Computed from player tags · Not ranked by quality
24 games like Age of Empires III (2026)
Every game below overlaps with Age of Empires III on things players said about it rather than on our opinion of what feels alike. Each entry shows what it matched on, so you can throw out the ones matching on the part you did not care about.
The short version
- Closest match: Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, which both war, historical, story-rich and strategy.
- Age of Empires III is tagged Strategy, Base-Building, RTS, Multiplayer, Military, City Builder, Historical, War by Steam players. Those tags are what the matching runs on.
- 24 games qualify, each with at least fifty player reviews behind its sentiment figure.
- 3 are free to download, so you can test the resemblance yourself at no cost.
How these were matched
Steam tags carry the most weight, because players apply them and they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Souls-like, Atmospheric and Cozy exist as tags and as nothing else, which is exactly the vocabulary this question needs. Formal genres count for less, themes and a shared studio for more.
Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are thrown out before matching. Nearly everything is tagged Singleplayer, so matching on it is matching on nothing. That cutoff is computed from the catalogue rather than fixed, so it moves as the catalogue grows.
All 24, closest first
- 1
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
Why it matched: both war, historical, story-rich and strategy; shares 17 player tags including Strategy, Base-Building and RTS; published by the same company.
Lead powerful civilizations across the globe, master strategies and tactics, and relive history in co op battles—now remastered in stunning 4K and modernized gameplay.
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2020 Studio World's Edge Player sentiment 86% positive of 54,770 Price $34.99 StrategyBase-BuildingRTSMilitaryCity BuilderHistoricalWarFree to Play
- 2
Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 11 player tags including Strategy, RTS and Base-Building; published by the same company.
Celebrating its first year of delighting millions of global players, the award-winning and best-selling strategy franchise continues with Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition, putting you at the center of even more epic historical battles that shaped the world.
Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition at a glance Released 2021 Studio World's Edge Player sentiment 86% positive of 95,393 Price $39.99 StrategyRTSBase-BuildingWarResource ManagementMedievalCity BuilderHistorical
- 3
Age of Empires
Why it matched: both war, historical, story-rich and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, RTS and Base-Building; published by the same company.
Age of Empires, the pivotal real-time strategy game that launched a 20-year legacy returns with modernized gameplay, all-new 4K visuals, 8-person multiplayer battles and a host of other new features. Welcome back to history.
Age of Empires at a glance Released 1997 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 84% positive of 15,616 Price $19.99 StrategyRTSBase-BuildingCity BuilderHistoricalMedievalStory RichWar
- 4
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition
Why it matched: both war, historical, story-rich and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, RTS and Base-Building; published by the same company.
Age of Empires, the pivotal real-time strategy game that launched a 20-year legacy returns with modernized gameplay, all-new 4K visuals, 8-person multiplayer battles and a host of other new features. Welcome back to history.
Age of Empires: Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2019 Studio World's Edge Player sentiment 84% positive of 15,619 Price $19.99 StrategyRTSBase-BuildingCity BuilderHistoricalMedievalStory RichWar
- 5
Company of Heroes
Why it matched: both war, historical, story-rich and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, RTS and War; released around the same time (2006).
Delivering a visceral WWII gaming experience, Company of Heroes redefines RTS by bringing the sacrifice of heroic soldiers, war-ravaged environments, and dynamic battlefields to life. Please visit the "Company of Heroes - Legacy Edition" page for additional user reviews.
Company of Heroes at a glance Released 2006 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 94% positive of 18,707 Price $14.99 StrategyRTSWarMilitaryHistoricalBase-BuildingModdableStory Rich
- 6
Age of Empires III (2007)
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, RTS and Base-Building; published by the same company.
Microsoft Studios brings you three epic Age of Empires III games in one monumental collection for the first time.
Age of Empires III (2007) at a glance Released 2012 Studio Ensemble Studios Player sentiment 91% positive of 32,254 Price Not listed StrategyRTSBase-BuildingHistoricalResource ManagementCity BuilderWarMilitary
- 7
Age of Mythology: Retold
Why it matched: both story-rich and strategy; shares 10 player tags including Strategy, 3D and RTS; published by the same company.
Play as mythological Gods and smite your enemies in this award-winning, mythological Real-Time Strategy classic given new life. Wage war across timeless campaigns, fierce skirmishes, and god-powered multiplayer modes.
Age of Mythology: Retold at a glance Released 2024 Studio World's Edge Player sentiment 90% positive of 23,418 Price $29.99 Strategy3DRTSStory RichBase-BuildingResource ManagementLevel EditorModdable
- 8
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012)
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Military, City Builder and Medieval.
The highly anticipated sequel to the best-selling Stronghold, Stronghold Crusader HD throws you into historic battles and castle sieges from the Crusades with fiendish AI opponents, new units, 4 historical campaigns and over 100 unique skirmish missions.
