Strategy gamesare hardly known for stylish visuals, often relying on deep, engaging gameplay to make up for dry presentation or a complex user interface. Games such asKenshiandRimWorld, orMount & BladeandFTLare not typically recognized as stylish experiences. Evenhits likeSlay The Spireare hardly much to look at.
Still, that does not always have to be the case with the strategy genre. Games as far back asWarcraft 3have proven that a stylized look can compensate for limitations, often resulting in a superior aesthetic. Games such asNorthgardandAgainst The Stormhave been influenced by this, while other releases have struck out and created theirown unique styles. Just take a look at titles such asFrozen Synapse.
At the time of writing, the games included here have all been released in the last ten years.
This unique combination oftower-defense and real-time strategyis a base defense game that’s drenched in minimalist style, offering up vivid colors and stark environments to do battle.Thronefallisn’t the most visually complex strategy game on the market, but it’s clear that time and effort were put into developing a unique style.
In the game, playersroam a small mapand build defenses to protect their keep from waves of enemies. The variety of structures, both defensive and economic, along with the intuitive RTS mechanics (players can also recruit units to bolster their defenses) and diverse collection of perks, make for a strategically deep game with plenty of replay value. All this is to say thatThronefallis a stylish indie strategy game that manages to be accessible without lacking depth.
This smash-hitrogue-like deck-builderis better known for its addictive gameplay than its visual style, but there’s something to be said about just how stylishBalatrocan be. The diversity in the pixel-art illustrations ofBalatro’smany cards is one thing, but the consistent and energetic nature of the visual effects makes for a game that’s frequently satisfying to play.
Even an interaction as simple as hovering over a card is stylized, as it floats around and reacts to the touch of the player’s cursor, and playing or discarding a card can be just as satisfying. This is even before players bring about the colorful flames that come with a high-scoring hand, or simply begin to appreciate the nuance of the game’s design, which at first seems so simple.
Cataclismois a base-defense game that’s simple in its concept but complex in its design, providing a well-balanced experience that’s as rewarding as it is satisfying. In the game,players build castlesand fortifications using a modular system akin to playing withLEGO. This results in a tactile experience that would be fun on its own, but watching as swarms of enemies attempt to bring it all down elevates the gameplay, providing a tightly wound loop.
This game is also a joy to look at, with its subdued colors and foggy environments, both of which contribute greatly to its gloomy atmosphere. The use of flat colors and minimalist painterly textures elevate the somewhat basic shapes of the game’s environments and characters, making for a soft aesthetic that’s easy on the eyes.
Grim-dark, Gothic, and hand-drawn are all terms that can be used to describeDarkest Dungeon’sappropriately-dark sense of style. Thisdark-fantasy strategy gamefeatures turn-based dungeon-crawling and RPG mechanics, packed with strategy and layered with Lovecraftian horror.
Darkest Dungeonis a brutal strategy game, with every one of the player’s heroes being lost permanently should they fall in battle. If a hero doesn’t fall from a fatal wound, it might just be the stress of the dungeon that kills them, or at the very least causes mental trauma. Depicting this dark and unforgiving world is the game’s scratchy hand-drawn artwork, portraying an ensemble of haggard characters and rendering the grim-dark setting in a brilliant Gothic style.
Wildfrost’spresentation almost outshines its unique innovations in the deck-building genre, but not quite. The game’s winter theme, dense with snow and fantastical elements, is its cornerstone, which the developers riff on repeatedly to offer incredibly memorable character designs and tongue-in-cheek humor. However,Wildfrost’sgameplay is also distinctive, with a unique turn system, inspirations drawn fromgames such asHearthstone, and a pull-no-punches style that’s unforgiving to the first degree.
Players control a leader and their companions in turn-based battles across a fantasy world trapped in an eternal winter. Every time a player uses a card, a turn is taken and the counters on each card in play count down. When these counters reach zero, the respective card acts. This results in a system that’s tremendously engaging and strategic, but often hard to read. This leads to turns taking more time than they should, as players are forced to calculate the outcome of any given play, and it’s not hard to make a run-ending mistake. However, for the most part, the game’s cute and colorful art style helps to keep frustration at bay.
