Top global strategies for PC. Best Global Strategies

Warhammer 40,000 series

Release date: 1992-2011

Genre: Real time strategy

The Warhammer 40,000 series is the most popular and one of the best selling games. Fans are always waiting for the release new game. The most famous is Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player chooses the race (Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Tau, Necrons, Orcs, Chaos, Eldar with each game new races appear) for which he wants to play, after which he selects the place on the planet or planets that he wants to capture and fights with the race that owns this earth.

The battle takes place in real time on the terrain where the battle takes place. Players take over special points which give influence and build generators that provide energy, structures, troops are built on these resources, and improvements are made. Each race has its own troops, super units and heroes and abilities. The goal of the game in the campaign is to capture all the lands and become the patron of all lands.

Civilization Series

Release date: 1991-2013

Genre: Global turn-based strategy

In Civilization A complete model of the development of mankind has been created from the most ancient times to the present The player must create and develop his mighty empire, among other competitors, the condition for victory can be a military victory over everyone, victory on points, The game ends in 2050 either culture or build a spaceship and fly to Alpha Centauri. The strength and development of civilization consists of the development and creation of new cities, the creation of production in the cities of troops, scientific and military research. Also in the game you can create wonders of the world.

For civilization to flourish, the player must be able to focus and balance between scientific progress, military buildup, replenishment of the treasury, development of infrastructure and culture, diplomatic contacts and trade with other civilizations. The player can take part in the historical events that took place, manage leaders such as Stalin, Napoleon, Ramses II, Catherine II and so on. Which of the series is the best is hard to say. Someone says that the part is the best, someone that the fourth. Graphics enthusiasts say that the fifth is the best of this series.

Warcraft III

Genre: real-time strategy with RPG elements

Popularly, the so-called "Varik" was one of the most anticipated games, with over 4.5 million pre-orders and over one million copies of the game sold in less than a month, making it the fastest-selling PC game ever. publications marked the game with the titles " Best game of the Year” and “Best Strategy of the Year”. The game also received high ratings from the players.

There are 4 races in the game: Alliance (Humans), Undead, Horde (Orcs) and Night Elves. Each race has its own unique heroes who gain experience and new level. With each level, new abilities of the hero open up. Also, heroes can buy or pick up items from killed mobs that improve the combat characteristics of the heroes and the troops surrounding them. On different maps, players capture gold mines and extract forests, use these resources to build a base and units and improve their performance.

Heroes of Might and Magic III

Genre: Turn-based strategy with RPG elements

Heroes of Might and Magic III is a turn-based fantasy game, the third part of the series has become a cult and gained a lot of fans around the world. Despite the already outdated graphics, it is still played by thousands of players around the world. The fourth and fifth parts of the game have already come out with better graphics and improved gameplay, so if you are not a fan of old games and love graphics, then it is best to play the last parts.

The player travels global map heroes who control mythical creatures, exploring new lands, capturing cities and fighting enemies. On the map, the player moves only one hero and can only go a certain distance or take one or more actions, after which he skips the move and the computer-controlled enemies make their move. When attacking enemies, you move into combat mode, the army of enemies and your army of creatures stand opposite each other, moving combat units in turn, you need to destroy the enemies. With the development of cities, you can open up new opportunities and spells. Hire troops.

StarCraft II

Genre: real time strategy

StarCraft II is the second part of the cult first part released back in 1998. The second part of the game became the most anticipated game of the year due to the great popularity of the first part and fully justified its hopes among the players. Many gaming Russian and foreign portals gave the game ratings of over 9 points out of 10. In the rating of players it received 9.3 points.

The plot of the game and all the actions take place in the distant future, or rather the XXVI century in a distant part of the Milky Way galaxy. The three races of Terran, the Zerg, and the Protos oppose each other. Players extract two types of resources, minerals and Vespene gas, which they then use to build buildings and hire combat units. The main task is to destroy the enemy base. Each type of unit has its own strengths and weaknesses, so to destroy certain types of enemy troops, you need to hire troops that destroy them well.

Total War series is the best Rome: Total War

Genre: turn-based grand strategy, real-time strategy

Total War Russian Total War is a series of games that already has seven games and various add-ons. Different games cover different time historical periods and states. The most popular and cult is Rome: Total War, released in 2004, in which the action takes place in Ancient Rome during the period of the Republic from 270 BC. e. up to 14 a.d. e. For example, Shogun: Total War takes place in Shogun: Total War Japan in the 16th century, where ruling dynasties oppose each other. Empire: Total War - during the European colonial wars and so on.

The gameplay of the game is very similar to Civilization. The player controls troops, cities and settlements on a global point. After completing all actions, the player skips a turn, after which the AI-controlled competitors make their move. If you or your enemy attack each other, then you move to the tactical map, where you control all your troops in real mode, attacking them and placing them in convenient positions on the map.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 1,2,3

Release date: 1996 and 2000

Genre: Real time strategy

Red Alert is a game that was released in the last century and captured the minds and souls of gamers around the world, thousands of people still play it, more than 30 million copies sold. The game takes place in an alternate history where the allied forces defend Europe from an aggressive Soviet Union. The player can choose one of two belligerents: the Alliance or the USSR. Accordingly, the goal of playing for the Allies is to stop Stalin until he captured the whole world, for the USSR - to achieve the complete capture of Europe. Depending on the side chosen, the player's victory results in one of two alternate endings.

Battles in the game take place both on land, on water and in the air. Each side can have its own base and can train ground forces, air forces and navies. Each side also has unique features. The game mechanics is that now even a simple infantryman can destroy a tank. A tank can easily destroy a machine-gun pillbox, a small group of grenade launchers can just as easily cope with a tank if it is not covered by anti-personnel equipment or its own infantry, which forced it to be used in battle different types troops.

Europa Universalis game series

Release date: 2000-2013

Genre: turn-based global strategy,

Continues a series of global strategies Europa Universalis. Like the previous games in the series, the third part invites you to lead one of the states of the world . The essence of the game: to develop national ideas that give the game power certain advantages; as new state technologies are discovered, it becomes possible to choose one of the national ideas. The action of the game takes place in real time, but the reaction speed of the player is not required, since at any time the game can be paused. The game takes place on a schematically depicted world map, divided into more than 1500 sea and land provinces.

