10 Greatest Historical Video Games of All Time

Published Jul 29, 2026, 1:41 PM EDT Daniel is a 27-year-old List Writer for Collider living in the south suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. As an avid film buff, he watches and analyzes many films and TV shows, especially in the horror genre, and regularly attends movie screenings. Who would have thought video games could be the most effective way to give a history lesson? It's not often so, since so many video games, especially these days, venture into the realm of impossibility or fiction, and not so often through historical events. Usually, video games have a profound impact on players, taking us on exciting sci-fi journeys through futuristic playgrounds, thrilling us with action shooters, delighting us with endlessly fun side-scrollers, scaring us to death with horror survival stories, or sharpening our minds with brilliant strategic narratives or problem-solving puzzles. But history has been greatly represented in video games recently. The following ten aren't exactly the most historically accurate video games — hardly any video game today is fully accurate — but they paint authentic portrayals of important world events. They fully immerse you in exciting points throughout history up to this point, from ancient Roman times and Medieval society to major world conflicts like WWII. You truly can get a more thrilling history lesson than these ten. 10 'Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway' (2008) Image via Ubisoft Taking in the scope, the epic battles, and the sheer weight of history told, World War II is one of the most widely used subjects ever shown in video games. Of the many games that tell of this iconic conflict from our history, few truly capture how real battles were fought and what really went on during this war. Released in 2008, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway lets you step into the boots of a paratrooper and fight your way through some of the most vicious battles in the European Theater. You fight alongside your squad as you fight the German army's onslaught through several locations during Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands. This epic first-person shooter plops you right into the action, featuring realistic fighting and military tactics to paint a highly realistic WWII simulation. While it also clearly takes several liberties and has a Hollywood-style feel to its story, few games better create the feel of an ordinary American footsoldier in WWII than this one. 9 'Pentiment' (2022) Image via Xbox Game Studios Escape into the thrilling mystery in this next tale. Released in 2022, Pentiment is a two-dimensional role-playing narrative adventure game that takes players on a fascinating quest for answers in 16th-century Bavaria. You play as a wandering traveler and painter journeying through the Alpine region, engaging in a shocking mystery as you solve who has committed a series of murders in a small town. Pentiment is highly immersive and knows how to draw you in. The story is very layered and complex, and it can take different avenues depending on how good the player's decisions are. You feel a part of the story as you explore and talk to the many different characters of this fictional town. Yet, its greatest highlight is its authenticity as it captures a mostly accurate feel of a 16th-century Bavarian way of life and all its troubles and tensions. Overall, it's a highly replayable and unique video game that generated much acclaim, even winning a prestigious Peabody Award. 8 'Verdun' (2015) Image via M2H and BlackMill Games Capturing the harshness of combat and the epic history surrounding the First World War, the 2015 game Verdun is one of the best representations of this iconic conflict. It's a squad-based first-person shooter that separates itself from the over-the-top spectacles of other war-based games and brings something more grounded, strategic, and intense for players to experience. Set during the legendary and horrific battle of Verdun in France, you and dozens of other players act as soldiers during this costly engagement. You play in authentic uniforms, fire actual weapons used during the battle, and fight across historically accurate battlefields along your way to victory. Verdun has been praised for its respect for historical events and for mostly capturing what it must have been like to be in the boots of one of these soldiers. 7 The Crusader Kings Series (2004-2020) Image via Paradox Interactive Step into the Middle Ages and forge your dynasty with the Crusader Kings game series. Created by Paradox Interactive with its first release in 2004, this grand strategy franchise has been a go-to for many medieval fans alike for its near-authentic simulation of feudal society and its economic structure and military tactics. You truly get sucked into history with the Crusader Kings games. It's not the most accurate for its time period, nor does it fully cover the history or every detail, but it captures enough of the time and provides players with endless role-playing adventures and excitement. With three compelling and well-praised installments under its belt, this game series is one that history buffs could truly have a field day with. 6 The Europa Universalis Series (2000-Present) Image via Paradox Interactive A great way to explore centuries of riveting history is through the Europa Universalis series. These incredibly detailed and historically rich strategy-based games take you into our exciting past, taking control of powerful nations and militaries from iconic points in world history. The Europa Universalis games bring history to life with incredible simulations that mostly recreate the societies and governments of these classic periods. It truly feels like you are a part of the history unfolding here, and it's exciting to play in different areas at any point in time, including learning more about how these nations were built and who key historical figures were around at that time. From exploring the Americas to fighting the Napoleonic Wars, these are your history lessons away from the classroom. 