8 Video Games That Taught You History Through Immersion

6. Civilization V

Ever wanted a summary of entire dynasties throughout the centuries? Then look no further than Sid Meier's Civilization V. Although Civ VI has a few more features, Civ V depicts the iconic leaders in a far more realistic aesthetic.

Even though you might be conquering an island as George Washington and are enemies with Gandhi (who shouldn't even be in the game), the special in-game events are tiny history lessons that would normally take you hours of reading to learn. Even if they aren't complete history lessons, they're certainly jumping-off points to learn something new.

When a player discovers nuclear fission, this is the accompanying quote: "'I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' - J. Robert Oppenheimer."

Maybe it's obvious that Oppenheimer was father of the atomic bomb but why did he say that line and what's it from? Well, he was quoting a line from the Bhagavad Gita which is part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. In fact, Oppenheimer stated that the Gita was a huge influence on his life's philosophy.

Maybe you could have learned that from a textbook, but isn't it more fun to learn about when you're using your might to conquer another civ?