Engage in Warfare with Heavy Fire-Power in These Best Battleship Games
Since humanity first took to the seas, we have utilized some form of warring sea vessel to defend our transit from one shore to the next, and as the conflicts of our species escalated in scope, the need for stronger and more durable fighting ships led us inevitably to the creation of the Battleships. Take command of them in these outstanding PC games that cover three styles of battleships: modern, sci-fi, and fantasy. We begin with the sturdy steel sea vessels that sail our oceans today, modern battleships…
Modern Battleship Games
1) World of Warships
World of Warships gameplay
The world is at war, the Axis of Germany and Japan have attacked many countries, and the Allies of England, France, Russia and the United States struggle to defeat the Axis and foil their plans to conquer the world. In World of Warships, players control powerful naval battleships and other sea vessels in combat against enemy fleets. The game controls are moderately hard to master, but there are training videos that speed along your learning and get you into the action fast. The game is beautifully rendered and runs smoothly even in heavy battles.
Heavy Turrets of the Ship’s Guns Pivot and Tilt to Fire on Enemies
Ultimately, you must destroy all the enemies that lurk on the surface and beneath the waves. World of Warships features realistic effects like explosions that rock the ship, intensifying the battles and pulling you into the game deep enough to worry you are about to sink. Developers have released multiple updates, which they continue to put out regularly, and frequent in-game competitions offer players rewards and fame.
2) Steel Ocean
Steel Ocean gameplay
World War 2 is raging across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and you must choose a warship, team up with allies, and defeat enemy teams in head-to-head action to help bring victory to your side. In Steel Ocean, players take command of up to 100 ships from 6 categories of vessels. Steel Ocean is team-versus-team online combat where up to 16 players in each team face off to battle. There are literally thousands of ships battling in a huge war at sea.
Submarine Periscope View of Enemy Battleships
You can choose from submarines, cruisers, carriers and battleships, all historically accurate in detailed appearance and firepower, to use in your fleet. Steel Ocean provides variety in its environments, so the Atlantic and Pacific theaters are complimented by such extremes as the freezing Arctic waters. Five technology trees can be researched and developed. By earning experience in combat, allowing players to obtain even more powerful warships.
3) Atlantic Fleet
Atlantic Fleet Trailer (PC / Mac Edition)
The Axis of Germany and Japan have attacked and spread their forces across land and sea in an attempt to bring the entire world under their rule. You must choose your national allegiance and either side with Germany or Japan or select the Allied side and play as American, Russian, or British. In Atlantic Fleet, players develop warships from 60 models that represent approximately 1000 real ships from World War 2. Three modes of play—single mission, campaign, and the massive Battle for the Atlantic Dynamic Campaign—offer quick games or longer campaigns where you battle through a series of combats to take control of strategic areas on the war map. Realistic ships include the heavy guns of destroyers and battleships as well as submarine torpedo rooms in front and in back.
German Submarines Devastate Allied Cargo Ships
This game incorporates all the same action that took place in the historical WWII battles, including fighter planes launched from carriers, land-based artillery, and even the option to scuttle ships to keep them from falling into enemy hands. You must choose which side to support—the Allied Forces or the Axis—and play as an officer of America, England, Germany or Japan, commanding real-history vessels in combat where you can make the difference in the war.
4) Battle Group 2
Battle Group 2 Gameplay Trailer
War rages across the globe between the Axis forces of Germany and Japan and the Allied forces of England, Russia, and the United States. In Battle Group 2, you command naval warships in the Atlantic to defeat the enemy’s battleships, destroyers, submarines and other ships of war. This top-down fleet-commanding game combines strategy, action, and shooter-style gaming in a frenzy of nautical combat. This is a 21st-century battleship game where players command military vessels using high-tech satellite tracking to battle the increasing attacks of a global pirate navy.
Destroy Incoming Pirate Fighters, Bombers and Missiles Quickly
Battle Group 2 starts out fast and gets faster, requiring quick reflexes and the ability to predict flight paths to shoot down enemies in the sky. You can improve the performance of your vessel by getting better weapons and stronger armor. You can even get a support ship that acts like a wingman. Your main objective is to destroy the terrorist group Talon, a pirate alliance intent on spreading chaos, and only you can stop them.
