War is a vicious and tragic reality that we have had to face in human history and culture. Just like it has substantially impacted and shaped these two elements of life, so has it influenced video game inspiration and entertainment, providing a way to challenge yourself, experience thrill, and combat drama without risking harm.
Even though some war game creators have struggled to convey war horrors realistically, some have strived to keep war occurrences grounded.
Whether it’s through their weapon simulation, conflict and tactic execution, or their environmental settings, these war games are realistic enough.
Starting us off is this military simulation that offered a realistic and sandbox point of view to war. Arma 3 was set in the near future, whereby NATO forces took part in a war in the Mediterranean battling Iran and its allies.
This game featured a vast open world, and as a player, you could create, explore, and create your own mission. You were presented with various weapons and vehicles while on the battlefield, and you could even add civilians for operation assistance.
Arma 3 had the complexity, realism, and modularity for planning and rehearsing battle drills and operations.
Post Scriptum is an awesome first-person shooter that started as a mod for the highly acclaimed game Squad. While Squad focuses on modern warfare, Post Scriptum takes you back to the intense battles of World War II, like the Battle of France, Operation Market Garden, and Operation Overlord.
This game offers a bunch of different roles, so you can experience various aspects of war, from being an infantry soldier to a tank crew member or even part of the logistics teams that construct crucial infrastructure.
Developed by Periscope Games, Post Scriptum has been consistently updated since its release in 2018, and it’s got some exciting new chapters and engine upgrades in the pipeline for 2022.
Just like many war game fans and critics, we consider this game’s execution to have been realistic based on its historical accuracy and depiction of WWII. The storyline, weapons, uniforms, and mission incorporated for gameplay excellently capture and transport you into WWII, giving realistic outings.
From the bombed Berlin streets to the Makin beaches, World at War was commendable for its outstanding representation of the toll and tragedy of the war.
Like other WWII war games, this one still drove larger-than-life characters with some implausible situations. Nevertheless, it evoked an authentic sense of being in a colossal global conflict.
Enlisted, like War Thunder, offers realistic vehicular combat with a wide selection of tanks and aircrafts to choose from. You can engage in epic battles with infantry squads, tank crews, and aircraft on expansive battlefields that can accommodate hundreds of soldiers, including bots.
In Enlisted, you have command over a squad of 4 to 9 soldiers, each with their own unique specializations and weapons. Although you directly control only one soldier, you can switch between them anytime.
The game features four campaigns inspired by real-world battles, like storming the beaches of Normandy or enduring the harsh winters of Stalingrad. Every step you take is a true test of skill, strategy, and sheer bravery.
Hell Let Loose is a more recent title compared to other games in our list. It was another WWII game whose developers exceeded fans’ expectations by recreating iconic battlefields. They employed genuine satellite data and reconnaissance imagery and featured artillery pieces, uniforms, and armoury that were all period-accurate.
The emphasis on communication, dedication, and team spirit required for survival and winning made this game more realistic. These aspects also made this game likeable for those who fancy and rank battle commodore higher than solo wolf kill streaks and those who yearn for video game realism and immersion.
Squad is the ultimate tactical FPS that brings authentic warfare to life. With a strong focus on teamwork, communication, and realistic gameplay, Squad features intense battles where every decision counts.
These battles take place on large-scale maps where two teams of 50 players each engage in combat using infantry, artillery, and vehicles. Teams are divided into smaller squads, each squad consisting of up to nine soldiers.
The teams in Squad resemble those in games like Insurgency, with one side consisting of factions such as the US Army, Canadian Armed Forces, British Army, and Russian Ground Forces. The other team is made up of quasi-fictional forces like the Middle Eastern Alliance, the Insurgents and Irregular Militia.
We consider this fourth installment to be the best-executed strategy war game on this list. Unlike most war games that allowed you to control one or a group of soldiers, Hearts of Iron IV had you responsible for an entire nation.
The game excellently replicated a WWII political situation; you could take charge of any nation and lead its armies however you saw fit. You played in an alternate WWII version and had to plan and pilot the battle logistically.
This game was so well-detailed that it allowed you to control industrial lines of production distant from combat. You needed some historical know-how to grasp the gameplay.
Verdun entered the trilogy of WWII video games featuring western battlefields and armies. The game was not only great for its period- precise uniforms and ammunitions or the realistic bullet physics. Even though these helped, what made this game excel was the trench warfare execution.
The slow crawl through the trenches while crossing your fingers so as not to get struck by a gas grenade or an artillery hit made Verdun an exemplary WWI Western front adventure.
Unlike many first-person shooter war games that incorporated what we might call Rambo-style gameplay, one or two shots could quickly put you down with this game.
World of Warships is an exciting game that lets you command a fleet of warships, engaging in thrilling multiplayer battles. You can choose from a wide range of historically accurate ships, each with its own unique strengths and playstyle.
Whether you prefer nimble destroyers or powerful battleships, there’s a ship that suits your strategy. With various game modes like intense PvP battles, cooperative missions, and scenarios based on real-life naval events, World of Warships keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting.
World of Tanks is the thrilling and immersive team-based MMO action game where you can experience the excitement of armored warfare. This is another wargaming title that offers similar level of accuracy as World Of Warships.
When it comes to military vehicles, you have a wide selection of over 600 to choose from World War II and the mid-20th century. You can engage yourself in intense tank-on-tank combat, and strategize your way to victory across stunning maps inspired by historic locations.
With its realistic graphics and gameplay, World of Tanks transports you into epic battles where skill and teamwork are key.
Final words
In the world of video games, we’ve seen some truly remarkable entries that aim to capture the essence of war with great realism. From their historical accuracy to the immersive gameplay, these titles have really pushed the boundaries of what’s possible when it comes to recreating the intensity of warfare. As technology continues to progress, we can only expect even more astonishing and lifelike war experiences in the future.
Lol delete WoWs and WoT and change it for War Thunder, what a joke
ahahaha yeyeye
Good bit of propaganda, they paid the article writer to get WOT into the list to promote it and to have as many brainwashed people in the game as possible from whom money can be taken!
How are WoT and WoWs in a list of “best, most realistic” games?
want to feel the anger, distress and sadness only the severity of actual real life war is able to cause? Spend a day in random battles balanced by WG.
hell let loose could be a fun game if it wasnt for the fact that you are literally jogging around when you are trying to sprint, retired ppl run faster to the bus than what is considered sprinting in a game where you are supposedly running for your life. the game is just way too slow and unforgiving, you die, another 10 minute powerwalk, and i say this with about 2k hours in arma 3.
hoi4 is by far the easiest paradox game with the least options, you dont have to think, thats why its so popular. just a few meta divisions and you will steamroll the dogshit ai, very realistic yeah, especially since they switched focus to the very edgy and supposedly interesting alt history trees and nations that nobody cares about.
oh and wot has realistic graphics and gameplay aha
war thunder isnt even on the list
great article, reeks of sponsor money
Article is out of date it says upgrades due in 2022…it’s almost 2024
World of Warplanes crying in the corner… XD
Nobody plays that pos
funny wot It is an arcade game Best Realistic game It is War Thunder