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Best WW2 games on PC 2024

What are the best WW2 games? It’s a crowded field; just as in film and TV, WW2 videogames have proven consistently popular, becoming a whole genre of their own – catering to casual gamers, competitive multiplayer fans, and historical wargamers alike. This guide tracks Wargamer’s all time favorite World War 2 PC games.

From a vast field, we’ve picked a diverse mix of titles, from close-up tactical shooters and intense RTS games to sweeping grand strategy games; from free-to-play (F2P) battlers to grognard wargames with thousand-page manuals.

If you like these, you may also enjoy a trip further back in time with the best WW1 games, or a glimpse of the future with the top WW3 games.

The best WW2 games in 2024 are:

Alternate historical periods are available, of course – do check out our guides to the best American Civil War games, the best Napoleonic games, the best Vietnam War games, and – if you’re nautically inclined – the best naval games on PC. And, if tabletop games are your cup of tea, try the best WW2 board games

Best ww2 games guide - SEGA sales photo showing a force of USA infantry, tanks, and paratroopers attacking an Italian village in Company of Heroes 3's Italy Campaign

1. Company of Heroes 3

We’re nailing our colors to the mast – the best WW2 RTS overall is Company of Heroes 3.

Relic Entertainment and SEGA’s slick, squad based RTS series has been bringing atmospheric gameplay and WW2 historical detail to a mainstream strategy gaming audience since the original CoH came out in 2006 – but 2023’s Company of Heroes 3 is certainly the best outing yet.

CoH3 boasts noticeably upgraded visuals over its 2013 predecessor, including some deliciously detailed battle damage graphics and destruction animations, both for your units and the battlefield around you. It adds up to a subtle but very satisfying step up in immersion, as your squads duck through collapsing buildings, tanks smash through walls in flames, and dust clouds obscure firefights.

Best ww2 games guide - SEGA sales screenshot from in game footage of Company of Heroes showing a tank and infantry battle in a sandy village with a church roof and belltower

Moreover, where CoH2 had a single, relatively short, linear single-player campaign set on the Eastern Front, COH3 offers two full campaigns at launch – Italy and North Africa – with the Italy campaign operating as a kind of overworld strategic sandbox in the mould of Creative Assembly’s Total War games.

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It’s not perfect, but there’s just so much more to play with in this instalment – before we even dip a toe into the ever-lively Company of Heroes multiplayer scene – that it absolutely earns a place among the must-play WW2 games on PC. We can’t wait to see what DLC is on the way…

For the full picture, check out our Company of Heroes 3 review by Matt Bassil. 

2. War Thunder

The best F2P WW2 game for hardcore simulation is War Thunder.

The good thing about free war games is that they give you an opportunity to expand your gaming horizons without having to make any kind of commitment. If you don’t like it, no loss, but if you do, then you might have just discovered your new favourite. With that in mind, we advise anybody who loves war games to take War Thunder for a spin.

This is an all-in-one package, if you will. Do you like getting to ride around in tanks? Or do you prefer the freedom of airborne dogfights? Or, indeed, are you a salty seadog who prefers naval combat? Well, War Thunder covers all of this bases, giving you the opportunity to compete against other players in various types of vehicular battles.

Some of these sorts of game strive for realism to such an extent that they becomes highly inaccessible to new players and often aren’t really that fun. Other games are so wacky and over the top, that the games end up feeling a little too silly. Let us assure you that War Thunder gets just the right balance, with a nuanced control system that’s not too hard to get the hang of, but which still feels weighty and realistic.

The game has been running since 2012, and during that time it has accumulated a huge player base. With so many people online, it’s never difficult to find a match when you feel the need to blow things up. And, of course, developer Gaijin Entertainment has been able to keep interest in the game going for so long through regular updates which include new vehicles, maps, and other features.

With tanks and military vehicles from around the world to unlock, and tons of large, beautiful maps to do battle on, it’s easy to see why War Thunder has so many loyal fans.

Play War Thunder for free

3. Enlisted

War Thunder’s FPS twin Enlisted is the best F2P WW2 shooter.

