Computed from player tags · Not ranked by quality
24 games like Victoria II (2026)
Every game below overlaps with Victoria II on things players said about it rather than on our opinion of what feels alike. Each entry shows what it matched on, so you can throw out the ones matching on the part you did not care about.
The short version
- Closest match: Hearts of Iron III, which made by the same studio, Development Studio.
- Victoria II is tagged Grand Strategy, Strategy, Historical, Political Sim, Politics, Economy, Simulation, Real-Time with Pause by Steam players. Those tags are what the matching runs on.
- 24 games qualify, each with at least fifty player reviews behind its sentiment figure.
- 2 are free to download, so you can test the resemblance yourself at no cost.
- 6 are from the same studio: Hearts of Iron III, Victoria 3, Europa Universalis IV, Europa Universalis III, Crusader Kings II, Crusader Kings III.
How these were matched
Steam tags carry the most weight, because players apply them and they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Souls-like, Atmospheric and Cozy exist as tags and as nothing else, which is exactly the vocabulary this question needs. Formal genres count for less, themes and a shared studio for more.
Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are thrown out before matching. Nearly everything is tagged Singleplayer, so matching on it is matching on nothing. That cutoff is computed from the catalogue rather than fixed, so it moves as the catalogue grows.
All 24, closest first
- 1
Hearts of Iron III
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Development Studio; both war, historical and strategy; shares 13 player tags including Grand Strategy, Strategy and Historical; released around the same time (2009).
Hearts of Iron III lets you play the most engaging conflict in world history, World War 2, on all fronts as any country and through multiple different scenarios. Guide your nation to glory between 1936 and 1948 and wage war, conduct diplomacy and build your industry in the most detailed World War 2 game ever made.
Hearts of Iron III at a glance Released 2009 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 76% positive of 6,081 Price $9.99 Grand StrategyStrategyHistoricalSimulationMilitaryReal-Time with PauseWarSandbox
- 2
Victoria 3
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Development Studio; both war, historical and strategy; shares 14 player tags including Grand Strategy, Economy and Historical.
Paradox Development Studio invites you to build your ideal society in the tumult of the exciting and transformative 19th century. Balance the competing interests in your society and earn your place in the sun in Victoria 3, one of the most anticipated games in Paradox’s history.
Victoria 3 at a glance Released 2022 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 70% positive of 60,969 Price $49.99 Grand StrategyEconomyHistoricalPolitical SimStrategyPoliticsDiplomacyManagement
- 3
Europa Universalis IV
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Development Studio; both war, historical and strategy; shares 12 player tags including Grand Strategy, Strategy and Historical; released around the same time (2013).
Rule your land and dominate the world with unparalleled freedom, depth and historical accuracy. Write a new history of the world and build an empire for the ages.
Europa Universalis IV at a glance Released 2013 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 88% positive of 137,275 Price $49.99 Grand StrategyStrategyHistoricalSimulationAlternate HistoryMilitaryDiplomacyEconomy
- 4
Europa Universalis III
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Development Studio; both war, historical and strategy; shares 12 player tags including Grand Strategy, Strategy and Historical; released around the same time (2007).
Europa Universalis III Complete includes the original Europa Universalis III as well as the expansions In Nomine and Napoleons Ambition Europa Universalis III delves deeply into the areas of exploration, trade, warfare and diplomacy.
Europa Universalis III at a glance Released 2007 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 83% positive of 2,001 Price $14.99 Grand StrategyStrategyHistoricalPolitical SimReal-Time with PauseSandboxSimulationRTS
- 5
Imperator: Rome
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 13 player tags including Strategy, Grand Strategy and Simulation; published by the same company.
Dominate the classical Mediterranean in Imperator: Rome, a grand strategy game from Paradox Interactive. Navigate the dangerous waters of politics and diplomacy as you build up your provinces and conquer foreign lands. Now available with special content and the digital artbook.
Imperator: Rome at a glance Released 2019 Studio Paradox Development Studio Player sentiment 66% positive of 26,891 Price $39.99 StrategyGrand StrategySimulationHistoricalPolitical SimManagementEconomyWar
- 6
Crusader Kings II
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Development Studio; both historical and strategy; shares 12 player tags including Grand Strategy, Strategy and Historical; released around the same time (2012).
Explore one of the defining periods in world history in an experience crafted by the masters of Grand Strategy.
Crusader Kings II at a glance Released 2012 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 91% positive of 73,903 Price Free Grand StrategyStrategyHistoricalPolitical SimSimulationSandboxPoliticsDiplomacy
- 7
Crusader Kings III
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Development Studio; both war, historical and strategy; shares 11 player tags including Strategy, Grand Strategy and Simulation.
Love, fight, scheme, and claim greatness. Determine your noble house’s legacy in the sprawling grand strategy of Crusader Kings III. Death is only the beginning as you guide your dynasty’s bloodline in the rich and larger-than-life simulation of the Middle Ages.
Crusader Kings III at a glance Released 2020 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 90% positive of 143,235 Price $49.99 StrategyGrand StrategySimulationHistoricalManagementSandboxRTSWar
- 8
Hearts of Iron IV
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 11 player tags including Strategy, Grand Strategy and War; published by the same company.
