Summary
Strategy gamesoften do their best to highlight realism or historical battlegrounds, but they can also get wild, scary, or just plain weird. Sometimes a player wants to take on the role of spiritual beings, or deal with the impending doom of a horror game, but with a slower pace or the ability to out-think instead of outrun.
Adding supernatural elements to strategy games can mean adding play variety to tactics games by giving the player more powers to use, or it can mean taking thetypical gameplay of an RTSand simply replacing cavalry with something far more sinister and otherworldly.
Sea Saltis a reverse horror game that hasplayers control Lovecraftian creaturesinstead of trying to survive against them. This unique game combines speeding around a 2D pixel art map with summoning and commanding a plethora of evil minions ready to create havoc.
Payers create their army using a gorgeous card system, then they bring their troops up from the ocean to attack every human in sight. The combat is automatic and visually stimulating as the screen looks like most bullet-hell shooters.
A non-traditional strategy sim, this game makes the player the editor-in-chief of The Supernatural Newspaper Agency. As editor, the player must report and unravel mysteries involving werewolf attacks, ghost sightings, and a plethora of other supernatural happenings.
The game is displayed with original artwork reminiscent of old tabloid newspapers, only reimagined to beLovecraftian in theme and story.
Set in the same universe as its tabletop counterpart, this squad tactics game tries to feel as much like a digitized board game as possible.
Players will build a squad of investigators and soldiers, then fight back against the terrors that lurk in this Lovecraftian world. Or they can play as the evil side and command the powerfulsupernatural forces of the Old Ones.
Loosely a digital adaptation of the wildly popular tabletop game where 1920s investigators attempt to solve a dark Lovecraftian mystery.Arkham Horror: Mother’s Embracehas the player choose which investigators they want to bring in their squad, then head out to solve the murder of an astronomy professor.
As their investigation gets closer to the truth, strange occurrences become more frequent and the sanity of party members begins to decline. Luckily, the game has a turn-based combat system to fight back against the horrors that await.
The sequel to the cult hit Western,Hard West 2has players control a squad in turn-based battles similar to theXCOMseries. Only instead of battling aliens, players tactically take on cowboys, animals, and a variety of creatures all over abizarre fictional American frontier.
The supernatural elements are heavy in the sequel as the player’s squad is made-up of a posse of outlaws who are as well-versed in witchcraft as they are in gunslinging.
This squad-based strategy game combines turn-based tactics with real-time stealth. InThe Lamplighters League,players control a team of pulpy adventurers as they explore and infiltrate vibrant 1930s locations, then duke it out with a sinister cult looking to take over the world.
Inspired by classic pulp adventure stories, the game is filled with aesthetic and story choices that pay homage to the genre, including subtle supernatural elements that creep in and then escalate as the player gets further into the web of mystery.
A combination of turn-basedsquad tactics and cosmic horror,Othercidehas players control a an army of “Daugthers” as they attempt to cleanse the world of horrible Lovecraftian creatures via weaponry and magic.
The game is viciously hard, with losing and even sometimes choosing to sacrifice a squad member being a normal part of the gameplay loop.
This retro PC game is a cult classic for a reason. With graphics and gameplay reminiscent ofThe Sims,players control ghosts and attempt to solve puzzles and complete levels by, obviously, scaring people.
There are 11 different haunted locations and 30 different humans each sporting their own personalities, motives, and most importantly, fears. Despite the charming aesthetic,figuring out how to manage resources, command the right ghosts, and successfully spook every character is a genuine challenge.
The closest thing to a video game version ofFinal Destination,Death Comingis a hilarious pixel art game that allows players to live out their dreams of controlling the Grim Reaper. There are multiple unique maps including offices and missile silos, all filled with NPCs milling about unsuspectingly.
The player must follow the NPCs' movements and learn their behavior so that they can kill them using the environment. Every map is filled with ordinary objects ready to become deadly at the player’s whim.
This weird and twist-laden card game has already achieved deserved cult status. Players battle against a vague supernatural force in a game of strategy, risking a lot more than they realize.
It is a deceptively simple battle of wits that does an incredible job of establishing and building a sense of tonal dread as it progresses. The game is truly unique and fun to play, with some later reveals that shouldn’t be spoiled.
