War games

What We Liked..

Fantastic class skill system

Free to play with no content paywall

Decent graphics and optimization

.. and what we didn't

Few server locations

Relies of unfavorable gear progression system

3.5 out of 5
Editorial vote: 7.0

Genre: war, mmorpg

Setting: fantasy

Graphics: full 3D

PvP: guild or factions matches or duels PvE PvP


Guardians of Ember is a fantasy isometric action MMORPG that features six MMO classes and four races to play as. For a free to play game, the PvE and PvP content on offer is decent. The game's best feature is its class combat mechanics, that lets players change skills depending on what weapon is equipped in addition to an in-depth skill tree system that encourages multiple builds. This keeps gameplay refreshing until the late game. While animations are good, other artistic assets are mediocre at best. What holds it back is its decision to rely on conventional progression systems like gear enchanting instead of shaking things up. Ultimately, Guardians of Ember is still a fun game to play especially when in groups for dungeons.

➔ Main points:

  • Fantastic class combat skill system that doesn't feel repetitive
  • Variety of content in PvE and PvP that's decent
  • Cash shop for convenience instead of selling gear
  • Runs smoothly with good presentation in some areas
  • Fully free to play including future updates

What We Liked..

Strategy and ARPG layers that work

Tons of systems and progression

Big community

.. and what we didn't

Expensive cash shop

3.4 out of 5
Editorial vote: 6.8

Genre: war, mmorpg

Setting: fantasy

Graphics: animated artworks

PvP: PvE PvP


Eternal Fury is a free to play browser-based strategy game with a twist. While raising your kingdoms, armies and alliances are all key gameplay features, you'll also need to upgrade your singular hero ruler, with RPG-like gameplay system in place that offers a good time.
Battles are fought on both maps - the kingdom world view and in arena-style battles that shakes up the usual boring and monotonous gameplay. While free to play, Eternal Fury's cash shop is a mixed bag and borderline hovers over what's fair.

➔ Main points:

  • Unique Strategy and Action-RPG gameplay blend
  • More to do than the average strategy kingdom builder
  • Active playerbase
  • Nice visuals and soundtrack

What We Liked..

Customizing your mechs is lots of fun Fast-paced PvP battles Fast growing community Lots of tournaments and events

.. and what we didn't

Not pretentious graphics

3.4 out of 5
Editorial vote: 6.8

Genre: war, action, shooter, simulation

Setting: fantasy, sci-fi

Graphics: animated artworks

PvP: guild or factions matches or duels PvP


Mech Arena is a fast-paced PvP mech shooter with competitive mayhem for everyone.

Choose from dozens of Weapons and Mechs with special abilities for endless combinations. Fight with friends or compete in a global arena of players, maps, and modes.

Take on the world in the most explosive, fun, and chaotic sport the future has to offer — Mech Arena.

What We Liked..

Tactical team-based fun

Great graphics and sound

Good amount of freelancers

Easy to learn

.. and what we didn't

Must pay to unlock all freelancers

No built-in voice chat

3.2 out of 5
Editorial vote: 6.5

Genre: strategy, war, MOBA

Setting: city, sci-fi

Graphics: full 3D

PvP: PvE PvP


Atlas Reactor by Trion Worlds is a refreshing turn-based tactical team PVP game that pits two teams of four players against each other. The game's unique gameplay is its selling point, proving that MOBA isn't the only option when it comes to competitive group play.

The game boasts well designed and balanced heroes called Freelancers, and their ability to influence games is largely down to the skill of the player, the strategy of the team and how well they communicate as a group, rather than the strength of the Freelancer.

Overall, Atlas Reactor is a very fun game to play and offers hours of strategic fun for both hardcore and casuals. The game is easy to learn but hard to master, and considering that it's free to play, it will keep gamers coming back for a long time to come.

