Summary
Many playerslove playing grand strategy games, with the genre serving up numerous rewarding titles with learning curves that can seem daunting at first glance. However, players need only sink in a few hours to understand the gameplay systems at play before setting up lucrative economies, amassing immense military might, developing rich cultures, and everything else along the same lines. However, most modern grand strategy games require high-end CPUs; otherwise, players have to bear through a laggy game in the best-case scenario or see these games either crash or not even run.
This can be pretty demoralizing for grand strategy fans, but there are many amazing games that players can check out if they don’t want to make their low-end PCs scream. CPUs from the early 2010s (such as the Sandy Bridge Intel Core processors) and graphics cards with around 1 GB VRAM or less should be more than enough to run these games without facing too many issues.
Crusader Kings 3may be the most accessible game in the series, but it’s going to be a while yet for this title to feature the same breadth of content as its predecessor. By the end of its run,Crusader Kings 2had so many gameplay systems to interact with that any new player would find their head spinning with the sheer amount of content they can mess around with.
The best part is that this game is just as complex as its sequel without requiring high-end hardware to run. Players will love managing their vassals, ensuring that their kingdoms prosper, and turning their dynasties into some of the most fearsome and well-known families in the Middle Ages.
Intel Pentium IV 2.4 GHz or AMD 3500
2 GB
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 or ATI Radeon X1900
512 MB
TheCivilizationseries isone of the most laid-back and engrossing grand strategy seriesthat players can get invested in. The latest game in the series lets players enjoy the most polished version of this gameplay loop to date. As one would expect, players can control one of many reputed world leaders as they start from the prehistoric ages before making a ton of progress and becoming one of the world’s biggest superpowers.
The reasonable system requirements of this title make it an easy fit for players wanting to check out deep and engrossing grand strategy games on their low-end PCs.
Minimum System Requirements
CPU
Intel Core i3 2.5 GHz or AMD Phenom II 2.6 GHz
4 GB
AMD 5570, nVidia 450, or Intel Integrated Graphics 530
1 GB
Platform(s):PC and Mac
Released:2025-07-03
Developer(s):Paradox Development Studio
Paradox Interactive’s modern grand strategy games are developed on the malleable Clausewitz Engine. The first game to use this engine wasEuropa Universalis 3, a title that wowed players when it debuted with its in-depth gameplay as players controlled a nation and helped it reach grand heights. This could be achieved via colonization, trade, diplomacy, warfare, and other such avenues.
As one would expect,Europa Universalis 3is pretty complexand will require a lot of attention from players to understand the mechanics. Thankfully, this complexity doesn’t mean that the game is a pain to run, which isn’t the case for its sequel that can lag on most CPUs near the end of a person’s playthrough.
Pentium 4 or Athlon XP
Any card compatible with Pixel Shader 2.0 and DirectX 9.0C
128 MB
Released:2025-06-26
Most players love the grand strategy genre because of how complex it can be, andHearts of Iron 3personifies this in every way. The game can boggle the minds of most players when they boot it up for the first time, but it won’t take long for players to become warfare masters as theyemploy sound strategies to turn the tide of World War 2in their favor.
Hearts of Iron 4may have better graphics and a lower barrier to entry, but there’s a reason why many hardcore fans prefer the third game in the series over its sequel. Most low-end PCs will have no problem runningHearts of Iron 3as they become adept commanders and make the most of the cards that they’ve been dealt in any given situation.
256 MB
The release ofVictoria 3was considered to be a massive disappointment in the eyes of many. The lack of meaningful content and some frustrating bugs can make this economic simulator a pain to get into. The worst part is that the bulk of content missing from this title is already present in its predecessor, makingVictoria 2a vastly superior game for players who want to check outa grand strategy game in the Victorian era.
Building up a civilization and strengthening its economy is a surprisingly riveting experience once players come to grips with how this game operates. Given that this game can work on low-end PCs with no issues and provide an experience that’s more rewarding than its successor, it’s easy to see whyVictoria 2is an easy recommendation for players who want to check out a deep, complex, and engaging grand strategy game.
Intel Pentium IV 2.4 GHz or AMD Athlon XP 3500