5) Battle Fleet 2
Battle Fleet 2 Gameplay
Set in the dangerous Atlantic and Pacific naval theaters of World War 2, Battle Fleet 2 lets players act as admirals of their own powerful fleet of warships; after choosing your ships and the weapons on them, you will assign captains to each vessel, then send them into battle, controlling the fleet ship-by-ship in turn-based action. You will have total command of each shot fired from each ship, and will want to place them strategically to destroy an enemy ship’s engines or hit their command center to knock them out of the fight for a whole turn.
A Mixed-Class Fleet Sails for War
A new Ground Assault expansion was announced in May, and the game continues to increase its player count this year, so more expansions are sure to follow.
6) Leviathan: Warships
Leviathan: Warships gameplay
Leviathan: Warships is a modern battleship game where players fight the growing threat of the Marauder fleets, pirate vessels intent on destruction. This game combines turn-based and real-time strategy by having a phase where ships are given orders and a following execution phase where those orders are carried out. Leviathan: Warships is a top-down battleship shooter game with customizable ships, and you can play single- or multi-player modes, fighting against your friends or allying with them.
Heavily Armored Battleships Withstand Repeated Hits
Leviathan Warships uses strategy in the customization of ships and the tactics of naval movement, but focuses heavily on action once an engagement starts. This game features cross-platform capability for PC, Mac iOS and Android, cloud game-saving system built-in, so you can continue your game on multiple devices. With over 80 kinds of ships and customization available, this game is sure to please.
7) Victory at Sea
Victory at Sea gameplay
Developed by Evil Twin Artworks, the award-winning Victory at Sea puts players in command of the many warships used in World War 2, including battleships, cruisers, carriers and submarines. There are three modes of play: Historical Battle, where players try to win one of the real battles on the seas in WWII; Point Battles, which allow for inexperienced players to learn over 80 classes of ships and their capabilities; and Campaign, in which you start as a destroyer captain and advance in rank.
Allied Warships Return Fire Against Axis Fleets
While Victory at Sea is sandbox-style as opposed to mission-driven, there are orders sent from superior officers which must be followed, but it will be up to you how exactly you achieve you goals.
Sci Fi Battleship Games
1) Battlefleet Gothic: Armada
Battlefleet Gothic: Armada Launch Trailer
Games Workshop has achieved huge success with games like Warhammer and Warhammer 40K, and their PC sci-fi battleship game, Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, is a rising star. The galaxy is in a state of ongoing war involving This game has four different sides players can choose: Imperium, Chaos, Eldar and Ork. Each side has its own strengths: Imperium ships have heavy cannons and torpedoes and are equipped with strong armor; Chaos ships have the longest-range weapons and are very fast; Eldar ships are also fast and maneuverable, using good fighters and bombers; and Ork ships have strong assault abilities and are very resilient.
Imperium Cruisers Are Intimidating and Tough to Damage
There are three modes of play—campaign, solo skirmish, and multi-player—that allow for use of environments as part of your combat strategy. Damage to ships is compartmentalized so that one system going offline does not completely disable an entire vessel.
2) Dreadnought
Dreadnought Teaser Trailer
This game pits two teams of five players each against each other in head-to-head multiplayer combat. The game’s backstory is shrouded in mystery, but gameplay trailers and videos reveal a beautiful and smooth combat game that celebrates the concept of super-heavy warships. There are five ship classes available to players—corvette, tactical cruiser, destroyer, artillery cruiser, and dreadnought—and teams assemble online, strategizing and selecting their ships, before matching against an enemy team to fight for rewards and reputation.
Combat in Dreadnought is Hard-Hitting Action
Ships in this game can be customized, and millions of possible configurations offer players a wide range of potential vessel setups. There’s also an energy-distribution system that allows power to be diverted from one ship system to another, so speed can be sacrificed for firepower or vice versa.
3) Star Conflict
Star Conflict gameplay
Long ago, a mysterious and super-powered electromagnetic wave spread across the galaxy. As humanity tried to discover its origin, it was eventually found to come from a group of humans that had been exiled from Earth centuries beforehand, a group called Jericho. Now Jericho is returning to reclaim what once was theirs. Now, our species is divided among three factions—the Empire, the Federation, and the Jericho—and fighting over sectors of space for the resources they hold.
