Top 25 Historical Games for 2026
Which games are set in real history?
Actual periods and events, handled with varying degrees of care.
159 catalogued, top 25 ranked below
The historical games on a map
Compare the whole catalogueThe same 25 games, plotted rather than listed. The two axes below are the ones the ranking is built from, so a game sitting high and right is a game the formula placed near the top. Change either axis to see the field a different way. Where we hold a publisher wordmark, the game is drawn as its mark rather than a dot.
25 games have both
Axes are fitted to these 25 games rather than the full 0 to 100 scale, because a filtered list shares a narrow band and would otherwise sit in one corner. End values are marked. A point on the left edge is the lowest of thesegames, not a low score.
Players. The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000.
Popularity. A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it.
- Mobile
- Multi-platform
- PC
- Xbox
Every point links to that game's entry. The value map and the reception map are fixed views of the same data.
How positions are decided
No paid placement, no favouritism, live third-party data
- Placed by the published method, not by us. Every coordinate is computed from the axis definitions and weights printed on this site. Nobody moves a point. See the axes.
- Nothing here is paid for. No sponsored placements, no promoted slots, no arrangement of any kind affects a position. If that ever changes it will be labelled and sit outside the ranking.
- No favouritism, including our own. The 16 games we have written full reviews of are scored by exactly the same formula as the other 1,510, from the same third-party inputs, and they land where it puts them. Our own opinion of a game does not enter its coordinates.
- A position is not an endorsement. It says how a game was received and what it costs, not that we recommend it. Where we do recommend something, it carries a written review with a name on it.
- Fetched from live third-party data. Player sentiment from Steam, critic aggregates as published on store pages, prices checked hourly, attention from Wikipedia. Each figure carries its source and the date it was read, and we do not adjust any of them.
How to choose between these
25 entries, six things that separate them
The ranking answers "which is best received". It cannot answer "which is best for you", because that depends on things no formula knows. Here is what actually separates these 25 historical games, in the order worth thinking about it.
Check the sample size before the score
A score is only as good as the evidence under it. 14 of these have more than 50,000 player reviews, which makes their number very hard to move.
Look at where critics and players disagree
The widest gap here is Age of Empires II (Retired), where players sit above critics by 28 points. A gap that size usually means the game changed after launch, or that it does something critics undervalue. It is worth reading why before deciding which number you trust. The disagreement map plots this across the catalogue.
Decide what you are actually willing to spend
The median here is $19.99, and the cheapest paid entry is Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun at $3.99. Prices move constantly, so a game a place or two down the list is often the better buy this week. Filter by price below rather than assuming the top pick is the right purchase.
Match it to the hardware you own
8 of these are Steam Deck Verified by Valve's own testing, and install sizes vary by more than an order of magnitude. If you are choosing for a handheld or a drive that is nearly full, that narrows the field faster than any score.
Check it supports how you want to play
Solo, with a friend online, or two people on one sofa are different requirements, and a well-reviewed game that does not support yours is the wrong game. The filters below answer this directly.
Look for the things a score hides
6 declare six or more accessibility features, and 1 carry in-game purchases. Neither shows up in a review score, and both change the experience substantially. Each entry lists its own.
Choose one if…
Tick what matters to you. This filters the ranking above rather than reordering it, so the order you see is still the order the formula produced, minus the games that do not fit. Every filter reads a field from the game's own store listing.
Nothing selected, so all 25 historical games are shown below. Pick one or more above to narrow it.
historical games by the numbers
The figures below describe all 25 entries on this page together, not the top pick. They are recomputed on every build, most recently on 2 September 2026, from 2,478,409 player reviews.
What the pricing looks like
23 of the 25 carry a listed US price, with a median of $19.99 and a mean of $28.46. The mean sitting above the median tells you the field is pulled up by a few expensive outliers. The cheapest is Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun at $3.99, the most expensive Kingdom Come: Deliverance II at $59.99. 1 carry in-game purchases on top of whatever they cost. Prices are read hourly from the US Steam storefront and move constantly.