The player can take control of any country that existed during this historical period (about 200 states in total). Under his control are the country's economy, the formation of armies and fleets and their management, diplomacy, the introduction of new technologies, the internal policy of the state, the change of state religion and the colonization of new lands.

A feature of the game is the binding to real history(I note that in the third part of the series it is no longer tied to history and the gameplay is more free); there are historical rulers predetermined for each country, each of which has certain abilities that affect the game, generals that actually existed (such as Suvorov or Napoleon I Bonaparte), pioneers, explorers and navigators (such as Columbus, Yermak and Fernand Magellan ), as well as historical events that usually take place in the same country and at the same time as in real history (for example, in 1517 an event occurs that makes it possible to convert to Protestantism)

Company of Heroes 1.2

Release date: 2006

Genre: Real time strategy

The gameplay of Company of Heroes is very similar to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player commands entire squads of fighters, but there are separate unique units. Each squad has a life scale (not a separate fighter) and if the life ends when the squad is damaged, then the entire squad dies. The player can equip infantry units with various weapons, choosing which weapon is more promising in battle. After the death of the squad, weapons remain that can be picked up and equipped with them by another squad. This applies even to stationary weapons such as anti-tank guns, heavy machine guns and mortars.

Each side in the game is divided into three unique directions - infantry, airborne and armored for the Americans and defensive, offensive and propaganda for the Germans, advancing in which gives access to new combat units and attacks (for example, a raid of attack aircraft). Another important difference is that squads and units in the game have three levels of experience. After destroying an enemy, a new level is obtained that increases damage, speed, health, armor or view range of a unit, depending on its type.

There are three types of resources in the Game: weapons, fuel and personnel. Personnel are used to build buildings, hire new combat units, both infantry and armored vehicles, fuel, in turn, to build buildings and armored vehicles, and weapons are used to provide units with additional weapons, such as a grenade launcher, for artillery and air strikes, or for so that your technology gets new opportunities. Replenishment of resources is carried out using checkpoints.

Age of Empires III

Genre: Real time strategy

Age of Empires III is a strategy game that has earned worldwide acclaim for its innovative and addictive gameplay. Age of Empires has received great ratings on gaming portals and magazines. A feature of this game is a well-designed artificial intelligence (the enemy is controlled by a computer). The player controls one of the powers (Great Britain, Prussia, Holland, Spain, Portugal, Russian empire, Ottoman Empire, France), who set off to conquer the new world (America).

The main action takes place in the colonies, on the map familiar to such games, but now each power has its own city in the Old World. It serves the sole purpose of helping its colony. There are three resources in the game: food, wood and money. Which produce various buildings. Transitions between eras, five eras: research, colonization, fortresses, industrial and empire era. Military academies train, bandage, send soldiers to the colonies. The infantry depends on the nationality of the city, for the Spaniards it will be rodelieros, and for the Russians - archers and Cossacks. The academy is also improving the parameters of the troops.

Battles take place in real time. The maximum number of a detachment and a group of soldiers marked with a "frame" is 50 units. Shooting infantry has four formations: a regular rank, which is convenient for firing in a volley, a sparse formation, which reduces losses from artillery fire, hand-to-hand combat, and squares. The melee infantry has three formations, two of the same, the actual melee and square, and a circular formation to cover the shooters. The cavalry learned three formations - all the same melee and square combat, as well as the offensive mode at a reduced speed, but with damage inflicted over the area.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Genre: Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics, Tactical RPG

The game is a remake (remake) of the popular and old game X-COM: UFO Defense released back in 1993. Aliens attack the planet Earth and start an alien invasion. The game is played on behalf of the commander of the secret international organization XCOM (Alien Combat Unit), which has the most advanced technology, weaponry and scientific developments humanity. It employs the best specialists in the world - the military and scientists. The organization must conduct military operations against aliens that threaten the existence of human civilization.

The player is provided with the central base of XCOM, from which the strategic management of the organization is carried out: monitoring the actions of aliens on the global map of the world using a satellite network, distributing funding for the development of scientific and technical potential, arming and deploying interceptors to destroy flying saucers, as well as conducting combat operations against aliens by the forces of existing fighters in ground skirmishes. The base is presented to the player in the form of an "ant farm" - a cut of the ground, allowing you to look at the premises "from the side".

In a Tactical battle, fighters perform up to two actions in turn - running, shooting, throwing a grenade, using a first-aid kit. Each fighter has only three characteristics: accuracy, willpower and health points.
After the first promotion in rank, a soldier receives a specialization. It can be an attack aircraft, a sniper, a heavy infantryman or a support soldier.

home world

Genre: real time strategy

Well-developed graphics and three-dimensional game space - the implementation of six degrees of freedom (you can consider the battlefield, the combat fleet from different angles) of the movement of game objects and the presence of thoughtful fleet control in three dimensions. A rich and complex plot that gradually unfolds directly during the game. In the next game mission, the player receives the fleet with which he completed the previous one.

At the beginning of the game, the player can choose a fleet of two races Kushan or Taidan: this does not affect the further plot in any way, only combat units change. Key Feature The fleets of both Kushan and Taidan is the presence of the main mother ship, which acts as the main base of operations. The mother ship has its own weapons, and a hyperdrive that allows you to overcome a significant amount of space.

The entire space fleet is divided into a combat fleet and a support fleet. The support fleet includes special ships such as a resource collector and controller, a research ship, a probe, a stealth ship detector ship, a gravity well generator. The combat fleet is divided into classes: Small ships - fighters, corvettes, Heavy ships - frigates, Superheavy ships, Flagships.

Stronghold game series

Release date: 2001-2014

Genre: real time strategy

The game system of all games in the series is based on the economic simulator of a medieval city or castle. The games have a number of unique settings that are unique to games in the Stronghold series. So, in the first Stronghold, the “popularity” parameter was introduced for the first time, affecting the working capacity and population. The combat system is standard for strategies - direct control of groups of units. The economic component is one of the main ones in the games of the series. There are quite complex and long production chains. As a rule, in the games of the series, more attention is paid to the economic rather than the military component of medieval castles.

All games in the series, except Stronghold Kingdoms, have campaigns (a series of story-related missions) and a map editor mode. Stronghold has a single campaign, other games have multiple campaigns.

In all games, except Stronghold and Stronghold Kingdoms, it is possible to play against computer opponents on the selected map. Stronghold and Stronghold 2 have a siege mode (besieging or defending a castle without running an economy). In the first games of the series (up to and including Stronghold 2) there is a free building mode (keeping the economy without war).

