Top Open-World Games Set in Historical Real-World Locations

Set during the French Revolution, this game features a meticulously recreated Paris that is one of the most detailed urban environments in gaming history. Players navigate a historically rich backdrop filled with landmarks like Notre Dame and the Tuileries Palace, experiencing the chaos of 1789 firsthand.

This title transports players to Ptolemaic Egypt, offering a vast open world that spans from the pyramids of Giza to the distant oasis of Siwa. The game provides an educational tour of ancient Egyptian culture, architecture, and daily life, grounded in extensive historical research.

Players can explore a massive open world representing Ancient Greece during the Peloponnesian War. The game features accurate depictions of historical cities like Athens and Sparta, allowing players to experience the mythology, politics, and battles that shaped Western civilization.

While primarily a strategy game, its campaign map offers a tangible representation of the Roman Republic and Empire at its height. Players can explore territories across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, interacting with historically accurate factions and cities during the 1st century BCE.

Set in 15th-century Bohemia, this RPG offers one of the most historically accurate representations of medieval Europe in gaming. The open world is based on real locations such as the Rattay Castle and Prague, with detailed attention to period-accurate clothing, combat, and social structures.

This title allows players to navigate a fictionalized but historically inspired medieval world with real-world geography and cultures. The campaign mode enables exploration of diverse regions reflecting Byzantine, Persian, and European aesthetics, offering a sandbox experience grounded in medieval warfare mechanics.

A grand strategy game that covers the early modern period from 1444 to 1821, allowing players to control nations across a detailed world map. The game features accurate historical borders, trade routes, and events, providing an interactive simulation of colonialism, war, and diplomacy.

Set during the period of 1936 to 1948, this game offers a complex simulation of World War II with historically accurate maps and national focus trees. Players can explore the geopolitical landscape of the era, managing military and industrial resources across real-world continents and nations.

Although turn-based, the world map in Civilization VI allows for exploration of historically significant cities and wonders across different eras. Players can build and manage civilizations based on real-world leaders and cultures, engaging with historical geography from ancient times to the modern age.

This strategy game is set in 220 AD China during the end of the Han Dynasty, featuring a highly detailed map of the region. Players can explore historical cities and battlefields while interacting with legendary historical figures, offering a deep dive into Chinese history and mythology.

Set in the late 8th and 9th centuries, this game recreates the Viking Age with open-world environments in England and Norway. The map features accurate representations of historical settlements, landscapes, and cultural artifacts, allowing players to experience the Viking expansion into Britain.

This grand strategy game allows players to control medieval dynasties from 867 to 1453, exploring a detailed map of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The game emphasizes historical relationships, feudal systems, and regional politics, offering a rich narrative experience based on real historical events.

Set in 395 AD, this game focuses on the decline of the Roman Empire and the migration periods, featuring a unique world map with climate effects. Players can explore historically accurate territories and engage with tribes and empires that shaped the early medieval world, including the Huns and Goths.

While primarily a fantasy RPG, it includes historical aesthetics and locations inspired by medieval European settings. The open world offers exploration of towns and landscapes that reflect historical architectural styles and societal structures, providing a immersive experience for fans of historical fantasy.

A classic strategy game that allows players to lead Roman or barbarian factions across the Mediterranean world during the late Republic and early Empire. The campaign map features historically accurate regions, cities, and sea routes, providing a deep strategic experience grounded in Roman history.

Set in 1080 AD, this game allows players to control European, Middle Eastern, and North African factions during the High Middle Ages. The map accurately reflects the political landscape of the time, including the Crusades and Norman conquests, offering a detailed historical simulation.

This game covers the 18th century, a period of significant colonial expansion and military innovation. The campaign map features historically accurate borders and territories, allowing players to engage in conflicts that shaped the modern world, such as the Seven Years' War and the American Revolution.

Set in feudal Japan during the Sengoku period, this game offers a detailed representation of Japanese history and culture. Players can explore historically accurate provinces and castles, engaging in battles and diplomacy that reflect the complex political landscape of 16th-century Japan.

This upcoming title aims to recreate the Late Bronze Age, specifically the era of the Trojan War, with historically inspired landscapes and cultures. While still in development, it promises to offer a unique open-world strategy experience based on ancient Mediterranean history and mythology.

Though turn-based, this real-time strategy game features historically accurate maps and civilizations from various periods of the Middle Ages. Players can explore environments inspired by real-world locations, engaging in campaigns that reflect historical events and technological advancements of the era.