Games Like Hearts of Iron IV

Hearts of Iron III lets you play the most engaging conflict in world history, World War 2, on all fronts as any country and through multiple different scenarios. Guide your nation to glory between 1936 and 1948 and wage war, conduct diplomacy and build your industry in the most detailed World War 2 game ever made.

Why similar: World War II 29.5% ★, Grand Strategy 28% ★, Historical 10%, Real-Time with Pause 7.5% ★, Strategy 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: It is the direct predecessor to HoI4, with the same nation-scale WWII command structure but even more granular logistics, orders of battle, and production management.

Developed by a team of experienced modders from the Paradox forum, Darkest Hour is a stand-alone Hearts of Iron game. The game features a mixture of short and in-depth campaigns set across the darkest chapters of the 20th century. Play from the outbreak of the Great War up until the onset of the Cold War.

Why similar: World War II 33.4% ★, Grand Strategy 29.3% ★, Historical 11.7%, Strategy 10.1%, Military 5.6%

Why You'll Like It: This standalone Hearts of Iron spin-off delivers classic WWII grand strategy with deep diplomacy, alternate-history scenarios, and a huge world map.

Includes Hearts of Iron II plus the two expansions, Doomsday and Armageddon When Germany is defeated in 1945, the Allies and the new Soviet alliance fight for supremacy. World War III is drawing closer. Play as the ruler of one of 175 countries through World Wars II and III.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 35.1% ★, World War II 33.2% ★, Strategy 16.1%, Historical 13.2%, RTS 2.4%

Why You'll Like It: If you want a purer old-school version of HoI's nation management, research, and global wartime planning, this is the series' classic foundation.

Taking place from 1936-64, Arsenal of Democracy lets you play as any nation during the era of WW2, complete with detailed models for economics, diplomacy, research, and intelligence. Warfare is also fully represented with all three branches of operations: land, sea, and air.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 42.4% ★, World War II 32.5% ★, Strategy 25%

Why You'll Like It: Built on HoI2's framework, it focuses on detailed economics, production, and military planning for a very similar World War II grand-strategy loop.

Strategic Command WWII: World At War is your chance to re-fight the 20th century’s greatest conflict, from Poland to China, Normandy to the Pacific, on a map encompassing the globe.

Why similar: World War II 50.7% ★, Strategy 29.8%, Grand Strategy 19.6% ★

Why You'll Like It: Like HoI4, it lets you guide major powers through the entire global conflict, balancing fronts, production, diplomacy, and long-term war planning.

Real-Time Strategy Game. Guide your nation through the most violent era in modern history. Play massive campaigns as one of the principal nations, set-piece scenarios of famous battles, or set your own victory condition and play as any nation in the world in Sandbox mode.

Why similar: World War II 23% ★, Grand Strategy 19.9% ★, Historical 10.5%, War 10.1%, Military 8.7%

Why You'll Like It: Its real-time-paused global sandbox lets you run a pre-WWII nation through economics, diplomacy, and military expansion in a very HoI-like way.

WarPlan is an incredibly accurate World War II simulation engine. It is a balance of realism and playability incorporating the best from 50 years of World War II board wargaming. Play a recreated World War II in every detail, thanks to the engine flexibility and database

Why similar: World War II 28.9% ★, Grand Strategy 23.1% ★, Historical 12.9%, Military 12.9%, War 12.1%

Why You'll Like It: This is another WWII grand strategy built around theater-level operations, force building, and big-picture decisions rather than unit-level tactics.

Rule your land and dominate the world with unparalleled freedom, depth and historical accuracy. Write a new history of the world and build an empire for the ages.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 25.2% ★, Historical 13.7%, Real-Time with Pause 12.7% ★, Diplomacy 11% ★, Alternate History 10.9%

Why You'll Like It: It swaps WWII for the early modern era, but its nation management, diplomacy, warfare, and map-painting sandbox are immediately familiar to HoI4 players.

