15. Sniper Elite 5 (Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5)
Sniper Elite 5 - Reveal Trailer | PS5, PS4
The award-winning series is back! You play as Karl Fairburne fighting to uncover Project Kraken in 1944 France.
The genre-defining, authentic sniping, with enhanced kill cam, has never looked or felt better as you fight across immersive maps to stop the Nazi war machine in its tracks. Yes, the game does stick to its old formula, but refines it immensely for the most authentic experience yet.
14. Iron Harvest (PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5)
Iron Harvest - Official Cinematic Trailer
In case real life doesn’t do it for you, here’s an alternate, 1920’s history. Iron Harvest is a real-time strategy game set in the alternate reality of 1920+ just after the end of the Great War, and centres on the conflict between three nations in Central and Eastern Europe.
The game really does live up to its name as hordes of iron and metal fling through the airways while gunsmoke cloaks your screen. There’s a great attention to design, whether it be characters, innovative tech, and the machines themselves. If you happen to be an RTS fan, this is up there as one of the best.
13. Crusader Kings III (Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5)
Crusader Kings III - Launch Trailer | PS5
Here’s one for the history buffs. There is a rich story here much too complicated to fit in a single paragraph. War, the worship of the Egyptian gods, and an empress named Hamam with twelve children she holds so dear, this is as deep as a grand strategy RPG can get.
Aside from the novel-esque narrative, Crusader Kings III continues the popular series featuring the widely acclaimed marriage of immersive grand strategy and deep, dramatic medieval roleplaying. Each character is larger than life, with traits and lifestyle choices that determine their actions and schemes. Even if you don’t like strategy games, but appreciate deep, medieval drama, this is definitely one to check out.
12. Battlefield 2042 (Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5)
Battlefield 2042 - Official Gameplay Trailer | PS5, PS4
“In the 21 years between now and 2042, Earth has suffered horrific environmental damage from natural disasters, leading to global destabilization”… Um, that almost sounds like a premonition that a game synopsis, don’t it? Record temperatures, rapidly rising sea levels, and the world’s first category six storm reaching the US all hit the news before 2028.
Don’t stress, because this game is a lot of fun once you look past all the bugs it had at launch. With the 128 player mode, the game holds up with cool maps, great design, balanced pacing, and an all around good time with friends and strangers. Let’s just hope the dire circumstances stay in-game and are not some Simpsons-esque prediction of our future.
11. Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War (Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5)
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War – Sony Advantage Trailer | PS4, PS5
What’s a war list with our first Call of Duty title? This COD is set during the Cold War in the early 1980’s, where CIA operative, Russel Adler, pursues an alleged Soviet spy whose goal is to subvert the United States and tilt the balance of power towards the Soviet Union.
Certainly not the most stand out title in the COD series, but it is still a solid Call of Duty experience. Plus, the zombie mode certainly makes it worth it. Controls are solid, the world is crammed with useful resources, and there’s never a dull moment as hordes of zombies swarm your screen. Grab your friends and have a blast.
10. This War of Mine (Xbox One, PS4, PC, Mobile, Switch, PS5)
This War of Mine: Final Cut - Launch Trailer | PS5 Games
It may look like some generic, real time strategy on the surface, but make no mistake, This War of Mine hits to the core of what war is really about. The player controls a group of civilian survivors hiding inside a damaged house in the besieged fictional city of Pogoren, Graznavia.
The main objective is to stay alive during the war with the tools and materials that the player can gather. This game is not afraid to put you through the stresses that soldiers often face when it comes to resource management and choosing whether or not to intervene in some harrowing scenarios involving assault and the like. Not for the faint of heart, but certainly worth a look.
9. World of Tanks (Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS4, PC, Switch, PS5)
World of Tanks: Action Heroes | PS5, PS4
Well, someone was bound to make a tank simulator sooner or later. World of Tanks is an epic, online multiplayer game featuring authentic tanks from the mid-20th century, plus some awesome cameos!
Take control of steel beasts and battle through historic locations where you are strongly encouraged to strategize your way to victory. And in case you are wondering, every BOOM, THUD, and GRIND these monsters make are super satisfying. If you can’t hop in a real tank, this is as close as you’re gonna get.
8. Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 (Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5)
Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 - Elite Edition Launch Trailer | PS5
Ever wanted to be an expert marksman, well now yours chance (you psycho). Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is a modern warfare shooter set in the Middle East. You play as Raven, Contract Sniper Assassin, as you take out a series of targets across a dramatic single-player campaign.
