12 Complex Games That Reward Clever Players

There’s a real sense of accomplishment from mastering a game with complex mechanics. What may seem daunting at first can be a lot of fun once you understand which strings you need to pull.

Many of these games give you a great amount of freedom and let you make impactful decisions that can greatly affect your odds of success. For some, the effort of learning the ins and outs is worth it. Though your brain may melt in the first few hours, you’ll feel like a genius at the end of the journey.

12

Factorio

Factorio is a game where players crash-land on an alien planet and build a factory to escape. The fun and complexity come from interconnected mechanics and the constant need for optimization. Simple machines evolve into vast production lines that require logistical planning with conveyors, processing plants, and crafting machines. Scaling up introduces challenges like resource management, train systems, fluid handling, and defense against alien attacks drawn by pollution.

New technologies are introduced gradually, building on existing knowledge and making you restructure your factory with your new machines and mechanics. With no set path, the goal is to launch a rocket, which means there are endless solutions, and you’re constantly trying to make the most efficient factory. It’s one of those games that makes you realize how much fun it is to be productive, and it’s a game you can replay forever.

11

Oxygen Not Included

Oxygen Not Included is a colony management game that has an advanced simulation of physics and heat. This makes surviving for a week feel like a significant achievement. You control “dupes” on an asteroid, striving to maintain their survival by managing essential resources like oxygen and food in a confined environment. The game’s challenge comes from its interconnected systems, where actions lead to unforeseen consequences within the colony.

For example, coal generators provide power but also produce carbon dioxide and heat, which means you have to adjust quickly and fix your problem. Success comes from predicting chain reactions and establishing self-sustaining systems. Despite its cartoonish graphics, the mechanics make you think like an engineer. The game has a steep learning curve, but you’ll feel so smart after a while.

Oxygen Not Included

Systems

Released

May 18, 2017

ESRB

t

Developer(s)

Klei Entertainment

Publisher(s)

Klei Entertainment

10

RimWorld

RimWorld is a (Linux-compatible) game that puts you in charge of a group of survivors trying to build a colony on a distant planet. The game throws unpredictable challenges at you, driven by a narrative that creates constant surprises. The colonists you control have their own personalities, emotions, and relationships, all of which affect how they react to the world around them. They’re like thronglets from Black Mirror.

Even a small problem can quickly turn into a major crisis, forcing you to handle both troubles inside your colony and dangers from outside. To succeed, you need to plan ahead, spot potential failures before they happen, and carefully manage supplies, defenses, and production. As you advance, the challenges grow tougher, but you’ll feel like a true colony master.

RimWorld

Released

October 17, 2018

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Use of Drugs, Violence

Developer(s)

Ludeon Studios

Publisher(s)

Ludeon Studios

9

Star Citizen

Star Citizen is well known for being a detailed and highly ambitious simulation that requires time to learn its systems. The gameplay focuses heavily on maintaining ships, managing resources, and keeping track of important stats like fuel and health. The economy is deep and realistic, simulating supply chains and trade routes where player actions can actually shift market prices. There is very little help built into the game, so learning how everything works involves a lot of experimentation and mistakes.

The developers are trying to build a huge, dynamic universe, but it often comes across as more like a strict military simulator because of its heavy focus on small, precise controls. You have to find your way through a maze of connected systems using a difficult interface while handling ship operations, inventory, and missions. Since there is no fast travel or easy way to recover from mistakes, you’ll fail plenty of times before you get the hang of it.

Star Citizen

Systems

Developer(s)

Cloud Imperium Games Corporation

Publisher(s)

Cloud Imperium Games Corporation

Engine

star engine

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

Early Access Release

December 23, 2017

8

Dwarf Fortress

Dwarf Fortress looks simple, but it is actually a detailed fantasy world simulation. You take control of dwarves in a fortress, but not directly. Instead, you act as a manager, assigning jobs while the dwarves’ personalities, feelings, and relationships influence what they do. You need to pay attention to every aspect of the area. Even a small error, like failing to manage water properly or ignoring a dwarf, can cause the fortress to flood.

The game creates a new world each time, filled with its own history and many different dangers, making every playthrough unique. Becoming good at the game requires failing often. Learn to live with the motto, “losing is fun!” because you’re never going to actually win, and every fortress falls eventually.

