In Episode 35 of Critical Moves, Tim, Adam, and Jack try to untangle what truly makes a strategy game worthy of the top spot in 2025. Is it innovation? Execution? Scale? The hosts don’t agree on much, but they do uncover some patterns and a few painful truths about the state of the strategy genre today.
Defining Strategy Game of the Year
Tim kicks off the discussion with the question: what makes something Strategy Game of the Year material? What seems like a simple question quickly becomes complicated. Jack argues that it’s not about perfection, but about leaving a mark. It’s about the game that defines the conversation, for better or worse.
Adam raises the issue of recency bias and the lack of a standard. Is it about personal favorites, critical consensus, sales, or cultural impact? They agree that Strategy Game of the Year doesn’t have a fixed definition—and that’s part of the issue. With so many subgenres under the strategy umbrella, choosing one winner feels more arbitrary than useful.
Execution Over Innovation
The team shares a common belief: innovation is overrated. A great game doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel; it just needs to excel at one thing. Tim notes how many GOTY picks fall into the category of “best execution of a familiar idea” rather than offering something radically new. For instance, Age of Wonders 4 wasn’t groundbreaking but refined the things that worked well.
Jack adds that polish and consistency often outweigh ambition. Too many games try to do too much and fall short. The best games are the ones that feel confident in what they do and don’t overreach. They know their strengths and stick to them.
The Campaign Effect
Campaigns are often a point of discussion in strategy games. While not everyone plays them, campaigns can shape how players remember a game. Adam mentions that even though Company of Heroes 3 had mixed reception overall, some players still rave about its single-player content.
The group explores whether a Strategy Game of the Year needs a campaign. There’s no definitive answer, but they agree that narrative framing, onboarding, and a sense of progression matter more than most people admit.
Multiplayer Matters, But Not For Everyone
Tim discusses multiplayer-heavy titles like Beyond All Reason and StarCraft II and how they set the bar high. However, not everyone cares about multiplayer. Hardcore players often shape the meta, but most players just want a solid experience—win or lose. Jack adds that sometimes, the Strategy Game of the Year is the one with the best casual multiplayer loop—something accessible, fast, and rewarding.
The Indie Factor
2025 has seen a wave of indie strategy releases, and the team agrees many of them are punching well above their weight. However, few seem poised to win traditional GOTY awards. Indie games often lack the marketing, visibility, and sometimes the finish of AAA titles. Yet, they still define the year in significant ways. Tim highlights games that experiment with scale, UI, or theme, while Adam praises smaller games with sharp focus and big ideas.
Jack mentions one of his top games of the year so far has a total Steam review count in the low hundreds—but that doesn’t mean it had any less impact, at least for him.
Final Thoughts
The team concludes that there’s no formula for Strategy Game of the Year. It’s not about ticking boxes—it’s about timing, mood, memory, and a bit of luck. The best games get remembered, while others fade away. But maybe that’s enough. Perhaps GOTY isn’t a prize, it’s a mirror—a reflection of what strategy players cared about most in that moment.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. Or find us on your preferred podcast service by searching Critical Moves Podcast.
Defining Strategy Game of the YearTim kicks off the discussion with the question: what makes something Strategy Game of the Year material? What seems like a simple question quickly becomes complicated. Jack argues that it’s not about perfection, but about leaving a mark. It’s about the game that defines the conversation, for better or worse.
Adam raises the issue of recency bias and the lack of a standard. Is it about personal favorites, critical consensus, sales, or cultural impact? They agree that Strategy Game of the Year doesn’t have a fixed definition—and that’s part of the issue. With so many subgenres under the strategy umbrella, choosing one winner feels more arbitrary than useful.
Execution Over InnovationThe team shares a common belief: innovation is overrated. A great game doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel; it just needs to excel at one thing. Tim notes how many GOTY picks fall into the category of “best execution of a familiar idea” rather than offering something radically new. For instance, Age of Wonders 4 wasn’t groundbreaking but refined the things that worked well.
Jack adds that polish and consistency often outweigh ambition. Too many games try to do too much and fall short. The best games are the ones that feel confident in what they do and don’t overreach. They know their strengths and stick to them.
The Campaign EffectCampaigns are often a point of discussion in strategy games. While not everyone plays them, campaigns can shape how players remember a game. Adam mentions that even though Company of Heroes 3 had mixed reception overall, some players still rave about its single-player content.
The group explores whether a Strategy Game of the Year needs a campaign. There’s no definitive answer, but they agree that narrative framing, onboarding, and a sense of progression matter more than most people admit.
Multiplayer Matters, But Not For EveryoneTim discusses multiplayer-heavy titles like Beyond All Reason and StarCraft II and how they set the bar high. However, not everyone cares about multiplayer. Hardcore players often shape the meta, but most players just want a solid experience—win or lose. Jack adds that sometimes, the Strategy Game of the Year is the one with the best casual multiplayer loop—something accessible, fast, and rewarding.
The Indie Factor2025 has seen a wave of indie strategy releases, and the team agrees many of them are punching well above their weight. However, few seem poised to win traditional GOTY awards. Indie games often lack the marketing, visibility, and sometimes the finish of AAA titles. Yet, they still define the year in significant ways. Tim highlights games that experiment with scale, UI, or theme, while Adam praises smaller games with sharp focus and big ideas.
Jack mentions one of his top games of the year so far has a total Steam review count in the low hundreds—but that doesn’t mean it had any less impact, at least for him.
Final ThoughtsThe team concludes that there’s no formula for Strategy Game of the Year. It’s not about ticking boxes—it’s about timing, mood, memory, and a bit of luck. The best games get remembered, while others fade away. But maybe that’s enough. Perhaps GOTY isn’t a prize, it’s a mirror—a reflection of what strategy players cared about most in that moment.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. Or find us on your preferred podcast service by searching Critical Moves Podcast.