History may seem like a boring subject for anyone who has struggled through the subject in school. However, video games can jazz up otherwise boring topics to make them more engaging. They may not be 100% accurate, but when it comes to history, the thing that isn’t always mentioned is that not everything is exact anyway.
8 Best PlayStation Games That Feel Like a Living History Book
PlayStation consoles have featured many ways players can dive into the past like an engaging book, but these games have done it the best.
That’s why it’s okay when historical epic games take some liberties, albeit sometimes in more extreme ways than even books and movies. Let’s take a look at some of the best historically inspired games of all time, ones that can make learning fun thanks to their epic scopes of both fantasy and realism. If classrooms added these video games to their syllabi, then perhaps kids would be more engaged.
Ghost Of Tsushima
In The Shadows
Ghost of Tsushima
- Released
- July 17, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
Ghost of Tsushima is set on the Japanese island of Tsushima, which was invaded by the Mongols in the late 1200s. The history of the Mongol Empire is fascinating, as they expanded across the globe but their efforts were halted in Japan, as they couldn’t get a solid footing.
That was thanks to a combined Japanese effort from various clans, but in Ghost of Tsushima, the focus is instead on the revenge plot of one character, Jin. After being defeated by the Mongols and seeing his uncle captured, Jin sets out on a quest to retake bases and to give rise to a resistance. While not 100% accurate, it is an interesting period to base an open-world samurai game around.
Red Dead Redemption 2
How The West Was
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
Red Dead Redemption 2 is not based on any one event, but it is one of the most historically accurate video games set in the Old West, allowing players to role-play as cowboys. Players assume the role of Arthur Morgan, a man who is part of a roaming gang of down-on-their-luck bandits.
Through missions, players can rob banks in towns, chase after train vaults, pursue killers on the road, and more. It’s the ultimate Wild West simulator, full of epic set pieces and characters that make the story memorable, ranking as one of Rockstar’s best games.
Medal Of Honor: Frontline
Storming The Beaches
Medal of Honor: Frontline
- Released
- May 28, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
Medal of Honor: Frontline is one of the first great military shooters of the PS2 generation, and decades later, fans still vividly remember the opening mission. It was a thrilling rendition of the storming of Normandy’s beaches. While it may look dated by today’s graphical standards, it’s still a harrowing set piece that makes it challenging to navigate through the heavy crossfire.
The Most Historically Accurate Video Games Ever Made, Ranked
Many developers play fast and loose with factual accuracy in favor of creating an enjoyable playing experience. However, this has started to change.
Beyond that mission is a great campaign, taking players through the many streets of Europe as they try to stop the Nazi regime one battle at a time. Also, the historical interviews with real veterans in between missions add some extra clout and historical relevance.
Assassin’s Creed 2
Ezio Emerges
Assassin's Creed 2
- Released
- November 7, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
The Assassin’s Creed series is full of sci-fi themes, but at their core, they are also great ways for players to go through some of the greatest civilizations in history. For fans of the Italian Renaissance, Assassin’s Creed 2 is the game to get. Thanks to a device in the modern age, Desmond Miles is able to experience the life of his ancestor, Ezio Auditore, who is an assassin within an ancient order.
Players can explore several cities within Italy, including Florence and Venice, with the main goal of each chapter based around Ezio assassinating a high-profile Templar leader, typically hidden within the church or government. There are side missions too, where players can interact with famous people from history, including Leonardo da Vinci.
Battlefield 1
Shovel Knights
Battlefield 1
- Released
- October 21, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
Battlefield 1 sets the Battlefield series in World War 1, an environment that not many first-person shooters have explored. That’s because it can be difficult to make trench warfare exciting, but DICE pulled it off.
Beyond the trenches, players will travel across Europe on foot, on horseback, and in planes to fight The Great War from different perspectives during the campaign. Perhaps one of the most defining traits of Battlefield 1 was the use of the shovel as a melee weapon, which was memed to good effect back in 2016.
The Saboteur
Color Me Paris
The Saboteur
- Released
- December 8, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Pandemic Studios
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Open-World
The Saboteur is another World War 2-era game, except this one takes place in one city: Paris. It’s loosely based on a race car driver from the same timeframe, William Grover-Williams, who helped sabotage the Nazis through espionage missions.
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The fictionalized version of him, who appears in the game is named Sean Devlin, and he's a bit more rough and tumble. He's able to do everything from racing to shooting to exploding things, like any good saboteur should. Stylistically, there are few games like it, as the Nazi occupied territories are colored in black and white, with color returning when they are freed from Nazi control.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
GTA In Medieval Times
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Released
- February 4, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity
- Developer(s)
- Warhorse Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action-Adventure, Open-World
Ever wanted to explore medieval times without having any sort of magical system involved? Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a game that meets those expectations. Despite the deep RPG mechanics, it's more of a simulator at times, because players have to be wary of everything they do.
If they roll around in the mud, they may stink, and they'll have to both wash their clothes and take a bath or else NPCs will treat them differently because they smell bad. There are plenty of exciting moments too, including hunting animals or fighting soldiers, but it’s a game that demands patience. For most, life in the Middle Ages was not fun, and even the best life was often filled with struggle.KCD2 tries to capture this as accurately as possible.
Ryse: Son Of Rome
A Squad-Based Roman Battlefield
Ryse: Son of Rome
- Released
- November 22, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
Ryse: Son of Rome was a launch game for the Xbox One that is not as well-remembered now. However, as an action game set during the Roman Empire, there are plenty of qualities to at least help it stand out as a historical epic.
There are more intimate moments where players will viscerally kill their enemies in smaller encounters, along with large-scale battles where players can order their troops around. It’s not a perfect game, but for anyone who wants to feel what it’s like to be a Roman soldier in a somewhat realistic setting, there’s no better action game than Ryse: Son of Rome.
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