Spore

Genre: Real time strategy, god simulator

Spore game is a simulator of the evolution of life on the planet, as well as a strategy and space simulator. The goal of the game is to develop a creature from a microorganism to an advanced space race. During the passage of the game, it is possible to make changes to the creature, improving its characteristics. Also, as it develops, the player will independently create various equipment and buildings, or choose ready-made options from the catalog.

At the beginning of the game, a microorganism living in the aquatic environment falls under the control of the player. On the this stage game - To survive, the microorganism needs to eat pieces of meat or algae, and also try not to be eaten by other carnivorous creatures. By eating food, the cell grows and turns into a microorganism. After that, the creature is selected to the ground, where it also develops. Over time, under your leadership will be a tribe, civilization and space that you will have to manage.

Ground Control 1.2

Release date: 2000, 2004

Genre: Tactical Real Time Strategy

This game was at the forefront of its genre and won numerous awards. Ground Control features 3D graphics and a freely rotating camera, allowing the player to view the fight from any angle. The game completely lacks the collection of resources, the development of the base and research. The goal of the player is to manage a limited number of combat units and perform various tasks with their help.

The main goal of the game is to destroy the opponent's troops and buildings using the terrain features and the strengths of your own army. Combat units include various types of armored vehicles, aircraft and soldiers delivered to the battlefield by orbital shuttles. After the start of the next mission, the player cannot call for reinforcements, which requires careful selection of combat units and their configuration before the battle.

The most important element of the game is the requirement for a tactical approach in any situation. Each unit has its own distinct strengths and weaknesses. Combat units are grouped into squads. The player can only issue orders to units, although the units themselves will fight and take damage separately. There are four categories of units: infantry, armored vehicles, support, and aviation. The player can choose the configuration of each individual unit prior to battle. For example, a Craven Corp tank squad can exist in four configurations: reconnaissance, light, main, and heavy. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, so different configurations are suitable for different tasks.

Tiberium Command & Conquer Series

Release date: 1995-2010

Genre: Real time strategy

series of successful computer games, which has the highest sales among the series of strategies. The action of the game takes place in an alternative temporal reality, conditionally modern to ours, in which a war is going on around the world between two global groups - the international troops of the UN, united in the Global Defense Initiative, and the military-religious Brotherhood of Nod, led by its charismatic leader Kane, fighting for the possession of an alien substance tiberium, slowly spreading throughout the planet.

The gameplay of the game is based on the principle - to collect resources to build a base to destroy the enemy. The only source of money (credits) in the game is tiberium. Another important resource in the game is electricity, produced only by power plants. Various structures and units produced by the player, together form a technological tree, in which access to technologically more advanced, and, accordingly, more expensive structures and units. The base can be protected by various structures, which include defensive fortifications.

Unfortunately, political simulations have not been released so often lately. Of the novelties, one can only note VirCities, which was recently released for mobile platforms iOS, Android and Windows Mobile. We haven’t really had time to study it yet, but we decided to recall other memorable representatives of this genre.

Tropico 4

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A cozy simulator of a paradise island dictator. You need to manage the local El Presidente, and also try to make sure that he sits in his position for as long as possible. Equip the city, build infrastructure, make a fortune and hope that some sudden trouble (for example, a typhoon) will not hit your ward's rating or his wallet hard. The game is primarily positioned as an economic strategy, but you should not forget about domestic and foreign policy: you don’t want to be accused of, for example, the death of an American president, do you?

Tropico's most enjoyable feature is definitely its humor and attention to detail. Do not even hope to do something stupid, and then avoid the problems caused by a rash act. No, of course, you can tighten the screws and do whatever your heart desires, but such a tyrant in power will not last long.

Democracy 3

Political strategy, in which there is nothing superfluous. You choose a country and set the terms of the president, after which you long and hard try to make the world a little better, as well as enlist the maximum support of the population and win the next election. All your actions lead to certain consequences, and, unfortunately, it is almost never possible to please all the inhabitants. The legalization of drugs, the introduction of a tax on luxury or, for example, an increase in unemployment benefits will cause a positive or negative reaction in each segment of the population, will affect the economy and the general situation in the country. How much the overall picture will change is always difficult to predict. The consequences of the seemingly only right decision to eliminate the crisis in some area in a couple of moves can lead to the death of your president.

The design of Democracy 3 is very ascetic and is a huge table in which all segments of the population, laws, statistics and individual situations are connected. There are no running men, buildings under construction, or endless pop-ups with hints or warnings like “need more gold” or “someone is unhappy”. But if you want to understand the principles of governing the country and feel the heavy burden of the presidential share on your shoulders, then Democracy 3 is the best fit.

President for a Day: Flooding

In this step-by-step strategy, you will also have to play the role of the president, however, of a very specific country - Pakistan. Not everything is so smooth: two weeks before re-election, a major flood occurs, and your ward will have to work hard to regain the trust of citizens: the state must not only be saved, but also brought to a more or less decent standard of living. At the same time, problems are pouring in one after another: people are starving and needing shelters, outbreaks of cholera begin, and even the rebels are on the alert, and God forbid nuclear weapons fall into their hands.

President for a Day: Flooding is a fairly simple, short, but bright and funny strategy, which, however, can completely discourage you from running for president (if you have one, of course). Unlike most political games, President for a Day focuses on managing a country in an emergency, and that's what makes it special.

Masters of the World: Geopolitical Simulator 3

A geopolitical simulator in which you have to solve military, economic and social problems. Masters of the World: Geopolitical Simulator 3 features more than 170 states, and each of them is unique due to a huge number of parameters.

Make international contracts, gather dirt on your neighbors, accumulate military power, build relationships with your citizens, improve infrastructures and try not to get lost in the huge number of features in this game - there are so many that it's easy to lose sight of something. All your actions will be constantly put on display - nothing will be hidden from the weekly newspaper (and from the citizens).

Super Power 2

Global strategy with 192 countries and multiplayer for 32 players. As in Masters of the World: Geopolitical Simulator 3, each state has its own characteristics (the most memorable is the level of corruption in Russia - 57.7%). In addition, it is sometimes possible to adjust certain parameters of the state at will: choose the main religions, prohibit women from participating in elections, or, for example, legalize child labor. True, it is not known how its citizens will react to such “necessary” measures for the country.

