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

Beyond All Reason – Behind the Scenes of BAR (Ep.46)

Our strategy gaming veterans finally tackle the game they mention every episode, joined by Beyond All Reason’s community manager PtaQ and game designer Tim to explore how passionate volunteers built one of the most ambitious community-driven RTS projects ever attempted, transforming a Total Annihilation mod into a standalone epic-scale strategy experience. LISTEN LINK: https://criticalmovespodcast.com/listen This episode provides an unprecedented look inside Beyond All Reason’s development process, featuring detailed discussions with the game’s community manager and lead designer about managing 60,000 Discord members, coordinating volunteer contributors across multiple disciplines, and the challenges of designing for both newcomers and 20-year veterans. The conversation explores the evolution from Total Annihilation mod to standalone game, the complexities of open-source game development, upcoming campaign and faction additions, and why this free community project has “ruined other RTS games” for its developers. The hosts examine what...

Support Critical Moves on Patreon and get early access to episodes plus behind-the-scenes content that puts you right in the room with us.

For $5 a month, you'll get episodes 48 hours early, episode previews with covers and thumbnails, access to our Discord community's private patron channel, and all the behind-the-scenes updates.

Your support keeps us diving deep into strategy games every week.

patreon.com/CriticalMoves

Latest Episode Show Notes

When Developers Quit, Players Keep Games Alive (Ep.45)

Does Dawn of War 4 Have What It Takes? (Ep.44)

Chris McElligott-Park on AI War, Community, and Running an Indie Studio (Ep.43)

Chris McElligott-Park on Game Design, Narrative, and Arcen’s Origins (Ep.42)

The State of 4X Strategy. Can It Be Fixed? (Ep.41)

Our strategy gaming experts examine the current state of 4X gaming following Endless Legend 2’s release, questioning whether the subgenre is trapped in tired formulas or poised for genuine innovation through bold new mechanics and indie developer creativity. LISTEN LINK: https://criticalmovespodcast.com/listen This episode provides a comprehensive analysis of 4X gaming’s current landscape, exploring the boundaries between 4X and grand strategy while examining recent releases like Endless Legend 2 and the commercial disappointment of Humankind. The hosts discuss innovative mechanics like tidefall systems, debate Stellaris’s continued dominance, and consider whether indie...

Building a Sci-Fi RTS from Scratch – Fungal Front Dev Interview (Ep.40)

Our hosts sit down with indie developer Matt to explore Fungal Front, an ambitious sci-fi RTS that tackles antibiotic resistance through the lens of interplanetary colonization, examining how a small team creates asymmetric faction gameplay while balancing accessibility for newcomers against depth for veteran strategists. LISTEN LINK: https://criticalmovespodcast.com/listen This episode provides an in-depth look at indie RTS development through Matt’s journey creating Fungal Front, a game set in 2062 where humanity seeks cures for superbugs on the fungal planet Micopia. The conversation explores the challenges of small-team development, the importance...

Can a Strategy Game Work Without a Story? (Ep.39)

Our strategy gaming veterans explore the critical role of narrative in modern strategy games, debating whether emergent storytelling through sandbox mechanics can match the emotional impact of carefully crafted scripted campaigns, while examining how budget constraints and player expectations shape developers’ approach to single-player content. LISTEN LINK: https://criticalmovespodcast.com/listen This episode provides a comprehensive examination of storytelling approaches in strategy gaming, featuring detailed discussions about the tension between emergent narrative systems like those found in Paradox games and traditional scripted campaigns exemplified by classics like Warcraft 3. The hosts explore how...

Get Ready For Heroes of Might and Magic Olden Era (Ep.38)

Our strategy gaming veterans attempt to convince a sceptical host about Heroes of Might and Magic’s brilliance while examining what makes this beloved franchise tick, from its unique blend of RPG progression and tactical combat to the challenges facing the upcoming Olden Era release. LISTEN LINK: https://criticalmovespodcast.com/listen This episode features Adam and Tim’s passionate attempt to convert Al to the Heroes of Might and Magic faithful, exploring the series’ core mechanics of hero development, army building, and turn-based tactical combat. The discussion covers the franchise’s evolution across multiple instalments, analyses...

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