Best Games Like Hearts Of Iron 4

Highlights

• Stellaris elevates grand strategy to galactic proportions with intricate ship design and crises management in a vast unknown galaxy.
• Crusader Kings 3, akin to Hearts of Iron 4, challenges players to expand their dynasty while avoiding internal strife and planning strategically.
• Victoria 3 simulates the Victorian age with micromanagement of a nation, from economy to invasions, in a multiplayer system for varied gameplay.

Developed by Paradox Interactive and released in 2016, Hearts of Iron 4 has long captivated fans of the grand strategy genre with its commitment to historical immersion and rich simulated combat. Set against the backdrop of the Second World War, Hearts of Iron 4 tasks players with managing domestic politics, military production and procurement, and warfare on land, in the air, and on the oceans.

The game has maintained a consistent player base in the tens of thousands and an active multiplayer scene, testifying to the game’s quality. For those with hundreds of hours already sunk in the game and looking for something new, it can be difficult to find anything that can scratch that particular itch. These ten games are noteworthy in their own right and worth a look for fans of both the genre and the setting.

Updated April 16, 2024 by Evan Arnoldi: Alongside great 4X games such as Stellaris and Victoria 3, more and more games can be classified as something that players who love Hearts of Iron 4 can play to satiate their craving for strategy games, accompanied by great narrative design and gameplay loop. Some of these games might be tricky to get into, either due to their old lifespan or mechanic complexity. However, players who are willing to try the games will be guaranteed to feel the same satisfaction as when they are playing Hearts of Iron 4.

Moreover, some of these games are also underrated enough to fly under the radar without acclaim due to their niche. Discovering the greats about these games will definitely help a fan of Hearts of Iron 4 fondly remember the game while trying something new and fresh.

1 Stellaris

Taking The Grand In “Grand Strategy” To A Galactic Scale

Stellaris takes the grand strategy genre to the next level by having the player lead a spacefaring empire to navigate the vast, unknown galaxy with danger lurking on every corner of the galaxy. Ranging from an intricate ship fleet design that can decide the fate of an empire to finding unique star systems that can bring disastrous crises to the galaxy, Stellaris offers an unforgettable grand strategy experience similar to Hearts of Iron 4.

Micromanaging is also essential in the game as mismanagement of resources will have immediate consequences via modifiers penalty. The multiplayer aspect of the game is quite refined as well to accommodate up to 32 players vying for dominance of the galaxy at the same time.

2 Crusader Kings 3

Bring Glory To An Ever-Expanding Empire

Another game by Paradox Interactive made the list as Crusaders King 3 offers a similar sight for fans of Hearts of Iron 4 due to its similarity in challenging mechanics and gameplay loop of a grand strategy game. Players of the game will be faced with the task of handling a dynasty and attempting to expand it throughout the realm while avoiding internal strife that can lead to the early demise of the empire that they are playing as.

The complexity will be a welcome sight for veteran players of Hearts of Iron 4 who find satisfaction in planning and strategizing almost all aspects of the game. All in all, the gameplay loop of Crusaders King 3 will be both a welcoming and comforting sight as players will be placed in a similar seat of a leader, albeit in a different time period.

3 Victoria 3

Lead A Country Through The Tumultuous Victorian Age

Similar to Hearts of Iron 4, Victoria 3 brings the player to the task of leading a country through the tricky Victorian age when colonization and wars were a common sight everywhere around the globe. The player can expect to micromanage almost every aspect of a country, from managing the livelihood of the citizens to coordinating invasions across hostile country’s territories.

Moreover, the robust multiplayer system of the game allows players to both role-play as a minor power trying to gain a foothold and a min-maxing major power that just tries to “win” the game.

4 Steel Division 2

Experience Realistic Warfare With Accurate Renditions

Developed by Eugen Systems, the minds behind the popular Wargame series, Steel Division 2 combines real-time combat with hundreds of accurately modeled and simulated units to bring players one of the best World War 2 tactical combat games available today.

Unlike its predecessor, Steel Division 2 contains a single-player “Dynamic Strategic Campaign” mode, challenging players to manage resources and units in a turn-based mode that’s a major upgrade from versions previously seen in the Wargame series, with improvements in everything from UX to AI.

5 Company Of Heroes 3

A Real-Time Strategy Game With High-Quality Graphics

Another real-time strategy game, Company of Heroes 3 is the long-awaited new installment in the series. Company of Heroes 2 was arguably the most popular World War 2 RTS game ever released, with a multiplayer community that continues to thrive even after the launch of 3, and the new entry seeks to pick up where its predecessor left off.

With major improvements in graphics quality and UX and the addition of new locations and factions, Company of Heroes 3 is a must for any new or returning fans of the real-time strategy genre. The high graphical quality of the game matches up well with the well-defined gameplay loop, enabling it to become a quick favorite for veterans of Hearts of Iron 4.

6 Panzer Corps 2

Brings Back The Classic Panzer Nostalgia

Developed by Flashback Games, Panzer Corps 2 takes inspiration from the classic Panzer General series and seeks to modernize that nostalgic formula. Players take turns moving and fighting across a hexagonal grid, either in the extensive single-player campaign or in its PvP mode, using units that have been modeled on their historical namesakes.

Panzer Corps 2 brings a fresh and modern take on the classic tabletop war games of the past and is well worth checking out by anyone looking for more of what Hearts Of Iron 4‘s combat mechanics give them. The intricate war mechanic will bring nostalgia to any veterans of Hearts Of Iron 4, as mastering the aspect will prove to be satisfactory enough for the player to direct another band of panzers waltzing through the enemy’s territory.