First launched in 2021, Enlisted is Russian studio Gaijin’s attempt to recreate its riotously successful free-to-play air-land-and-sea action wargame War Thunder in FPS form. As of Q1 2024, Enlisted will also be playable on Steam.

A fairly by-the-numbers ‘hardcore’ tactical multiplayer shooter, Enlisted’s core multiplayer gameplay feels more like Battlefield than anything else (albeit with a shorter time-to-kill, and a distinct absence of preposterous, anachronistic costume options).

Where the game stands out is in the mechanics surrounding the squads of infantrymen you’ll be commanding in-game. Mirroring the upgrade trees of its vehicular-based cousin, you’ll unlock various distinct, named and badged squads as you progress, and spend in-game experience, currency and/or achievement rewards on upgrading their stats, perks and equipment – down to individual pieces of belt gear, equipment, grenades, and so on.

In-game, each human player leads their entire pre-customised team of individually-named soldiers, with the squadmates controlled by AI, until the player gets killed – at which point you’ll jump behind the eyes of your chosen AI comrade, and fight on.

Similarly to War Thunder (or indeed World of Tanks), you can take – as standard – four such squads with you into a match, but once they’re all dead, you’re out of the game. Naturally, though, you can also buy up extra slots with in-game currency, if you want to stay in each battle a little longer.

There are five in-game “campaigns” fully available right now:

  1. Normandy – Allies vs. Germans
  2. Moscow – Soviets vs. Germans
  3. Berlin – Soviets vs. Germans
  4. Tunisia – Allies vs. Germans
  5. Stalingrad – Soviets vs. Germans

Each consists of a set of thematically appropriate maps, and a progression of unlocks for new squads, weapons, and equipment, that you’ll earn by grinding matches in that campaign.

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Enlisted is seeing very regular development updates and quality of life improvements – but it still isn’t yet a fully polished experience. Like War Thunder before it, its clunky menus and spotty Russian-to-English localisation can also make things a bit confusing to newcomers.

But persevere. Because the deadly, authentic-feeling WWII firefights, detailed unlockables, squad customisation, and progression, combined with a plethora of satisfying little historical details being added all the time, make for a unique multiplayer WWII shooter that’s not quite like anything else available – and it’s worth playing just for that.

Play Enlisted for free

4. World of Tanks

World of Tanks is the most accessible (and maybe best) F2P WW2 game out there.

At the end of the day, WoT is a slightly dumb tank game – but there is something refreshing about zipping along the countryside, blasting shells at enemy vehicles on the other end of the map.

On the flip-side of that, you’ll find that there are intense, tight-knit urban environments that require a lot of manoeuvring and positioning, which then turns the game into a very tactical experience.

World of Tanks is a game that will appeal to the history buffs in the gaming community. There are tanks from French, American, German, and Chinese history, with countless other countries thrown into the mix.

Those who have ever wondered about which tanks would win in match-ups that would never have happened in history can finally get their answer. Plus, there’s a lot of fun crossover content in the mix, from franchises ranging from G.I. Joe to Warhammer 40k, so you’ve got some more fantastical matchups to watch unfold too.

These are online-only mass-multiplayer experiences, so if that’s not your thing you probably won’t enjoy WoT. If you are curious about this action/strategy gaming phenomenon, then we also recommend you try and bring a friend, as these things are infinitely more enjoyable with people you know. Just be prepared to put in a lot of work to climb your way to the upper ranks.

Play World of Tanks for free

5. World of Warships

There aren’t a lot of F2P multiplayer naval games – but World of Warships is the best.

Unsurprisingly, WoW (no, not the one with Blood Elves, the other one) is a game from World of Tanks dev Wargaming, which takes the formula behind WoT and switches the land-based action for battles at sea.

If you’ve read our guide on the best naval games, you’ll already know that some of us are fans of this super-arcadey naval combat game. Not all war games have to be super-serious and sim-focused, and this is a game that’s great for anybody who wants to blow things up on the seven seas – but don’t get us wrong, it can also be surprisingly cerebral.