Dwarf Fortress

Systems

Released

August 8, 2006

ESRB

t

Engine

Simple DirectMedia Layer, OpenGL

7

Hearts of Iron IV

Hearts of Iron IV is a complex game that puts you in charge of a faction in World War II. The challenge comes from handling small but important aspects of full-scale war, like national focus trees, division templates, supply routes, and military doctrines. All of these require careful coordination between land, sea, and air forces. Managing military factories, civilian industries, and trade resources is also key to success.

Naval invasions must be timed and prepared with precision, and research must follow a strict schedule, as falling behind can hurt the entire campaign. Players can take control of any country starting in either 1936 or 1939, dealing with three major fronts that influence each other. Choices like customizing units, managing political power, and setting production priorities can have major effects.

Hearts of Iron 4

Systems

Released

June 6, 2016

ESRB

Everyone 10+

Developer(s)

Paradox Development Studio

Publisher(s)

Paradox Interactive

6

EVE Online

Eve Online is a large-scale multiplayer game known for its detailed player-controlled economy and deep political elements, making it a real challenge to master. You take part in gathering resources, producing goods, and buying and selling, all of which directly influence a constantly changing market filled with millions of items. Skill training happens in real-time and continues even when you’re offline, sometimes taking years to complete.

There are thousands of star systems, each with different levels of safety. Player-run corporations and alliances compete in economic struggles, large-scale conflicts, and political maneuvering, and these conflicts affect every other player. It’s basically like trying to live a sci-fi life in as accurate a simulation as possible.

EVE Online

Systems

Released

May 6, 2003

ESRB

T for Teen: Violence

Developer(s)

CCP Games

Publisher(s)

CCP Games, Atari, Simon and Schuster Interactive

Engine

unity

5

Stellaris

Stellaris tasks players with learning and controlling a complicated galaxy simulation where they must guide a space-faring civilization through many interconnected systems. This large-scale strategy game is nowhere near as simple as it looks, and there are so many menus and things to learn. The tutorial is lacking and doesn’t really teach you much, but the tough learning process is part of the fun.

Your goal is to explore galaxies, handle resources, and interact with alien societies through diplomacy, trade, or warfare. You feel like a real space explorer thanks to how much control you have, balancing resources and dealing with unexpected problems, like attacks by space pirates or major crises that affect the entire galaxy.

Stellaris

Released

May 9, 2016

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Violent References, Mild Language

Developer(s)

Paradox Development Studio

Publisher(s)

Paradox Interactive

4

DCS World

Digital Combat Simulator World (DCS World) is a high-level military flight simulator, not just a regular game. Its difficulty comes from the fact that it carefully recreates every detail of each aircraft, from how it flies to how its internal systems work. The game includes fully realistic aircraft systems; every switch, dial, and button in the cockpit does what it would in a real plane.

Combat makes things even harder since players must manage radar systems, use countermeasures, lock onto targets, and handle data links, all while flying at extremely high speeds. Getting good at DCS World is a tough process and requires doing real-world research, reading real military plane manuals, and relying on guides made by the community. Learning to fly just one modern jet can take hundreds of hours of practice, but it’s totally worth it.

DCS World

Systems

Released

March 18, 2018

ESRB

t

Engine

Eagle Dynamics Graphic Engine

3

Crusader Kings 3

Crusader Kings 3 is simpler to pick up than the previous games, but it has so many more features than the series has before. You have to take the time to learn its deep and detailed system before starting, or you’ll be confused a lot of the time. The game mixes large-scale strategy with role-playing, which challenges you to lead a family line from either the year 867 AD or 1066 AD all the way to 1453 AD.

The difficulty comes from its careful and realistic portrayal of medieval customs, including marriages between close relatives, diseases, and secret political killings. You have to worry about your family’s standing, the influence of religion, the loyalty of your nobles, and the rules that decide who inherits land and titles. Each character’s personality affects their choices, leading to schemes, betrayals, and secret romances.

Crusader Kings 3

Released

September 1, 2020

ESRB

T for Teens: Drug Reference, Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes

Developer(s)

Paradox Interactive

Publisher(s)

Paradox Interactive