One of the best things about video games is they let us travel back in time, enabling us to travel to how the world was back in the day or play as a historical faction. If you’re a gamer from Israel or someone interested in the country and culture, we’re sure visiting the nation in-game or playing as them is part of your gaming bucket list.

Thankfully, there are several games and franchises that let you get this done. The following titles let you explore the country or even play as an Israelite or Jewish kingdom. With that said, let’s take a good look at some of the most notable examples:

Crusader Kings III

Crusader Kings III is a grand strategy game by Paradox Interactive. In a nutshell, it lets you play as a medieval ruler, from emperors to the lower-ranking nobles, like dukes and counts. You’ll forge alliances, arrange marriages, wage war, and even engage in a bit of skullduggery.

There are two timeframes in the game, 867 and 1066. In both of these years, the lands comprising Israel are part of the Abbasid Caliphate and the Fatimids. If you’d like to alter history as a Jewish character and reclaim the Promised Land, you have several options.

First, you can try to play as a ruler in the Khazar Khaganate, a coalition of Turkic tribes in modern-day Ukraine and Russia. You’d have to try and expand southwards, but doing so will require you to face the Georgians, Armenians, and the powerful Byzantines before waging war against the Abbasids. The second yet challenging option is to create a Jewish character, but you’d have to contend with neighboring rulers and vassals.

Granted, playing as a Jewish character and forming Israel will be a challenge, but once you manage to get it done, it will all be worth it.

Assassin’s Creed

If you’d like to take a closer look and a personal journey across Israel, then Assassin’s Creed is one of your primary options. As Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad, you’ll be part of the Order of Assassins, exploring the Levant in the middle of the 2nd Crusade.

Though it’s in the middle of a destructive war, you’ll visit Acre, and the Holy City itself, Jerusalem. Some of the popular landmarks you’ll get to see are the famous Dome of the Rock, Saint Anne’s Church, and the formidable Citadel of Acre. Minor spoilers are ahead, but you’ll also make your way to the Temple of Solomon, underneath the Temple Mount.

Apart from games set in Israel, are there Israeli game sites too?

Yes, definitely. Assassin’s Creed and Crusader Kings are games that require a lot of time to play, so if you’re not keen on investing countless hours playing them, don’t worry, you will have tons of options.

If you’re looking for something quick and easy to pick up and play, then free games by Yo-Yoo are your go-to. The site provides games you can play on your browser without needing any downloads or sign-ups. It offers a wide variety of games too, from thrilling precision platformers to chillaxing bubble shooters and match-3 games. Best yet, the site is entirely in Hebrew so you can play some משחקים בחינם as they say, in a language that you're comfortable and familiar with.

So, if you're pining for something fun to play directly on your browser without having to download anything and that it's completely free to play, then Yo-Yoo Games might have what you seek. Check it out now!