Best Action-Adventure Games With Historical Settings, Ranked

History continues to fascinate humans, just as it has since ancient times, and there are many lessons that can be learned from it. Sadly, it’s not possible to travel back in time and witness events first hand, or even just experience the vibes of a specific place, its people, and its era.

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Fortunately, video games exist, giving players depictions of times and places that are now but distant memories, capturing a snapshot of the essence of those settings. Some are painstakingly recreated down to granular detail, and action-adventure games can provide players with a compelling narrative inspired by events and notable figures of these exciting periods. Here are some of the best, ranked by their popularity with fans, while also considering the historical elements of their settings.

10 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Essence Of The 1980s

While Vice City itself is not a real place, it’s very much based on Miami and really captures the essence of the city in the 1980s in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Set in 1986, the game follows the story of Tommy Vercetti as he rises up the ranks in the city’s criminal underworld, establishing his own empire.

Many of the game’s gangs, missions, and themes are based on popular culture from the time, borrowing heavily from popular films and TV shows like Scarface and Miami Vice. The radio channels play contemporary hits, and the aesthetics are accurate to the time and place, such as fashion and vehicles.

9 Onimusha: Warlords

Sengoku Period Samurai

Set during the Sengoku period in Japan, Onimusha: Warlords follows the adventures of Samanosuke Akechi and Kaede, two samurai warriors. Admittedly, the majority of enemies are demons, which itself is not too realistic, but the game is a highlight for players wanting to experience Japan in the 1560s.

Architecture and fashion are reminiscent of the time, and the game even references contemporary real life events and notable figures, such as Nobunaga Oda and the Battle of Okehazama. Samurai life is depicted fairly well, and the real-life conflicts taking place in the background add to the immersion.

8 Far Cry Primal

Exploring Pre-Historic Europe

As with most games in historical settings, Far Cry Primal is riddled with inaccuracies, but it certainly does give a vivid sense of pre-historical life. Set around the year 10,000 BC, players must use primitive tools and weapons to survive in the Oros Valley, a fictional location in Central Europe.

Some of the animals in the game, like saber-toothed tigers, were not native to that area at that time, but these kinds of inclusions are obviously there for entertainment purposes. In terms of survival, tribal life, and conflict with rival groups or wildlife, this entry allows players to better understand their ancient ancestors.

7 God Of War (2018)

Battling Gods And Monsters In Ancient Scandinavia

Following on from Kratos’ previous excellent outings in Ancient Greece, he moved on to Scandinavia and started a new family. God of War takes place across multiple realms featured in Norse mythology, but Midgard is the focus here, the real world.

The rugged landscape and harsh weather conditions leave a lasting impression, much as they do for any visitor to the Nordic lands in real life. Battling gods and monsters is not such a concern for the people living there, but hiking up mountains, navigating the fjords by boat, and hunting the local wildlife are all authentic activities to participate in.

6 Indiana Jones And The Great Circle

Multiple Locations Pre-World War Two

Taking place between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Last Crusade, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is set in 1937 across multiple locations worldwide. Starting in the Vatican City, Jones heads to far-reaching and exotic locations like Egypt, the Ziggurat of Ur, and the Himalayas, among many others.

Drawing plenty of inspiration from the popular film series, the game follows Indiana Jones as he heads to these locations to investigate a theft, discovering spiritually significant sites worldwide that form a perfect circle on the globe. Once again, the Nazis return as antagonists, joined by other Axis powers, as they attempt to thwart Jones’ plans.

5 A Plague Tale: Requiem

Bringing The Black Death To Life

The sequel to the critically acclaimed A Plague Tale: Innocence, A Plague Tale: Requiem offers more of the bleakness of the black plague. Set in June 1349, six months after the events of its predecessor, the game follows Amicia and Hugo de Rune in Southern France as they seek a cure for Hugo's illness.

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While Provence and Marseille are hauntingly beautiful in the game, the depressing reality of the time period is clear to see, as the main characters must avoid swarms of plague-carrying rats and the murderous Inquisition. It was a tough time and place to survive, especially with an infusion of the game's supernatural elements, but they undoubtedly make for a more compelling gaming experience.

4 Red Dead Redemption 2

The Real Wild West

Players who want to taste the outlaw lifestyle in the Wild West will find no better place than Red Dead Redemption 2. Set in 1899, the game captures the diversity of the United States around the turn of the century and across multiple fictionalized versions of real locations.

Controlling Arthur Morgan, players can explore the open-world environment and engage in all kinds of activities that an outlaw would have done around that time, whether as part of a quest or in their free time. Hunting, dueling, trading, and even tabletop games like poker and dominoes are all possible, allowing players to feel like genuine old-time cowboys.

3 Assassin's Creed 2

Renaissance Italy In All Its Glory

The Assassin’s Creed series is notorious for its captivating historical settings, which really capture the essence of the time and place. Ubisoft has already created an excellent version of Renaissance Italy in Assassin’s Creed 2, the second entry in the series, including multiple major cities spread across the Italian Peninsula, such as Florence and Venice.

Following Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the story takes place between 1476 and 1499, featuring notable landmarks and figures from the time, and some famous works of art can even be purchased. Actual historical events, like the ‘bonfire of the vanities,’ also occur throughout the runtime of this classic.

2 L.A. Noire

The Seedy Underbelly Of Post-War Los Angeles

Taking place during the Golden Age of Hollywood and just after the Second World War, L.A. Noire seeks to portray 1947 Los Angeles as accurately as possible, with a slant toward neo-noir crime cinema for a bit of extra zest. Painstakingly researching maps from the time, Rockstar tried to create an authentic, albeit condensed, version of the city, even including correct street names.

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Plenty of real-world locations are featured, and some of the cases players are investigating draw heavy inspiration from notorious crimes of the time. As Cole Phelps, players work their way up the ranks of the LAPD and can explore this beautiful city, while also being exposed to its more nefarious aspects.

1 Ghost Of Tsushima

An Almost Perfect Depiction

Some aspects of Ghost of Tsushima were altered, either for artistic license or to avoid insensitivity, but otherwise it is a fairly authentic (if romanticized) depiction of the island at the time. Taking place in 1274, players control Jin Sakai, a samurai on Tsushima Island during the first Mongol Invasion of Japan, as he seeks to defend his home.

Members of the development team traveled to the island and consulted with historians in order to craft the most credible experience possible. Jin’s armor and weaponry are from a later period, but the game is incredibly dedicated to the island's authenticity overall, and features some very fluid combat combined with a gripping narrative.

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