Games Like First Strike

ICBM is a real-time strategy game of nuclear destruction. Research new technologies, build up your nuclear stockpile and use a combination of ships, planes and missiles to strike at the heart of your opponents’ cities while keeping your population safe from harm.

Why similar: Cold War 26.9% ★, RTS 14.3%, Destruction 14.1%, Military 11.3%, War 10.3%

Why You'll Like It: It mirrors the core gameplay loop of First Strike by tasking players with managing nuclear arsenals and global defense systems.

ICBM: Escalation is a grand RTS where you command armies, develop cutting-edge tech, and wield devastating weapons. Conquer enemies with conventional forces or nuclear firepower. With new modes like Standoff and Conquest, the game offers deep strategic layers in a global warfare setting.

Why similar: Cold War 18.3% ★, Wargame 15.4%, RTS 14.3%, Destruction 8.6%, PvP 7.9%

Why You'll Like It: An expanded iteration of the ICBM formula that adds more depth to the nuclear strategy and global warfare mechanics.

Inspired by the 1983 cult classic film, Wargames, DEFCON superbly evokes the tension, paranoia and suspicion of the Cold War era, playing on the fascinating aspects of psychological gameplay that occur during strategic nuclear warfare.

Why similar: Cold War 22.6% ★, Diplomacy 15.2% ★, Wargame 11%, RTS 10.9%, Military 9.3%

Why You'll Like It: This game is the closest thematic match to First Strike, focusing entirely on the grim, minimalist strategy of global nuclear annihilation.

Nuclear war simulator is a detailed realistic simulation and visualization of large-scale nuclear conflicts with a focus on humanitarian consequences. It lets you design conflict scenarios and estimate the consequences using a population density map and realistic weapons effects.

Why similar: RTS 23.2%, Modern 23.1%, Wargame 23%, Military 15.8%, Simulation 10.9%

Why You'll Like It: Provides a highly realistic simulation of nuclear exchange, perfect for those interested in the technical side of First Strike's premise.

Regiments is a Real-Time Tactics game set in Germany 1989. The Cold War has gone hot, and the inferno is raging. Lead your Regiment through the fires of conflict and the fog of war. Break through the lines, call in artillery, maneuver, feign retreats, stage defenses, counter-attack. Do not relent.

Why similar: Cold War 27.8% ★, Wargame 15.4%, RTS 13.8%, War 10.3%, Modern 9.4%

Why You'll Like It: A fast-paced, tactical RTS set in the Cold War that emphasizes unit management and rapid battlefield maneuvers.

Realistic, immersive, breathtaking. WARNO is the ultimate World War III battle simulator from the masters of strategy, Eugen Systems. A Cold War turns decisively hot as you command hundreds of units on a beautiful and brutal battlefield. Outsmart, outfight, and lead your forces to total victory.

Why similar: Cold War 25.3% ★, Wargame 16%, RTS 14.5%, Military 12.6%, War 10.8%

Why You'll Like It: Captures the 'Cold War gone hot' scenario with deep tactical gameplay and a focus on realistic military doctrine.

Broken Arrow is a large-scale real-time modern warfare tactics game that combines the complexity of joint-forces wargaming with action-packed real-time tactics gameplay.

Why similar: Wargame 21%, RTS 17.8%, Modern 17.6%, War 11.9%, Strategy 7%

Why You'll Like It: A modern wargame that features high-stakes tactical combat and a massive variety of modern military units.

The new reference in RTS at its best! The Wargame series returns to duty, larger, richer and more spectacular than ever before. In Wargame Red Dragon, you are engaged in a large-scale conflict where Western forces clash against the Communist bloc.

Why similar: Cold War 21.9% ★, RTS 21.8%, Military 14.3%, Wargame 13.3%, Strategy 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: The definitive Cold War tactical RTS, offering a massive scale of military hardware and high-intensity combat.

From the lead designer of Cold Waters, Sea Power lets you control NATO and Warsaw Pact forces in modern naval conflict campaigns. Use your advanced naval weaponry and sensors to respect rules of engagement and defeat the enemy forces in a tense fight for initiative and air/naval supremacy.

Why similar: Cold War 40.2% ★, Military 16.8%, War 15.2%, RTS 9%, Strategy 7.1%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on the high-tension naval warfare of the Cold War, emphasizing missile systems and tactical engagement.

Real-Time Strategy/Wargame. From World War II through the Cold War and into the future, re-live or re-imagine the tensions and crises of our recent history! Guide your nation through the era of your choice in Campaigns, Scenarios, and Sandboxes, as you make every effort to become Supreme Ruler!