What if Germany won the Battle of Britain? What if Moscow fell in 1942?You’re in charge. Anything can happen and history will never repeat itself in this classic WWII grand strategy game MAKING HISTORY II: The War of the World. Are you ready to battle for global dominance?

Why similar: World War II 36.8% ★, Grand Strategy 33.2% ★, Strategy 13.3%, Historical 10.4%, Simulation 3.7%

Why You'll Like It: This gives you nation-scale WWII decision-making with production, research, diplomacy, and sandbox alternate-history outcomes across the whole world.

Choose a nation and prepare for the greatest conflict in human history, World War II. Build your military and industrial power, form alliances and race to achieve the advanced technologies that will bring total victory in this global-wide turn-based Grand Strategy struggle.

Why similar: World War II 26.2% ★, Grand Strategy 19.8% ★, War 11.9%, Historical 11.1%, Military 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: It scratches a similar itch with global WWII state management and military planning, especially if you enjoy rewriting the historical timeline.

Carefully guide your nation from the era of absolute monarchies in the early 19th century, through expansion and colonization, to finally become a truly great power by the dawn of the 20th century. Victoria II is a grand strategy game played during the colonial era of the 19th century, where the player takes control of a country, guiding...

Why similar: Grand Strategy 36.8% ★, Historical 14.8%, Real-Time with Pause 10.1% ★, Strategy 8.2%, Military 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: It emphasizes population, industry, and geopolitics in a way that appeals to HoI4 players who like preparing a nation for major wars.

Paradox Development Studio invites you to build your ideal society in the tumult of the exciting and transformative 19th century. Balance the competing interests in your society and earn your place in the sun in Victoria 3, one of the most anticipated games in Paradox’s history.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 29.6% ★, Historical 14.8%, Diplomacy 11.6% ★, Real-Time with Pause 11.1% ★, Alternate History 9.8%

Why You'll Like It: If your favorite part of HoI4 is building the economic machine behind the war, this offers deep industrial, political, and diplomatic statecraft on a similar grand-strategy scale.

Strategic Command WWII: War in Europe is a deeply immersive turn based strategy game covering the greatest conflict in modern history!

Why similar: Strategy 52.7%, World War II 47.3% ★

Why You'll Like It: It delivers a tighter but highly comparable Europe-focused version of the alliance management, logistics, and campaign planning that makes HoI4 compelling.

War in the East 2 is the most comprehensive, most realistic, and most advanced wargame modeling Eastern Front warfare in World War Two.

Why similar: World War II 40.2% ★, Strategy 19.3%, War 15.7%, Historical 13.3%, Simulation 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: While more hardcore and front-specific, it captures the logistics, supply, and operational depth HoI4 fans often want more of.

Steel Division 2 is a historically-accurate WW2 real-time strategy game set on the Eastern Front. Features 1:1-scale turn-based army management and real-time tactical battles with thousands of men at your order.

Why similar: World War II 24.7% ★, Grand Strategy 13.8% ★, Military 10.5%, War 9.4%, Real-Time with Pause 8% ★

Why You'll Like It: It zooms into real-time army command on the Eastern Front, emphasizing force composition and battlefield planning over national management.

Love, fight, scheme, and claim greatness. Determine your noble house’s legacy in the sprawling grand strategy of Crusader Kings III. Death is only the beginning as you guide your dynasty’s bloodline in the rich and larger-than-life simulation of the Middle Ages.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 33.2% ★, Historical 16.9%, Strategy 12.2%, War 11.3%, Real-Time with Pause 10.2% ★

Why You'll Like It: Although character-driven, it shares Paradox's emergent grand-strategy sandbox, alternate history, and long-term realm management.

Gary Grigsby’s War in the West is the most ambitious and detailed computer wargame on the Western Front of World War II ever made.

Why similar: World War II 55.3% ★, War 20.6%, Simulation 13.7%, Strategy 10.5%

Why You'll Like It: This is another heavyweight WWII simulation for players who love managing air power, supply, and large-scale campaigns in detail.

