2. Rome: Total War (2004)

This classic Total War game set during the times of the Roman Empire is one of the best strategy games ever.

Few games have caused a sensation like Rome: Total War, British developer Creative Assembly’s follow-up to their highly regarded Medieval: Total War. But no matter how good that game was, it pales in comparison to the grand strategy masterpiece Rome is. Here you took control of one of three Roman factions, with the goal of taking over most of Europe and Northern African in an attempt to create an Empire, something that would have you exchanging blows with everyone else at the end…

The turn-based campaign got a lot of love here too, as it was possible to station armies in forests and other strategic points to setup ambushes and give enemies like the barbaric Gauls a run for their money… It was the real-time battles, though, that drew most of the attention here, as these feature thousands of legionaries and barbarians and are truly a sight to behold, making you feel like a bona fide Roman general. Plus this also has top-notch art and a sumptuous musical score (which won a BAFTA no less) meaning it’s only second to the masterpiece Total War: Shogun 2 is.