Summary
Many veteran gamers agree thatvintage strategy gamesare among the best in the genre’s catalog. Not only do they offer a feeling of nostalgia, but they also have great mechanics, especially for their time. The 90s and early 2000s saw the birth of many franchises that are still successful and releasing games to this day.
Unfortunately, many of these timeless classics now live only within players' memory, as they can no longerbe bought through traditional means. No online outlet sells them, and while there are a few “free” sites where they can still be downloaded, they’re not official and can be dangerous. Here are somestrategy games you cannot buy anymore.
5MechCommander 2
Battle With Massive Mechanical Soldiers
Set in theBattleTechuniverse,MechCommander2will have players command a company during a civil war. Houses Steiner and Davion will fight against each other in an endless struggle for control and supremacy by leading and controlling powerful mechanical soldiers. The game involvesloadout resource managementand a ton of tactical strategies. As the game progresses, players will encounter increasingly difficult challenges and obstacles that they’ll have to try to overcome through any means necessary.
MechCommander 2stopped being available mainly due to issues with theBattleTechIP. Now, it sadly can’t be purchased anymore except for a few second-hand copies available online.
4Command & Conquer: Sole Survivor
A Risky Take On An Established Franchise
This game was daring in many ways. It stepped out of the classicCommand & Conquerformula by only having multiplayer mode and incorporating a last-man-standing approach, similar to modern battle royales. InCommand & Conquer: Sole Survivor, players take control of a single tank or soldier through different maps as they attempt to survive and defeat their competition.
While the game presented players with a completely new experience, it wasn’t very well received, as fans of the franchise were very comfortable with the old game mechanics. This led to poor sales and a limited fanbase, which quickly resulted in the title being discontinued. While theCommand & Conquerfranchise continued to thrive,Sole Survivorcould never be part of its success again.
3Dominion: Storm Over Gift 3
Four Factions Fighting To Control A Planet’s Resources
Dominion: Storm Over Gift 3is a futuristicreal-time strategy gameset on Gift 3, a war-torn planet where four factions (Scorps, Darkens, Mercs, and Humans) are in control of its valuable resources. Heavily based on resource gathering and management, as well as large-scale tactical combat, this game’s storyline intertwines the perspectives of the four factions in their race towards controlling Gift 3’s precious resources.
This title was also one of the few games that were already introducing 3D graphics into games of its genre, which made it visually impressive for its time. Unfortunately, when developer 7th Level closed down, the game was no longer available. These days, it can be purchased online through second-hand sellers, but new instances of the game are almost impossible to come by.
2Dune 2000
Houses Atreides, Harkonnen, & Ordos Fight For Arrakis
Dune 2000is the remake of the original 1992 game,Dune 2. Like other games of this genre,Dune 2000follows the story ofthree different factions(House Atreides, House Harkonnen, and House Ordos) as they fight over control of the precious spice planet Arrakis. This title will have players building bases, managing resources and leading large armies into tactical, real-time battles.
Each faction in the game has unique abilities that help make the interesting storyline even more exciting.Dune 2000paved the way for later real-time strategy games and helped keep theDunefranchise alive. Sadly, though, after a few licensing issues regarding the franchise’s IP, the game was pulled from stores, rendering it unavailable thereafter.
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth 2expands beyond the events of the film and includes precious material and lore from J.R.R. Tolkien’s literary masterpieces. Players will control different factions, including Elves, Dwarves, Goblins, and the forces of Sauron. The game also allows players to either defend Middle-Earth in the Good Campaign, or conquer it as Sauron in the Evil one.
With tons of customization options and iconic battle locations, including Dol-Guldur, and Rivendell,The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth 2is a great classic that many veteran players surely remember. After the licensing agreements with theLord of the RingsIP expired, the game struggled to keep selling due to legal issues. Players can still purchase a copy from several second-hand outlets, but they’re expensive, and the item’s condition can vary.