Sailing out on the ocean actually feels paradoxically therapeutic, with lots of beautiful nautical scenery. If you’re playing for the first time, you’ll find World of Warships‘ gameplay is quite accessible – but just like the ocean itself, it has some surprising depths.

A good example of the old adage “easy to learn, difficult to master”. The more you play, the more you’ll figure out ways to strategically oust your foes, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t have a whale of a time during those first few battles.

If you’re a fan of naval history, you’ll appreciate the opportunity to build up your collection of real-life historic vessels, and while the game will include battles between certain types of warship that would never have encountered each other in reality, that doesn’t take away all the delights that the game has to offer for the military history buffs. It’s not too focused on any specific country, with ships from Japan, the USA, the USSR, Italy, the Netherlands, France, and countless other nations.

Play World of Warships for free

Best WW2 Games guide - Hell Let Loose screenshot showing an allied soldier running into a German held factory building armed with a Thompson Submachine gun

6. Hell Let Loose

The best multiplayer WW2 shooter is Hell Let Loose – and these days it’s better than ever.

Hell Let Loose (HLL) is a mainstay of the WW2 military simulation (mil-sim) crowd. Released via Early Access in 2019 by indie dev Black Matter, then fully launched in 2021, HLL is an unapologetically punishing online tactical shooter in which victory genuinely requires you to fall in with your comrades, work as a team, and coordinate with other teams across the battlefield. Yes, that means you have to talk to strangers. Sorry.

Best WW2 Games guide - Hell Let Loose screenshot showing the player customisation screen

Matches last anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes, pitting two teams of 50 against one another in objective and territory-driven battles across vast maps. Ammunition is limited, and one shot can kill. Take territory, and your team wins extra resources to shore up your control points, and attack the enemy’s.

Best WW2 Games guide - Hell Let Loose screenshot showing german troopers running down a trench lined with sandbags

Lose your strongholds, and you’ll need to coordinate a counter-punch effectively, lest the foe’s momentum overtake you. Nominated ‘officers’ in each team give orders to direct teams to priority objectives, adding both a strategic layer and extra weight to the ‘mil-sim’ element. Better hope you’re led by lions…

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If you want a quick shoot-about with mates, or to blitz through lots of straightforward, high-dopamine 10-minute deathmatches, this ain’t for you. But if you want to be absorbed in WW2 squad-level tactics, comms, and combat, investing upwards of an hour in a single bloody battle, Hell Let Loose is well worth the time. 

Best WW2 games guide - The Troop screenshot showing a German Panzer smashing past a building with a shell exploding under fire

7. The Troop

The best WW2 game for Warhammer fans is 2023’s The Troop. Yes, we meant that.

We get it, we hear you – “trust Wargamer to call every turn based game about war a secret Warhammer 40k game“. You’ve got a point. But seriously, if you enjoy atmospheric, accessible, immersive miniature wargames, you’ll get the same kick out of this platoon-level tactical battler.

The 2023 debut release from developer Giant Flame, The Troop puts you in command of British, Canadian, and German forces during the Normandy campaign, starting (of course) from the D-Day landings on June 6 ,1944.

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We compare The Troop to Warhammer’s fantastical fights (relative to the other games on this list, at least) for three main reasons:

  1. It zooms in to platoon-level encounters with focused tactical objectives, creating a tabletop-like feel by rewarding careful positioning, unit synergy, and canny use of cover.
  2. It prioritizes engaging, challenging battles over historical exactitude – Giant Flame says they want to give “a little glimpse of history” but the missions are “fictional and geared towards an enjoyable challenge rather than a strict depiction of history”.
  3. Its visuals strive to provide immersive, terrain-rich environments, rather than reams of mechanical information – it’s “a game, not a simulation”.

Don’t get us wrong – The Troop’s strong tactical framework and impressive AI can make fights very punishing. Completing its story mode and four persistent-force campaigns (British 8th Armored Brigade and 31st Tank Brigade, and the German 21st Panzer Division and SS Panzer Division) will require proper strategic buckling down. This is not a beer-and-pretzels game, nor is it a casual, dice-chucking skirmisher.