How much this field agrees with itself
Player sentiment spans 10 points across these 25 entries. That is a narrow band, which means the ranking is separating good from good, and the entries below the top few are not meaningfully worse. 18 carry a critic aggregate, averaging 85 out of 100. Players rate this field 9 points higher than critics on average, which is worth knowing before you weigh either number. See where the two diverge.
Who makes them, and what they overlap with
The studios appearing most often here are CREATIVE ASSEMBLY (3), Development Studio (2), Feral Interactive (Linux) (2), Feral Interactive (Mac) (2) and Forgotten Empires (2). The genres these entries also sit in are strategy (14), rpg (4), simulation (3), action-rpg (1), fps (1) and mmorpg (1), which is a fair map of what you are actually choosing between.
Which way attention is moving
We track Wikipedia pageviews over 28 days for 7 of these. 2 are gaining attention and 2 are losing it, with the rest flat. Attention is not quality, and we do not feed it into the ranking. The full monitor shows the movements across the catalogue.
Update history 1
- First published with 25 entries ranked.
Common questions
What is the best historical game in 2026?
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator ranks first, with a GamingPickz Score of 9.3 out of 10. That score is computed from player sentiment adjusted for sample size, critic reception and popularity, using the weights published on this page.
How many historical games are there?
We track 159 historical games. Games with fewer than 50 player reviews are excluded from the ranking, because a percentage with no sample behind it is not a measurement.
How is this list ranked?
By a published formula, not by editorial preference. Player sentiment is pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it, then weighted against critic scores and popularity. Nothing on this page is paid for and no placement can be bought.
How often is this updated?
Recomputed on every build from data read on a stated date. Player review counts move daily, so positions in the middle of the list shift more than the top or bottom.
Reader comments
Comments are not switched on yet. When they are, they will be moderated before they appear: an unmoderated thread on a page carrying advertising is a policy problem as well as a reading problem.
25 best historical games, ranked
Ordered by GamingPickz Score. Every figure links back to the source that produced it.
- 1
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
9.3GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceTotally Accurate Battle Simulator at a glance Released 2021 Studio Landfall Player sentiment 98% positive of 153,489 Critics No aggregate Price $6.79 Steam Deck verified Install size 4 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 98% shrinks to 98.0 on 153,489 reviews, giving 9.3. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 98% positive across 153,489 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 4 GB.
- 2
Sid Meier's Civilization V
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
9.2GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceSid Meier's Civilization V at a glance Released 2010 Studio Firaxis Games Player sentiment 96% positive of 210,613 Critics 90/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 210,613 reviews, then blends with the 90 critic aggregate, giving 9.2.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 210,613 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- 3
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Best for: Sinking a long time into one world
9.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceKingdom Come: Deliverance II at a glance Released 2025 Studio Warhorse Studios Player sentiment 94% positive of 194,008 Critics 89/100 Price $59.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 100 GB Accessibility 5 declared features Raw 94% shrinks to 94.0 on 194,008 reviews, then blends with the 89 critic aggregate, giving 9.0.
What the data supports- 94% positive across 194,008 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 4
Ghost of Tsushima DIRECTOR'S CUT
Best for: Players who need accessibility options that actually exist
8.9GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceGhost of Tsushima DIRECTOR'S CUT at a glance Released 2024 Studio Sucker Punch Productions Player sentiment 94% positive of 96,000 Critics No aggregate Price $59.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 75 GB Accessibility 10 declared features Raw 94% shrinks to 94.0 on 96,000 reviews, giving 8.9. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Declares 10 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 5
Return of the Obra Dinn
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.9GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceReturn of the Obra Dinn at a glance Released 2018 Studio Lucas Pope Player sentiment 97% positive of 35,093 Critics 89/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 2 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 96.9 on 35,093 reviews, then blends with the 89 critic aggregate, giving 8.9.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 2 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 6
Hearts of Iron IV
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.8GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceHearts of Iron IV at a glance Released 2016 Studio Paradox Development Studio Player sentiment 90% positive of 375,658 Critics 83/100 Price $49.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 2 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 90% shrinks to 90.0 on 375,658 reviews, then blends with the 83 critic aggregate, giving 8.8.
