The historical video game belongs to a video game genre in which stories are based upon historical events, environments, or people. Some historical video games are simulators, which attempt an accurate portrayal of a historical event, civilization or biography, to the degree that the available historical research will allow. Other historical video games are fictionalized tales that are based on mythology, legends or a fictional character within a historical setting.
Title | Release date | Time period | Notes on setting |
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| 2019 | 10,000,000 – 2,000,000 BC | The game is set in prehistoric Africa. You can play through the evolution of the Hominid to the Homo erectus (2,000,000 BC). |
Far Cry Primal | 2016 | 10,000 BC | The game is set in 10,000 BC, during the end of the Upper Paleolithic and the beginning of the Mesolithic period in Europe. |
Dawn of Man | 2019 | 10,000 BC | Prehistoric settlers are trying to form a settlement and ensure their survival from the Paleolithic era until the Iron Age. |
BC Kings | 2008 | 10,000 BC | |
Rise of Nations | 2003 | 10,000 BC – 1970 AD | From the Ancient era to the Modern Age. |
Age of Empires | 1997 | 8000 BC – 476 AD | From Stone Age to Decline of Roman Empire. |
Predynastic the Egypt | 2016 | 5000 – 3150 BC | The game is set in Predynastic Egypt, from first settlements to unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. |
| 2018 | 3500 – 2140 BC | From the unification of Egyptian tribes to the foundation of The First Empire. |
| 2002 | 3200 – 3000 BC | The game is set during the First Dynasty of Egypt. |
Chariots of War | 2003 | 3100 – 1200 BC | The game is set in ancient Near East. |
Builders of Egypt | 2021 | 3100 – 30 BC | The game is set in Nile Valley, during the foundation of Old Kingdom of Egypt and the annexation of Egypt by the Roman Empire. |
| 2004 | 3100 – 30 BC | From the foundation of Old Kingdom of Egypt to the annexation of Egypt by the Roman Empire. |
Pharaoh | 1999 | 3000 – 30 BC | |
Old World (video game) | 2021 | 3000 BC – 500 AD | The game is set during the Bronze and Iron Ages around the Mediterranean and beyond. |
Empire Earth II | 2005 | 2333 BC – 2070 AD | |
| 2003 | 2205 BC – 1234 AD (from Xia to Jin dynasty) | |
| 2000 | 2000 – 1000 BC | |
Age of Mythology | 2002 | 1600 – 1200 BC | |
Pharaonic | 2016 | 1550–1525 BC | Pharaonic is an unforgiving sidescrolling Combat-RPG set in Ancient Egypt, in times of Ahmosis I, the Red Pharaoh. |
Rise of the Argonauts | 2008 | 1300s BC | A game about the story of Jason, set in Late Bronze Age. |
| 1999 | 1300s BC | |
Disney's Hercules | 1997 | 1300s BC | |
Heracles Chariot Racing | 2007 | 1300s BC | |
| 2012 | 1300s BC | |
| 2018 | 1300s BC | |
Mytheon | 2011 | 1300s BC | |
| 2000 | 1360 BC | |
Egypt III | 2004 | 1279 – 1213 BC | |
Empire Earth | 2001 | 1200s BC–2098 AD | |
Empire Earth III | 2007 | 1200s BC–2000s AD | |
Loki | 2007 | 1200s BC–1500s AD | |
| 2023 | 1205 BC–1155 BC | |
| 2020 | 1200 BC | Trojan War |
| 2011 | 1200 BC | Trojan War |
Battle for Troy | 2004 | 1200 BC | Trojan War |
| 2000 | 1200 BC | |
Spartan | 2004 | 1200–100 BC | |
Egypt 1156 B.C. | 1997 | 1156 BC | |
Invictus | 2000 | 1000s BC | |
| 2006 | 756–27 BC | |
Caesar III | 1998 | 756–27 BC | |
Caesar IV | 2006 | 509–27 BC | |
Legion Arena | 2005 | 509–27 BC | |
Apotheon | 2015 | 500s BC | |
Hades | 2020 | 500s BC | |
Immortals Fenyx Rising | 2020 | 500s BC | |
