Games Like Age of Empires: Top 16 Real-Time Strategy Alternatives

The Real Time Strategy video game genre has been around since the early days of gaming, however, it exploded in popularity when PC gaming became a lot more mainstream in the early 90s and 2000s.

During this time, many popular RTS titles were released and some even became full-fledged franchises of their own. One such title that became not just a franchise, but perhaps one of the biggest franchises within its genre and perhaps even gaming itself is Age of Empires.

Unfortunately, nowadays RTS games are not as popular as they were, however, many players are looking for titles to scratch that RTS itch. Fortunately, we are here to assist you with that by providing you with a list of some of the best games like Age of Empires, so let’s take a closer look at them.

Age of Empires Game Features

1. Age of Mythology

Starting things off, we have Age of Mythology, a real-time strategy developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Originally released back in October 2002 in North America and in November 2002 in Europe, the game is loved by many RTS fans and is widely considered to be one of the best games within the genre.

Like most RTS games, Age of Mythology tasks the player with defeating the enemy units with their own. At your disposal, there are multiple different Titans and Gods, as well as mythological creatures, soldier types, and ships. Players can also invoke various powers of the Gods, advance technologies, manage resources, and much more.

• Developer: Ensemble Studios, Westlake Interactive
• Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios, MacSoft
• Release Date: October 31, 2002
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, OS X

2. Warcraft 3 Reforged

We would like to start this paragraph by saying that we would have included the original Warcraft 3 and Warcraft 3 Frozen Throne Games here, however, neither of them is playable anymore, which brings us to the next best thing, Warcraft 3 Reforged.

Warcraft 3 Reforged was developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment as a remaster of their previous game Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos and its expansion pack Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne. The game was released back in January 2020 for Microsoft Windows and macOS, and despite all the issues it suffered at launch, it is still one of the best RTS games that you can play.

The gameplay itself is pretty standard and features base-building, heroes, spells, and units all from the Warcraft universe pitted against each other in an endless battle for dominance. The game also lets the player play through all of the campaigns from the original two releases.

• Developer: Blizzard Entertainment, Lemon Sky Studios
• Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
• Release Date: January 28, 2020
• Platform: macOS, Microsoft Windows

3. Empire Earth

Empire Earth was developed by Stainless Steel Studios and published by Sierra On-Line and is the first game in the Empire Earth series. Released back in November 2001, this real-time strategy game is considered by many to be one of the best of its kind out there. The game received an expansion pack titled Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest in 2002 which added a new epoch and a special power for each of the available civilizations.

As far as gameplay goes, Empire Earth features most of the standard elements that you would expect in an RTS game such as resource gathering and management, base-building, unit production, and multiple civilizations to choose from. However, what separates it from other titles of the same genre is the unit morale system as well as the pure amount of epochs that players can go through that range from the early stone age, all the way to the futuristic space age.

• Developer: Stainless Steel Studios
• Publisher: Sierra On-Line
• Release Date: November 13, 2001
• Platform: Microsoft Windows

4. Cossacks: European Wars

Cossacks: European Wars is a real-time strategy game that was developed by GSC Game World and published by CDV Software Entertainment. The game was released back in March 2001 and is only available for Microsoft Windows.

The game is set in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries and provides the players with sixteen different nations to choose from, each with its own unique technologies, units, and architectural style.

Like many RTS games out there, Cossacks: European Wars comes with all of the standard gameplay elements such as multiple resources to gather and manage, building construction, and a wide variety of units to lead.

However, unlike many games of its kind, Cossacks: European Wars also comes with a unique famine system as well as a chance for your subject to commit mutiny should you lack the necessary skills to lead your civilization. Another aspect that differs from other RTS games of the era is the fact that there is no limit when it comes to the number of units that you can produce.

• Developer: GSC Game World
• Publisher: CDV Software Entertainment
• Release Date: 30 March 2001
• Platform: Microsoft Windows

5. Starcraft

Next up, we have the original Starcraft, another game made and published by Blizzard Entertainment. This real-time strategy sci-fi game was released way back in 1998 for PC and later ported to other platforms such as Mac OS and Nintendo 64 and is considered to be one of the best games of its kind, managing to receive an expansion pack titled StarCraft: Brood War as well as an official sequel titled StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty that featured a set of its own expansion packs.

The game is set in the future, sometime during the 25th century in a faraway region of the Milky Way galaxy called the Koprulu Sector where three different species are locked in an eternal struggle for dominance over the region.

