World War II (WWII), the most deadly conflict in the history of our planet, has also been a major source of inspiration for numerous game developers. There are lots of video games out there that faithfully recreate episodes of World War II, and we now have the privilege to learn about those amazing virtual worlds!
Gaming is not just a major source of entertainment. It can also be very educative. One good example is that many video games out there bring history back to life and retell some of the most famous stories that took place in the history of our planet.
World of Tanks
World of Tanks is an MMORPG that made its debut 14 years ago after it was developed by the Cypriot company known as Wargaming. Later on, the game was massively updated to the point that it started to include a vast number of tanks that faithfully recreated those that participated in WWII.
In WoT, your job is to select a tank and go to the battlefield. You will be part of an entire team of allies, and all of you will have to do your best to take down the opponent’s team of tanks. In other words, this game is like Counter-Strike in some way, only that you’ll have tanks instead of soldiers. The tanks will be of various models, and each of them has its own pros and cons. You even have the chance to buy yourself a new tank or simply get your hands on a new one by earning points in the game.
Sniper Elite 3
Sniper Elite 3, a tactical stealth shooter game created by the British firm Rebellion and launched in 2014, makes you step in the shoes of Karl Fairburne, an American OSS agent who has to fight the Nazi forces during WWII in Northern Africa. Your most powerful weapon will be the sniper, while you can even take advantage of other weapons such as pistols, machine guns, grenades, and more. You can even use melee takedowns after you sneak onto your opponents from behind. The stealthy approach is more suitable in this game, as you are alone against an entire army.
On the other hand, you can adopt a more aggressive gameplay, but this will make you alert an entire army and have them searching for you and shooting from all sides. You can choose a vantage point, for instance, and start shooting with your sniper from that point. That is indeed a very satisfying way to tackle the situation in Sniper Elite 3 if you manage to make it out alive!
Sniper Elite 4
Rebellion created Sniper Elite 4, the sequel of the aforementioned game, and published it in 2017. Sniper Elite 4 takes Karl Fairburne to Italy this time as he still fights the Nazis during WWII in epic missions. There are some amazing landscapes and maps in this game, such as Regilino Viaduct, San Celini Island, Allaagra Fortress, Abunza Monastery, and more.
Sniper Elite 4 improves the gameplay of Sniper Elite 3 drastically, and even the camera is positioned much better so that you can see Karl Fairburne better and not only his torso. SE4 allows Karl to climb and use a variety of weapons to take down his opponents. The AI has been significantly improved as well, as the enemy soldiers will behave in a much more realistic way as they search for you and start attacking.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus proposes an alternate history narrative where players have to lead the resistance against a Nazi-occupied America. This game is loaded with exciting and fun gameplay, as there’s a nice selection of weapons and scenes that depict warfare in a pretty faithful way.
Nazis have won WWII in Wolfenstein II, and they possess advanced technology that surpasses those of the time. As a player, you will step in the shoes of BJ Blazkowicz, a hardened resistance fighter, as he has to battle against the Nazi regime in his try to start a second American Revolution. You will encounter a variety of high-tech weaponry and equipment developed by Nazis throughout this game, including Schockhammer, Laserkraftwerk, Dieselkraftwerk, Kampfpistole, and Laser Cutter.
Battlefield V
The developers from EA DICE and the publisher known as Electronic Arts are responsible for the release of Battlefield V 2018, a first-person shooter game. This game is the sixteenth installment of its series, and it’s also set during WWII, as you’ve already guessed.
Battlefield V adds extra focus on captivating gameplay, amazing graphics, and even historical accuracy. This game even has a multiplayer mode known as Grand Operations, which represents a series of interconnected battles across multiple maps and game modes.
“War Stories” represent Battlefield V’s single-player campaigns, and they provide players with various perspectives on the war. Each of the War Stories focuses on a different protagonist and their experiences during WWII, offering a more narrative-driven and personal approach to the game.
Hearts of Iron IV
Hearts of Iron IV is a grand strategy game from Paradox Interactive that allows players to rewrite the history of WWII. Their job is to manage economies, nations, and entire armies.
Hearts of Iron IV is renowned for its deep strategic gameplay, complex mechanics, historical detail, and more. It’s also the fourth installment of the Hearts of Iron series.
Feel free to also read our previous article about top video games that depict the horrors of World War I.
Tim M. Hill helped bring Digital-Overload from a weekly newsletter to a full-fledged news site by creating a new website and branding. He continues to assist in keeping the site responsive and well organized for the readers. As a writer to Digital-Overload, Tim mainly covers mobile news and gadgets.
