Contents:
- Assassin’s Creed: Time Travel with the Templars
- Red Dead Redemption 2: A Journey Through the Wild West
- Sid Meier’s Pirates!: The “Real” Pirates of the Caribbean
- Total War: Realistic Warfare of Historical Battles
- Europa Universalis IV: High-Level Global Politics
Operabola – Are you fascinated by history but not keen on slogging through old textbooks? No problem! Many gamers have found a passion for history through their gaming hobbies. There are several video games where developers have meticulously crafted historical settings. In this article, OLX89 highlights games with accurate historical scenarios that transport you to thrilling settings from antiquity to the modern era.
While most video games take you into fictional fantasy or sci-fi worlds, there are also games that strive to be as historically accurate as possible. This means you not only enjoy great gameplay but also learn a lot about different historical periods. Here are five games that will captivate you with their gameplay and detailed, well-researched historical facts.
1. Assassin’s Creed: Time Travel with the Templars
Time travel is possible—at least in the world of the “Assassin’s Creed” action-adventure series. Each game takes players to a different era, following the conflict between the secret orders of Templars and Assassins. Players can explore the Crusades (“Assassin’s Creed”), the Renaissance (“Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood”), the American Revolution (“Assassin’s Creed III”), or the Viking Age (“Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla”). The latest edition, “Assassin’s Creed: Mirage,” set in 9th century Baghdad, is slated for release in 2023.
Although the developers take creative liberties with historical events and characters, the game excels in its detailed recreation of locations and settings. While completing missions, you might find yourself wandering through narrow alleys of medieval cities or admiring ships in a Caribbean trading port.
The “Assassin’s Creed” series, released between 2007 and 2020, is available on nearly all major platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS.
Check out early information on “Assassin’s Creed: Codename Red,” set in Japan.
2. Red Dead Redemption 2: A Journey Through the Wild West
If you’re captivated by the Wild West era, there’s no better game than “Red Dead Redemption 2.” You play as gunslinger Arthur Morgan, navigating through intense shootouts and action-packed missions while exploring Western towns and meeting NPCs (non-player characters) inspired by historical figures.
Developers at Rockstar Games have delved deep into the true history of the Wild West, a period marked by exploration, discovery of treasures, and conflict from 1840 to 1890. Settlers pushed westward, often clashing with Native Americans, resulting in violent displacements.
“Red Dead Redemption 2” draws from many real-life people and events, showing aspects of history rarely explored in traditional Westerns. For instance, the game includes suffragettes, women who fought for equality over 150 years ago, including an NPC based on real-life activist Sophia Duleep Singh.
Released in 2018, “Red Dead Redemption 2” is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Here are tips to conquer the Wild West in “Red Dead Redemption 2.”
3. Sid Meier’s Pirates!: The “Real” Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates have been around for as long as maritime trade, across nearly every country with waterways. When you think of pirates, you might picture Caribbean buccaneers, a romanticized image from Hollywood rather than true history. However, between 1500 and 1800, piracy flourished between the palm trees and coral reefs of the Caribbean, where European colonial powers’ galleons, laden with gold and treasures, became prime targets for pirates like Sir Henry Morgan.
“Sid Meier’s Pirates!” is a classic game every pirate enthusiast should try. This open-world simulation uniquely blends strategy, action, and role-playing. You can live the life of a privateer, engaging in sea battles, trading, and sword fighting. The game’s locations are mapped on historically accurate charts of the Caribbean with real place names, and you’ll encounter infamous historical pirates like Blackbeard and Bartholomew Roberts.
Originally released in 1987, “Sid Meier’s Pirates!” was remade in 2004 for PC and is also available on Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.
4. Total War: Realistic Warfare of Historical Battles
If military details of historical battles captivate you, the “Total War” series is your go-to. No other game immerses you so deeply in military leadership details, with battles based on real historical events set in various periods. The first game, “Shogun: Total War,” released in 2000, was set in feudal Japan. Since then, twelve main games with historical backgrounds have been released, featuring settings from ancient Rome to medieval times and the early modern period.
“Total War” games combine turn-based and real-time strategy. You manage regions and provinces on a strategic map in turns, while battles are fought in real-time. The developers meticulously modeled weapons and armor to match their historical counterparts.
The “Total War” games are available for PC, Mac, Linux, and Android. The latest historical entry is “Troy: A Total War Saga” (2020), set in ancient Greece.
Read our review of “Troy: A Total War Saga.”
5. Europa Universalis IV: High-Level Global Politics
Ready to not only learn about world history but also shape it? “Europa Universalis IV” is one of the most comprehensive grand strategy games ever made, packed with historical depth. You guide your chosen nation through diplomacy, military, and economics to grow and thrive over the centuries. You’ll manage resources, resolve religious disputes, develop technology, and wage wars.
“Europa Universalis IV” goes far beyond Europe; the world map includes Asia, Africa, and the colonizable regions of the Americas. With over 200 playable countries, the game allows you to navigate through rebellions, technological advancements, internal strife, and religious conflicts—all inspired by real historical challenges.