The Battle of Polytopia is a turn-based 4X strategy game that came out in 2016. It’s got a cult following, and it’s easy to see why.
The game has a rich world to conquer, with twelve civilizations to pick from when setting up your campaign. If you’ve played The Battle of Polytopia before, you’ll know that it’s a game full of content. There’s never a shortage of things to do.
If you’re searching for more games with a similar playstyle and atmosphere, this is the list for you. Here are 10 games like Polytopia to play today.
Civilization V
First up, we have one of the most popular strategic games of all time.
Civilization V comes from the team at Firaxis Games and it came out in 2010. You can play it on Windows, Linux, and OS X.
It marks the fifth entry in the Civilization video game series, which dates back to 1991. This game is thought of as the best in the series.
You can choose from 18 civilizations in the standard version of the game. When you take into account two expansions and the DLCs, players have 43 distinct civilizations to choose from.
Unlike earlier releases that featured square tiles, there are hexagonal tiles in Civilization V. This update has opened the doors to many new combat and building strategies.
When you play the game, you take your civilization on a journey from prehistoric times to the future.
If you don’t have a lot of experience with strategy games, it’s easy to get a hang of it by playing Civilization V. The intuitive interface featured in the game allows you to easily work through your tasks and constantly sharpen your skills.
There are numerous activities you can take part in when you’re playing Civilization V, including military conquest, exploration, economic development, diplomacy, and research.
The game has multiple modes, including single-player, local co-op, and online.
Galactic Civilizations III
If you’re looking for a 4X turn-based strategy game set in a sci-fi world, there’s no need to look any further than Galactic Civilizations III.
The game represents the third entry in the Galactic Civilizations series. It is also the first game in the series to introduce hexagonal tiles and multiplayer modes.
Galactic Civilizations III came out in 2015 and is available on Windows.
The story takes place in a future where humans and alien civilizations engage in wars that span the whole galaxy. Each civilization has its own distinct history and motivations for why they want to become rulers of the galaxy. Players can pick which civilization they want to play.
After you choose, you go on a journey to conquer other planets.
What’s truly awesome about Galactic Civilizations III is that players can choose how each game will be set up.
You pick the abundance of planets and resources, the size of the map, and the frequency of events that occur in the galaxy.
There are multiple objectives you can pursue on your mission to become ruler of the galaxy. You can reign supreme through technological ascension, cultural domination, or military conquest.
Maps can be very big in the game. You can play against 16 to 100 opponents.
Although it’s extremely fun to play Galactic Civilizations III with other people, you shouldn’t skip the story-driven campaign. When you play the campaign, you learn a lot about the history of different alien civilizations and what lies ahead for humans.
Rome: Total War
This is an oldie but a goodie, and fans of games like Polytopia will love it.
Rome: Total War came out in 2004 and is thought of as many by many critics as one of the greatest video games ever made. It comes from the team at Creative Assembly and features both single-player and multiplayer modes.
Rome: Total War has become a timeless classic and it’s a great idea to start playing it now because a remastered version came out in 2021.
The game marks the third release in the Total War series. Like both prior releases, you have two main modes in Rome: Total War. There is the turn-based campaign that’s incredibly fun. Then there are the 3D real-time battles that you can play against AI or other players.
The single-player campaign is extremely interesting and takes you on a journey that showcases Ancient Rome from its Republican era to its imperial period. You initially have the option to choose from three different Roman families – the Scipii, the Julii, and the Brutii.
As you conquer different parts of the world in Rome: Total War, you can unlock other factions.
The real-time 3D battles are a bit different because they take place only on battlefields. Your goal in these battles is to defeat your opponent by routing or killing their troops.
Apart from being a critical success, Rome: Total War was among the top-selling video games of 2004. The game came out with two expansion sets – Alexander and Barbarian Invasion. Both expansions are in the remastered version.
Humankind
Humankind is the perfect Polytopia alternative to play if you’re looking for something new in the 4X strategy genre.
Amplitude Studios released Humankind in 2021. You can play Humankind on Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, macOS, and Stadia. The game was published by SEGA.
The gameplay concept behind Humankind draws inspiration from Civilization games. You lead a civilization from its origins as a Neolithic tribe and go through five other major eras of human civilization.
What makes Humankind different from other games like Polytopia is that you can choose a different civilization in each era. Each civilization adds a different gameplay layer. As a result, there are countless possible outcomes.
There are ten civilization types for each era, all of which are based on historical societies.
You can engage in numerous activities in Humankind. Farming, building, scientific research, and warfare can all lead you to victory.
When you accumulate gold, destroy enemy units, or construct world wonders, you get fame. Fame is used as a measure to determine how well a civilization is performing compared to others.
Players take on the role of leaders of their civilizations. You will have an avatar that represents you as a leader. The avatars are fully customizable and allow players to create their identities in the game.
Humankind supports both single-player and online multiplayer modes.
Oriental Empires
For the next title on our list, we take you on a trip to Ancient China.
Oriental Empires is a game that comes from a two-man team. John Carline and R. T. Smith were the sole developers of the game, while Iceberg Interactive published it. Oriental Empires came out in 2017 and is available only for Windows.
In the game, you start as a small Chinese tribe.
You have 24 playable factions to choose from. Regardless of who you choose, your ultimate mission will be to become Emperor of China.
You can do this by conquering all other factions. The single-player campaign takes place over a span of three millennia. You get to see the evolution from the Early Bronze Age to Imperial China.
