10 – Close Combat: The Longest Day
There are very few strategy game series as revered as the Close Combat one. Being the pioneers behind simulating the psychological tool war has on soldiers, it is also one of the more details real-time strategy (RTS) game series ever made, and certainly one of the best World War 2 ones. If you’re a player, maybe on the younger side, looking to experience the chaotic reality of D-Day with an oldie game that’s also a classic goldie, you could do a lot worse than Close Combat: The Longest Day. This real-time tactical wargame plunges players into brutal company and platoon-level engagements across the infamous Normandy landing zones and the French countryside, allowing them to fight on 64 hand-drawn tactical maps and over 60 battles and operations. There’s also a tough-as-nails grand campaign where keeping your virtual soldiers alive is as important to victory as it was in real life. Renowned for its unparalleled historical authenticity, detailed simulation of soldier morale, suppression, and individual weapon effects, this title offers an incredibly deep and challenging experience.
9 – Unity of Command 2
Players looking for an operational-level wargame that abstracts combat and focuses on troop movement and logistics, but don’t want to take a master’s degree in History so they can play Gary Grigsby’s games should consider Unity of Command II, a game known for being as accessible as something like Battle Academy, but also managing to be challenging and somewhat authentic in the way it plays. This critically acclaimed turn-based operational wargame masterfully depicts the logistical and command challenges faced by the Allied forces following the pivotal D-Day landings. From the chaotic beaches of Normandy to the push through France, players must expertly manage supply lines, exploit weaknesses in the enemy lines, and orchestrate large-scale offensives, knowing when to push and pull units as necessary to achieve battlefield superiority, all the while being able to maintain them operational with enough food, ammo, and fuel. As the old adage goes: “An army marches on its stomach”, and that’s as true here in Unity of Command II as it was in real life. Renowned for its elegant interface, beautiful graphics, and challenging scenarios, Unity of Command II provides a deeply rewarding experience for strategists. For those seeking one of the best D-Day wargames to play in 2025 that emphasizes the operational depth of the Normandy campaign, this title is an absolute must-have.
8 – Hell Let Loose
I think that Hell Let Loose might be my favorite first-person shooter of all time, I truly do. For ages, that honor had been either Medal of Honor: Allied Assault or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, but I think that in 2025, Hell Let Loose is the best first-person shooter, and it’s not even close. This gritty, World War II shooter is probably the closest we currently have to the real thing, without being a massive slog like other similar titles, like Armed Assault. Hell Let Loose throws players into massive 50v50 battles across authentic, large-scale maps of the Normandy campaign, including iconic D-Day landing zones like Utah Beach and the town of Carentan, which can be home to some of the most intense first-person shooter action you’ll ever experience. Hell Let Loose is still a lot more fun if you have a dedicated squad focusing on communication, teamwork, and coordination to achieve victory, but it isn’t necessary, and if you’re more of a lone wolf, like myself, Hell Let Loose is still a fantastic experience that’s fulfilling and fun. If you’re seeking one of the best D-Day games to play in 2025 that prioritizes realism and large-scale warfare, Hell Let Loose delivers an unparalleled and visceral journey into the heart of WWII’s France.
7 – Gary Grigsby’s War In The West
If you have played everything under the sun, have graduated from playing first-person shooters, and tactical strategy, moved on to experience operational strategy, and are now looking for the ultimate challenge on the Western Front of World War 2, there’s no doubt that only two mythical, grand-strategy monster games remain as the final challengers. The ultimate bosses of strategy games are the Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough of wargaming: Gary Grigsby’s War In The West and War In The East games. This time, we’re taking a look at the former. Only for the most dedicated and knowledgeable of grand strategists, Gary Grigsby’s War in the West represents the pinnacle of World War II operational wargaming on the Western Front. This monumental title offers an unparalleled level of historical detail and complexity, allowing players to command entire armies, starting with the Summer of 1943 and the invasion of Sicily through to the war’s end. Meticulously simulating everything from logistics and weather to the air war, to amphibious and airborne landings, and movements across a vast map of Western Europe, it’s a deep dive into the strategic realities of the Normandy campaign and beyond. If you’re seeking the ultimate, most comprehensive D-Day wargame to play in 2025 that demands strategic mastery and offers endless replayability, this is the definitive choice for the serious WWII wargamer.
6 – The Troop
While Battle Academy might still be considered by many as an entryway title to get into historical wargaming, if you want a more granular, semi-realistic, and intense tactical combat, you’ll find it in The Troop, a highly-regarded turn-based wargame that brings the fierce battles of Normandy to life with an AI so well put together it’s a bit uncanny. Focusing on platoon-level engagements, this game recreates the challenges faced by British, Canadian, and German forces in the brutal hedgerows and towns following the D-Day landings. In a very accessible package, The Troop manages to put together deep mechanics for realistic tank ballistics, line of sight, movement, suppression, as well as unit morale. It’s also crammed with content, with dozens of Allied and Axis units, and over 100 missions, varying between a story mode, a skirmish mode, a campaign, and a dynamic battlegroup. In my review, I gave The Troop an 8.5/10 and called it a perfect middle ground between Battle Academy and Second Front, for delivering a challenging and authentic simulation of WWII tactical combat in Normandy. If you’re a player seeking one of the best D-Day games to play in 2025 that dives into the nuanced details of small-unit action and the unique terrain of the Normandy campaign, The Troop delivers an incredibly rewarding experience.
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