If you mean turn-based tactical combat, three notable PC releases from 2020 are Wasteland 3, XCOM: Chimera Squad, and Gears Tactics. They suit different priorities: party role-playing and consequential choices, compact encounters with distinctive agents, or a fast-paced strategy game in an established franchise. This is a focused shortlist, not a ranking of every 2020 card battler, grand strategy game, or turn-based RPG.
How to choose among these 2020 releases
| Game | Best fit | Distinctive angle | PC release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wasteland 3 | Players seeking party role-playing and a story-led campaign | Reactive post-apocalyptic story, ethical choices, and tactical squad combat | August 27, 2020 (Steam) |
| XCOM: Chimera Squad | Players drawn to discrete tactical encounters and specialized agents | Breach Mode and an order that interleaves individual agents and enemies | April 23, 2020 (Steam) |
| Gears Tactics | Players looking for turn-based strategy in the Gears of War franchise | Positioned by Steam as a fast-paced turn-based strategy game | April 28, 2020 (Steam) |
The available descriptions support these distinctions, but not a reliable ranking of combat depth or overall quality across all three. Details are better documented for Wasteland 3 and Chimera Squad than for Gears Tactics.
Wasteland 3: tactical battles with party role-playing
Wasteland 3 is the strongest fit here if you want turn-based combat attached to a story-focused party RPG. Steam describes a squad-based adventure in a post-nuclear Colorado, combining tactical battles with a reactive story and ethical decisions. You can build a squad of up to six Rangers and customize their perks and abilities, giving the game a role-playing emphasis alongside its combat.
Steam lists inXile Entertainment as developer and August 27, 2020, as the PC release date. Its listing also carries a Mature rating and warns of violence, gore, strong language, and adult situations; check the store page if content suitability matters to you. Metacritic’s 2020 PC list displayed an 85 Metascore for the game when accessed in 2026, but that figure is not a like-for-like comparison with the other two picks.
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XCOM: Chimera Squad: specialized agents and Breach Mode
XCOM: Chimera Squad is the clearest choice if you want encounters built around individual operatives and a distinctive opening phase. The standalone game in the XCOM setting brings together human and alien agents with specialized abilities. Its Breach Mode begins encounters with a coordinated entry, and combat uses an interleaved order that alternates individual agents and enemies rather than treating each side as one uninterrupted turn.
Steam lists Firaxis Games as developer, 2K as publisher, and April 23, 2020, as the release date. In its April 14 announcement, 2K had originally said the Windows PC release was planned for April 24; the listed Steam date is the more appropriate date to use for the release itself. In a January 2026 retrospective, PC Gamer’s Jody Macgregor praised the visible-from-the-start, small-space encounters and Breach turn, while judging the strategy layer weaker. Those are the author’s views, not a consensus verdict.
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Gears Tactics: a franchise-based strategy option
Gears Tactics is the pick for someone seeking turn-based strategy within the Gears of War franchise. Steam describes it as fast-paced and lists April 28, 2020, as its PC release date. The available information supports that broad positioning, but not a detailed comparison of its campaign systems or relative tactical depth with the other games.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which one should you pick?
- Choose Wasteland 3 if party development, a reactive story, and ethical choices matter as much as tactical fights.
- Choose XCOM: Chimera Squad if the appeal is a roster of distinctive agents and encounters shaped by Breach Mode and alternating individual turns.
- Consider Gears Tactics if you want a fast-paced turn-based strategy game tied to the Gears of War setting; the available descriptions establish less about its systems.
These recommendations use “turn-based” in the tactical-combat sense. If you mean the broader category—including grand strategy, card games, or classic JRPGs—this shortlist does not cover the full range of PC games released in 2020.
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