Search results

Some turn-based games don’t just challenge you - they actively hate you. Every bad move sticks, every mistake snowballs, and sometimes even playing perfectly isn't enough. These are the games that don’t care about your feelings. Which one punished you the most? XCOM and its infamous 95% miss...

Not all turn-based strategy games are about blasting aliens or fighting dragons. Some go all-in on military realism, where logistics matter as much as firepower and a single bad decision can ruin an entire campaign. If you’ve ever agonized over whether to push forward or dig in, you know exactly...

Turn-based tactical strategy has given us some of the most intense, rewarding, and downright brutal games out there. Whether it’s planning the perfect ambush, pulling off a clutch shot with a 50/50 chance, or watching everything fall apart because you miscalculated enemy movement - these games...

We all know the RTS heavyweights - StarCraft, Command & Conquer, Age of Empires, the usual suspects. But what about the games that never got the recognition they deserved? Was Earth 2150 ahead of its time with its day-night cycle and deep customization? Did Rise of Nations blend RTS and 4X so...

RTS games are often judged by their multiplayer scene, but let’s be real - not every RTS is made for competitive play. Some of the best RTS experiences come from single-player campaigns that deliver great missions, memorable moments, and sometimes even decent storytelling (or at least the right...

Do you like the long game - setting up an economy, teching up, and building a base that actually feels like something worth defending? Or do you prefer jumping straight into the action, where every unit counts and there's no time for turtling behind walls? Classic RTS games leaned hard into...

RTS games have always been about juggling multiple things at once - building, managing resources, controlling armies - but have they gone too far? Some say modern RTS games are harder to get into than ever, with deep mechanics, huge battles, and economy systems that overwhelm new players. Would...

Once upon a time, Command & Conquer was the RTS franchise. Then EA happened. The C&C Remastered Collection was a solid nod to the past, but it didn’t bring the series back to life. So, is C&C just dead and buried, or is there still a way forward? Would a new C&C need to evolve to survive, or...

Some city builders go all-in on deep simulation - SimCity 4, Cities: Skylines - giving you traffic headaches and budget crises that feel painfully real. Others, like Tropico and Anno, lean into the fun, letting you bend the rules for the sake of a good time. So, what’s the most realistic city...

The RTS genre has been through plenty of ups and downs over the last decade, but one thing’s clear - it’s still going strong. Whether you’re into large-scale battles, tight tactical skirmishes, or something in between, there’s been no shortage of great games keeping the genre alive. But let’s...

We’ve taken you through the world of classic real-time strategy games, explored the intricacies of turn-based grand strategy, and even previewed some of the most exciting upcoming titles. But now, it’s your turn to shape the future of the podcast! We want to know: what topics or formats would...

When we covered Stellaris in Episode 11 of our podcast, we looked at what makes the game so special: its expansive sandbox gameplay, the freedom to create unique empires, and the endless possibilities brought by mods and DLCs. But one question kept coming up: Will we ever see Stellaris II? The...

Newly added Steam Workshop support and the release of official C&C Source Code. Dear C&C Community, I hope the past year has treated you well and it’s great to re-connect once again. As you may remember, about a year ago we launched the C&C Ultimate Collection on Steam. This was a positive step...

These are the episodes which will feature on Critical Moves in March 2025: Release Date: 7th March 2025 - Episode 19: The Best and Worst of Steam Next Fest - Hosts: Al, Nuno, and Adam The team discuss the best and worst games out of Steam Next Fest. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube...

Sid Meier's Civ series is a tour de force, with seven titles in the main series and numerous off-shoots. This is the game which coined the phrase, "just one more turn" and we covered the series in Critical Moves Episode 17. Civilization 7 wasn't the best received game of all time, the reviews...

Happy to touch base through Steam with other gamers? Drop your Steam profile below if you want to link in with other Critical Move listeners. We also have a Steam Group you can join! https://steamcommunity.com/groups/criticalmoves Al on Steam: devious_tyrant

How's that for a question to kick off this forum section? There are hundreds of RTS games stretching back decades, but of all of them, which is the one which stands out as your favourite? I've played many of the hundreds of RTS games released and of all of them, Supreme Commander: Forged...

Hello everyone, One thing we wanted to do as part of Critical Moves is have special guests appear on our show. It was one of the things which featured as part of our initial concept video released back in September (when Critical Moves was just a fleeting idea!). I was always under the...

Oh, just one more thing; don't do anything illegal that will get us closed down. Ta.

I guess I'll go first then, eh? You have me to blame for Critical Moves being birthed. If I take you back to the summer of 2024 - the late August. I contacted Nuno because I liked his blog and I was starting up my own (now stalled) RTS blog. I figured, here's a like-minded soul. Maybe we can...