Turn-based tactical strategy is a genre where one wrong move can cost you a soldier you spent dozens of hours developing. Ten years have passed since XCOM 2 launched, but Firaxis' formula has proved so durable that it still defines many of the genre's core features: cover, permadeath, and class synergy. We've put together a list of the best tactical strategy games that are still worth playing in 2026.
XCOM 2
Developed by Firaxis Games and released in 2016, XCOM 2 was a natural follow-up to XCOM: Enemy Unknown, presenting a darker scenario in which humanity has already lost the war against the aliens.The tactical battles revolve around smart use of cover, flanking maneuvers, and class synergy, while the strategic layer and the mobile Avenger base add long-term planning. The high cost of mistakes, especially in Ironman mode, and the War of the Chosen expansion significantly improve replayability.Image unavailableA great fit for fans of deep tactics, difficult decisions, and games with an active modding community. Even in 2026, XCOM 2 remains one of the genre's benchmarks.
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun
Released in December 2016 by Mimimi Games, the studio that later created Desperados III, Shadow Tactics brings tactical gameplay to feudal Japan with a strong focus on stealth and squad coordination.Image unavailableEach of the five characters has unique abilities: the ninja Hayato eliminates enemies from the shadows, the samurai Mugen can hold off groups of opponents with his sword, Yuki sets traps, and the geisha Aiko distracts enemies with disguises. Success depends on assigning roles correctly and making good use of the environment. Shadow Mode lets you queue actions for several characters and execute them simultaneously. The high difficulty and small margin for error demand careful planning, while the levels usually support several different approaches.A good choice for fans of stealth tactics, historical settings, and carefully designed missions with multiple possible solutions.
Phoenix Point
Created by Snapshot Games and released in 2019, Phoenix Point was designed as a spiritual successor to XCOM and offers a post-apocalyptic world consumed by an alien threat and divided by competing factions.Its tactical battles feature adaptive enemies that change in response to the player's approach. The strategic layer revolves around diplomacy and competition between factions. A mutation system that replaces the more familiar XCOM 2-style upgrades, together with a varied weapon arsenal, gives you plenty of room to experiment with squad compositions. It is a demanding and unpredictable tactical game with interesting enemies.Image unavailableA good fit for XCOM fans looking for more aggressive and unpredictable tactics, as well as players who enjoy complex political systems alongside combat.
Gears Tactics
Developed by The Coalition and Splash Damage and released in 2020, Gears Tactics adapts the brutal aesthetic of Gears of War into a turn-based tactical format, shifting the focus from action to calculation and positioning.The core mechanics broadly follow the standards established by XCOM 2. However, executions grant additional actions and encourage a more aggressive playstyle. The soldier progression system is relatively straightforward, and the adjustable difficulty makes the game easy to recommend as an entry point into tactical strategy. The storyline centered on Gabe Diaz also fits naturally into the lore of the main series.Image unavailableA good fit for Gears of War fans, players who prefer faster-paced tactical games, and anyone looking for a balance between accessibility and serious difficulty. On Normal, Gears Tactics is not especially punishing, but it still showcases the combat system at its best.
Jagged Alliance 3
Developed by Haemimont Games and released in 2023, Jagged Alliance 3 brought the cult series back to its roots while preserving its signature mercenary atmosphere and nonlinear gameplay. No aliens here, just the everyday problems of modern mercenaries.Battles take place on detailed maps with destructible environments and meaningful elevation. Squad management goes beyond tactics and also includes finances, morale, and personal conflicts between mercenaries. JA3 has a genuinely rich arsenal, while its flexible progression system lets you build very different playstyles. The game is fairly hardcore and rewards careful attention to detail.Image unavailableA good fit for genre veterans, old-school strategy fans, and players who appreciate deep squad simulation with well-developed personalities.
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate — Daemonhunters
Developed by Complex Games and released in 2022, Chaos Gate — Daemonhunters develops the XCOM-style tactical formula inside the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The story follows the Grey Knights as they fight the forces of Chaos.Combat revolves around Willpower management and controlling corruption. The different Grey Knight classes support varied tactics against the enemies of the Imperium. Melee weapons play a particularly important role in the combat system. The game demands real effort when it comes to building effective tactics and developing your squad.Image unavailableA good fit for fans of demanding tactics, Warhammer 40,000, and games where mistakes have meaningful consequences.
Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus
Released by Bulwark Studios in 2018, Mechanicus offers a look at the grim Warhammer 40,000 universe through the eyes of the Adeptus Mechanicus, where the pursuit of knowledge can be just as dangerous as war.The combat system revolves around managing Cognition Points and timing: you need to complete objectives before time runs out while combining the abilities of Tech-Priests and Servitors effectively. The battlefields are procedurally generated, so encounters can play out differently. There is no cover system and no random hit chance: if an enemy is within a weapon's effective range, the attack will hit. This shifts the emphasis away from probability and toward positioning and action order.Image unavailableA good fit for Warhammer 40,000 fans, lovers of tactical puzzles, and players looking for a strong atmosphere and unusual mechanics.
Battle Brothers
Developed by Overhype Studios and released in 2017, Battle Brothers combines tactical strategy with RPG elements, putting you in charge of a mercenary company in a grim medieval world without a fixed storyline.Turn-based combat takes equipment, injuries, and morale into account. The world map gives you freedom to choose contracts and routes, while events are procedurally generated. Permadeath makes every campaign unique and often brutally difficult. Losing a veteran mercenary you spent hours developing genuinely hurts. The visuals are much simpler than in most other games on this list, but that does not make the game any less accomplished.Image unavailableA good fit for fans of hardcore tactics, procedural generation, and games that favor freedom over a linear campaign.
King Arthur: Knight's Tale
Released in April 2022 by NeocoreGames, Knight's Tale reimagines the legend of King Arthur through dark fantasy. Sir Mordred, Arthur's killer, rises again on the island of Avalon and gets the chance to lead a new Round Table.Image unavailableThe combat system is closer to The Banner Saga than XCOM. There are no hit percentages and every attack connects, but enemies have Armor, HP, and Vitality layers that must be worn down. Armor and HP can be restored during combat, while lost Vitality requires recovery back in Camelot. Cover, flanking attacks, Overwatch, and flexible use of Action Points create plenty of room for combinations.Between battles, you can rebuild your base in Camelot. Resources are always limited, which makes choices such as upgrading a knight or investing in the Hospice genuinely meaningful. Mordred's Morality chart also affects knight loyalty, available buildings, and new recruits. Companions whose beliefs conflict with your choices can suffer penalties or leave Camelot entirely. Permadeath applies to every hero except the protagonist.A good fit for dark-fantasy fans, players who want the XCOM formula without random hit chances, and anyone who enjoys managing both a base and squad morale.
Star Wars: Zero Company
Released on August 27, 2026 by Bit Reactor and published by Electronic Arts, Star Wars: Zero Company brings turn-based tactics to the Star Wars universe during the twilight of the Clone Wars.Image unavailableThe combat is built on familiar XCOM foundations: a small squad of Operatives, cover, and varying hit chances. One of the key mechanics is the Bond system: characters who regularly deploy together unlock shared support abilities and other combat synergies. Between battles, players return to The Den, Zero Company's base of operations, while the Galaxy Map contains more than 150 planets and forces you to decide which Missions and Operations to pursue and which to leave behind.The developers also catered to hardcore players. Permadeath can apply to squad members, while Beskar Mode limits the campaign to a single save and makes your choices permanent. The roster is deliberately varied, featuring Clone Troopers, Mandalorians, smugglers, droids, a Jedi, and other Operatives, each with their own abilities and loadouts.A good fit for Star Wars fans, players who enjoy the XCOM formula, and anyone looking for tactical gameplay with a cinematic presentation.
Into the Breach
Released in 2018 by Subset Games, the studio behind FTL, Into the Breach looks much more modest than most games in this list, but beneath the minimalist pixel art is one of the cleanest turn-based tactical systems of the past decade.Image unavailableIts defining feature is that you can see exactly what enemies are going to do on their next turn. As a result, your goal is rarely as simple as killing everything. You push monsters into each other, knock them out of attack lines, use mechs to protect civilian buildings, and effectively assemble the perfect turn like a puzzle. Campaigns are short, maps are regenerated, and different mech squads can radically change your tactics.A good fit for fans of tactical puzzles, short runs, and games where almost every mistake comes from your own decision rather than a bad virtual dice roll.
Tactical Breach Wizards
Released in 2024 by Suspicious Developments, Tactical Breach Wizards takes familiar turn-based tactics and replaces soldiers in body armor with wizards in body armor, ranging from combat mages to witches who can literally throw enemies through windows.Image unavailableEach compact arena works like a tactical puzzle. Character abilities can be combined to push enemies around, reposition them, and interrupt their attacks, while a bad move can be rewound instantly so you can try another solution. The challenge therefore comes less from punishing mistakes and more from finding the most stylish and efficient sequence of actions.A good fit for players who enjoy compact tactical challenges, unusual ability combinations, and something less cumbersome than XCOM without sacrificing depth.