Strategic Command WWII: War in the Pacific is a turn-based strategy game. It offers a comprehensive experience of the Pacific Theater, challenging you to achieve victory in one of history's greatest conflicts.

Why similar: World War II 32.8% ★, Historical 18.5%, Strategy 17.3%, Military 14.2%, War 14%

Why You'll Like It: It shifts the focus to the Pacific theater while keeping the high-level WWII planning, supply concerns, and faction warfare HoI4 fans enjoy.

Dominate the classical Mediterranean in Imperator: Rome, a grand strategy game from Paradox Interactive. Navigate the dangerous waters of politics and diplomacy as you build up your provinces and conquer foreign lands. Now available with special content and the digital artbook.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 47% ★, Historical 18.7%, Strategy 16.4%, War 6.2%, Simulation 3.8%

Why You'll Like It: Its map-wide empire management, warfare, and internal politics make it one of the more military-focused non-WWII Paradox alternatives.

Panzer Corps 2 is the ultimate Second World War strategy game! Enjoy the time-proven gameplay formula which has been appreciated by millions of players over the years, brought to a whole new level of refinement up to the latest technical standards.

Why similar: World War II 31.2% ★, Grand Strategy 19.2% ★, Military 11.8%, Strategy 10.7%, Historical 10%

Why You'll Like It: It trades national politics for turn-based operational campaigns, but its combined-arms WWII planning strongly appeals to HoI4's military side.

WarPlan Pacific is an operational level wargame which covers all the nations at war in the Pacific theatre from December 1941 to 1945 on a massive game scale.

Why similar: World War II 48% ★, Strategy 16.7%, Historical 15.2%, Military 13.3%, Multiplayer 6%

Why You'll Like It: This narrows in on the Pacific war but keeps the same kind of theater-level planning, naval maneuvering, and production-minded WWII strategy.

Steel Division: Normandy is a tactical real-time strategy (RTS) game that pits players against AI enemies in a single-player campaign -- or against several opponents in massive 10-on-10 multiplayer battles.

Why similar: World War II 43.2% ★, Military 12.4%, RTS 10%, Strategy 9.6%, War 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: This offers the same large-scale real-time tactical combat and deck-building appeal in a western-front WWII setting.

Unity of Command II is the sequel to one of the most critically acclaimed strategy games of all time; a game critics called 'the perfect gateway' into computer war games.

Why similar: World War II 34.9% ★, Grand Strategy 19.3% ★, Strategy 10.2%, Military 8.4%, War 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: This is a superb operational WWII game for players who love HoI4's front management, supply lines, and encirclement gameplay.

Call to Arms - Gates of Hell is a realistic RTS/ RTT game that offers endless replay value. Command all types of troops in historical singleplayer, dynamic campaign, PvP and PvE battles. Are you ready for some serious immersion in World War 2?

Why similar: World War II 36.8% ★, Historical 16%, War 14.1%, Military 12.3%, RTS 8.2%

Why You'll Like It: This blends tactical control, realism, and WWII authenticity for players who want to personally fight the kind of battles HoI4 abstracts.

Experience the ultimate WWII RTS platform with COH2 and its standalone expansions. This package includes the base game, which you can then upgrade by purchasing The Western Front Armies, Ardennes Assault and/or The British Forces. More info in the "About This Game" section below.

Why similar: Strategy 34.4%, World War II 31.4% ★, RTS 7.6%, War 6.3%, Historical 6%

Why You'll Like It: Its squad-level RTS focus is narrower than HoI4, but the WWII theme, faction asymmetry, and strategic battlefield control make it a natural step down in scale.

Men of War: Assault Squad 2 expands the real-time tactics series with new skirmish missions, massive multiplayer battles, enhanced visuals, improved AI, and full Direct Control. Command five factions across 65 maps, 250 vehicles, and 200 soldiers in one of the most detailed WWII RTS experiences.

