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 verdictWhere Spice Wars slows the pace down for economic and political maneuvering, Diplomacy is Not an Option puts you under constant pressure from escalating enemy waves. Base layout and unit micro drive outcomes here rather than faction perks or territory negotiation. At 36.9 median hours it offers comparable time investment. Reviews praise the concept but flag balance issues and steep mid-campaign difficulty spikes.
Not for you if slow economic expansion and faction-level strategy interest you more than reactive base defense and high-APM wave 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 verdictBoth are slower-paced strategy games about expanding against an aggressive AI faction rather than micro-heavy skirmishing. AI War 2 drops the political/spy-scheming layer Dune leans on and replaces it with an AI that actively adapts to your moves, plus co-op support. Steep learning curve, dense systems, built for players who want tactical planning over reflexes.
Not for you if you want an approachable UI and quick matches rather than a dense, unintuitive interface with a long tutorial ramp.
5
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.
6
RTSWargameStylized
$14.99 ~2.5 hr median co-op complexity: light 78.3% of 327
The Squirrel's verdictEyes of War adds direct third-person unit control mid-battle — any unit, at any time — on top of a standard RTS base-building and resource loop. Co-op is supported. The median playtime of 2.5 hours reflects an early, content-light state. Reviews cite pathfinding problems and sparse audio, but praise the concept and the developer's pace of updates.
Not for you if you want a deep strategic layer with faction politics, or a stable, feature-complete release rather than an actively developed early build.
7
RTSBase-BuildingReal-Time
$9.99 ~5.5 hr median no co-op complexity: light 68.4% of 456
The Squirrel's verdictWar Party is a macro-focused RTS built around positioning, base-building, and resource management, with no diplomacy layer, no espionage mechanics, and no 4X territory expansion. Maps are large enough that unit positioning and reinforcement timing matter more than reaction speed. Median playtime is around 5.5 hours. Reviews are mixed, with weak AI and limited gameplay variety cited as the main drawbacks.
Not for you if you want meaningful faction asymmetry or varied strategic depth beyond army composition and positioning.
8
Grand StrategyRTSCity Builder
$4.94 ~6.5 hr median co-op complexity: light 66% of 238
The Squirrel's verdictKingdom Wars 4 shares Dune: Spice Wars' core loop: a strategic overworld map, diplomacy, and army/city management layered over territorial control. Where Dune's factions clash over spice and assassination timers, this one adds co-op play and a much shorter median session at a fraction of the price. Reviews flag AI balance problems and unfinished combat mechanics.
Not for you if you need dependable AI behavior, since reviewers describe enemy armies spawning fully upgraded from empty towns and exploiting combat rules.