12 – IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad
Fun fact for you, did you know that after first-person shooters, my second videogaming interaction with World War 2 was with flight-sims, especially Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 3? Well, now you do! Fortunately, we have come a long way since, and if you’re a flight simulation enthusiast and want to dip your toes into the conflict that reshaped air combat, IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad offers the most authentic and exhilarating recreation of aerial scuffles. This modular series features a level of realism in its flight models and historical accuracy that is second to none. With top-tier VR support and a passionate community, it’s the definitive game for experiencing the tension of a dogfight or the thrill of a ground-attack mission.
One of my favorite experiences in this game was running a full campaign playing as a C-47A Skytrain, a major departure from the thrills of aerial dogfighting and bombing runs, focusing instead on dropping paratroopers and doing supply runs mid-battle.
9 – Company of Heroes 2
What can I say about Company of Heroes that hasn’t already been said time and time again? For a real-time strategy game with a focus on squad-level combat, Company of Heroes 2 remains a top-tier choice, especially because it’s the only one that brings the two most iconic theatres of war together, the Eastern and the Western Front, lacking only the grand-strategy campaign of the third entry. The game’s “TrueSight” line-of-sight system and realistic cover mechanics force you to think tactically about every move and the location of your units in every fight. With a focus on the brutal Eastern Front and a massive amount of content, it offers a fast-paced and highly competitive experience. Its robust multiplayer community and refined gameplay ensure its longevity, and the game is still very much alive today. And even if its multiplayer community vanished overnight, there’s still a good singleplayer campaign, a solid skirmish mode, and a great, sort of randomly generated campaign set in the Ardennes.
8 – Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault might still be my favorite World War 2 shooter because it was the game that started it all, but the more realistic approach to tactical combat and emotional narrative set by Brothers in Arms is still unsurpassed by all other World War 2 titles. I love all three titles the same, and having given the others enough love, I want to highlight Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway. It puts players in command of a squad of paratroopers during Operation Market Garden. The game’s innovative “fire and maneuver” system is a masterclass in tactical design, allowing you to use suppression and flanking to outsmart your enemies. Despite the fact that the game is well over a decade old by now, it still looks amazing and plays fantastically, too. Add to that its usually cheap price on sale for it and the whole series, and there’s no reason for you not to be enjoying this classic right now.
7 – Wargame Design Studios: Battles of Normandy
Wargame Design Studio: Battles of Normandy is a massive operational-level simulation of the Normandy campaign. With a hex map that covers the entire invasion and over 21,000 historically accurate units, this turn-based game is for the most dedicated strategists. It accurately models the logistical and tactical challenges of the campaign, making it an essential title for those who want to command at the corps and division level. It’s one of my favorite strategy games of all time (more on that soon enough), and I have recommended it time and time again over the years. There are plenty of other Wargame Design Studio World War 2 titles that deserve their place in here, and if you ask Chris Irwin, Strategy and Wargaming contributor, he will sing you high praises about The Proud and the Few. I encourage you to check all the products of the Wargame Design Studios here, because there are well over 100 games you might enjoy.
6 – Hell Let Loose
I’m sure that Chris is reading this, and after reading the previous entry and being quite pleased with that mention, he will now look at this one with disgust. Too bad, because this 100-player tactical FPS is a brutal and realistic recreation of WWII’s most iconic battles, and my favorite first-person shooter to play in 2025; in fact, it’s the game I go to to have fun and relax after a long day at work. Hell Let Loose is a team-based, combined-arms experience where communication and strategy are far more important than individual skill (unless you’re me with a Browning 1919 crouched behind a fence in Normandy). With its massive, historically accurate maps and unforgiving gameplay, it provides an unparalleled sense of large-scale combat. It’s a perfect game for anyone who wants an authentic, immersive, and often terrifying first-person perspective of the war. Hell Let Loose is the kind of game that lets you play as the Americans and the Germans with their basic kits, and you quickly arrive at the conclusion as to why the M1 Garand was a much better rifle than the Kar 98.
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