Strategy and simulation games are very popular on PC, and they are also starting to gain popularity on Xbox One. Many strategy games do better with a mouse and keyboard control scheme, but more and more developers are finding new, innovative ways to make more complex games work well with controllers. Whether your desire is to command huge armies of Space Marines against wandering aliens or build your own city from the ground up, Xbox has you covered.
Halo Wars 2
save the galaxy
Halo Wars 2 is an epic strategy game set in Microsoft’s flagship Halo franchise. Set after the events of Halo 5, the crew of the UNSC Spirit of Fire warship emerges from deep stasis, to find a rogue alien coalition attempting to take control of a galaxy-killing superweapon. It’s up to you to train your units, build your buildings and end the fight.
Stardew Valley
grow them
Stardew Valley is a cute farming simulation game, set in a rich and dynamic 2D world. In Stardew, players must plant crops, sow seeds, manage budgets, all while maintaining relationships with a nearby town. Stardew Valley is a relaxing and approachable sim, ideal for chill sessions.
XCOM 2
alien invasion
In XCOM 2, you control an army of elite fighters to defend Earth. As a turn-based strategy game with a basic management component, you position and move multiple units of different classes, facing aliens who have their own array of tools designed to ruthlessly destroy your squads. XCOM 2 is dynamic, engaging and incredibly challenging.
Elite Dangerous
among the stars
Elite Dangerous is one of the most accurate and detailed intergalactic flight simulators in the universe, giving you access to a 1:1 scale map of the Milky Way to play with, with massive travel times , deep and complex economic and political systems, and an ever-expanding feature set. Elite Dangerous takes place in a persistent online world, allowing you to team up, trade, or destroy other players.
Protected
Preparation for the apocalypse
Sheltered is available for Windows 10 and Xbox One, and it’s a post-apocalypse survival simulator that revolves around protecting your family, rather than taking care of an array of disposable units. Turn-based combat, vicious resource management, and a punishing trauma system make Sheltered a great game for aspiring doomsday plotters.
i am bread
Fancy a toast?
For those of us who can’t even start the day without a few slices of toast, this game is for you. I am Bread is the greatest bread simulation game ever made. The goal is to clumsily immerse yourself in a heat source to grill yourself. Seriously.
Survive Mars
Life on Mars
Surviving Mars is a beautiful and dynamic simulation title that takes you to the surface of the Red Planet. In Surviving Mars, it’s your job as a budding space investor to set up and maintain the galaxy’s first human colony on Mars. You’ll have to navigate planetary dangers, manage resources like water and oxygen, and you’ll still have plenty of opportunities to get creative.
X-Morph: Defense
Tower defense on steroids
X-Morph: Defense is a strategic tower defense game with shoot’em up action combat. While piloting an upgradable jet fighter, you must also manage defensive towers along an array of attack routes as streams of aliens attempt to invade and destroy your base. The game takes place across dozens of maps and is fun, strategic, and action-packed.
Cities: Skylines
build them
Cities: Skylines is one of the most addictive, relaxing and therapeutic simulation games ever made. Featuring excellent gamepad controls and vibrant graphics, Cities: Skylines lets you build the metropolis of your dreams. Manage industry types, infrastructure, energy saving, and more, with tons of expansion packs and post-launch support.
When I want to relax Survive Mars has been my favorite game in the past. The relaxing and therapeutic Martian building simulation is ideal for exercising your creativity, while challenging your strategic brain to intelligently manage resources. Mutant Year Zero is another favorite, for its engaging atmosphere, fun combat, and excellent dialogue. However, XCOM 2 is arguably the best strategy game on this list, however, potentially granting hundreds hours of gameplay you can really sink into.