But its satisfying balance between rock-hard tactics, realistic environments and audiovisual effects, and emergent storytelling makes it a blast for strategy and action fans alike. A must-play. 

Best WW2 games - screenshot from Panzer Corps 2 showing units surrounding the town of Saarbrucken

8. Panzer Corps 2

If you love puzzles and WW2 wargaming, Panzer Corps 2 is for you.

The first Panzer Corps game has been a staple on this list for a while, but we can confidently say it’s been replaced by the long-awaited sequel.

Panzer Corps 2 updates everything from the engine, to the mechanics… it even adds a semblance of a logistics system! You can take your hard-as-nails corps of German tanks and infantry units from the invasion of Poland in 1939, all the way through Barbarossa, Normandy and even some alt-history scenarios involving the invasion of the American mainland.

Panzer Corps 2 has almost as much content as the first game, including expansions, with the exception of scenarios for non-German factions. Those will probably be coming in future DLC, but in the meantime you can always make your own using the powerful Scenario Editor. Multiplayer is also souped up, with hot-seat, Play-By-Email (PBEM) and ‘true’ live multiplayer options available. The ‘King of Wargames’ indeed.

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Slitherine has so far expanded on that basis by releasing four DLC packs for Panzer Corps 2, as part of its Axis Operations series – each covering one year of large-scale Axis military operations from 1939 through 1942. There’s also an upcoming fifth expansion, Panzer Corps 2: Pacific, in development, but it doesn’t yet have a confirmed release date. 

Best WW2 games - screenshot from Unity of Command 2 showing multiple US and German units in part of the Germany map

9. Unity of Command 2

Among full-blown WW2 computer wargames, Unity of Command 2 is easily the prettiest to look at (but there’s more to it).

We’d have been very surprised if  Unity of Command 2 wasn’t recognised by history as good enough to knock the original game off its top spot. UoC 1 will always be remembered as a wonderful simple wargame, and a great gateway into the hobby, but Unity of Command 2 just takes all of the core concepts and turns it up to 11. Better visuals, better mechanics, better scenarios… it’s a knock-out sequel.

Common criticisms of the first game usually centre around it being more of a puzzle than a “true” wargame, which is a similar accusation levied against games like Panzer Corps.

You can still see traces of that in Unity of Command 2’s design – many scenarios present you with an initial set-piece or deadlock that you need to break through – but the ways in which you can achieve it have multiplied.

Plus, once you do break-through it’s still a pretty gripping fight to claim your objectives, and the AI will punish and push through to your back-lines if it sees an exploitable gap. This is definitely one of 2019’s best releases, and, if you’re even remotely interested, it’s well worth picking up. 

Best WW2 games - screenshot from Panzer Campaigns Japan 1945 showing a coastal map and naval units

10. Panzer Campaigns Series – Japan ’45 & Japan ’46

For lovers of tabletop hex-and-counter WW2 wargames, the late, great John Tiller’s Panzer Campaigns series is essential.

John Tiller is a household name with a certain generation of computer war gamers. Sadly, Tiller passed away in 2021 – but his legacy stands proud through his wide-ranging series of hex-based operational and tactical wars that look like old-school counter board wargames rendered on a screen.

They’re not much to look at, but they’ve always provided a level of depth and detail not seen in many other places. Wargame Design Studio is a small development team that’s taken up the mantle of JTS, remastering a lot of the old games but also making brand-new experiences in the same style.

We’re highlighting one of their more recent endeavours on this list, because it covers something not really seen before – the hypothetical invasion of the Japanese mainland. Officially part of JTS’ Panzer Campaigns series, there are currently two titles that follow this ‘what if’ conflict – Japan ’45 and a sequel Japan ’46.

