The Best War Games on PC

The best war games at a glance

1. Arma 3

Best for deep military simulation

Arma 3 is a military sandbox rather than a conventional run-and-gun shooter. Its broad environments, infantry combat, vehicles, mission editor and community scenarios support everything from small reconnaissance patrols to coordinated combined-arms operations.

The appeal is freedom and depth. A group can establish its own rules, communication structure and mission objectives instead of following one fixed multiplayer loop. Navigation, positioning and teamwork matter as much as shooting. That complexity also makes Arma 3 one of the least immediate games here, so expect a learning period before its systems begin to feel natural.

Choose it if you want operations that reward preparation and communication. Pick a faster shooter if you would rather enter a match and reach the front line immediately.

2. Hearts of Iron IV

Best for controlling an entire war effort

Hearts of Iron IV moves the player far above the battlefield. You direct a nation during World War II, balancing industry, research, diplomacy, logistics, military organization and front-line plans.

Its strongest feature is the connection between production and combat. Building an army is not enough. Equipment must reach units, divisions need sensible organization, and offensives can collapse when supply lines fail. Alternate-history paths make repeated campaigns less predictable without turning the game into a simple battlefield simulation.

The interface and overlapping systems can intimidate newcomers. Start with a comparatively secure nation, learn production and supply before attempting elaborate invasions, and treat early failures as part of understanding the simulation.

3. Hell Let Loose

Best for coordinated World War II multiplayer

Hell Let Loose combines infantry, armor, artillery and command roles in large World War II battles. Success depends on squads communicating, officers establishing useful positions and commanders reading a shifting front rather than chasing individual eliminations.

The battlefield has an RTS-like layer built around territory and resources, but every soldier still experiences the fight from a first-person perspective. Combat is lethal, visibility matters and careless movement can end quickly. That creates tension, while the command structure gives organized teams a major advantage.

It is a strong choice when you want a multiplayer war game where coordination has visible strategic consequences. It is less suitable for players who dislike voice communication or want a forgiving solo experience.

4. This War of Mine

Best for understanding war away from the front line

This War of Mine follows civilians trying to survive inside a besieged city. Days are spent repairing a shelter, preparing food, managing illness and making limited supplies last. At night, one survivor can search dangerous locations for medicine, materials and anything else the group needs.

The game’s pressure comes from scarcity and consequence. A useful resource may belong to someone equally desperate, while helping a stranger can place the shelter at risk. These decisions make war feel personal without reducing it to weapon statistics or territorial victory.

This is the most reflective recommendation on the list. It is not a military power fantasy, and its bleak subject matter makes it better suited to players interested in survival, ethics and human cost.

5. Company of Heroes 2

Best for tactical World War II strategy

Company of Heroes 2 turns World War II combat into a real-time contest over cover, territory, reinforcement and combined arms. Infantry squads can occupy buildings, weapons teams control important approaches, and vehicles can change the shape of a fight when supported correctly.

Unlike strategy games built mainly around collecting resources at a protected base, Company of Heroes 2 pushes players onto the map. Capturing and holding territory supports reinforcements, so passive play gives the opponent room to grow.

The result is a useful middle ground between individual combat and national grand strategy. You control several units and tactical positions without managing an entire country’s economy.

6. Sniper Elite 5

Best for stealthy World War II missions

Sniper Elite 5 places its campaign in 1944 France and builds open missions around reconnaissance, infiltration and long-range shooting. Routes can be studied, alarms sabotaged and targets approached from multiple directions.

Sniping is the headline feature, but the game works because it allows recovery when a quiet plan fails. Close combat, traps and repositioning can turn a mistake into a new approach. The campaign also supports co-op, while its invasion mode lets another player enter a mission as an opposing sniper.

Choose it for deliberate action with more flexibility than a strict simulation. Players sensitive to graphic combat feedback should be aware that its signature kill camera is intentionally detailed, although presentation settings can be adjusted.

