Instead of Doing All That Clicking, Take Turns

The turn-based strategy game is easily one of the most enjoyable, satisfying, and convenient kinds of games ever made for computers. That may sound like a pretty bold claim, so I should probably qualify it. For starters, though a turn-based strategy game's pacing may seem slow, it not only lets players take their time and play through the game at a leisurely pace, but it also lets developers add complexity and depth to the game without having to worry about whether players will have enough time to consider their actions. That's not to say that action games and real-time strategy games aren't fun in their own ways, because they certainly are. But one of the most uniquely enjoyable things about playing a turn-based strategy game is assessing your situation within the game, making the right decision on what to do next, and watching that decision pay off over the next few turns.

Barbarian and knight armies clash!

Some of the best turn-based strategy games will let you do just that, and they'll reward you for doing so. One of my personal favorites, the Heroes of Might and Magic strategy series, features one of the most intriguing game designs I've ever come across. Now, the first time you play a Heroes game, you may miss out on the game's hidden depth, since each of the games can be played with hardly any sort of strategy whatever: Just put the game's difficulty setting on "easy," create a "killer stack" (a battalion consisting of the most powerful units and equipped with the most powerful items), and go on a rampage, capturing all the resources and treasures on the map and obliterating any enemies that stand in your way. However, if you actually take the time to plan out your next move, you'll find that that sort of careful planning will often prove rewarding. Instead of creating a huge army and ignoring whatever minor casualties you might suffer, try keeping an eye on your units' abilities to deal out and sustain damage. You'll find that you can actually do much more with a relatively small army--which you can build up much more quickly than a huge killer stack--than you might've otherwise thought possible. You'll also find that in many cases, it's usually better to ration out your resources rather than throw them away on immediate upgrades; in the Heroes games, planning out what you've got against what you'll have in subsequent turns is the best way to maximize the weekly output of each of your strongholds. In effect, though you can play the game as a simple no-brainer, the more time and planning you put into playing a game of Heroes, the more you'll get out of it.

Do some work, Alt-Tab and seize the gold mine, Alt-Tab back.

Andrew's Now Playing: Anarchy Online, Max Payne Recent Favorites: Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal All-Time Favorites: Heroes of Might and Magic, Planescape: Torment, Doom

Watch for Honest Abe in Civ III this winter.

So what kinds of turn-based strategy games should you look for? You should be able to find discounted copies of older games like Civilization II and Warlords III in the bargain bin of your local store. You should also try out relatively recent games like Disciples, Age of Wonders, Heroes III, and Jagged Alliance 2. And keep an eye out for upcoming turn-based games like Heroes IV, Civilization III, Age of Wonders II, Master of Orion III, and Disciples II. There are already quite a few great turn-based strategy games to choose from, and even more on the way.