Why similar: RTS 15.5%, Wargame 15%, Cold War 14.6% ★, Modern 14.3%, Military 12.9%

Why You'll Like It: A grand strategy game that allows players to manage nations through the Cold War and into the modern era.

Real Time Strategy with a high degree of realism. The game is based on a true story.

Why similar: RTS 19.9%, Wargame 17.9%, Modern 15.8%, Military 15.3%, War 10.3%

Why You'll Like It: A realistic real-time tactics game that focuses on the gritty, modern military conflicts of the current era.

Conquer the stars in this straightforward multiplayer real-time strategy game from the creators of First Strike and become a Stellar Commander!

Why similar: RTS 13.4%, Destruction 13%, Wargame 11.6%, Modern 10.6%, War 9.9%

Why You'll Like It: A fast-paced, planetary-scale RTS that shares the quick, decisive combat style found in First Strike.

Fly near-future aircraft with immersive physics on intense battlefields, facing land, air and sea threats. Wage war against AI or other players with an array of potent weapons. Wield tactical and strategic nuclear weapons, capable of annihilating anything in their path.

Why similar: Wargame 19.4%, Destruction 18.8%, Military 17.3%, War 17.2%, Multiplayer 8.6%

Why You'll Like It: Combines flight simulation with the destructive power of modern warfare, capturing the intensity of nuclear-era combat.

A game of diplomacy and war in the atomic age. Safeguard your closest allies and change unfavorable regimes without giving away your long-term ambitions. Every action risks an enemy reprisal, and if nobody backs down from a standoff, we all lose.

Why similar: Cold War 34.3% ★, Diplomacy 19.8% ★, War 10.9%, Strategy 8.5%, Tactical 7%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on the political tension and nuclear brinkmanship of the Cold War in a streamlined, strategic format.

Steel Division 2 is a historically-accurate WW2 real-time strategy game set on the Eastern Front. Features 1:1-scale turn-based army management and real-time tactical battles with thousands of men at your order.

Why similar: RTS 24%, Military 16.9%, War 15.4%, Wargame 14.8%, Strategy 8.7%

Why You'll Like It: Offers intense, large-scale tactical RTS combat that rewards strategic positioning and effective use of military assets.

Touch the world with your fingertips! Your retro terminal awaits your command, for the balance of power, in this definitive Cold War strategy game. Here you belong; assert your leadership through turn based strategic tit-for-tat, on the brink of mutually assured destruction. Don't let it slip away!

Why similar: Cold War 33% ★, Political 20.1% ★, Wargame 14%, Military 9.6%, War 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: A deep political and strategic simulation that captures the tension of the Cold War through a unique, retro-styled interface.

Call to Arms offers an innovative mix of real-time strategy and 3rd, as well as 1st person controls. Set in the time of modern warfare, the game offers realistically modeled vehicles and heavy weaponry. Command your troops to victory or fight by yourself in the 3rd or 1st person action mode.

Why similar: RTS 21.1%, Military 19.8%, War 14.9%, Strategy 11.3%, Modern 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: Blends traditional RTS strategy with direct control of units, providing a visceral experience of modern battlefield combat.

Command & Conquer and Red Alert are both remastered in 4K by the former Westwood Studios team members. Includes all 3 expansions, rebuilt multiplayer, a modernized UI, Map Editor, bonus footage gallery, and over 7 hours of remastered music.

Why similar: RTS 46.8%, War 18.5%, Strategy 15.3%, Multiplayer 10.6%, PvP 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: Defines the fast-paced RTS genre with classic base-building and high-intensity combat mechanics.

Tomorrow's War Is NOW Ripped from today's headlines, Act of War: Direct Action™ is a frightening tale of suspense, international intrigue and geopolitical military conflict. This real-time strategy experience puts you squarely in control of counterterrorist forces and delivers a first look at tomorrow's war.

Why similar: RTS 34.8%, Political 13.1% ★, War 11.6%, Military 11.6%, Destruction 11.3%

Why You'll Like It: A classic fast-paced modern RTS that emphasizes high-tech weaponry and rapid tactical decision-making.

3 Days War is a unique multiplayer strategy war game. Integrating the mechanics of RTS+4X, it allows dozens of players to engage in a three-day real-time strategy competitionon. Commanders, use your skills, strategies, games and even deception to become the ultimate winner!

