Best games
The best of Firaxis Games
The 11 best games from Firaxis Games, ranked from 4,825 critic and player ratings.
The best game from Firaxis Games is Sid Meier's Civilization IV, with a critic score of 94/100. Updated September 2026.
- Ranked releases span 2001 to 2022.
- Average critic score across the 11 ranked games: 85/100.
- 4,825 critic and player ratings behind this ranking.
- About 40 hours to finish one of them on average (main story).
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 1970 to 2026.
- 11 games are listed on this page, carrying 4,825 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 29 September 2026.
Top 11
01
Sid Meier's Civilization IV
Sid Meier and Firaxis Games will take this incredibly fun and addictive game to new heights by adding new ways to play and win, new tools to manage and expand your civilization, all-new easy to use mod capabilities and intense multiplayer modes and options
94
/100
02
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
XCOM: Enemy Unknown will place you in control of a secret paramilitary organization called XCOM. As the XCOM commander, you will defend against a terrifying global alien invasion by managing resources, advancing technologies, and overseeing combat strategies and individual unit tactics. The original XCOM is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made and has now been re-imagined by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games. XCOM: Enemy Unknown will expand on that legacy with an entirely new invasion story, enemies and technologies to fight aliens and defend Earth. You will control the fate of the human race through researching alien technologies, creating and managing a fully operational base, planning combat missions and controlling soldier movement in battle.
88
/100
03
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
Civilization is a turn-based strategy game in which you attempt to build an empire to stand the test of time. Become Ruler of the World by establishing and leading a civilization from the Stone Age to the Information Age. Wage war, conduct diplomacy, advance your culture, and go head-to-head with history’s greatest leaders as you attempt to build the greatest civilization the world has ever known.
88
/100
Sid Meier's Civilization IV
Sid Meier and Firaxis Games will take this incredibly fun and addictive game to new heights by adding new ways to play and win, new tools to manage and expand your civilization, all-new easy to use mod capabilities and intense multiplayer modes and options
94
/100
02
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
XCOM: Enemy Unknown will place you in control of a secret paramilitary organization called XCOM. As the XCOM commander, you will defend against a terrifying global alien invasion by managing resources, advancing technologies, and overseeing combat strategies and individual unit tactics. The original XCOM is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made and has now been re-imagined by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games. XCOM: Enemy Unknown will expand on that legacy with an entirely new invasion story, enemies and technologies to fight aliens and defend Earth. You will control the fate of the human race through researching alien technologies, creating and managing a fully operational base, planning combat missions and controlling soldier movement in battle.
88
/100
03
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
Civilization is a turn-based strategy game in which you attempt to build an empire to stand the test of time. Become Ruler of the World by establishing and leading a civilization from the Stone Age to the Information Age. Wage war, conduct diplomacy, advance your culture, and go head-to-head with history’s greatest leaders as you attempt to build the greatest civilization the world has ever known.
88
/100
04
S
Sid Meier's Civilization V
Sid Meier's Civilization V is a turn-based strategy game where the player leads a civilization from the stone-age all the way to future tech, there is more than one way to win, achieving one of a number of different victory conditions through research, exploration, diplomacy, expansion, economic development, government and military conquest. You will face other civilizations, either online as other people or played by the computer, civilization 5 features a advanced diplomacy system when dealing with computer controlled civs or computer controlled city-states.
87
/100
05
XCOM: Enemy Within
XCOM: Enemy Within is a console standalone expansion pack for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, a turn-based tactical strategy game. The expansion adds the ability to gene mod soldiers to add to their powers as well as the ability to create MECs, powerful robotic soldiers. These new features are created by collecting a resource called Meld on the tactical battlefield. A number of new maps were also added to the tactical game, as well as multiplayer. The PC version of Enemy Within is an add-on that requires the base game Enemy Unknown.
86
/100
06
Marvel's Midnight Suns
Marvel's Midnight Suns is a tactical role-playing game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K Games. The game is set in the Marvel Universe and features a blend of strategy, role-playing, and card-based combat mechanics. In the game, players take on the role of "The Hunter," a customisable original character, and lead a team of Marvel superheroes. The story revolves around battling the demonic forces of Lilith, the Mother of Demons, who has been resurrected by the nefarious group Hydra. The gameplay involves strategic, turn-based combat, where players use a deck of ability cards to perform attacks, skills, and buffs. Between missions, players can explore the Abbey, the game's hub area, where they can interact with other heroes, upgrade abilities, and make decisions that affect the story and character relationships.
86
/100
07
XCOM 2
XCOM 2 is the sequel to XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the 2012 award-winning strategy game of the year. Earth has changed and is now under alien rule. Facing impossible odds you must rebuild XCOM, and ignite a global resistance to reclaim our world and save humanity.
85
/100
08
Sid Meier's Pirates!
Based on Sid Meier's original masterpiece, Pirates!, Sid Meier's Pirates! has you facing countless dogged enemies, wooing fair maidens and raising the Jolly Roger on the high seas in pursuit of riches. Discover what it takes to become one of the most famous pirates in history! Firaxis' long-awaited Sid Meier's Pirates! carries on with the great game play tradition and design simplicity of the award-winning original while adding more challenging and exciting battle options, eye-popping 3D graphics, fantastic new audio, and loads of new game play features!
