Top competitive PvP turn-based games

Written by Marcello TBL

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Top Competitive PvP turn-based games

Here’s a list with some of the best competitive turn-based online games. We have not considered card games, because for those we are preparing a dedicated list and not even MMORPG and single player games with a multiplayer component like Xcom etc. but only turn-based strategy and tactical games that make of PvP their main focus.

You can find them in order of release date with video and key features for a quick look and for each of them you find the link to the store and cdkeys. Before starting, I always invite you to comment and suggest any games that we have forgotten to mention. Like all our lists, we will try to keep this updated as well. Let’s begin:

Blood Bowl 2

The famous sports warhammer series that mix up American Football with turn-based strategy. The multiplayer modes are bigger and richer than ever. In the persistent online mode, create and manage your own team comprised of one of eight races from the Warhammer world – Humans, Orcs, Dwarfs, Skaven, High Elves, Dark Elves, Chaos, and the Bretonnia newcomers. Thanks to Mariano Rico for the suggestion.

Official website | Steam page | G2a Discount | Pc – Ps4 – Xbox One

Mordheim: City of the Damned

The first re-adaptation of the Mordheim board game set in the Warhammer world. In the game, you can choose between various bands and compete against other players.

Key features:

  • Fully customize your warbands.
  • Choose from a multitude of classes with unique abilities to create unique strategies.
  • Take your troops to battle and test their synergy on the field
  • Gain experience to unlock Player’s special abilities.
  • Spend the Wyrdstones to acquire powerful items and unlock more choices and features.
  • Face other Player’s Warbands in head to head skirmishes.

Official website | Steam page | G2a discount | Pc – Ps4 – Xbox one

Atlas Reactor

Atlas Reactor presents itself as a turn-based PvP tactical game with times and fast-paced combat short match. Free-to-play with purchase packages that unlock other characters. The peculiarity of this title is the simultaneous turn. Once the strategy has been decided, we will see the moves of our team and of the opponent that takes place in the same time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzj1YqGWenU

Key features:

  • Competitive PvP. Compete in 4v4 team battles in Solo, Vs. Bots, PvP, Ranked, and Custom games. With the range of ability combos possible, no two matches are ever the same.
  • Customizable heroes. Battle as one of an ever-growing roster of Freelancers! Customize each hero’s abilities with Ability Mods, which can be saved into loadouts or tweaked to counter enemy teams.
  • Unique maps and environments. Fight in battles all around the city of Atlas, including the deck of a flying cargo ship, a rooftop garden, a hi-tech laboratory, and the engineering bay of a working reactor core.
  • Seasonal stories and rewards. Experience Atlas’ story through “Seasons,” a multi-week arc where players can influence the fate of the world and challenges reward regular gameplay with bonus loot!
  • A futuristic universe. Enter a cloud-piercing megacity where Freelancers fight for (and against) monolithic Trusts vying for control over the last Reactor on the planet.

Official website | Steam page | Pc

Insidia

Another frantic and fun turn-based tactics game. In Insidia you can choose between different characters to take to the battlefield. You can use each character’s abilities to make devastating combo attacks. Insidia also uses the simultaneous turn, to make the battles faster. Free 2 play.

  • SIMULTANEOUS TURNS. When playing Insidia, it’s always your turn! Issue your orders in a handful of seconds, then watch your strategy unfold.
  • COMBO SYSTEM. Blend your champions’ abilities to deliver devastating blows.
  • MAP OBJECTIVES. Insidia is not a simple deathmatch. Seize critical locations to control the battlefield and then lay waste to your opponent’s base.
  • FAST BATTLES. Fight for glory in less than 15 minutes!

Official website | Steam page | Pc

Hex Gambit

Hex Gambit is a strategic turn-based 1vs1 or 2vs2 easy to learn, with tons of room for tactical creativity. If you want a game where only pure skill matters, Hex Gambit is a great choice to add to your collection. For more information read our review.

Key features:

  • Diligently balanced for 1v1 or 2v2 competitive play.
  • 21 loadout combinations out of the box, times 6 unlockable captains.
  • Tackle our single player challenge: the Blitz Royale.
  • Join a faction in our community-wide turf war: the Apex Cup.
  • Earn trophies and rack up wins in your quest to become a Grand Master.
  • Transition seamlessly between real-time and asynchronous play online.

Official website | Steam Page | Pc

CHECKMATE: Battle Arenas

Checkmate: Battle Arenas is a turn-based Real Time PvP Game! actually in early access. Enter the hottest battlefield and compete with other players all around the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lajr6V6WtFM

Key features:

  • Enjoy thrilling moments from turn based 1 vs 1 battle in real time.
  • Create your own deck with 20 skills in each hero and various units.
  • Break blocks in the map and make new strategy on your own.

Steam page | Pc

Batalj

Batalj is a turn-based player vs player strategy game where players plans out their action at the same time. The game is heavily based on classic TJRPG such as Tactics OgreFFtFront MissionDisgaea etc but then focused on PVP, instead of PvE with some RTS inspiration mainly Starcraft and well I guess the hero design is a little bit MOBA styled. To learn more read our overview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmEH7z6f1kM

Key features:

  • Simultaneous turned based.
  • Player Vs. Player
  • Hardcore – Very High Learning Curve
  • Great Challenge
  • Fitting the experienced Turn-Based Lover

Official website | Steam page | Pc

AVARIAvs

A sort of competitive PvP Final Fantasy actually in beta. Ultrafast Turn-based combat with 16 unique heroes with 2 distinct Archetypes. Over 2,000 party combinations to discover and master.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afww2J6-57U

Key Features:

  • 16 unique heroes
  • Over 2000 party combinations
  • Ultrafast Turn-based combat
  • Online Matchmaking
  • Online Private Match
  • Offline Splitscreen PvP
  • Offline “Vs Bots” 1-Player Practice mode

Official website | Steam page | Pc

If you know other turn-based multiplayer competitive games that you think should be included in this list, just comment or contact us on twitter. In the meantime, we invite you to sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with the world of turn-based games.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Marcello TBL

Italian Dad in love with Turn-Based RPGs and Indie Games. In 2018 he started Turn Based Lovers and now he can't live without it.

6 thoughts on “Top competitive PvP turn-based games”

  1. this is amazing, please keep this up to date. so sad that this genre doesnt have a defining popular competitive game (like card games have heartstone, mobas have lol/dota, what does turn based tactical have??)

    Reply
    • Hi. Thanks for your message. You’re right, unfortunately there’s not so much choice for competitive turn-based games. Anyway we will try to keep the list up to date. We are about to add 2 new games and removing Atlas Reactor because their servers will go down soon.

      Reply
  2. Now that atlas has shut down, I’ve been starved for another turnbased teamplay moba. There’s really nothing like it. I enjoyed every second of playing AR with my friends. Truly sad that this genre doesn’t get enough recognition.

    Reply
  3. Duelyst was the BEST BEST BEST! But the servers also got shut down, its so sad that these type of games doesn’t flourish

    Reply

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