SuperPower 2 is more focused on foreign policy: the results of all kinds of agreements, negotiations and treaties become visible almost immediately, and military actions are thought out up to espionage and the launch of nuclear warheads. But if you overdo it with your aggression, almost the entire globe will take up arms against you.

All the games we have listed already assume that you will control a person who has achieved power. If you want to start a career from scratch, then try VirCities, an economic strategy with elements of a life simulator in a metropolis, where the player will have to conquer the city using all his skills and go through an interesting path from an ordinary citizen to a mayor who rules an entire city.

The main feature of this game is that only other gamers are fighting for a place in the sun with you - there are no NPCs at all in VirCities. And if you win it in the elections, it means that the majority of the players actually voted for you.

How do global strategies differ from conventional ones? With its scale. In them we manage a huge state, empire or the whole world, solving a large number of problems. The most popular are global strategies for a regular PC. There were attempts to port such projects to consoles, but the controls there are not so hot, and gamers did not particularly like it.

Even such a niche category of games has hundreds of projects that are difficult to figure out just by reading the description. So that you do not waste time and within a few minutes have chosen a game to play, we have selected the best global computer strategies. Check out their brief overview, and then make your choice. Go!

Stellaris - conquer space

Let's start with a global 4X real-time strategy, where you need to develop in outer space, populating planet after planet. The game world is procedurally generated, and therefore, each new passage will be unique and bring fresh impressions. In addition, with procedural generation, the gamer influences the development of the world. So, the realism of the game is worthy of praise.

Here you will be engaged in construction, influence political life empires, control one or more planets at the same time. You will also have to ensure that each faction lives in peace, happy with its position. The role of the galactic emperor is a million times more difficult than that of the earthly emperor. So get ready for the real challenge.

If you have not come across the genre of grand strategy before, you will almost certainly have difficulties in terms of control and understanding what is generally happening on the screen. In order to understand all this, you will have to read guides and watch video after video from experienced gamers explaining the intricacies of the gameplay. At first, it will not be easy to watch and play, but as soon as knowledge becomes deep, you will be happy to delve into the development of the space state and achieve considerable success.

Galactic Civilizations 3 - feuds on a galactic scale

The third part of the popular series continues what was laid down by the developers from the very beginning. Here, too, will not be, but, on the other hand, the role of the player in the construction of the fleet has been increased. Now you can control much more processes and influence the quality of finished mechanisms. This game can be called both a simulator and an economic strategy. But, first of all, this is a global military strategy in a space setting. Choose a planet with warlike inhabitants, and then lead your wards to victory over numerous enemies.

The project deserves to add to our list of the best global strategies, because the mechanisms of state management are well developed here. You can control the smallest processes, from mining to installing additional armor shields on warships.

You may have to spend a lot of time learning all the functionality, but a life-saving video or a written guide will help you figure it out. As expected, there is a cooperative, so feel free to call your friends and start building a new wonderful world in the vast galaxy.

Master of Orion - manage colonies

This game was released in 1996, but it can still bring a lot of pleasure to fans of global strategies. Here the player can take control of one of the races and lead it to prosperity by extracting resources, fighting enemies and capturing new territories. The project is suitable for those who do not pay attention to the graphics and appreciate the gameplay in the first place.

The gamer will have to important choice at the very beginning - to choose the ideal race. The fact is that each race has features, using which, you can achieve good results. On the other hand, if you lose sight of these features and “bend” your line, nothing will work. Good advice- Before starting the game, study all the information about the races. And then move on.

Interestingly, some of the processes here are borrowed from the more popular member of the “association of global strategies” - “Civilization” became the inspiration for developers who created a similar management system. So, it became possible to redistribute the inhabitants of the planet and set a specific occupation for each of the groups. Someone will be engaged in agriculture, someone will be entrusted with industrial production, and so on.

Total War Warhammer 2 - the perfect strategy

From the very appearance of news about the creation of the second part of the sensational fantasy offshoot “Total War”, the game has become the main object of discussion on thematic forums. Articles on popular resources one after another talked about how large-scale and fantastically spectacular the project would turn out to be. It was argued that the developers took all the best from the first part and decided to create the coolest strategy of our time. In fact, it did!

What are the strategies from “Total War” so famous for? In them, you not only manage your wards on the global map and take care of the economy. When hard times come, you can take the army and go to cut the enemy in real time on a real map with tens of thousands of units! That is why the projects of the series always top the top of the global strategies. Those same cinematic mass battles that gave goosebumps, thanks to “Total War” became available on the computer. From year to year, developers created new engines and improved them. With the release of the second part of "Warhammer" based on the legendary universe, it became clear that now this is one of the most advanced strategy in all plans. The graphics are off scale, the functionality is great, the musical accompaniment delights.

Of course, it does not do without small bugs and shortcomings, without mentioning which the review and description of the project would be too biased. But it is worth noting that the creators are in close contact with the community and quickly respond to all comments. The result is constant updates with fixes.

Sid Meier's Civilization VI - Build a Civilization

Already the sixth part of the strategy that conquered the world has come out on personal computers and pleases fans of the genre. For those who have never heard of "Civilization" - this is a global economic turn-based strategy where you can play for different cultures and civilizations. The gameplay is not in real time, so there is time for reflection. Conquer the world site by site. There are a lot of strategic possibilities:
- control construction;
- arm the army;
- do research;
- create new technologies;
- properly allocate resources and so on.

This is probably the best turn-based simulation of the development of the world from the most ancient times to the space age. It is unlikely that there will be a project that can compete with “tsive” in this regard.

Of course, a good player learns first. Here this rule works perfectly. First you need to find a tutorial video for all interface features. This will be a good start for the future ruler of the world. But you can not watch the video, understanding everything on your own. If you wish, you can call your friends and arrange a world-class showdown in a cooperative.

Europa Universalis IV - Huge Map

In the genre of top turn-based global strategy games, this is a real gem. When gamers are asked how Europa Universalis differs from the rest, they answer: “It has a very developed economic component.” Indeed, war may have a special meaning in this game world, but it requires a large amount of funds to conduct it. With the help of many interface functions, you will manage the economic life of the state on the global map and lead it to victory over the rest of the participants in the global conflict.

For the pc platform, Europa Universalis is well optimized, but weak computers may experience difficulties - too many scripts are executed after each turn.