Get Ship Repairs in Space Stations
There are 3 classes of ships you can pilot: interceptors are fast but not durable, fighters are medium-speed, medium-strength warships, and frigates are heavy battleships with big guns and strong armor. All ships can be customized using a variety of modules, guns and rockets. If you’re just not attracted to any major faction, try your hand at working with one of the mercenary groups to earn your living. There are huge corporations constantly vying for power and influence, and they surely have some things you can blow up.
4) Eve Online
Eve Online Industry Trailer
Many centuries ago, humanity located a natural wormhole and used it to settle a new region of space, but the wormhole eventually collapsed. Mankind’s original home is now all but myth. In Eve Online, players build their own empires by controlling starships in combat against rival leaders in industry. While Eve Online has frequent and heated combat, it is also a trade-centered role-playing game; you must locate, harvest, and process resources you can then use in negotiating trade deals with other corporations.
Massive Space Stations Offer Trade and Ship-Repair Services
You’ll want to master the trade aspect of this game so you can afford all the modifications and upgrades you want for your ships. Taking part in trade affects the economy whether you buy or sell, and savvy economists can manipulate the trade world to their advantage. There are dozens of expansions available already, and many more are scheduled.
5) Elite Dangerous
Elite Dangerous: Horizons Launch Trailer
1300 years from now, humanity has spread its civilization across the galaxy. The current Emperor is ill and soon to die, and the candidates vying for the throne are fighting against each other in economic war and violent clashes in space. Who will win?—that is partly up to you. Players in Elite Dangerous affect the outcome of current and new storylines through their actions. Beginning the game, you get a simple spaceships and a few credits, then advance and upgrade by exploring to find resources, mining and trading, or going after the seemingly easy money of piracy and bounty-hunting.
A Pirate Targets Unsuspecting Asteroid Miners
If you’re looking for a really vast space game, try the 400,000,000,000 stars in this one. Most stars have planets of some sort, and many systems have habitable worlds. Single-play gaming is available, but the MMO system in Elite Dangerous is preferable for many reasons, such as forming alliances and getting to take part in the overall storyline. The game is fully VR-compatible for an even richer gaming experience.
6) Star Citizen
Star Citizen gameplay
Space game innovator Chris Roberts, who created the Wing Commander series, is now setting higher standards for the online space game industry with Star Citizen. Developed largely through Kickstart, Star Citizen has a lot of extras in it, like the fashion store, where you can buy real clothing to wear and show your love for the game. The backstory to this universe is long and heavy reading, so here are the highlights: from the development of the Quantum Core Engine in the late 21st century to the first discovery of a JumpPoint in the late 23rd century, human expansion has continued into the stars at an alarming rate. In 2438, humanity meets its first alien race, the Banu, and negotiates the first interstellar peace treaty. Now, as contact with more aggressive alien species abound, humanity struggles to maintain its galactic power and peace. You start the game with a modest ship and meager credits, then upgrade by following your chosen path: you can mine, trade, steal, or any combination of styles your pick.
Beautiful HUDs Make Starship Operation Easy and Fun
Star Citizen offers more detail to its universe development than any other game I have seen, from the ships to the environments, from player interaction to styles of clothing. And oh, of course, there’s a lot of shooting—fighters, freighters, even huge battleships and carriers.
Gorgeous Environments Flavor Star Citizen’s Vast Universe
Chris Roberts never fails to impress, and his games always have depth beyond the norm. Star Citizen is pushing the envelope to usher in a new generation of space universe games, and missing this game would be a crying shame. Join up now and dive in deep: Star Citizen gets a perfect score.
7) Fractured Space
Fractured Space gameplay
Mankind followed its dream of space colonization and began harvesting valuable resources from the vast stores of the galaxy. This led inevitably to growing competition among greedy corporations, the competition to intense rivalry, and the rivalry to all-out war. In Fractured Space, you join 4 other members of a team to attack a team representing a rival corporation. Your simple objective is to capture their base of operations before they get yours. Players first choose a manufacturer, then a ship design to prepare for combat in the first sector.
