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Military war games are bountiful with new games coming out each year along with some past hits still proving to be just as popular. It’s not easy picking out just a few video game titles, but in 2021 there are some games either coming out that may have a ton of players interested in checking out or some past installments that still have a pretty solid online community. In this list, we’re going to suggest a few games to either keep an eye out for this year or titles that you can dive into right now.
#16 Isonzo
Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: September 13, 2022
Isonzo is yet another thrilling FPS title from the creators of other iconic FPS historically focused games Verdun and Tannenberg. Inspired by the Battle of the Isonzo, which took place between 1915 and 1918 during World War One, this game offers another immersive wartime experience. Just as before, the developers strived to deliver historically accurate gameplay, meticulously designing the weaponry, mechanics, and war-torn locations. Set in the Alpine region, players will engage in intense battles as they fight for control over the Isonzo River valley and the Alps.
#15 Foxhole
Platform: PC
Release Date: September 28, 2022
Enjoy military games? Then Foxhole is a must-try title. This immersive MMO war game features persistent battles that can last for weeks, where players join the ranks and provide crucial support as they attempt to win the battle for their team. Whether it’s logistics, base building, reconnaissance, or fighting on the brutal frontlines of this war, how you offer aid is entirely up to you. You can assist in digging trenches, gather a group for covert missions behind enemy lines to disrupt key infrastructures or hop into a tank to unleash your heavy firepower fury. The choices are endless. What’s unique about Foxhole is that every character in the game is controlled by another player, creating an opportunity for intense competition with thousands of others.
#14 Company of Heroes 3
Platform: PC
Release: February 23, 2023
If you’re tired of war games simply being about shooting those who pop up in your scope, you’re in luck. Why? Because one of the greatest RTS franchises in history has released a new title. Company of Heroes 3 will take you to a lesser-known part of World War II and have you using your skills and tactics to overcome the enemy.
This isn’t about brute force. This is about strategy and using your units and terrain to your advantage. See the battlefield from a new perspective and test your skills in various modes. You can even go up against your friends or online rivals to see who is the better commander.
#13 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Developers: Infinity Ward / Beenox Inc.
Publisher: Activision Blizzard
Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One PS5 XSX|S
Release date: October 28, 2023
Are you ready to load up for a new adventure? Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II gives you another taste of modern warfare while letting you have a blast with friends and enemies online.
The multiplayer is easily the biggest reason to get the game. The dev team worked hard to deliver a balanced yet fresh experience so that people would keep playing. We think they’ve succeeded based on the game sales and the hours put into the title since launch.
But don’t shrug off the single-player mode. It’s got depth that you might be surprised at. Either way, the game is fun, and you’ll enjoy it for quite a while after you start.
#12 Sprocket
Platforms: PC
Release Date: August 16, 2021
Genre: Simulation
Sprocket is slightly different in terms of some other games on this list. Players are given a tank to design and put together in this title. Essentially, you have the tools to make tanks designed to your liking. Everything from the hull, armor design, cannon, tracks, engine, exhausts, vents, and more can be tweaked. Fortunately, it’s not all about just design, as you can also jump in and compete in different scenarios. In that case, it becomes a tank battle simulator. Right now, this is an early access title, so you can expect some bugs and updates as the developers introduce new features.
#11 War Thunder
Platform : PC, MacOS, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Release Date : December 21, 2016
PC August 15, 201 / PS4 June 3, 2014 / April 17, 2014 / Linux November 6, 2014 / Android June 2, 2015 / Official Release December 21, 2016 / Xbox One June 19, 2018
Genre : Action, vehicular combat, combat flight simulator
War Thunder is an MMO military game, but rather than taking the role of a soldier on the ground, players are instead of battling it against each other through the use of different vehicles. There are all kinds of different vehicles here for players to step into. From tanks, naval warships, to planes, players will find a wide range of diverse vehicles suitable for all kinds of different situations. It’s a game that’s also been around since 2013 so not only is it full of content and DLC for players to pick up, but also a pretty active community. Not to mention, that this is a free-to-play video game title so there’s no reason not to give this game a chance today with the free selection of titles players can use.
