The 6 Best Turn-Based Mac Games to Play in 2023
You can easily fall into despair when you see that your favorite games or new and exciting ones are unavailable for your Mac. But fear not, there are many Mac-compatible gems out there that will blow you away.
We’ll show you some of the best turn-based games for those of you that love RPGs and strategy, and could do with a break from fast-paced reaction-based games that can sprain your poor wrists.
The much beloved XCOM franchise produced an excellent sequel in the form of XCOM 2 which, lucky for us, can also run on Mac.
Among the most immersive features of XCOM 2 are the RPG elements where you guide your whole team of fighters from a ragtag group of recruits into an elite battalion capable of saving humanity from the cunning and horrific invading aliens. Your headquarters will also evolve from a basic base into a cutting-edge facility that boasts the latest tech providing many upgrades to choose from. That is, if you make it that far.
XCOM 2 is a very challenging game. You will need to learn how to master its unique chessboards and pieces, or you will suffer losses. You will name your team, perhaps after people you know, and wail in horror as Karen and Pablo die somewhere along your desperate journey.
Feel no shame in looking up guides before you get started. We all want Karen and Pablo to make it all the way.
If building up your base is exactly the kind of progression you love, there are a variety ofbase- and kingdom-building gamesthat you will surely enjoy.
XCOM 2 is the only game in this list that has a minimum system requirement of 8GB of RAM. All other games in this list require a minimum of 4GB of RAM or lower.
2.Griftlands
Griftlands is a game that if you’re lucky, hasn’t flown below your radar. You will encounter incredibly immersive stories, satisfying combat, and ingenious sound design. The world-building and writing are second to none, supported wonderfully by the visual aesthetic.
Griftland’s game mechanics are built around deck-building and defeating your opponents through negotiation or combat in a turn-based system. Just when you may be feeling some repetition in one set of cards, Griftlands provides you with a whole other set and character in each of the three campaigns.
All these elements combine to provide a unique gaming experience that turn-based and deck-building game aficionados will love.
3.Darkest Dungeon
For those of you who like a challenge in your turn-based escapades, Darkest Dungeon is for you. Though be warned, only the grimmest of challenge-seekers should dare the upper difficulties. Feel no shame at all in starting out with the lowest difficulty.
Darkest Dungeon pits nightmarish creatures against your selected party of four heroes. There are different classes to choose from, and if you don’t choose wisely, many of your characters will die tragic deaths. Not only that, but their very sanity is at stake–many of your pool of heroes will develop fears and quirks from the traumas caused by braving the deep.
The music in Darkest Dungeon combines perfectly with the tension and horror of exploring each room of a dungeon. For extended dungeon crawls, feel free to edit the audio settings or add in your own breaks of soothing music. It may just keep you sane enough to reach the deepest and darkest of dungeons.
4.For The King
If you ever thought Dungeons & Dragons should be brought to life in video game format, For The King is a game you will want to check out. It features a deceivingly homely visual style that disguises an intensely challenging game.
You set out on your path to victory with a party of three in either solo or online co-op modes. You have a selection of campaigns to choose from, and the higher difficulties are only for the wisest of strategists.
For the King warns you before its opening menu that you will fail frequently on your path to success. Given that its core mechanics are RNG (random number generator)-based, chance can be your greatest ally and worst enemy. The learning curve can be steep, but once you get a hang of the mechanics, form strategies, and learn to prepare for combat, For the King is one hell of a game.
For the King has a rich world featuring many biomes, quests, dungeons, and unlockables that will inspire you to brave its cruel worlds again and again.
5.Into the Breach
Into the Breach is simple and old school in its style and mechanics yet reminds us that what is simple is often best. The visual aesthetic is charming, and the combat is simple to grasp and hard to master. The writing is immersive and draws you into the setting where every life counts.
Your objective is clear: save humanity from the invading insectoids with your team of mechs. Completing this task is no easy feat. You will feel great satisfaction in learning new combinations to defeat your foes before they can destroy key objectives.
The game offers decent replayability by presenting you the challenge of saving the world with different teams of mechs or a custom combination of them. Chess and strategy fans will deeply enjoy conquering this finest of games.
If strategy games are your bread and butter, morestrategy-focused Mac gamescan be found if you search for them.
6.Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire has rapidly risen to the top of the deck-building game genre, and for good reason. The music and combat are gripping; the tension and stakes are high as you encounter monsters, elite enemies, and bosses during your ascent. Fail, and you will start again from the bottom.
You will progressively unlock four characters to brave the marvels and horrors found within your journeys to the top of the spire. Slay the Spire walks the fine line between being too challenging and too easy excellently—you will fall but each time rise stronger. New cards, relics, and curses will give birth to new tactics until you find the sweet spot to storm the spire.
you could then raise the difficulty, attempt the complete climb with the other characters and their unique card sets, or engage in the daily challenge. Slaying the spire is a journey and ascent that you won’t want to miss.
If you’re on a budget, check outthe best free Mac adventure gamesto keep meeting your gaming needs.
Bring Out Your Inner Strategist With These Mac Games
While turn-based games give you the luxury of playing at your own pace, do not be fooled–the stakes are wonderfully high. Whether you’re battling to save your squad members and the world from alien invaders or braving dark and dangerous dungeons for glory and riches, you’ll be on the edge of your seat as you make the leap for victory beside death’s door.
If you have access to other gaming consoles, there are many other games worth your time that can take you on unforgettable journeys.
Here are some of 2022’s best video game offerings.
you’re able to block out the constant surveillance and restore your privacy with a few quick changes.
This small feature makes a massive difference.
Revolutionize your driving experience with these game-changing CarPlay additions.
I gripped my chair the entire time—and then kept thinking about it when the screen turned off.
OneDrive is one of the best, but it has a catch.
