The 15 best WW2 games on PC to play in 2024

One of the darkest and most momentous chapters in human history is, without a doubt, World War II. It spanned the globe and affected individuals, families, and the human race as a whole. Although it was a long time ago, we still have empathy for the victims and appreciation for the acts of courage. It is for this reason that it continues to be a popular setting for all kinds of media, including our favorite one - video games.  

What are the best World War 2 games?

The selection is massive, but we managed to select the most impressive examples. Our list of the best WW2 games has both timeless classics as well as recent releases. Also, we tried to include titles from multiple genres - shooter, RTS, as well as adventure games! Enjoy!

Blitzkrieg 3

Our first pick, Blitzkrieg 3, stands out as one of the best WW2 strategy games, offering players an immersive experience in the tumultuous landscape of World War II. With its engaging blend of historical accuracy and strategic depth, this game appeals to both seasoned strategy enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

Choose to command numerous factions from the US, USSR, or Germany, each offering distinct advantages and challenges, encouraging you to explore different strategies and playstyles, keeping each campaign feeling fresh and engaging.

The game features over 60 meticulously crafted historical missions, letting you relive pivotal battles and campaigns, with each mission designed to challenge your tactical skills and demand you think critically about strategies in order to adapt and survive dynamic battlefield conditions.

Call of Duty games

Seeing the Call of Duty series in our lineup of the best World War 2 games probably comes as no surprise to anyone. If you're craving adrenaline-pumping action and breathtaking graphics, try CoD: Vanguard or CoD: WWII. Both have a campaign, multiplayer, and zombie modes, ensuring you and your teammates make your money's worth by trying out various styles.

If you're not easily put off by dated visuals, CoD: World at War will be perfect for you. It's one of the rare examples in the franchise where the atmospheric campaign mode completely overshadows multiplayer. Through the prism of two privates, the title introduces players to two parallel storylines set in the Pacific Theater and the Eastern Front.

If you're not convinced by our recommendations, there are plenty of fish in the sea of shooters. To get the best catch, check out our article about the best single-player FPS on PC.

Battlefield V (Included with PC Game Pass)

Another franchise that can't be overlooked is Battlefield. The fifth entry in the series offers a few multiplayer modes in addition to the campaign. For the first time in the franchise's history, it also includes a battle royale. As for the plot, interestingly, it follows the fate of several characters instead of one, which makes for an exciting change of pace.

No matter which game mode you choose to play, Battlefield 5 is focused on large-scale battles. Players will have access to an extensive arsenal of weapons. Vehicles such as tanks and airplanes are also available. The choice ranges from historical pieces to rare prototypes.

If the prices listed above don't fit into your budget, you'll be happy to know that the game is included in the Game Pass as well. Use the widgets below if you need to pick up a subscription, or top-up your current membership.

Foxhole

Foxhole is a top-down multiplayer shooter in which players not only fight but also perform various logistical tasks. These include gathering materials, producing and delivering equipment, and constructing buildings.

Although the game didn't take place during World War II, the technological level was very similar. The title features two opposing factions: the Wardens and the Colonials. You must unleash your tactical potential to tip the scales of victory in favor of your side.

Commandos 2: Men of Courage

You don't need epic shoot-em-ups, blasts, and explosions to make an exciting, addictive WW2 PC game, and Commandos 2: Men of Courage proves that. In this isometric real-time strategy, you take control of a squad and order them around in an attempt to infiltrate the enemy’s base. 

Each soldier has different abilities and weaknesses. Therefore, you must carefully coordinate your actions to complete the map. That makes it challenging. You are outnumbered in the vast location and possess limited resources, so you heavily rely on the stealth approach. 

Your squad being noticed or the enemy seeing one of their people dead results in "Alarm! Alarm!". Commandos 2: Men of Courage HD Remaster came out in 2020 with a tutorial, improved graphics, and an interface. However, it was heavily criticized for excessive censorship. Thankfully, the original game is still available on Steam for you to try.

Hearts of Iron IV

Hearts of Iron IV is a grand strategy WW2 game on PC, and we really mean that. You take control of everything, from factories’ locations to technological development, the army, and politics. The possibilities are endless, even when it comes to picking a country to play with. However, only a handful of countries have their own unique focus trees to work through, the most important aspects of which are political and ideological development. You can take them in any direction and create an alternative history!

All of this sounds extremely exciting as well as overwhelming. Prepare to invest some time reading through the game’s wiki for some sort of guidance. This strategy isn’t going to spoon-feed you any. But that’s the price you pay for enjoying a complex war game that gives you the opportunity to control large armies and numerous divisions. It gets even better when you feel more confident with the gameplay and start winning.

Hell Let Loose

If you thought that a realistic portrayal of the war had not yet come, this game would probably change your opinion. It’s a title that focuses on the multiplayer mode that manages to mirror the actual battlefields of that time, as the maps in Hell Let Loose are based on real data. You can choose from 14 different classes and then dive right into one of the iconic battlefields, from Omaha Beach to Stalingrad.

The game prioritizes a realistic portrayal of combat, too. That’s why the roles you and your partners choose are crucial in defeating the other side; it’s often the case that instead of attacking, you conduct numerous diversions before finally charging at the enemy. It’s practically a war simulator that takes many things into consideration. If you’d like to feel like an actual soldier, this is the way to go.

Martha is Dead

Now, something for the fans of adventure games. Martha is Dead is, as you can imagine, about a woman named Martha who's no more. Her twin sister, Giulia, can’t accept that, so she decides to discover the truth behind the possible murder. The problem is that it's Italy of 1944, and the horrors of the war still haven’t ended.

