Types of Online Strategy Games

Posted by alisonreid29 on June 4th, 2014

If you are an avid gamer, you will know that there are a zillion games on the net to choose from. Genres of all kinds are available and are usually divided into board games, first person shooters, massively multi player role playing games (mmorpg), arcade games action &adventure, casino and online strategy games. This means you have to pick the genre you are good at or enjoy the most. Multitudes of people choose online strategy games as their favorite. This is based on pure game play enjoyment and learning about the four sub-genres serves to help select one that is most suitable.

Turn-based tactics strategy games is a genre of online strategy games which is based on a stop-start cycle wherein a player makes his move based on pinpoint military movement. They then have to wait their turn to make the next move. It is based on abstract warfare and closely associated with board games such as risk. Another important factor in turn-based online strategy games is that the player is in control of smaller groups. This means that he often has a “personal” relationship with his forces. Great examples of turn-based strategy games are Final Fantasy Tactics and War on Wheels.

Real-time tactics strategy games represent a genre of online strategy games which is the exact opposite of turn-based tactical games. It still simulates traditional warfare and battle tactics but on a far bigger scale. Emphasis is placed on individual units and building their strength and experience rather than on the game itself. Real-time tactics strategy games focus on unit building and not the surrounding base or resource gathering. Unlike turn based play, this genre of online strategy games focuses on continuous play as if you were in a “live” battle for survival. Think of games like “Faces of War” and “World in Conflict”.

Real-time online strategy games do not use the stop-start scenario and are continuous. In other words, you can build units inside a continuous play and do not have to wait until it is your turn to start building these from scratch. It also encompasses the whole strategic scenario like building units, base camps, gathering resources, developing camps, technology developments and so forth. Players need to perform various tasks and it becomes complicated as the game progresses in terms of time or levels. Some of the popular online strategy games that come under this genre are World of Warcraft, Age of Empires and Diablo.

Turn-based strategy games are still one of the most popular genres under online strategy games. Unlike real time strategy games, this genre is based on a turn basis, but bigger than tactics is the fact that you get your turn to build and enhance your units, your skill level and also resource gathering. After your turn has passed, your opponents then get their chance and you carry on after having observed what they have developed or the new positions which they will have moved to. Great titles of online strategy games that come in this category are Civilization and Age of Wonders.

Good news for an avid gamer is round the corner in form of various genres of online strategy games to choose from such that there is something for everybody. By learning about the nuances that different online strategy games entail, you can not only find one to your liking but begin on a winning note too.