Why similar: World War II 35.4% ★, War 14.6%, Strategy 12.7%, Military 10.4%, RTS 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: It is another strong WWII tactics pick for players who want a more hands-on version of the combined-arms warfare HoI4 represents strategically.

Sudden Strike is back! The beloved Real Time Strategy series returns, this time with bigger battlefields, more units, better graphics, new scenarios and legendary commanders – making Sudden Strike 4 more tactical and realistic than ever before!

Why similar: World War II 35.9% ★, War 14.3%, Strategy 13.5%, RTS 9.9%, Historical 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: While more RTS-focused and less systemic, it still captures the large-battle WWII command fantasy that often overlaps with HoI4's appeal.

Hex of Steel is a refreshing WWII wargame covering all fronts featuring a certain amount of original mechanics. Fight in solo against finally a decent AI throughout Europe, Africa or the Pacific, or against a friend in the cross-platform PBEM or real time multiplayer. Coop is also an option!

Why similar: World War II 44.7% ★, Military 20.1%, Historical 18.3%, Strategy 10.5%, Multiplayer 5.4%

Why You'll Like It: This accessible but systems-rich WWII turn-based wargame is a great pick if you mainly enjoy moving fronts and managing combined-arms warfare.

Use war, trade or diplomacy to satisfy your grandest ambitions and dominate five centuries of history in the newest version of Europa Universalis, Paradox Interactive's flagship historical grand strategy game.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 35.2% ★, Historical 15.8%, Alternate History 12.3%, Diplomacy 11.1% ★, War 10.1%

Age of History II is a grand strategy wargame that is simple to learn yet hard to master.Your objective is to use military tactics and cunning diplomacy to either unify the world, or conquer it.Will the world bleed out or bow before you? The choice is yours..

Why similar: Grand Strategy 24% ★, Historical 16%, World War II 15.4% ★, War 15.1%, Strategy 10%

Command a true operational structure. Can you balance and prioritize three different Theatres in order to achieve your objective?

Why similar: World War II 63.3% ★, Strategy 26.9%, Strategy RPG 7.2%, Multiplayer 2.1%, Singleplayer 0.5%

Why You'll Like It: A deep Eastern Front operational sim with political and logistical decisions that should click with HoI4 players who love planning campaigns.

A unique and deeply engaging political/military strategic simulation from the creator of Plague Inc. Balance competing civilian and military priorities and deal with a deadly insurgency in order to stabilise a war-torn country.

Why similar: World War II 15.6% ★, Grand Strategy 14.4% ★, Real-Time with Pause 8.4% ★, War 8.2%, Historical 7.9%

Strategic Mind: Blitzkrieg is a turn-based strategy set in the period of WW2. It brings a modern look and new features to a good old wargame genre. You are to lead the German Armed forces overcoming unthinkable odds and claiming the ultimate bittersweet victory in Europe. Blitzkrieg is the way!

Why similar: World War II 30.4% ★, War 14.9%, Military 14.6%, Historical 12.9%, Alternate History 12.6%

Why You'll Like It: It focuses on campaign-level WWII command and force composition, making it a good fit if HoI4's historical military side is what you enjoy most.

Grand strategy wargame where the destiny of Civilizations rests in your hands - will they stand united under your leadership or fall divided in conflict? Journey through the entire saga of human civilization, from its earliest days to the futuristic era, crafting your legacy age by age.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 25.5% ★, World War II 22.4% ★, Alternate History 12.1%, Diplomacy 11.6% ★, War 9.4%

An alien invasion has fractured humanity into seven ideological factions each with a unique vision for the future. Lead your chosen faction to take control of Earth’s nations, expand across the Solar System, and battle enemy fleets in tactical combat.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 19.6% ★, War 10.8%, Historical 10.6%, Real-Time with Pause 10.4% ★, Diplomacy 10% ★

Explore one of the defining periods in world history in an experience crafted by the masters of Grand Strategy.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 61% ★, Historical 13.9%, Strategy 8.2%, Real-Time with Pause 4.9% ★, Diplomacy 4.7% ★

Take over the control of one of the mighty nations during the times of World War 2 in this persisting long-term strategy game. Conquer provinces, forge alliances and build up your economy in real-time. Research top secret weapons of World War 2 and become the one true superpower!