The term "global strategy" comes from the English "grand strategy", and is applied to games that provide the player with the opportunity to control an entire state, planet or even civilization. Unlike their closest relatives (classic and), in which the gamer has to solve purely tactical tasks, also divided into separate missions, global strategies make it possible to deploy larger-scale activities, including economic, political, research and military components.

A classic example of this very popular genre is the Civilization strategy series. It is considered classic not only because it stood at the origins of the genre, but also because its gameplay lacks the tactical component that dominates other strategies. This means that only the global map is available to the player, where all actions take place in a step-by-step mode, while the player takes minimal participation directly in battles. This feature has made global strategies a niche product, which, however, is in great demand among a certain audience of users - those for whom unhurried, complex development is more important than constant action and endless wars.

The revolution in the genre was made by the Total War series of games. In 2000, the first game in the series called Shogun was released, which combined two strategic modes: global turn-based and tactical in real time. In Shogun, armies were no longer abstract units, but consisted of concrete units that could be controlled on tactical maps. The project made a real sensation in the gaming environment and for a long time determined the development vector of the entire genre. The idea of combining the two modes was consolidated in the sequel Medieval: Total War, in which the global map has noticeably expanded, and the tactical component has become much more diverse. Today, the practice of combining tactical and strategic modes is used by all the best global strategies, although the details of the gameplay, of course, may differ.

No less popular are global space-themed strategies. Projects such as Galactic Civilizations II, Master of Orion, Space Empires are familiar to every self-respecting gamer. In such games, the player controls entire solar systems and even constellations, and the economic, research and political components are so deep and complex that the gameplay in them drags on for months.

The best 4X games on PC

1. Sid Meier's Civilization Series

One of the best strategic franchises in principle: Civilization is the development of mankind from flying into space, complex relationships with neighbors, which are often solved by nuclear volleys, an endless race for the possession of the wonders of the world and cultural masterpieces, espionage, sabotage, revolution and other delights of a civilized society .

2. Total War series

Total War seamlessly blends GP and RTS gameplay: on common map you move your troops in turn-based mode, manage cities and build diplomatic relations with competitors, and in tactical mode you fight enemy armies, leading squads of fighters as a commander.

In this series you will find games for every taste: historical, fantasy - only space games are missing. Separate issues of the Total War line will allow you to change the course of the Napoleonic Wars, influence the conquest of Europe by the Huns, fight for the British Isles, unite the feudal and even take part in a bloody war between humans, dwarves, and other fabulous factions.

3. Europa Universalis series

A line of strategy games where you can completely reshape political map Europe. Moreover, it is proposed to do this not by military means (although such an opportunity is also present), but through complex diplomacy, the conclusion of alliances (including dynastic marriages), the establishment of a strong economy, control over religion and other opportunities.

Different editions of the franchise take players to different time periods. When choosing a game, you also choose a time with relevant historical events: you can colonize America, make a revolution in France, take part in the Hundred Years War, and so on.

4. Hearts of Iron Series

And this franchise, located in our top, is dedicated to a very small, but very important segment of human history - (as well as short periods before and after it). The action still unfolds in Europe, and you are given the opportunity to completely change the course of events: for example, conquer Germany as Poland, or reach Berlin as the USSR, continue moving west.

5. Stellaris

4X-strategy, which can really be called "global", because here the events cover neither more nor less - the whole galaxy! Hundreds of star systems can come under your control if you expand wisely, paying attention to both diplomacy and scientific research, and a strong economy, and a powerful army. Otherwise, you will inevitably be swallowed up by a stronger galactic civilization.

6.Victoria II

In this global strategy, one of 200 countries falls under your control in a difficult period for mankind from the second half of the 19th century to the outbreak of World War II. This is a time of industrial revolutions, social upheavals and irresolvable contradictions between empires. Will you be able to raise the rating of your state above all rivals or will you perish under the yoke of external and internal problems?

7. Master of Orion 2

A classic (released back in 1996), but a strategy that is still dearly loved by fans who do not stop releasing patches, mods and other content for it. Master of Orion 2 is dedicated to the conquest of space, and you can be sure that it will surprise you more than once with detailed gameplay, smart AI and an abundance of unusual situations. In 2016, the Master of Orion series received a remake from the company, but although it is very well done, it does not reach the level of the original games.

8. Crusader Kings 1-2

9 Endless Space

Another strategy about space conquest on our list. True to its name, the space here is almost endless - there is enough space for the expansion of the galactic strategy. Interestingly, Endless Space (as well as its sequel) is part of the Endless Universe line, which for 2018 includes several games in different genres: in addition to the 4X strategy Endless Space, on PC you can download the Endless Legend global strategy in the spirit of Civilization and hybrid and Dungeon of the Endless.

10. Galactic Civilizations Series

The last franchise in our ranking is also dedicated to the conquest of galaxies. Don't be fooled by the cartoony visual style of Galactic Civilizations: challenging gameplay with planetary , construction , multi-level diplomacy and epic battles awaits you.

website / XGO

Top best strategies that you can play online or online with friends and random opponents, a description of how to play

Strategy games are games in which you can feel like a king, ruler and even God. They do not differ in the dynamics of the gameplay (as in shooters), but they force the player to reason logically, develop tactics, take various solutions. Victory in them depends on the user's ability to anticipate the opponent's future actions, coordinate the actions of his army and calculate his forces.

At other times, strategies are not only battles between thousands of troops. Behind the spectacle hides a complex economic system, the development of which will also bring you victory in the game. And sometimes there are no fights at all - some developers release exclusively economic strategies based on any business (or in other areas).

In any case, strategies can keep you at the screen for a long time. In this article, we have presented the TOP of the best PC strategies of all time, in which you will find decent games. They can be played with friends, teaming up against the AI, alone or against other users. For convenience, the strategies are presented in the form of a list that describes their main advantages.

Of course, you can also express your opinion in the comments on the article, and those who do not have time to download strategies on a PC can see a list of the best rated browser-based online strategies that you can start playing right now.

Warcraft III - online

Released: 03.06.2002

Genre: real-time strategy with RPG elements

The essence of the game lies in the uniform construction of the base, pumping heroes and hiring an army. For each game stage and situation, different actions are prioritized, of which there are an inexorable multitude, which in itself led to the incredible success of the game among gamers. It is worth noting that for different races there are different priorities, which creates a kind of abstract balance.

