The war theme remains one of the most popular in the world of video games. No matter the genre, there are many titles that have chosen to be inspired by real elements to create their plots, scenarios and characters based directly on the main armed conflicts our world has seen. If you are a gamer and a fan of this theme, check out a list of the 20 best war games for PC below!
Call of Duty: WWII
- Release year: 2022
- FPS
- Online e offline
An obvious suggestion, Call of Duty: WWII marks the franchise's return to WWII. Even not innovating much in relation to its previous titles, the game still maintains the Call of Duty quality standard and offers a very engaging campaign and very fun multiplayer modes, including a Zombie Mode, a trademark of the franchise.
World of Tanks
- Release year: 2010
- war MMO
- Online
World of Tanks is an MMO based entirely on World War II and the Cold War. Instead of creating and customizing characters, players take control of period battle tanks and enter a battlefield filled with allies and opponents. The game has a few game modes but they all revolve around eliminating opponents or capturing the enemy base.
World of Warships
- Release year: 2022
- war MMO
- Online e offline
Much like World of Tanks, but involving warships. World of Warships is also an MMO where multiple players team up in a maritime setting to destroy each other. The difference here is that the gameplay is slower and more tactical in addition to being very team focused. In addition to the PvP modes, there is also a mode where players can team up to defeat stronger enemies controlled by the game's artificial intelligence.
ARMA 3
- Release year: 2022
- 1st and 3rd person tactical shooting
- Online
ARMA 3 is the latest game in the famous ARMA franchise. The game has a vast open world and the story takes place in the near future during a civil war in the Pacific. Our character is an American soldier who must complete different missions with different objectives and mechanics, from infiltration and armed combat to combat in war vehicles.
Company of Heroes 2
- Release year: 2022
- real-time strategy
- Online e offline
Another strategy game based on World War II, Company of Heroes puts you in control of Soviet troops who need to advance and gain control of certain territories. With this, players start to receive resources such as ammunition and fuel that must be well managed to produce more and more troops. In addition, the game continues with all the typical elements such as buildings, upgrades, strong and weak units, etc. A very interesting difference is the climate change in the scenarios and how it can affect the performance of the units.
Command and Conquer Series
- real-time strategy
- Online e offline
Perhaps the most important game series in the real-time strategy genre, Command and Conquer has several very high quality titles, so we prefer not to suggest a specific game. Although the story involves elements of science fiction, the game is very similar to any war strategy game. In all of them we control different cores of the main story and we need to manage structures and troops to complete objectives.
Battlefield V
- Release year: 2022
- FPS
- Online e offline
Even with so much responsibility on its back, Battlefield 5 doesn't disappoint in any way. The game remains faithful to the franchise model but removed several specific elements to make the experience more realistic. The gameplay still involves several different cores of the same story, many weapons, equipment and vehicles, many multiplayer modes and even a battle royale.
Battalion 1944
- Release year: 2022
- tactical FPS
- Online
Battalion 1944 is a tactical FPS based entirely on WW2. The game has a strong focus on the competitive aspect with 5v5 modes similar to CS:GO, but also other modes like Capture the Flag, 1v1, Territory Control, etc. The game is a perfect combination of classic and modern elements of the FPS genre, but all maps, weapons and equipment are inspired by real versions of WW2.
War Thunder
- Release year: 2022
- Military combat simulator
- Online e offline
War Thunder is one of the most awarded games on this list. Here we can control several military vehicles inspired by real versions. Combat involves aircraft, land vehicles and warships and it is possible to choose between several different game modes, whether online or offline.
Medal of Honor Frontline
- Release year: 2002
- FPS
- Offline
Frontline is widely considered to be one of the best games in the Medal of Honor franchise. Here we control soldier Jimmy during the 2nd World War in a series of varied missions. While some are more focused on action and shooting, others involve espionage, infiltration, rescue, reconnaissance, etc.
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway
- Release year: 2008
- 1st and 3rd person shooter
- Offline
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway is another game that takes place during the 2nd World War. Here we control the protagonist Matthew Baker, always accompanied by his squad. Although players cannot control the other soldiers (only the main character is controlled), combats always take place in groups and require strategy.
