What’s the greatest World War II strategy game ever made and why do we keep coming back to this war?

On the anniversary of D-Day, Nuno walks through the best WW2 strategy games ever made. It’s a sharp look at what these games get right, where they fall short, and how they handle the weight of real history. From high-level operations to close-quarters tactics, we talk realism, pacing, decision-making, and why this setting still produces some of the best strategy design out there. Expect hard opinions and a deep respect for games that actually deliver.

In Episode 31 of Critical Moves, we talk about the strategy games that consume your time, mess with your sleep, and leave you wondering where the last six hours went. These are the ones that hook you hard and don’t let go.

We ask:

• What makes some strategy games so relentlessly addictive?
• Is it the systems, the pacing, the constant sense of progress or all of it at once?
• Can a game still be great if it completely wrecks your schedule?

No titles here. You’ll have to listen to find out which ones we’re talking about. But if you’ve ever sat down to play for “just one turn” and looked up at sunrise, this one’s for you.

In Episode 30 of Critical Moves, we use the Warhammer Skulls event as a reason to focus on Warhammer strategy games. The universe has been adapted into real-time and turn-based formats for decades, with results ranging from excellent to forgettable.

We ask:

• Which Warhammer strategy games are still worth your time?
• What makes this setting so suited to strategy gameplay?
• Where have developers struggled to make it work?

We cover games across both Warhammer Fantasy and 40K, and discuss why the franchise continues to thrive in the strategy space. It’s a look at how a setting built on conflict and factional chaos naturally fuels some of the most interesting strategy design around.

https://www.youtube.com/@thepoorhammerpodcast

https://grimdarkfuture.tv

In Episode 29 of Critical Moves, we look at what happens when well-known franchises switch genres and step into strategy. Games like Halo Wars, Minecraft Legends, and Gears Tactics show how action-heavy series can be reimagined with tactical or strategic gameplay and not always successfully.

We ask:

• What did these games do well?
• What didn’t work?
• Which other games have made the jump, and how did they handle it?

It’s a look at the risks and rewards of moving into strategy, and what these games reveal about the flexibility of the genre.

In Episode 28 of Critical Moves, we take a break from themes and deep dives to talk about what we’re actually playing right now. From sprawling sci-fi micromanagement to chaotic mech-powered destruction, it’s a mix of old favourites, recent updates, and a few new obsessions.

We talk about:

• Why these games are holding our attention.
• What’s keeping the gameplay fresh (or not).
• How they stack up against what we’ve played before.

It’s a more casual episode, but packed with thoughts on mechanics, design, and why these particular games are still worth playing.

In Episode 27 of Critical Moves, we dig into the upcoming Star Wars: Zero Company—a strategy game set during the Clone Wars that promises to finally give fans the tactical Star Wars experience they've been craving.

Key topics include:

• What sets Zero Company apart from previous Star Wars strategy titles.

•Early details on gameplay, mechanics, and story structure based on previews and official reveals.

•Why this game has the potential to become a standout in both Star Wars and strategy gaming circles.

If you’ve been waiting years for a proper Star Wars strategy game, this episode lays out why Zero Company might be the one to watch.

Star Wars Zero Company Panel – Full 40-Minute Reveal | Celebration Japan 2025 www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF4VGddiK2Q

In Episode 26 of Critical Moves, we hand the mic to the community. It’s a full Q&A episode, packed with your questions; serious, strange, and everything in between.

We answer:

• Strategy-related questions about our favourite games, mechanics, and design choices.
• Behind-the-scenes stuff about the podcast, the team, and how we put each episode together.
• A few curveballs that have absolutely nothing to do with strategy games—but we answered them anyway.

It’s unscripted, unfiltered, and very much a conversation with the people who listen. Thanks for sending in your questions. We got through as many as we could.

In Episode 25 of Critical Moves, we sit down with Brandon Casteel, lead game designer on Tempest Rising, the upcoming RTS that channels the spirit of Command & Conquer with a modern twist.

Topics covered include:

• The design goals behind Tempest Rising and its connection to classic RTS mechanics.
• How the team approached base-building, unit design, and multiplayer balance.
• The challenges of modernizing a nostalgic formula without losing what made it great.

Brandon gives us an inside look at development, talks about what makes Tempest Rising stand out in today’s RTS landscape, and shares thoughts on the state of the genre. It’s a must-listen for fans of classic real-time strategy.