We’ve reviewed both and are pretty impressed with not only WDS’ attention to detail in terms of the research they’ve done into the Operations that never were, but also in terms of how they’ve tried to modernise the format somewhat. If you’re looking to explore some plausible alt-history in an old-school package, these are some excellent games to start with. 

Best WW2 games - screenshot from Close Combat showing an aerial view of a village with opposing squads in position in several buildings

11. Close Combat

For old-school, top-down, tactical WW2 squad battles, you can’t do better than Matrix Games’ Close Combat series.

No WW2 list would be complete without the father of modern WW2 tactical strategy games. Close Combat struck the perfect balance between ‘grog’-like wargaming tradition and mainstream strategy design. Depending on which title you played, it managed to straddle the line between hardcore and mainstream with remarkable grace.

The one I played the most was Close Combat 2: A Bridge Too Far – it what made me fall in love with the idea of persistent forces and armies, and I don’t think I ever completed it.

There are mixed opinions regarding the ‘Matrix-era’ of Close Combat games, but the series in general remains a shining example of WW2 strategy game heritage.

And, thanks to GOG.com, you can now legally purchase the original classics once more. 

Best WW2 games - Hearts of Iron 4 No Step Back DLC trailer screenshot showing a Soviet tank

12. Hearts of Iron 4

The best WW2 grand strategy game is Paradox’s epic Hearts of Iron 4.

HoI4 finally made this list following the release of 2019’s Man the Guns expansion, and remains here nearly half a decade later. This vast, sprawling WW2 sandbox grand strategy game has been going from strength to strength, and while its still got some ways to go, Paradox’s flagship war game can now finally attempt to stand amongst its contemporaries.

Take command of any nation in existence in 1936, and try to guide them through turbulent period leading up to the second world war. With an open-ended nature and three competing ideologies, what form the second world war takes could be different through multiple Hearts of Iron 4 playthroughs.

You can create your own Divisions, specialising them for specific tasks; our Hearts of Iron 4 division templates guide can help you get started there. A Battle Planner allows you to draw detailed strategies for your armies that the AI will execute for you, and there’s plenty of Hearts of Iron 4 DLC worth checking out that help elevate the base package into something special. You can get the lowdown on the very latest HOI4 expansion with our HOI4 By Blood Alone DLC review.

There is actually an important caveat to add to this entry. While Hearts of Iron 4 is becoming a great WW2-era game, it’s not necessarily a great ‘WW2 game’ in the sense that getting a historical outcome is now only one of many possibilities, and we’re not sure if it’s the most common one at this point – especially if you’re going ham on the best HOI4 mods too.

While plenty of historical events and key decisions are modelled, the course of the war can vary, so if you’re an enthusiast who wants a more ‘on rails’ experience, this may not actually be the game for you. 

Best WW2 games - screenshot from Steel Division 2 showing a large battle with many unit symbols converging on an area

13. Steel Division 2

The best WW2 RTS for complex, wide-scale battles is Steel Division 2.

We had to stop and think about this one before committing it to the list – there’s no denying that Eugen Systems’ Steel Division 2 has its problems. Multiplayer balance is an ongoing concern, and generally the new campaign mode is a little bit rough around the edges.

Still, we’re confident in our assessment that it’s overall a better game than its predecessor, and the new campaign mode is one of the finest solitaire wargaming experiences we’ve ever played (warts and all).

If you were a fan of the real-time tactical battles in Normandy ’44, then you may have trouble warming to this – the operational realities of the Eastern Front and how it’s been translated into the game make for some brutal fights, both in single player and multiplayer.

If you felt that the first Steel Division game needed more in the campaign space, however, we dare you to not be impressed by the new Army General mode. Once Eugen sorts out the last of the kinks, this will truly be a war game for the ages.

Check out our Steel Division 2 review for more. The Fate of Finland is pretty good, although the most recent Black Sunday DLC could have been better. 

Best WW2 games - screenshot from Strategic Command 2: World at War, showing part of the China and Japan maps, with land and navy units

14. Strategic Command WW2: World at War

The best WW2 computer wargame for global ops is Strategic Command WW2: World at War.

