10 Best World War II Video Games

It's safe to say pretty much everybody has heard of World War II, the world's deadliest conflict, responsible for about 60 million casualties. True to its name, the conflict touched pretty much every corner of the globe, with every continent except for Antarctica affected in some way by the ruthless combat. It's become a popular topic for historical fiction since it's fairly recent and was such a world-altering event. With the advancement of video game technology, a lot of video games have come out that seek to immerse players in the Second World War in a way that movies, TV shows, and books simply couldn't. It's one thing to watch soldiers on a screen fight; it's another thing entirely to put a player in direct control of a soldier. Since this setting is common for shooters and RTS games, it's to be expected that some will change the landscape of gaming itself. These are the best World War II video games ever made, no matter the genre. 10 'Easy Red II' (2020) Image via Corvostudio di Amadei Marco A lot of people haven't heard of Easy Red II, but it's become a bit of a sleeper hit in the FPS genre. The original game was small and experimental, and while it got good reviews, it certainly wasn't for everyone. This sequel, however, is another beast entirely. There are over a dozen different campaigns to play from various fronts of the war, including the Battle of Stalingrad, the Battle of the Bulge, the Raid on Makin Island, the Battle of Kasserine Pass, and yes, even Operation Overlord, also known as D-Day. When you first jump into a mission, you select a realistic, true-to-history class with its own role and gameplay style. The squad leader, for example, is able to issue orders to the squad and request artillery support, whereas the radioman has to actually call in the coordinates. You can also be a pilot, flying high in the sky to drop bombs and engage in dogfights, or you can assume the role of a tank crew on the ground. It also lets you play as a ton of different factions, from Indian, Nepalese, Canadian, Hungarian, Chinese, or Romanian, to British, Soviet, American, Japanese, and German. This game is a dream for World War II enthusiasts, made even better by a custom mission editor that allows you to share your campaigns online. 9 'Hell Let Loose' (2021) Image via Team17 Hell Let Loose is a multiplayer-only, squad-based tactical FPS that absolutely took the world by storm. Taking place across both the Eastern and Western Fronts, as well as the North African Theatre, players are thrust into enormous matches of 100 players, 50 on each team, using a variety of real-life weapons. It's a very cinematic game that pulls no punches in showing the gritty realities of war. There are 14 playable classes in the game, one of them being commander, who is in charge of vehicle deployments, troop positions, and air strikes, all executed by way of the game's built-in communication feature and an RTS-like meta game. You can also drive tanks, if you're so inclined. Hell Let Loose might not have much substance in the way of single-player, but it really is the ultimate World War II experience in terms of modern multiplayer games. 8 'Men of War: Assault Squad 2' (2014) Image via 1C Company The Men of War franchise is a series of real-time tactics games all set during the Second World War. However, Men of War: Assault Squad 2 is a complete overhaul. Gamers can play through five campaigns from various factions: Japanese, Germans, British, Americans, and Soviets. Pretty much all areas of the war are covered, from the Pacific Theatre to the Western Front. Missions are varied and have unique objectives. Some involve stealth, others involve holding your ground against an oncoming force. There are tons of vehicles at your disposal, and the control system is unbelievably intricate. You can control individual soldiers, each with multiple actions they can perform. Beyond that, the game also has a direct control feature, putting players right in the shoes of the individual soldier or letting them drive a tank using the arrow keys, allowing for tighter control of the battlefield and a more immersive experience. Image via 2K Hidden & Dangerous 2 is a tactical third-person shooter where you control four members of an SAS squad. Sent in behind enemy lines across various fronts of the war, your job is to execute a series of sabotage and rescue operations, using various weapons and tools at your disposal. The game is a marked improvement over its predecessor, which is still good, but has abysmal controls and often feels clunky and hard to learn. Beyond that, players can also drive vehicles and use artillery. There are even underwater missions involving the use of SCUBA gear. Orders for the squad can either be executed by pausing the game and issuing them to your squadmates, or by using a tactical, overhead map. Stealth is a viable approach in this game, although some missions do require louder methods. It's a highly underrated yet deeply engrossing game that is easy to get sucked into. 6 'Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30' (2005) Image via Ubisoft Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 follows the US Airborne as they parachute behind enemy lines on the eve of D-Day. Separated and lost in the darkness of the night, the men must find each other and begin their long trek towards Carentan, where a major battle is set to take place. This game is a tactical first-person shooter