➔ Main points:

  • Refreshing turn-based tactical team PVP that challenges traditional MOBAs
  • 16 Freelancers to choose from that are unique and balanced
  • Requires team strategy and communication over individual skill
  • Great graphics that doesn't require high-spec computers to play
  • Small download size

What We Liked..

Minimal system requirements

Large weapon pool

Plenty of game modes

Community

.. and what we didn't

Dated graphics

Occasional hacking

Weapon balance

3.2 out of 5
Editorial vote: 6.5

Genre: war, shooter

Setting: present

Graphics: full 3D

PvP: guild or factions PvP all vs all


Combat Arms is a first person tactical shooter game that has been around for quite some time, and features a solid core FPS gameplay that is on par with genre favorites Counterstrike and Crossfire. The game stands out by giving players a huge amount of in-game weapons to embrace, and as a result it has created a unique culture of weapon progression unlike any other game has done.

Combat Arms also has highly customizable systems which includes outfitting and up-gradable weapon parts, giving players even more reasons to keep playing regularly to gain experience and ranks. While there are downsides such as dated graphics and occasional hacking, the game still offers plenty of content and fun for FPS aficionados. Overall, Combat Arms is great shooter game that will be around for a long time to come.

➔ Main points:

  • Minimal system requirements means the game is accessible to everyone
  • Huge amount of gameplay modes and weapons
  • Decent player community and community events
  • In-depth weapon customization options

What We Liked..

Very innovative

Unique and rewarding quest progression

Game of Thrones!

.. and what we didn't

The technical qualities

Still a pretty standard pay-to-play type of game

3.2 out of 5
Editorial vote: 6.5

Genre: strategy, war, mmorpg

Setting: fantasy, historical

Graphics: plain text and images

PvP: all vs all guild or factions PvE PvP


Game of Thrones: Ascent is a new browser game developed and published by Disruptor Beam. The game chronicles your “ascent” to the throne of one of the eight royal houses of Westeros.

Ascent is a very story driven game, much like the original series. Unfortunately, where the game differs the most from the TV show is in the action. This isn't to say that fans of the show will not enjoy the game; fanboys and girls who feel the need to engage themselves in more GoT lore may find Ascent to be the perfect way to get their fix in between episodes.

Standard RPG fans may also take interest in the unconventional take on the combat system (if you could even call it that). The game also has the typical western RPG conversation based cutscenes, allowing you to align your character towards good, evil or somewhere in between.

Game of Thrones: Ascent has many attractions to many different types of gamers. Quintessential RPG gamers will appreciate a new take on the traditional combat system and more story driven gamers will love this game. Ascent even offers something for RTS gamers! There's plenty of resource gathering and “base-building” to be found in the game. And of course, GoT fans will find themselves right at home with the storyline.

Ascent is a game that reaches for the stars and all in all, it's a great use of the Game of Thrones license.

What We Liked..

User friendly

Excellent war and resource sim

Exciting social PVP gameplay

.. and what we didn't

Slow progression rate

Lack of graphics and visuals

No sounds and music

3.2 out of 5
Editorial vote: 6.5

Genre: strategy, war

Setting: sci-fi

Graphics: plain text and images

PvP: guild or factions PvP all vs all


Developed and published by Gameforge back in 2000, OGame is a web browser and text-based sci-fi war simulator and MMO that many consider to be the "lite" version of EVE Online.

With no visual animations and sounds, the game functions using only texts and graphics. At the beginning, players are thrown into the game and will own a single planet, and they will have to master the concept of resource management and empire building in order to progress and become a force in the galaxy. The game's learning curve is steep but there are plenty of tutorials and guides within and outside the game to assist players.

The main objective of OGame is to be the most dominant emperor in the galaxy with a strong space empire spanning multiple planets and a large armada of ships as an army. The game features exciting PVP with other real players and they have the option to form alliances with a group of players to strategically co-ordinate raids and defenses.