This turn-based 4X strategy game features an authentic depiction of the Chinese landscape. The graphics are great and include fully animated 3D models that were made with superb attention to detail.
The gameplay allows players to choose whether they’ll defeat other factions by force or diplomacy. Oriental Empires is a game that puts a bigger focus on building than combat.
Apart from preparing your faction for attempts to conquer the land one way or another, you’ll also have to focus on technological, religious, and cultural developments.
The game supports single-player and multiplayer modes. Up to 15 people can play in multiplayer mode.
Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes
Are you searching for an underrated gem in the strategy genre? If so, Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes is the game for you.
Coming from the team at Stardock Entertainment, this game takes inspiration from releases like Civilization and Heroes of Might and Magic. Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes came out in 2013 for Windows and features a solid single-player mode.
Some of the developers that worked on this game had previously helped build Galactic Civilizations and Sins of a Solar Empire.
The story of Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes takes place in the world of Elemental. Monsters featured in the game may be familiar to you if you’re an RPG fan. Monsters include golems, demons, dragons, ogres, liches, and more.
To reign supreme in Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes, you must conquer other factions on the map. You do this by building structures, expanding your empire, and engaging in combat.
Your civilization will be led by a hero. The hero in the game is not just an avatar but the character you explore the world with.
There are plenty of customization options in the game. You can customize everything from your hero to your troops. The battles between heroes take place on various terrains that will affect your line of sight and movement.
Planar Conquest
Planar Conquest is more underrated than Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes so you might have not heard of it even if you’re a big fan of 4X turn-based strategy titles.
You can play Planar Conquest on Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, macOS, and Nintendo Switch. Wastelands Interactive released this game in 2016. The game features only a single-player mode.
The main inspiration behind Planar Conquest is a fantasy-themed strategy game called Master of Magic, which came out in 1994. The gameplay is reminiscent of the old-school Master of Magic but contains more features.
The graphics in Planar Conquest are incredible.
There are eight different races you can choose from when you play Planar Conquest. Your race will be led by a character called the Sorcerer Lord.
Your main character can learn more than 300 magic spells in the game. Apart from boosting magic abilities for your sorcerer lord, you’ll also have to build your empire from the ground up. Use skills in economics, diplomacy, and warfare to defeat your enemies.
There are more than 40 different types of buildings you can construct in the game. There are also over 150 military units that will aid you during your battles. Each battle is carried out on a board where you’ll have to utilize effective tactics to win.
Thea 2: The Shattering
Thea 2: The Shattering represents a sequel to Thea: The Awakening. Both games are set in a fantasy world that takes inspiration from Slavic folklore.
Independent game studio MuHa Games made this game. It came out in 2019 and supports both single-player and multiplayer modes. You can play the game on Windows, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
It’s hard to describe Thea 2: The Shattering as a 4X strategy game, even though it heavily uses elements from this genre. What’s interesting about the game is that it does a great job of combining multiple genres, including RPG, survival, and card games.
When you start the game, you first have to choose a deity from Slavic folklore that you’ll play as. As the deity, you take control of a small group of people who believe in you and are struggling for survival.
You then set out on the quest to conquer the land. There are many activities you can engage in, including foraging, farming, building, and fighting.
To ensure your group of believers survives, you will have to utilize different strategies. You can’t always rely on combat because sometimes the better option is to take a diplomatic approach.
Age of Wonders: Planetfall
Planetfall is one of the most popular entries in the Age of Wonders video game series.
The series has a long history, with the first game coming out in 1999. Planetfall came out 20 years after the original Age of Wonders. It comes from the team at Triumph Studios. You can play the game on Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Unlike other titles in the series, Planetfall takes place in a sci-fi setting.
The story takes place after an intergalactic human government known as the Star Union falls apart and different factions start fighting for dominance. When you start playing, you have to choose one of the six playable factions.
The factions are quite interesting and different from one another.
For example, you have the Assembly – a faction that consists of cyborg zombies. Then there are the Amazons, who ride dinosaurs.
Regardless of the faction you choose, you will have to accumulate resources, build your empires, research new technologies, engage in military conquest, and use diplomacy to gain power.
You have a main character that leads your faction. This character, referred to as a commander, has the ability to declare war, spy on other factions, and endorse cover operations. You can fully customize your commander in Planetfall.
Apart from building, combat, and managing an economy, the game also puts a focus on exploration. When you explore the world you can learn the history of the Star Union and even discover forgotten technologies in remote places.
Imperiums: Greek Wars
Imperiums: Greek Wars is a turn-based 4X strategy video game that comes from an indie studio called Kube Games. It came out in 2020 and features both single-player and multiplayer modes. You can play Imperiums: Greek Wars on Windows and macOS.
The game is set in a Greco-Persian world that draws inspiration from history and mythology.
Your main goal in Imperiums: Greek Wars is to become the ruler of the world. You must make your civilization prosper and defeat all other factions to complete your mission. To do this, you will first have to choose one of the 30 different playable factions.
Imperiums: Greek Wars is a true strategy game that requires you to think tactically about your every move. Be prepared to face multiple challenges that will test your military and political prowess.
The game features a great single-player campaign. But if you want to test your skills against other players, you can challenge others to an online game.
One of the more impressive things about Imperiums: Greek Wars is its AI that can be quite a challenge to beat. The graphics are similar to older games in the 4X turn-based strategy genre, which is great if you grew up playing them or just love the retro vibe.
