If you’re looking for the best 4X games on Steam, you’ve come to the right place.
When it comes to immersive strategy gaming, 4X games offer a unique experience that challenges players to build, expand, explore, and conquer the realms of their worlds. Steam, the popular digital gaming platform hosts a diverse collection of 4X games that cater to a variety of preferences.
These types of games are exclusive for fans who have a knack for managing a civilization, exploring new territories, expanding their influence, and engaging in military conflicts to dominate their opponents. Not all 4X games are suitable for everyone, so make sure to try the best ones available on the platform and expand your explorations.
Northgard
In a nutshell, Northgard is inspired by Viking mythology, having you pick from an impressive selection of clans, each with their own unique bonuses that help you build up a robust economy, focus on lore, chase glory, or dedicate yourself to expansion and military conquest.
The freedom to build defensive and resource-generating structures and assign your units to different tasks is somewhat reminiscent of Age of Empires. The game can be played online against human or AI opponents, or on your own in skirmish or story mode.
Farthest Frontier
Farthest Frontier throws you into a randomly generated map, tasking you with starting and maintaining an ever-growing populace. There are over 50 different buildings to construct, dozens of crops to grow and resources to gather, customizable difficulty options, and detailed mechanisms to make your citizens feel real.
Unless you’re playing on a chill, easier difficulty, you’ll have to manage more overt threats, like invaders, but also more subtle challenges, such as maintaining clean water supplies and the collection of specific resources to stave off various diseases, such as cholera, scurvy, or dysentery.
Total War: Rome Remastered
If textbooks and history classes weren’t enough for you, Total War: Rome Remastered gives you a taste of what it’d be like to fight against the Roman Empire’s historical enemies from a bird’s eye perspective as you command your forces on chaotic battlefields.
You’ll have to pick your fights carefully in the beginning, and as you expand, practice pragmatic diplomacy so that you don’t expand too quickly or get caught in multiple wars at once. Plus, if you don’t want to play as the Romans in campaign mode, you can play as any of the 38 factions online or in skirmish mode.
Conquest Of Elysium 5
If you’re into pixel art and looking for a 4X game, then Conquest of Elysium is a suitable option for you. It offers a quick turn-based and strategy playstyle, full of combat and action.
You get to deal with monstrous creatures and sturdy bosses. The game features turn-based combat in which you compete against immortal demons. Overall, you get decent gaming mechanisms as every detail is crafted with creativity and artistry to deliver a good end product.
Endless Legends
Amplitude Studios’ Endless Legend transports you to a unique and visually stunning fantasy world. Set in the land of Auriga, this game delivers innovative features with an intricate civilization system that you rule. You navigate diverse regions and undertake quests while managing the vast empire.
The standout features of the game include its engaging progression, strategic battles, and remarkable city-building system. Its depth and attention to detail make it a must-play for fans of both fantasy and strategy genres.
Total War: Warhammer 2
Warhammer 2 is a masterpiece of the Total War series by Creative Assembly. The game is a unique blend of turn-based empire management and real-time tactical battles set in a vibrant fantasy world. You can choose from a wide range of factions, each with its unique mechanics and playstyle.
Warhammer 2 features large-scale empire management with epic battles of fantastical creatures. Its intense gameplay, stunning visuals, and immersive atmosphere make it a standout title in the 4X genre.
Age Of Wonders: Planetfall
Despite being an old game, the Age of Wonders still secures a decent position in the 4X genre. If you want more details and enhanced graphics style, you can also try out its next volume: Age of Wonders 4, which launched May 2023. The game lies in the science fiction category and is set in a fallen galactic empire.
You have to choose one of the six factions to start from scratch and rise a new order. Planetfall also offers a multiplayer mode where you can take your adventures to a whole new level and have real-time combats with other players.
Europa Universalis 4
Europa Universalis is a great fit for history enthusiasts as it offers an unparalleled grand strategy experience with exciting mechanics. This game allows you to guide a nation through centuries of political, economic, and military challenges.
The attention to historical accuracy, intricate diplomatic relationships, and complex trade systems makes Europa Universalis a remarkable game. Rule your regions and stay indulged in the efforts of conquering the world with your diplomatic decisions and actions.
Crusader Kings 2
If you’re looking for a free-to-play option, then you will not be disappointed, as Crusader Kings 2 is a medieval grand strategy game that is available on the platform for free. The game focuses on the complex web of dynastic politics and defining historic periods in the world’s history.
You play the leading role of ruling the noble dynasty and managing territories while making strategic decisions to expand your territory. Your decisions lead to different outcomes and affect the survival and prosperity of the dynasty. The game’s depth of graphical animations, intricate role-playing elements, and dynamic world make it a captivating experience for those interested in the medieval period.
Hearts Of Iron 4
If you’re an action-loving player who wants to explore world wars, then Hearts of Iron is an optimal fit for you. It is a grand strategy game set during the era of World War 2. You face a lot of challenges as you take control of a nation and guide it through the strenuous years of the war. The survival of your nation depends on making strategic decisions and diplomatic choices.
With a strong focus on military strategy, Hearts of Iron 4 offers detailed control over land, air, and naval forces, as well as production, research, and battles. The game includes a vast array of nations, each with its unique focus trees, allowing you to experience the war from different perspectives.
Anno 2205
After all the ancient civilizations and historic war periods, we must add something futuristic and ultra-modern time-based game for tech and innovation lovers. Anno 2205, developed by Ubisoft, is an innovative city-building and economic simulation game set in the modern era years. As the leader of a futuristic corporation, you are tasked to colonize different regions of Earth. The game features a unique blend of city management, resource gathering, and complex supply chains.
You get a visually stunning and immersive experience with its detailed and futuristic cityscapes. You must take appropriate actions to balance the resources and meet the needs of the growing population. The interesting thing about the game is that you can expand your reach beyond Earth by establishing colonies on the moon and unlocking new resources and technologies.
Stellaris
Stellaris, developed by Paradox Development Studio, is an immersive 4X space strategy game that invites you to explore the vastness of the cosmos and build an interstellar empire. In Stellaris, you have the freedom to create your own custom civilization or choose from a range of pre-existing species.
The game offers a dynamic and evolving universe filled with diverse alien species. Stellaris stands out for its emphasis on exploration and discovery. You can send your science ships to explore uncharted star systems to encounter new sorts of lives and resources.
Sid Meier’s Civilization 6
Sid Meier’s Civilization is undoubtedly one of the most famous game series in the 4X category. Civilization 6 follows the foundations of its predecessors while introducing new mechanics and features that enhance the depth and creativity of the game.
The gameplay is centered around taking the role of a renowned leader and guiding the civilization from its early stages of development to a dominant global power. The game spans the entirety of human history, from ancient times to the modern era and beyond. As a turn-based strategy game, Civilization 6 challenges you to make critical decisions in various aspects of empire management, including technological research and city development.