Choose Wisely from Ship Manufacturing Companies with Differing Strengths
After choosing your manufacturer and getting your ship, you need a good crew to run it. There are key positions that must be filled for things to operate, such as the engineer and navigator. Hire your crew with care; their performance directly affects your overall performance.
How Well You Do in Combat Relies Heavily on Your Crew Members
Advancing in the game earns you what you need to get more ships and their crews, and you control the weapons and other modules installed on each vessel. Your success depends on your ship and crew, your knowledge, and your knowledge of and ability to work with your teammates.
8) Starpoint Gemini 2
Starpoint Gemini 2 gameplay
Starpoint Gemini 2, the sequel to its namesake, takes place in a region of space called Gemini which is a set of several star systems. Players can choose between story mode or the sandbox-style “freeroam” mode, which lets you act as a freelance commander and take your choice of available missions. There are some 30 missions involved in the campaign mode, in which players act as Adrian Faulkner, the son of the deceased Gabriel Faulkner, a legendary warrior from the previous Gemini war; you overall mission is to discover the truth about your father’s death and prevent Gemini sector from a foreign invasion. Players starting in freeroam mode begin by choosing from three character classes: Commanders are better at ship modification; Gunners get combat bonuses; and Engineers excel in ship operations. You can pick your profession regardless of your class, and players have careers choices like miner, scientist, trader and pirate.
The Legionnaire Cruises Past a Planet’s Meteor Rings
Starpoint Gemini 2 leaves little ships like fighters and bombers to the pilots and puts players in charge of the capital ships that dominate in war; wingmen can be hired as escorts to help defend against those pesky enemy fighters. There are dozens of ships to choose from, and each has properties unique to it, not to mention its individual appearance. To fill the battle stations in your battleship, don’t forget to select skilled crew members. Starpoint Gemini 2 is fully VR-capable.
Fantasy Battleship Games
1) Man O' War: Corsair
Man O’ War: Corsair gameplay
Set in the fantasy Warhammer world where dangerous creatures like orcs and goblins raid villages, ports and ships to steal treasures, leaving human bodies in their wake. Man O’ War: Corsair combines battle between ships with melee action and a world of commerce for a unique experience. Over 50 ports and harbors await, where captains can buy or sell goods, commission ship repairs, hire crew members, and more. The rich fantasy world of the Warhammer universe is populated with a number of species like humans, orcs, dark elves and more, and they can be hired for a price or faced later on the other side of the battle lines.
Your Ship Can Only Take So Many Explosions Before She Sinks
Aside from the battle between ships and crews, a number of other dangers loom in this game: huge monsters prowl the seas, terrible storms can rip your hull to pieces, wizards can inflict devastating spells upon you, and aerial assaults by riders on griffons can strike without warning. This is a third-person action-adventure game that feels more like living in a high-budget Hollywood blockbuster—you should really check out Man O’ War: Corsair.
2) Windward
Windward Official Trailer
Windward is a smooth-playing top-down naval warship action-paced shooter where you increase the strength of your ship by sailing forth in search of pirates to destroy, wealth to obtain, trade to negotiate, and upgrades to buy. Players can remain neutral, but there are 7 factions you can join: Pirates (black sails) can attack any other faction; Valiants (red sails) have the strongest ship defenses; Consulates (green sails) have moderate skills in multiple areas, but not strong in any like attack or defense; Sojourns (blue sails) are explorers with the fastest ships; Exchanges (yellow sails) are masters at trading; Syndicates (purple sails) are members of a mysterious group that only reveals its secrets to its own, membership requiring certain in-game achievements; and Aequitas (orange sails) have bonuses to their stats and are able to summon friendly ships of different strengths, membership also requiring in-game achievements. Players remaining neutral show a white flag.
A Fine Vessel Awaits Departure Under Your Command
Windward features some commerce, but the focal point here is the ships and the battle. The option for multi-player co-op allows captains to amass large fleets sailing for the same purpose. This game is a must-have for easy-to-start, easy-to-pickup fantasy battleship entertainment.
3) Uncharted Waters Online: Episode Atlantis
Uncharted Waters Online gameplay
This MMO is a combination of role-playing adventure and high-seas battle set in the 15th century. Begin the game by choosing a nationality: English, Dutch, French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Venetian (Italian). Next, pick the character class that suits you: you can be an adventurer, a merchant, or a soldier. Now you’re ready to sail the seas, find a fortune, and become a legend.
