In this list of best WW2 games, we take a look at the finest releases that have been made over the past decade. In recent years, developers have turned their focus towards post apocalyptic scenarios and alien invasions rather than historic events. And while it’s no hidden fact that the era of World War 2 titles especially shooters, has passed, it’s certainly not forgotten. So join us as we set aside futuristic warfare and take a look at virtual representations of Earth’s tragic past in stories that are historically accurate and some frictional.
1. Sniper Elite V2:
Snipers are often considered one of the most dangerous on the battlefield. Hidden from plain sight, they can take out hordes of enemies whilst being undetected. In Sniper Elite V2, you’ll be given the task of eliminating foes through the element of surprise. The title aims to simulate an authentic experience where you take various factors into consideration like gravity, wind, velocity, bullet penetration, aim stability and more before pulling the trigger.
With every perfect shot, the game rewards you with the X-Ray kill cam where it shows the bullet entering into the target’s body and damaging various organs (not for the faint hearted). Where the story is concerned, you play as sniper Karl Fairburne who’s sent into Berlin to prevent the Red Army from getting their hands on the Nazi V2 rocket program technology.
2. The Saboteur:
Ever wondered to what GTA would be like if it was set during WW2? Well, The Saboteur is a perfect example of what you could expect. The game is set in Nazi-occupied Paris where you assume the role of Sean Devlin who seeks revenge on the Nazis. You can explore the open-world environment of Paris and complete various side missions in addition to the main story ones.
With help from the French Resistance and British intelligence, you set out to create havoc by destroying zeppelins, derailing trains, taking out bridges, immobilizing armored tanks and wiping off enemy facilities. Areas occupied by the Nazi are in black and white with small splashes of color around the place. Once a place is free from their evil clutches, color returns. The title also has an online co-operative mode, albeit the company has shut down its services.
3. Brothers in Arms:
In the Brothers in Arms series, we’re recommending two titles, Hell’s Highway and Road to Hill 30. The latter was launched back in 2005 and is based on a true story which follows Sgt. Matt Baker and the 101st Airborne paratroopers behind enemy lines. Here, you’ll give out commands to an entire team in most of the missions.
Hell’s Highway was released a couple of years after Road to Hill 30 and it also focuses on Sgt. Matt Baker and the 101st Airborne Division, but towards the end of the war. This game offers you a chance to witness Operation Market-Garden as it takes place. You command units here as well.
4. Battlefield 1943:
Battlefield 1943 is an online multiplayer FPS which was launched by EA back in 2009. The title is still in demand and is being played by many on the Xbox 360 and PS3. It takes place at the Pacific Theater where you’ll spawn in 1 of 3 islands. You can either play as a US marine corps or a soldier in the imperial Japanese navy. The character classes here are just 3, infantryman, rifleman and scout.
Each of them come with different weapons and have an unlimited supply of ammunition. To top it off, health regenerates automatically. The game even lets you take control of vehicles like a fighter, a tank, a jeep and a landing craft.
5. Wolfenstein:
id Software laid down the building blocks for first-person shooters and various WW2 titles back in 1992 through Wolfenstein 3D for DOS. Well, the game is now available on multiple platforms including Windows, iOS, Android, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The gameplay is divided into different episodes, each having around 9 levels.
Your objective is to explore each environment by passing through different rooms and defeating Nazi soldiers. To do so, you get a pistol as default, while a sub-machine gun and a rapid-firing chain gun can be found along the way. There are treasures which can be located in levels and you’ll also find ammunition as well as health packs around the place.
6. Day of Defeat:
CounterStrike may have stolen the spotlight when it launched, but it didn’t stop other Half-Life mods from achieving success. Day of Defeat is one of them which brings WW2 to the masses in an online team-based FPS.
The title is based on the Source engine from Valve and it lets you play as either a sniper, infantry or machine gunner. The game is set in Europe and it puts you through various missions which are based on real operations from the past.
7. Call of Duty:
Before Modern Warfare and Black Ops came into focus, the CoD franchise was all about World War 2. Call of Duty 2 was amongst the finest FPS you’d find in this segment with a beautiful storyline which revolves around the Red Army, the British Army and the US Army. As good as the second installment was, World at War took things to an all-new level.
This title was launched after Modern Warfare and is the last in the franchise to go back to WW2. The plot focuses on the Pacific Theater and Eastern Front theaters. If the Nazi killing during the single player campaign isn’t enough, there’s a zombie mode onboard as well, where you can take on waves of evil undead Nazis. A co-operative mode has also been included.
Conclusion:
Each of these best WW2 games offer great stories even if they’re frictional and not historically accurate. We’re not sure if titles based on this era will make a comeback anytime soon, but you’ll not be the only one hoping for the possibility.