5 The Total War Series (2000-Present) Image via Activision Ever wanted to explore the history of military tactics and strategy from wars of the past? Well, the Total War game series is the one to go to. This turn-based strategy series brings the riveting history of warfare onto our computers, providing players with the best experience as they learn, build, and lead armies through several iconic conflicts across the world. Whether it's fighting in feudal Japan in Shogun: Total War, conquering nations in Rome: Total War, or battling for American independence in Empire: Total War, this series truly highlights some of the most legendary conflicts throughout time with remarkable authenticity. With its 3-D battlefield simulations, you get a feel for the grand scale and epicness of these wars. Though these games have moved away from history and into fantasy in recent years with its Total War: Warhammer series, Total War is still nonetheless is an excellent series for history buffs. 4 The Age of Empires Series (1997-Present) Image via Microsoft Much like with Total War or Europa Universalis, the Age of Empires series is a strategy-based game series everyone needs to experience. It provides the ultimate history lesson, as it covers nearly every major civilization from ancient times, like Rome, the Middle Ages, and even Mesoamerican cultures, like the Aztecs and Maya. Raise nations from the ground up and watch how these societies clash and dissolve; it's all part of what makes this series so intriguing. With five stand-alone games spanning decades, a spin-off game, Age of Mythology, and countless expansion packs, Age of Empires is one of the longest-running and most popular historical game series of all time and one that shows no signs of stopping, especially as it continues to release millions of copies worldwide. 3 'Ghost of Tsushima' (2020) The Game of the Year Award-nominated Ghost of Tsushima is a visually breathtaking masterpiece that hardly needs any introduction. This 2020 action-adventure took the gaming world by storm, delivering riveting gameplay that combined incredible storytelling with a unique homage to history. Set during the first Mongol invasion of Japan on the island of Tsushima, you play a samurai left for dead as he recovers to wage guerrilla warfare against invaders. The story is captivating and near perfect, the visuals are truly out of this world, and the vast open world gameplay has gamers constantly coming back for more. In short, Ghost of Tsushima is a modern landmark of the gaming world that's endlessly exciting. Though it obviously takes creative liberties with the history it features, it still feels immersive and respectful to the period. There truly aren't many games like this, and that's why it's a standout on this list. 2 'Kingdom Come: Deliverance I and II' (2018-2025) Image via Deep Silver Join a thrilling epic quest in the Kingdom Come: Deliverance games. Released by Warhorse Studios, this role-playing action series takes gamers on a journey through medieval Europe, completing quests and getting immersed in the immense world-building. You play as an ordinary commoner who rises to protect the Holy Romain Imperial state of Bohemia from a Hungarian invasion. Kingdom Come: Deliverance's story is also very gripping, unique, and rich with accurate period detail and even some historical figures. The open world feel keeps you engaged and feeling part of the overall narrative. It's a fascinating, action-packed, and surprisingly historically authentic action-adventure game series that's had regular gamers and history buffs hooked since 2018. 1 'The Assassin's Creed Series' (2007-Present) Image via Ubisoft Taking a leap of faith into the top spot is the one and only Assassin's Creed franchise. Hardly any collection of games blends this much action, adventure, worldbuilding, and history into its story as this consistently enjoyable series does, and it's been a pinnacle of gaming entertainment since it hit the ground running with the first installment in 2007. You play as several descendants from a secret order of deadly assassins throughout several iconic points in human history. This series has endless excitement and creativity. Each installment pulls you into a distinct chapter in history. Whether it's seeking revenge in 15th-century Renaissance-era Italy, igniting the American Revolutionary War, or raising the black flag as a pirate in the West Indies, the Assassin's Creed series is a blast of fun that takes a loose but exciting approach to history. It's obviously not the most historically accurate — it's not accurate at all — but it's the most recognizable one to mix history with gaming, and, for that, it deserves the final spot here.