| 2002 | 500s BC | |
| 2015 | 500–300s BC | Ancient Italy - the unification of Italy, Pyrrhus of Epirus campaign |
Builders of Greece | TBA | 500–300 BCE | |
Legion Gold | 2002 | 500 BC–16 AD | |
| 2007 | 500 BC–16 AD | |
0 A.D. | 2018 | 500–1 BCE, 1–500 CE | |
| 2007 | 490–480 BC | |
| 2007 | 480 BC | |
| 2008 | 480 BC | Second Persian invasion of Greece. |
Assassin's Creed Odyssey[1] | 2018 | 431–422 BCE | The plot tells a mythological history of the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. |
God of War | 2005 | 431–404 BC | In times of the Peloponnesian War between Sparta and Athens. |
| 2013 | 431 BC – 275 AD | From Peloponnesian War to Third Century Crisis of Roman Empire |
| 2012 | 400–300s BC | Ancient Greece - the campaigns of Philip II of Macedon and the Peloponnesian War between Sparta and Athens |
The Lost City of Atlantis | 1995 | 400s BC | |
| 2010 | 400s BC | |
Fate of Hellas | 2008 | 396–326 BC | |
| 2020 | 359 BC | |
| 2006 | 336–323 BC | The main campaign of Alexander centers around Alexander the Great's conquest of the Persian Empire. |
The Great Battles of Alexander | 1997 | 336–323 BC | |
| 2004 | 336–323 BC | |
Age of Alexander | 2009 | 336–323 BC | |
Alexander | 2004 | 333–323 BC | Startegia |
| 2006 | 333–30 BC | |
| 2004 | 333–323 BC | |
| 2019 | 304–27 BC | |
| 2005 | 300 BC | |
Titan Quest | 2006 | 282 BC - after destruction of Colossus of Rhodes | |
God of War II | 2007 | 282 BC | In times of destruction of Colossus of Rhodes |
God of War III | 2010 | 389–393 AD | Decline of Greco-Roman polytheism presented as destruction of Greek pantheon and massacre of Greek gods by Kratos. |
| 2008 | 280–27 BC | Set during the time of the Roman Republic. |
| 2018 | 280 BC–500 AD | |
| 1990 | 275–27 BC | |
| 2004 | 270 BC–14 AD | The rise and expansion of Roman Empire. |
Nemesis of the Roman Empire | 2003 | 264–146 BC | |
Walls of Rome | 1993 | 264–146 BC | |
Legions of Death | 1987 | 264–146 BC | |
Pax Romana | 2003 | 264–50 BC | |
| 2002 | 241–237 BC | |
The Great Battles of Hannibal | 1997 | 218–201 BC | |
Rise of the Phoenix | 1993 | 206–202 BC | |
| 2005 | 200–30 BC | |
Gladius | 2003 | 100s BC | |
| 2011 | 100s BC | |
| 2022 | 60s BC | |
| 2010 | 60 BC–9 AD | |
Praetorians | 2003 | 58–45 BC | |
The Great Battles of Caesar | 1998 | 58–45 BC | |
Legionnaire | 1982 | 58–45 BC | |
| 2002 | 50 BC | |
| 2014 | 50s BC | Ancient Rome - the gallic campaign of Jules Caesar. |
Assassin's Creed Origins [2] | 2017 | 49–44 BC | The game is set in Ancient Egypt near the end of the Ptolemaic period and follows a Medjay named Bayek, and explores the origins of the centuries-long conflict between the Hidden Ones—forerunners to the Brotherhood of Assassins. |
Warrior of Rome | 1991 | 48 BC | |
Warrior of Rome II | 1992 | 48 BC | |
Shadow of Rome | 2005 | 44 BC | The plot is a fictionalized version of the assassination of Julius Caesar. |
| 2000 | 44 BC | |
Teudogar and the Alliance with Rome | 2003 | 27 BC–14 AD | RPG in the style of Ultima VII |
Glory of the Roman Empire | 2006 | 1–100 AD | |
Imperium Romanum | 2008 | 1–100 AD | |
The Forgotten City | 2021 | 1–100 AD | |
| 2013 | 58–68 AD | Set in an alternate version of Ancient Rome, Ryse follows the life of the Roman centurion Marius Titus as he becomes one of the leaders in the Roman Legion. |
Nethergate | 1998 | 60–61 AD | |
| 2000 | 79 AD | |
| 1992 | 92 AD | |
Catechumen | 2000 | 100s AD | |
