Historical accuracy isn’tnusually associated with the video gaming industry. Many developers play fast and loose with factual accuracy in favor of creating an enjoyable playing experience. However, this started to change when the gaming industry became a leading form of media. Many gamers began showing interest in developers implementing education into their games, making their guilty pleasure hobby feel significantly less guilty.
Even AAA titles like theAssassins Creedseriesnow actively encourage gamers to learn more about the eras that they are playing in, predominantly through adding notes or diary entries as collectibles. Regardless of what kind of genre players may like when it comes to their favorite games, they can rest assured of the fact that these games are as entertaining as they come while giving players a tantalizing glimpse into history and its various notable events.
Updated July 25, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:There’s something oddly fascinating about historically accurate video games that do a great job of reflecting the time they’re set in. These games need to toe a fine line between realism and fun gameplay to ensure that players aren’t bored, or feel the need to question the authenticity of the setting they’re based in. Thankfully, there are many video games that are a blast to play through while making history look interesting, making for a unique experience that fans will love.
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23Pentiment
Pentimentisone of the most unique mystery gamesthat fans can check out. Players investigate a series of murders that take place over the course of 25 years. The game does a great job of depicting the 16th century and how things slowly change over the course of these decades. The investigation driving the heart of things is interesting, and the best part of the experience.
While players feel that the conclusion coul have been a bit tighter and more satisfying,Pentimentis still a great game that any fan of fun adventure games should check out. 16th century Bavaria is a blast to explore. Players will love the idea of big studios taking risks like this and engaging players throughout the entire experience.
22A Plague Tale Duology
A Plague Talefeatures two games with great stories and heart-pounding gameplay. The focus on stealth makes for a tense experience setduring the time of the Black Plague in 14th-century France. Amicia and Hugo are two great characters who share a heartwarming relationship in a world where the majority of its residents want them dead.
Players will never look at rats the same way again after finishing both games. The authenticity of the game’s setting makes the title feel engaging. Players who want a stealth-focused game set in France during a historical period will have a great time playing bothA Plague Talegames.
21Hell Let Loose
There’s something about realistic military shooters that makes them so much fun to play through.Hell Let Loosequickly became one of the most popular games in this department because of its strategic gameplay and massive-scale battles.Hell Let Looseis a game that takes no prisoners, forcing players to accept the fact that being a one-man army is a surefire way to guarantee their demise.
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It’s a shame that the game has switched developers, with Black Matter selling the game to Team17. The fan reception to this new studio’s changes to the game was met with negative fan reception across the board. However, there’s no denying thatHell Let Looseis still a great game despite its recent controversies. Conducting a coordinated assault and overwhelming the enemy in a realistic manner makes for a truly exhilarating time that captures real-life warfare as accurately as possible.
There aren’t many great Western games out there, so fans of the genre should definitely check out theRed Dead Redemptionseries. The second game serves as a prequel, and its in-depth mechanics are an absolute joy to experience.
The cities inRed Dead Redemption 2may be fictional, butthe details of the time period have been captured pretty well. Everything from the diseases and short lifespans of the time to the minute details of the wildlife has been captured in great and painstaking detail.
19Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45
World War 2 serves as a great background for games to take place in, andRed Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45is no exception here. This first-person shooter puts a greater emphasis on tactics, and players will be mowed down in no time at all if they attempt to be a one-man army.
Everything from shooting to the events of World War II are pretty realistic, and the gameplay is both challenging and engaging. Unlike most other war shooters, a single shot is enough to take out a player, so they should be pretty aware of their surroundings before even thinking about making a move.
18L.A. Noire
Like any game developed by Rockstar, there were a ton of expectations onL.A. Noire’s shoulders prior to its initial 2011 release. Early trailers for the game intrigued players with its combination of a quincuncial Rockstar open-world and innovative detective mechanics.
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The open world is predominantly what earns the game a spot among other historically accurate releases. It offers players an incredible rendition of post-WWII Los Angles that encapsulates what the 1940s city would have looked like.
17The Brothers In Arms Series
From a game set just after World War II to a franchise set in the heart of it, theBrothers In Armsseries began in 2005 with the critically acclaimedBrothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, which was the first of nine games from the franchise.
TheBrothers In Armsseries offers historical accuracy with its world design, character models, and tactical gameplay. Impressively, the aforementioned first game was used in a History Channel documentary to depict the invasion of Normandy. Unfortunately, the series has seemingly come to an end now, following the cancelation ofBrothers in Arms: Furious 4in 2015.
Red Turn: The Road to Berlin 1943-45is a DLC for the 2011 gameUnit of Command.As the name suggests, the DLC is another entry on this list that takes players to the Second World War.
Unit of Commandwas developed by 2x2 Games. It stood out as one of its year’s best strategy games thanks to its intelligent A.I. and impressive implementation of tactical gameplay that is both in-depth and fast-paced. The turn-based strategy game scored well with critics, exemplified by its 84 Metascore.
15Pharaoh
Pharaohwasone of the many isometriccity-building gamesto be released on PC in the ’90s. The game takes players to Ancient Egypt and lets them create their own city while also managing factors like citizen employment, natural disasters, and disease.
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Pharaohreceived an expansion pack titledCleopatra: Queen of the Nile, which was so highly regarded that the game is now most commonly sold under the namePharaoh + Cleopatra,with the DLC included.
14Steel Division: Normandy 44
Steel Division: Normandy 44was developed by Eugen Systems, a team that is well known to fans of wartime strategy games for releases like 2010’sR.U.S.E.and 2013’sWargame: AirLand Battle.The game is set in WWII France and offers players a range of forces to control, including those from Great Britain, the USA, Germany, and of course, France.
A sequel toSteel Division: Normandy 44,titledSteel Division 2,was released in 2019, though it fell short of its predecessor’s quality.
