7 Best PS5 Strategy Games for Tactical Masterminds in 2025
When it comes to the best PS5 strategy games, the options are overwhelming. I know, it’s not easy to choose. I’m here to try to make this easier for you. We’re going to go through a selection of strategy games that include fantastic storylines and require you to show your strategic thinking skills, manage your resources, and participate in intense confrontations that can keep you hooked for hours.
This list contains a little bit of everything. All of the games listed belong to the strategy game genre, but each one comes with unique elements that are worth going through. So, sit tight, and let’s get started.
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Our Top Picks for PS5 Strategy Games
Before beginning with our extended list of the best PS5 strategy games, I wanted to stop first on our selection of the top 3 titles.
This will give you an idea of where each game stands in our expert ranking, and what you should get started with if you want to try out more than one game.
- Civilization VII (2025) – a creative and elaborate game that allows you to build an empire from scratch, where you get to show your diplomacy and military skills while managing your resources properly. Civilization VII is like a reinvention of empire-building strategies, and it features stunning visuals and innovative mechanics.
- Age of Empires II (2020, Definitive Edition) – a classic strategy game that comes as a remastered version of the legendary Age of Empires II. In this game, you can build and expand your empire as you progress alongside history, test your wits in strategic combat, and control your assets in the best way possible.
- Frostpunk (2020, Complete Edition) – a grim, high-stakes strategy game that lets you take over the last city on Earth, during a frozen apocalypse. It’s all about the choices you make. Your moral decisions will decide the fate of humanity.
These top 3 strategy games are absolute must-plays for all tactical combat fans who love tough decision-making and the thrill of outsmarting your enemy. Keep reading for more details on each and a couple of more titles in the same genre.
Best PS5 Strategy Games
Love a good strategy game? This list of the 7 best PS5 strategy games dives into each title, giving you details about their strengths, what sets them apart, and any other important information. Let’s get started, shall we?
1. Civilization VII
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch |
| Year of Release | 2025 |
| Developer | Firaxis Games |
| Average Playtime | 50+ hours |
| Best For | Fans of deep, turn-based strategy games and empire-building |
| Unique Features | Lead a civilization from the Stone Age to the Information Age, advanced diplomacy, city-building, and military tactics |
Civilization VII is an absolutely legendary game that offers a deep and engaging experience that strategy enthusiasts love. In this game, you are in charge of overseeing a civilization, and you guide it from the Stone Age all the way to the Information Age. You manage the resources, show your diplomacy skills by negotiating agreements, and lead your army, aiming to extend your empire.
Every choice you make in the game feels like a turning point that shapes the future of your empire. You take charge of city-building projects, technological research, and military strategies. As the ruler, you need to find the perfect balance between the needs of your civilization and your long-term, big-picture goals to defeat enemies and expand your empire.
The thing that makes Civilization VII stand out among others is how replayable it is. You never get enough! You get to switch between civilizations, each one with its special features and conditions, each one providing a completely fresh experience. While we’re on the topic of civilization games, here are my recommendations for the best Civilization games to try out.
Civilization VII is an essential game for fans of turn-based strategy, as it features a perfect blend of complexity and accessibility. In Civilization VII, you’re not just reliving history. You’re creating your own alternate history, where your decisions change the course of the world.
2. Age of Empires II
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox X/S, Xbox One, PC |
| Year of Release | 2020 (Definitive Edition) |
| Developer | Relic Entertainment |
| Average Playtime | 40–50 hours |
| Best For | Fans of historical RTS games, city-building, and tactical combat |
| Unique Features | Lead historical civilizations through different ages, large-scale battles, and deep strategy mechanics |
Age of Empires II is an outstanding real-time strategy (RTS) game that allows you to take control of one of many historical civilizations that the game features. This edition, called The Definitive Edition (2020), is an exquisite remake of the classic Age of Empires II that started a revolution in RTS gaming.
The main objectives of the game include building cities, controlling your assets, negotiating with other empires, forming alliances, and finally, engaging in strategic combat. If you love historical RTS games like Age of Empires II, check out our best PS5 games roundup for even more immersive titles.
