For some, it started with a guy with a pistol running around Nazi-filled tunnels to kill Hitler with a minigun. For others, it started with stalking through the hedgerows of France to steal documents. Eventually, so many WW2 games were being released that fans wished that Hitler would stuff a Kar98k up his rectum and pull the trigger. Though Wolfenstein 3D was the first game to be set in a WWII theme, from the release of Medal of Honor for the PSX, the WWII FPS genre took a handhold and refused to let go.

Departing from the action-orientated European Theater of Operations as seen in Frontline and Allied Assault, Pacific Assault followed the story of Private Thomas Conlin of the US Marines, fighting from Pearl Harbor to Tarawa Atoll. MOHPA also departed from the generic mission-based layout and adopted a more 'personal' aspect to the characters in the game, combined with slick visuals. Despite the awesome soundtrack, the game was heavily bugged and some gameplay mechanics, such as indestructable allies, disappointing multiplayer and a rollercoaster series of climaxes and anticlimaxes tore chunks out of what would have been the most immersive game in the MOH series.

Most gamers have never heard of this title. In fact, most WWII shooter fans haven't heard of this title, and surprisingly so. WWII Online may look outdated compared to today's stunning graphics, but the gameplay is gold, standing out as the only WWII-based Massively Multiplayer Online First Person Shooter. Players are able start a career in the early war years fighting on the Western Front using a variety of infantry weapons, vehicles and aircraft using keyboards, mice and joysticks to simulate the theatre of war with thousands of other players around the world, kept up to date by a comprehensive website outlining major events in the game world.

The game that sparked off the entire WWII shooter craze, MOH put you in the boots of Lt. Jimmy Patterson as operates behind enemy lines in France and Germany in one of the most immersive games of its time. While the gameplay mechanics were not revolutionary, MOH set the benchmark for its awesome soundtrack and sound effects, a trend that would be continued in every MOH game afterwards.

When gamers think of Half-Life mods, the first mod that comes to mind is Counter-Strike. When asked for a second mod, that answer would definitely be Day of Defeat. While not as fast-paced as CS, DOD performed a heavy facelift to the Half-Life interface, introducing many authentic weapons, a class system which added variety to the game, as well as several gameplay features that were unheard of in other WW2 games. Though the transition to DOD Source hasn't been met with the same acclaim, DOD nonetheless remains a solid shooter.

The first entry of the MOH series onto the PC, Allied Assault was marketed and released simultaneously with MOH Frontline, both boasting an impressive Omaha Beach level with obvious influence from Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan". MOHAA took advantage of the PC's superior processing abilities and more precise control to provide extensive levels filled with plenty of action. Unfortunately, the expansion packs were disappointing when compared with MOHAA, but nonetheless MOHAA remains the standard for the PC MOH series.

"No one fights alone" was the slogan for Call of Duty, and that was the concept the game was designed for. While offering no direct method of controlling team mates, and in fact not a particularly revolutionary game, COD pulled together the best elements of contemporary games and packed it into one epic WWII shooter. COD features numerous allies to fight alongside, a beautiful soundtrack, extensive use of iron sights, the developing experience of the MOHAA crew and plenty of recognisable seens from popular films such as "Enemy at the Gates" and "Band of Brothers". The expansion, United Offensive, brought more weapons and added in vehicles for multiplayer, giving COD one of the most extensive multiplayer experiences ever.

Following on the heels of the Medal of Honor series, Battlefield 1942 removes the relatively restrictive realism aspect of WWII shooters and instead adopted a heavy action-orientated approach, with incredibly large levels and extensive use of vehicles, planes and ships. BF1942 stripped itself of single player and was dedicated to its multiplayer side, offering an extensive variety of ways to play through multiplayer in both the European and Pacific theatres. While some gamers cringed at its disregard for historical accuracy and realism, the game was nonetheless a bit hit with FPS gamers, and with realism mods such as Forgotten Hope and the modern Desert Combat, BF1942 was a peak in multiplayer experience and the mod community.

With the WWII shooter genre being dominated by BF, MOH and COD, a new acronym was needed by gamers, and that acronym was BIA. Brothers in Arms, unlike previous games, was built around the concept of squad-based combat. Based on true historical events, players are placed in control of separate fire teams, each being suitable for certain combat tasks, such as assaulting or suppressing, while the player was free to command and play according to what they thought was needed. Although the gameplay deteriorated into the usual suppress-and-flank routine, the action and intensity of directly commanding a full squad of troops and the occasional tank was a huge success, and the emotional development of the characters with the beautiful scenery and soundtrack made BIA a big name in the WWII genre.

With Call of Duty being such a success and winning so many awards, Call of Duty 2 had to be a damn good game to impress its fans, and a damn good game it was. Taking the best parts of COD and introducing more battles and campaigs, COD2 also made use of a proprietary engine which captured beautiful particle effects, such as snow, fog and smoke cover. COD2 also gave the game a more tactical twist by making weapons easier to use and more powerful, combined with another excellent soundtrack, and despite omitting popular features introduced in the United Offensive COD expansion, COD2 has definitely stepped ahead of its predecessor.

"And when he gets to heaven, to St Peter he will tell: 'One more soldier reporting sir; I've served my time in hell." Who can forget those opening lines before the PS2's epic rendition of Omaha Beach? Once again picking up the role of Lt. Jimmy Patterson, players trek across western Europe, fighting in major operations such as the Normandy invasion and Operation Market Garden, Frontline combines one of the finest soundtracks in any first-person shooter with excellent gameplay mechanics and immersive level designs. Truly, it was memorable walking through the Dutch countryside with a quiet requiem playing in the background, to 'Arnhem Knights', fighting through the streets of a destroyed town with allies dying around you with a solo vocalist echoing in the background. While many games have come close to this standard of action and immersion, and in the future some games may surpass it, Frontline will forever be the classic, defining game of the WWII FPS genre.

By now, you've probably spent a few hours picking out MP40 rounds from your backside and packing more stick grenades for the next round. As you can see from the list, the WW2 genre has been dominated by the Medal of Honor series, although as time passes and more titles from the Call of Duty and Brothers in Arms lineups are produced and fine-tuned, MOH might eventually be knocked out of the war. It would be safe to assume that the best WWII shooters, or any shooters for that matter, combine elements of good gameplay, immersive environments and a dramatic soundtrack to convey that cinematic experience.

List by Scottie theNerd