Of course, the game was successful primarily because the history of Warcraft is quite old, and the first game in the series was released back in 1994 on DOS, which allowed it to win crowds of fans at the dawn of the gaming industry. The whole Warcraft series has a deep and thoughtful history, on which the plot of Warcraft III is based, although it is not important here, it is necessary for the full perception of the game.

For the most part, the game received recognition for a good balance of races and atypical, for those years, gameplay, which marked the beginning of a new era of strategies.

Balanced system of pumping heroes;
Balanced system of economy;
Interesting solo company;
Balan races;
Can be played online;
Graphics are outdated.

Warcraft can be played online on servers: tangle, garena, iCCup.

Heroes of Might and Magic III - online

Released: 28.02.1999

Genre: Turn-based strategy with RPG elements

Although the series of "heroes" is quite old, it has not acquired a noble plot. First of all, in the games of the series, the gameplay and the gaming component are valued, and the plot is completely unimportant.

The gameplay itself boils down to the fact that the player needs to destroy all opponents on the map. Initially, the player in submission has an undeveloped castle and one hero. The castle is gradually pumped through the construction of new buildings, which opens up access to the hiring of new creatures. The hero can be pumped in battle, or by distributing gold from chests to your troops. To win, it is enough to destroy all the enemy heroes and capture all the castles.

In total, there are 9 races in the game (specifically in the third part), including:

Castle - people;
Stronghold - elves;
The tower is the residence of magicians;
The fortress is a swamp;
Citadel - barbarians;
Inferno - demons;
Necropolis - undead;
Dungeon - command underground creatures;
Pairing - command the elements of the elements.

Each race has its own focus, advantages, special skills. For example, a necropolis can raise the dead, infernos can turn their defeated fighters into demons, and so on.

Among the players, only the 3rd and 5th parts of the game are in demand, while the rest either do not live up to the gameplay, or have too good graphics, from which the eyes flow. We are talking about excessive detailing of the 6th and 7th parts of the game, which played a disservice. The fourth part was not to the taste of the players because of the creepy models and textures.

It is the third part of the heroes that is considered the genius of the series, so major tournaments are still held on it and there is a significant gaming community. The problem of the network game in heroes 3 is the duration of the matches, because individual games lasted up to a month of real time.

If you'd like to try your hand at online play, we recommend visiting the heroesworld portal for all the useful information.

Expanded economy system;
Developed leveling of heroes;
Balance of game needs (in pumping, building, hiring creatures, etc.)
Can be played online
Balanced combat;
The presence of an unofficial team that constantly refines the game.

Civilization Series

Released: 1991-2016

Genre: global turn-based strategy

Initially, the game captured the minds of the players with its interesting gameplay, which boils down to balancing the army, economy and development (and later culture) of the nation. The game also has a certain historicity, because all nations actually existed.

To win this game, you need to skillfully create cities, build trade networks between them, make alliances and betray allies, create an army balance that matches your economic development and competently develop technologies.

A simple example: if you only invest in the army, then there may come a time when your soldiers will fight with sticks, and the enemy will already have tanks. You can also invest only in development, but then ordinary barbarians can destroy your civilization, and you will not have time to develop.

It is because of the diversity of the gameplay and the variability of development that many call Civilization the best strategy of all time.

At the moment, a network game with random participants is available on Steam, allowing you to test your strength and skills.

Unique economy system;
Unique research system;
Balance of nations and play styles;
Advanced multiplayer;
Expanded political system.

In 2016, the continuation of the legendary line was released, Civilization 6 became the best turn-based strategy of the year on PC.

XCOM Series

Released: 1993-2016

Genre: step-by-step strategy

The famous strategy to protect the earth from the invasion of alien invaders. You are a special detachment of professionals, the only bulwark of humanity in the struggle for survival. Learn the technology of the aliens, take them into service and destroy the enemies!

The gameplay of the game is tied to the tactical and economic component. Tactical includes battles with opponents, sorties to the place of landing or fall of alien ships, development of fighters, choosing the right perks for them, and so on. Economic - development of the base, right choice technology, additional rooms, waste of resources and other things. Also, after the battle, the player receives trophies from the dead, which can then be sold on the black market or used independently in battle.

Many consider XCOM to be one of the best strategy games on PC.

An interesting leveling system for fighters;
Various game cards;
Many battle strategies;
An interesting system of research, base pumping;
Extraordinary endings.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert

Released: 1996-2008

Genre: real time strategy

The so-called "cranberry" strategy. For reference, cranberries are considered an unrealistic presentation of the inhabitants and ideology of the USSR, including its territory after the collapse. The game is built on this non-existent ideology. The action takes place in a parallel universe where there was no World War II, so all nations, including the USSR, were able to develop and become incredibly strong.

Later, a time machine was invented, allowing you to change the course of history. So, for example, the third part of the game takes place when the Russians decide to kill Albert Einstein in the past. Sending to the past was successful, the USSR captured almost all of Europe, but the war did not end - it was only the beginning.

The gameplay is standard for games of this genre, namely, you need to develop your base, hire soldiers, equipment for the complete destruction of opponents on the map.

Fascinating plot;
balance of nations;
Unique combat units;

Space Rangers

Released: 23.12.2002

Genre:"epic game" with elements of RPG, turn-based strategy, arcade, text quest.

A game about war in intergalactic space between intelligent races. Almost all races can be played by the player, except for Kleesans and Dominators - hostile semi-sentient races that receive orders from the main ships that control their behavior. The whole plot of the game tells about the war of the peaceful races of the commonwealth against the above invaders.

The main advantage of the game is the gameplay. As you may have noticed, the game does not have a dedicated genre, since it is absolutely difficult to attribute it to any genre. But often the game is singled out as the best strategy, because most of the time players spend driving their spaceship in separate systems. There are also arcade elements in the game, namely, in flights between systems, you can stumble upon hostile nodes, where the game turns into a real-time battle.

RPG elements are manifested in pumping your captain's skills, playing the role of a good ranger or an evil smuggler pirate. Elements of a text quest appear in some tasks that NPCs give to the player, or, for example, during visits to prison institutions, where the player balances between getting out as soon as possible and not dying at the hands of inmates. AT latest versions games also exist robot fights on planets driven in real time strategy mode.