You are tasked with overseeing your civilization’s economic development, military operations, and technological advancement, all the while involving your civilization in wars against other entities. Add to this innovative campaigns and enhanced visuals, and you get a game that’s incredibly immersive and memorable.
What makes this game stand out is its historical accuracy and the fact that it strikes a balance between history and innovation, providing a refreshed gaming experience. Commanding powerful rival factions is key in Age of Empires II, where you battle to expand your empire and search for ways to outsmart your enemies.
For real-time strategy (RTS) fans, Age of Empires II gives an outstanding experience filled with tactical gameplay, historical immersion, and strategic combat. The game is a perfect mix of single-player campaigns with multi-player battles.
3. Frostpunk
| Platforms | PS4, Xbox One, PC |
| Year of Release | 2021 |
| Developer | 11 bit studios |
| Average Playtime | 15–30 hours |
| Best For | Fans of survival strategy, city-building, and moral decision-making |
| Unique Features | Build and manage the last city in a frozen world, face tough moral choices, resource management |
In this demanding open world game, humanity has been wiped out by a new ice age. As the ruler of the last living city, you have a number of tasks: managing your assets, building infrastructure, and making essential decisions that are going to affect the well-being of all of your subjects.
Frostpunk will push you to your limits by putting you in positions where you need to make challenging moral decisions, like, for instance, whether you should enforce strict laws in your population, or whether you should take a smoother approach and ease up. There’s a constant struggle between prioritizing your population’s needs or fighting the elements of the frozen land.
The game challenges you to create and lead a civilization through difficult times, while also bearing gorgeous visuals and an eerie atmosphere. Here’s a list of our suggestions for the best monitors for PS5 to enjoy the outstanding visuals of Frostpunk.
Real-time strategy (RTS) fans will appreciate the perfect combination of city-building with asset management and moral decision-making. This game is a must for anyone who likes to challenge themselves with coming up with difficult strategies that require moral judgment. Check out this guide for the best strategy games to see more similar titles like this one.
4. Tropico 5 & 6
| Platforms | Tropico 5: PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PCTropico 6: PS4, PS5, Xbox X/S, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch |
| Year of Release | Tropico 5 (2014), Tropico 6 (2019) |
| Developer | Limbic Entertainment |
| Average Playtime | 30–40 hours |
| Best For | Fans of city-building, simulation, and political strategy |
| Unique Features | Manage an island nation, rule as “El Presidente,” navigate historical eras, and balance resources and political power |
In Tropico 5 & 6, you assume the role of El Presidente, who leads a tropical island country through different historical eras, from colonial times to the modern age. You’re tasked with governing your country, managing your assets, and planning your political moves. But, this doesn’t mean that there isn’t any fighting. You constantly encounter challenges from other countries and try hard not to lose your power.
There are quite a few differences between these two. Tropico 5 is set on an island, while Tropico 6 is set on an archipelago, where you can switch between islands as you go.
Tropico 5 comes with straightforward building placement, while Tropico 6 adds public transport systems. On top of that, Tropico 6 adds a raid system, where you can assign people to steal world wonders, while this feature is not present in Tropico 5.
For strategy fans who love city-building with a fun political twist, Tropico 5 & 6 is the ultimate choice. Tropico adapts a funny approach to governing, focusing more on the absurdities of being a dictator, rather than on strategic planning and management. If you’re a fan of political strategy and city-building, be sure to explore the best turn-based strategy games for more titles that focus on thoughtful decision-making and management.
5. Marvel’s Midnight Suns
| Platforms | PS4, PS5, Xbox X/S, PC |
| Year of Release | 2022 |
| Developer | Firaxis Games |
| Average Playtime | 30–40 hours |
| Best For | Fans of tactical RPGs, turn-based combat, and Marvel fans |
| Unique Features | Card-based combat system, relationship-building with Marvel heroes, dark Marvel Universe storyline |
Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a fantastic combination of tactical role-playing games (RPG) and relationship-building simulation that brings a darker side of the Marvel Universe to the table.