In case you are a psycho you’ll find that handling sniper rifles and firing them off is super satisfying once you get the hang of it. The locations feel authentic, and the story is engaging enough if you want to be thrusted in a classic, espionage type movie. But be prepared, With extreme-range shots exceeding 1000m, gear up for the most challenging entry to the series yet.
7. Far Cry 6 (PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS5, PC)
Far Cry 6 - Launch Accolades Trailer | PS5, PS4
Fary Cry returns players to a vast, tropical setting, this time in the Cuba-inspired, war torn nation of Yara. You can play as either a female or male revolutionary going up against the forces of none other than Giancarlo Esposito himself in the fight of your life.
In true, Ubisoft style, there’s an endless laundry list of things to do in Yara; but hey, if you’re committed to the cause, it probably won’t bother you that much. There’s a cool variety of travel modes including car, horseback, speedboats and helicopters that allow you to get around with ease and give you that true essence of war when unruly encounters inevitably come your way.
6. War Thunder (Xbox One, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5)
War Thunder - Red Skies Update Trailer | PS5
Manning war planes, tanks, and battleships should not be this fun… but it is! War Thunder is the largest free-to-play, online game featuring military vehicles from the early 20th century until present time.
Aviation, ground vehicles, and naval forces fight together in one game and even in a single battle, and yes, they are pretty authentic and accurate to the real wars fought back in the day. Seriously, war shouldn’t be this fun, but at least we can appreciate WWII from the comfort of our living rooms rather than having to go through it all over again.
5. Enlisted (Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5)
Enlisted - Launch Trailer | PS5
A great example of familiar and fresh balanced out to near perfection. Enlisted is an MMO squad based shooter set in World War II (I know it's redundant at this point, but who are we kidding, WWII really doesn’t get old) where you act as an infantry squad leader, tank crew, or an aircraft pilot.
You gotta hand it to the developers, the weaponry, soldier’s uniform, appearance and capabilities of the vehicles in the game are in line with historical facts! This game takes everything that works well in the COD and Battlefield IP’s and combines it with the realism that you see in War Thunder and World of Tanks. Certainly one of the best war simulators out there amidst the golden age of war games.
4. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5)
Rainbow Six Siege - Next-Gen Reveal Trailer | PS5, PS4
While more of a tactical shooter, Rainbow Six Siege brings in some cool looting mechanics to its game design and is still worth checking out even 6 years later. This is a high-precision, tactical shooter that prioritizes careful planning and teamwork.
With the massive expansion this game has received over the years, drilling through enemies in Siege has never been better. This is a stand-out experience where you are rewarded for using tactical gadgets and working together. While gunplay is still prominent, this will definitely put your wits to the test. Grab your friends and hop to it.
3. Hell Let Loose (Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5)
Hell Let Loose - The Eastern Front Launch Trailer
I think it's safe to assume: World War II never gets old. Hell Let Loose is a multiplayer, tactical FPS where players fight in iconic battles of the Western and Eastern Fronts of WWII at the platoon level.
What an undertaking for an indie game, and it deserves all the praise it can get. The battlegrounds are super authentic as you ship off to the shores of the greatest battles ever fought. With combat so realistic, this is probably the closest veterans will ever get to war reenactments, and with COVID-19 still an effect, better on a screen than in the park.
2. Ghost of Tsushima (PS4, PS5)
Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut - Announcement Trailer | PS5, PS4
An open world game that captures the majesty of feudal Japan? Them samurai really know how to do war with style. You play as Jin Sakai, a samurai on a quest to protect his island from the infamous Mongol invasion.
Finally a game that puts you in the shoes, not only of a badass samurai, but does it Kurosawan style. If you’re a cinefile and a lover of history, it would be a crime if you didn’t play Ghost of Tsushima. There is a rich variety to the colours of autumn leaves blowing in the wind that add to the gorgeous presentation, and the world itself is engaging and deep seated with culture and classic Japanese architecture. It’ll be quite some time before an open world game can top this.
1. Call of Duty: Warzone (PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5)
Call of Duty: Warzone Pacific Launch Trailer
What’s that? This game is free?! That’s right, jump into Call of Duty: Warzone, a massive Battle Royale mode and Plunder where up to 150 players battle for loot, armour, and other rewards to shoot your way to the top.
There’s been a lot of changes since its initial release and yes, it’s still worth a drop in. Though this is another controversial game in terms of weapon bundles, at least you're getting upgrades from Modern Warfare and Cold War into these maps. With such a hefty variety, players are bound to be unique with their tactics. Gameplay is still that classic MW gameplay that players love and the game itself seems to be hacker proof. If you love looter shooters, this is as fun as it gets.