As you can see, the potential of the game is incredibly high, and it can rightfully be called one of the best RPGs of all time, not only due to the unique gameplay, but also nice graphics, random generation of maps, planets, tasks and other things, which allows you to start the game again and again .

A unique game world that is randomly generated in each new game;
Developed system of playing role;
Good mix of many genres;
Fascinating text tasks;
Nice graphics.

Stronghold: Crusader

Released: 2002-2014

Genre: real time strategy

A classic strategy game in which you act as the ruler of a small town. Your task is to equally develop military and economic power. In gaming companies, you can play both the role of the cruel Arab ruler Saladin and the role of King of England Richard the Lionheart.

The gameplay, as mentioned earlier, lies in the equal development of the army and the economy. Due to the unusual gameplay, the game received recognition. Among the features of the game stand out, such as:

Your servants need to build personal houses, causing the maximum number of army;
It is necessary to develop the food industry, because your entire military machine may die simply because of hunger. It also creates the possibility of a long siege of castles, forcing the enemy to rot from hunger;
Almost all fighters cannot be hired just like that - for them it is necessary to create weapons, armor, and for this it is necessary to collect resources.

If you play against the computer, you will notice that it creates monotonous castles, which, however, are not so easy to break through if the enemy is one of the strongest. Still, this is one of the downsides, which can quickly discourage the desire to play. The main potential of the game is revealed on multiplayer maps that can be played online using hamachi or tangle. It is also worth noting that the unequivocal minus is the binding of the player to the starting point - it is impossible to build buildings near the enemy's castle.

Unique production and economic system;
Advanced building options;
Not a bad company;
You can play online with friends.

King's bounty

Released: 2008-2014

Genre: role-playing strategy in real time with turn-based battles

The unusual combination of the genre makes the game interesting enough for beginners, and the beautiful graphics without excessive detail are pleasing to the eye. It is worth noting that in the latter parts of the game there is an option to turn on the 3D game mode, which must be played with the appropriate glasses.

The player can choose between three classes: warrior, paladin and mage. Each of them fights in their own way. For example, a warrior has an increased number of creatures, a mage attacks opponents with spells, and a paladin is something in between.

The game takes place in a fictional fantasy world inhabited by fairly canonical magical creatures such as vampires, demons, elves. The player acts as a treasure hunter, on whose shoulders lies the fate of saving the world. To begin with, he has to become a great hero, recruit an army of mystical creatures in order to fight evil henchmen.

The gameplay looks something like this: you walk around the world map in real time, and when you stumble upon enemy units, a turn-based battle mode starts, where the hero can use a book of magic, spirits. Looks like a classic turn-based battle. When you walk around the map, you can communicate with the characters that inhabit the world, complete tasks for them, receive rewards, hire troops, buy items, and so on.

Interesting character leveling system;
Many artifacts and unique creatures;
Interesting combat system;
Not boring quests;
Nice cartoon graphics;
Many games in the series are made in the same style.

StarCraft II - online

Released: 26.06.2010

Genre: real time strategy

No less exciting game from the creators of Warcraft - Blizzard. The plot of the game tells about the battle of three space races: zerg, protoss and terrans. Unlike Warcraft, the game came out more dynamic and there are no heroes in it, which completely changes the priorities in battles.

StarCraft also has a rich storyline, but it's served to the players during story cutscenes, making you an observer rather than a maker of the story.

Each playable race has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, protos units have a lot of additional abilities that need to be used at the right time, otherwise the army will be quite weak. Considering that the game itself is very fast, to be successful in the game you need to have skills quick play and thinking.

StarCraft can rightfully bear the title the best strategy on PC all the time.

The game can be played online through the Blizzard Game Downloader.

Race balance;
Balanced economy;
Fast paced game;
Can be played online;
Regular tournaments from official developers.

Warhammer 40.000 series

Released: 1999 - 2009

Genre: real time strategy

Warhammer is a fairly popular game not only in computer form, but also in card form. The history of the game appeared long before the development of the computer sphere (in 1983) in America, which led to the success of the series.

The history of the world tells of bloody wars for control of the galaxy, grandiose betrayals and ascensions, and more. Games in this series are not tied only to the strategy genre, because there are both CCG and action offshoots.

The most famous for the wide inhabitants of the game series: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, tells about the war for the control of one selected planet between the game races. The player chooses one of the sides in the war, which has unique units and battle tactics. In the future, your task will be to seize control of the entire planet. Some games in the series divide the gameplay into two stages: global turn-based control and real-time strategy. The first mode is just the choice of the point of attack, and the second is the actual battle. In battle, you need to rebuild your base, capture key points that bring one of the two resources - influence, strengthen them and attack enemy bases. It is worth noting that the main task of the game is to destroy all enemy buildings.

Almost all Wahe strategies can be played through Hamachi.

Deep history;
Race balance;
Each race has its own, unique features;
An interesting system for improving units;
Interesting company.

Company of Heroes

Released: 2006-2009

Genre: real time strategy

The game's plot follows films such as Saving Private Ryan, A Bridge Too Far, and the television series Band of Brothers. Actions take place during the Great Patriotic War.

The gameplay is a classic RTS with wargame elements. Many note that the game resembles the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War series due to the fact that the player can independently choose the weapons with which his platoons will fight. Also, the troops have a scale of combat morale, which affects the effectiveness of the soldiers. For example, if a platoon comes under machine gun fire, then its morale drops sharply, which reduces the speed of firing and running. In addition, upon the death of a member of the squad who held any weapon, it does not disappear, but remains lying on the ground, where it can be picked up. The next feature of the game is the squad ranking system, which with each increased level of fighters allows you to improve their characteristics, which creates a kind of convention that the squads are not just meat.

The elements of the wargame are also the fact that the player himself can install defensive structures that increase the effectiveness of the fighters. All ditches, sandbags, etc. can be occupied by your fighters to increase their effectiveness. Since the game can maintain a small limit, and the speed of combat is quite low, the result is an entertaining combat simulator. Of course, this game is not singled out as the absolutely best strategy, but it deserves to be at least a nominee.

