The WWII, as a configuring conflict of the political and social realities of the 20th century, has led to thousands of works that have taken over bookstores, billboards and, of course, video game shelves. From shooters to graphic adventures, going through strategy titles and aviation simulators. The prolific production of video games on World War II has been so overwhelming that it has almost ended up wearing out the subject, especially in the genres more akin to raising fictions based on the conflict. What we propose today is rescue some of the best exponents of this video-ludic aspect, regardless of the genre, year of release or type of production to which each of the chosen ones belongs. Because while there’s a certain monotony in how gaming has approached this horrifying period in human history, if you look back, you may end up finding more variety than you expected.
That being said, if you are more of a movie fan or prefer to delve into the events that accompanied the Great War, you may be interested in the retrospective that we carried out on the best world war 1 movies.
And, now yes, we go with the chosen ones that, as you already know, are a simple representative sample. That is to say, I am sure that I am leaving things in the dark, so if you have any contribution, it will always be welcome to finish completing the list. After all, that is the reason for these types of texts: discover, share and discuss video games. we start.
- Return to Castle Wolfenstein
- Commands 2
- Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
- Call of Duty: World at War
- THE 2nd Sturmovik
- Through the darkest of times
- Brothers in Arms
- Hearts of Iron IV
- Battlefield 1942
- Bombing 1942
- Hell Let Loose
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
We start with a classic that, in turn, serves as an exponent of a pioneering saga as far as 3D action is concerned. Wolfenstein 3D is one of the pillars of the video game industry, one of those milestones that was marked ID Software that contributed to the technical evolution of the development. The latest iterations of the saga, for their part, are notable examples of a way of dealing with first-person action that is not experiencing its highest levels of popularity today. But Return to Castle Wolfenstein It is an exponent of what we could call the golden age of the shooter. Released in 2001 and developed by Gray Matter Studios, meant the return of the saga almost a decade later. His campaign puts us in the shoes of “BJ” Blazkowicz who, after being captured by the Schutzstaffel Paranormal Division (paranormal investigation division of the Third Reich), must escape from the castle and put an end to Hitler’s paranormal plans. With a sensational setting, Return to Castle Wolfenstein It stands out for its original team of enemies, its level design, and its particular atmosphere, which successfully mixes occultism, gore and Nazi iconography.
Commands 2
One of those video games that have ended up becoming an icon of national development and that, beyond that, is here on its own merits. For those who did not have the opportunity to play it at the time, it is worth clarifying that it is a real-time strategy title, which puts us at the controls of a special operations command that acts both on the western front and on the Pacific. The game, developed by Pyro Studio, proposes a campaign that goes from 1941 to 1945, and in which we will have to take advantage of the skills of the different members of the command: from Sergeant Jack O’Hara, to the sniper Sir Francis T. Woolridge, passing through René Duchamp ( spy and master of disguise) or by Paul Toledo, alias Lupin (no need to say much more). Together with the eight characters of him, he proposes more than twenty missions as well designed as they are set. A true classic, with a lot of its own character, which will give you the odd headache to achieve certain objectives.
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault
Medal of Honor is one of those sagas that, over time, ended up dying of sheer exhaustion. But along the way he left us great titles that paved the way followed by dozens of video games in subsequent years. from among them, Allied Assault It is one of the most impactful at the time. In the role of Lieutenant Mike Powell (yes, Max Power comes to mind too), we face six missions ranging from taking a small town occupied by German troops, to destroying a mustard gas factory after parachuting or participate in the well-known D-Day, with a spectacular recreation understood at the time, which was shamelessly inspired by the portrait of the landing that was made Steven Spielberg in Saving Private Ryan. In fact, the director was a participant in the genesis of the franchise, being one of the main promoters of war shooter. The soundtrack, signed by the great Michael Giacchinoputs the icing on the cake.
Call of Duty: World at War
Of those muds, these sludges, it is often said. And it is that Medal of Honor laid the foundations of a whole subgenre that gave rise to Call of Duty, the video game franchise that has gotten the most out of the war side of the video game. Just one year after Allied Assaultin 2003, came to the market Call of Duty; title developed by Infinity Ward, a studio founded by former employees of 2015 inc. (the team that signed Allied Assault). With its fifth installment, and after the parenthesis of Modern Warface, COD returned to World War II to bequeath one of the best first-person action titles ever made about the conflict.. Three protagonists, and a campaign made up of 15 missions that takes us from the Pacific campaign to the site of Stalingrad. In addition, along with his successful campaign, came the zombis nazisa whole classic.