For a veteran browser game, OGame is still going strong as the community is still large and the game is regularly updated with more content expansions being released. There is a cash shop to buy premium currency but there isn't a dire need to get them.

Overall, OGame is a simple and strategic game that can offer space war fans with weeks of enjoyment, especially with friends.

➔ Main points:

  • Text-based browser space MMORPG
  • Addictive resource management
  • Strategic empire building
  • Exciting real time PVP warfare
  • Form alliances to rule the galaxy together

What We Liked..

Addictive gameplay

Colossal battles

Excellent graphics

.. and what we didn't

Not much of a story

Rather exorbitant hardware requirements

3.2 out of 5
Editorial vote: 6.5

Genre: shooter, war

Setting: fantasy, sci-fi

Graphics: full 3D

PvP: guild or factions PvP


In the shoes of a member of one of three factions on the planet Auraxis, your mission is simply to conquer as much territory as possible and bring your team one step closer to total domination. The game places a strong emphasis on teamwork, with tactics designed to encourage furious suicide charges in the middle of battle.

The game is essentially devoid of a strong narrative component and prefers to rely entirely on the gameplay, which is fine because the latter is incredibly enjoyable, challenging and well designed.

Graphically, the game is beautiful, staging its battles in the most diverse, well-realised environments. Constant updates bring more content and welcome variations to an already excellent game.

Overall, PlanetSide 2 is the game fans of the first episode have been waiting for, and more.

What We Liked..

Great player-versus-player map

Simple to play

Fun for casual gamers

.. and what we didn't

Combat is too simple

In-game purchases needed for higher levels

3.2 out of 5
Editorial vote: 6.5

Genre: strategy, war, mmorpg

Setting: fantasy

Graphics: animated artworks

PvP: guild or factions matches or duels PvE PvP


Raven March is an MMO strategy game from Kabam Games. Although the game gets off to a slow start, partly due to excessive load screens and a sparse story, it gains in the multiplayer portion thanks to a well developed player-versus-player map, where new combat is always to be had. Scenarios are also available for those who prefer to play solo.

The game has quaint but fairly detailed 2D graphics that serve it well. In terms of story, however, there's not much to say - you have a small selection of avatars and three factions at war to fight as. Exactly why they’re at war in the first place will unfortunately remain a mystery.

In general, Raven March offers fun for casual players, but hardcore gamers will likely have to pay if they want to continue to advance at a reasonable pace.

What We Liked..

Realistic strategic warfare

Long-term game

Rewarding social aspects

.. and what we didn't

Unattractive graphics

Very slow progression

No sounds and music

3.2 out of 5
Editorial vote: 6.5

Genre: strategy, war

Setting: city, fantasy, historical

Graphics: animated artworks

PvP: guild or factions PvP all vs all


Thirty Kingdoms by Bytro Labs is a free to play empire building strategy game for web browsers. As the ruler of your kingdom, the gameplay will have you look after your provinces by managing your resources, building new structures from well fleshed out tech trees, and players will need to expand by taking over hostile territories. To do that, players can build up an army of various units and send them away in real time to do battle, and the outcome is decided by multiple realistic factors such as army morale and terrain.

The most interesting thing about Thirty Kingdoms is its level of realism, and actions such as moving armies and building structures will take a long time to complete. Game progression will be slow which means that not everyone will enjoy it. However, the game does provide multiple socializing options that allows for diplomatic and cunning styles of play.

Thirty Kingdoms is a good immersive kingdom building game that offers hours of fun that lasts for prolonged periods of time. While the graphics are minimal and there are no in-game sounds, players who enjoy strategy games without the hassle of additional downloads or slow internet will definitely find something to like in Thirty Kingdoms.

➔ Main points:

  • Long-term empire building that feels realistic
  • Immersive and strategic gameplay
  • Fantastic socializing options that helps diplomatic gameplay
  • Good variety of buildings and army units to build
  • Minimal requirements for a browser-based game