7. Battlefield 6

Best for cinematic combined-arms battles

Battlefield 6 focuses on large multiplayer clashes where infantry, tanks, aircraft and destructible environments share the battlefield. Its scale creates rapidly changing situations: a safe route can disappear, a vehicle can break a defensive line, and one coordinated squad can influence a wider fight.

Compared with military simulators, Battlefield is designed for quicker entry and more immediate action. Class roles still encourage cooperation, but players do not need to adopt a full command structure before contributing.

It is the best fit here for spectacle and accessible combined-arms play. Choose Hell Let Loose or Arma 3 if you want slower movement, stricter coordination and fewer arcade-like conveniences.

8. Insurgency: Sandstorm

Best for intense close-quarters tactics

Insurgency: Sandstorm strips tactical shooting down to lethal weapons, careful movement and strong audio awareness. Small mistakes are punished quickly, which makes smoke, suppression and coordinated entry more important than charging into every room.

The game supports both competitive matches and cooperative operations against AI opponents. Co-op is a useful place to learn weapons and objectives, although it still demands attention. There is less strategic administration than in Arma 3 and less spectacle than Battlefield, but the moment-to-moment combat is focused and tense.

Pick it if you want realism-inspired gunplay without committing to a full military sandbox.

9. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord

Best for building and leading a medieval army

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord combines a character-driven sandbox with trade, diplomacy, recruitment, sieges and real-time combat. You begin with limited influence, develop a warband and can eventually command large armies or establish political power.

Its defining feature is personal presence. You issue orders from the battlefield and can fight beside your troops rather than watching the war from a distant map. Victory depends on formations, terrain and unit composition, but individual combat skill still matters.

Bannerlord is ideal for players who want a war campaign to emerge from an open-ended RPG. Its sandbox can be less focused than a scripted strategy campaign, but that unpredictability is a major part of its appeal.

10. Total War: WARHAMMER III

Best for spectacular fantasy warfare

Total War: WARHAMMER III keeps the structure of a war strategy game but replaces historical armies with monsters, magic, daemons and sharply differentiated fantasy factions. Campaign turns cover settlements, diplomacy and army movement; battles unfold in real time with formations, abilities and huge creatures.

The variety is the main attraction. One faction may rely on disciplined infantry while another uses mobility, magic or overwhelming monstrous units. That gives each campaign a different tactical rhythm.

It is not a historical simulation, but it is one of the broadest choices for players who enjoy commanding armies and experimenting with asymmetric forces. The number of factions and overlapping systems can be daunting, so learning one army at a time is the sensible approach.

11. XCOM 2

Best for science-fiction squad warfare

XCOM 2 follows a resistance fighting an alien-controlled occupation. Missions use turn-based squad tactics, while the strategic layer covers research, engineering, recruitment and a mobile headquarters.

Soldiers develop distinct abilities and can be customized, which makes losses matter. A risky move can remove an experienced operative from the campaign, but excessive caution allows wider strategic threats to advance. This tension between immediate safety and long-term pressure defines the game.

Choose XCOM 2 if you want small-unit war where every fighter matters. It lacks historical realism, but it captures uncertainty, limited intelligence and the cost of difficult command decisions.

12. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI

Best for war within a wider empire-building game

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI is not exclusively a war game. It is a turn-based 4X strategy game about building a civilization through science, culture, diplomacy, religion and military power.

War matters because it competes with every other national priority. Producing units can protect borders or capture territory, but prolonged conflict may slow development and damage diplomatic relationships. Terrain, technology and positioning shape combat without making conquest the only route to success.

This is the best recommendation for players who want warfare embedded in a broader historical strategy sandbox. Choose Hearts of Iron IV for a campaign centered much more directly on military mobilization and global conflict.

13. FOR HONOR

Best for competitive medieval melee

FOR HONOR turns stylized faction warfare into deliberate third-person duels and team battles. Its directional combat system makes blocking, timing, feints and reading an opponent more important than rapidly pressing attack buttons.

