Best Real-Time Games on Steam
Steam currently has 477 Real-Time games available to download and play. Explore our list of the best picks ranked by Player Score. Our Player Score rankings are calculated directly from reviews left on the Steam store and will be updated in real-time as more players leave their feedback. Real-Time game rankings were last updated on 4/23/2024.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
- Free real-time games on Steam
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1. Stronghold Crusader HD
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 holds the #1 spot for "best Real-Time game on Steam" with a Player Score of 95. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 17,725 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 17,293 positive reviews and 432 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $9.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Stronghold Crusader HD on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Steam Price | $9.99 |
| Release Date | 10/21/2013 |
| Franchise | Firefly Studios |
| Developer | FireFly Studios |
| Publisher | FireFly Studios |
| Steam App Id | 40970 |
2. Age of Empires II (Retired)
Age of Empires II has been re-imagined in high definition. With the release of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, this product will not be updated further.
Age of Empires II (Retired) has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #2 spot for the best Real-Time games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 99,433 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 95,213 positive reviews and 4,220 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Steam Price | $19.99 |
| Release Date | 4/9/2013 |
| Franchise | Age of Empires Franchise |
| Developers | |
| Publisher | Xbox Game Studios |
| Steam App Id | 221380 |
3. Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance
The last days of man are at hand.. Two years after the Infinite War the once great warring nations now lie in ruins, and humanity’s hope for a brighter future is nothing but a bitter memory. A new, seemingly unstoppable enemy, supported by the zealots of The Order, now seeks to eradicate mankind: UEF, Aeon Loyalist, and Cybran alike.
Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #3 spot for the best Real-Time games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 12,578 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 12,180 positive reviews and 398 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $12.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance on the Steam Deck.
| Steam Price | $12.99 |
| Release Date | 9/28/2011 |
| Developer | Gas Powered Games |
| Publisher | Square Enix |
| Steam App Id | 9420 |
4. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition features “The Last Khans” with 3 new campaigns and 4 new Civilizations. Frequent updates include events, additional content, new game modes, and enhanced features with the recent addition of Co-Op mode!
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Real-Time games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 143,141 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 135,750 positive reviews and 7,391 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition on the Steam Deck.
| Steam Price | $19.99 |
| Release Date | 11/14/2019 |
| Franchise | Age of Empires Franchise |
| Developers | |
| Publisher | Xbox Game Studios |
| Steam App Id | 813780 |
5. Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® - Dark Crusade
Deep under the central desert of Kronus, a vast honeycomb of skull-lined tunnels and funeral chambers house the awakening Necron menace. Eons ago, these were the boulevards and squares of a great necropolis built to house the bones of the races who had fallen to the Necrons, and ultimately were where the Necrons themselves retire to...
Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® - Dark Crusade has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #5 spot for the best Real-Time games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 8,022 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 7,750 positive reviews and 272 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $12.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® - Dark Crusade on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Steam Price | $12.99 |
| Release Date | 8/7/2007 |
| Developer | Relic Entertainment |
| Publisher | SEGA |
| Steam App Id | 4580 |
6. Rusted Warfare - RTS
{{An RTS inspired by the classics of the past!}} Making up for it's subpar retro graphics with fun gameplay and modern multi-threaded tech enabling huge battles to run smooth... Featuring singleplayer challenges, skirmish, sandbox, 10-player multiplayer & workshop modding.
Rusted Warfare - RTS has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #6 spot for the best Real-Time games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 4,769 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 4,630 positive reviews and 139 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $4.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Rusted Warfare - RTS on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Steam Price | $4.99 |
| Release Date | 7/14/2017 |
| Developer | Corroding Games |
| Publisher | Corroding Games |
| Steam App Id | 647960 |
7. Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® - Soulstorm
The third and final expansion to the genre-defining and critically-acclaimed RTS, Dawn of War. In Soulstorm, two new armies are introduced – Sisters of Battle and Dark Eldar - raising the total number of playable armies to nine.
Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® - Soulstorm has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #7 spot for the best Real-Time games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 15,656 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 14,951 positive reviews and 705 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $12.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® - Soulstorm on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Steam Price | $12.99 |
| Release Date | 3/7/2008 |
| Developer | Relic Entertainment |
| Publisher | SEGA |
| Steam App Id | 9450 |
8. Creeper World 3: Arc Eternal
Creeper World 3 is what happens when cellular automata takes over a strategy simulation. Instead of discrete units that attack your base, a fluid-like substance spreads over the terraformable terrain. Your base, your weapons, your strategy... you must adapt them all.
Creeper World 3: Arc Eternal has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #8 spot for the best Real-Time games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 4,453 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 4,303 positive reviews and 150 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $14.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Creeper World 3: Arc Eternal on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Steam Price | $14.99 |
| Release Date | 3/27/2014 |
| Developer | Knuckle Cracker |
| Publisher | Knuckle Cracker |
| Steam App Id | 280220 |
9. Airships: Conquer the Skies
Construct mighty steampunk airships and fly them into battle, waging war and conquering the skies!
Airships: Conquer the Skies has achieved a Player Score of 92, placing it in the #9 spot for the best Real-Time games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 5,417 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 5,197 positive reviews and 220 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $24.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. At the moment, it is possible to play Airships: Conquer the Skies on the Steam Deck (though some functionality may be limited).
| Steam Price | $24.99 |
| Release Date | 8/16/2018 |
| Developer | David Stark |
| Publisher | David Stark |
| Steam App Id | 342560 |
10. Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® - Game of the Year Edition
Prepare yourself for the grim, dark future of the 41st millennium, where alien races battle mankind for galactic domination in a universe of unending war. Personalize your armies with a revolutionary unit customization tool that gives you the ability to choose your armies insignias, banners, squad colors and names.
Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® - Game of the Year Edition has achieved a Player Score of 92, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Real-Time games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 9,666 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 9,209 positive reviews and 457 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $12.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. At the moment, it is not possible to play or run Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® - Game of the Year Edition on the Steam Deck.
| Steam Price | $12.99 |
| Release Date | 8/7/2007 |
| Developer | Relic Entertainment |
| Publisher | SEGA |
| Steam App Id | 4570 |
More Real-Time Games
Explore even more rankings for the 100 best Real-Time games available on Steam.
| Image | Name | Actions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 754 | 10/21/2013 | 95 | $9.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 2,331 | 4/9/2013 | 94 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 517 | 9/28/2011 | 94 | $12.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 11,460 | 11/14/2019 | 94 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 148 | 8/7/2007 | 93 | $12.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 125 | 7/14/2017 | 93 | $4.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 476 | 3/7/2008 | 93 | $12.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 103 | 3/27/2014 | 93 | $14.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 48 | 8/16/2018 | 92 | $24.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 42 | 8/7/2007 | 92 | $12.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 489 | 6/12/2014 | 92 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,013 | 5/8/2014 | 91 | $29.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 136 | 6/12/2012 | 91 | $39.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 10 | 4/11/2012 | 91 | $14.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 16 | 11/11/2015 | 91 | $9.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 8 | 1/27/2014 | 90 | $9.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 52 | 4/27/2018 | 90 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 34 | 8/20/2015 | 89 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 335 | 1/5/2012 | 89 | $39.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 18 | 2/4/2009 | 88 | $9.99 | Steam Charts |
Soures & References
Steambase has best-in-class data powered directly by Steam, our data partners, and in-house experts. Reviews and rankings are enriched, analyzed, and updated in real-time to ensure we surface the most up-to-date insights. Learn more about the Steambase approach to data collection and our review methodology.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 23). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 23). Stronghold Crusader HD on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 5). Age of Empires II (Retired) on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, March 26). Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 8). Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, March 22). Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® - Dark Crusade on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 10). Rusted Warfare - RTS on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, March 22). Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® - Soulstorm on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, March 22). Creeper World 3: Arc Eternal on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 7). Airships: Conquer the Skies on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, March 22). Warhammer® 40,000: Dawn of War® - Game of the Year Edition on Steam. Steam Store.