Are you an avid history buff that wishes to learn more about the rich past of one of the bloodiest and largest military conflicts in history? Or do you just want to shoot some Nazis in the face? No matter the reason, we’ve got some titles that’ll satisfy the gamer in everyone.
15. Hearts of Iron IV
Set your battle plans to perfection as you march your armies across Europe in Hearts of Iron IV
Man the turrets! Ready your battle station! You’re no longer a lowly foot soldier: you’re the commander of your own army in the latest installment of the Hearts of Iron series.
Known for their strategy and simulation games, Paradox Entertainment has taken us back to the battlefronts of WWI2 in what they’re calling “total strategic war.” The war is no longer won through the soldiers alone: a true commander must win their nation over as well. Couple this with an ever changing terrain, the ability to control any nation you wish, and online head to head combat, and you’ve got a WW2 strategy unlike anything you’ve ever played.
Experience WW2 strategy from a bird’s eye view as you take control of your own military might
Winning isn’t all about shows of force! A supportive country will make or break your campaign
14. Company of Heroes 2
Experience a unique tech-tree that challenges the player to balance the constant trade-off between mobility and defense. Surprise opponents with your development choices and an open end game configuration
Company of Heroes 2 may seem like another WW2 RTS (Real Time Strategy), however not many games will put you in the driver's seat of the Soviet Army during the time of Operation Barbarossa to the Battle of Berlin.
From rich resource management to the strategic occupation of various towns and villages, the game offers an approach to the Eastern Front of WW2 like never seen before. In addition to many RTS staples, such as controlling units and creating battle plans, COH2 utilizes TrueSight, which offers unmatched mechanics when navigating units across various terrain, all the while taking into account environmental conditions when determining troop visibility. If you’re looking for a chance to explore an often overlooked aspect of the world’s biggest conflict, check out this one.
New TrueSight technology gives you unprecedented insight into your units on the battlefield
Take control of buildings and villages to solidify your position on the Eastern Front
13. Men of War: Assault Squad 2
Men of War: Assault Squad 2 features new single player style skirmish modes that take players from extreme tank combat to deadly sniper stealth missions. Commanders can now faceoff against opponents on various new multiplayer 1v1 -- 4v4 maps
Lots of WW2 games out there will try to provide the most realistic experience out there, but not many go the extra distance to listen to their fans for input.
After the success of its predecessor, Assault Squad 2 looks to provide a more enhanced experience, including the addition of season dependent camouflage, updated graphics, AI improvements, and perhaps most importantly, Steam multiplayer support. If their new, single players skirmishes ranging from massive tank battles to stealth sniper missions don’t whet your appetite, their multiplayer maps and battles will, no matter if you’re looking for a 1v1 encounter or a giant 8v8 slugfest.
Control a wide range of weaponry in either the single or multiplayer game modes
Roll over your opponents with advanced tank warfare!
12. Wolfenstein: The New Order
BJ Blazkowicz is the resistance's best hope of taking down General Deathshead's army, but how will you achieve victory?
Every First Person Shooter (FPS) around today has Wolfenstein to thank for its success, and Bethesda brings back the Nazi killing action fans loved of the first game back in a big way.
Set in an alternate 1960’s, Germany has been in power ever since they won the second World War, and it’s up to you to infiltrate their command from the inside out if you wish to make things right again. You and your group of resistance fighters will have access to vehicles and weapons like you’ve never seen before as you go up against super soldiers and Nazi robots. It’s up to you to bring down the Third Reich once and for all!
Be ready to face resistance from a new and improved Nazi threat never seen before
Lock and load with futuristic weaponry as you fight your way against hordes of enemies
11. Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad with Rising Storm
Enjoy the renowned realism of the Red Orchestra franchise in intense head to head multiplayer action
Many games will promise you a realistic WW2 fighting experience, but Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad might just take the cake on this one.
Players no longer are treated to the traditional Heads Up Display (HUD) seen in traditional FPS games. Instead, they must remember how many bullets their gun contains in order to determine if reloading is necessary. If so, an ammo magazine is then weighed to see approximately how many bullets it contains before inserting back into your weapon. Great, now you’ve reloaded! Now you can take advantage of the immersive cover system, which places emphasis on your environment in determining your likelihood of being seen (or shot). Already hooked? You can pick up RO2 today on Steam, along with the new Rising Storm downloadable content (DLC).
