Battle Brothers

Battle Brothers is an extremely well-executed sandbox tactical RPG where you control a group of mercenaries through a bleak low-fantasy world, earning crowns (money) through contracts, recruiting new brothers, and leveling your party to survive an eventual "late-game crisis" ranging from a noble war to an undead apocalypse.

The aesthetics actually are very relevant as you will come to recognize every piece of gear/weapons and that will tell you what a unit is capable of doing.

If you can stomach some RNG-triggered heartbreak and a decent learning curve, this is an easy recommendation.

I always find myself coming back and playing for hours on end, enjoying every part of the game's progression, the story you build for yourself and the complete freedom you have around the game.

Beyond the mechanics, the consistent art style warms up an otherwise grim world, the music sells the atmosphere, and the pseudorandom events deliver flavor text that ranges from hilarious to horrifying.

Their is a lot of customization with the playable characters, their weapons, equipment and skill set is something you can play around with and find the best combinations for how you want to play.