A multitude of video games over the years have drawn from a wide variety of historical periods for their plots and aesthetic. There are some games that just stop at the surface level of taking inspiration from history. Others, meanwhile, delve deep into their chosen periods, providing players with an immersive look into a bygone era and culture in the process.
From brutal wars to nuanced takes on key historical figures, developers have provided all manner of takes on real-life events for player entertainment. Not every game can reach its full potential when it comes to success and acclaim. There are others whose sizable impact on the gaming world goes largely unsung. Here are six such period piece games worth revisiting.
6 Call of Duty: WWII
Of the many World War II-focused games the Call of Duty franchise has produced over the years, the aptly-titled WWII provides arguably the most absorbing campaign. The players take control of Red Daniels, a member of a squad in the 1st Infantry Division during the Battle of Normandy. For history buffs, the thrill of moving through additional infamous battles like the Battle of the Bulge and the Battle of Hürtgen Forest is an exciting prospect.
The game narrative’s third act is where it reaches its creative peak.
Advancing through war-torn Germany, the player eventually arrives at the Berga concentration camp. The game’s developers chose to ground the events of the game from that point on in a harsh, thoughtful realism rarely seen in the Call of Duty franchise. Instead of liberating the camp, the player discovers the prisoners have all perished in a death march. The shocking reveal, coupled with the poignant closing scenes of Red returning home from the war, gave this game an emotional, thought-provoking punch that set it apart from many of its predecessors.
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5 A Plague Tale: Innocence
This Hundred Years’ War set adventure holds more in common with the survival horror genre than the all-out action players might expect from its Late Middle Ages setting. The story follows Amicia de Rune and her younger brother Hugo as they go on the run from the French Inquisition. As if that wasn’t tense enough, Black Plague-spreading rats are running amok everywhere they go.
The player takes control of Amicia and relies predominantly on stealth and sneak attacks to survive and avoid the threat posed by soldiers. The darkest aspect of the game, though, is the looming threat of the Black Plague. The game does not shy away from the sickening physical torment its sufferers went through. With the recent release of a sequel and remastering for the ninth generation of consoles, the timing for a replay of this modern cult favorite has never been better.
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4 Medieval II: Total War
This battle-focused, strategy-based game provided huge thrills for medieval history buffs at the time of its 2006 release. The player is initially offered one of five different factions to choose from: the Kingdom of France, the Crown of Castile, the Kingdom of England, the Republic of Venice, and the Holy Roman Empire. From there, the player gets to enjoy a wide variety of high stakes, real-time battles.
It was a thrilling take on strategy video games for the time. The level of detail put into the respective factions’ armies, including an extensive list of unit categories and stats, makes for immersive, thought-provoking gameplay. The high IQ of the AI further bolsters the intensity of the war set pieces on offer. Coupled with its use of key moments in medieval history and expansive map and discovery system, this is a must-play for strategy game lovers. ​
3 Ryse: Son of Rome​
This Ancient Rome action-adventure starts off as a relatively straight-laced adventure before delving into an alternate history timeline. Much of the game’s narrative initially plays out via flashback. From there, the player eventually gets to see lead character Marius Titus, a Roman centurion, murder none other than the infamous Emperor Nero. Nero’s dynamic with Titus dominates the plot throughout.
While its increasingly fantastical plot might be alienating to more historical accuracy-focused players, Ryse: Son of Rome is one of the more thrilling ancient world games out there. The rhythmic, sword-based combat system leads to volatile fights with opponents specifically designed to be unpredictable. Coupled with a battle-hardened, increasingly vengeful lead hero, this high-intensity game never quite reached the level of success many tipped it for.
2 Rome: Total War
The Total War series was seemingly tailor-made for the civilization-building, globe-conquering antics of the Roman Empire. The enormous map on offer spreads across North Africa, the Near East and Europe, providing players with plenty of lands and armies to defeat and conquer.
The player begins by assuming control of a gens (Roman Noble Family) before moving into a variety of thrilling real-time battles and strategizing. Rome: Total War was released to near universal praise in 2004. More than 18 years later, though, it still stands out as a definitive, watershed moment in strategy gaming. For history buffs, its expansive look at Imperial Rome is commendably detailed as well. Often imitated, The Creative Assembly’s masterpiece is rarely matched, not even by its own direct sequel.
1 Kingdom Come: Deliverance
The Kingdom of Bohemia received one of the most in-depth, realistic video game explorations the eighth generation had to offer. The player takes control of Henry, a young survivor of a massacre conducted by Hungarian king Sigismund’s Cuman mercenaries. Now allied with a movement to bring Sigismund’s brother Wenceslaus IV back to power, Henry’s quest for revenge sees him grow into a formidable warrior.
The key issue with Kingdom Come: Deliverance at the time of its release was the unfortunate number of glitches. Beyond that, this impressively lifelike game provides an immersive experience for gamers looking for a slow-burning, historically accurate adventure. The depth of storytelling, character development, and quest lines is commendable throughout this compelling take on 15th century Bohemia.