Interesting game missions;
Unusual gameplay;
It creates a feeling of real battles;

Series Cossacks

Released: 2001-2016

Genre: economic strategy

The game stands out for its gameplay, which is based on the balance of economic and military power. The correct construction of the economy plays a key role in the game, because even if you skillfully use military forces, skillfully withdraw them, divide them into groups, opening the horizon for a volley of cannons, then sooner or later, with a weak economy, you will lose to a player who is more rested on economic component. Firstly, a player with a strong economy can simply spam units - he does not need to think about their safety, because there are always resources. Secondly, the ability of ranged units to attack is tied to the availability of resources such as coal and iron. If there is no coal or iron, the fighters cannot shoot. Also, food plays an important role, which is a constantly consumed resource. Therefore, if your population is growing, then the food infrastructure should grow accordingly.

The game also stands out in that each player can hire a huge number of troops, which allows you to apply diverse game strategies. Among the types of troops you can find: cavalry, melee units, ranged units, artillery. In addition, the game has a technical development that allows you to hire stronger and more technologically advanced troops.

Many players are betting that the third part of the series will be the best strategy of 2016!

The dependence of military power on the economy;
Many battle strategies;
The need to balance the economy and military power.

Anno 1404

Released: 2009-2010

Genre: economic strategy

The plot is tied to a parallel reality, which, however, repeats real historical prototypes, such as the Crusades, the dawn of early forms of capitalism, and so on.

The gameplay is tied to economic war and the development of colonies, settlements. You, as an effective ruler, need to correctly calculate the distribution of resources for the development of cities, conduct diplomatic relations. The combat component of the game is divided into sea and land battles, however, the ability to wage war is not immediately open, but subsequently acts as one of the elements that help defeat opponents.

All states are divided into two types: European and Eastern. A European country cannot fully develop without spices and quartz, which are produced only in the east, which by itself determines the need for active trade, which is also one of the main ways to earn gold. One of the key tasks in urban planning is the construction of large cultural elements, such as cathedrals or mosques.

Developed economy;
Interesting urban development process;
Advanced diplomacy system.

Total War series

Released: 2000-2015

Genre: global strategy

Some semblance of a historical strategy. Actions take place on the global map of the world in different periods of time - it all depends on the part of the game. The player can choose any of the presented countries and subsequently capture the entire map, depending on the established victory conditions.

But not for the plot and the historical component, this game is distinguished as the best strategy on the PC, but for the gameplay. It is built on the turn-based movement of armies, the development and capture of cities in various countries. The battles take place in real time, where the player acts as a commander, places his troops on the map and directs the battle itself. There is also a politics mode where the player makes alliances, declares wars, exchanges resources, and so on.

Interesting system of politics;
Interesting intra-game battles in real time;
Developed system of internal events ( crusades, jihads, etc.);
An advanced system for improving cities, depending on their location.

Disciples

Released: 1999-2010

Genre: turn-based strategy with RPG elements

The action of the game takes place in the cruel fantasy world of Nevendaar, where dark forces are craving to wake up every now and then. Companies for all nations are available to the player for passing. It turns out that the player himself weaves the whole story. In total, five nations are available in the game, including:

Undead hordes - minions ancient goddess the death of Mortis;
Empire - a race of people under the auspices of the supreme angels;
The Legions of the Damned are Bethrezen's demonic minions;
Elven Alliance - a united army of elves led by Queen Ellumiel;
The mountain clans are a harsh undermountain people ruled by a high king.

The gameplay is classic strategy. The player's task is to intelligently scout the territory, pump the army. Oh yes, unlike other strategies, here you can only hire lower-level minions, who later need to be upgraded, gaining experience in battle. In general, the combat system in Disciples is unique, which has led to the success of the game. Initially, the player starts with one capital and one hero. The capital is a unique city guarded by a very strong creature, so it is almost impossible to break through the capital from the very beginning. The war is fought for the sources of magic - one of the resources and separate outposts that allow you to hire troops away from the capital.

Unique system for pumping creatures;
The races are not alike;
Race balance;
An interesting system of applying magic;

Age of Empires series

Released: 1997-2007

Genre: real time strategy

A fairly old game that can also claim to be the best strategy game on PC of all time. The main advantage of this game is custom tournaments with large prize pools, reaching up to 100 thousand dollars. The reason for such amounts for such an old game is its fans from wealthy countries who can afford to spend such amounts on organizing tournaments.

The very same gameplay of the game comes down to a balance between technology, economy and the army. Each nation in battle can move between 5 eras:

Age of Research;
The era of colonization;
The era of fortresses;
Industrial Age;
Age of Empire.

Each era opens up new research, types of troops and buildings. If you switch between eras early without spending money on the army, then most likely you will be crushed by “homeless people”, and if you focus only on hiring troops, then most likely the enemy will crush you with a more high-tech limit.

Many players argue that in order to play AOE effectively, you just need to be able to move your troops away from volleys of siege weapons and archers, which leads to low losses of the army and increased economic development, by reducing the consumption of resources to maintain the combat limit.

Play AOE online with friends or random players via Steam, Tanggle or Hamachi.

The need for skillful balancing of all game aspects (economy, troops, research, construction);
Balance of all races (in the latest version);
Tournaments with a large prize fund;
Average game speed.

Age of Mythology

Released: 01.12.2002

Genre: Real time strategy

The age of mythology is somewhat similar to the game described above, but still has other roots and features that allow you to build a more interesting game.

A key feature of the game is the replacement of eras with the worship of gods, granting special powers and new mythical creatures with special characteristics and skills, such as fiery or poisonous breathing, freezing a key unit, and so on.

Unlike AOE, where the player has only a human and siege limit, AOM also has a mythical limit, consisting of mythical creatures such as giants, dryads, rocs and others. AOM does not have such significant prize pools as AOE, but it also has its own community, among which relatively regular tournaments are held.

You can play AOM online through Steam, Tanggle or Hamachi.

It is necessary to correctly balance all game aspects (economy, troops, research, construction);
Balance of all races and deities;
Can be played online;
Average game speed.

Settlers 7

Released: 23.03.2010

Genre: RTS, city builder

Simulator of building cities, which subsequently create a vast kingdom. The main task of the game is to correctly place buildings, create transport links between them. The player can develop his kingdom in three areas, including:

military production;
Scientific approach;
Trading perspective.

Each development path will eventually lead the player to victory. For example, if you choose the military path, then the focus of your development will be the army, which will subsequently try to crush the enemies. The scientific path will help you defeat your opponents with technology, while the trade path will help you capture the best trade routes on the entire map, which will give you an edge over your opponents. Each of the development paths includes unique units.

Critics point out good artificial intelligence, but a weak storyline.