Matrix Games and Fury Software’s Strategic Command WW2: World at War easily supplants its younger sibling, War in Europe, for the simple fact that – while this is, in some ways, ‘more of the same’ – it is nonetheless ‘more of the same’ but now on a global level. Our initial concerns that this one might fall prey to the same problems the SC Classic entry Global Conflict suffered turned out to be ill-founded.

Fury has learned the lessons of the past and managed to create a compelling grand-strategy sandbox, at scale, that leaves plenty of meaningful gameplay options whether you’re in Europe, or the Korean peninsula.

As fun as tactical or even operational level warfare is, there’s something empowering about taking control of a nation’s entire strategic resources; from industry and production to the military assets. Fury Software’s Strategic Command series has been around since at least the early 2000’s and is a great example of grand-strategy wargaming.

You command either the Axis or the allied powers (and you can have the AI take over individual nations if you want) and must decide where to invest your nation’s production capacity across research, mobilisation, diplomacy and maintaining your armed forces. Units represent Corps, Army Groups, Fleets & Air Groups. 

Best WW2 games - screenshot from Command Ops 2 showing an aerial operational map with various unit symbols indicating movements

15. Command Ops 2

If you like true WW2 computer wargames, but prefer maps to hex-boards, Command Ops 2 is the one for you.

This more recent iteration of Lock ‘n’ Load’s flagship series approaches a very detailed and complex subject with a system of play that is both easy to learn and smooth as silk to play. Mastering play is not easy, but that’s the hallmark of an exceptional product. Other games of this subgenre should take note.

The base version of this game is free, and the download comes with three scenarios that include Return to St Vith, Manhay Crossroads and Greyhound Dash. In this respect LnL has taken the same approach as the World War I flight simulator Rise of Flight, where they charge for additional expansion modules. 

Best WW2 games - screenshot from Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg showing a squad of German infantry advancing on a village down a snow covered slope

16. Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg

The best 3D tactical combat simulation is Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg.

It seems you can’t have one of these lists without at least one of Battlefront’s Combat Mission games. To be fair, they remain at the fore-front of tactical combat simulations and are must-plays for anyone who enjoys the hardcore-end of WW2 games.

Combat Mission offers an immersive military experience, with a fully 3D engine and a turn-based/WEGO strategy layer that then plays out in real-time. Units are represented down to individual squads and tanks, however players can play anything from a Company-sized force, to a reinforced Battalion.

You could have a passionate debate about which CM game is the best CM game, but the 2016 iteration mightily impressed the late Mr. Cobb in his Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg review with its attention to detail and the general improvements to the legacy of Combat Mission as a whole: “The series remains the epitome of World War II tactical simulations. Is it too early for a Game of the Year nomination?”

Final Blitzkrieg is set in Europe, 1944-45 and mainly centres around the Battle of the Bulge. 

Best WW2 games - screenshot from Men of War: Assault Squad 2 showing tanks assaulting an enemy in a tropical area

17. Men of War: Assault Squad 2

If you like your WW2 RTS games hardcore, with high complexity and skill ceilings, try Men of War: Assault Squad 2.

Until Men of War 2 comes out in 2024, Men of War: Assault Squad 2 represents the pinnacle of the series’ development. The series in general has seen many different iterations and experiments, but all of that learning finally comes to together here.

1C Company / Digitalmindsoftau’s Men of War series is one with humble (and slightly confusing) origins, but also one that’s grown to become a must-have staple of real-time WW2 tactical combat. For fans of Company of Heroes 2 wanting a little more bite, this is one of the most immersive experiences you’ll ever have the pleasure of playing.

There’s a depth and granularity to combat that you rarely see outside of hardcore turn-based counter wargames, and yet it remains easy(ish) to learn and interact with. It can be brutal and punishing (I don’t think they’ve ever gotten the balance quite right between tanks and infantry), but it is also thrilling.

As official support has waned, a dedicated mod-community has arisen to provide scenarios ranging from WW1 to the Cold War. Based on the collected experiences of Assault Squad 2 and its mod creations, the next full Men of War game will end up being world-class. 

