You don’t have to crack open a biography or textbook to learn about history. And while many people believe that video games don’t hold any value, some of the best historical video games can not only teach but entertain. But which ones are the best?
It can be hard to find a great video game from a certain period that is also historically accurate. For instance, Battlefield 1 is focused on World War I but isn’t as accurate as you might think. So what are the best historical video games to help you learn while keeping your attention?
7. L.A. Noire
The first game that you might be interested in if you want to learn something about history is L.A. Noire, the 2011 action-adventure game published by Rockstar Games, which is famous for the GTA series.
The game is set in 1947 Los Angeles and follows detective Cole Phelp’s rise among the ranks of the LA Police Department as he solves a range of cases across various bureaus. The crime narrative might be fiction, but the feel of post-war America is phenomenal.
The developers even used era-specific photographs and map data to bring Los Angeles to life with as much accuracy as possible. Even the vehicles that were around in the 40s feel authentic. While it won’t set you on a story that happened in real life, the life, people, scenery, and overall behavior are like you’re living in the 1940s.
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6. The Oregon Trail
One of the most famous computer games ever, and also one of the best historical video games is The Oregon Trail. The game has had many copies, but the original, released in 1971, has consistently been the best overall.
The 8-bit virtual voyage game seeds players navigating the Oregon trail, a 2,170-mile wagon route and emigrant trail that crossed several states including Kansas and Wyoming. While navigating the road, players are given choices, which could lead to making it further on the trail or dying. It’s a simple concept, but difficult to make it all the way through. And it’s also incredibly historically accurate.
The developer made sure to take down all the information of the trail, from the mileage, landmarks, and even environmental landscape like the river and mountain ranges. The research was so intensive that even rain wasn’t randomized — it was calculated by coding to match the percentage chance based on the research he gathered.
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5. Brothers in Arms Series
Many shooter games revolve around historical events like wars, and the Brothers in Arms series is similar. The tactical shooter by Gearbox Software consists of ten individual games, including Road to Hill 30, Earned in Blood, and D-Day.
The storyline is set against the backdrop of the liberation of Western Europe during World War II and is one of the best historical video games around. A few factors play into how accurate it is, with the world design, character models, and tactical gameplay.
Interestingly enough, the first game was actually used in a History Channel documentary to depict the invasion of Normandy. The locations that are featured in the game have amazing detail, like the church at Carentan and Saint Comet with Dead Man’s Corner. The developers took a lot of time to create an interesting, yet accurate story for gamers.
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4. Red Dead Redemption 2
One of the more recent releases is Red Dead Redemption 2, the sequel to Red Dead Redemption. The 2018 action-adventure game is yet another one released by Rockstar Games and is one of the best historical video games that you can play.
Not many historical games focus on Western history, which makes this a delightful experience. The game focuses on the United States in 1899 and follows the exploits of Arthur Morgan, an outlaw, and member of the Van der Linde gang, who must deal with the decline of the Wild West while attempting to survive against government forces, rival gangs, and other adversaries.
While the story and towns are fictionalized, everything else is based on reality. Some characters are based on real people, the social climate is accurate to the era, and even the weapons are all historically accurate. Even some of the missions, while not all, are based around outlaw activity back in that period.
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3. The Assassin’s Creed Series
Do you ever want to jump back in time and really explore history? Well in Assassin’s Creed, you can. Seriously! The popular historical action-adventure series explores a fictional world where a machine, ANIMUS, can place individuals back in time, and is one of the best historical video games around.
Once there, the story dives into the struggle between the Order of Assassins, who fight for peace and free will, and the Knights of Templar, who desire peace through order and control. And while that might sound wild, the world in which you explore is completely accurate.
The series has 14 games, all exploring different times in history. For instance, Brotherhood takes place during the Italian Wars spanning from 1500 to 1507, Black Flag is set in the West Indies during the Golden Age of Piracy from 1715 to 1722, and one of the more recent releases, Origins, is set in Egypt near the end of the Ptolemaic period from 49 to 38 BC.
The landmarks, several characters, weapons, environment, society, and much more are all historically accurate, allowing players to learn about historical figures, events, and society through a video game.
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2. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
One of the best historical video games ever is Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The 2018 action role-playing video game was published by Warhorse Studios and is set in the medieval Kingdom of Bohemia in the 1400s, an Imperial State of the Holy Roman Empire, and focuses on historically accurate content.
There is an abundance of action and deadly situations, but is also one of the best games to learn a bit of history. You have to eat, drink, and keep track of your provisions that may wear down or even spoil. The environment that you’re in is all inspired by reality, like the landmarks and buildings.
Throughout the experience, you have to make choices that matter and impact the world that you live in. You can also adapt and focus yourself to a certain class, like a warrior or bard. The game is revered as one of the most accurate games, from the characters and gameplay to the events that take place.
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1. Europa Universalis 4
The number one best historical video game that you can play is Europa Universalis 4. The 2013 grand strategy video game developed by Paradox Development Studio sees players controlling a nation leading up to and during the early modern period — from the Late Middle Ages following the Battle of Varna in 1444, the final crusade, to the Napoleonic era, finishing in 1821.
While some instances can show certain groups succeeding or failing that conflict history, all situations and events take inspiration from real advancements and crises. The issues, the story, and the development are all historically accurate, but since each game offers new possibilities, this could mean that some situations end in a completely inaccurate situation.
Still, from religious beliefs, historical events, resource management, military movements and strategies, this is one of the best, most accurate historical video games out there.