What the data supports- 90% positive across 375,658 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
- Small install at 2 GB.
- 7
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.8GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceShadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun at a glance Released 2016 Studio Mimimi Games Player sentiment 96% positive of 38,415 Critics 85/100 Price $3.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 13 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 95.9 on 38,415 reviews, then blends with the 85 critic aggregate, giving 8.8.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 13 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 8
Total War: MEDIEVAL II – Definitive Edition
Best for: Playing with other people
8.8GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceTotal War: MEDIEVAL II – Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2006 Studio CREATIVE ASSEMBLY Player sentiment 96% positive of 36,357 Critics No aggregate Price $24.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 15 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 96% shrinks to 95.9 on 36,357 reviews, giving 8.8. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 9
Valiant Hearts: The Great War / Soldats Inconnus : Mémoires de la Grande Guerre
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.8GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceValiant Hearts: The Great War / Soldats Inconnus : Mémoires de la Grande Guerre at a glance Released 2014 Studio Ubisoft Montpellier Player sentiment 96% positive of 27,515 Critics No aggregate Price $14.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 2 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 96% shrinks to 95.8 on 27,515 reviews, giving 8.8. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Small install at 2 GB.
- 10
LIZARDS MUST DIE
Best for: Playing through with a friend online
8.8GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceLIZARDS MUST DIE at a glance Released 2023 Studio Smola Game Studio Player sentiment 96% positive of 26,441 Critics No aggregate Price $3.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 3 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 95.8 on 26,441 reviews, giving 8.8. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Small install at 3 GB.
- 11
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Best for: Players who need accessibility options that actually exist
8.7GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceAssassin's Creed Odyssey at a glance Released 2018 Studio Ubisoft Quebec Player sentiment 89% positive of 188,004 Critics No aggregate Price $59.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 10 declared features Raw 89% shrinks to 89.0 on 188,004 reviews, giving 8.7. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 89% positive across 188,004 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Declares 10 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
Worth checking first- Carries in-game purchases. Check what they cost before committing.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 12
Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator
Best for: Players who need accessibility options that actually exist
8.7GamingPickz Scoremedium confidencePotion Craft: Alchemist Simulator at a glance Released 2022 Studio niceplay games Player sentiment 93% positive of 44,552 Critics No aggregate Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 2 GB Accessibility 9 declared features Raw 93% shrinks to 92.9 on 44,552 reviews, giving 8.7. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Declares 9 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
- Small install at 2 GB.
Company of Heroes at a glance Released 2006 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 94% positive of 18,707 Critics 93/100 Price $14.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 1 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 94% shrinks to 93.8 on 18,707 reviews, then blends with the 93 critic aggregate, giving 8.7.
What the data supports- Small install at 1 GB.
- 14
Rome: Total War - Collection
Best for: Playing with other people
8.7GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceRome: Total War - Collection at a glance Released 2007 Studio CREATIVE ASSEMBLY Player sentiment 95% positive of 16,717 Critics 92/100 Price Not listed Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 95% shrinks to 94.7 on 16,717 reviews, then blends with the 92 critic aggregate, giving 8.7.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Desperados III at a glance Released 2020 Studio Mimimi Games Player sentiment 97% positive of 16,591 Critics 86/100 Price $39.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 20 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 96.7 on 16,591 reviews, then blends with the 86 critic aggregate, giving 8.7.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 16
Mount & Blade: Warband
Best for: Players who trust other players over critics
8.6GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceMount & Blade: Warband at a glance Released 2010 Studio TaleWorlds Player sentiment 98% positive of 172,005 Critics 78/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 98% shrinks to 98.0 on 172,005 reviews, then blends with the 78 critic aggregate, giving 8.6.
What the data supports- 98% positive across 172,005 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 98 against 78. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
Crusader Kings III at a glance Released 2020 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 90% positive of 143,235 Critics 91/100 Price $49.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 20 GB Accessibility 6 declared features Raw 90% shrinks to 90.0 on 143,235 reviews, then blends with the 91 critic aggregate, giving 8.6.
