Real-time strategy games have never been known for strong and memorable narratives, instead earning fame and popularity through their initially innovative gameplayduring the 90sand early 2000s. This fame and popularity eventually burned out, arguably due to the fact that the RTS structure became repetitive and standardized, stagnating the genre until most studios stopped bothering to make them.
However, with the RTS genre making a comeback with the recent success ofAge Of Empires 4and a definitive edition ofStrongholdon the horizon, there’s never been a better time to go back and play the RTS games that made the genre so iconic; a good narrative is arguably key to keeping players engaged with a game, especially during the often lengthy campaignsretro RTS gamesoffer, and these old-school RTS games manage to provide players with an often compelling and immersive story.
8Ground Control
This science-fiction RTS game released in 2000 and features fast-paced action in often expansive and varied 3D environments in a story-driven campaign with high production value; the game is set in a far future in which two factions battle it out on an ancient planet.
Although the story may be generic in terms of science-fiction stories,Ground Controlfeatures a dual-faction campaign devoted to two military leaders on opposing sides, and the presentation of the game’s story in particular helps it to stand out.
7The Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle-Earth
Although it leans on the pre-existing story and the emotional connection fans ofThe Lord Of The Ringsmay already have had,The Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle-Earthis a solid RTS game from 2004 that remains one of the most faithful video games inThe Lord Of The Ringsfranchise.
The Lord Of The Rings: Battle For Middle-Earthfeatures two campaigns: the “good” campaign, in which players take control of Rohan and Gondor, follows closely to the story of the films, while the “evil” campaign has players take control of Isengard and Mordor, and features an alternate ending in which Sauron wins. The game even goes to great lengths to faithfully recreate iconic battles such as the Battle for Helms Deep.
This high-concept pulpy sci-fi story tells the tale of three factions interlinked in a mess of chaos, intrigue, and ancient evils. The game features three factions; the Terrans, the Protoss,and the Zerg, all of whom are at odds with each other for one reason or another.
However, the Zerg are the clear and concise villains ofStarCraft’sstory, which itself is packed with great characters, a fast-paced narrative, and heaps of betrayals, back-stabs, and climactic battles interspersed with evocative cutscenes.StarCraft’satmosphere is almost palpable, especially in some of the quieter moments of the story, and is supported by strong voice acting.
5Warhammer 40,000: Dawn Of War
Developed by the revered studio Relic Entertainment, the team behindHomeworld,Dawn Of Waris widely regarded as one of the greatest video games to use theWarhammer 40,000setting; the game faithfully represents the universe’s distinct factions, telling a short but evocative grim-dark story full of great characters brought to life by talented voice actors.
WhileDawn Of War’sstory may not be the most complex, its narrative is supported by in-game cutscenes instead of the 3D animations of games likeStarCraftthat have arguably held up somewhat better over the years. For fans of the grim-dark universe ofWarhammer 40,000,Dawn Of Waris an RTS with solid action-packed gameplay propelled by a simple yet fast-paced narrative.
4Warcraft 3
Featuring four warring factions as opposed to the original two of the previous games in the series (Orcs and Humans),Warcraft 3added the Undead and the Night Elves to the mix, not only increasing the variety of the gameplay, but complicating its story as well.
Each race inWarcraft 3has its own unique campaign, with all four stories working together to form an interwoven narrative that players can only get the bigger picture of after completing every campaign.Warcraft 3also features engaging in-game cutscenes supported by a great cast of voice actors, as well as heavily stylized graphics that manage to hold up today.
3Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
As an entry inthe reveredCommand & Conquerseries,C&C 3released to critical acclaim back in 2007 and features three campaigns on opposing sides of an explosive war, taking place over the course of thirty-eight missions interspersed withCommand & Conquer’siconicfull motion videocutscenes.
C&C 3’scutscenes are where the game’s narrative shines, with pulpy tongue-in-cheek dialogue and live-action performances from talented actors. The gameplay and story both revolve around the “Tiberium” resource, the valuable green crystals that the game’s factions fight over.
This first entry in the revered but somewhat turbulentCompany Of Heroesseries was developed by the aforementioned Relic Entertainment (the studio behind bothDawn Of WarandHomeworld, as well as 2011’sSpace Marine) and features a wide selection of vehicles and troops designed with care that are often historically accurate. Furthermore, the game’s 3D models and texture work still look great today, as long as players don’t look too close.
Company Of Heroesfocuses its narrative on smaller, individual stories, stringing together a narrative that follows strong characters in gritty, boots-on-the-ground situations. The campaign takes place across multiple theaters of war, and arguably remains one of the greatestWW2 narratives in video gameseven today.
Homewardtells the tale of a people who have lost their planet and must take the last of their civilization on an arduous journey across space to reclaim their long-lost home world with a powerful mothership that acts as the center of gameplay.
Homeworldfeatures an emotional and heroic narrative told through evocative cutscenes, talented voice work, and well-written dialogue all brought together by the game’s riveting space battles andunique original soundtrack. With a remastered edition that also includes the acclaimed sequel, andHomeworld 3on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to play through this cinematic sci-fi story.
