Best Real-Time games on Steam
Unlike generic lists, our strategy game recommendations use a rigorous analysis of Steam user reviews to identify and feature only the best, community-validated real-time games. For those who prefer not to search, lists of the most played, top deals real-time games are available at the bottom of the page.
Filters & Lists
Wild West Saga: Idle Tycoon Clicker
Wild West Saga is an idle game where you click to make money and build a business fortune! Hundreds of Towns to explore and Patent Cards to collect, dozens of Businesses to upgrade and Outlaws to hire. The end goal? To become the richest Pioneer in the Wild West! So, are you up for it?
Species: Artificial Life, Real Evolution
Play with evolution! Species: ALRE is a scientifically-grounded, emergent simulation of natural selection. Creatures evolve and speciate in response to in-game mutation and selection forces, allowing you to experience and tinker with evolution in real-time.
Victory At Sea Pacific
Victory at Sea Pacific is the exciting game of naval RTS combat set during World War II. Bringing an epic approach to real time strategy war gaming, search and destroy enemy fleets across an open world sandbox in a desperate attempt to change the course of history.
Shadows: Awakening
Shadows: Awakening is a unique, isometric single-player RPG with real-time tactical combat. You embark on an epic adventure with challenging gameplay, a gripping storyline and enchanting graphics.
Airships: Conquer the Skies
Construct mighty steampunk airships and fly them into battle, waging war and conquering the skies!
Circle Empires
Circle Empires is a fresh take on the RTS genre, featuring a fast-paced approach to conquering the world.
Ancestors Legacy
Ancestors Legacy is a squad-based real time strategy with a strong focus on tactics. Inspired by medieval European history, it brings to life four different nations and their conflicts, usually solved by war.
Zero-K
With 100+ truly unique units, Zero-K is an RTS of freedom and creativity, tempered by a decade of refinement. Sculpt land into a castle and throw invaders off it with a Jugglenaut. Explore a massive campaign, solo or co-op. Hop online for epic 32 player battles or fast paced 1v1, on 100s of maps.
Call to Arms
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.
EMERGENCY 4 Deluxe
Coordinate firefighters, police, medical personnel and specialists in the classic EMERGENCY 4 Deluxe! Now with the previously untranslated bonus missions in English.
Tower of Time
A new kind of RPG awaits you. A story-rich dungeon crawler with innovative real-time combat that lets you pause or slow time. Tactical thinking is essential to succeed. Now with RPGlite and Permadeath for fast-paced game.
Empires Apart
An exciting free-to-play Real Time Strategy game set in medieval times. Uniquely designed factions, customization options, singleplayer and multiplayer gameplay. Gather resources, raise an army and lead your civilization to victory in a classic RTS, brought to the modern age.
CONFLICT OF NATIONS: WORLD WAR 3
This Long Term Strategy Game lets you take control of the armed forces of your nation. Become responsible for its military expansion, technological research and economic development. Form alliances and wage total war for global dominance on the battlefields of World War 3.
Crest - an indirect god sim
Your word is gospel in this god sim set in Sub-Saharan Africa. Influence and try to control your followers using commandments but beware, free will leaves these open to interpretation. Will you create a flourishing civilization or lead them to death and destruction?
Battlezone: Combat Commander
Battlezone: Combat Commander remasters FPS-RTS classic Battlezone II with slick new visuals, brand new achievements, Steam Workshop support and much more! The solar system is at war. Take command.
Ancestors Legacy Free Peasant Edition
Ancestors Legacy Free Peasant Edition represents a part of the full product. Get a taste of medieval battles in this free version of the acclaimed historical RTS! 4 SP missions and 17 MP maps are now available to everyone. Challenge friends, AI, or take part in our League that will start in March!
Railway Empire
In Railway Empire, you will create an elaborate and wide-ranging rail network, purchase over 40 different trains modelled in extraordinary detail, and buy or build railway stations, maintenance buildings, factories and tourist attractions to keep your travel network ahead of the competition.
EMERGENCY 20
Coordinate your team of first responders in the anniversary edition of EMERGENCY! Featuring 10 remastered classic EMERGENCY missions and three full campaigns, EMERGENCY 20 is the complete package for both experienced and new rescue commanders!
Arcade Moonlander
Explore space and race against the clock in this retro styled adventure game.