Victory is at your fingertips! Your ability to lead your nation is your supreme weapon, the strategy game Hearts of Iron IV lets you take command of any nation in World War II; the most engaging conflict in world history.
Hearts of Iron IV at a glance Released 2016 Studio Paradox Development Studio Player sentiment 90% positive of 375,658 Price $49.99 StrategyGrand StrategyWarHistoricalMilitaryAlternate HistorySimulationReal-Time with Pause
- 9
Age of History II
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 11 player tags including Strategy, Historical and War.
Age of History II is a grand strategy wargame that is simple to learn yet hard to master.Your objective is to use military tactics and cunning diplomacy to either unify the world, or conquer it.Will the world bleed out or bow before you? The choice is yours..
Age of History II at a glance Released 2018 Studio Łukasz Jakowski Player sentiment 90% positive of 49,963 Price $5.99 StrategyHistoricalWarGrand StrategyPolitical SimSimulationSandboxDiplomacy
- 10
Total War: MEDIEVAL II – Definitive Edition
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 10 player tags including Strategy, Historical and Grand Strategy; released around the same time (2006).
Spanning the most turbulent era in Western history, your quest for territory and power takes you through Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and even onto the shores of the New World.
Total War: MEDIEVAL II – Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2006 Studio CREATIVE ASSEMBLY Player sentiment 96% positive of 36,357 Price $24.99 StrategyHistoricalGrand StrategyWarRTSModdableMilitarySimulation
- 11
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012)
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Military, War and Strategy; released around the same time (2013).
The highly anticipated sequel to the best-selling Stronghold, Stronghold Crusader HD throws you into historic battles and castle sieges from the Crusades with fiendish AI opponents, new units, 4 historical campaigns and over 100 unique skirmish missions.
Stronghold Crusader HD (2012) at a glance Released 2013 Studio Firefly Studios Player sentiment 97% positive of 21,059 Price $1.99 MilitaryWarStrategySandboxManagementRTSEconomyHistorical
- 12
Sid Meier's Civilization IV
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, Historical and Moddable; released around the same time (2006).
With over 6 million units sold and unprecedented critical acclaim from fans and press around the world, Sid Meier's Civilization is recognized as one of the greatest PC game franchises of all-time. Now, Sid Meier and Firaxis Games will take this incredibly fun and addictive game to new heights by adding new ways to play and win, new...
Sid Meier's Civilization IV at a glance Released 2006 Studio Firaxis Games Player sentiment 95% positive of 57 Price $19.99 StrategyHistoricalModdableGrand StrategySimulationGreat SoundtrackEconomyWar
- 13
Total War: NAPOLEON – Definitive Edition
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, Historical and Grand Strategy; released around the same time (2010).
Complete your Total War collection with this Definitive Edition of Total War: NAPOLEON, which includes all DLC and feature updates since the game’s release
Total War: NAPOLEON – Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2010 Studio CREATIVE ASSEMBLY Player sentiment 92% positive of 27,543 Price $24.99 StrategyHistoricalGrand StrategyWarRTSMilitarySimulationGreat Soundtrack
- 14
Sid Meier's Civilization VII
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 10 player tags including Grand Strategy, Historical and Diplomacy.
Lead empires that evolve or endure through the Ages. Build something you believe in with Sid Meier's Civilization® VII.
Sid Meier's Civilization VII at a glance Released 2025 Studio Firaxis Games Player sentiment 48% positive of 58,602 Price $49.99 Grand StrategyHistoricalDiplomacyMilitarySimulationEconomyWarStrategy
- 15
Total War: THREE KINGDOMS
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, Historical and War.
Unite Ancient China under your rule through a thrilling blend of turn-based empire building and real-time battles. Use the Guanxi System and diplomacy to forge alliances, and build powerful armies with hundreds of unique infantry, cavalry and war machine units.
Total War: THREE KINGDOMS at a glance Released 2019 Studio CREATIVE ASSEMBLY Player sentiment 82% positive of 93,602 Price $39.99 StrategyHistoricalWarGrand StrategyRTSMilitaryGreat SoundtrackSimulation
- 16
Call of War: World War 2
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 9 player tags including Strategy, War and Grand Strategy.
Take over the control of one of the mighty nations during the times of World War 2 in this persisting long-term strategy game. Conquer provinces, forge alliances and build up your economy in real-time. Research top secret weapons of World War 2 and become the one true superpower!
Call of War: World War 2 at a glance Released 2017 Studio Bytro Labs GmbH Player sentiment 71% positive of 6,372 Price Free StrategyWarGrand StrategyMilitarySimulationHistoricalDiplomacyRTS
- 17
Rome: Total War - Collection
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, Historical and RTS; released around the same time (2007).
Control and conquer the greatest empire ever known to man.
