Best free "squad management" games

Squad management video games focus on controlling and developing a small group of characters rather than a single hero. Players recruit, equip, and train their squad, balancing strengths, weaknesses, and personalities to succeed in missions. Gameplay often mixes tactical combat—turn-based or real-time—with resource management and decision-making. Characters may gain skills, gear, or emotional bonds over time, and losses can be permanent, raising the stakes. Classic examples include X-COM, Jagged Alliance, and Darkest Dungeon, where strategy off the battlefield matters as much as in combat. The genre emphasizes planning, synergy, and leadership, rewarding careful choices and punishing reckless mistakes.