OpenRA

OpenRA is the one I recommend when someone asks for a Red Alert 2 alternative that actually sets up cleanly in 2025. I grew up with Red Alert 2 and the nostalgia is real, but the original install on modern Windows is its own adventure. OpenRA gives you that same C&C-era RTS feel with a rebuilt engine, proper local network hosting, and none of the compatibility headaches. It is free, the install is tiny, and you can be running a skirmish on a local network before the pizza arrives. For groups who want strategy without spending money or managing legacy installs, this is the answer.

Age of Empires II is a LAN party staple in our group, but it costs money, and not everyone owns it. OpenRA fills a genuine gap here. It recreates the feel of early Command and Conquer, which sits in the same strategic space: build a base, gather resources, push your opponent off the map. The matches run longer than anything else on this list, so it suits a session where you want one big game rather than rapid rotations. I would not open a LAN with this. I would put it on after dinner when people are settled and want something to think about. LAN hosting is straightforward and the hardware demands are almost offensively low.