The best PC games for preparation are:
You don’t need grandiose powers to engage in some good old-fashioned preparation. Some games are all the better for it. From the in-game preparation required to take down a raid in Destiny to the out-of-game homework needed to get ready for an attack in Escape from Tarkov, there’s something to be said for games that require a little bit of forethought, whether that’s in terms of in-game research or carefully crafted loadouts and strategies.
Whether you’re gearing up for a raid in Vanilla WoW, or just a regular mission in the likes of XCOM or Xenonauts, nothing brings a bit of excitement to a game like the feeling that you’re ready for what’s coming. Here are some of the best PC Games that require preparation and progression.
Ark
The Ark subreddit will inform you that the best way to play the survival game is to start small, grow your base, and then infiltrate and rob other players. That’s true, but the game’s taming mechanic also allows for a more direct approach – raising turtles to infiltrate and rob enemy bases. The game’s second expansion, Extinction, also sees players battling against hordes of ravenous undead dinosaurs, so you’ll want to prepare yourself accordingly.
Kerbal Space Program
The Kerbal universe is rife with disaster, so it’s no surprise that Kerbal Space Program is full of preparation; whether you’re carefully testing a new ship after reading up on its specifications or planning routes in advance to account for different terrain. It’s tough to get into the game’s main career without first building a simple vessel and crashing it on Kerbin, but the pain is worth it once you’re ready to explore the stars.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Metal Gear Solid V has its fair share of preparation, whether that be in the form of planning your approach through the game’s various bases, carefully selecting your equipment before missions, or even carefully raising your D-Dog. The game’s FOB format allows for a more involved kind of preparation than most games on this list, with the need to effectively manage resources across multiple bases and plan your global assault.
XCOM 2
There are few games that require as much careful selection of soldiers and equipment as XCOM, and even the sequel only slightly simplifies the process. Each mission in the turn-based strategy game demands you carefully consider your builds, with different unit types offering a variety of tactical approaches, and the game’s armoury allowing you to specialise your soldiers according to role or playstyle.
Xenonauts
A spiritual successor to the original XCOM, Xenonauts offers a similar kind of careful selection, although it’s in a more turn-based, top-down format. You’ll find yourself carefully building your squad of highly customisable soldiers using the game’s long list of available weapons and equipment, and then planning your approach to each mission.
The Witcher 3
Preparing for combat in The Witcher is an essential part of the RPG game, and that’s especially true of The Witcher 3. In addition to investing skill points in combat abilities and weapons, you can also use oils, potions and concoctions to combat specific monsters, meaning that you’ll want to carefully prepare for each fight.
Subnautica
Subnautica is largely about preparation. Over the course of the game, you’ll learn to prepare for each new environment that you encounter, ensuring that you have the right tools and equipment to survive. That means having a submarine that’s equipped to handle frigid waters, or a more efficient drill for getting through coral. The game also encourages you to prepare for each new major fight by crafting new underwater bases and researching new weapons.
Rimworld
Similar to the aforementioned Subnautica, Rimworld revolves around careful preparation and progression through each biome. You’ll want to adjust your strategy depending on the climate and the resources that are available to you, ensuring that you’re always ready to face whatever comes your way.
Dwarf Fortress
Dwarf Fortress has a reputation for being one of the most difficult games around, but that’s not because of the game’s somewhat harsh mechanics. Instead, the simulation game requires a lot of preparation, especially in the early stages of your fortress’s history. You’ll spend hours carefully constructing your fortress’s layout only to have your dwarves walk into an endless chasm. They’re dead, but it’s not your fault.
Valheim
Valheim is a difficult game to describe, but it’s one that’s slowly growing in popularity thanks to its striking art style and inventive gameplay. As you progress through the game, you’ll unlock new weapons and armour that you can use to prepare for Valheim’s increasingly difficult fights. What’s more, the game’s recent update includes the addition of biomes, which means you’ll need to adjust your builds for combat in different environments.
Escape from Tarkov
Escape from Tarkov stands out for its detailed preparation mechanics, both in-game and outside of the game. As a shooter game, you might expect most of your preparation to take place before a firefight, but Escape from Tarkov forces you to prepare for every encounter in the form of traders. You can find blueprints in the field and use them to craft new weapons and gear, which you can then sell to traders in safe zones.
Starseige Deadzone
Starseige Deadzone offers a less intense preparation than Escape from Tarkov, but it still has its fair share of planning. While Deadzone’s extractions are often straightforward and quick, you’ll also find yourself planning multi-part missions involving reconnaissance, sabotage, and extraction. The game’s modular mission system gives you the freedom to plan a simple hit-and-run or a more complex military operation – and if you’re not sure what you’re doing, you can always practice in the game’s free Training Zone.
The Witcher
The Witcher is renowned for its preparation. In each game, you’ll need to prepare different items for different enemies. In the first game, you might prepare a crossbow bolt with a wolfsbane potion to fight a werewolf. In the second, you might need to prepare a bomb with a cantarella mushroom. And in the third, you’ll need to prepare a bottle of unicorn blood. The games also ensure you’re always ready for the unexpected by allowing you to combine items in your inventory to create new tools.
