Summary
Strategy gamesare not for everyone, as they can be really fun to play, but also require tons of planning and a lot of patience, which is something not many players have. Over the last few decades, tons of different strategy titles have been released, helping shape the genre further and laying the foundations for developers to innovate or build on what already exists.
While moststrategy gameshave one way or another to help players progress through their stories and grow stronger, some have better upgrade mechanics than others. By allowing players to upgrade their units in different ways, the gaming experience becomes more complete and enjoyable. Here are some of thebest strategy games with power creep mechanics.
Revolving around three main species; the Terrans, the Zerg, and the Protoss,StarCraft 2has many strategic elements that make it great, and it’s no surprise that it was received with critical acclaim when it was first released back in 2010. Players can choose to play as any of the three different factions todevise strategic battle plansthat will allow them to emerge victorious from this warfare-based game.
The game has a very strong upgrade system, which allows players to make their units stronger for combat and keep evolving to face the ever-increasing challenges that they’ll be dealing with throughout the campaign.StarCraft 2presents players with attack upgrades that increase the damage dealt by all their units, as well as armor upgrades, which make units more resilient to damage. Within a few hours, players will notice their armies are much more formidable and less susceptible to being eliminated early on.
Civilization 6is yet another great strategy game with an amazing power creep system, as it allows players to evolve their units and civilizations throughout the story. The game’s goal is to develop a primitive society and slowly turn it into an advanced one throughout the centuries. The more players advance their civilization, the more powerful it will be and the greater their chances of success.
As players progress through the game, they will have the chance to implement technological developments into their civilizations, rendering units from earlier eras obsolete. This, in turn, results in obtaining much stronger, newer units that are better at fighting and surviving the many challenges players will encounter. Gold is typically the requirement for upgrades, and the more players work on their civilizations, the more expensive further upgrades will be. If players use their Gold wisely, before long, they’ll have extremely powerful armies to take over the entire world.
Age of Empires 2is, along with other titles, among the founders of what is arguably the best era of strategy games. Released in 1999, it featured a complete and complex gaming experience that got millions of players hooked from the start.Age of Empires 2: Definitive Editionsticks to this proud tradition by featuring the base game and DLC expansions of the HD version, while also offering players a free expansion called “The Last Khans”, which includes four additional civilizations.
While playing the game, players will have access to upgrades, which allow for the creation of better army units and stronger buildings that are more resilient. Upgrades are typically reflected in the improvement of the attributes of players' units, which, in turn, results in a more satisfying combat experience. Throughout the game, players will be able to notice their armies growing more resilient, and overall better at dealing with enemy forces.
When asked about it, many Nintendo Switch owners agree thatFire Emblem: Three Housesis one of the best strategy RPGs ever released on the console. This game focuses on the story of Byleth, a mercenary turned professor who is instructed to teach the students of a military academy in the middle of political turmoil. Not only is the game’s story very interesting, but it also has a lot of options for players to upgrade their units and grow stronger, allowing for outstanding power creep mechanics.
Not only can players strengthen their units through various methods to make challenges simpler, but it’s also possible to recruit members from other houses with enough story progression. So, in a nutshell,Fire Emblem: Three Housesallows for an unmatched power increase through skills, upgrades, and an increment in numbers. Players should consider, however, that to recruit students from other houses, they’ll need the right stats and enough experience, as otherwise, they won’t be interested in joining their cause.
AlthoughEuropa Universalis 4isn’t the first game to use the concept of leading civilizations from one period of history to another while conquering other nations and seeking territory expansion, it does its job very well. Players will start in 1444, right in the middle of the transition from the Middle Ages, to the peak of the Renaissance, and end in 1821. This title not only features strategic gameplay in warfare, but also allows for diplomatic solutions in some situations.
Moreover, players can upgrade many aspects of their empire, such as their Centers of Trade, which directly impacts their Trade power. The more Trade power players have, the more money they can make from their mercantile activities, and the more money they can spend on expanding their territories and improving their civilizations. While players might start out making pennies, with enough effort and the right investments, they’ll be dominating other nations and swimming in pools of gold before long.
