Adam, Jack, and Tim dig into the October 2025 Steam Next Fest lineup. They highlight the most promising strategy titles, the ones to skip, and talk about how Steam’s visibility system shapes the fortunes of indie developers. The discussion covers what works, what doesn’t, and why the algorithm can make or break smaller strategy games.https://criticalmovespodcast.com
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RTS Is Quietly Having a Comeback (Ep.50)
Nuno, Al, and Jack talk about how modern real-time strategy has changed — and improved. Dawn of War: Definitive Edition shows the strength of classic design, while new projects like Tempest Rising and Broken Arrow push toward a leaner, more deliberate form of RTS. The conversation covers what recent games are getting right, where design has shifted, and why the future looks more promising than it has in years.https://criticalmovespodcast.com
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The Future of Total War (Ep.49)
Al, Tim and Joe come together to discuss the future of the Total War franchise ahead of Creative Assembly's December announcement on what to anticipate next from the studio. With a look at what games the hosts expect to see and which ones they would love to see, the conversation covers settings such as Star Wars, Warhammer 40K and Lord of the Rings, along side what Medieval III might look like, or if Total War: Empire 2 will see the series return to the era of colonialism, sailing ships and cavalry charges into line infantry.https://criticalmovespodcast.com
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Asymmetry: The Secret Ingredient in Strategy Games (Ep.48)
Asymmetry is one of the defining features of strategy games, but it’s also the source of endless arguments. Giving players different factions, units, or victory conditions creates tension and variety, but it also creates balancing headaches. Designers fight with trade-offs: too much asymmetry and one side can dominate, too little and the game turns bland. In historical wargames, asymmetry is unavoidable - real conflicts aren’t fair fights - and that raises the harder question of how much accuracy should be sacrificed for the sake of playability. This episode looks at faction design, uneven objectives, and the constant push and pull between theme, balance, and player experience.https://criticalmovespodcast.com
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Double Vision: The True State of 4X (Ep.47)
In this episode we brought in Ricky and Drexy from eXplorminate to correct the mistakes we made in episode 41 on the state of 4X. The discussion pulls apart what separates 4X from grand strategy, where games like Stellaris, Total War and Victoria 3 sit, and why the labels aren’t always useful.We cover direct control versus large-scale influence, why Total War is neither 4X nor grand strategy, the failure of Humankind’s civ-swapping mechanic, and how Ara History Untold burned out with poor pacing and clumsy systems. We get into DLC bloat, feature creep, and how these games drive away new players while locking in the hardcore. There’s also a look at the economic side of strategy games and why most 4X titles still avoid it.The state of 4X isn’t good. Innovation attempts usually collapse under bad execution, old titles feel dated, and sequels keep recycling the same template. Grand strategy keeps its audience, but only by demanding an enormous investment of time and patience.https://criticalmovespodcast.comhttps://explorminate.org
Critical Moves is a strategy games podcast that takes RTS, 4X, and tactics seriously. Most gaming podcasts treat strategy games as an afterthought. We don’t. Every week we cover real-time strategy, turn-based tactics, 4X empire builders, indie experiments, and overlooked classics with long-form analysis and no wasted time.This isn’t quick reviews or recycled talking points. It’s sharp criticism and honest discussion about strategy game design. If a game is shallow or broken, we’ll say so. If it does something clever, we’ll explain why it works. We talk to developers without the marketing filter, getting into the mechanics and design choices that actually shape the games.If you want a RTS podcast, a 4X podcast, or a place for smarter conversations about tactics and strategy gaming, this is it. Critical Moves is made for players who think about systems, mechanics, and design—not just surface impressions.New episodes every Friday.https://criticalmovespodcast.com
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