Got Game? A Review of Online Strategy Games - By: Allan Michael Taylor

Online strategy games are defined as the genre of games that can be played online, and where players are thrust in a position where their decision making skills are challenged. The result of the game is typically affected by the decisions that the player will make along the way. In fact, some of the more sophisticated ones have several side stories and endings, requiring players to return to previous levels if they want to explore and finish all the quests.

Today, however, it has become a challenge to delineate real time strategy games from other game genre, as most other game genres also contain strategic elements. But the distinguishing characteristic of strategy games is that there is only a small amount of luck or chance involved. Neither are special skills or knowledge relevant. All players in strategy games have the same sets of skills and knowledge. They only need to be sharper than the next player in order to make the right decisions in their interactions with the other players, and win the game in the end.

In contrast, chance-based games rely on statistics and probability for their outcome. But if you come to look at the structure of games, they do strike a balance between chance and skill, although strategy games lean more towards skills than chance. They require complex planning and anticipation skills.

Online strategy games are also called massively multiplayer online games (MMOG) because they serve as an online platform where a great number of players can log on to play from any part of the world. This enables real-time interaction between players through their avatars, or their game characters.

There are several types of real time strategy games. One of these is the abstract strategy game, which typically does not have any link to reality, thus the name. The mechanics of abstract strategy games is usually to solve the puzzle using logic and strategy. Examples of these are Backgammon, Sequence, Mentalis, Stratego and Octiles.

Another type is the simulation strategy game. This type covers those games that are based on reality to some extent, and that try to simulate real-life conflicts, issues, activities and situations. The object of the game is to take a character, explore the world within the game, find out the consequences of every decision and action you make as you work to complete your task. Examples of these games are Abalone and the classic Lemonade Tycoon.

Finally, another famous strategy game sub-genre involves those war and military tactical games. These games simulate military conflicts, battles, ambushes or entire campaigns. They are also predominantly simulation-based, but there is a lot of strategic thinking involved. The earliest versions of war strategy games were limited to miniatures that player controlled across terrain models and against other miniatures from their allies or enemies. But the more recent games now give players the opportunity to play the game using the first-person perspective. Some of the more popular free online strategy games under this sub-genre are Territory War, Age of War and Fall of Rome.

About the Author

Iain Key is a video game developer and fan of Free Online Strategy Games. His website, http://www.FreeOnlineStrategyGames.co.uk is a collection of some of the best War Strategy Games available on the internet for free.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Allan-Michael-Taylor/45501

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