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) at a glance Released 2013 Studio Firefly Studios Player sentiment 97% positive of 21,059 Price $1.99 MilitaryCity BuilderMedievalWarBase-BuildingStrategyResource ManagementRTS
- 9
Call to Arms - Gates of Hell: Ostfront
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Historical, Strategy and RTS.
Call to Arms - Gates of Hell is a realistic RTS/ RTT game that offers endless replay value. Command all types of troops in historical singleplayer, dynamic campaign, PvP and PvE battles. Are you ready for some serious immersion in World War 2?
Call to Arms - Gates of Hell: Ostfront at a glance Released 2021 Studio Barbedwire Studios Player sentiment 85% positive of 33,894 Price $34.99 HistoricalStrategyRTSWarModdableMilitaryPvPOnline Co-Op
- 10
War Selection
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, Base-Building and Free to Play.
War Selection is a compelling RTS game featuring base building, resource extraction and warfare. Evolve from a stone age tribe to a distinct industrial nation with unique game mechanics and battle for supremacy with dozens of players on a unique procedurally generated map.
War Selection at a glance Released 2019 Studio Glyph Worlds Player sentiment 85% positive of 23,534 Price Free StrategyBase-BuildingFree to PlayRTSMilitaryWarOnline Co-OpPvP
- 11
Cossacks 3
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, RTS and War.
Cossacks 3 is the return of RTS classics. Obtain resources, build cities and research technologies while taking command of great armies, crushing enemies in grand historical warfares on land and sea!
Cossacks 3 at a glance Released 2016 Studio GSC Game World Player sentiment 82% positive of 16,136 Price $19.99 StrategyRTSWarHistoricalResource ManagementBase-BuildingPvP3D
- 12
Halo Wars
Why it matched: both war, story-rich and strategy; shares 7 player tags including Strategy, RTS and Base-Building; published by the same company; released around the same time (2009).
Halo Wars: Definitive Edition is an enhanced version of the real-time strategy classic, Halo Wars, updated to run natively on PC. Halo Wars: Definitive Edition includes improved graphics, new achievements and all of the DLC created for the landmark real-time strategy game.
Halo Wars at a glance Released 2009 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 91% positive of 9,517 Price $19.99 StrategyRTSBase-BuildingWarMilitaryOnline Co-OpStory Rich
- 13
Tribal Wars
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, Base-Building and Resource Management; released around the same time (2003).
Compete in hardcore PvP strategy in persistent game worlds where real time resource and troop management in coordination with other players is required to expand your kingdom from one village to hundreds as you conquer the map in this winner takes all medieval contest.
Tribal Wars at a glance Released 2003 Studio InnoGames Player sentiment 71% positive of 840 Price Free StrategyBase-BuildingResource ManagementPvPMedievalMilitaryFree to PlayHistorical
- 14
Farthest Frontier
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Historical, Medieval and City Builder.
Protect and guide your people as you forge a town from untamed wilderness at the edge of the known world. Harvest raw materials, hunt, fish and farm to survive. Produce crafted items to trade, consume, equip and fight with as you battle for your survival against the elements and outside threats.
Farthest Frontier at a glance Released 2025 Studio Crate Entertainment Player sentiment 86% positive of 25,411 Price $34.99 HistoricalMedievalCity BuilderResource ManagementRTSStrategyBase-BuildingWar
- 15
Blood of Steel
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Medieval, Free to Play and Strategy.
"Blood of Steel" is a fair competitive multiplayer online game. You will ride into a battlefield where thousands clash, employing unique four-directional slashing maneuvers and strategic formations to defeat your opponents, experiencing the charm of warfare in the age of cold weapons!
Blood of Steel at a glance Released 2020 Studio YC Games Player sentiment 75% positive of 6,901 Price Free MedievalFree to PlayStrategyWarPvPHistoricalRTSOnline Co-Op
- 16
Total War: MEDIEVAL II – Definitive Edition
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 7 player tags including Strategy, Medieval and Historical; released around the same time (2006).
Spanning the most turbulent era in Western history, your quest for territory and power takes you through Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and even onto the shores of the New World.
Total War: MEDIEVAL II – Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2006 Studio CREATIVE ASSEMBLY Player sentiment 96% positive of 36,357 Price $24.99 StrategyMedievalHistoricalWarRTSModdableMilitary
- 17
Company of Heroes - Legacy Edition
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 7 player tags including Strategy, RTS and Military; released around the same time (2007).
Delivering a visceral WWII gaming experience, Company of Heroes redefines RTS by bringing the sacrifice of heroic soldiers, war-ravaged environments, and dynamic battlefields to life. This legacy version also grants access to the latest version of COH, just called "Company of Heroes".