Different heroes fill distinct roles and use their own weapons, ranges and abilities. Team modes add objectives and group pressure, while duels expose every mistake. The learning curve can be sharp because knowledge of matchups and defensive options matters alongside reflexes.

Pick it for direct melee competition rather than army management. Bannerlord is the stronger choice if you want a medieval campaign and battlefield command.

14. BattleBit Remastered

Best for enormous battles on modest hardware

BattleBit Remastered uses a low-poly visual style to support very large multiplayer FPS matches, vehicles, class roles and highly destructible environments. Its simple appearance hides a surprisingly tactical shooter built around squads, reviving teammates and reading crowded battlefields.

The game remains in Early Access, so features and balancing may continue to change. Even in its current form, the appeal is clear: huge fights, broad maps and combined arms without the visual demands of a photorealistic military shooter.

Choose it if scale and performance matter more than cinematic presentation. Its large player counts can also feel chaotic, especially before you learn how squads and objectives structure each match.

15. Totally Accurate Battle Simulator

Best for experimental and comedic warfare

Totally Accurate Battle Simulator treats battle as a physics experiment. You arrange exaggerated units, begin the simulation and watch a carefully designed formation collapse into unpredictable chaos.

The comedy does not remove strategy. Unit placement, range, numbers and counters still determine whether an army succeeds. The unit creator and sandbox tools also make it easy to test strange scenarios without committing to a long campaign.

It is the least serious war game here and a useful break from historically grounded conflict. Pick it for creativity, accessible experimentation and battles where failure can be as entertaining as victory.

How we picked them

We looked for PC games we price that carry the Steam user tag “War” and have the largest numbers of Steam user reviews. We then chose games that portray war in different ways: shooters, grand strategy, real-time tactics, survival and simulation. Review scores and dates are Steam’s own figures.

How to choose the right war game

Start with the level at which you want to make decisions:

• Individual soldier: Battlefield 6, Insurgency: Sandstorm or Sniper Elite 5
• Organized military unit: Arma 3 or Hell Let Loose
• Tactical squad: XCOM 2 or Company of Heroes 2
• Army and campaign: Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord or Total War: WARHAMMER III
• Nation and economy: Hearts of Iron IV or Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
• Civilian survival: This War of Mine
• Competitive melee: FOR HONOR
• Creative simulation: Totally Accurate Battle Simulator

You should also decide how much communication you want. Hell Let Loose and Arma 3 improve dramatically with organized teammates, while This War of Mine, XCOM 2 and Hearts of Iron IV work well as solitary campaigns. For shorter competitive sessions, FOR HONOR and Insurgency: Sandstorm reach their core appeal more quickly.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best war game on PC?

Arma 3 is the strongest choice for a detailed military sandbox, while Hearts of Iron IV is better for controlling an entire nation. Hell Let Loose suits coordinated multiplayer, and Company of Heroes 2 is a more focused real-time strategy option.

What is a good war game for beginners?

Sniper Elite 5 offers flexible missions, adjustable difficulty and clear stealth tools. Company of Heroes 2 is a useful introduction to tactical RTS design, while Battlefield 6 is more immediately accessible than a full military simulation.

Which war game has the most realistic combat?

Arma 3 places the greatest emphasis on military simulation and large-scale operations. Hell Let Loose focuses on organized World War II multiplayer, while Insurgency: Sandstorm delivers compact, lethal tactical firefights.

Are fantasy and science-fiction games war games?

They can be. Total War: WARHAMMER III models armies, territory and campaigns through fantasy factions, while XCOM 2 explores resistance warfare against an alien occupation. The setting is fictional, but the games still build their main systems around organized conflict.

Which war game does not glorify combat?

This War of Mine examines war through civilians struggling with hunger, danger and limited resources. It focuses on survival and consequence rather than battlefield achievement.