Call of War: World War 2
Take over the control of one of the mighty nations during the times of World War 2 in this persisting long-term strategy game. Conquer provinces, forge alliances and build up your economy in real-time. Research top secret weapons of World War 2 and become the one true superpower!
Castle Clicker : Idle City Tycoon
Castle Clicker is a more strategy focused clicking game that required you to think about how to manage your resources and build your city. If you're looking for a more in depth but still casual clicking game, this is for you!Most played real-time games on Steam
Take a look at the top real-time games that are currently attracting the largest player bases on the Steam platform, as of April 15th 2025.
1. Per Aspera
Make Mars your own! Take control of the world’s most sophisticated AI (AMI) and terraform the surface of the Red Planet for a city-building experience on a planetary scale. Transform this barren world into a lush paradise and explore the surface for any ancient secrets that may be waiting. Per Aspera is a online co-op, real-time and management game developed by Tlön Industries and published by Raw Fury. Released on December 03rd 2020 has received 5,423 reviews of which 4,118 were positive and 1,305 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.4 out of 10. The game has hit the top spot as the #1 most played real-time game, thanks to its 207 peak concurrent players over the last day.
7.4
4,118
1,305
207
players
2. Cossacks: Art of War
Cossacks: The Art of War continues the history of the great battles of XVII–XVIII centuries Cossacks: Art of War is a crpg, wargame and turn-based tactics game developed by GSC Game World and published by GSC World Publishing. Released on August 26th 2011 has received 332 reviews of which 267 were positive and 65 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.5 out of 10. The game currently holds the #2 spot among the most played real-time games.
7.5
267
65
35
players
3. Necrosmith 2
Like a dead man reanimated by dark sorcery, the necromancer simulator is back! Give the undead the ability to fly over mountains and swim across rivers, explore a fully generated world at night and fend off enemy hordes during the day. Start a new, uhm, life. Necrosmith 2 is a tower defense, strategy and rogue-lite game developed and published by Alawar. Released on March 27th 2024 has received 1,149 reviews of which 904 were positive and 245 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.5 out of 10. The game currently holds the #3 spot among the most played real-time games.
7.5
904
245
21
players
4. Sins of a Solar Empire: Trinity®
In Sins of a Solar Empire: Trinity, you are the leader of a civilization embroiled in a galactic war, fighting for the survival of your entire race against relentless foes. Sins of a Solar Empire: Trinity® is a 4x, pvp and pve game developed by Stardock Entertainment and Ironclad Games Corporation and published by Stardock Entertainment. Released on November 16th 2011 has received 790 reviews of which 610 were positive and 180 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.4 out of 10. The game currently holds the #4 spot among the most played real-time games.
7.4
610
180
16
players
5. Krush Kill ‘N Destroy 2: Krossfire
Krush Kill 'N Destroy 2: Krossfire is a fast and furious post-apocalyptic real-time strategy game where you have to be quick or be dead. Play as one of three unique factions in the struggle to seek out and conquer oil fields to fuel your army. Krush Kill ‘N Destroy 2: Krossfire is a strategy, retro and real-time game developed by Beam Software and published by Ziggurat. Released on July 23rd 2020 has received 330 reviews of which 233 were positive and 97 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.7 out of 10. The game currently holds the #5 spot among the most played real-time games.
6.7
233
97
7
players
6. Cursed Treasure 2
Why be good when you can be... bad? Cursed Treasure 2 is an addictive tower-defense game that puts the power of darkness at your fingertips. Build towers of powerful orcs, demons, and undead, and master powerful spells, to protect your precious hoard from all manner of no-good do-gooders. Cursed Treasure 2 is a strategy, tower defense and indie game developed by IriySoft and published by Armor Games Studios. Released on July 21st 2017 has received 508 reviews of which 418 were positive and 90 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.7 out of 10. The game currently holds the #6 spot among the most played real-time games.
7.7
418
90
6
players
7. Earth 2160
After the destruction of the EARTH in 2150, the leaders of the Eurasian Dynasty escaped on board an evacuation fleet. Now they are fighting for the survival of the human species. Their base is one large building comprising of smaller variable parts. Earth 2160 is a base-building, space and rts game developed by Reality Pump Studios and published by TopWare Interactive and ACE. Released on April 01st 2006 has received 1,396 reviews of which 990 were positive and 406 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.9 out of 10. The game currently holds the #7 spot among the most played real-time games.
