"Game Guru: Strategy Games" covers the origins of strategy games, both turn-based (Civilization, X-Com, etc.) and realtime (Ancient Art of War, Dune 2, and beyond). It also discusses the play intent of a strategy game - the balance between the core gameplay factors in this genre: empire-building, resource management, defense, and offense. Later chapters then go on to analyze these factors in more detail. With hundreds of examples and in-depth interviews with the experts, this book reveals the secrets of what makes great games compelling and successful. Professionals and players alike will benefit from the clear analysis of play balance, character and level design, learning curves, risk versus reward, puzzles, scale and scope, catch-up effects, symmetry, and many other aspects of game theory. This book gives readers the insight to enrich their gaming experience.