Why similar: Cold War 32.2% ★, RTS 17.7%, Wargame 15.9%, War 9.8%, Military 9.6%

Why You'll Like It: A tactical RTS that focuses on rapid, high-intensity combat scenarios set in a modern military context.

Rise to power as any modern day country in a realistic military, political and economic simulation. Command your country's diplomacy, espionage, and resource management to strengthen your position. Use real-time tactical control of your military to fortify your place as the Supreme Ruler.

Why similar: Political 14.4% ★, Diplomacy 13.3% ★, RTS 12.2%, Wargame 12%, War 11.4%

Why You'll Like It: Offers a modern geopolitical simulation where players manage military expansion and global diplomacy.

Cuban Missile Crisis is a real-time strategy game combined with a global turn-based tactical mode, thrusting gamers into a world ravaged by the military-political confrontation between the USA and USSR in 1962.

Why similar: Cold War 40.9% ★, RTS 31.8%, Strategy 27.3%

Why You'll Like It: Centers on the most iconic nuclear standoff in history, providing a strategic RTS experience based on Cold War tensions.

Crisis in the Kremlin is a global real-time political strategy about the Socialist world in its final decade. Shape the fate of the world as you manage economy, foreign relations, and domestic policy. Engage with countries across the globe, using diplomacy or even proxy wars to expand your reach.

Why similar: Cold War 41.1% ★, Political 21.1% ★, Diplomacy 20.5% ★, Strategy 6.9%, Simulation 6.1%

Why You'll Like It: A political simulation that explores the collapse of the Soviet Union through strategic decision-making.

A fastpaced, military tug-of-war game with minimal micromanagement. Choose and deploy from a mix of specialized military units to overwhelm the enemy. Experiment with a huge variety of unit compositions, synergies, abilities, and upgrades to lead your army to victory!

Why similar: Wargame 22%, RTS 19.6%, Destruction 14.5%, Military 13.6%, War 10.1%

Why You'll Like It: An action-oriented RTS that focuses on rapid unit deployment and fast-paced battlefield management.

Become the leader of any contemporary country in this streamlined real-time grand strategy game. Use diplomacy, espionage, military and economic power to deal with other nations, while tackling issues such as terrorism, financial crises and medical epidemics, all in an effort to achieve global domination!

Why similar: Diplomacy 65.5% ★, Strategy 22.8%, War 6.6%, Simulation 5%

Why You'll Like It: A grand strategy game that focuses on global political maneuvering and the use of military power to influence world events.

Real-time dynamic tactics with the strong focus on squad positioning and collaboration. Connect to the warzone from your home PC and orchestrate modern military operations from the Drone Perspective.

Why similar: Wargame 18.3%, RTS 17.5%, Modern 16.7%, War 13.6%, Military 11.5%

Why You'll Like It: A tactical wargame that focuses on the modern reality of drone-based warfare and precision strikes.

Arms Race - TCWE is PC strategy game based on the historical conflict between the USA and the USSR

Why similar: Cold War 29% ★, Diplomacy 15.3% ★, Political 14.5% ★, Military 9.8%, War 9.1%

Why You'll Like It: Provides a deep dive into the economic and political aspects of the Cold War arms race.

A sardonic take on nationalism and the Cold War though a minimalist and fast paced RTS. Scheme your way through a highly replayable campaign, or conduct some "diplomacy" on your "friends" in multiplayer.

Why similar: Cold War 23.8% ★, Diplomacy 22.2% ★, Wargame 16%, RTS 15.8%, Tactical 7.2%

Firmament Wars is a multiplayer strategy game with fast-paced real-time warfare. Build a wall, fire cannons, and launch missiles on your way to victory! Select from 7 government types and compete with up to 8 players on a variety of maps! Go forth and conquer!

Why similar: Political 17.8% ★, RTS 16.1%, Wargame 13.3%, War 12.8%, Strategy 12.6%

Why You'll Like It: A fast-paced strategy game that emphasizes multiplayer combat and quick tactical decisions.

Command distinct factions in a desperate struggle for power and resources in Tempest Rising - a classic RTS set on Earth after a nuclear war.

Why similar: RTS 54.6%, Strategy 15.2%, War 6.3%, Multiplayer 5%, Wargame 4.7%

As the leader of a nation, dispatch and control your team of characters all around the world to destabilize your enemies and establish your supremacy. All methods are fair game: hacking, sabotage, political interference, military strikes, corruption, treachery, assassinations, data theft…

Why similar: Diplomacy 25.2% ★, Political 19.3% ★, RTS 17.8%, Wargame 17%, Multiplayer 5.8%

Why You'll Like It: A modern wargame that explores asymmetric combat, diplomacy, and hacking in a global strategic context.