Take advantage of the game’s immersive cover system as you fight in epic WW2 battles
Make every bullet count with the precision of first person shooting
10. Sniper Elite 3
See the game's emergent stealth mechanics and genre-leading ballistics first hand, and learn the tactics you'll need to defeat Germany's Afrika Korps
Sure, it’s fun to command vast armies with a click of your mouse, but sometimes you want to get right in on the action, and that’s where Sniper Elite 3 shines.
Embrace the more tactical nature of WW2 as you take control of a highly trained sniper, whose job it is to assassinate high level targets on the battlefronts of Africa. Enjoy the varied and diverse environment overlooked in many WW2 simulations as you make use of claymores, tripwires, and of course your sniper rifle, in order to eliminate some of the biggest baddies of the time. In addition to the famed “X-Ray kills” the series is known for, team up with a partner to deal maximum damage in both campaign and multiplayer modes, and become the most feared sniper of the war.
Stealth is everything if you wish to complete your mission successfully
Make each hit that much more satisfying with X-Ray killcams
9. War Thunder
Experience both aerial and land combat like you've never experienced before in the hugely popular War Thunder series
Where many games will feature vehicles used in WW2, not many have quite the versatility and attention to detail that War Thunder brings to the scene.
In addition to boasting one of the largest Free to Play (F2P) WW2 player bases around, War Thunder supports Windows, Linux, Mac, Playstation, and now Virtual Reality (VR) technology. Forget controlling armies; you’re now your very own WW2 pilot of a vast number of planes and tanks against the entire world in this MMO experience. Does the promise of multiplayer not entice you? Purchase the “Steam Edition” to unlock two single player campaigns in addition to premium airplanes. Whether in the sky or rolling on the ground, this game promises fast paced action that is hard to come by.
Control aircraft from WW2 as you duke it out in aerial dogfights against players from across the globe
Rollover your opponents as you engage in explosive tank warfare
8. Panzer Corps
Welcome back the iconic Panzer franchise like never before in this foray into grand strategy with Panzer Corps
Take control of one of the most feared Axis military corps in the award winning turn based strategy of Panzer Corps!
Navigate your military corps through 26 scenarios that span the diversity and intensity of real WW2 conflicts. Upgrade and customize your core group of soldiers as you gain access to 800 different unit types, all the while creating an unstoppable show of military might. Looking to take the battlefield against a fellow general? Panzer Corps’s large and diverse multiplayer will offer gamers a unique and balanced option with scenarios specifically designed for multiplayer. Live the life of an Axis general as you storm your way across Europe!
Employ superior tactics as you roll across Europe towards victory
Customize your corps to conquer any challenge on the battlefield
7. Wolfenstein: The Old Blood
The Year is 1946. Your mission: infiltrate Castle Wolfenstein and retrieve the coordinates to General Deathshead’s compound
Now that you’ve gotten a taste of Wolfenstein: The New Order, I bet you wish you could go back in time and stop those Nazis from getting that far in the first place. Well with the prequel The Old Blood, now you can!
You take control of war hero B.J. Blazkowicz as you mount a two man invasion of Castle Wolfenstein in order to steal the coordinates of a high ranking general’s base. Be careful though, you have to get through deranged prison warden, an obsessed Nazi archeologist, and everything in between as you wield brand new weapons, including a pair of pipes that you can use for scaling walls (or taking down Nazi’s). Turn the tides of WW2 and finish off the Axis threat for good in this newest addition from MachineGames.
You can weild this pipe for a variety of uses, all of which get your hands dirty
Wield massive weapons as you go up against enemies ranging from attack dogs to armored Nazis
6. Zombie Army Trilogy
Experience every feature, every headshot, every putrid bone shatter in this collection of the renowned Zombie Army franchise
Do you like zombies? Like killing zombies? Like killing zombie Hitler? Then look no further than the Zombie Army Trilogy!
From the creators of the Sniper Elite series comes the renowned, remastered editions of Zombie Army 1 & 2 in addition to the thrilling final chapter of the undead saga. Hitler is back and dead-er than ever before as he unleashes his zombie legions on the world for one final offensive. It’s up to you to dismember, dismantle, and straight up destroy any zombie that gets in your path as your perfect your customizable loadouts to face the zombie apocalypse. Team up with online co-op to wreak maximum havoc, and teach Hitler to stay dead for good!
