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StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm

50 Games like StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm that you should try

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If StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm left you wanting more, this list of 50 similar games is for you. Each one shares part of its essence — real-time strategy, combat tactical and setting scifi — and is ranked by a similarity score computed across 6 attributes. Total Annihilation comes closest (97/100).

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GenreStrategySubgenreRTS
Tags
SoloMultiplayer
Year 2013Dev Blizzard Entertainment

Quick answer

The closest game to StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm is Total Annihilation — scoring 97/100 on our similarity scale. World in Conflict and Homeworld follow close behind.

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Games like StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm

50 similar games foundUpdated June 2026
Total Annihilation
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerSci-FiIsometricNarrative
Steam👍 97%· 3.7K
Year 1997Dev Cavedog Entertainment · GT Interactive SoftwareOn PC · Mac

✓ Both are real-time strategy games — sharing real-time strategy, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: strong narrative focus, while skipping combat tactical

World in Conflict
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalIsometric
IGDB94· 2
Year 2007Dev Massive Entertainment · Sierra EntertainmentOn PC

✓ Nearly identical: real-time strategy, combat tactical and single-player focus.

≠ Missing: setting scifi.

Homeworld
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalSci-FiIsometric
IGDB90· 1
Year 1999Dev Relic Entertainment · Sierra EntertainmentOn Linux · PC · Mac

✓ Both are real-time strategy games — sharing real-time strategy, combat tactical and setting scifi

≠ Where it differs: brings adventure storytelling

StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalSci-FiIsometric
IGDB90· 8
Year 2015Dev Blizzard EntertainmentOn PC · Mac

✓ Fits the real-time strategy games cluster, with real-time strategy, combat tactical and setting scifi

≠ Where it differs: brings loot and gear systems and skill tree progression

Command & Conquer: Generals
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalSci-FiIsometric
Steam👍 88%· 2.0K
Year 2003Dev EA Pacific · Aspyr MediaOn PC · Mac

✓ Fits the real-time strategy games cluster, with real-time strategy, combat tactical and setting scifi

≠ Its own twist: base building

Pikmin 3
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerSci-FiIsometric
IGDB86· 9
Year 2013Dev Nintendo EAD Software Development Group No.4 · Nintendo

✓ Fits the real-time strategy games cluster, with real-time strategy, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with adventure storytelling, while skipping combat tactical

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Dark Crusade
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalSci-FiIsometric
Steam👍 96%· 9.4KRAWG👍 88%· 319MC87IGDB84· 3
Year 2006Dev Relic Entertainment · SEGAPlaytime ~2hOn PC

✓ Both are real-time strategy games — sharing real-time strategy, combat tactical and setting scifi

≠ Stands apart with dark, oppressive atmosphere, melee combat and historical setting

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerSci-FiIsometricFantasy
IGDB90· 1
Year 2000Dev Westwood Pacific · Electronic ArtsOn PC

✓ Same family of real-time strategy games: real-time strategy, setting scifi and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: fantasy world and historical setting, while skipping combat tactical

Command & Conquer
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalSci-FiIsometric
Steam👍 73%· 416
Year 1995Dev Westwood Studios · Virgin Interactive Entertainment (Europe) Ltd.On PC · Mac

✓ Same family of real-time strategy games: real-time strategy, combat tactical and setting scifi

≠ Its own twist: base building

Star Wars: Empire at War
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalSci-FiIsometric
Steam👍 98%· 42KIGDB73· 2
Year 2006Dev Petroglyph Games · LucasArtsOn PC · Mac

✓ Fits the real-time strategy games cluster, with real-time strategy, combat tactical and setting scifi

≠ Stands apart with turn-based strategy, melee combat and setting space

Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalIsometricDark
IGDB93· 4
Year 2002Dev Blizzard Entertainment · Sierra EntertainmentOn PC · Mac

✓ Same family of real-time strategy games: real-time strategy, combat tactical and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings dark, oppressive atmosphere, fantasy world and loot and gear systems, while skipping setting scifi

Command & Conquer: Red Alert
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalSci-FiIsometric
Steam👍 79%· 382
Year 1996Dev Westwood Studios · Sony Computer EntertainmentOn PlayStation 3 · PC

✓ Fits the real-time strategy games cluster, with real-time strategy, combat tactical and setting scifi

≠ Its own twist: historical setting

Stellaris
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalSci-FiIsometric
Steam👍 86%· 194KRAWG👍 84%· 693MC78IGDB79· 11OC81· 42
Year 2016Dev Paradox Development Studio · Paradox InteractivePlaytime ~10hOn PC · Apple Macintosh · Linux

✓ Same family of real-time strategy games: real-time strategy, combat tactical and setting scifi

≠ Stands apart with deep simulation, turn-based strategy and sandbox freedom

Theme Hospital
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerIsometric
IGDB90· 2
Year 1997Dev Bullfrog Productions · Electronic ArtsOn PC

✓ Fits the real-time strategy games cluster, with real-time strategy, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay

≠ Its own twist: deep simulation, while skipping combat tactical

Victoria II
StrategyRTS
SoloMultiplayerTacticalSandbox WorldHistorical
Steam👍 92%· 20KIGDB76· 1
Year 2010Dev Paradox InteractiveOn Linux · PC · Mac

✓ Both are real-time strategy games — sharing real-time strategy, combat tactical and single-player focus

≠ Stands apart with turn-based strategy, deep simulation and sandbox freedom, while skipping setting scifi

Games like StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best game similar to StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm?
The closest game to StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm is Total Annihilation, scoring 97/100 on our similarity scale. They share 5 gameplay attributes, including real-time strategy, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay. It's the most faithful alternative currently available.
What are the top games like StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm?
The three closest games to StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm are: 1. Total Annihilation (97/100, 5 shared attributes) 2. World in Conflict (97/100, 5 shared attributes) 3. Homeworld (97/100, 6 shared attributes). All share StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm's most important gameplay attributes, ranked out of 50 candidates across 6 dimensions.
Is World in Conflict similar to StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm?
Yes, very much so — World in Conflict scores 97/100 similarity to StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm. They share 5 attributes, including real-time strategy and single-player focus. It's one of the most direct alternatives available.
What RTS games are similar to StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm?
The best RTS games similar to StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm are Total Annihilation, World in Conflict, Homeworld and StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void. All share the RTS genre alongside other key StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm attributes like real-time strategy, single-player focus and multiplayer gameplay.
How is similarity to StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm calculated?
We compare StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm against every game in our catalog using 6 gameplay attributes: genre, atmosphere, world structure, play modes, combat style, and more. Each category is weighted differently — genre matters more than visual style, for instance. The result is a 0-100 score reflecting how closely a game replicates the StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm experience, not just whether it shares the same genre label.