A WWII shooter built around Stalingrad
Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad with Rising Storm drops you into the Battle of Stalingrad and the surrounding operations, German and Russian sides, from July 1942 to February 1923. Combat runs from quick, brutal firefights to more intricate tactical modes. The package also contains the full Rising Storm content, which brings the Pacific war and US vs Japanese maps like Phosphate Plant and Otori Shima into the mix. Alongside the base game you get community-made maps promoted to official status, including Bridges of Druzhina, Cold Steel, and Gumrak Station.
Playing together in a group
Everything here is Online PvP, so your group fills out teams on the same server rather than forming a private lobby. Modes include Firefight, a team death match take; Territory; Countdown, a single-life format; and Search & Destroy, where teams take turns planting an explosive on one of multiple objectives across a set of 10 maps. Action mode adds a crosshair, easier aiming, toned down recoil, reduced damage, and open access to a wide range of weaponry, which makes it a workable entry point for the less experienced members of your group. Classic mode keeps the tactical, edgy feel of the original Red Orchestra. Tank crews get a first person interior with a full AI crew, armor and damage systems, and transport vehicles such as the Universal Carrier, SdKfz-251 halftrack, and Bren Carrier.
Before you start
Expect a realistic, team-based wargame rather than a run-and-gun shooter. Persistent stats tracking means rank, achievements, and abilities carry across sessions, so newer players will be behind veterans. The Heroes of the West mod adds maps like Caen Outskirts and Hill 400, covering Normandy and the Hurtgen Forest in 1944. Gore is present in the combat. Pick a mode that matches your group's tolerance for losing a life: Firefight lets you respawn, while Countdown and Search & Destroy end your round on death.