Medieval Games That Are Not Historically Accurate

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I’ve played a lot of medieval games, and while some, like *Kingdom Come: Deliverance*, really nail the historical details, others just don’t bother with realism or stumble on simple things. Honestly, I’m tired of seeing everything depicted as just grey and muddy! It’s a common thing in movies, TV, and games, but the Middle Ages weren’t actually that drab. They were surprisingly colorful, even a bit over-the-top sometimes!

Sometimes, games blend armor, clothing, and building styles from various periods, often set in a vague, general European location. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean historical accuracy isn’t a priority. Other games create incredibly detailed and realistic medieval worlds, but then feature gameplay that doesn’t reflect how things actually were – heroes might dodge attacks, tumble around, or fight with two weapons at once. Despite these inaccuracies, these can still be some of the most enjoyable medieval games.

Medieval Dynasty

No Religion, Stone Tools, & Modern Pigs

Medieval Dynasty is an open-world game where you start by simply trying to survive, and eventually build and grow your own medieval village. You’ll attract people to live there, work, and start families. The game features detailed crafting, farming, and trading systems, and it’s generally a calm and enjoyable experience, with only occasional threats from wolves or bandits.

Despite its potential, *Medieval Dynasty* portrays a rather bland and uninspired version of the Middle Ages. A major oversight is the complete absence of religion, which was a central part of life in medieval communities. While some argue the game might be set in a time and place where Christianity hadn’t fully taken hold, like 11th-century Eastern Europe, this doesn’t align with the presence of later medieval armor styles. If that were the case, we’d also expect to see elements of Pagan beliefs. The game also suffers from inaccuracies like starting players with primitive stone and bronze tools, unrealistic building designs, and oddly modern-looking pink pigs instead of the more historically accurate brown and bristly wild boars. Still, these flaws are less problematic than those found in many other games that claim to be historically medieval.

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla

Aside From The Fantasy Elements, There Are Plenty Of Inaccuracies

The *Assassin’s Creed* series is famous for its incredibly detailed and realistic historical worlds, featuring accurately recreated landmarks. While the games strive for historical authenticity in their settings, the combat often prioritizes fun over realism. *Assassin’s Creed Valhalla* is no exception; set in the late 9th century with a Norwegian Viking invader, it features over-the-top combat with sweeping attacks, frequent decapitations, and the ability to wield two axes at once.

Beyond the gameplay and the way Norse mythology is shown through dream sequences, *Valhalla* isn’t very accurate when it comes to historical details. The shields, for instance, are often incorrect – some designs appear about a hundred years before they actually existed, and the materials aren’t realistic. Clothing and armor are another area where the game, like many depictions of Vikings, gets things wrong. *Vinland Saga* is a rare exception that gets it right. Instead of the typical simple tunics, chainmail, and helmets, characters are often shown wearing excessive amounts of leather and fur, with the fur worn on the outside instead of as an inner lining.

Chivalry 2

Designed To Evoke The Feeling Of Medieval Action Films

Chivalry 2 is a multiplayer action game focused on medieval-style combat with weapons like swords, crossbows, and siege equipment. The game intentionally draws inspiration from movies and common, but inaccurate, depictions of the Middle Ages, rather than striving for historical accuracy. However, players unfamiliar with this approach might mistakenly believe it’s a realistic portrayal of the medieval period.

The game’s armor often looks inaccurate, mixing pieces from different time periods, having incorrect sizes, and displaying made-up designs. Shields are even less realistic, sometimes made from strange materials instead of the traditional wood and fabric. But the biggest issue for historical accuracy – though it makes the game more enjoyable – is that armor doesn’t really protect players. Unlike more realistic medieval combat games where you need to target weak spots or use blunt weapons, players can easily cut through armor with any weapon, leading to a simple hack-and-slash experience.

The Plague Tale Series

Spreads The Myth That Rats Spread The Plague

Both *A Plague Tale: Innocence* and *A Plague Tale: Requiem* are enjoyable stealth adventure games with compelling stories and gameplay. However, they aren’t very accurate when it comes to portraying the Middle Ages. One major issue is the clothing – the characters look more like fantasy heroes than people who would have actually lived in medieval France.

Perhaps more concerningly, the game’s depiction of rats as a constant threat unintentionally supports the inaccurate historical belief that rats directly caused the Bubonic Plague during the 14th-century Black Death. While rodents like gerbils likely contributed to the plague’s spread in Asia, and fleas on trade ships helped transport it, the disease primarily spread from person to person. A massive rat infestation taking over France, as shown in the game, is historically unlikely, even though it makes for exciting gameplay.

For Honor

Not Even Close To Realistic

For Honor is an action game where players battle as warriors from various historical periods and cultures. Originally featuring Knights, Vikings, and Samurai, the game now includes fighters like Roman centurions, gladiators, and pirates.

It’s obvious this game isn’t aiming for historical accuracy, especially with rival groups existing in the same world. The designs for the knights’ armor are far from medieval, and the Vikings are even less realistic. The gameplay adds to this, prioritizing over-the-top action with constant spinning attacks and unbelievable finishing moves, even if it is enjoyable.

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2025-09-23 09:36