The 10 iPhone and iPad games you need to play from September 2018 Nintendo's Dragalia Lost leads a busy month for exciting new iOS games. AAA games from top-notch studios can now be played on Mac natively, and many newer games are now being created with Mac playability in mind from the start. It’s a great time to be alive as a Mac gamer, especially if you’re a fan of the RPG genre.
Real Time Strategy games have had a huge fan following since their inception. The USP of such games is that there is no specific way to complete a mission. The players themselves have to devise strategies and plan out their approach to ensure victory. There are numerous RTS games out there that have received critical acclaim. But, what about the games that are hitting stores in this year? Take a look below at the best RTS games for 2018.
Check out the list below for the best Real time strategy games.
Total War: Arena is the upcoming free-to-play Team-based real time strategy game from The Creative Assembly. The game is in closed alpha and closed beta stage now, and will be released soon. Total War: Arena mixes genres such as multiplayer online battle arena and real-time strategy together and features 10vs10 (PvP) battles. Each player can control up to 3 different units of warriors, each led by a historic commander.
With the redesigned multiplayer mechanics, team-based gameplay, and powerful backstory, Total War: Arena is one of the best RTS games to play this year. So, do you want to discover the authentic stories of world’s most courageous Heroes? Are you ready to take on the Epic Hero battles? Well, you must be, because Total War: Arena is going to release on Steam soon.
The prequel to Homeworld is finally here after 17 long years. But it is definitely worth the wait. Set in the dying world of Kharak, players must join Rachel S’jet to uncover the mystery surrounding an anomaly which could be the answer to Kharak’s restoration. Survive the desert by making meaningful choices regarding resources, fleets and technology research. Take part in different combat styles that need to be changed depending on the environment.
Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak offers both Single and Multiplayer modes and lets you enjoy an authentic story. With all the massive and ever changing environments, Tactical Combat, improved mechanics and a wit challenging gameplay, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is truly one of the best RTS games to play. Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is available to play on Windows PC and Mac OS X via Steam.
Gaming has come a long way since the 2000s, when you couldn’t play most mainstream titles without a Windows PC. Though Windows still has most of the gaming market share, times are a-changing.
And we aren’t just talking about indie games, which was the case just a few years ago. AAA games from top-notch studios can now be played on Mac natively, and many newer games are now being created with Mac playability in mind from the start.
It’s a great time to be alive as a Mac gamer, especially if you’re a fan of the RPG genre. Want to get started? Here are some of the best RPG experiences you can have natively on Mac right now.
Available on: App Store, Steam.
The first Deus Ex (released back in 2000) broke new ground with its character building systems, non-linear gameplay, and freedom of choice. No two playthroughs of the game were exactly the same, which gave it tons of replay value and earned it critical acclaim.
Human Revolution recaptures much of the original’s spirit while updating many of the aspects to better fit the modern gaming landscape. It’s slightly more linear than die-hard fans were expecting, but the story is compelling and the gameplay is exceptional, all leading to a satisfying end.
Available on: App Store, GOG, Steam.
Bastion is, in a word, beautiful. Not only is it visually striking and immediately recognizable as unique, but everything is elevated to a completely different level by the soundtrack. (The music is so good that we recommend listening to it while studying or relaxing!)
There’s nothing revolutionary about the story or the gameplay, but they’re both solid enough to leave you satisfied. Like reading a novel or watching a movie, Bastion is more about the emotional journey than it is about mechanical depth. It’s still fun though, so don’t let that turn you away.
Available on: Steam.
Borderlands 2 is, without a doubt, one of the best games to come out in the past five years. It won several awards, including “Action Game of the Year”, “Best Shooter”, “Best Multiplayer Game”, and “Character of the Year” — if that doesn’t convince you of this game’s worth, I don’t know what will.
In singleplayer, you go around completing missions and collecting loot from the enemies you kill. There’s a main storyline but also dozens of side storylines, and because it’s an open world RPG, you can keep playing even after you “beat” it. Multiplayer is basically co-op singleplayer with your friends.
Available on: App Store, GOG, Steam.
Pillars of Eternity is the spiritual successor to games like Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment: party-based tactical gameplay with an isometric view. There’s a main quest and many side quests, but the game’s true value is its replayability due to its eleven different classes and deep combat mechanics.
Available on: GOG, Steam.
Torchlight II is the perfect game to play when you want something like Diablo III but not as intense. It’s a hack-and-slash adventure that’s surprisingly polished and addictive. The only downside is that its gameplay is comparatively shallow and doesn’t innovate much. In my view, Torchlight II is more about mindless fun — and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Available on: App Store, GOG, Steam.