When it comes to the game modes, some modes break up the different types of vehicles players can use, whether they want a more arcade-like experience or realistic battles, to more historic missions that attempt to provide a bit more of an accurate battle that took place. With all that said, it’s worth making mention that there are some other vehicle-specific military war games that you might find some interest in such as World of Warships and World of Tanks. As the name of the titles suggests, these games are specific to the kind of vehicles players will be able to use.
#10 WARNO
Platforms: PC
Release Date: January 20, 2022
Genre: January 20, 2022
World War III never happened, but it sure put people on edge during the Cold War. We’ve seen a few games released that showcase what a World War III might have looked like, and WARNO is another game that does just that. This is an RTS title, where we’re following a battle after tensions rise too high between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. Players will lead hundreds of different historical units into battle, whether it’s tanks or helicopters. There are scripted scenarios to go through when you’re not going through more competitive multiplayer matches. Of course, with that said, this WARNO game is not fully available. Currently, you’ll find WARNO has an early access title through Steam. So as a result, you can expect more updates rolling out to the game as developers continue working on the project.
#9 Tannenberg
Platform : PC, OS X, Linux, PS4, Xbox One
Release Date : PC, OS X, Linux, PS4 February 13, 2019
PS4, Xbox One July 24, 2020
Genre : First-person shooter
We don’t see too many World War I video games release into the market compared to World War II, but that doesn’t mean there are not some video games to pick up and enjoy in 2021 with The Great War backdrop. One of the video game titles to pick up is Tannenberg, a game developed by M2H who you might know of from their other WWI video game title, Verdun. Tannenberg originally launched back in 2019 but it just saw a release on console platforms last year, 2020. In this game, we’re going through the Tannenberg battle that took place in 1914 where Russia and Germany battled against each other in East Prussia.
Similar to Verdun the developers were aiming for a more realistic approach to the game with the weapons, uniforms, and of course, the environment players would be battling within. With that said, while this game may be the more recent release for M2H, players that are wanting a bit more WWI military war action gameplay should take a look at their previous release, Verdun.
#8 Defcon
Platform : PC, Mac OS X, Linux
Release Date : PC, 29 September 2006 / (Steam) 26 March 2007
OS X 19 April 2007 / Linux 11 December 2012
Genre : Real-time strategy
Defcon is a game that was developed after some inspiration from the iconic 1980s thriller, Wargames. In this game, players are taking the role of a General that is hidden somewhere deep underground in a bunker. Here you’re going to be looking at an old computer monitor as you get a look at what’s going on around the world. With paranoia settling within the world, players are building up their forces to send out tactical strikes at other continents.
This real-time strategy game is all about ensuring that you have enough firepower to make a dent into the opposing forces military power in which you can slowly take them out with a barrage of attacks to even a nuclear strike. However, if you fail to have enough resources stocked up when you handle an attack, the counter-attack may be tough to come back from. With all that said, this game is all about ensuring that you’re last standing with fewer civilian casualties.
#7 Call of Duty: Vanguard
Platform : PS4, Xbox One, PS5, XSX|S
Release Date : November 5, 2021
Genre: FPS
Each year we get a brand new Call of Duty installment, and for 2021 we received Call of Duty: Vanguard. This game puts players right back into the gritty World War II era. The campaign is a bit short, just like previous iterations for the franchise, but you do get to see different frontlines of the war. Most often, players pick these games up for the competitive online multiplayer. You have various game modes to compete in, such as your team deathmatch, domination, search and destroy, and free for all. Likewise, you have the iconic zombies modes to go through where you’re completing objectives and surviving against wave-based nazi zombies.
#6 Enlisted
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: March 2, 2021
Genre: FPS
Enlisted is a free MMO FPS that’s based around tactical squads. It’s set during World War II, and players will be going through some of the big encounters from that war. There are a few different game modes to go through, which are essentially different takes on capturing points around the map and defending them from the opposing force. Fortunately, there are some different settings to battle within, and it’s broken down into four major fronts. You have Normandy, Berlin, Moscow, and Tunisia. While you can expect some realistic and brutal gunplay, there are different vehicles you can take control of and attempt to use to your advantage. As mentioned, this is a free game, so you can give it a try right now across multiple platforms.
