10 War Video Games You Must Play Before You Die

As engaging as boots-on-the-ground gameplay can be, who doesn't love a good old-fashioned combat flight sim?

Released back in 2001, IL-2: Sturmovik remains a high-point of the genre almost 20 years later, for as much as things might've moved on, its technical attention-to-detail and granularity of tweakable options still make it highly alluring today.

Though more tailored towards experienced genre vets than newbies, the game stands out from its competitors with its unique focus on an Eastern Front setting.

Whether you're in this for the extremely satisfying dogfight combat or the simple pleasure of cruising around some historic locales in beautiful works of aeronautic engineering, it's absolutely one of the very best combat flight sims ever made.

Better still, if you're considering giving it a shot, you can pick up the 1946 compendium on Steam for literal pennies.