A unique and deeply engaging political/military strategic simulation from the creator of Plague Inc. Balance competing civilian and military priorities and deal with a deadly insurgency in order to stabilise a war-torn country.

Why similar: Diplomacy 23% ★, RTS 16.4%, War 16.2%, Military 15%, Tactical 9.3%

Cold War turns hot in 1953: massive hex strategy with nukes, supply, and sabotage.

Why similar: Cold War 31.3% ★, Wargame 19.8%, Military 12.3%, Diplomacy 10.9% ★, War 10.7%

Explore war-torn post-apocalyptic landscapes and take fight against enemies using various weapons in this FPS/RTS hybrid.

Why similar: RTS 36.4%, Tactical 16.4%, Strategy 15.9%, Multiplayer 13.5%, Top-Down 9%

Why You'll Like It: A unique blend of RTS and FPS that captures the intensity of nuclear-themed warfare from both a strategic and individual perspective.

Armored Brigade is a real-time tactical wargame, focusing on realism and playability. In Armored Brigade the Cold War has turned hot, and Europe is once again torn apart by conflict. An "Iron Curtain" divides the Western Powers gathered together under the NATO banner from the Soviet Union

Why similar: Cold War 23.9% ★, Wargame 18.4%, Strategy 14.5%, Simulation 13.5%, RTS 12.4%

The first intense conflict of the Cold War, this war is very often forgotten, its very rapid and dynamic but unknown aspect obliterated by months of stagnation following the first year of operations in Korea. Can you make it remembered?

Why similar: Cold War 29.4% ★, Wargame 22.9%, War 13.2%, Strategy 10.9%, Military 10.7%

Master grand tactical combat as a Cold War force commander in this data-rich simulation. Plan and issue orders in asynchronous WEGO turns, leveraging real-world maps and complex features like Electronic Warfare and Air Assaults to outthink your enemy.

Why similar: Cold War 47.7% ★, Wargame 32%, Strategy 11.2%, Top-Down 8%, Singleplayer 1.1%

Carrier Command 2 is the real-time strategy game that puts you in command of a futuristic carrier capable of deploying a vast array of aircraft and amphibious units. Compete against AI or human players and hop into every single vehicle to take matters into your own hands!

Why similar: RTS 20.8%, Wargame 19.1%, War 18%, Military 13.3%, PvP 9.9%

Use the radio to give commands to the soldiers on the battlefield. Keep track of the situation based on their voice reports only. Lead US platoons to clash with Vietcong in a realistic, innovative approach to the RTS genre. Make hard choices in a narrative driven experience, and face the outcome.

Why similar: Cold War 28.7% ★, Wargame 15.9%, RTS 14.2%, War 12.3%, Military 11.8%

The latest expansion of the ultra-realistic world simulator, where you play as the head of state or the opposition! New Features: tourism simulator, party strategies with regime censures, personal wealth management, a European army, AI and robotics.

Why similar: RTS 18.8%, Wargame 18.3%, Political 14.5% ★, Strategy 8.7%, War 8.5%

Ukrainian Warfare: Gostomel Heroes – is a real-time strategy game with a high degree of realism. Relive the Battle of Kiev (2022), a turning point in the Ukrainian conflict. Witness the Untold Story of 2022 Through the Eyes of Those Who Fought.

Why similar: RTS 19.6%, Political 14.6% ★, Military 13.9%, War 13.4%, Modern 11.5%

Command the sky in a tense real-time strategy simulation where you manage a nation's air defenses. Analyze radar contacts, scramble interceptor jets, and make split-second decisions to protect your airspace from hostile threats.

Why similar: Cold War 47% ★, Wargame 21.2%, RTS 16%, Strategy 6.7%, Top-Down 4.8%

War Room is a realistic strategy, taking you straight into the heat of the war in Afghanistan.

Why similar: RTS 22%, Military 17.6%, War 17.2%, Wargame 14%, Tactical 10.8%

Modern-warfare RTS/sandbox game inspired by the real conflicts in the Middle East. Fight a counter-insurgency war, protect the civilian population, casevac your wounded and decide how the world sees your struggle. And remember - no one gets left behind.

Why similar: Military 20.1%, RTS 17.7%, Wargame 14.6%, War 11.7%, Modern 11.5%

Commander in the ranks. Soldier at heart. Choose a faction and deploy and command your army into massive physics-driven WWII battles to the last man standing. Destroy everything on sight with an insane amount of units that will behave tactically.