where players get to issue orders to different fireteams in order to survive firefights. Running and gunning is only going to get you killed in this game. Instead, players need to decide when to suppress German forces, and how best to flank them. Or perhaps there's a different strategy involved. In any event, it puts you right on the ground, forcing you to think on your feet and make quick decisions. Brothers in Arms encourages taking things slow and having a plan locked and loaded before things kick off. It's also surprisingly story-heavy, with a cast of memorable and lovable characters, emotional cutscenes, and unflinching violence that portrays how awful war really is. 5 'Commandos 2: Men of Courage' (2001) Image via Kalypso Media Commandos 2: Men of Courage is an isometric stealth game following a cast of misfit commandos from various countries. Each commando has a role and ability, which must be used carefully if you want to win. For example, some can shimmy across the wires of telephone poles, some can SCUBA dive, and one can even woo enemy soldiers to distract them. The game bears a late 90s/early 2000s aesthetic that is extremely nostalgic, but that still holds up today. The objective of the game is mostly to carry out a bunch of sabotage missions behind enemy lines, from France to the Pacific. Combat in this game is punishing and brutal, so stealth is more of a requirement than a suggestion. Though it is a stealth game, players don't get direct control, and must issue orders to the individual commandos almost as if it were an RTS. Today, this game is widely regarded as a classic, and a legendary piece of the gaming world. 4 'Sniper Elite 5' (2022) Image via Rebellion The Sniper Elite games generally get better and better with each installment, but none so far has been as awesome as Sniper Elite 5. Once again, OSS sniper Karl Fairburne returns, this time travelling deep into Nazi-occupied France in the days prior to D-Day. His mission, as per the usual, is to assassinate key Nazi officials and prevent them from developing a new superweapon that could turn the tide of the war. Sniper Elite is known for its brutally realistic kills, with the game slowing down and going into X-ray mode to show how bullets affect internal organs and bone structure. This approach is even more in-depth and graphic in this installment. The levels are also much more open than its predecessors, with lots of optional objectives and secrets to discover. It's a great stealth game and an even better tactical shooter that excels in both tense, rewarding gameplay and cinematic spectacle. 3 'Call of Duty 2' (2005) Image via Activision A lot of games in the Call of Duty franchise have been about World War II, but the absolute best of them has got to be Call of Duty 2. Following the formula of the first installment, the campaign follows three distinct operations of the war. You play as a Soviet recruit during the Battle of Stalingrad, a British officer during the North African Theatre, and as an American Ranger on the Western Front. The game is simple yet varied, with an exciting campaign that improved upon its predecessor in every way imaginable. The multiplayer is also a fun and classic experience, featuring a diverse selection of maps and the perfect amount of weapons to choose from. Better yet, the game is still alive and well thanks to an active modding community, many of which add custom campaigns and new weapons. Call of Duty 2 is a forgotten entry in the FPS franchise that definitely needs more love, because everything about it is absolutely brilliant. 2 'Medal of Honor: Allied Assault' (2002) Image via Electronic Arts Medal of Honor: Allied Assault is the first game in the franchise to be made exclusively for PC. It also happens to be the best and most successful entry in the franchise. You play as Mike Powell, an operator with the OSS who is sent on various missions, from North Africa to the Western Front. Players will not only storm the beaches of Normandy, but they will also infiltrate a heavily defended German fortress and execute a resistance operation in Norway, among other exciting levels. The game also has two expansion packs, which add new missions in Italy, the Ardennes, Berlin, and Tunisia, as well as a collection of new weapons to use. Visually, the game is far from impressive by modern standards, yet it remains one of the most influential first-person shooters ever made. It is the crowning achievement of the Medal of Honor franchise, a stellar example of a World War II game done right. 1 'Company of Heroes' (2006) Image via Relic Entertainment In terms of real-time strategy games, Company of Heroes is widely considered one of the best ever made. The original installment takes place on the Western Front, specifically during the Battles of Normandy and the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. The game actually became so popular that it even saw a movie adaptation, although it was notoriously terrible. Perhaps what makes the game so endearing is how intense it is, not wanting to shy away from the brutality of warfare. Another unique and enjoyable feature is that red and blue lines actually indicate the front itself, so you can see the progress being made in real time as you push back the Axis forces. Although this game spawned two sequels and expansion packs, none have ever been quite so good as the first. It's a classic that is still active today, which earns every bit of praise it gets.