5. Return to Castle Wolfenstein (PC – 2001)

The much anticipated sequel of the father of most first person shooters, Wolfenstein 3D, is hard to exclude from a top five list. The overall game is actually a reboot of Wolfenstein 3D from the early 1990s, but supplies a very modern undertake the classic that still keeps up quite nicely with what newer offerings have to provide. Inside it, players assume the role of Blazkowicz who must escape from a Nazi stronghold and investigate the trick paranormal division that’s around him. It is a linear FPS experience that doesn’t deviate from what players might know from the original video game.

The visuals received a complete overhaul to keep up with more modern times. When played at maximum settings, which isn’t beyond the method of many computers used today, the levels become very vivid in their presentation. Although I was left with the impression that it wasn’t very “prison-like”. Instead, the levels seem rather medieval and take on a far more literal meaning of “castle” in many respects. However, richplay88 does little to detract from the overall experience of the overall game and it keeps to its predecessor quite nicely.

Overall, it’s difficult to find fault with the game’s single player mode, however the game truly shines on its multiplayer mode: experiences which were sorely missed in the early 1990s unless players had the technical knowledge to create IPX networks. Despite being over a decade old, Go back to Castle Wolfenstein still includes a vibrant online community of dedicated players that are unlikely to disappear anytime soon!

IGN Score: 9.0

Personal Score: 7.0

Age Advisory: Mature (17+)

4. Battlefield 1942 (PC – 2002)

It’s hard to take into account WW2 PC games and not have Battlefield 1942 come to mind. While comparably dated like Return to Castle Wolfestein, it is a game that’s hard to beat in the multiplayer realm because of the voluminous capacity of players who can take part in any one match. Around 64 players can play within an individual campaign, which are occur the Pacific Theater and Stalingrad. It’s also set apart by its well-developed vehicle system. Increasingly modern games attempt to incorporate vehicles in to the gameplay experience, but Battlefield 1942 still sticks out as players have access to over 32 vehicles which are on land, sea, and in the air.

Given the age of the game, most modern computers released within the past few years can handle Battlefield 1942 flawlessly. However, the visuals do indeed show how old they are nowadays. richplay88 stick out as remarkable for the time of the overall game, but are losing their appeal in the future. Yes, it’s understandable than an 11 year old game would do that, but visuals certainly aren’t what keep players mixed up in game. I’d argue it is the sheer capacity of players per match which make it one of the unique WW2 games on the PC today.

If players are into full-scale combat, then this is a game that’s hard to beat. It’s by no means the very best WW2 game designed for the PC today, but has stood the test of time and continues to be widely enjoyed by players; much like Go back to Castle Wolfenstein.

IGN Score: 9.3

Personal Score: 8.5

Age Advisory: Teen (13+)

3. Call of Duty (PC – 2003)

What WW2 PC games list would be complete without mentioning the beginning of what later became the most successful war-based franchises in gaming history? Like Battlefield 1942, Call of Duty is hectic in its experience and provides an unmatched intensity that’s unrivalled in today’s gaming scene. However, in addition, it incorporates a great deal of historical accuracy: a thing that lots of the best WW2 games elect to neglect, especially within the FPS genre. Inside it, players manage numerous American and British soldiers who work their way through various campaigns through the Second World War. This is all finished with sensitivity to the period of time, so players won’t find themselves utilizing ray guns or other futuristic weaponry in this game.

When this game premiered a decade ago, its visuals were unlike anything available at that time and rivalled probably the most hardware intensive games on probably the most powerful console at that time, which was the Nintendo 64. However, that’s not to say the game was without fault. My test rig did come across some aliased features, but it’s difficult to pin down the source. It could perfectly be considered a driver incompatibility given the age of the overall game against my more modern hardware.

It’s still hard to fail with the initial Call of Duty. A lot of the community have moved onto newer COD games, like Modern Warfare and Black Ops, but there’s still an extremely active community who play the initial game. Should it ever disappear, then the single player mode is certainly worth the experience!

IGN Score: 9.3

Personal Score: 9.0

Age Advisory: Teen (13+)

2. Battlefield Heroes (PC – 2009)

For some reason, this game is often confused with Battlefield 1942. Perhaps the name “Battlefield” confuses some players into believing they’re the same game, however they are most certainly not! Battlefield Heroes is most beneficial referred to as what would happen if Team Fortress 2 was mixed up in Second World War. In it, players side with either the Nationals (Axis) or Royals (Allies) and try to obliterate each other in a comical firefight that’s very cartoon-like in its presentation. I believe the more lighthearted nature of the game is what keeps so many players involved in the community, but there are also traces of historical accuracy to keep purists amused.

It’s difficult to find fault with the visuals. Yes, they’re very laid back when compared to something similar to Call of Duty, but I really believe this was the developer’s intention with the game. There’s certainly a comedic vibe to the complete experience that kept me engaged throughout the time I played the game.

Possibly richplay88 could find with it really is each gameplay session, regardless of the chosen map or opponents, caused me to be disconnected from the Internet. I’m not entirely sure what was happening, nonetheless it has affected two different routers connecting to two different ISPs. If this issue didn’t exist, then I’d have no problem putting it to begin with position, but it is really a major bug with the overall game that holds back an otherwise top-tier contender.

IGN Score: 8.0

Personal Score: 9.5

Age Advisory: 16+

1. Call of Duty: World at War (PC – 2008)

Yes, Call of Duty is making another appearance in the very best of list with this title, which is the most recent Call of Duty game for the PC. Following a slew of releases centered on more modern military conflicts, Activision reverted back again to its roots with World at War and put players in the Pacific Theater and Eastern Front operations within the Second World War. The experience holds true to its predecessors for the reason that it’s very chaotic through the entire single player mode and features an extraordinary multiplayer experience to boot.

Visually, World at War is nothing short of a masterpiece. The stunningly detailed in-game graphics are complimented by exceedingly spectacular cinematic cutscenes that accent the player’s progress throughout the game. Movement is fluid, responsive, and I dare say lifelike in most cases. Of course, this is often speculative as my test rig was able to play this game at very high settings. The experience may differ at lower settings, which might be required of some older systems not purpose-built for gaming.

It could be hard for me to consider anything besides World at War to be the best FPS WW2 game. It is currently unmatched in the gaming world when it comes to its strengths and will probably hold this distinction for a long time as developers seemingly shy away from the WW2 genre on the PC. Regardless, I’d be happy to make this my go-to WW2 game for quite awhile!