The player can play as one of the three races, Terrans, Zerg, or Protoss, and each of them come with its own technologies, units, abilities, and unique advantages and disadvantages. The main gameplay elements are similar to other RTS games of the time and include base construction, unit production, and resource management.,

• Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
• Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
• Release Date: March 31, 1998
• Platform: macOS, Microsoft Windows, Classic Mac OS, Nintendo 64

6. Empire Earth 2

At number six we have the first sequel on this list, Empire Earth 2. Empire Earth 2 is an RTS developed by Mad Doc Software and published by Vivendi Universal Games and Sierra Entertainment. The game was released back in April 2005 and serves as a sequel to the original Empire Earth from 2001.

In terms of gameplay mechanics, the sequel doesn’t differ much from the original title. The players still need to collect resources, build bases, produce units, and advance through epochs, however, Empire Earth 2 doesn’t allow the player to progress to Space Age.

The sequel also features a number of quality-of-life improvements, such as a better user interface as well as upgrades to the diplomacy system which allow you to coordinate attacks with your allies. The map also changes over time and these changes can affect specific units and their performance.

• Developer: Mad Doc Software
• Publisher: Vivendi Universal Games, Sierra Entertainment
• Release Date: April 26, 2005
• Platform: Microsoft Windows

7. Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty

Next up we have another sequel to a title that is already on this list and that is Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty. This science fiction real-time strategy game was developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment and was released back in 2010 for PC and Mac OS. Wings of Liberty serves as a sequel to the original game and its Brood War expansion pack, and over the years, the game has received two expansion packs titled Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void.

Just like the original game, Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty lets the player pick one of the three races and features a storyline focused on each of them. All other elements from the original game are present as well such as resource gathering, base-building, and unique mechanics and units for each of the races.

• Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
• Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
• Release Date: July 27, 2010
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, macOS

8. Stronghold: Crusader

If you are a fan of strategy games, then you probably knew that this one would appear on the list sooner or later. Stronghold Crusader was developed by Firefly Studios and published by Gathering of Developers. Released back in September 2002, Stronghold Crusader serves as a successor to the 2001 RTS game simply titled Stronghold.

Unlike most of the previous games mentioned on this list, Stronghold Crusader doesn’t feature a campaign but rather introduces the player to a bunch of different AI lords whom the player can go up against. Each of these lords has a different approach when it comes to fighting and each of them requires a different strategy to be taken down.

In terms of gameplay mechanics, Stronghold Crusader comes with most standard RTS gameplay mechanics, however, there are a lot more different types of food and resources for the player to collect and manage. Base building is also present and taken to a whole new level compared to the previous entries and there are many different types of units that you can control, each with their own pros and cons.

The player can also influence the happiness of its subjects through taxes and by placing buildings that either make your subjects happier but less productive or make them fear you but in turn produce a lot more resources.

• Developer: Firefly Studios
• Publisher: Gathering of Developers
• Release Date: September 25, 2002
• Platform: Microsoft Windows

9. The Lord Of The Rings: The Battle For Middle-earth 2

The Lord Of The Rings: The Battle For Middle-earth 2 is a real-time strategy game that was developed and published by Electronic Arts and released in February 2006 for PC and  Xbox 360. The game is based on the Lord of the Rings series of books and serves as a sequel to the 2004’s The Lord Of The Rings: The Battle For Middle-earth game.

The game features two different campaigns, the Good campaign focused on defending Rivendell with Elves and Dwarves on your side, and the Evil campaign which focuses on the Nazgul and their efforts to raise an army of Goblins for Sauron.

As far as gameplay mechanics go, The Lord Of The Rings: The Battle For Middle-earth 2 lets the player recruit hero units, each with its own unique abilities as well as other units such as infantry, ranged, pikemen, and cavalry.

Base-building and resource management are also a huge part of the game. However, unlike the case with other titles we mentioned so far, the player controls whole formations and regiments of units, instead of each unit individually which puts a lot more emphasis on strategy in combat.

• Developer: EA Los Angeles
• Publisher: Electronic Arts
• Release Date: February 28, 2006
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360

10. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 is a real-time strategy game developed by Westwood Pacific and published by EA Games. Released back in October 2000, the game is wildly considered one of the staples of the RTS genre. The game received an expansion pack titled Command & Conquer: Yuri’s Revenge in 2001.

The story of Red Alert 2 continues after the events of the Allied campaign of the first Command & Conquer: Red Alert game and the player can choose to play as one of two factions, the Soviets and the Allies, both of which were present in the previous game as well.

When it comes to gameplay, there are only two resources to gather, ore and gems which can be transported to refineries. The player is also tasked with generating income which can be used to create buildings and units. The main goal of the game of course is to defeat enemy commanders by eliminating their forces and destroying their bases.

• Developer: Westwood Pacific
• Publisher: EA Games
• Release Date: October 25, 2000
• Platform: Microsoft Windows

11. Crusader Kings 3

Next up we have Crusader Kings 3, a grand strategy role-playing game that was developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. The game was released on various platforms back in September 2020 and is a third installment of the Crusader Kings franchise and a sequel to both previous entries.