Tuscany is a beautiful and mysterious place. The young woman will soon realize how strongly folklore blends with superstition here: all of this only gets worse with all of the information you collect on the ongoing War. Take pictures, reminisce about your sister, and immerse yourself in this scary yet atmospheric world of the Italian countryside during the hell of war.

IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad

This continuation of the IL-2 Sturmovik offers the best WW2 games regarding air combat simulation experience. It mesmerizes not only with the beautifully realistic design of the models but also with outstanding levels of realism in aircraft management and simulation physics. 

You can feel the difference in drag as you drop the bomb; the pilot can lose consciousness during maneuvers, and there's even condensation on the window glass. It's these realistic obstacles that spice up the gameplay.

There are four types of single-player modes for you to check out, which we strongly recommend practicing before moving on to the two multiplayer modes. For example, quick mission mode allows for the adjustment of numerous aspects of flight and condition, from the type of aircraft, map, and time to weather and turbulence level. 

Moreover, IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad also has VR modes that don't require a VR headset. The only major drawback is the high price of the base game and DLCs. Luckily, you can keep track of discounts on GG.deals.

UBOAT

UBOAT is a recently released World War 2 game that revitalizes the simulation genre, bringing you aboard an immersive and detailed German U-boat. Developed by Deep Water Studio, it combines survival mechanics with tactical gameplay, making it a standout title for fans of military simulations.

Emphasizing realism with its intricate damage system and crew management, you'll need to learn how to navigate the treacherous Atlantic waters while managing resources, crew morale, and the technical aspects of your submarine. In addition to the extensive customization options for both submarines and crew, the attention to detail in the game’s design creates a rich and engaging environment that is engrossing and daunting, all at the same time.

Sniper Elite 5

The developers of the Sniper Elite series understand what makes the franchise great and what would make it even better. It all comes together in this stealth shooter set in France near the end of World War II. Sniper Elite 5 allows you to go Rambo-style or try the stealth approach, which is quite liberating.

An extensive selection of sniper rifles, machine guns, shotguns, and explosives gives you even more flexibility in completing missions. But nothing beats the satisfaction of completing the campaign using only stealth. Except maybe a bloody, exquisite x-ray kill cam whenever you manage to shoot your enemy—they are here too! The game also features an "Invasion" mode where you can play as a German sniper for a change.

If you're interested in this kind of gameplay, check out our article on the best sniper games for PC.

Steel Division 2

Regarding strategy games, Steel Division 2 is one of the best WW2 games in the genre. Thanks to the scalable engine, you can clearly see the unraveling battles of the Eastern Front in detail as you zoom in on the individual units. It also features a startling 600 units and 25 maps! 

In each session, you can have tanks, infantry troops, artillery, aviation, and other types of divisions. Pick anything you like as long as you have enough points to spare, and when the time comes for the battle, participate in real-time or auto-resolve it. Each division has its own strengths, which can be enhanced when accompanied by a suitable division, and weaknesses, which are accentuated by different conditions, such as topography.

Sudden Strike 4

How would another real-time tactics game hold your attention? Well, Sudden Strike 4 offers a rich and varied single-player experience, with three campaigns to choose from (Allied, German, and Soviet), each with different missions and objectives. And even within each campaign, a player can choose real-world generals that determine the division and upgrade trees. 

Another noteworthy fact is that there's no need to worry about resource gathering, base building, in-mission technology development, and other "dirt-farming" stuff, allowing players to concentrate on pure war strategy and tactics. Also, there are only a limited number of units at your disposal, so you have to be practical and resourceful.

Brothers in Arms series (included with Ubisoft+)

Brothers in Arms is a classic franchise of WW2 games for PC. These titles are quintessential experiences for all fans of virtual warfare, especially those who like intense, emotional campaigns. The first game in the series, Road to Hill 30, was released in 2005, but it still holds up.

There’s also the sequel, Earned in Blood, that launched only a few months after the original, and 2008’s Hell’s Highway. All three titles offer authentic and deeply engaging stories that will allow you to experience different WWII battles. This series will allow you to lead your team and forge deep bonds with the characters that will truly become your cherished, well, brothers in arms.

All three titles are included with the Ubisoft+ subscription, so if you'd like to check them out, here's the current best price for a month of membership:

World of Tanks / World of Warships / War Thunder

All of these games are F2P, but that doesn't take away from the quality of the gameplay and enjoyment they bring. If you’d like to control one of the historical tanks in a game combining action titles, strategies, and RPGs, there’s no better thing than World of Tanks. If you prefer battling on an open sea and close cooperation with your online partners, pick World of Warships.

However, if you don’t want to pick one from two extremely intriguing things, you can always choose both and give War Thunder a go. It offers a bit more realistic gameplay than the other two titles, including advanced physics and maps based on real locations – thanks to archival documents compiled during the War. Whichever game you decide on, you will have lots of fun anyway.

Honorable mentions

Medal of Honor series - the first title was released in 1999, but it was Medal of Honor: Allied Assault that became a real hit in 2002. The sequel, titled Pacific Assault, was equally successful, and the latest game in this WWII first-person shooter series is Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond.

Men of War series - complex real-time strategies in which the player has a limited number of units at his disposal and a task to complete a mission. The franchise has numerous intriguing features, such as the ability to take control of a selected soldier.

Silent Hunter series - consists of five combat simulation games that allow players to assume the role of a submarine’s captain during World War II.

These were some of the best World War II PC games. Not only can you experience solid gameplay, but you also get to discover real facts, objects, and places from that time period. The dedication that the developers have shown in the process of creating these titles is indeed admirable. History is important, and learning more about it through our favorite media doesn't sound so bad, does it?