Best WW2 games guide - Matrix Games screenshot from Gary Grigsby's War in the East 2 showing the in game map of Germany

18. Gary Grigsby’s War in the East 2

The undisputed king of ultra-detailed WW2 simulations is Gary Grigsby’s War in the East 2.

No conversation on digital wargaming can exist without starting, ending or at the very least, co-existing with, a nod towards the beast set in the east. Gary Grigsby’s War in the East 2 – the massive 2021 overhaul of Grigsby’s 2010 opus – represents the pinnacle of what happens when you take traditional hex-and-counter wargaming and use computer software to bring out its maximum potential. No-one ever said it would be accessible or easy to get to grips with– but it is the ultimate military simulation of war in the eastern front of World War 2.

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Described by the developer as “a complete overhaul and improvement of the original War in the East, with no stone left unturned to provide a more realistic, more historically rich, and more challenging strategy experience”, WITE2 comes with three full-map campaigns (including the full 1941-45 grand campaign, from Operation Barbarossa to the fall of Berlin) plus seven smaller scenarios to play through – adding up to “hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of historical gameplay”.

New and improved mechanics for automating huge swathes of the game’s systems while you focus on the aspects you like best – whether it be managing continental supply or zooming in on a single company-level engagement. This all makes War In The East 2 easier to get a handle on than its 2010 predecessor – but still a heavyweight grognard wargame, so be warned. If that gets you going, though, there is no game better. 

Best WW2 games - screenshot from Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault showing red and blue map regions under Allied and Axis control

19. Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault

The best open-campaign territory control game is Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault.

Company of Heroes 2 grew over time: the advent of the Western Front Armies, overhaul of its War Spoils system, and years of balance refinement cemented its place as a respectable, enjoyable, competitive RTS – but it’s campaign DLC Ardennes Assault that elevated CoH2 the most.

With the Ardennes Assault campaign, Company of Heroes 2 now boasts one of the best replayable single player experiences in modern WW2 strategy games. It’s even available as a stand-alone expansion, if you really don’t want to get the core game. It’s arguably even better than the dynamic, map-control Italy campaign in Company of Heroes 3 (but don’t tell Relic we said that).

Ardennes Assault provides players with a strategic territory-capture meta-game layered over the single-player missions; including semi-random events and time-based objectives that change with each playthrough.

You have four Companies to command (of which you can utilize 3 in each campaign run) and hard choices in an Iron Man setting that forces the player to think through each move and live with sub-optimal strategies. If you’re looking for something less hardcore, or something with a larger player base, then this is a perfect choice.  

Best WW2 games - screenshot from The Operational Art of War 4 showing multiple unit markers on a map of Normandy

20. The Operational Art of War IV

The Operational Art of War IV is secretly the best computer wargame of all time.

Really, it’s surprising it hasn’t made all other hex-based wargames obsolete by now. Infinitely flexible, this game has the potential to contain all other wargames inside.

The fourth iteration of the series may have only offered a modest amount of improvements, but it keeps the series in place as one of the best titles for deep, operational level warfare. While the 300+ scenarios span everything from WW1 to the Korean War, there are plenty of meaty WW2 scenarios for players to enjoy, and the easy-to-use (ish) editor means that you can add plenty more.

From Bill Gray‘s The Operational Art of War IV review:

“Trust me, it’s worth it. Whether you have all the previous editions as I do, or you are a newcomer just starting out, this game is a must buy. Now toss in over 300 included scenarios, online play not to mention a Jim-dandy scenario editor, and plunking down a few shekels is an even easier decision to make.

“Yes, I know, most film sequels are never as good as the original, so what are the odds here? They’re pretty good actually. This latest TOAW edition has indeed made an almost perfect classic even better, well deserving a five star rating if not an entire constellation. Two thumbs up for a job very well done. All it needs now is a WEGO option, and then it’d be damn-near perfect.” 

