There are plenty of games nowadays that are based on books. One of the biggest examples has to be The Witcher and all of its sequels. Where would the video game industry be without a game like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt? Then some games use books in their stories to tell something compelling like Alan Wake wherein the titular novelist has his books coming to life.
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Those are great book-related examples in video games, but they will not make players feel like they are reading a book either fantastical or historical. These other games can transport players into that zone like they are experiencing history firsthand. Some of this history, of course, is exaggerated as these are video games, but they are compelling examples nonetheless.
The games listed below will showcase amazing RPGs that can be influenced by real history, or simply feel like history itself.
8
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Going Through Japan’s Feudal Era
- Released
-
March 20, 2025
- ESRB
-
Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the latest entry in the series that goes down the open-world RPG path. It follows the era when Nobunaga Oda was the ruling leader, defeating clans and uniting the nation by disavowing rulers by birthright. Players assumed the role of Naoe, a ninja wronged by Nobunaga, and Yasuke, a foreigner who became a samurai and Nobunaga’s right-hand man.
While the historical facts are stretched as this is an Assassin’s Creed game, there are a lot of facts players can look up after. There are even collectible codices in the world that will clue players in on historical battles and monuments.
7
Bladestorm: Nightmare
England Vs France In A Musou
Bladestorm: Nightmare is an expanded version of Bladestorm: The Hundred Years’ War and is part of many Musou spinoffs following Dynasty Warriors. Many of these games follow some kind of historical fact, and Bladestorm: Nightmare is something that Westerners may be able to follow more. It’s about the English and French war that started in the late 1300s and lasted for over a hundred years.
With selectable commanders, players can guide groups of soldiers on the battlefield with action gameplay. A key figure players may recognize is Joan of Arc. Joan of Arc fans may also want to check out Jeanne d’Arc for the PSP, a more fantastical retelling of this era, including magic.
6
E.V.O.: Search For Eden
How Humanity Evolved
E.V.O.: Search for Eden is one of the more obscure SNES games that arrived fairly early on the console. Players begin as a simple fish in a 2D environment and can evolve by gathering resources or battling other animals. There are branching evolutionary paths that can increase the offensive or defensive powers of this creature.
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Eventually, they can go on land and start evolving alongside dinosaurs. There is no story, just a biological need to survive through RPG battles. It’s a fascinating selection of the evolutionary chain through millions of years of progress.
5
Final Fantasy Tactics
Now The Story Can Be Told
Final Fantasy Tactics takes inspiration from European wars like The War of the Roses, as the conflict is ultimately based around family squabbles. There are several conflicts in the game, such as The Fifty Years War and The Lion War, with the overall story being framed as a legend known as The Zodiac Brave Story in the world of Ivalice.
While there are no books in the game’s presentation, it feels like a chronicle of one family in particular, the Beoulves, with Ramza standing in as the star. The gameplay is tactical-based with units moving on a grid, allowing players to feel like they are moving pawns on a chessboard.
4
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
From Classmates To Enemies
Like Final Fantasy Tactics, the Fire Emblem series are turn-based tactical RPGs with fantastical premises and each can be viewed like a history book. The one that makes the most sense to highlight though is Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Players begin with their created character, Byleth, and start in a military academy.
They can befriend characters from three rival nations, but they are all friends in the end. That is, until the time skip, when players have to choose their allegiance, thus creating the branching storylines in the process. It’s interesting to see how friends can turn into enemies over time, which is why this story can be so impactful.
The King Is Dead
RPG
JRPG
Action
Adventure
- Released
-
October 11, 2024
- Developer(s)
-
Studio Zero
- ESRB
-
T For Teen // Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
Metaphor: ReFantazio is the latest Atlus RPG from the team that works on the Persona games. Unlike the Persona games, which take place in our reality, albeit a twisted one, Metaphor: ReFantazio has a fantasy setting. The plot begins simply with the hero, Will, tasked with executing a leader, Louis, hoping it will reverse a curse placed on the prince.
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On this mission, the dead king manifests himself into a giant moon, hurtling towards the planet and demanding all who are worthy to run for the throne. It creates a tournament arc like in an anime with dozens of candidates all vying for the throne over months in real-time. This slow, drawn-out electoral race can make the story feel like players are witnessing history in the making for this made-up nation.
2
Triangle Strategy
Salt Is A Powerful Resource
Triangle Strategy is the spiritual successor to Final Fantasy Tactics, also published by Square Enix. This tactical RPG puts an idle nation in the middle of an all-out war over a benign resource like salt. While this world is filled with magic, it’s easy to see the parallels with real life, as wars were indeed fought over salt hundreds of years ago.
Salt may seem like an easy resource to acquire now, but it used to be harder, and its purposes were legendary, from seasoning food to preserving it. With many branching paths, players will want to see how this story progresses from all angles.
1
Valkyria Chronicles
A Reimagining Of World War 2
RPG
Tactical
Third-Person Shooter
- Released
-
October 31, 2008
- Developer(s)
-
Sega, Media Vision
- ESRB
-
T For Teen Due To Animated Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco, Violence
Valkyria Chronicles is a fantasy game, but it draws on World War 2 to set the stage. An evil empire is hellbent on taking over Europa, and a neutral country, Gallia, is caught in the crossfire. Instead of the Jewish people being persecuted, there is the Darscen race in Valkyria Chronicles, and the comparisons could continue.
The game is a tactical RPG wherein players can select their units, move them freely in big open maps in real-time, and then things pause when they aim and line up their shots. The game is presented as a piece of history, as each chapter is divided into a book with cutscenes, main missions, side objectives, character bios, and more.
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