| 2002 | 100s AD | |
The Gladiators of Rome | 2002 | 100s AD | |
Age of Gladiators | 2016 | 100s AD | |
| 2018 | 100s AD | |
Horrible Histories: Ruthless Romans | 2009 | 101–106 AD | |
| 2003 | 117 AD | |
| 2005 | 177–192 AD | Set around the time of the Emperor Commodus |
Gladiator Begins | 2010 | 177–192 AD | Set around the time of the Emperor Commodus |
| 2001 | 184–220 AD | |
| 1997 | 193–211 AD | point-and-click Myst-style game set in Ancient Rome |
| 2002 | 208–209 AD | |
Kessen II | 2001 | 220–280 AD | |
Romance of the Three Kingdoms | 1985 | 220–280 AD | |
| 2019 | 220–280 AD | Set during the Three Kingdoms period. |
| 2005 | 363–476 AD | Decline of Roman Empire |
Against Rome | 2004 | 400s AD | |
Annals of Rome | 1986 | 400s AD | |
King Arthur | 2004 | 400s AD | |
| 1990 | 400s AD | |
| 2002 | 400s AD | | |
Title | Release date | Time period | Notes on setting |
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Age of Empires II/ | 1999 | 394–1598 | Sequel to the original Age of Empires, Age of Empires II covers a large period of time, from as early as Alaric I to as late as the Battle of Noryang. |
| 2015 | 395–814 | From Final partition of the Roman Empire and Hunnic Invasion under Attila to rule of byzantine emperor Justinian I and coronation of Charlemagne |
Requital | 2006 | 500s | |
Stronghold Legends | 2006 | 516–1477 | Set in middle-age, gives the player a choice of different starting rulers with different troop types (including King Arthur and his knights of the round table, Count Vlad Dracul, and Siegfried of Xanten) |
Silkroad Online | 2004 | 600s | |
Quraish | 2005 | 632–661 | |
Crusader Kings 2 | 2012 | 769 – 1452 | A grand strategy game with a heavy RPG flavor set in medieval Europe, northern Africa and the middle East. Through DLCs the map has also expanded to include India. The game is played from the perspective of a ruler in that time period, changing perspective to the primary heir once the ruler dies. The focus is on building up your house(family). |
| 2017 | 790 | |
| 1998 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Rune | 2000 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Rune II | 2019 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
| 2003 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
| 2008 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Valhalla Chronicles | 2003 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Volgarr the Viking | 2013 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
War of the Vikings | 2014 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Jotun | 2015 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Northgard | 2017 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
| 2017 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
The Frostrune | 2017 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Valheim | 2021 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
| 1992 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Bad North | 2018 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Dusk of the Gods | 1991 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Hammer of the Gods | 1994 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Heimdall | 1991 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Heimdall 2 | 1994 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
| 2002 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