Why similar: War 40.7%, Strategy 23.8%, Simulation 19.8%, Action 7.6%, Multiplayer 5.7%

Geopolitical management game with real-time shifting borders and a streamlined gameplay, designed to minimize all burdensome chores while allowing an absolute strategic control, from military recruitment and deployment, to diplomatic and economic management.

Why similar: Diplomacy 27.6% ★, RTS 18.4%, Military 17.8%, War 14.7%, PvP 7.1%

8-Bit Invaders! is a fast-paced, retro Real-Time Strategy game for the PC. Control the military might of the Galactic Marine Corps or Invade with the devastating power of the Cranioids! Mine, Build, and Fight your way to victory! Conquering the Multiverse was never so easy.

Why similar: RTS 31.1%, War 14.4%, Military 12.5%, Strategy 12.1%, Multiplayer 9.5%

The legendary Men of War RTS series has reached the cold war era. Take command of U.S. or Soviet soldiers, controlling vast armies with the military decisions down to you. Claim victory in dynamic singleplayer and co-op campaigns or challenge fellow strategists in online multiplayer!

Why similar: Cold War 32.4% ★, RTS 18.1%, Strategy 17%, Simulation 13.9%, War 12.3%

CM Cold War is set in the tipping-point years of a conflict that gripped the world for 45 years. Between 1979-1982, both the NATO and Soviet Warsaw Pact militaries began the shift away from industrialized warfare of the early 20th century and towards the modern digital battlefield of today.

Why similar: Wargame 19.3%, Modern 13%, Military 12.8%, War 10.9%, Cold War 9.6% ★

A new type of RTS with elements from 4X, Wargame, and Real-Time Tactics. Draw commands and execute a superior strategy to defeat your opponent, focusing on high-level decisions rather than constant micromanagement.

Why similar: Cold War 24.1% ★, RTS 21.3%, Wargame 13.9%, War 10.3%, PvP 9.8%

Command modern military armies by zooming out and issuing orders to large formations, or zooming in to issue orders to individual squads and vehicles. Waronoi is the real-time strategy war game.

Why similar: RTS 23.2%, Wargame 21.5%, Military 15%, War 11.9%, Strategy 10.6%

Take control of any nation and shape its future. Manage resources, trade, and taxes, engage in real-time warfare, navigate global diplomacy, and react to dynamic world events. Build a thriving economy, forge alliances, and command armies in a constantly evolving world!

Why similar: Diplomacy 20% ★, RTS 16.2%, Political 16% ★, War 12.4%, Military 11.9%

Lead the CIA or KGB in a turn-based global strategy. Influence nations, run covert ops, and win the Cold War without firing a shot.

Why similar: Cold War 39.1% ★, Political 16.3% ★, Diplomacy 12.8% ★, Wargame 10.7%, Strategy 9.9%

The last world war didn't end conflict. The Iron Hand tyrannizes people, as the Resistance fights for liberation. In the resulting conflict high tech and brute force face off against guerrillas with unconventional tactics, leading to Red Chaos: A modern take on classic real-time strategy games.

Why similar: RTS 28.8%, PvP 15.7%, War 12.7%, Strategy 7.9%, Destruction 7.8%

SuperPower 3 is a modern geopolitical sim in a planet Earth setup. Rule the world or challenge your knowledge about demography, economics, military strategy, as well as political issues across the globe. Compete with or against other players, or just try to do better than the real-life politicians.

Why similar: RTS 18.1%, Wargame 17.2%, Political 14% ★, War 12.2%, Modern 11.5%

Circle Empires is a fresh take on the RTS genre, featuring a fast-paced approach to conquering the world.

Why similar: RTS 59.7%, Strategy 29.4%, Multiplayer 9%, Singleplayer 1.8%

You are the commander of either NATO or Soviet forces locked in battle on the ground in 1980’s Central Europe. As commander, it is your task to provide the battle plan orders to your units. You need to know your mission objectives, strength and weakness of both your forces and you enemy, lay of the land, weather, and time of day in order...

Why similar: Cold War 42.2% ★, Wargame 28.5%, Strategy 11.6%, Tactical 8.4%, Multiplayer 4.7%

Command your own fortress in FTL-like real-time battles! Crush the enemy fortress with unrelenting bombardment or seize it with carefully executed invasion.

Why similar: Strategy 62.7%, Simulation 30.6%, Singleplayer 6.8%