What the data supports- 90% positive across 143,235 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 18
Total War: Shogun 2
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.6GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceTotal War: Shogun 2 at a glance Released 2011 Studio Creative Assembly Player sentiment 92% positive of 67,604 Critics 90/100 Price Not listed Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 92% shrinks to 92.0 on 67,604 reviews, then blends with the 90 critic aggregate, giving 8.6.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 19
The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.6GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceThe Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty at a glance Released 2024 Studio 零创游戏(ZerocreationGame) Player sentiment 94% positive of 59,944 Critics 79/100 Price $9.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 3 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 94% shrinks to 93.9 on 59,944 reviews, then blends with the 79 critic aggregate, giving 8.6.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 3 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 94 against 79. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Call of Duty: World at War at a glance Released 2008 Studio Treyarch Player sentiment 92% positive of 53,215 Critics 83/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck unsupported Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 92% shrinks to 91.9 on 53,215 reviews, then blends with the 83 critic aggregate, giving 8.6.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
- 21
Call of Juarez: Gunslinger
Best for: Players who trust other players over critics
8.6GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceCall of Juarez: Gunslinger at a glance Released 2013 Studio Techland Player sentiment 95% positive of 44,207 Critics 79/100 Price $14.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 94.9 on 44,207 reviews, then blends with the 79 critic aggregate, giving 8.6.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 95 against 79. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 22
Total War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition
Best for: Playing through with a friend online
8.6GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceTotal War: EMPIRE – Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2009 Studio CREATIVE ASSEMBLY Player sentiment 91% positive of 38,055 Critics 90/100 Price $24.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 6 declared features Raw 91% shrinks to 90.9 on 38,055 reviews, then blends with the 90 critic aggregate, giving 8.6.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 23
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
Best for: Playing through with a friend online
8.5GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceAge of Empires II: Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2019 Studio World's Edge Player sentiment 95% positive of 181,889 Critics 84/100 Price $34.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 15 GB Accessibility 7 declared features Raw 95% shrinks to 95.0 on 181,889 reviews, then blends with the 84 critic aggregate, giving 8.5.
What the data supports- 95% positive across 181,889 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Declares 7 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
- 24
Europa Universalis IV
Best for: Playing through with a friend online
8.5GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceEuropa Universalis IV at a glance Released 2013 Studio Development Studio Player sentiment 88% positive of 137,275 Critics 87/100 Price $49.99 Steam Deck unsupported Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 88% shrinks to 88.0 on 137,275 reviews, then blends with the 87 critic aggregate, giving 8.5.
What the data supports- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
Worth checking first- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
- 25
Age of Empires II (Retired)
Best for: Players who trust other players over critics
8.5GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceAge of Empires II (Retired) at a glance Released 2013 Studio Skybox Labs Player sentiment 96% positive of 102,820 Critics 68/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 102,820 reviews, then blends with the 68 critic aggregate, giving 8.5.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 102,820 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 96 against 68. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
Also catalogued
134 more historical games, not yet reviewedNone of these carry a review yet. The rest are catalogue records: title, year, studio and platforms, sourced from Wikidata. They are not indexed by search engines, because a record is not a review.
- Assassin's Creedsource
- Mafiasource
- Age of Empires II: The Age of Kingssource
- Age of Empiressource
- World of Tankssource
- Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flagsource
- Assassin's Creed IIsource
- Age of Empires IIIsource
- Assassin's Creed: Brotherhoodsource
- Rome: Total Warsource
- Five Nights at Freddy'ssource
- Assassin's Creed: Revelationssource
- Assassin's Creed IIIsource
- Battlefield 1source
- Mount & Bladesource
- Assassin's Creed Unitysource
- Crusader Kings IIsource
- Assassin's Creed Valhallasource
- Fate/stay nightsource
- Hearts of Ironsource
- Battlefield Vsource
- Far Cry Primalsource
- Five Nights at Freddy's 2source
- 0 A.D.source
- Assassin's Creed Roguesource