| 1996 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Besieger | 2004 | 793–1066 | Set in the Viking Age |
Ancestors Legacy | 2018 | 793–1300s | |
| 2003 | 800s | Set in Persia during the 9th century AD |
| 2010 | 800s | The game takes place in the seven-year gap between Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Prince of Persia: Warrior Within. |
| 2004 | 800s | Set in Persia during the 9th century AD |
| 2005 | 800s | Set in Persia during the 9th century AD |
Persian Wars | 2001 | 800s | |
Assassin's Creed Valhalla[3] | 2020 | 847–886 | The game recounts a history of the Viking invasion of Britain, Norse colonization of North America, Viking Expansion in Ireland and Siege of Paris (885–886) |
Assassin's Creed Mirage | 2023 | 861 | Set in Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age. Includes events from the Anarchy at Samarra. |
Crusader Kings III | 2020 | 867–1453 | Crusader Kings III is a grand strategy game and dynasty simulator set in the Middle Ages. Players can choose a start date of either 867 or 1066 and play until 1453. |
| 2018 | 878–900s | |
Cosmology of Kyoto | 1993 | 900s–1000s | |
Brave | 2012 | 900s–1000s | |
Cultures | 2000 | 986 | |
| 2002 | 986 | |
For Honor | 2017 | 1000–1200s | Players can play as a character from one of four different factions, namely the Iron Legion (Knights), the Warborn (Vikings), the Dawn Empire (Samurai), and the Wu Lin (Ancient Chinese). |
Knights of Honor | 2004 | 1000s–1300s | |
| 2004 | 1000s–1300s | |
Rampart (video game) | 1990 | 1000s–1300s | |
| 1991 | 1028–1400s | |
| 2010 | 1047 | The setting of Lords of Shadow is during "the end of days" in the year 1047 |
Age of Empires IV | 2021 | 1066–1453 | |
| 2006 | 1066–1530 | From Norman Conquest and Crusades to Inquisition and Age of Discovery |
Crusader Kings | 2004 | 1066–1452 | |
Maldita Castilla | 2016 | 1081 | |
Conqueror A.D. 1086 | 1995 | 1086 | |
| 2004 | 1096–1099 | |
Knights of the Temple II | 2005 | 1096–1099 | |
Lords of the Rising Sun | 1989 | 1100s | |
| 2009 | 1100s | |
| 2003 | 1100s | |
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves | 1991 | 1100s–1200s | |
| 2003 | 1100s–1200s | |
| 1991 | 1100s–1200s | |
| 2002 | 1100s–1200s | |
Empires Apart | 2018 | 1100s–1300s | |
Lords of the Realm | 1994 | 1100s–1300s | |
Lords of the Realm II | 1996 | 1100s–1300s | |
Lords of the Realm III | 2004 | 1100s–1300s | |
| 2004 | 1111 | |
Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth | 2017 | 1135–1162 | The game begins with the option of an interactive tutorial inside a cathedral. It then transitions to the Prologue which is set in Shiring in 1135. |
Defender of the Crown | 1986 | 1149 | |
| 2007 | 1174–1521 | From Third Crusade and Northern Crusades to First War of Scottish Independence and Spanish colonization of the Americas |
| 2005 | 1179–1189 | |
| 2006 | 1179–1189 | |
| 2005 | 1184–1189 | |
| 1992 | 1184–1274 | |
| 1998 | 1189–1370 | |
The Kings' Crusade | 2010 | 1189–1192 | |
| 2003 | 1189–1945 | |
Dante's Inferno | 2010 | 1189–1191 | The story follows Dante, a Templar knight from the Crusade who (despite his faith) has committed numerous atrocities during the Third Crusade. At the city of Acre, Dante is entrusted to keep a group of Saracen prisoners safe so King Richard I could obtain a holy relic from Saladin. |
