3 essential strategy games for Christmas: Age of the Empires 4, Crusader King III, Humankind

Whether it is to work your meninges, solve complex tactical problems, conquer the world or simply satisfy your megalomaniac delusions.Nothing beats a good strategy game and here are the essentials of this end of the year.

Age of the Empires 4

The challenge ?

After more than 10 years of waiting, it is finally time to regain the head of different empires and to dominate the world.With a solo phase to make your hand where you direct an empire in the face of a specific deadly test in its history.Will open up to you the joys of multiplayer.

Why succumb?

Nostalgia to start, because this series is one of the most emblematic in the history of strategy video games.Then come the script, each of the empires benefits from a very nice staging, with a mix of video and 3D inlay before each mission.

If the game mechanics have not changed much, they are more modern and facilitate the implementation of complex strategy.Technically, the game is really very beautiful.Nevertheless, the units, such as buildings, some decorations would have deserved to be much more complex and more worked.Finally, online you can compete with millions of players and do not discourage yourself after your first defeats.

Notice

The charm always acts and it is a real pleasure to immerse yourself in this title.He will keep you in suspense for weeks before putting an end to all of his possibilities.

Pc on Steam

Crusader King III

The challenge ?

You embody the head of a noble European family and have four centuries to make it a legendary dynasty.

Why succumb?

Here we have a long short strategy game.So you don't just have to manage your land, make them prosper.To make war is obvious, but all the classic aspects of a strategy game are here conditioned by your dynasty.Indeed, you will have to get married, have descendants, educate them so that they can take the torch at your death.

At that time, it is your heir or heiress who will have to continue your work.Weddings are the possibility of creating fruitful alliances and ensuring the loyalty of your family, wife, children, uncles, nephews and all your vassals.The latter are not to be overlooked, because if you are too tyrannical, they will be happy to rebel or support another pretender to your throne.This brings a rare complexity and difficult to apprehend at the start, but then opens up strategic opportunities that no other video game title offers.

Notice

The family, the alliances, the mood of your avatar are essential and transform a classic strategy game to Europe Universalis, into a deeply human title in the way of playing.Beware of white nights, you will never see time passing.

Pc, PS5, Xbox Series

Crusader Kings III (Pc)

Crusader Kings III (Pc) (64-Bit)

Humankind

The challenge

Take the head of a nomadic tribe and made in an empire that will dominate the planet by war, culture, religion or diplomacy.

Why succumb?

At first glance, he looks very much like his competitor with his turn -based game system.You move your units, manage the arrangements of your territory, your cities.In parallel, you must take charge of the scientific destiny of your people, diplomatic relations, trade, with greater fluidity.The main difference is philosophical and changes a lot of aspect to the title compared to its competitor.Thus, your civilization is not fixed.

With each change of era, you can change it.This changes special units, technologies or buildings and helps orient your development towards agriculture, AL technology, trade according to your strategic guidelines.Technically the game is quite beautiful, the natural sets are very well rendered, the units of the same.In addition, the battle phases are more interesting than in Civ VI with a more tactical aspect.

Notice

The only one conceived seriously to Civilization IV, more varied in many aspects, but with a slightly lower depth of play.However, not playing it is a bit of a life if you are an addict for strategy games.

Pc

Humankind Limited Edition (Amazon Exclusive Steelbook) Pc DVD