6.9
990
406
6
players
8. Dice Legacy
Dice Legacy is a dice-based survival city builder set on a mysterious ringworld. Your ship has reached the shore of an uncharted continent. Roll and use your dice to gather resources, expand and defend your settlement, survive the winter and interact with the strange inhabitants of this eerie world. Dice Legacy is a city builder, survival and strategy game developed by DESTINYbit and published by DESTINYbit and Amplifier Studios. Released on September 09th 2021 has received 1,015 reviews of which 701 were positive and 314 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.7 out of 10. The game currently holds the #8 spot among the most played real-time games.
6.7
701
314
3
players
9. Siege of Centauri
Defend against thousands of enemies in this explosive tower defense game. Deploy upgradable towers and unleash powerful orbital abilities as you try to protect Earth's first colony world from destruction. Siege of Centauri is a tower defense, real time tactics and pve game developed and published by Stardock Entertainment. Released on September 12th 2019 has received 436 reviews of which 285 were positive and 151 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.3 out of 10. The game currently holds the #9 spot among the most played real-time games.
6.3
285
151
2
players
10. Arcade Moonlander
Explore space and race against the clock in this retro styled adventure game. Arcade Moonlander is a racing, exploration and flight game developed by Daniel Paul Griffin and published by Back Of Nowhere Studios. Released on October 25th 2017 has received 1,163 reviews of which 1,078 were positive and 85 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. The game currently holds the #10 spot among the most played real-time games.
8.8
1,078
85
1
players
Best deals on real-time games on Steam
Discover fantastic savings with the best discounts on a variety of real-time games available on Steam right now, updated on April 15th 2025. Looking for even more deals? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of discounted real-time games.
1. Per Aspera
Make Mars your own! Take control of the world’s most sophisticated AI (AMI) and terraform the surface of the Red Planet for a city-building experience on a planetary scale. Transform this barren world into a lush paradise and explore the surface for any ancient secrets that may be waiting. Per Aspera is a online co-op, real-time and management game developed by Tlön Industries and published by Raw Fury. Released on December 03rd 2020 has received 5,423 reviews of which 4,118 were positive and 1,305 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.4 out of 10. Featuring a massive 88% discount, this game currently holds the #1 spot in the best deals for real-time category.
7.4
4,118
1,305
-88%
29.42€
3.53€
2. Cossacks: Art of War
Cossacks: The Art of War continues the history of the great battles of XVII–XVIII centuries Cossacks: Art of War is a crpg, wargame and turn-based tactics game developed by GSC Game World and published by GSC World Publishing. Released on August 26th 2011 has received 332 reviews of which 267 were positive and 65 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.5 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 78% discount, this game is now the #2 best deal in real-time games.
7.5
267
65
-78%
5.00€
1.10€
3. Dice Legacy
Dice Legacy is a dice-based survival city builder set on a mysterious ringworld. Your ship has reached the shore of an uncharted continent. Roll and use your dice to gather resources, expand and defend your settlement, survive the winter and interact with the strange inhabitants of this eerie world. Dice Legacy is a city builder, survival and strategy game developed by DESTINYbit and published by DESTINYbit and Amplifier Studios. Released on September 09th 2021 has received 1,015 reviews of which 701 were positive and 314 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.7 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 74% discount, this game is now the #3 best deal in real-time games.
6.7
701
314
-74%
14.77€
3.84€
4. WAR PARTY
War Party is a strategy game where you enter a prehistoric world of Dinosaurs, Cavemen and Magic! Build up your chosen faction, gather resources, explore the land and command them against enemy tribes and wildlife! Will your story be about Life, Death or Balance? Can you survive? WAR PARTY is a strategy, rts and base-building game developed and published by Rogueside. Released on March 28th 2019 has received 447 reviews of which 307 were positive and 140 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.6 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 70% discount, this title has earned the #4 position in the best deals for real-time games.
6.6
307
140
-70%
9.90€
2.97€
5. Necrosmith 2
Like a dead man reanimated by dark sorcery, the necromancer simulator is back! Give the undead the ability to fly over mountains and swim across rivers, explore a fully generated world at night and fend off enemy hordes during the day. Start a new, uhm, life. Necrosmith 2 is a tower defense, strategy and rogue-lite game developed and published by Alawar. Released on March 27th 2024 has received 1,149 reviews of which 904 were positive and 245 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.5 out of 10. Currently offered at a 23% discount, this title has earned the #5 position in the best deals for real-time games.
7.5
904
245
-23%
7.78€
5.99€