Top 5 Games Which Give You a History Lesson
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” so said George Santanya. Sure, everyone knows that history is important. If you don’t understand how you came to be, how can you even begin to predict where the world is going?
However, for many people, history lessons were among the most boring at school. Huge textbooks and dull teachers ruined this classic subject that teaches us just how dramatic and important the past was.
But now there are other ways to brush up on your history knowledge that are much more interesting. One means of broadening your historical horizons without being bored to tears is by playing games. Video games such as Assassin’s Creed and Tomb Raider got the ball rolling over a decade ago, and now there are dozens of historical games on the market.
Read on for a list of the five best historical games that you need to be playing now.
1.) Rise of the Pharaohs
Ancient Egypt and slot machines are a match made in heaven – especially if you know your history. Almost every museum in the UK features at least one ancient Egyptian Mummy, but why?
Well, because of the abundance of Victorian treasure hunters. In the late 19th century, excavating ancient Egyptian tombs became somewhat of a craze. Well-off members of the British upper classes would fund teams of excavators to head out to Egypt in search of ancient treasures. Cash profit was the aim for these trepid explorers and mummies were just an added bonus.
So Rise of the Pharaohs slot is a great way to emulate the explorers of the late 19th century. This 15 payline slot game will push you to seek out the same prize as those explorers – cash. The music and symbols in the game are also emblematic of the ancient Egyptian period, giving you a glimpse into this fascinating period of history.
Seriously, you can give your brain and your wallet a boost by heading over to the Rise of the Pharaohs slot.
Available on: PC, iOS, Android, Microsoft Windows
2.) Red Dead Redemption 2
The Wild West is a period of American history that has been covered extensively in film and TV, but rarely in video games. The history of the modern-day US is a murky business often airbrushed by modern politicians.
However, during the early colonisation of the country, Native Americans and Spanish colonialists were pushed out of the country by questionable means. Early independent American governments encouraged the idea of ‘manifest destiny’.
Effectively this was a policy of colonisation similar to the plantation of Ireland. The Wild West was a largely unexplored area of the country, under the control of Native Americans. Citizens were encouraged to go out, displace the Natives and make their own societies and towns.
The government turned a blind eye to the way that these early settlers established themselves in the west. While this initially helped to edge out Native Americans, it led to the area becoming wild and lawless.
This is the basis of Red Dead Redemption 2, set in the late 19th century the game explores the juxtaposition of the ‘Wild West’ and the struggle against industrialisation from cowboys, outlaws and Native Americans.
The game also features storylines that touch on the Civil War and the issue of slavery in the Deep South. Players can also purchase newspapers in-game that provide a description of game events and real-life historical events that helped shape the US.
The game has been developed Rock Star, of Grand Theft Auto fame, and renowned for its huge attention to detail and captivating storylines and missions.
Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One
3.) Call of Duty: WWII
The Second World War is one of the most covered historical periods of all-time with a heavy presence in books, films and TV shows. This 2017 production from Activision is perhaps the best game of the millennium to focus on the European theatre in the Second World War.
The campaign mode of the game seems to follow the plot of Band of Brothers, a memoir chronicling the journey of a platoon from the Normandy landings to successful invasion of Germany.
Commonly, most people know about the Normandy landings from films such as Saving Private Ryan. However, this game goes into explicit detail of the campaign from Normandy to Germany covering the Battle of Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge.
Call of Duty: WWII not only chronicles the military conquest of the allied forces but it provides a snapshot of the societal views of the time. Your comrades during the game provide a snapshot of the type of people that were fighting the Axis powers during the war.
The game also gives us a glimpse into the pervading racism among American society at the time. Your character encounters an African-American soldier who is not only fighting the Germans, but also racial prejudice.
Available on: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
4.) Medieval Total War
Activision released this game to the market back in 2002, but it’s still worth playing today. Imagine a turn-based virtual version of the board game Risk – that’s effectively what Medieval Total War is, only much, much better.
The game is highly addictive and will have you playing for hours on end as you attempt to conquer medieval Europe and help the Holy Wars in the Middle East. The game covers a huge time period – from 1087 to 1453, which is before many modern day countries were even formed.
During your pursuit of military control you are challenged to overcome a series of historical problems such as: wrangling with the Papacy, dealing with outbreaks of plague and managing civil unrest. Medieval Total War gives you an insight into what life was actually like for the ruling classes almost 1,000 years ago.
The 3D Battlefield simulation in the game was revolutionary at the time of release and required enormous graphic capabilities from your computer. The graphics still hold up well in the modern day making this game an absolute must play.
Available on: Microsoft Windows
5.) Assassins Creed
The first game in this blockbuster series arrived on our consoles back in 2007 with players controlling Desmond Miles and Altair Ibn-La’Ahad. The premise of the game was the fictional fight between the Assassins and the Knights Templar in their pursuit of world domination.
Each release in the game franchise covers a different period in history including: The Crusades, Victorian Britain, Ancient Rome and the American Revolution. The journeys of Altair and Ezio in the first two games are perhaps the finest in the entire series.
In the second instalment of Assassin’s Creed you will explore ancient Rome with Ezio. Your character can climb some of the most famous monuments in Rome such as the Coliseum and St. Pauls Cathedral.
After playing the game you will be able to visit modern day Rome and successfully guide yourself around the city. The games are also full of Easter Eggs that provide you will the history of various monuments in the games.
Available on: PlayStation 3 & 4, Xbox 360 & One, Microsoft Windows, Android, iOS
Summary
So there you have it – five history lessons in five games. While games might never be used as part of history lessons, there’s no doubt their value stretches beyond just mindless fun, but carries an educational purpose too.