In the first place, games are meant to be fun and give you a nice reprieve from everyday stress. Yet they can offer more than just good times. They can actually teach you things. That's obviously not the case with all games, as you probably won't learn much from playing the likes of Gang Beasts or Mario Kart. But there are some other titles out there that can teach you a lot about history.
After all, if you see a game set in a certain time period, it's very likely that the developers of the game put a lot of time and effort into researching that era. Then they use that research to create a world and narrative that fits the setting. Therefore, you can actually learn a lot about events, places and more simply by playing these games. Here are some titles that fit that description.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 is widely regarded as one of the best action-adventure games of its time. Much of this is due to its deep, character-driven story. Still, while the main story revolves around Arthur Morgan and his personal relationships, there is plenty of real history woven into the story as well.
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Of course, Arthur and the Van Der Linde gang didn't actually exist. But the changes taking place in the world at that time play a role in the story. Outlaws were pushed out as the world became more civilized and their behavior became less and less accepted. Additionally, the game touches on many of the hardships Native Americans faced at the time, with broken treaties and loss of land
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an action RPG set in Bohemia in 1403. The game has a reputation for realism, and this extends to its historical accuracy. While it's not a completely accurate representation of what the 15th century was like, it's pretty close. Therefore, by playing the game, you can learn a lot about the time period.
Primarily, you can learn about the social and political atmosphere of that time. You also meet and interact with some historical figures, so you learn about them as well. Still, it's most useful in-game to help with your education in the game's codex. There is so much historical information inside it.
Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway
Typically, first-person shooters aren't exactly seen as a learning tool. After all, they rarely portray war in a realistic and grounded way. That said, they are known for using real historical events in their stories. Brother In Arms: Hell's Highway is the perfect example of this. The game is based on the real operation: Operation Market Garden. It was a conflict that occurred in the German-occupied Netherlands during World War II.
In the game, you control the 101st Airborne Division, which is a real group that was involved in the operation. The weapons and general atmosphere of the game are also known to be quite accurate to the real event. However, the developers took some creative liberties for gameplay reasons. That said, you can still learn a lot about Operation Market Garden by playing this game.
LA Noire
LA Noire takes you back to the 1940s by putting you in the shoes of a detective in Los Angeles. As him, you get to wander around a very accurate version of the city from that time period. Everything from the architecture to the fashion makes you feel like you're really waltzing around 1940s LA.
However, the historical accuracy doesn't just end with the clothes and the buildings. The game also teaches you about various things happening in society at that time. For example, the game shows how difficult it was for soldiers to return from World War II, put their traumas behind them and reintegrate into society. It also touches on issues of race and sexism from that period.
Call Of Duty: World At War
You can't say that every Call of Duty game is historically accurate. After all, Black Ops 6 has you crashing a Bill Clinton gala and escaping it on a motorcycle. World at War is a bit more grounded and in line with real life history. Throughout the campaign, you'll travel to tons of real World War II locations and engage in re-enactments of famous battles. For example, the likes of Battle of Stalingrad and Battle of Berlin are included in the campaign.
The people involved in these battles and how they exactly play out have changed a bit. But throughout the game you can learn about many locations and conflicts that happened during World War II, especially in the mission walkthroughs that use archival footage.
Valiant Hearts: The Great War
Video game developers love to make games about World War II, but World War I doesn't get as much attention in the gaming world. One game that focuses on that, however, is Valiant Hearts: The Great War. This is a different kind of war game, as it is a puzzle-adventure game rather than a shooter.
The game shows you different perspectives on the war and tries to let you see its true horrors. Along the way, you can learn a lot, especially if you take the time to find collectibles. This is because these collectibles are items and letters from the war, and they come with real information. For example, the first collectible you can grab is a German helmet, and if you inspect it in the menu, you can learn more about its true history.
Assassin's Creed 3
The historical accuracy of the Assassin's Creed series is often debated. The games use real places, people and events, but they twist things to fit their stories. Historical figures have different personalities, and events change to include hooded killers or their enemies. In Assassin's Creed 3, for example, the American Revolution is heavily influenced by the actions of the Knights Templar, who are the Assassin's main enemies.
Beyond that, though, you can learn a lot about the American Revolution from AC3. You can learn about and participate in real events, such as the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Boston Tea Party. On top of that, you'll meet people like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin during your adventure.
Pentium
Pentiment is a colorful 2D adventure game set in the 16th century. The story is not an exact recreation of a historical event, but the world is designed in a way to make you feel like you are walking around in the 16th century. This means that everything from the clothing to the dialogue to the overall social atmosphere of the game is accurate to that time period.
Therefore, by playing the game, you can learn a lot, especially by using the in-game vocabulary. This glossary lets you look up words that come up in conversation if you don't know what they mean. So, it's literally learning about things from the 16th century.
These historical strategy games will turn you into a history buff in no time
Study and play all in one!
