Best Turn-based Games

NXTO's catalog has 532 turn-based games. These 30 rank highest once player ratings, Metacritic scores and Steam reviews are combined. The top three: Tactical Breach Wizards, Sid Meier's Civilization V and Slay the Spire.

How it's ranked: a blend of RAWG player ratings, Metacritic and Steam reviews, adjusted so games with very few ratings can't outrank well-proven ones. Times are average player-reported playtime, so treat them as rough guides.

1. 1
   

   Tactical Breach Wizards

   Indie, StrategyPC ★ 4.5/5~6 h avg. playtime
2. 2
   

   Sid Meier's Civilization V

   2010StrategyPC ★ 4.4/5⏱ ~39.6 h to beat
3. 3
   

   Slay the Spire

   2019Card, StrategyPC, Xbox One, PS4 ★ 4.4/5⏱ ~12.5 h to beat
4. 4
   

   Into the Breach

   2018Strategy, IndiePC, Switch ★ 4.4/5⏱ ~5.8 h to beat
5. 5
   

   Worms Armageddon

   1999StrategyPC ★ 4.4/5~2 h avg. playtime
6. 6
   

   Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

   2003Action, RPGPC, Xbox One, Switch ★ 4.4/5⏱ ~28.7 h to beat
7. 7
   

   Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords

   2004Adventure, RPGPC, Switch ★ 4.4/5~4 h avg. playtime
8. 8
   

   Final Fantasy IX

   2000Adventure, RPGPC, Xbox One, PS4 ★ 4.4/5~5 h avg. playtime
9. 9
   

   OMORI

   2020Casual, IndiePC, Xbox Series X|S, Switch ★ 4.4/5⏱ ~21.4 h to beat
10. 10
    

    Balatro

    2024Casual, StrategyPC, PS5, Switch ★ 4.4/5⏱ ~7.7 h to beat
11. 11
    

    XCOM: Enemy Unknown

    2012StrategyPC ★ 4.4/5⏱ ~26.7 h to beat
12. 12
    

    Total War: WARHAMMER II

    2017Strategy, ActionPC ★ 4.3/5⏱ ~40.9 h to beat
13. 13
    

    Hylics

    2015Indie, RPGPC ★ 4.3/5~1 h avg. playtime
14. 14
    

    Shogun Showdown

    2023Strategy, IndiePC ★ 4.3/5~3 h avg. playtime
15. 15
    

    The Battle of Polytopia

    2016Indie, StrategyPC ★ 4.3/5~2 h avg. playtime
16. 16
    

    FINAL FANTASY VIII

    1999RPGPC, PS4 ★ 4.3/5~3 h avg. playtime
17. 17
    

    Fallout 2

    1998RPGPC ★ 4.3/5⏱ ~30.4 h to beat
18. 18
    

    Sid Meier's Civilization IV

    2005StrategyPC ★ 4.3/5~1 h avg. playtime
19. 19
    

    West of Loathing

    2017Indie, AdventurePC, Switch ★ 4.3/5~4 h avg. playtime
20. 20
    

    Swords & Souls: Neverseen

    2019Adventure, ActionPC ★ 4.3/5~12 h avg. playtime
21. 21
    

    The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky

    2006RPGPC ★ 4.3/5~6 h avg. playtime
22. 22
    

    Transistor

    2014Indie, ActionPC, PS4, Switch ★ 4.3/5⏱ ~6 h to beat
23. 23
    

    The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II

    2014RPGPC, PS4 ★ 4.3/5~27 h avg. playtime
24. 24
    

    DRAGON QUEST XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age

    2017RPGPC, Xbox One, PS4 ★ 4.3/5~15 h avg. playtime
25. 25
    

    Final Fantasy VII (1997)

    1997Adventure, ActionPC, Xbox One, PS4 ★ 4.3/5~3 h avg. playtime
26. 26
    

    Chained Echoes

    2022Indie, RPGPC, PS5, Xbox One ★ 4.3/5~4 h avg. playtime
27. 27
    

    I Was a Teenage Exocolonist

    2022Card, IndiePC, PS5, PS4 ★ 4.3/5~9 h avg. playtime
28. 28
    

    Divinity: Original Sin

    2014Strategy, IndiePC, Xbox One, PS4 ★ 4.3/5⏱ ~65.8 h to beat
29. 29
    

    Darkest Dungeon

    2016Strategy, IndiePC, PS4, Xbox One ★ 4.3/5⏱ ~56.6 h to beat
30. 30
    

    Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

    2001RPGPC ★ 4.3/5~1 h avg. playtime

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