Why similar: World War II 24.4% ★, Grand Strategy 17.1% ★, War 11.1%, Military 9.1%, Strategy 7.6%

Take over the control of one of the mighty nations during the times of World War 1 in the biggest WW1 strategy game of all time. Conquer provinces, forge alliances and build up your economy in real-time on persistent maps. Build experimental weapons of World War 1 and become the one true superpower!

Why similar: Grand Strategy 21.4% ★, War 16.1%, Historical 13.5%, Military 11.6%, Strategy 10.4%

Take command of your hand-tailored fleet of space warships and use realistic radar, electronic warfare, advanced movement controls in 3D space, and precision targeting to outmaneuver and outwit your opponents in a simulation-heavy tactical space game like no other.

Why similar: World War II 15.8% ★, Grand Strategy 14% ★, Real-Time with Pause 8.4% ★, War 8%, Historical 7.7%

Expand your empire, advance your culture and go head-to-head against history’s greatest leaders. Will your civilization stand the test of time?

Why similar: Grand Strategy 30.2% ★, Strategy 20.6%, Historical 20.4%, War 13.6%, Multiplayer 6.5%

Old World is a revolutionary new historical strategy game where you lead your dynasty over generations of rule against rival kings and queens. Wage massive wars, manage your court, and build a dynasty — or watch your empire crumble to dust. What legacy will you leave behind?

Why similar: Grand Strategy 22.4% ★, Historical 12.2%, War 12%, Diplomacy 11.1% ★, Military 9.8%

Real-Time Strategy/Wargame. From World War II through the Cold War and into the future, re-live or re-imagine the tensions and crises of our recent history! Guide your nation through the era of your choice in Campaigns, Scenarios, and Sandboxes, as you make every effort to become Supreme Ruler!

Why similar: Grand Strategy 20.5% ★, World War II 17.4% ★, Real-Time with Pause 11.4% ★, Military 10.6%, Alternate History 6.8%

Join the ever expanding experience of Hell Let Loose - a hardcore World War Two first person shooter with epic battles of 100 players with infantry, tanks, artillery, a dynamically shifting front line and a unique resource based RTS-inspired meta-game.

Why similar: World War II 38.8% ★, War 17.1%, Military 14.5%, Historical 10%, Multiplayer 5.8%

Team up and join the frontline in Squad 44, the most authentic tactical WW2 shooter. Experience ruthless realism with an immense arsenal of faithfully recreated weapons and vehicles across massive WW2 battlefields.

Why similar: World War II 42% ★, Military 16%, War 12.9%, Historical 8.5%, Strategy 5.9%

Faces of War puts you in the heart of World War II – not as a distant commander, but as the leader on the ground. Combining the tactical depth of real-time strategy with the immediacy of direct control, it lets you issue precise orders or jump straight into battle as one of your soldiers.

Why similar: World War II 51.4% ★, Strategy 16.6%, War 13.5%, RTS 8.7%, Multiplayer 4%

Making History® delivers the open-ended gameplay of strategy-game classics, but with compelling new economic, military, and diplomatic systems and deep research that lets you play with real historical challenges.

Why similar: World War II 35.6% ★, Grand Strategy 34.6% ★, Strategy 19.2%, Historical 9.7%, Action 0.9%

This is a strategy game with the theme of WWII. As a battlefield commander, maintaining your army's motivation and satisfaction, promoting your generals, managing your own economy, dealing with your friends' armies, and real time grand battle. What kind of commander will you become in the process?