Rome: Total War - Collection at a glance Released 2007 Studio CREATIVE ASSEMBLY Player sentiment 95% positive of 16,717 Price Not listed StrategyHistoricalRTSGrand StrategyWarGreat SoundtrackModdableSimulation
- 18
Sid Meier's Civilization III Complete
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, Historical and Grand Strategy; released around the same time (2006).
Sid Meier's Civilization III: Complete, the latest offering in the Sid Meier's Civilization III franchise, provides gaming fans with Sid Meier's Civilization III, the highly-addictive journey of discovery.
Sid Meier's Civilization III Complete at a glance Released 2006 Studio Firaxis Games Player sentiment 89% positive of 7,789 Price $4.99 StrategyHistoricalGrand StrategySimulationMilitaryWarDiplomacyAlternate History
- 19
Men of War: Assault Squad
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, War and RTS; released around the same time (2011).
Men of War: Assault Squad delivers a deeply tactical WWII experience, blending large-scale strategy with intense, hands-on combat. Fight across multiple fronts – from European countryside to Pacific jungles and command every unit and every bullet on the battlefield.
Men of War: Assault Squad at a glance Released 2011 Studio Digitalmindsoft Player sentiment 87% positive of 5,176 Price $9.99 StrategyWarRTSMilitaryHistoricalSimulationModdableSandbox
- 20
Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic
Why it matched: both historical and strategy; shares 10 player tags including Strategy, Simulation and Management.
Build a soviet republic from an impoverished country into a rich industrial superpower in a city builder with intricate production chains and a fully simulated global economy. Manage the lives of your citizens from education to work and party loyalty to criminal activity.
Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic at a glance Released 2024 Studio 3Division Player sentiment 91% positive of 27,164 Price $9.99 StrategySimulationManagementSandboxGrand StrategyHistoricalEconomyModdable
- 21
Company of Heroes 2
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, RTS and War; released around the same time (2013).
Experience the ultimate WWII RTS platform with COH2 and its standalone expansions. This package includes the base game, which you can then upgrade by purchasing The Western Front Armies, Ardennes Assault and/or The British Forces. More info in the "About This Game" section below.
Company of Heroes 2 at a glance Released 2013 Studio Relic Entertainment Player sentiment 79% positive of 113,085 Price $19.99 StrategyRTSWarHistoricalMilitaryReal-Time with PauseSimulationGreat Soundtrack
- 22
Manor Lords
Why it matched: both historical and strategy; shares 10 player tags including Strategy, Simulation and Historical.
Manor Lords is a medieval strategy game featuring in-depth city building, large-scale tactical battles, and complex economic and social simulations. Rule your lands as a medieval lord – the seasons pass, the weather changes, and cities rise and fall.
Manor Lords at a glance Released 2024 Studio Slavic Magic Player sentiment 84% positive of 90,905 Price $25.99 StrategySimulationHistoricalManagementGrand StrategySandboxModdableRTS
- 23
HUMANKIND
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 8 player tags including Strategy, Historical and Grand Strategy.
Rewrite history by shaping a civilization as unique as you are. Combine 60 cultures from the Ancient Era to the Modern Age to lead your empire to victory. Build thriving cities, outsmart rivals in epic battles, spread your influence and leave your mark on HUMANKIND™.
HUMANKIND at a glance Released 2021 Studio AMPLITUDE Studios Player sentiment 69% positive of 28,708 Price $4.99 StrategyHistoricalGrand StrategyManagementWarSimulationAlternate HistoryGreat Soundtrack
- 24
Company of Heroes
Why it matched: both war, historical and strategy; shares 7 player tags including Strategy, RTS and War; released around the same time (2006).
Delivering a visceral WWII gaming experience, Company of Heroes redefines RTS by bringing the sacrifice of heroic soldiers, war-ravaged environments, and dynamic battlefields to life. Please visit the "Company of Heroes - Legacy Edition" page for additional user reviews.
Company of Heroes at a glance Released 2006 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 94% positive of 18,707 Price $14.99 StrategyRTSWarMilitaryHistoricalModdableGreat Soundtrack
Common questions
What game is most like Victoria II?
Hearts of Iron III, on the evidence we have. It made by the same studio, Development Studio. That is a statement about overlap, not a promise you will like it as much: two games can share every tag and still feel different to play.
How is "similar to Victoria II" decided?
By overlap on the tags Steam players applied to each game, the formal genres, the themes both sit in, and whether the same studio made them. Tags carry the most weight because players write them, so they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are ignored: matching on "Singleplayer" is matching on nothing. Every entry below shows exactly what it matched on.
Are these ranked by quality?
No. They are ordered by how much they overlap with Victoria II. Where two games overlap equally, the better received one goes first, but that only moves a game a place or two. Each entry shows its own player sentiment so you can weigh that separately.
What else did the makers of Victoria II do?
Hearts of Iron III, Victoria 3, Europa Universalis IV, Europa Universalis III, Crusader Kings II, Crusader Kings III are also from Development Studio, and appear in the list below for that reason as well as on tag overlap.
Do you get paid for these recommendations?
No. The order is computed from tag and genre overlap and nothing else. No placement here can be bought, and a game appearing high on this page is a statement about resemblance rather than an endorsement.