7 Men Of War: Assault Squad 2

Master The Aspect Of Warfare And Micromanagement

• Platform: Microsoft Windows
• Released: 15 May 2014
• Developer: Digitalmindsoft
• Genre: Real-time strategy & Real-time tactics

Despite its relatively old lifespan, Men of War: Assault Squad 2 brings a thrilling and intense combat simulation that requires heavy micromanagement which will surely pose a challenge to all veterans of grand strategy games, especially one that is familiar with Hearts of Iron 4. The real-time aspect of the game challenges the player to think on the fly, as a miscalculation can result in the swift destruction of their squads. Therefore, a constant concentration on all fronts is required to ensure victory in a skirmish inside the game’s landscape.

Aside from its challenging gameplay loop, Men of War: Assault Squad 2 also displays a graphic that is surprisingly not dated in recent years. When combined with the intricate and challenging gameplay aspect, the game can quickly become a favorite for veterans who want to find another game that challenges them like Hearts of Iron 4 does, especially in terms of warfare.

8 Unity Of Command 2

Getting Involved In The Logistics Hell Of A War

• Platform: Microsoft Windows
• Released: 12 November 2019
• Developer: 2×2 Games
• Genre: Turn-based strategy

Another hexagonal, turn-based strategy game, Unity of Command 2 is for those who played Hearts of Iron and thought, “The combat is good, but what’s really great is managing logistics!”. The logistical nightmare that the players face will surely remind them of similar mechanics in grand strategy games, especially in Hearts of Iron 4.

Unity of Command 2 is known for its challenge and depth in managing the army’s supply and logistics, as well as its commitment to historical accuracy, making it a must for those looking for a more challenging experience outside combat. Players shouldn’t think the combat is subpar, however, as the game brings all the intricacy and nuance of tabletop war gaming to its combat mechanics.

9 The Great War: Western Front

Navigate Through The Treacherous Trenches Of World War 1

The Great War: Western Front brings turn-based strategy and a hexagonal grid system to the trenches of World War 1, with fantastic results. With a focus on historical immersion that extends from weapon models to the accents of individual units, the game is unique in its realism.

It’s also unique in its real-time battles that give players the opportunity to be both theater commander and field commander, moving seamlessly from turn-based campaign to real-time battle and back. Players who are looking for a change in setting and what mechanical differences it might bring should strongly consider this title.

10 Command: Modern Operations

Intricate, Yet Rewarding Modern Warfare Simulator

• Platform: Microsoft Windows
• Released: 24 September 2013
• Developer: Warfare Sims
• Genre: Real-time strategy

Another hexagonal grid-based war game, Command: Modern Operations is a rich and complex modern warfare simulator with a steep learning curve. Those players who commit to mastering its systems will be rewarded, however, as there is perhaps no more mechanically intricate war game available today.

It doesn’t lack visually either, with a global map that’s a composite of hundreds of satellite images, a user interface that’s both complex and intuitive, and unit cards that are images of the real-world weapons system. Command: Modern Operations is for those looking for a rich and rewarding modern war game.

11 Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts

Realistic Simulated Naval Combat With Added Historical Accuracy

• Platform: Microsoft Windows
• Released: 10 December 2021
• Developer: Game-Labs
• Genre: Simulation strategy

Developed by Game-Labs, known for the popular Ultimate General series, Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts lets players design and battle their own early 20th-century fleets in accurately simulated naval combat. With a focus on historical accuracy in the ship designs, players must be mindful of everything from armor, weaponry, and displacement when creating their ships.

Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts is a must-have for those who enjoyed Hearts of Iron 4′s naval system, whether it was balancing the fleets or spending hours in the ship designer.

12 Nebulous: Fleet Command

Take On A Deep Space Combat With Steep Learning Curve

Unique on the list, Nebulous: Fleet Command is a real-time strategy game that takes inspiration from series like Homeworld, bringing players an extremely deep space combat simulator with an incredibly steep learning curve.

Players design and command fleets of ships in frenetic three-dimensional combat that doesn’t hold the players’ hand. Though still in early access, it’s praised by its fans for its mechanical complexity and player freedom and should be checked out by anyone interested in rich tactical combat and sci-fi settings.

13 Gary Grigsby’s War In The East

A Classic Wargame With Intricate Systems

• Platform: Microsoft Windows
• Released: 7 December 2020
• Developer: 2by3 Games
• Genre: Simulation strategy

A veritable classic of a wargame and a behemoth in and of itself, Gary Grigsby’s War in the East is to Hearts of Iron what calculus is to algebra. It’s for those players who played Hearts of Iron and wanted more historical realism, more simulated systems, more difficulty, and fewer tutorials.

Released in 2010, with a sequel released in 2021, it is the most mechanically complex and historically rich World War 2 war game available on PC today, with deep combat and logistics systems that will make players feel like geniuses in one moment and want to pull their hair out the next. Be advised, however, that there is no home front management here, only pure combat.

14 Shadow Empire

Lead A Civilization Through A Post-Apocalyptic Time Period

• Platform: Microsoft Windows
• Released: 4 June 2020
• Developer: 2by3 Games
• Genre: Simulation strategy

The most unique and unusual game on the list, Shadow Empire, can be difficult to describe to those who’ve not heard of the game, which, unfortunately, is most fans of the grand strategy genre. Released in 2020, Shadow Empire has become something of a cult classic, with players who can get past its visual design and unwieldy interface discovering one of the greatest 4X games ever released.

The game is set on a post-apocalyptic planet that’s procedurally generated based on values such as distance from the sun (and the type of star the sun is), the planet’s tilt and speed of rotation, and many more, allowing players to spend hours on crafting the map alone. Once the game starts, the player will have to manage their cities, armies, economy, domestic politics, and relations with other powers and come to grips with deep and complex combat and logistics systems. Though there is no tutorial, the game does come with a 400-page manual, which is an absolute necessity.