12 Strategy Games to Look Forward to in 2023
2023 will finally bring the releases of some long-awaited strategy series, as well as further phases of Early Access of games that aren't ready, but which we can already play. Apart from that, there might even be a few surprises!
New year, new releases, and thus – more money to be spent. Maybe parting ways with a few dollars doesn't sound very exciting, but after all, what's money for if not buying nice things, eh? Strategy game enthusiasts should be pleased, because 2023 should bring the releases of some of the most cult series (Company of Heroes and SpellForce), as well as updates of early access productions (Songs of Conquest, Wartales).
As you can see, there will be games listed in the ranking of the best strategies of 2022 – it's worth keeping them in mind and following their development this year. They are already impressive, so official release might make them truly epic!
Against the Storm
Against the Storm has been around for a while (in Early Access) and this is not the only recurring game compared to the list of the best strategies of 2022. This production is worth supporting, or at least watching its development, because it keeps getting new elements. This is confirmed by the update from the very beginning of January 2023. It introduced a new mode for custom games, which allows you to adjust the gameplay rules to your liking and challenge yourself – or relax with an easier run.
Developers are not afraid to highlight which changes have been inspired by the community, marking them accordingly in the game. Against the Storm is a title worth keeping an eye on in 2023, as you can see some amazing commitment from Eremite Games and fans. This suggests only one possibility: progress going in the right direction.
Company of Heroes 3
If you're looking for a real-time strategy game set in World War II, the Company of Heroes series is an absolute classic. Campaigns in Western and Eastern Europe are already behind us. So it's time for a completely new area of warfare and the third part will take us to the more rarely considered African front. We will be in charge the British and American armies, the Wehrmacht and the legendary Afrikakorps, which the fans have been asking for.
The last army could be the most fun. The highly mechanized Afrikakorps will enable rapid movement of troops, which was the quintessence of the aggressive strategy pursued by the Desert Fox troops. Company of Heroes 3 itself will allow more players. Tanks will be able to drive over trenches and carry infantry. In addition, artillery cannons will be transported by trucks, and mobile engineers' cars will quickly restore destroyed machines to operation. Unfortunately, the premiere is still delayed and we can only hope that we will be able to play the game in February 2023.
Dune: Spice Wars
As with Against the Storm, we expect Dune: Spice Wars to leave Early Access. This production is very exciting and we're interested in its further development, which has been planned for the coming months. It already impresses with the graphic design and faithful approach to the source material. However, it may turn out to be too easy, even for intermediate players, which in the long run may reduce its playability.
Dune: Spice Wars is a very good foundation for addictive gameplay. People who are not looking for challenges will definitely have fun here, especially if they're fans of books or the science fiction genre. In the future, we are supposed to receive even more diverse units and well-known heroes who will be able to influence the fate of the entire mission. It's going to be a solid game.
Farthest Frontier
Banished has found a certain niche, and games referring to this production appear every now and then. One of them is Farthest Frontier, a new production from the creators of Grim Dawn. Our task is, of course, to manage a small community, help it survive successive difficulties and create a medieval metropolis. The element of survival may seem demanding, but the developers have prepared several difficulty levels, so everyone should easily find their bearings.
Those unfamiliar with Banished but wanting to give Farthest Frontier a try may be surprised that it doesn't have any campaign. Each time we are thrown on a randomly generated map, which means that at the beginning, we have to face new challenges. The audiovisual setting in Farthest Frontier presents a very good level and the games are both nice to listen to and look at. Just like Dune: Spice Wars, this production will definitely need expansion and new mechanics.
Homeworld 3
The classic science fiction strategy genre wouldn't amount to much without the Homeworld series, and the remaster released a few years ago breathed new life into it, spurring the 2D spin-off Deserts of Kharak. The announced part three will be a completely new opening that shall add elements designed to diversify the gameplay and perhaps even build a solid e-sports scene. After all, Age of Empires II showed that it is still possible in 2020s.
That's why Homeworld 3 is not only an extensive single-player campaign. In addition, the developers promise a cooperation mode, which, from the description, resembles the commander system from StarCraft II. A standard PvP mode, in which you can prove your superiority over another real opponent, is a mandatory element of this game. Fingers crossed for a great comeback of a stellar IP.