THE 2nd Sturmovik
From the mud of the infantry we went to the glamor of aviation with THE 2nd Sturmovika mythical flight simulator, which revolutionized aircraft duels set in World War II. Released in 2001 for PC and developed by Maddox Games, it owes its name to the Ilyushin II-2, a historic Soviet plane that featured in the first version of the game. Originally set on the eastern front of the war, its great success led to dozens of official patches and expansions that expanded the catalog of available devices and battles. A revolutionary title that ended the hegemony of Combat Fight Simulator, thanks to its balance between realism, accessibility and performanceto its dynamic campaigns and, above all, to its excellent multiplayer mode.
Through the darkest of times
We move on to a calmer terrain, that of the strategic management of a title that combines visual novel y roleo, while putting us in the shoes of a group of Germans who refuse to accept the supremacy of the National Socialist German Workers Party. Jörg Friedrich and Sebastian ST. Schulz, two veterans of the triple A development, carried out this title signed by PaintBucket Games in 2020. A video game as brave as it is necessary, which ignores the great stories of war heroism, to focus his gaze on the microhistory. To do this, it focuses on a (random) group of German dissidents who will do everything possible to make things difficult for the Nazis. Its history ranges from the interwar period (with the rise of the party), to the very development of the war. Of course, forget about fantasies of power and great feats, here is a great victory in obtaining a visa that allows you to take a civilian persecuted by the SS out of the country.
Brothers in Arms
And returning to the FPS, as a prolific environment for titles based on World War II, it’s time to make a stop at Brothers in Armsa saga that began its journey in 2005 and on Xbox, betting on a strong tactical side, which gives it its own character compared to what is offered by MOH and COD. But beyond focusing on the maneuvers and real movements that the combat squads used to carry out, it is committed to a historical rigor that distinguishes it from its direct competitors. The first title of the saga narrates the misadventures, during the days prior to the Normandy landings, of the third squadron of the third battalion of the FOX company of the 101st airborne division of the North American army.
Hearts of Iron IV
We go back to the early 2000s to situate the birth of Hearts of Irona war strategy saga of unfathomable depth, developed by Paradox Development Studio. The latest installment expands some management options that were already, in themselves, overwhelming, and ranging from military management to aspects related to industrial production, to decisions related to the social aspect of each of the available nations. These are also all present in the world in the years between 1936 and 1950which is the period covered by the base game. A real burner.
Battlefield 1942
As Medal of Honor declined in popularity, Battlefield gained followers, especially thanks to his approach online. Its approach proposes multiplayer battles in which two sides face each other in large settings, magnifying the feeling of being part of a contest in which the role of the player is reduced, and giving rise to a whole series of titles both from this franchise , like others, who have been perfecting and outlining the formula over the years. The last exponent of the saga, Battlefield Vhas returned the franchise to World War IIplacing the action back in that historical stage after going through the First World War in its previous iteration.
Bombing 1942
Let’s go with another “1942”, but this time with a diametrically opposite approach. In 2017, the Czechs from Charles Games They surprised locals and strangers with this sort of visual novel that resorts to fiction to cement its documentary soul. We are talking about a product that invites us to delve into the most human and horrible part of the war through moral decisions that open different narrative paths. An experience unique and advisable if you are looking to get away from the usual look of the environmentnormally circumscribed to the action genre.
Hell Let Loose
and we end with Hell Let Loose, a tough and tactical online FPSstrongly reminiscent of Red Orchestra (another big one). His offer has 9 large maps in which to fight on the sides of the Axis forces or the Allies. Whether in the Ardennes or in the Normandy landings, what you will find here is a tough experience that does not forgive mistakes (one bullet in the right place is enough to send the player to the other neighborhood) and that it distances itself from the more media offers, with a minimal and immersive interface that skimps on information. The title includes 14 classes, from officers to doctors and snipers, going through artillery experts, who must be distributed among the 100 players summoned per game. It is an experience that, due to the number of classes available and the limitation of their repetition (which prevents abuse) revolves around the tactical coordination of the squads. A diametrically opposed alternative to the experience provided, for example, by Battlefield, but which, despite its humble origins, presents a polished and pampered audiovisual section. Another great title set in World War II.