In this incredible Marvel game, you step into the role of Hunter, but you can still pair up with all the iconic heroes like Iron Man, Captain America, and Spider-Man, with Peter Parker being one of the key characters, and work together against different forces that are a danger to the world.
This is a game that requires you to think strategically before you make any move. It is a turn-based combat game with cards that show your abilities. Each player has their own set of cards, and they need to think hard before they choose which card they’re going to use. Marvel’s Midnight Suns also uses the DualSense controller, taking advantage of its features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers for a fantastic gaming experience.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns is your ultimate choice if you’re into RPG games that fuse strategic combat with character development and emotion-loaded narratives. While it focuses on single-player mode, you can also have fun with co-op play, and team up with friends for tactical combat. It is a must-play for Marvel Universe and strategy game fans who search for the same vibe in video games.
6. Crusader Kings III
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox X/S, PC |
| Year of Release | 2022 |
| Developer | Paradox Interactive |
| Average Playtime | 40–60 hours |
| Best For | Fans of grand strategy, political intrigue, and dynasty management |
| Unique Features | Character-driven gameplay, dynasty management, political and personal drama |
Crusader Kings III is an exquisite grand strategy role-playing game where you play the ruler of an ancient dynasty and lead the family through generations of political intrigue, wartime, and family drama. This is not your usual strategy-based game. In Crusader Kings III, apart from the strategic thinking required to rule a country, you also deal with personal drama that relates directly to the medical power struggles. This game offers backwards compatibility, so no matter if you’re ruling on PS4 or enjoying enhanced features on PS5, the experience remains captivating.
You’ll find yourself in situations where you have to make difficult decisions, like forming alliances, arranging marriages, starting wars, etc. As you play, you know that every move you make can lead to either victory and a rise in power, or devastating defeat.
Crusader Kings III is a must-play for strategy fans who crave gaming that features deep storylines, combined with complex political and personal dynamics. It’s not just about building an empire and ruling. It’s about creating something that will be there for generations to come. As a bonus, here are some more options for you to explore in our grand strategy games guide.
7. Cities: Skylines – Remastered
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox X/S |
| Year of Release | 2023 |
| Developer | Paradox Interactive |
| Average Playtime | 40–60 hours |
| Best For | Fans of simulation, city-building, and resource management |
| Unique Features | In-depth city management, creative freedom, traffic and infrastructure management |
Cities: Skylines – Remastered is the best modern city-building simulation game. In this remastered version, you step into the role of a mayor and urban planner. Your duties include designing, building, and managing every aspect of your city. You work on different projects related to road construction, managing services like healthcare and education, and more. The happiness of your citizens is in your hands.
The game offers immense creative freedom, allowing you to build everything from scratch. You can build residential districts or industrial zones, and you oversee complex systems of traffic, utilities, and taxes.
This game challenges you to solve problems and optimize the city’s infrastructure as the population grows. While not strictly a 4X game, Cities: Skylines – Remastered shares a lot of elements with this category. That’s why, usually, fans of this title also love really good 4X games.
For strategy fans, Cities: Skylines – Remastered offers a great gaming experience, thanks to its hands-on approach to city management. It’s not just about building a city. It’s about solving real-world urban planning problems, making tough decisions, and optimizing complex systems.
The level of detail and freedom in shaping your city will appeal to anyone who loves simulation and management games. As a bonus, this game is backwards compatible, so you can enjoy the experience both on PlayStation 4 and 5.
FAQs
What is the best strategy game for PS5?
Civilization VII is one of the best games for PS5 in the strategy genre, offering a deep and engaging empire-building experience with modern enhancements. It combines historical accuracy, resource management, and tactical decision-making.
Are there any cross-platform strategy games on PS5?
Yes, some cross-platform strategy games on PS5 include Fortnite and Minecraft, which allow you to team up with players across different platforms, expanding your strategic gaming experience.