Pharaoh: A New Era
Pharaoh: A New Era is another great return of the classic – this time, a city builder in a slightly refreshed version. The original style has been preserved, but the textures have been improved and the available resolutions have been increased, which literally brings Pharaoh (and the Cleopatra: Queen of the Nile add-on) into a new era. This isn't the end of good news related to the upcoming remake.
These productions are going to receive modernized gameplay, which should be more accessible to new players, who do not remember the original, as well as to fans who have not had contact with Pharaoh for a long time. The planned release of the game in 2023 is certainly good news for fans of the genre!
Songs of Conquest
This list wouldn't be complete without Songs of Conquest. In 2022, the game encountered a hitch that delayed the implementation of certain features, and the developers had to revise their plans. If nothing stands in the way this time, we will receive a solid portion of new products in the beginning of 2023, and thus we will be able to drown in Songs of Conquest.
Loth and Barya nations will finally get their own campaigns, and the map editor will get the final version. This is fantastic news considering how active fans are in designing missions. In addition, there will be new neutral units, refinement of sieges, as well as item sets. There seems to be a lot of it all, and we hope it may all be accomplished, which may not be an easy task.
SpellForce: Conquest of Eo
The latest part of the SpellForce series is a rather unexpected departure from the formula that was the hallmark of the brand. Conquest of Eo abandons real time and takes the game into the world of turns, where our heroes will traverse the map, and then defeat more enemies with the help of an army of fantastic creatures. The game clearly states that we will fight to become the most powerful magician, which, in a way, refers to Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne . There, too, the main focus was on heroes using spells.
This production doesn't have a specific release date yet, but from the materials presented in 2022, we can conclude that it's in a quite advanced stage of production, despite still being in the alpha version. If the game gets released in 2023, it will probably happen closer to the end of the year. Perhaps breaking the old formula will work in its favor.
Terra Invicta
Terra Invicta takes an interesting approach to the fairly hackneyed topic of an alien invasion of Earth. In this strategic game, we still don't know if the visitors from another planet really have any specific plans for our home. However, we cannot wait – and must act. There's a catch, of course, and it is that humanity is unable to find a common position, which leads to several factions forming. Each has its own views and goals. We will lead one of them and try to convince others to our point of view.
Therefore, one of the initial tasks will be a political game at the highest level. Forming alliances, appointing your own heads of state, sabotage – all moves are allowed. In addition, space exploration and the study of mysterious alien movements await. Terra Invicta may appeal to fans of Paradox who are looking for some variety.
Timberborn
Humanity goes extinct, but nature abhors vacuum. Therefore, a completely new civilization has appeared in our place, and our task will be to help it develop and survive. In Timberborn, beavers have a chance to become the dominant species, but you have to start somewhere – and that will be building a settlement. In this way, we will get an addictive city builder in which a lot of emphasis was placed on the terrain and vertical building.
For additional variety in the game, the developers have prepared two different factions of beavers. Each of them has their own city-building priorities, which influences the adopted strategy. A big plus is the characteristic visual setting – we see fantastic buildings, of course, made mainly of wood.
Wartales
The life of a mercenary isn't easy, and the earnings can vary, as we see for ourselves in Wartales, where we lead a group of mercenary adventurers. We travel across vast lands and do all sorts of things to get by the next day. We meet many opponents on our way, but we don't have to fight alone. In mid-December 2022, this production received a cooperation mode for up to four people.
Wartales has already released two large expansions, which shows the dynamic development of the game. For an Early Access game, it's really solid. Perhaps in 2023 the creators will be able to publish the final version of their work. Although, looking at their commitment, we will get even more content after it goes gold.
Xenonauts 2
The original Xenonauts from 2014 was a real throwback to the past and the XCOM series of the early 90s. The game was difficult, which was warmly welcomed by people who think that modern XCOMs are too easy. The simple, but clear and atmospheric graphic design gave it an additional dimension. Looking at the second part, it seems that the developers will simply want to make a game bigger, but faithful to previous productions.
In Xenonauts 2's alternate history, the Cold War continues into 2009. Aliens are attacking, and some of the people who will have to be eliminated by us also cooperate with the invaders. Our task will be to expand the network of bases, where we will prepare more units for the mission. The fight itself is also supposed to motivate you to take risks. It's possible to finally destroy aliens a grenade, but it's better to get their body and examine what exactly our enemy consist of. The high stakes, however, come with really tough clashes. May the game actually release in 2023.