Those Nazis aren’t going to stop coming, so make sure you’re locked and loaded
Wield unique weaponry as you slice and dice through hordes of Nazi zombies
5. Blitzkrieg 3
Blitzkrieg 3 offers a unique WW2 experience, as you have the chance to voice your input on the direction the game is headed
Ever wanted to help shape a game before it’s even out yet? Let your voice be heard in Blitzkrieg 3, the newest addition to the Blitzkrieg series!
Sitting right now in Early Access on Steam, players have a direct line of communication to the developers, and voice their concerns over the discovery of game alerting bugs or additions they wish to see to the game. While it’s always risky to gamble on a game that’s yet to be finished, gamers can rest assured knowing that the developer has an open ear to all of the features and add-ons they wish to see. If you don’t believe me, check out the new and improved multiplayer and weapon loadouts added to the game just a few months after the players requested it.
Help develop the game alongside the publisher as features continue to be added
Take on players from all corners of the world in fast paced WW2 combat
4. Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game
Battle against an advanced AI as you play through a new, standalone experience to the Hearts of Iron franchise
If you think you’re getting just another Hearts of Iron game, then you haven’t taken a look at the community creation that is Darkest Hour.
Developed by a team of highly experienced modders straight from the Paradox forums, Darkest Hour features an advanced and sophisticated AI that is able to react and assess hundreds of different scenarios and actions, creating an in-depth WW2 simulator that serves as a standalone Hearts of Iron game. A new diplomatic system allows you to prove your might with the pen rather than the sword, and offers you control over the outcomes of some of the darkest chapters in the Second Great War.
Utilize a detail rich diplomacy system to call the shots on and off the battlefield
Dictate the outcome of some of the most notable encounters of WW2
3. Atlantic Fleet
Take command of surface ships, submarines as well as carrier and land based aircraft in a deadly struggle for control of the shipping lanes
Where many of these games offer a top down, map centric view of WW2, none of them offer the naval warfare offered by Atlantic Fleet.
Featuring a deep 30 mission long campaign, you take command of either the Allied Navy or the famed Kriegsmarine (German Navy) in the longest military campaign of WW2, The Battle of the Atlantic. Decide to either escort convoy ships across the sea, or go on the offensive with highly lethal submarine squads as you engage in conflicts across all coordinates. Touting hyper realistic buoyancy physics to provide the best experience possible, naval warfare gamers shouldn’t hesitate in picking this one up immediately.
Bring the firepower as you fight for control of the Atlantic during WW2
Enjoy a sophisticated HUD as you navigate your vessels to domination
2. Men of War
Realistic in-game fire physics is just one of reasons you need to check out where it all started in the original Men of War series
Go back to where it all began, and experience WW2 conflict at its finest in the original installment of the Men of War franchise.
One of the older games on this list, Men of War still holds up as one of the most iconic WW2 RTS games on the market. A fully customizable UI (User Interface) is at the heart of an rich single player campaign, which features missions controlling both Axis and Allied forces on a multitude of fronts. Utilize the famed Direct Control feature that Men of War is known for while directing your units across the deserts of Africa and the plains of Russia, and if you ever grow tired of crushing the computer AI, head online to play game modes ranging from Capture the Flag to High-Value Cargo
Guide your units to victory in a variety of missions and offensives
With Direct Control, you have a finer control over your deployed units
1. Making History II: The War of the World
How will you decide the fate of the world in the second installment of the Making History franchise?
The outcome of the Second World War lies squarely in your hands as you command and conquer any country that stands in your way in Making History II: The War of the World
War isn’t always won on the battlefront. You’ll need to develop new technologies, build up defensive structures, and navigate your way through the political landscape as you manage your colonies and countries with a ruling fist. Conduct research, commit espionage, and do whatever it takes to secure victory for your country as you learn to manage your resources wisely, as the ever adapting AI could engage with you at any moment. You decide the outcome of WW2, so make sure you end up on top!
Engage in complex resource management to ensure the survival and victory of your colonies
Your dedication to effective leadership will be rewarded, and may ultimately win you the war
So, what’s the conclusion? There are plenty of WW2 games to satisfy all of your needs, from strategy on a massive scale, to taking control of elite soldiers who carry out special operations. No matter the type of gamer that you are, you can rest assured knowing that the next time you’re in the mood to take down the Axis powers (or support their cause), there’s a game out there for you!
Like this article? Then why don’t you check out:
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