#5 Squad
Platform : PC
Release Date : 23 September 2020 (official release on Steam), 15 December 2015 (Steam Early Access), Q1 2018 (Alpha Early Access), Q4 2019 (Beta Release)
Genre : First-person shooter, tactical shooter
Another military-focused tactical FPS that’s gained some positive reception from critics and player-alike is Squad. It’s a game that throws players into team-based battles with a hundred players tossed into the world. This is a game where you can’t expect to drop in and just have a free-for-all experience as the developers along with the players aim to make it a realistic experience. Outside of the actual weapons, vehicles, and environment, one of the key elements to this game is the VoIP system placed in the title.
Players can communicate with their squad to different leaders by using the in-game system voice system. With that said, this game is not for everyone, if you don’t want a more specific military simulator game then this is a title to avoid, things can be a bit slow, there are more tactics in taking out the enemies and getting players into position before diving into the area or flying down into a clearing.
#4 Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts 2
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Release Date: June 4, 2021
Genre: Tactical Shooter
The Sniper: Ghost Warrior game franchise received a new installment in 2021 with Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts 2. If you played previous installments, then you know that this is another tactical shooter with plenty of stealth elements throughout. This time you’re in the Middle East taking on contracts to eliminate select targets. The game is known for using sniper rifles at a great distance. There’s also plenty of realism put into these games as the developers feature a variety of weapons and military equipment for you to get the job done. Missions will also give players a bit of freedom in how they approach an objective. You could plan an up close attack and silently take out your target with a blade or again stick to having some distance and picking off your targets with a sniper rifle, the choice is really up to the player.
#3 ARMA 3
Platform : PC, Linux, macOS
Release Date : PC, September 12, 2013 / OS X, Linux August 31, 201
Genre : Tactical shooter
Arma 3 has been around for years now. This title was released back in 2013 and still, this game has a massive following. Fans are given a military sandbox-style game with plenty of content that’s available for both single-player and multiplayer gameplay. However, what some fans may take an interest in is the fact that this game allows content creation with mod support. Here players can craft up their scenarios, multiplayer game modes, along with adding in vehicles and weapons.
Still, this is aimed to be more of a military simulator game so you can expect some brutal gameplay if you don’t take some precautions when going through the different scenarios or even online multiplayer gameplay. You can spend quite a long time playing around in this game, but with that said, there are a ton of fans out there wondering just if and when we’ll see a successor hit the marketplace.
#2 Pavlov VR
Platform : PC
Release Date : 28 Feb, 2017
Genre : Action, Indie, Early Access
Pavlov VR is an early access title for those that enjoy VR gaming. This is a military shooter that can be compared to the likes of Counter-Strike in a lot of ways. Players can join in either online or offline with bots, with a selection of game modes such as your typical deathmatches to more unique game modes such as Gun Game which rewards players with a different gun every time they successfully get a kill. Meanwhile, players can store their guns on either side of their body or their back, but the bigger the weapon, the easier it is to control the shots and aim by using both hands.
Additionally, players can make up their maps as well to give players something new to try out, but since this game is in early access, players should expect changes to happen within the gameplay as the studio prepares for the full launch. We could have placed a few more VR games into this list to highlight titles to check out that are more aimed at military combat, but we’ll stick to just one. With that said, if you have an Oculus Rift, we recently published a list of the best VR games for players to check out which includes a few more military-focused shooters.
#1 Hell Let Loose
Platform : PC, PS5, XSX|S
Release Date : 6 June 2019 (early access) / 2021 (fully release)
Genre : First-person shooter
Hell Let Loose is another early access title with the game putting players into an FPS set in World War II. The video game takes players to different iconic battles where you’ll be just another soldier looking to help out your squad in a victory. With battles of 50 vs 50, there is plenty of action-packed combat with players being able to communicate through the in-game VoIP system. Not only are players battling with a variety of iconic weapons, but they’ll have the ability to use vehicles, artillery support, and placing traps or barriers to further hold the line.
Being that there are more tactics to play here, it’s suggested to play and communicate with a group of players if not teaming up with some friends. As a result, this is very much a team-focused game where everyone has a job and needs to stick with it to win. Much like other early access titles on this list, you can likely expect some different tweaks and adjustments being made to the game as the studio prepares to fully launch the Hell Let Loose.