequel has faced criticism over some technical issues and imperfections with the economy and simulation, but successive patches have led to big improvements, and CS2 is starting to feel like a worthy successor to the 2015 original.
Speaking of, the first Cities Skylines is also on sale, if you want to start the city-building game series from the ground up. Alternatively, plump for an entirely different approach to strategy with Crusader Kings 3. One of the best loved in the entire genre, its focus on domestic feuds, dynasty, and monarchical politics makes CK3 a strategy game by way of a brutal, bloody soap opera, and it's still better than any of its competitors.
There's talk recently that grand strategy game yet, now's the time, as EU 4 is a gigantic 87% off. And then there's Victoria 3, another of Paradox's comeback kids that is a lot better than you might have heard. Detail and accuracy play big roles in V3 – of all the historical strategy games out there, it might be the most in-depth. Below is the price list for these PCGN choice picks:
- Cities Skylines 2 – $44.99 / £37.79
- Cities Skylines 1 – $8.99 / £7.49
- Crusader Kings 3 – $19.99 / £16.79
- Europa Universalis 4 – $6.49 / £5.45
- Victoria 3 – $24.99 / £20.99
But there are plenty of other games available in the Paradox Humble sale, including Hearts of Iron 4, Age of Wonders 4, and the criminally underappreciated Lamplighters League. If you want to peruse the entire catalog and get some great discounts, just hit the button below:
Alternatively, try some of the best RTS games available on PC.
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