Just like Age of Empires, Crusader Kings 3 is set in the Middle Ages, however, unlike Age of Empires which focuses on base-building, unit production, etc, Crusader Kings 3 focuses its gameplay around managing your kingdom through different methods.

Diplomacy plays a huge part in Crusader Kings 3 and the player is tasked with maintaining and expanding their kingdom through either war or marriage. There are three different government types available to players and religion plays a crucial role for you and your subjects.

• Developer: Paradox Development Studio
• Publisher: Paradox Interactive
• Release Date: 1 September 2020
• Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

12. Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour

The original Command & Conquer: Generals game was released back in February 2003, however for this list, we have chosen to include its first and only expansion pack, Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour. Zero Hour was developed by EA Los Angeles and published by EA Games. The game was released for PC in 2003 and later in 2005 for Mac OS X.

Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour lets the player select and play as one of three factions, them being the United States, China, and the Global Liberation Army. Each of these factions comes with its own unique units as well as its own strengths and weaknesses which you will need to learn to take advantage of if you wish to end up victorious.

As far as gameplay mechanics go, Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour lets you train units and vehicles, collect resources, and build weapons of mass destruction which you can utilize as you see fit.

• Developer: EA Los Angeles, i5works
• Publisher: EA Games, Aspyr Media
• Release Date: September 24, 2003
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X

13. Dawn of Man

At number thirteen we have Dawn of Man, a survival city-building game developed and published by Madruga Works. Dawn of Man is one of the more recent entries on this list, released on March 1st, 2019 for multiple platforms including Microsoft Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Unlike Age of Empires, Dawn of Man focuses more on survival and city-building mechanics. The game tasks the player with ensuring that a group of prehistoric settlers survive a period of time ranging from the Paleolithic era up until the Iron Age.

The player is responsible for ensuring that the settlement is functional and provides the settlers with various resources such as food, water, and clothing. On this journey, the player will have to tackle many challenges with their settlers such as natural disasters, animal attacks, and incoming raids.

• Developer: Madruga Works
• Publisher: Madruga Works
• Release Date: March 1, 2019
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

14. Rise of Nations

Nearing the end of our list we have Rise of Nations, an RTS title developed by Big Huge Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Rise of Nations was released back in May 2003 and is only available on Microsoft Windows and OS X. The game received an expansion pack titled Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots in 2004  as well as a rerelease titled Rise of Nations: Extended Edition in 2014.

Rise of Nations combines many elements of other RTS games of the time period and features things such as technology trees, unit production, and resource gathering, however, when it comes to combat, it puts a stronger emphasis on strategy compared to other titles on the list.

One thing that separates Rise of Nations from other games is its emphasis on territory. Namely, the space where players can build their empires is limited and will require you to meet specific conditions in order to expand your territory.

• Developer: Big Huge Games, Westlake Interactive
• Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios, MacSoft
• Release Date: May 20, 2003
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, OS X

15. Medieval 2: Total War

Medieval 2: Total War is one of the most popular strategy games, not just within its own franchise, but within the entire genre. The game was developed by Creative Assembly and published by Sega. It was originally released back in November 2006 and later ported to other platforms. The game received an expansion pack titled Medieval 2: Total War: Kingdoms in 2007.

Like many other Total War titles, Medieval 2: Total War features 2 modes, a turn-based campaign and the battles themselves. During the turn-based stages, the player can manage resources, construct buildings, travel across the map, and send out various agents to form alliances or sabotage enemies.

Battle phases focus on the battle itself which emphasizes strategic combat. The player controls whole regiments of different types of units, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, and is tasked with defeating the enemy army.

• Developer: Creative Assembly, Feral Interactive
• Publisher: Sega
• Release Date: 10 November 2006
• Platform: Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS

16. Forge of Empires

Last but not least, we have Forge of Empires, a strategy game developed and published by InnoGames. This title began as a web browser-based game and was originally released in April 2012. However, Forge of Empires was ported to iOS later in 2014 as well as Android in 2015.

Forge of Empires tasks the player with developing and expanding a city from the early stages of the Stone Age, all the way to Space Age where you can colonize other planets.

When it comes to gameplay mechanics, Forge of Empires lets the player build multiple types of buildings that produce different types of currency and points which players require to research technologies, unlock more buildings, and many other rewards.

The game also lets the player produce different types of units, and each unit counters and is countered by another type of unit. The combat features a turn-based tactics system and lets the player expand their territory.

• Developer: InnoGames
• Publisher: InnoGames
• Release Date: 17 April 2012
• Platform: Web browser, iOS, Android

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