The most interesting strategy games released in 2005
All the best and most popular games of the year, upcoming releases, and hits from the past. Use filters to narrow down search.
Khan Wars
Strategy
January 1, 2005
Khan Wars is a real-time browser strategy developed by Bulgarian XS Software studio. As the ruler of one of the 11 available tribes, players fight for dominance over the medieval world. The title is offered on a "free to play" basis with the option of paid facilities.
Hearts of Iron 2
Strategy
January 4, 2005
A sequel to the well-received grand strategy game set during World War II, developed by Paradox Interactive. Hearts of Iron 2 spans the entire world and requires us to oversee not only military activities but also all kinds of economic, political, and social dependencies. The player can lead any country, including the biggest superpowers of the era, such as Germany, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union. Hearts of Iron 2 offers great freedom in preparations for the outbreak of the World War II. The general premise of the gameplay recreates the solutions of the game's predecessor, but the sequel features many novelties, including additional diplomatic and political options (for example, you can check what would happen if Marxist ideas were introduced in Germany), an open negotiation system, trade agreements, or experience acquisition for military units. Historical scenarios that let us see the conflict through the eyes of a famous commander were also enhanced.
Civil War: The Battle of Bull Run - Take Command 1861
Strategy
January 11, 2005
Take Command 1861: The Civil War is a real-time strategy that addresses the theme of the Civil War. Traditionally, the player will be at the head of one of the conflicting parties and, by breaking through a set of campaigned missions, will try to settle them to their advantage.
Cuban Missile Crisis: The Aftermath
Strategy
February 4, 2005
A real-time strategy embedded in an alternative history. The Cuban crisis (the conflict between the USA and Cuba, which found itself in the sphere of influence of the USSR and received military aid) does not end here with a peaceful solution.
The Settlers: Heritage of Kings
Strategy
February 8, 2005
The Settlers: Heritage of Kings is another entry in the popular saga of unusual strategy economic games that started in 1994. Contrary to the previous entries in the series, the new episode features detailed, fully three-dimensional graphics.
Will of Steel
Strategy
March 4, 2005
The Strength of Fire is a real-time strategy (RTS) created by Gameyus. The action of the game is set in the present day, and the player plays William Steel - a young officer of the American army, who heads a battalion of well-trained soldiers. Campaign mode allows you to take part in missions played during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Stalingrad (2005)
Strategy
March 11, 2005
Stalingrad is a real-time strategy game, accurately reproducing one of the most famous operations of the Second World War (17 July 1942 - 2 February 1943). Developers have introduced to their own work a few separate battle campaigns: the first one devoted to the activities of the German Wehrmacht, and the second dealing with the actions of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Act of War: Direct Action
Strategy
March 15, 2005
Act of War: Direct Action is an innovative strategy game that is produced by a small French developer studio Eugen Systems. We are dealing here with real time strategy, and the basic element that distinguishes it from similar titles are the spectacular battles played on the streets of many famous cities.
Metal Gear Acid
Strategy
March 22, 2005
Metal Gear Acid is the first game for a mobile PSP console featuring the famous Solid Snake, the trademark of Metal Gear Solid products. However, this item differs quite clearly from the titles of the MGS series, because it offers us tactical turn-based fun with the use of special cards.
The Settlers: Heritage of Kings - Nebula Realm
Strategy
March 22, 2005
The Settlers: The Heritage of Kings - Additional Missions is an extension to enrich the basic version of The Settlers: The Heritage of Kings. In addition, there is a new campaign, as well as maps for single- and multiplayer games. Developers from Blue Byte Software studio have also prepared several new heroes, additional buildings and a functional editor that allows you to create your own scripts.