Why similar: World War II 24.4% ★, Grand Strategy 19.1% ★, Historical 13.6%, War 11.6%, Military 11.2%

The Great War is a turn-based grand strategy game based on the epic struggles of the WWI era. Experience the battles of attrition and punishing artillery barrages. Play as any nation of the period as the modern world of industrialized warfare replaces an age of kings with a struggle of ideologies.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 24.5% ★, World War II 17.6% ★, Historical 10.9%, War 10.8%, Military 9.1%

The award-winning strategy game franchise returns with a revolutionary new chapter. Sid Meier's Civilization® VII empowers you to build the greatest empire the world has ever known!

Why similar: Grand Strategy 24.7% ★, Historical 12.5%, Military 12.1%, Diplomacy 12.1% ★, War 11.8%

Company of Heroes 3 combines heart-pounding combat with deeper strategic choices in a stunning Mediterranean theatre of war. In Company of Heroes 3, every battle tells a story...what's yours?

Why similar: World War II 33.1% ★, Historical 11.9%, Military 11.3%, Strategy 11%, RTS 10.1%

Realistic, immersive, breathtaking. WARNO is the ultimate World War III battle simulator from the masters of strategy, Eugen Systems. A Cold War turns decisively hot as you command hundreds of units on a beautiful and brutal battlefield. Outsmart, outfight, and lead your forces to total victory.

Why similar: Military 23.7%, War 20.2%, Historical 16.8%, RTS 12.6%, Strategy 10.4%

Men of War: Assault Squad delivers a deeply tactical WWII experience, blending large-scale strategy with intense, hands-on combat. Fight across multiple fronts – from European countryside to Pacific jungles and command every unit and every bullet on the battlefield.

Why similar: World War II 35.2% ★, War 13.6%, Strategy 13.4%, Military 11.1%, Historical 6.8%

Select an era, a nation and lead it to greatness or decay. Develop the economy and society, or focus on military and territorial expansion. In Nations you can rule your people for centuries – from ancient times to the modern day and beyond. You shape your state, history and map of the world.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 28.1% ★, Historical 20.5%, Strategy 12.9%, Alternate History 10.1%, Diplomacy 9.5% ★

Blitzkrieg 3 is a WW2 RTS made for true admirers of strategic mastery! Challenge your tactical skills in historical campaigns and defeat powerful Neural Network AI in competitive matches.

Why similar: World War II 28.7% ★, War 11.7%, Military 11.7%, Historical 10.3%, Real-Time with Pause 9.3% ★

Create your own nation in Millennia, a historical turn-based 4X game that challenges your strategic prowess across 10,000 years of history, from the dawn of humanity to our possible futures.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 25% ★, Alternate History 12.6%, Historical 12.4%, War 12%, Diplomacy 10.9% ★

Men of War is a stunning Real-Time Strategy game that takes place during the height of World War II. Intense battles span Europe and North Africa as gamers play as Soviet, Allied or German forces across 19 massive single-player missions.

Why similar: World War II 39.1% ★, Strategy 16%, Military 10.1%, War 9.3%, RTS 8.2%

Europa Universalis III Complete includes the original Europa Universalis III as well as the expansions In Nomine and Napoleons Ambition Europa Universalis III delves deeply into the areas of exploration, trade, warfare and diplomacy.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 46% ★, Historical 19.2%, Real-Time with Pause 12.2% ★, Strategy 11.8%, War 2.4%

Strategy & Tactics: Wargame Collection is a set of three historical turn-based strategies, in which you are going to take command of the armies in the greatest Medieval wars as well as take control of countries and nations during World War II.

Why similar: World War II 23.5% ★, Grand Strategy 20% ★, Strategy 17.9%, War 13.6%, Historical 11.8%

The Great War: Western Front is the definitive WW1 strategy game. Play a deciding role in history with this real-time tactical experience as you take charge in the iconic Western Front from 1914 to 1919. Pick your faction and lead your forces to victory.

Why similar: Grand Strategy 26.4% ★, Historical 15.7%, Strategy 14.3%, Military 12.8%, War 11%