Company of Heroes - Legacy Edition at a glance Released 2007 Studio Relic Entertainment Player sentiment 93% positive of 7,294 Price $36.99 StrategyRTSMilitaryWarBase-BuildingHistoricalModdable
- 18
Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 7 player tags including Strategy, RTS and Military; released around the same time (2007).
The next chapter in the #1 rated RTS franchise thrusts players into a hellish war torn landscape to command two battle-hardened armies in relentless campaigns for honor and country. Players lead the tenacious British 2nd Army during the heroic World War II liberation of Caen, France, and command the German Panzer Elite as they struggle...
Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts at a glance Released 2007 Studio Relic Entertainment Player sentiment 92% positive of 1,205 Price $19.99 StrategyRTSMilitaryWarBase-BuildingHistoricalOnline Co-Op
- 19
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
Why it matched: both war, story-rich and strategy; shares 7 player tags including Level Editor, Strategy and RTS; released around the same time (2007).
The year is 2047. A massive nuclear fireball explodes high in the night sky, marking the dramatic beginning of the Third Tiberium War and the long-awaited return of the most groundbreaking Real-Time Strategy franchise of all time
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars at a glance Released 2007 Studio Danger Close Games Player sentiment 90% positive of 9,333 Price Not listed Level EditorStrategyRTSCity BuilderBase-BuildingWarStory Rich
- 20
Crusader Kings III
Why it matched: both war, historical, story-rich and strategy; shares 6 player tags including Strategy, Medieval and Historical.
Love, fight, scheme, and claim greatness. Determine your noble house’s legacy in the sprawling grand strategy of Crusader Kings III. Death is only the beginning as you guide your dynasty’s bloodline in the rich and larger-than-life simulation of the Middle Ages.
Crusader Kings III at a glance Released 2020 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 90% positive of 143,235 Price $49.99 StrategyMedievalHistoricalRTSWarModdable
- 21
Company of Heroes 3
Why it matched: both war, historical, story-rich and strategy; shares 6 player tags including Strategy, RTS and PvP.
Company of Heroes 3 combines heart-pounding combat with deeper strategic choices in a stunning Mediterranean theatre of war. In Company of Heroes 3, every battle tells a story...what's yours?
Company of Heroes 3 at a glance Released 2023 Studio Relic Entertainment Player sentiment 57% positive of 40,052 Price $59.99 StrategyRTSPvPHistoricalMilitaryWar
- 22
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
Why it matched: both war, story-rich and strategy; shares 7 player tags including War, Military and Online Co-Op; released around the same time (2009).
The most-anticipated game of the year and the sequel to the best-selling first-person action game of all time, Modern Warfare 2 continues the gripping and heart-racing action as players face off against a new threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) at a glance Released 2009 Studio Infinity Ward Player sentiment 93% positive of 60,880 Price $19.99 WarMilitaryOnline Co-OpPvPStory RichStrategyModdable
- 23
Men of War: Assault Squad
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 7 player tags including Strategy, War and RTS.
Men of War: Assault Squad delivers a deeply tactical WWII experience, blending large-scale strategy with intense, hands-on combat. Fight across multiple fronts – from European countryside to Pacific jungles and command every unit and every bullet on the battlefield.
Men of War: Assault Squad at a glance Released 2011 Studio Digitalmindsoft Player sentiment 87% positive of 5,176 Price $9.99 StrategyWarRTSMilitaryHistoricalModdableLevel Editor
- 24
Company of Heroes 2
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 7 player tags including Strategy, RTS and War.
Experience the ultimate WWII RTS platform with COH2 and its standalone expansions. This package includes the base game, which you can then upgrade by purchasing The Western Front Armies, Ardennes Assault and/or The British Forces. More info in the "About This Game" section below.
Company of Heroes 2 at a glance Released 2013 Studio Relic Entertainment Player sentiment 79% positive of 113,085 Price $19.99 StrategyRTSWarHistoricalMilitaryOnline Co-OpBase-Building
Common questions
What game is most like Age of Empires III?
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, on the evidence we have. It both war, historical, story-rich and strategy. That is a statement about overlap, not a promise you will like it as much: two games can share every tag and still feel different to play.
How is "similar to Age of Empires III" decided?
By overlap on the tags Steam players applied to each game, the formal genres, the themes both sit in, and whether the same studio made them. Tags carry the most weight because players write them, so they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are ignored: matching on "Singleplayer" is matching on nothing. Every entry below shows exactly what it matched on.
Are these ranked by quality?
No. They are ordered by how much they overlap with Age of Empires III. Where two games overlap equally, the better received one goes first, but that only moves a game a place or two. Each entry shows its own player sentiment so you can weigh that separately.
Do you get paid for these recommendations?
No. The order is computed from tag and genre overlap and nothing else. No placement here can be bought, and a game appearing high on this page is a statement about resemblance rather than an endorsement.