Gary Grigsby’s World at War
Strategy
March 28, 2005
Another extensive turn-based strategy developed by 2BY3 Games - a team including a true legend of war-themed strategy games - Gary Grigsby. The player is taken to the World War II period and the fate of the countries involved in it lies in the player's hands. Not only can the player command their armies directly and apply sophisticated strategies or tactics, but also develop new military technologies and bring more and more powerful units into fight. The game was divided into four campaigns that encompass particular stages of the war. Five playable "factions" were included here - Germany, China, Japan, the Soviet Union and the Western Allies. The game features an extensive map comprised of over 350 areas. Similar to the studio's prior games, World at War comes with a large amounts of realism and attention to details. Each of the in-game units was described by up to 14 attributes, most of which can be improved through research and development.
Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars
Strategy
April 4, 2005
The sequel of the award-winning real-time strategy game, Cossacks: European Wars by GSC Game World. Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars takes the action a hundred years forward, to the 19th century, when France led by Napoleon assumed dominating position in Europe. The players can lead one of six countries: France, Great Britain, Austria, Russia, Prussia, and Egypt, each having their unique buildings and historical units. In total, the game features six grand campaigns that consists of around 60 missions. Moreover, the player can play twelve standalone missions and fight ten historical battles. Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars offers an advanced diplomacy and economy systems that let us influence our relations with neighbors, form pacts and alliances, issue embargoes, and so on. Battles are now even more realistic and spectacular thanks to the use of various formations and as well as making terrain shape and type a meaningful factor. Apart from the single player mode, the production offers several variants of multiplayer modes.
Democracy
Strategy
April 17, 2005
A turn-based strategy game in which we play the role of president or prime minister of a fictitious democratic country, which belongs to the category of political simulators. By taking a number of decisions in seven key aspects of the functioning of the state, we try to meet the expectations of many different political parties, as well as social and professional groups.
Stronghold 2
Strategy
April 19, 2005
The second installment in the series of strategy games which was started in 2001 by Firefly studio. The developers decided not to experiment with gameplay mechanics and instead only expanded the best features of the original. The player can once again choose from two separate campaigns which focus on either the economic or the military aspects of the gameplay. The list of available siege machines and defense tools was expanded, the realism of the game was improved and a possibility to use various battle formations was introduced. The economic part of the game was improved as well – now it offers almost 140 buildings and 20 different production chains. The necessity to keep the stronghold clean was introduced. Ignoring this can lead to plague or an epidemic outbreak. The most visible change is a fully three-dimensional graphics engine. Thanks to it one can observe the settlement from top-down perspective and the battles, in which up to 1000 units can participate, now take place also inside buildings.
Tabloid Tycoon
Strategy
April 25, 2005
Tabloid Tycoon is a strategy and economic game, in which users have to create their own media empire. Virtual activities focus on running a typical press "cobblestone". (tabloid), gaining popularity and attracting readers mainly due to cheap sensation and sounding various scandals.
Tin Soldiers: Julius Caesar
Strategy
April 26, 2005
Julius Caesar is the second installment of the Tin Soldiers series, prepared by the development team of Koios Works. As the subtitle indicates, this production is concentrated around the figure of Julius Caesar, one of the most eminent chiefs of ancient Rome and its statesman.
Empire Earth II
Strategy
April 28, 2005
The second installment in a popular series of real-time strategy games. The player assumes control of one of fourteen civilizations, leading it from the Stone Age and up to the era of space travel. Our goal involves developing new technologies, creating military units, and leading them in combat in order to defeat our opponents. In contrast to its predecessor, Empire Earth II offers a wide range of new features, including improved AI, weather conditions that affect the units on the map, and a new formation system that helps in leading large numbers of units and makes them less likely to engage in random skirmishes. Aside from a single player mode, we are offered nine multiplayer variants, including Hot Spots, a mode that sees us defend strategic locations around the map, an improved multiplayer ranking known as Crown System, expanded match statistics, tournament mode, and finally the ability to record matches.
Desert Law
Strategy
April 29, 2005
Desert Law: Desert Warriors is a postapocalyptic real-time strategy (RTS) with cRPG elements. The action of the game takes place in a world destroyed by a cataclysm. The player directs Breda's actions, who tries to unite the rest of the survivors and oppose the chaos spread by the numerous gangs of carnivorous people. The title was produced by Arise development studio.