Meet People Onshore and Develop Your Network to Find New Riches
This game is full of expansions both in story and game content like ships and items. Trade and commerce are important, but this game leans heavily on equal portions of romantic adventure and warfare on the seas and on the shores.
4) Tempest
Tempest gameplay
Tempest is set in the 18th century of our real Earth history, but adds in some unexpected fantasy at surprising moments—aye, there be monsters here! This game is an open-world that prefers to forego any sort of backstory and get straight into battleship action. Literally as soon as you start, you will be fighting pirates, and that’s what Tempest is all about. There are storylines and missions, but the warfare is in the spotlight in Tempest.
Spend Hard-Earned Monies to Improve Your Ship’s Fighting Capabilities
Tempest has three large regions to explore, with dozens of islands and hundreds of missions to undertake. Single-player is available, but multi-player offers more opportunities, and you can co-op with friends online to fight as one mighty fleet against pirates, enemy players, and even the mysterious and deadly beasts lurking beneath the waves.
5) Blood & Gold: Caribbean!
Blood & Gold: Caribbean gaemplay
It is the 17th century, and you are captain of an armed galley on the Caribbean. Your objective is to trade and haul shipments from port to port, while pirates try to steal those shipments for their stores of treasure; there are also conflicts that arise between nations like France, Spain and Britain, and you can improve your relations with a nation by assisting them in these conflicts. While there are some storylines you can follow and quests you can take on in Blood & Gold: Caribbean, this open-world battleship game lends itself to Devil-may-care roaming on the high seas. The fighting is pretty simple, but the game is complex, and multiple guides on basic gameplay, trading, secrets and more can assist players in mastering Blood & Gold: Caribbean.
Powerful Warships Clash in Breathtaking Environments
Using an improved model of the Mount & Blade: Warbrand engine, Caribbean takes action across the seas and onto the shores in multiple settings of role-playing adventure.
Some Enemies Fire Bullets Guided by a Higher Power
You can play alone or with others online, and Blood & Gold: Caribbean is frequently updated and offers game expansions.
6) Naval Action
Naval Action gameplay
You are commander of a battle-ready ship and hearty crew on the seas of the West Indies in the 18th century; your goal is to trade and ship goods while defending yourself against attacks by enemies such as pirates. Naval Action, an open world based in the Pinkerton 18th century map of the West Indies, is all about battleships before they had engines. Learn to sail the mightiest warships of the era in realistic weather conditions and utilize the cannons of the age. Be ready when enemies fire upon you, for that cannonball doesn’t just hit and disappear: shots can damage your cannons, ricochet, destroy vital ship components like your mast and rudder, and send destructive splinters from your blasted hull through the air, ripping your crew to pieces.
Mastering Warship Sailing Includes Wind, Water, and Rocks Above and Below the Surface
This game is gorgeous, detailed, and atmospheric enough to toss you back in time three centuries. The fights leave damage, of course, but look out for fires or running aground—the perils are many and just as deadly as any enemy cannon fire. Naval Action incorporates commerce and trade, and you’ll need to master both the acquiring and handling of riches to build, maintain and improve your ship. Hundreds of NPC ships occupy the sea lanes, and thousands of player-controlled vessels are actively looking for weak targets to pirate for treasure. Your goal is to succeed where the weak fail, safely transporting your shipments and destroying pirate battleships that threaten the safety of the seas.
The Last Word
These battleship games offer something for everyone: engage the gritty detail of real, modern warships; fly battleships amongst the stars and nebulas; or escape reality in fantastical vessels that challenge deep sea monsters. The tactics and strategies of capital ship warfare abound here, and commanders succeed by knowing how to make these massive warships achieve their full potential. You can also have a look at the following articles for more…
1) Best Warship Games To Play In 2016
2) 11 Best Space Games To Play In 2016
3) 13 Best Space Games For PC In 2015
4) The Best Space Shooter Games
5) 15 Awesome Space War Games That You Need To Check Out
Whatever you do, spend just a few minutes on one of these incredible battleship games; you won’t be disappointed. State-of-the-art PC gaming can put you in command of your own powerful warship or even an entire fleet. Take aim at your enemies now.