83
/100
09
Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth
Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth is a new science-fiction-themed entry into the award-winning Civilization series. Set in the future, global events have destabilized the world leading to a collapse of modern society, a new world order and an uncertain future for humanity. As the human race struggles to recover, the re-developed nations focus their resources on deep space travel to chart a new beginning for mankind. As part of an expedition sent to find a home beyond Earth, you will write the next chapter for humanity as you lead your people into a new frontier and create a new civilization in space. Explore and colonize an alien planet, research new technologies, amass mighty armies, build incredible Wonders and shape the face of your new world. As you embark on your journey you must make critical decisions. From your choice of sponsor and the make-up of your colony, to the ultimate path you choose for your civilization, every decision opens up new possibilities.
82
/100
10
Sid Meier's Civilization III
Civilization III, like the other Civilization games, is based around building an empire, from the ground up, beginning at start of recorded history and continuing beyond the current modern day. The player's civilization is centered around a core of cities that provide the resources necessary to grow the player's cities, construct city improvements, wonders, and units, and advance the player's technological development. The player must balance a good infrastructure, resources, diplomatic and trading skills, technological advancement, city and empire management, culture, and military power to succeed.
80
/100
11
XCOM: Chimera Squad
77
/100
S
Sid Meier's Civilization V
Sid Meier's Civilization V is a turn-based strategy game where the player leads a civilization from the stone-age all the way to future tech, there is more than one way to win, achieving one of a number of different victory conditions through research, exploration, diplomacy, expansion, economic development, government and military conquest. You will face other civilizations, either online as other people or played by the computer, civilization 5 features a advanced diplomacy system when dealing with computer controlled civs or computer controlled city-states.
87
/100
05
XCOM: Enemy Within
XCOM: Enemy Within is a console standalone expansion pack for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, a turn-based tactical strategy game. The expansion adds the ability to gene mod soldiers to add to their powers as well as the ability to create MECs, powerful robotic soldiers. These new features are created by collecting a resource called Meld on the tactical battlefield. A number of new maps were also added to the tactical game, as well as multiplayer. The PC version of Enemy Within is an add-on that requires the base game Enemy Unknown.
86
/100
06
Marvel's Midnight Suns
Marvel's Midnight Suns is a tactical role-playing game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K Games. The game is set in the Marvel Universe and features a blend of strategy, role-playing, and card-based combat mechanics. In the game, players take on the role of "The Hunter," a customisable original character, and lead a team of Marvel superheroes. The story revolves around battling the demonic forces of Lilith, the Mother of Demons, who has been resurrected by the nefarious group Hydra. The gameplay involves strategic, turn-based combat, where players use a deck of ability cards to perform attacks, skills, and buffs. Between missions, players can explore the Abbey, the game's hub area, where they can interact with other heroes, upgrade abilities, and make decisions that affect the story and character relationships.
86
/100
07
XCOM 2
XCOM 2 is the sequel to XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the 2012 award-winning strategy game of the year. Earth has changed and is now under alien rule. Facing impossible odds you must rebuild XCOM, and ignite a global resistance to reclaim our world and save humanity.
85
/100
08
Sid Meier's Pirates!
Based on Sid Meier's original masterpiece, Pirates!, Sid Meier's Pirates! has you facing countless dogged enemies, wooing fair maidens and raising the Jolly Roger on the high seas in pursuit of riches. Discover what it takes to become one of the most famous pirates in history! Firaxis' long-awaited Sid Meier's Pirates! carries on with the great game play tradition and design simplicity of the award-winning original while adding more challenging and exciting battle options, eye-popping 3D graphics, fantastic new audio, and loads of new game play features!
83
/100
09
Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth
Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth is a new science-fiction-themed entry into the award-winning Civilization series. Set in the future, global events have destabilized the world leading to a collapse of modern society, a new world order and an uncertain future for humanity. As the human race struggles to recover, the re-developed nations focus their resources on deep space travel to chart a new beginning for mankind. As part of an expedition sent to find a home beyond Earth, you will write the next chapter for humanity as you lead your people into a new frontier and create a new civilization in space. Explore and colonize an alien planet, research new technologies, amass mighty armies, build incredible Wonders and shape the face of your new world. As you embark on your journey you must make critical decisions. From your choice of sponsor and the make-up of your colony, to the ultimate path you choose for your civilization, every decision opens up new possibilities.
82
/100
10
Sid Meier's Civilization III
Civilization III, like the other Civilization games, is based around building an empire, from the ground up, beginning at start of recorded history and continuing beyond the current modern day. The player's civilization is centered around a core of cities that provide the resources necessary to grow the player's cities, construct city improvements, wonders, and units, and advance the player's technological development. The player must balance a good infrastructure, resources, diplomatic and trading skills, technological advancement, city and empire management, culture, and military power to succeed.
80
/100
11
XCOM: Chimera Squad
77
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best game from Firaxis Games?
Sid Meier's Civilization IV currently tops the ranking with a score of 94/100 across 376 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.