Best WW2 games guide - Order of Battle WW2 screenshot showing units converging on a city on the map

21. Order of Battle: WWII

The best WW2 wargame for beginners is Order of Battle: WWII.

OK, so we said Panzer Corps 2 was the best Panzer General-esque, puzzle-like wargames, but Slitherine’s eight-year-old Order of Battle: WWII deserves a spot too, for its sheer accessibility, simplicity, and the wide range of DLC choices you can ‘plug in’ to its free-to-play core.

It’s maybe the best ‘try before you buy’ WW2 wargame we could possibly recommend, in fact. The free-to-play portion of the game includes a ‘Boot Camp’ mini-campaign, and a brief sampler of each DLC campaign that’s been added since launch. Once upon a time, that wasn’t a lot of content – now there are 17 separate, $15 campaigns to pick and choose between, covering everything from the Pacific, to North Africa, to the Burma Road.

Gameplay wise, it’s faster and simpler than Panzer Corps or Unity of Command, which genre veterans might find limiting. It still packs in a huge amount of unit types, strategic options, and general variety, though – which only grows, of course, the more DLC packs you add to your roster.

An excellent first choice for any beginner to the old-school computer wargame genre, OOB:WW2 gets a gold star from us. 

Best WW2 games guide - Silent Hunter 3 screenshot showing a flaming, sinking allied ship in the scope of a German U-boat

22. Silent Hunter III

The best WW2 submarine game is Silent Hunter 3.

Understandably, most WW2 games focus on the war on land – the faster pace, varied environments, and relative relatability of infantry fighting makes easier gaming fodder. Even popular naval games like World of Warships primarily focus on intense, bombastic, fleet battles. The Silent Hunter series – of which Silent Hunter 3 is by far the best – takes a different tack, however.

In SH3, we fight as part of the longest continuous military campaign of World War 2: the battle of the Atlantic. As a U-boat captain of the Kriegsmarine – the German navy – your job is to stalk the shadows of the deep, seeking out Allied warships and merchant navy convoys, and hunting them to extinction.

This is not just an action-focused, twin-stick controlled, ‘World of Submarines’ experience, though – Silent Hunter has always been a full-bodied military simulation, and SH3 is no exception. You’ll need to learn every detail of managing and operating one of multiple, historically accurate models of WW2 german sub, commanding your crew in and out of battle, and handling every aspect of each patrol, from torpedo loading to navigation.

SH3 is not a new game, and it shows – the 3D graphics of 2005 do /not/ stand up any more. But, as an accessible, deep, and responsive WW2 submarine game, it’s simply unrivalled. 

Best WW2 games guide - IL-2 Sturmovik screenshot showing an American P-51b Mustang fighter plane in flight, with a face and teeth painted on the front of the fuselage.

23. IL-2 Sturmovik

The clear preeminent choice among WW2 combat flight simulators is the mighty IL2-Sturmovik.

This series was already venerable and much loved when its classic ‘omnibus’ edition – IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 – came out in 2006, but it’s come a long way since. With 2014’s IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle for Stalingrad, developer IC Game Studios re-launched IL-2 completely, with an enormous graphical upgrade and a suite of gameplay improvements.

Since then it’s launched four more full ‘Battle of’ campaigns: Moscow in 2016; Kuban in 2018; Bodenplatte in 2019; and Normandy in 2022; along with loads of individual aircraft DLC to add to your hangars.

This is a serious simulation, and doesn’t pull any punches – but a more realistic and engrossing game about WW2 airborne combat you will not find. Plus, if you find yourself stumped by its learning curve, Wargamer’s IL-2 Sturmovik tutorial can help you discover your bearings.

Rest assured, with truckloads of new WW2 games getting released every year – in every genre, format, shape, size and flavor – we’ll be keeping this guide updated regularly to keep you posted on the cream of the crop.

In the meantime, if you’d like some more recommendations, take a look at our guides to the best free war games and free strategy games on the web – or else explore other areas of military historical gaming with our guides to…

Outside of that, there’s also a great list on the best tank games over on our sister site, PCGamesN.

Source: Wargamer

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