It's not all about optimization. Take Starcraft: I like the characters, the gradual development. Japanese strategy games sometimes even have more content than a

It's not all about optimization. Take Starcraft: I like the characters, the gradual development. Japanese strategy games sometimes even have more content than actual novels (for example, the Galaxy Angel series are all visual novels with Homeworld-style space combat interspersed in the story). I like discovering the new buildings, seeing new units, watching a volley of missiles being shot, feeling like the armchair commander as reports from other characters come in :) Although I like chess as well, after a long day, I find it much more relaxing to watch the tank driver take position and blow up a bunch of zergs, than to think about abstract units like a rook. I must say I don't like most modern strategy games however... I'd much rather play Settlers III than Settlers 7, the original Stronghold over Stronghold 2, or civ 2 over civ 3. Somehow the transition from isometric to full 3D made the game much harder to control for me, and I prefer good drawings to 3D renderings. Japanese games are still very 2D-based though so I play a lot of them. YMMV.