What Are The Best Advanced Science Strategy Games in 2025

A stand-alone, cooperative game with a campaign-based play for 1 to 4 players.

Gloomhaven: Jaws of The Lion by Cephalofair Games is an advanced strategy board game that enables the players to take on the role of wandering adventurers with their unique set of skills. The game features four new characters — Valrath Red Guard (tank, crowd control), Inox Hatchet (ranged damage), Human Voidwarden (support, mind-control), and Quatryl Demolitionist (melee damage, obstacle manipulation). It includes digital enhancements and a tutorial scenario to guide players through the game rules. The game is designed for 1 to 4 players, and each session lasts for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Chemical compound building card game

Ion: A Compound Building Game is a card drafting game where players select from a number of available Ion Cards and Noble Gas cards with the goal of forming either neutrally charged compounds or sets of noble gases. The game encourages learning about ionic bonding in chemistry. It includes 88 ion cards, 10 noble gas cards, 9 action tiles, and a rulebook.

A strategic game about evolution and climate changes.

Evolution: Climate is a stand-alone game that introduces climate into the Evolution game system. In Evolution: Climate, players adapt their species in a dynamic ecosystem where food is scarce, predators lurk, and the climate can swing between scorching hot and icy cold. Traits like a Hard Shell and Horns can protect your species from Carnivores, while a Long Neck will help them get food that others cannot reach. The game's climate mechanic adds another strategic layer to the game. Climate events can result in sudden population loss, produce abundant food supply, or give a species cold resistance. The player with the most successful and robust species at the end of the game wins!

A strategy-based board game for 2 to 4 players based on global pandemic control.

Pandemic by Z-Man Games is a cooperative board game that challenges players to work together and save humanity from a deadly pandemic. The game involves strategic planning and teamwork as players take on different roles to treat diseases, share knowledge, and fly to different cities. The game includes a world map of the major cities, 7 role cards, 7 pawns, 59 cards, 96 disease cubes, 4 cure markers, and a disease spread rate marker. The game lasts about 45 minutes and is designed for 2 to 4 players.

Evolution-themed survival strategy game

Evolution is a dynamic game of survival. Players evolve species in an ecosystem where food is scarce and predators lurk. Trait cards allow players to adjust to the evolving world around them. The game provides an understanding of the evolution process in a fun and engaging way. It includes 1 watering hole board, 129 trait cards, 24 species boards, and 48 wooden markers.