Battlefield 1942
- Release year: 2002
- FPS
- Online e offline
Yep, another Battlefield. 1942 brings all the already known elements of the franchise such as the possibility of controlling different character cores, various war vehicles, maps faithfully portrayed in World War 2 scenarios, etc. The difference here is that in 1942 the gameplay is more focused on the cooperative aspect and teamwork. For this, each team member must choose between a character class, each with its own abilities such as landmines for Engineers, sniper rifles for scouts, etc.
Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad
- Release year: 2022
- tactical FPS
- Online e offline
Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad is a war game heavily geared towards the Battle of Stalingrad and the War of the Pacific. The game has several mechanics that were innovative at the time, such as a coverage system, character leveling system, detailed match statistics, etc. The game also has much larger maps than previous titles and, despite having a very weak single-player campaign, its various multiplayer modes deliver all the action and fun of the game.
Rising Storm Game of the Year Edition
- Release year: 2022
- tactical FPS
- Online e offline
Rising Storm was originally released as an expansion pack for Red Orchestra 2. However, it was so successful that the title got its own version with extra content, which also includes all the multiplayer modes of the original game. Rising Storm added to the mix a much larger arsenal of more customized weapons to portray the characteristics of American and Japanese soldiers of the time, in addition to the possibility to choose between American or Japanese factions, each with their own characteristics.
Men of War: Assault Squad
- Release year: 2022
- real-time strategy
- Online e offline
Men of War: Assault Squad is a real-time strategy game in which we control different soldiers, vehicles and military buildings on the battlefield. The game is very multiplayer oriented but also has an offline mode that allows cooperative games. One of the game's great differences is how each weapon of each different unit or vehicle has its own characteristics and interacts differently when they come into contact with different surfaces.
IL-2 Sturmovik
- Release year: 2001
- air combat simulator
- Online e offline
Considered the best simulator of WW2, IL-2 Sturmovik is the perfect game for fans of planes and shooting games. The game has 31 aircraft totally inspired by their real versions, both in appearance and in their general characteristics. The game also has a multiplayer mode that allows up to 100 simultaneous players to destroy each other in the open.
Sniper Elite 4
- Release year: 2022
- 3rd person shooter
- Online e offline
Sniper Elite 4 is a 3rd person tactical shooter with lots of stealth elements. The game focuses almost exclusively on the use of sniper rifles, and missions need to be completed from a distance with a lot of strategy. One of the big highlights here is the visual effects during kills. We follow the bullets flying in slow motion and we even see her pierce organs and break bones. Bizarre.
Hearts of iron iv
- Release year: 2022
- Strategy
- Online e offline
Hearts of Iron IV is a strategy game par excellence. Here we can take control of any nation in the world during the years 1936 and 1939, and with that, manage its resources and military power, land, air and naval. The game is very complex and involves many aspects such as trade, politics, natural resources, etc., as well as allowing players to choose the path of force through invasions and attacks or diplomacy through agreements and alliances.
This War of Mine
- Release year: 2022
- Survival
- Offline
This War of Mine is a war game that focuses exclusively on drama rather than action and gunplay. The game tells the story of a group of people trapped in a building in a besieged city and the gameplay revolves around surviving the shortage of food, medicine and the onslaught of snipers. Overall, the tone of the game is much more serious and heavy than most games in the genre, mainly because it was based on real events.
Valiant Hearts: The Great War
- Release year: 2022
- Puzzle and adventure
- Offline
Finally, the most different game on this list. Valiant Hearts: The Great War is a puzzle game set during World War I. Here, players follow the story of four soldiers: an American, a Frenchman, a Belgian and a German. The game does not involve action and violence and seeks to portray little-known details about the war. The developers obtained direct information from ex-soldiers to include in the game through secret items you find in the scenario.
See also:
- The best free online shooting games on all platforms!
- The best shooting games for PC!
- Must-see shooters for weak PC!
- The best war strategy games for PC!
