1
Squirrel's Pick Squirrel's PickThe best game on this page. If you only try one, try this. Closest Match Closest MatchThe most similar game to the anchor, by what players say.
Real-Time with PauseResource ManagementTactical
$11.99 ~36.9 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 85.5% of 12k
The Squirrel's verdictDiplomacy is Not an Option puts players under continuous pressure from escalating enemy waves, with base layout and unit positioning determining outcomes rather than faction perks or territory negotiation. At 36.9 median hours the time investment is comparable to Dune's longer matches. Reviews praise the concept and polish but flag steep mid-campaign difficulty spikes and balance problems that require very specific play approaches.
Not for you if gradual economic expansion and faction-level political strategy interest you more than reactive wave defense and high-action-per-minute management.
2
Hidden Gem Hidden GemLoved by the players who found it, but still under the radar.
Base-BuildingColony SimTower Defense
Jank Tolerant Jank TolerantRough edges and bugs — rewarding if you don't mind them.
$11.99 ~42.9 hr median no co-op complexity: moderate 96.7% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictFrom Glory To Goo runs shorter defense-and-expand loops against escalating enemy waves, replacing Spice Wars' regional politics and assassination mechanics with base building, hero units, and orbital support systems. Reviewers frequently compare it to They Are Billions but with more content and active development. Median playtime is around 43 hours, matching Spice Wars' commitment level.
Not for you if you want a persistent campaign map with faction asymmetry and territory-control strategy rather than wave-survival base building.
3
Emperor of the Fading Suns Enhanced
PCLinux
4XTurn-Based StrategySci-fi
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$9.99 ~55.4 hr median no co-op complexity: heavy 95.1% of 184
The Squirrel's verdictBoth games put noble houses on hostile worlds with resource control, diplomacy, and faction politics driving the fight. Emperor of the Fading Suns is a full 4X: colonize, build economies across dozens of planets, and manage empires turn by turn, rather than Spice Wars' faster real-time regional skirmishes. It suits players who want the political depth Spice Wars only gestures at, with far more scale and time investment.
Not for you if you want real-time pacing rather than turn-based play, since reviews describe hour-long turns and heavy per-city micromanagement across dozens of worlds.
4
4XGrand StrategyTower Defense
Strong Mods Strong ModsA deep, active modding scene extends it past its base content.
$19.99 ~50.9 hr median co-op complexity: heavy 87.6% of 2k
The Squirrel's verdictAI War 2 centers on an adaptive AI that tracks your expansion and responds to it in real time, with co-op support and a median playtime of 50.9 hours. The draw is tactical planning against an opponent that adjusts rather than follows preset triggers — a fundamentally different threat model than Dune's political scheming and assassination timers. Reviews consistently flag an unintuitive UI and a long, demanding tutorial ramp.
Not for you if you want a clean interface and short sessions rather than dense interconnected systems requiring significant learning investment.
5
Hegemony III: Clash of the Ancients
PC
HistoricalRTSOpen World
$29.99 ~59.6 hr median no co-op 82.2% of 555
The Squirrel's verdictBoth put resource management, territory expansion, and army building on a single continuous map with no separate battle screens. Hegemony III trades Dune's faction politics and hidden assassination mechanics for ancient Mediterranean warfare, city-by-city logistics, and terrain-based sieges, with a seamless macro-to-micro zoom instead of Dune's layered map system. Suits players who want deeper city and army micromanagement over political scheming.
Not for you if you dislike managing tax rates and buildings across dozens of individual cities with no vassal system to offload the work.
6
Budget Pick Budget PickThe best game here for the least money.
Grand StrategyRTSMedieval
$4.49 ~16.1 hr median co-op complexity: moderate 75.9% of 3k
The Squirrel's verdictMedieval Kingdom Wars covers similar ground — territory control, resource management, and faction warfare across 14 factions on a Europe-wide campaign map — but sits closer to a Civilization/Total War hybrid than a 4X-RTS. At $4.49 it's among the cheapest options in this space. Reviews consistently flag poor AI, unfinished mechanics, and a development track record of abandoned titles left in rough condition.
Not for you if you need competent AI opponents or a polished, complete game rather than a cheap, rough-edged indie.
7
RTSWargameStylized
$14.99 ~2.5 hr median co-op complexity: light 78.3% of 327
The Squirrel's verdictEyes of War's defining feature is direct third-person control of any unit at any point during battle, layered over standard RTS base-building and resource management. Co-op is supported. The 2.5-hour median playtime reflects limited content scope at release. Reviews cite pathfinding problems and sparse audio as consistent issues, while praising the concept and the third-person combat integration.
Not for you if you want faction politics, a deep strategic layer, or a feature-complete release with stable performance and full audio.