If your love of the RPG genre stems from a desire to explore and discover, then Divinity: Original Sin will be right up your alley. The graphics and combat are great, but the content is the real selling point. With all of the side quests included, it could take you well over 100 hours to complete everything.
Available on: GOG, Steam.
Darkest Dungeon is simply incredible. The art style sucks you right in, then the gameplay hooks you and keeps you engaged for hours and hours. It’s the kind of game that you intend to play for only 10 minutes, only to realize that the whole day has gone by and you’re now starving.
As far as squad-based dungeon crawlers go, Darkest Dungeon is one of the best because it’s tough and punishing. The mechanics are brilliant, showing you the effects and consequences of stress on an adventuring party and the risk/reward of pushing your luck as far as it can go before everything collapses.
Available on: GOG, Steam.
Mount & Blade isn’t just an open world game. It’s a sandbox game that doesn’t even have a main storyline. You choose what you want to do in the game: explore, fight, quest, and more. The way you interact with others in the game has real impact on the world at large.
The biggest reason to get Warband over the original is the addition of multiplayer. There are seven different game modes that you can play with up to 64 players and bots. Modes include deathmatch, team deathmatch, conquest, capture the flag, siege, fight and destroy, and straight-up battle.
Available on: GOG, Steam.
If it wasn’t clear from its name, Rogue Legacy is one of the bigger successes that came out of the “roguelite” phase of indie gaming. If you aren’t sure what that means, check out our overview of the roguelike craze and our exploration of how procedural generation took over gaming.
In short, Rogue Legacy is a platformer RPG with permadeath. When your character dies, you pick a randomly-generated “heir” and continue your quest. Every character has different traits and attributes, which lends to the game’s replayability. All dungeons are randomly generated as well, so it’s fun time and again.
Available on: GOG, Steam.
Legend of Grimrock was a spiritual successor to the cult classic dungeon crawler Dungeon Master, and many consider it to be the title that revived the classic dungeon crawler genre by faithfully combining old-school gameplay with modern graphics.
Legend of Grimrock II expands on its predecessor with a bigger world, better character development, higher level of challenge, and improved freedom of progression. If you love crawling through dungeons, you can’t skip this one.
If none of these appeal to you, or if you really want to play a specific game that’s only available on Windows, then you have two main options: set up a Windows dual-boot through Boot Camp or try to install and run the game using Wine. The former is more work but also more reliable in the end.
One more thing to note: Despite some of the games in this list being available on the Mac App Store, we recommend that you avoid buying games from there whenever possibleWhy You Should Avoid Buying Games From the Mac App StoreWhy You Should Avoid Buying Games From the Mac App StoreThe Mac App Store doesn't hold a candle to the same store used by iPhone and iPad users to guzzle apps, games and in-app purchases.Read More. The drawbacks aren’t worth it, and either Steam or GOG will likely provide a better overall experience in the long run than using the built-in Game CenterHow to Use (and Disable) Game Center on Mac & iOSHow to Use (and Disable) Game Center on Mac & iOSApple's Game Center strives to make playing mobile games a social activity again, but using the service isn't quite so straightforward any more.Read More. And also be sure to check out these tips to improve your Mac gaming experience.
Are there any other quality RPGs we missed that can be played directly on Mac? Which modern RPGs do you consider to be your favorites? Share with us down in the comments below!
Image Credit: AntonKarlik via Shutterstock.com
Explore more about: Mac Game, Role-Playing Games.
world of warcraft
My favorite games is Age of Empire and other games like it that no longer play on MAC computers. Can you reccommend any new games of this type
I like this list even more than the Strategy list. Perhaps because of price, you have omitted my two favourite games: 'Settlers 7: the Path to the Kingdom' and 'Heroes of Might & Magic V'. Unfortunately, both of these or at least the first one have ceased working since updating to OS 10.8. I wonder how many more games I have lost. This seems to happen with every major OS update.
Um, guys, where's KOTOR?
Avadon is a great game on Mac! I am absolutely addicting!
I can only second that: Avadon (Escape from the pit, and the predecessors) from Spiderweb are great old school rpgs. Highly recomended!
i have powerbook g4 is there game for this i have old part i didnt get new update
no new great games for your antique - but I heard about a museum that wants one of those.
A great game on the Mac for kids and adults is Mini Ninjas.
What about CityOfHeroes?
It has even become F2P recently
Hey Matt thanks for this list. In answer to your question, yes. Din's Curse from Soldak Entertainment is an awesome RPG for Mac. Check it out!