Underrated RTS indie games you missed
These are underrated rts indie games: titles with strong reviews but not yet the audience they deserve. indielist surfaces 16 rts games that each hold at least 80% positive Steam reviews while staying under 5,000 total ratings : the sweet spot where a game has proven itself with real players but hasn't broken out yet. Together they hold 42,793 reviews at an average of 87% positive. They are ranked by review count, so the most-validated picks lead, and each links to a white-box sales estimate you can open and check rather than a black-box number. The most reviewed here is Cold Waters with 4,616 reviews. Review counts and ratings are from Steam; sales figures are estimates, not official sales data.
Hidden gems
16
Avg positive %
87%
Total reviews
42,793
- C
Cold Waters
2017 · Indie
4,616 reviews · 87% positive
- E
Emberward
2026 · Indie
4,403 reviews · 97% positive
- W
Warpips
2022 · Action
4,353 reviews · 87% positive
- S
Shadow Tactics: Aiko's Choice
2021 · Indie
3,987 reviews · 93% positive
- G
Gladiator Guild Manager
2024 · Indie
3,830 reviews · 81% positive
- D
Dummynation
2022 · Indie
3,179 reviews · 88% positive
- C
Crying Suns
2019 · Indie
3,163 reviews · 86% positive
- B
Bio Inc. Redemption
2018 · Indie
3,086 reviews · 87% positive
- E
Element TD 2 - Tower Defense
2021 · Indie
2,881 reviews · 90% positive
- R
Regiments
2022 · Indie
2,832 reviews · 88% positive
- G
GemCraft - Frostborn Wrath
2020 · Action
2,700 reviews · 89% positive
- T
Touhou Big Big Battle
2018 · Action
1,153 reviews · 80% positive
- A
Airborne Empire
2026 · Action
879 reviews · 87% positive
- T
Trench Lord: Eastern Front
2026 · Action
790 reviews · 83% positive
- S
Star Ruler 2
2015 · Indie
661 reviews · 82% positive
- C
Crab God
2024 · Adventure
280 reviews · 80% positive
Frequently asked questions
- What are some underrated rts indie games?
- indielist lists 16 underrated rts indie games, each with 80%+ Steam reviews but under 5,000 ratings, led by Cold Waters (4,616 reviews).
- How are these "hidden gem" rts games chosen?
- By a data filter, not opinion: a game qualifies if it holds at least 80% positive Steam reviews and has between 50 and 5,000 total ratings, enough to be validated by players but not yet mainstream. The list updates as the catalog grows.