Assassin's Creed | 2007 | 1191 | The plot is set in a fictional history of real-world events and follows the centuries-old struggle between the Assassins, who fight for peace with free will, and the Templars, who desire peace through control. The game primarily takes place during the Third Crusade in the Holy Land in 1191, with the plot revolving around the Secret Order of Assassins, based upon the Hashshashin sect. |
| 2009 | 1192 | Beginning shortly after the events of the first game, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad learns of a plan of the remaining Templars to escape to Cyprus, and so infiltrates one of their strongholds in Acre to stop them from doing so. |
The Cursed Crusade | 2011 | 1198–1204 | Fourth Crusade |
| 2002 | 1100s | |
Stronghold Crusader II | 2014 | 1100s | |
Stronghold | 2001 | 1200s | |
Stronghold 2 | 2005 | 1200s | |
| 2021 | 1200s | |
Stronghold 3 | 2011 | 1200s | |
XIII Century | 2007 | 1200s | |
| 2011 | 1200s | |
Castles | 1991 | 1200s | |
| 1998 | 1200s | |
Mordhau | 2019 | 1200s–1500s | |
Genghis Khan | 1987 | 1206–1227 | |
| 1997 | 1208 | |
The Legend of the Prophet and the Assassin | 2000 | 1208 | |
The Golden Horde | 2008 | 1237–1242 | |
Ghost of Tsushima | 2020 | 1274 | Featuring an open world, it follows a samurai on a quest to protect Tsushima Island during the first Mongol invasion of Japan. |
The First Templar | 2011 | 1291–1307 | From Siege of Acre (1291) to Trials of the Knights Templar |
Braveheart | 1999 | 1296–1305 | |
The Legend of William Tell | 1990 | 1300s | |
| 1996 | 1300s | |
Castle Strike | 2004 | 1300s–1400s | |
| 2007 | 1300s–1400s | |
Murder in the Abbey | 2008 | 1327 | |
| 2011 | 1337–1453 | |
| 2019 | 1348 | In 1348, Amicia de Rune is a 15-year-old Frenchwoman of noble descent who lives in Aquitaine during the Hundred Years' War between England and France. |
| 2022 | 1348 | |
Inquisition | 2002 | 1348 | The 3rd person game, is set in 1348 Paris, France, where the main character, a young thief named Matthew, has come to find his riches. |
For the Glory | 2009 | 1399–1819 | |
| 2002 | 1400s | |
The Guild 2 | 2006 | 1400s | |
The Patrician | 1992 | 1400s | |
| 2000 | 1400s | |
| 2003 | 1400s | |
Patrician IV | 2010 | 1400s | |
Theocracy | 2000 | 1400s | |
| 1999 | 1400s | |
| 2000 | 1400s | |
Knights of the Cross | 2002 | 1400s | |
American Conquest | 2002 | 1400s–1800s | |
| 2018 | 1403 | It is set in the medieval Kingdom of Bohemia, an Imperial State of the Holy Roman Empire, with a focus on historically accurate content. |
Anno 1404 | 2009 | 1404 | |
Europa Universalis II | 2001 | 1419–1820 | |
| 2022 | 1428 | |
| 1989 | 1428–1431 | |
| 2004 | 1428–1431 | |
Jeanne d'Arc | 2006 | 1428–1431 | |
Europa Universalis IV | 2013 | 1444–1821 | Being a grand strategy game, all nations represented in the game are playable with flavor events existing even for smaller nations. It is possible to continue playing a save from Crusader Kings 2 via a DLC that converts a save in the earlier set game. |
Europa Universalis III | 2007 | 1453–1821 | |
War of the Roses | 2012 | 1455–1487 | Set during the Wars of the Roses. |
Assassin's Creed II | 2009 | 1459–1499 | The main narrative takes place at the height of the Renaissance in Italy during the 15th and early 16th century. |
Sengoku | 2011 | 1467 | |
Sid Meier's Colonization | 1994 | 1492–1850 | |
Europa Universalis | 2000 | 1492 | |
Exploration | 1994 | 1492 | |
Conquest of the New World | 1996 | 1493 | |
The Seven Cities of Gold | 1984 | 1493 | |
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