The Total War series has been a pinnacle of 4x, grand strategy and empire building games. Taking you from ancient Rome, to Japan, and even to Europe, there’s a breadth of gaming to be had, and its loads of fun to boot. Of course, sometimes gamer’s ache for something a little different, and that’s why we’ve compiled a quick list of games similar to Total War.

Top Games Like Total War

5. Eador: Masters of the Broken World

In this game, you are the leader of a broken world and much like Total War, you go from map to map, beating other leaders and acquiring that specific part of the world. The more you acquire, the more you conquer, the bigger your island world gets, and the tougher your opponents become. When it comes to grand strategy and world building, Eador: Masters of the Broken World gets it down pat and is pretty similar to Total War and yet still stands on its own feet.

The battles themselves are more similar to game like Heroes of Might and Magic. You have your hero and a specific army, and when the battle starts, you are all placed in a hex-grid from which you decide your attacks. Each unit has a certain order that it attacks in based on initiate, and whoever kills the other wins!

4. Crusader Kings 2

Another great game by Paradox Interactive, it puts you in the place of a medieval ruler vying for ultimate power. Of course, instead of focusing mostly on combat, the game adds a layer of intrigue with spying, blackmail and complex political maneuvering. The game is scored based on points, rather than straightforward “acquire this many territories” kind of objectives, so you have a lot of freedom when it comes to how you want to play your grand strategy.

The only downside is that the battles themselves are simulated automatically, so there’s no battlefield fighting to be had here. Other than that though, Crusader Kings 2 hits all the major points of Total War, making it a fun and captivating game to play.

3. Europa Universalis IV

Europa Unversalis is pretty similar to Crusader Kings 2 and falling close to Hearts of Iron. The second Paradox Interactive game on the list, it continues the tradition of games that don’t only focus on combat as a way to victory. You chose one of the major powers of earth from anywhere starting 1444 up to 1820 and then guide it to victory by scoring.

Ultimately, this game is a good alternative to both Total War and Crusader Kings 2, so it’s doubly awesome in that regard!

2. Age of Wonders 3

Age of Wonders 3 has you taking charge of a particular race (otherwise known as a faction), and going through an adventure to reclaim lost glory. Following similar themes as the previous titles mentioned, you have your cities that can be upgraded, your troops and your hero character that acts as the narrative hook. The battle itself takes place on a grid-style battlefield, with a choice of 6 unit types per here and up to 3 heroes per side, so you can get a lot more battle action than other games that take place on hexagonal battleflieds.

Overall, Age of Wonders 3 is a great game if you’re in the market for a fantasy 4x game.

1. Civilization V

There isn’t much to be said about the Civilization series, they really speak for themselves and Civilization V is arguably one of the best in the installment. Being a leader has never been so fun, controlling everything from your armies to the specifics of what to produce, Civ V is very close to Total War in the level of simulation.

Honestly, if you’re a 4x gamer, then this game is a must play.

What do you think of our list? Do you think any other games deserve to be on here? Let us know in the comments!

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