Summary
Many modern games combine two or more genres into something new, but this wasn’t always the case. At first, there werestrategy gamesandrole-playing games. It wasn’t until later that developers decided to start mixing the two together to create something unique.
There have been some great games and entire franchises thatmix RPG elements with strategy gameplay.Most often, these games take place in a fantasy world and are held together by astory-drivencampaign mode that gives them meaning. Hero units are common, with the player being able to level these up and select new skills, before using them during tactical battles. From strategy iconic to under-the-radar gems, these arethe best games that blend the RTS and RPG genres.
Mount & Blade: Warbandis something of an oddity in many ways. There are fewRTS gamesthat offer sandbox-style gameplay.Mount & Blade: Warbandachieves this by mixing in RPG elements, as the player attempts to make the jump from a humble mercenary to a King of the land.
The game world is dynamic, and the player is free to approach the game as they see fit. They can form alliances, complete quests, and build their reputation. The battles can be truly epic, and follow a well-rounded RTS system. Overall,Mount & Blade: Warbandis a great game, and one that both RTS and RPG fans can enjoy.
The originalDawn Of Warwas a good RTS, but it was a little one-dimensional in the way the player could ignore their hero units entirely, and play an overwhelming force style of game, much like a traditional RTS game.
Dawn OF War 2solved this problem. It placed much more emphasis on the hero units and the tactical use of their special abilities. Additionally, the RPG-style unitprogression systemwas improved, and it became much more beneficial to try and keep units alive to turn them into veterans.
Combining classic turn-based strategy gameplay with real-time aspects and an RPG-style progression system,Heroes Of Might And Magic 3is a fantastic game that is still well worth playing today, even though it was first released over 20 years ago.
With its high fantasy backdrop, players have to explore the map, gather armies, obtain equipment, and level up. The game manages to keep the pace up, even though the main strategic map gameplay is turn-based. The game also has a compelling story and a great campaign mode, further enhancing its RPG elements.
Combining Asian-themed RPG elements with theprovenTotal WarRTS battle system,Total War: Three Kingdomsmixes exceptional tactical combat with character progression that is straight out of the RPG playbook.
Set in the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history, the campaign mode draws heavily on the traditions of the region. The player is tasked with managing their chosen kingdom on the strategic map and controlling troops on the real-time battle maps. The narrative is well-written, and the game is highly polished. Overall, this is one of the betterTotal Wargames that dared to move away from the proven recipe.
The Banner Saga 3is a strategy game that puts its storytelling center stage. With its basis in Norse mythology, the game delivers an RPG-style campaign experience, even though battles are entirely strategic in nature.
The player controls characters who can be fully customized, developing new skills and becoming more powerful and valuable units that the player will rely on during strategic battles. Overall, the result is a seamless blend of strategy and RPG, which is glued together by the greatcampaign modeand excellent narrative.
Warlords Battlecry 3did a fantastic job of merging some great RTS-style combat with meaningful RPG mechanics. This was mainly done by introducing the player to hero units, which could be leveled up over time, and would then become a key part of the player’s troop lineup.
The level of customization in this game is impressive, as is the exquisitely crafted fantasy world that the game takes place in. The player is free to build defensive bases or go on an all-out attack by creating large armies. The campaign mode does a good job of balancing all-out warfare with rewarding exploration as well.
This list wouldn’t have been complete without aWarcraftgame getting a mention, and it isWarcraft 3: Reign of Chaosthat takes its rightful place near the top. This 2002 game completely changed the RTS genre by incorporating hero units and an RPG-style campaign.
With its excellently crafted narrative, as one would expect from Blizzard, the game is highly polished on all fronts. Alongside some classic RTS action, the player must level up heroes, collect items and equipment, and choose the right skills to use in battle.
1SpellForce: The Order Of Dawn
A Fantastic RTS/RPG Hybrid
SpellForce: The Order of Dawntakes the top place on this list for a very good reason: The fact that it manages to meld two very different genres, RPG and RTS, into a sensible and unified whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Large-scale battlestake place in a fantasy world, with the player leveling up their heroes, unlocking new sills, and gathering better equipment for them. The fact the player can seamlessly switch between commanding an entire army to controlling a single hero unit seamlessly is the standout feature of the game, one that many other games since have tried to emulate with mixed results.
