The trend of creating war-based video games like Call of Duty, Total War, or Starcraft is one that will likely continue, even after the change in ownership for some of these popular franchises. War has always been a popular setting for video games, allowing gamers to vicariously experience the heartbreaking stories and adrenaline-fueled fighting of combat, conflict, and survival.
The ability to engage with this terrifyingly fascinating part of humanity without truly stepping into the hellish terror of war itself is a popular pursuit for many gamers, and 2021 was no different, releasing plenty of war-based games that dominated a variety of genres and platforms.
Call of Duty: Vanguard
A juggernaut for the war-based genre, the Call of Duty franchise continued its tradition of yearly war-based game releases, this time with Call of Duty: Vanguard in 2021. In yet another FPS set in World War 2 (the seventh WWII-based Call of Duty game alone), Vanguard follows a small team of elite soldiers from a variety of Allied countries, looking to take down a secret German operation.
While WWII games might be a bit oversaturated in the gaming market at this point, Vanguard reminds players of the vast and varied nature of the second world-changing war, exploring four different theaters from the conflict: North Africa, the Pacific, the Western Front in Normandy, and the Eastern Front in Stalingrad.
Far Cry 6
While war might make many gamers think of two opposing forces duking it out in a field, Far Cry 6 reminds players that a town, a city, or even a whole country can still be a war zone. The setting of Far Cry 6 is the country Yara (evoking thoughts of real-life Cuba in both aesthetic and political status), where players control Dani, an attempted refugee who stays to fight against the oppressive Castillo regime.
In an FPS genre dominated by traditional war stereotypes, this game reminds players of the different yet equally terrible form of revolutionary war. With freedom fighters battling in the streets against the brutal governmental police, gamers can get their war fix by utilizing a variety of guerrilla warfare tactics and hastily-crafted weapons in Far Cry 6.
Outriders
War-based games can hit a little too close to home when they depict a worst-case-yet-possible scenario for the future of humanity, as is the case in Outriders. The story follows what is left of humanity in the middle of the 21st century after they are forced to abandon Earth due to the untenable effects of climate disasters. Eventually trying to colonize another nearly inhospitable planet, their efforts fall apart and lead to bloody civil war.
With real-life Earth struggling to adapt to the current effects of climate change, it's a terrifyingly realistic future-war scenario for gamers to experience, while still creating an interesting fantasy world for players to explore.
Halo: Infinite
Throughout the culturally iconic Halo franchise, the variety of conflicts between human and alien races have established a complex story of war and sacrifice that has followed the legendary Spartan, Master Chief John-117. Halo: Infinite continues the Master Chief plot, this time in his fight against his former A.I. companion Cortana, and a coalition of alien races called the Banished.
The universe established by the Halo franchise has always been in a state of futuristic war, oftentimes with the fate of human and alien races hanging in the balance, and longtime fans will relish the opportunity to reengage with the massive and constantly evolving conflict that has spanned over 12 games and multiple media platforms.
Chivalry 2
For the last century or so, war has been forever modernized with firearms and expanding technology, but Chivalry 2 harkens back to the days of warfare past when knights lead armies into medieval battle. Offering a unique style of first-person melee combat, Chivalry 2 captures the true chaos and brutality of medieval warfare with in-game battles that can involve up to 64 players.
Whether lopping off heads with a great-sword or parrying multiple axe attacks or even continuing to fight after losing an appendage, the Chivalry games use a refined melee combat system that utilizes the first-person perspective to more effectively capture the fear and visceral reality of medieval warfare, and their 2021 sequel only improves upon it.
Age of Empires IV
When it comes to war, the legendary RTS franchise Age of Empires has been an expert in creating a more historical and societal context for warfare as gamers know it, and it continues in Age of Empires IV.
These games require players to grow and strengthen their selected faction through the progression of time and technological development, making war a historical necessity rather than just an entertaining diversion. Growing an army and their supplies, and then sending them into battle is more of a strategic calculation, and the spoils of war support critical foundations for a faction's development, forcing players to consider risk-reward calculations of war instead of just vying for bloodshed.
Battlefield 2042
The Battlefield series has consistently put players in the shoes of soldiers from past conflicts, modern conflicts, and near-future conflicts, and as the title suggests, Battlefield 2042 falls in the latter category. Without a single-player campaign to establish the story of this futuristic war, 2042 uses its multiplayer and unique characters to tell the story of Earth in the near future, decimated by climate change and political strife, which eventually morphs into a global war between Russia and the U.S.
The combatants in this war are "No-Pats", proxy fighters who lack a home country, united together under a non-national identity, which offers a unique concept of alliances in a futuristic war. The lore of this future war is even told through a short film made by the developers, a frightening story whose potential realism is reinforced with the near-futuristic-yet-familiar weapons and abilities that players are able to use on the battlefield.
Insurgency: Sandstorm (Console Version)
Doing away with historical battles or near-future world wars, Insurgency: Sandstorm uses fast and tactical FPS multiplayer gameplay to depict a conflict that feels more current and well-known. Set in a fictional region of the Middle East, players either control members of the NATO-inspired military force "Security", or members of the "Insurgents", a paramilitary force that is reminiscent of Islamic extremist groups and mercenaries.
The gameplay pairs with the strikingly realistic depiction of modern warfare, and with practically no HUD, deadly weapons, and a requirement of tactics and teamwork, console gamers will get scarily close to experiencing what real modern combat is like in this 2021 release.
Total War: Rome Remastered
The Total War franchise has become the industry standard for large-scale RTS warfare and battles, and Total War: Rome Remastered lets players re-experience one of its most classic entries, now with a 2021 polish.
With three factions vying for control of Rome and an inevitable civil war looming at the end, players get to control massive armies, organizing platoons of different unit types and surveying the terrain to ensure their tactics will lead to victory. Total War games force the player to truly appreciate the scope and tactical awareness required of these massive ancient conflicts, rewarding players who can use their strategical prowess to outsmart their opponents on the battlefield.
Hell Let Loose
In an FPS genre inundated with WWII shooters, Hell Let Loose sets itself apart as a hardcore and realistic experience of the infamous global war. Players control Germans, Americans, or the Soviets on both the Western and Eastern fronts of the European theater in maps that were designed with satellite imagery and archival photography from the real-life battlefields they are based on.
Like any real battle, Hell Let Loose emphasizes communication and resource management, with each team having a hierarchy of commanders and officers who can turn the tide of battle through artillery support, tank deployments, and tactical, teamwork-oriented gameplay. For gamers looking for an intense FPS war experience, this 2021 release has them covered.