Critical Moves Podcast - A Strategy Gaming Podcast

WE ARE CRITICAL MOVES

A Strategy Gaming Podcast

About Critical Moves

Critical Moves is a strategy games podcast that takes RTS, 4X, and tactics seriously. Most gaming podcasts treat strategy games as an afterthought. We don’t. Every week we cover real-time strategy, turn-based tactics, 4X empire builders, indie experiments, and overlooked classics with long-form analysis and no wasted time.

This isn’t quick reviews or recycled talking points. It’s sharp criticism and honest discussion about strategy game design. If a game is shallow or broken, we’ll say so. If it does something clever, we’ll explain why it works. We talk to developers without the marketing filter, getting into the mechanics and design choices that actually shape the games.

If you want a RTS podcast, a 4X podcast, or a place for smarter conversations about tactics and strategy gaming, this is it. Critical Moves is made for players who think about systems, mechanics, and design—not just surface impressions.

New episodes every Friday.

LATEST EPISODE

Thomas van den Berg on Kingdom’s Design Philosophy and the Flash Game Era (Ep.56)

Our hosts sit down with Thomas van den Berg, creator of the beloved Kingdom series, for an in-depth conversation about minimal strategy design, the golden age of Flash game development, and the philosophy behind prioritizing atmosphere and accessibility over mechanical complexity in strategy games. https://criticalmovespodcast.com/listen This episode explores the complete journey of Kingdom from Flash game prototype to genre-defining franchise, examining how creative constraints shaped its innovative side-scrolling strategy mechanics. Thomas discusses the challenges of following up indie success, his collaboration with composer Amos Roddy, design philosophies around diegetic UI and player discovery, and his upcoming projects including the tower defence game Garbage Country. The conversation covers the creative explosion of Flash game development, the evolution of mobile gaming, genre-blending in modern indie titles, and what makes strategy games engaging beyond their mechanical depth. Thomas van den Berg on Kingdom’s...

FM26. Football Manager’s New Low? (Ep.55)

Sudden Strike 5 Announced! Breaking Down the WW2 Tactics Series (Ep.54)

New Year, New Game (Ep.53)

Heroes of Might and Magic: OE or Endless Legend 2 (Ep.52)

Steam NextFest Special (Ep.51)

The Critical Moves team explores Steam’s October 2025 NextFest, diving into dozens of strategy game demos ranging from highly anticipated AAA titles like Anno 117 and Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era to promising indie concepts and unfortunate quality issues, while examining Steam’s curation challenges and the rising influence of publisher Hooded Horse in the strategy gaming landscape. LISTEN LINK: https://criticalmovespodcast.com/listen This episode provides candid impressions of Steam NextFest October 2025’s strategy offerings, featuring detailed discussions of demos ranging from the massive Anno 117 to innovative indie concepts like...

RTS Is Quietly Having a Comeback (Ep.50)

Our strategy gaming veterans celebrate their 50th episode by examining 2025’s real-time strategy landscape, reviewing major releases like Tempest Rising and Broken Arrow while discussing surprising revivals such as Dawn of War Definitive Edition, analysing failures like Stormgate, and previewing promising indie titles including Dying Breed, DORF, and the highly anticipated Sanctuary Shattered Sun for 2026. LISTEN LINK: https://criticalmovespodcast.com/listen This milestone episode provides a comprehensive mid-year assessment of the RTS genre’s health in 2025, featuring detailed discussions of major releases including Tempest Rising’s Command & Conquer-inspired gameplay, Broken Arrow’s complex...

The Future of Total War (Ep.49)

Our strategy gaming veterans analyze Creative Assembly’s upcoming December announcement for the Total War franchise, debating whether the series needs a new engine, examining the tension between historical and fantasy titles, and predicting which games will define the franchise’s future direction. LISTEN: https://criticalmovespodcast.com/listen This episode provides comprehensive analysis of Total War’s future, with hosts exploring the franchise’s potential direction following Creative Assembly’s announcement of multiple games coming in December. The discussion examines the divide between historical and fantasy titles, evaluates why games like Three Kingdoms 2 and a World War...

Asymmetry: The Secret Ingredient in Strategy Games (Ep.48)

Our strategy gaming veterans dive deep into the concept of asymmetry in strategy games, examining how different factions, victory conditions, and starting positions create unique gameplay experiences while presenting significant design and balance challenges for developers. https://criticalmovespodcast.com/listen This episode provides an unscripted exploration of asymmetry across strategy gaming, covering everything from the inherent advantages of going first in chess to the complex faction balance challenges facing modern RTS developers. The hosts examine how asymmetry manifests in different game types, from the overwhelming Empire versus scrappy Rebels dynamic in Star Wars...

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